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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1959-01-31-BOS-min 594 ' b-C SELECTMEN 'S MEETING 11 January 31, 1959 A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in theSelectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, on Saturday morning, January 31, 1959, at 9:30 A M. Chairman Maloney, Messrs. James, Tucker, and Mrs. Morey were present . Mr. John J. Carroll, Superintendent of Public Works, and the Executive Clerk were also present . The meeting was held for the purpose of discussing 1959 budgets of the Public Works Department, and the first one to be considered was Personal Services of the Superintendent's Office . Mr Carroll said that he did not want to employ an Assistant Superintendent until next January first . He said he had to have someone whom he could depend upon to do the engineering work He reported that Mr Higgins is a graduate engineer and has a definite personality problem and therefore may people do not understand him. He said he has had a long talk with Mr. Higgins and told him what is needed and what is expected of him. He told Mr. Higgins that he would have to sell himself before he will be recommended for anything. Mr. Carroll said he would rather wait and have Mr . Higgins prove he can or can or can't do the work before employing another man. He reported that Mr. Higgins has been doing a terrific job during the last few months . He has informed the Engineering g Bring Depart nt that Mr. Higgins is in charge . Mr. James asked if Mr. Higgins had trouble with people and Mr. Carroll replied that he does not aggravate people He said he is only twenty-three and needs a little time . Mr. James suggested discussing more help for the Engineering Department rather than an Assistant. He asked if there were enough funds allowed to employ a good engine- er if one can be found and Mr. Carroll replied in the negative Mr. James said that is what he is concerned about, because he felt a good engineer was needed. He said the department was short last year and the year before. The Chairman said if Mr. Carroll can do the work with the personnel he has, he should do it and he did not think he should be told to employ a couple of men. Mr. James said employing Whitman & Howard is costing the town money. Mr. Carroll agreed and said that there is a tre- mendous number of hidden costs . He said it should be realized that the town has a consultant engineering company that has many graduate engineers at the town' s disposal. He said if the town hires two or three young 300 graduates , who might be willing to come in for the money available and there is special engineering to be done, it will have to be paid for . Mr. James pointed out that Whitman & Howard re- ceives a fee plus a markup. Mr. Tucker said he thought there should be funds included in the budget for an Assistant Superintendent . If, for some reason, Mr. Higgins is not here , and some- one comes along, the money should be mailable Mr. Carroll said the money could be carried, but he does not anticipate using it. Mr . Tucker said if a year from now Mr Carroll de- cides to put another man on, he will be increasing his loa9'rol l Mr. Carroll said he did not want to include an amount it his budget and then have someone ask why a man was not hired. The Chairman suggested that the money be carried in the budget and if it is possible to hire someone, the money will be available . Mr. James asked if Mr Higgins was going to be the man to take over if Mr. Carroll left in two or three years . Mr. Carroll replied that he did not think he would be old enough in three years Mr. Carroll said the reason he started with the Town was because he saw who was ahead of him. He knows Mr Higgins has the ability. He said he definitely wants an assistant but he would like to wait another year He said he Baas not saying that the assistant would be Mr. Higgins. Mr. Carroll said he definitely needs another girl in the office . All the girls are busy but the work is get- ting behind. The Chairman asked if he had someone assigned to do the billing on water and sewer services. Mr. Carroll replied that it can't be done every day. Miss Wihtol does all the billing and handles the payrolls. Miss Coyt..e handles water and sewer services and the break- downs on each account . Mr . Jefferson takes the payroll and breaks it down each day besides other things and he should spend more time on purchasing. He said Mr. Jeffer- son is urable to supervise because he has so much work. Miss Richards handles the water billing and a part-time girl is row helping post the accounts . Mrs. Donnellan is his secretary and she bills whenever there is water and sewer corstruction. He said she is busy all the time , and he would like an extra girl to reduce the load on everyone . ' Mr. Tucker said he would go along with the request with a reservation He said Mr Carroll could try and 596 D hire a girl now, but before hiring a second girl, he should come to the Board and justify hiring another girl. Mr. Carroll said he would keep the part-time girl and wait until the Fall to see if she works out on a full-time basis . The Chairman said that the Board has agreed on merit increases and asked if Mr. Jefferson was entitled to an increase Mr. Carroll replied in the affirmative . Mr. James asked if Mr. Carroll had anyone in the Engineering Department entitled to merit increases, and Mr. Carroll replied in the affirmative . He recommended merit increases for Higgins , Coscia and Lichtenberg. Mr. Carroll said that Mr. Coscia has worked for the Town ten years, taken an International Correspondence Course and has a tremendous responsibility working with contractors . He said at the preseht time , he is not too much help in the office or on calculations being limited due to lack of education. He is keeping up with his studies and will eventually be a help in the office . He said for the amount of work he does, and because of his sense of responsibility, he is entitled to an increase . Mr. Carroll reported that Mr . Lichtenberg does not want too much responsibility but he is one of the best draftsmen around, and does all drafting for Miller & Nylander Mr. Carroll, referring to the personal services budget for the Town Offices and Cary Memorial Building, said he would like to have the salaries brought up to what he considers a living wage . He said he was not talking about merit or ability. The only one he would recommend on merit is Mr. Dailey and he would like an increase for him. He said the salaries these men now receive is approximately $1.30 an hour. Upon motions duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve budgets as follows: Department Requested Approved Suptt. Public Works Personal Services $30,108.25 Mr. Jefferson $20 per month increase One additional Clerk, a second clerk to be dis- cussed with Board before employment Budget to be revised, increases requested not approved Expenses 1, 769.60 1,769.60 597 IDepartment Requested Approved Engineerigg Pers Sery $28,767.00 Higgins 4400 month, O 'C on,or $355, Coscia from $340 to $360, Lichten- berg from $340 to $360, Jones 4320, Young 4300 Engineer to replace Mr. Carrcll $5,000. Budget to be revised. Expenses 1,470.00 1,470.00 Town Offices & Cary P. S. 12,700.00 Rochette 4340 to 4360 month Bushard 280 to 290 " Dailey 280 to 300 " Expenses 30,927 00 31,127.00 Shrutbery, $1,000 not approved, New V belts increased to $800 Repair Steinway Grand Piano, $800 . Public Works Building, W.& E. 29,600.00 28,300.00 I Labor item reduced to 422,000 . I Highway Maintenance 76,150.00 76,150 .00 Street Co struction(Hattement8) 49,890.00 50,890.00 Adde $1,000 for Baker Ave Street Co struction 375,500.00 35,500.00 (No tterments) Worthen R ad $340,000 not approved Sidewalk onstruction 19,850.00 15,000.00 ($6, 00 left over from ' 57 19, 00 left over from '58 M,,. arroll says can' t get work done ) Curb Construction 5,000.00 5,000.00 Chapter 90 Maintenance 4,500.00 4,500 00 Chapter 90 Construction 36,000.00 38,000.00 (Included $2,000 Winchester Dr. ) Road Machinery 32,350.00 32,350.00 Road Machnery-Capital Outlay 13,825.00 13,825.00 Traffic R g. & Control 5,887 .00 5,887.00 Street Li hts 49,117.63 50,000.00 (No final survey received. ) Street Si ne 1,000 .00 1,000.00 Sewer Mai tenance 14,490.00 14,490.00 Trunk Sew r 300,000.00 300,000.00 Engineering Services 15,000.00 15,000 .00 I 598 Department Requested Approved Sewer Services 42,500.00 42,500 .00 Garbage Collection 21,225.75 21,225.75 Ashes & Dumps 18,800.00 18,800 .00 Mosquito Control 7,000.00 7, 000.00 Drain Construction 73,400 .00 58,400.00 (Item for No. Lex. Brook $15,000.00 not approved) Water Maintenance W. & E. 73,498.75 73,498.75 Water Services W. & E. 40,125.00 40,125.00 Discussion on Public Works budgets will be resumed on Monday evening, February 2, 1959 at 7:00 P. M. T he meeting adjourned at 12:45 P. M. A true record, Attest : 4 / ecttiv C er , Sebc n.