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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1960-10-03-min 179 SELHC ZME N'S MEETING October3 9 1 60 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, on Monday, October 3, 1960, at 7:30 P.M. Chairman Morey, Messrs . Adams , Ferguson and Richards were pre- sent . Mr. Stevens, Town Counsel, Mr. Carroll, Super- intendent of Public Works, and the executive Clerk were also present. Mr. Cole arrived at 7:45 P.M. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes of the Selectmen' s Meeting held Minutes September 6, subject to corrections on the vote per- taining to an amendment to the Rules and Regulations governing taxicabs. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes of the Selectmen's Meeting held Minutes on September 26. Mr. James J. Carroll, Town Clerk, met with the Board and reported that the S1e ction Officers are not satisfied with the amounts they are being paid for working at the polls. He said they have to report for duty at least three quarters of an hour before the polls open and some of them work fifteen hours, re- ceiving less than $1 .00 an hour . He said that some- thing was said about opening the polls for the November election at six in the morning which would mean the workers would have to report at five or five-thirty. He stated that, because of the many absentee ballots, the workers would have aJong day. The Chairman asked if Mr . Carroll thought the Board should change to an hourly rate, and he replied that he thought the workers should receive at least $1.00 an hour. The Chairman asked if there would be enough workers for the next election, and he replied that he would not know the answer until he started to call them. He stated that he would have at least six in every precinct . The Chairman asked if he was recommending that the workers be paid on an hourly basis, and he replied that it was a difficult situation. He stated that Natick pays the workers a flat rate of $25.00 regard- less of their positions and regardless of the hours they work. He explained that there is no opportunity for the workers to put in the long hours they used to before voting machines were used. 180 'j Mr. Adams said with machines, the wwrkers should not run over fifteen hours, and Mr. Carroll said that was a good figure . Mr. Carroll retired at 7:40 P.M. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to establish the following rates for election officers: Wardens, $1.80 per hour. Inspectors & Clerks, $1.65 per hour Tellers, $1.50 per hour. Mr. Stevens reported that following the meeting last week, he checked into the assessed valuations of the Trani building and found that the building had been increased, following the purchase by Joseph Trani, Inc. , from $5,050 .00 to9,500.00. The total assessment had been $15,000.00+ and the increase brought it to Trani $20,450.00. He said he understood the Assessors made building the increase because the deed to Trani showed on the stamps a price of $50,000.00. The Assessors felt the assessment was out of line and the easiest way to do the figuring in the office was to put it on the building . Mr. Stevens said he told Mr. Tropeano, Tranits attorney, that he had no figure from the Board, but said the Board would go along with $10,000.00 damages as far as the building is concerned. He told him that because the Board had been assured that the building was in such bad condition, he felt this was a very fair figure . Mr. Tropeano was going to discuss it with his client and then contact Mr. Stevens. He said he should have an answer next week. The Chairman asked if, should there be an agreement, it should be ratified by Town Meeting. Mr. Stevens replied in the affirmative and said he thought the School Committee very definitely has in mind a meeting for November. He is to meet with them this evening. The Chairman explained that she emphasized that it would take three weeks from the time they asked before a Town Meeting could be held. Mr. Stevens stated that he had a plan given to him by Mr. John Carroll and he checked the various parcels to see how they had been acquired. He also had Mr. Carroll place the school building on the plan, which is on the Scott property, a parcel subject to restrictions. He explained that before the land can be so used, there will have to be action by Town Meeting, a release by Trustees of Tufts University, who are the successors to Scott, and an Act of the Legislature . 181 The Chairman stated that last summer, the School Committee tried to set up a meeting of all the Boards interested but the Planning Board could not make it She told Mr. Clark that before anything is done about a Town Meeting, a meeting of the Boards should be held, and he agreed. Mr. Stevens said he thought the School Committee has in mind some sort of a joint meeting. Mr. Stevens presented a plan of Eldred Street show- ing the portion included in Soule 's land. He said that following the layout, the land was subdivided and a fifty foot width was reserved for the street and the Town was granted easements for street purposes . He said he under- stood the Planning Board felt Emerson Road should go Emerson Road through here and asked Mr. Soule to resubdivide his land to make provisions for a seventy-foot street. He said be was given the impression from Norman May that Mr. Soule would do that Mr. Stevens explained, by indicating the lots and streets on the plan, what Mr. Soule proposes to do . He reported that Mr. May raised the question about betterments . He said if the Town builds Emerson Road, there might be betterments and it seemed to him that this might be where the Board says it Soule grants easements to the Town and if the Town builds the streets, it will not be done under betterment insofar as any assessment of betterments on these pro- perties is concerned. Mr. Richards asked if Emerson Road was going to cross Route 128, and Mr. Stevens replied that is what Mr. Snow wants. Mr. Carroll said he was concerned about the fact that provisions are being made for Emerson and Worthen Roads across the Town without 100% of the Board of Select- men or the Town Meeting Members knowing, or being sure they want to build these roads. He said in some instances developers are being asked to build streets wider than necessary at the present time without having the Town Meeting Members sure they want to build these roads. The Chairman said that it is time the Selectmen had another meeting with the Planning Board and arreview should be made next Monday night on Stnerscnand Worthen Roads. Mr. Carroll reported on the status of the Air Force Water situation and read a letter from William L. Smith, Contracting Officer. Water It was felt that the communication did not pre- sent evidence of any accomplishment or progress and did not justify an answer. A - y The Chiirman read a letter from the Board of Health, advising that a letter had been received Legal action from the attorney for William Potter, Walnut Farm re piggery Trust, stating a Superior Court jury trial has been filed to appeal the Board of Health's order that the operation of the piggery at 32 Walnut Street must be brought to an end by April 30, 1961, and also to appeal the order requesting the removal of large piles of manure in thirty days . Messrs. Stevens and Carroll retired at 8:30 P.M. Messrs . George H. Matheson, Jr. , Felix J. Conti, Robert J. Brennan, and Alan Hodges met with the Board opposing the proposed extension of Buckman Drive . Mr. Matheson presented a petition of approximately 450 signatures of residents and votes of the Town opposed to the proposed extension. He said the group tried last year to see the Town Planner or the Planning Board but could not see either. The Town Planner said he could not see the group without the Planning Board, and the Planning Board said they were too busy. The Chairman informed the group that the Selectmen have requests from people in the area of Moreland Avenue and Moon Hill Road asking for some egress, and the Board replied that the subject would be given some consideration and it was referred to the Planning Board for recommendations Mr. Matheson said the people on Buckman Drive ap- preciate the problem but if the Board went back to the Planning Board's recomb, it would find that the Moon Hill development did not want people up there . He said the problem the pe ople on Buckman Drive have is not only traffic, but the road would have to be widened and side- walks would have to be constructed, and the people oppose it generally. Mr. Conti said there has already been one fatal ac- cident and Mr. Matheson's daughter was struck by a car. He said if the extension is opened up, there will be three or four times as much traffic. The Chairman asked who was driving the vehicle in- volved in the fatal accident, and Mr. Conti replied that it was Mrs. Snyder. The Chairman asked if she was a resident of the area and Mr. Conti replied in the affirmative . The Chairman said she should have been well aware of the area. Mr. Matheson said a delivery truck struck his daughter. Mr. Conti said that there are approximately eighty children on Buckman Drive and adjoinl.ag streets. Mr. Matheson said there is no bus transportation for the High School students. He said the extension would ruin the trees and create a very bad hazard for all the children. He mentioned the Town Planner and said that for a number of years the solution was to be Worthen Road Mr. Conti said there was a direct access road from Watertown Street straight up the hill which the archi- tects ignored. Mr. Hodges said that seven acres have just been sold and some of that property fronts on Milliken Road . Dr. Brennan said if Buckman Drive is extended, most of the cars would go up Follen, down Buckman and across Moon Hill and avoid the traffic at Wilson's stand. He said some of the residents on Moon Hill Road now use Summit Road. Mr. Adams said that when Worthen Road was originally planned, one sketch was connecting in Dawes Road and Locust Avenue . He explained that the thought was that it would not become a through way. Mr. Matheson said Um people on Moon Hill Road want to be isolated and he did not see why the Buckman Drive area should be opened up to give them an access . Mr. Matheson asked if the group could have a hewing with the Planning Board and the Board of Selectman. The group retired at 9:05 P.M. The Chairman suggested that the Planning Board be advised of the petition. Mr. Carroll brought the Board up to date on the refuse disposal article in thewarrant, and reported that he talked to Fay, Spofford and Thorddike about submitting a proposal of what it would cost for that Refuse and company to make a study and what thestudy would consist garbage of. He said the proposal will be submitted some time disposal next week. Mr. Carroll reported that the State has advised, with reference to the Chapter 90 project on Winchester Drive and Lowell Street, that there is not suffioient time to invite bids and he agreed. The State suggested asking forbids and specifying that the work will be done early in the spring. One problem in oonnection with this work is that of the fill at the Christ Church He said it would be necessary to obtain slope easements and he will try to have someone make the contact this week. He said, in fact, there are three easements that 1 182 should be acquired. He explained that if it is not possible to obtain a grant, a taking will have to be made and the State has requested a letter from him stating that the easement will be taken prior to the construction, that the material in front of the church removed prior to the construction, and that the Town will pay for all non-participating items . He said he felt that the church people should be told they willl. have to remove the fill . Letter was received from the State Department of Public Works, addressed to Mr. Carroll, advising that funds for the fiscal year for sidewalk and curbing in- stallations have been practically eliminated. The in- Sidewalk & stallation of sidewalk and curb on Marrett Road, Route curb, Marrett 2A, will have to be postponed until funds become avail- Road,Rte .2A able in some future fiscal year. The letter suggested that the matter of parking ears an the sidewalk would appear to be a police matter. Letter was received from the Follen Community Church guaranteeing payment of $80.00 for the first month and 110.00 for each succeeding month for the house at 572 Massachusetts Avenue while occupied by the VonJungenfelds, MacKeen a temporary arrangement to be discontinued at the option property of the Board. rented The Chairman had previously contacted all the members of the Board and it was agreed to rent the property to the Pollen Community Church at the above-mentioned rents . The Chairman read a letter fram W. F. Davis, 18 Boulder Road, relative to connecting his waste disposal system to a sanitary sewer . Mr. Carroll reported that Mr. Davis had been in to see him the other night at which time an alternate route was suggested, going to the right, facing the hill. Mr. Carroll said it is not a bad route but there is ledge and it is longer. Mr. Davis felt that the drain could not be put in and Mr. Carroll said it did not make any sense to him not to put thedrain in. He said another solution would be to run a service back across his iot and just tie him in but that is not good because it did not include the property owned by Mrs. Fernald. W. F. Davis He explained that the amount involved is several ewer thousand dollars and the maximum to be realized from Mr. Davis would be $700 and from Mrs. Fernald $600. He told Mr. Davis that in any case, the Board would have to have in hand a grant of easements from Heath and Fletcher . i8 Mr. Carroll explained that another solution might be to have a pump in Mr . Davis ' cellar and pump out to the gravity sewer on Boulder Road. The pump would cost something around $450.00 to install and if the electricity failed, it would not work. He said there would be a charge for putting the pump in, and possibly changing the plumbing, plus $150 or $200 for the sewer service . Mr. Ferguson suggested the installation of a pump and waive of betterments. Mr. Carroll agreed to determine what it would cost to solve the problem by the installation of a pump. Mr. Carroll retired at 10:00 P.M. Mr. Donald T. Clark, Chairman of the School Com- mittee, and Mr. Mitchell Spirts met with the Bolrd. Mr. Clark said the Committee is trying to get the various Boards together to talk about a secondary Joint school site, how to move for a Town Meeting, etc. He meeting asked if the Committee could meet with the Selectmen, Planning Board, Appropriation Committee and Recreation Committee. It was agreed to hold a joint meeting of the Boards on Tuesday, October 11, in Sstab1ook Hall at 8:00 P.M. The Chairman read a letter from Sric T. Clarke, 29 Moon Hill Road, requesting the Board to take ap- propriate steps to reduce the hazard caused by cars park- ing along the west side of Pleasant Street, particularly on Sundays. Report was received from Lieutenant James F. Corr, Acting Chief, stating that after checking the situation, it is evident that the complaint is valid and in his opinion, "No Parking" signs should be erected and a Traffic regulation to this effect added to the Traffic Rules and Regulations . The Chairman suggested, and the Board agreed, to defer action on amending the regulations until such time as other regulations may be added, and to ask that the officer on duty make an effort to enforce the tempo- rary "No Parking" signs that are erected on Sundays . Petition was received signed by residents of Baker Avenue and Peacock Farm Road asking to have a posted, enforced speed limit. Report was received from Lieutenant James F. Corr, Acting Chief, stating that many complaints have been Traffic received from all over Town with respect tooverspeed- ing and requests for posting . After spending some time on these two streets, it did not seem to him that the 184 - 1-1 Ogoni amount of traffic called for a posted speed limit, and he suggested referring the matter to the Traffic Study Committee . It was greed to refer the complaint to the Traffic Study Committee when Chief Rycroft returns from his annual vacation. The Chairman read a letter from Walter C . Ballard stating that there are still more roomers at 6 Raymond Street than is permitted in the Zoning By-Law. Zoning Report was received from Mr. Irwin stating that Mrs . Coleman, the owner, expected to have the house let to only one family starting the first of October. He will make another inspection to ascertain whether or not the situation develops as she expected it to. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted License to approve an application for a Peddler ' s License filed by George H. Phelan, 11 Stevens Road. The Chairman referred to Mr. Arthur Burrells let- ter of September 22, 1960, relative to a positive state- ment to be issued by the Board whereby all Town Depart- ments must feel that, as part of their regular duties, they have a certain assigned Civil Defense Duty. Mr. Cole was delegated to talk with Mr. Burrell without making any definite commitment . The Chairman stated that for some time the Board has talked about the possibility of doing something about the Town Report . She said there should be some Town Report reorganization. She took a few names from the list of Town Meeting Members Association and suggested a com- mittee of three people, having in mind nothing more than dropping the index and then perhaps in a year, someone might come up with some suggestions for more changes. It was agreed to contact Chesley Dunlap, Nancy Hudson, J. S. Nason Whitney and Robert H. Kingston to ask if they would serve on such a committee to be concerned with changing the organization work of the report, putting it together, taking other reports andcomparing them. However, for the present, their only concern would be with the physical makeup and would report to the Board . The meeting adjourned at 10:45 P.M. A true record, Attest: yr / /' e tine Cle i. , Sole (men rV