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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1958-06-30-BOS-min 383 ' SELECTMEN 'S MEETING June 30, 1958 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen ' s Room, Town Office Building, on Monday, June 30, 1958, at 7:30 P. M. Chairman Maloney, Messrs James, Tucker, Adams and Mrs. Morey were pre- sent. Mr. Stevens, Town Counsel, and the Executive Clerk were also present . The Chairman read a letter fromMr. Stevens, ad- vising that an June 25th papers were passed with Mr. Famosi as Trustee of The Middleby Realty Trust and a Famosi deed obtained of the land situated on the southwesterly land taking side of Middleby Road. A copy of the taking order, deed and damage release was enclosed. Letter was received from the Burlington Board of Water Commissioners trying to clarify the situation in relation to an agreement between Burlington and Lex- Burlington ington regarding sale of water by Lexington to Burling- water ton. A copy of the communication had been sent to each member of the Board. The Chairman read a letter from Whelan & Westman advising that it would be helpful to have the sidewalk and curbing installed at the Sacred Heart Parish Center The Chairman read a memo from Mr. Gayer pointing out that the curbing would be installed at the Town' s expense and the sidewalk would be installed at $11)0 per running foot to the property owner. Curbing & Mrs .Morey asked if curbing wasn't a flexible item sidewalk and said if necessary, the money originally intended Parish for curbing at the Atlantic & Pacific on Bedford Street Center could be used at the Parish Center. The Chairman said he discussed the subject with Mr. Gayer and he does not think this installation would interfere with any other prpposed curbings Mr. Adams said that when Mr . John Raymond was Super- intendent of Public Works, he submitted a written report to the Board each week which kept the Board informed as Sup't. to the location and progress of projects in his depart- weekly ment. He said that unless he stops in at the office and report asks for information, he does not know what is going on. The Chairman said that he has gone out on some of the projects himself to see what is being done . Mr. Adams said that, as a Board of Public Works, he felt the Selectmen were entitled to a very brief report 354 �c of what the Superintendent is doing. Mrs . Morey suggested that once a month might be fre- quent enough on the major projects It was agreed to instruct Mr. Gayer to submit a list of projects to the ,Board each week so that the members would be better informed as to what the projects are , where they are located and what is happening to them. The Chairman referred to tax title lots 98 and 99 Taft Avenue, for which three offers have been received and asked Mr. Stevens if deed could include a restric- Tax title tion whereby no building could be erected on them. Mr. Stevens replied that generally the lot is con- veyed to the abutter with a ninety-nine year restric- tion whereby for building purposes that lot must be combined with the adjoining lot to make a seventy-five foot frontage, and only one dwelling may be constructed and maintained on the combined lot . He stated that the Board could restI'ict the lots any way it desired. It was agreed to find out what betterments each of the abutters have paid on the land they already own and what betterments were assessed on these two lots . A letter is then to be written entertaining an offer of $500 for each lot, plus betterments, the lots to be re- stricted so that for building purposes they must be com- bined with the adjoining lot to make a seventy-five foot frontage . Mr. Stevens reported that he has an agreement to extend the time for passing papers on the Willard Pro- perty to September 1, 1958. He explained that within the last two or three weeks, there has been a question as to the restriction. Miss Willard claims she did not understand it and it will require a plan in order to show it . This brings up the question of plans on these takings by the Town. He said in most instances questions arise as to the boundaries and he felt that all survey- ing of Town land should be done under the Town Engineer, Plans on who should be responsible for the boundaries and know land takings where they are . In this particular instance, the plan was prepared by Miller & Nylander and it is not com- plete . It will cost approximately $800 for a complete plan. He said it seemed to him that it is definitely worth it, but he did not know where the funds were com- ing from. He memtioned taking it out of the appropria- tion for options . He said the money should be avail- able to have Miller & Nylander make a complete plan. The Chairman asked why the Town Engineering Depart- ment couldn't make the plan, and Mr. Stevens replied that he understood they just don't have the time and there is some question as to whether or not there is personnel to make an accurate plan 385 Mr. Stevens explained that he wrote Francis Burke , attorney for Miss Willard, and told him that the Town would have a plan by the first of August and wanted to extend the time . Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to extend the time for passing papers on the Willard property to September 1, 1958. Mr. Stevens suggested that if the Board is going to have the plan made , the matter could be discussed with Mr. Gayer and the Town Accountant. Another solu- tion would be a request to the Appropriation Committee for the necessary funds. The Chairman agreed to discuss the subject with Mr. Gayer and the Town Accountant Mr. Stevens discussed informally the M. D. C. sewer coming up in Arlington . The Chairman brought up the subject of ambulance bids and asked if the Board could accept a bid other than the low bid. Mr. Stevens advised that the Board would have to go by the specifications on which the bids were received. He said the Board could then revaluate the bids, and if, in the Board' s opinion, one is better than another and Ambulance meets the specifications, it is not required to take bids the low bid He explained thPt if all bids meet the specifications, but one goes beyond and has more than specified, and it is a better purchase for the Town, he thought the Board could accept that one . The Chairman reported that Mr. Fitzgerald in- formed him that there is nothing in the specifications to keep any bidder out It seems as though all the ambu- lances can Meet the specifications, but one bidder will Atm ro. hing he believes and maybe the Board believes is a better unit for the town. Mr. Stevens said that the Board is required to take competitive bids and it has to take bids on the specifi- cations . He said that the Board could reject all the bids . The Chairman said he would like to have new specifi- cations drawn up and have them approved by Mr Stevens . Mr. Tucker said he would like the Selectmen to ap- prove them. Upon motion of Mr. Tucker, seconded by Mr. James, it was voted to reject all bids received for furnishing an ambulance to the Town and further that new specifica- tions be prepared by the Fire Commissioners and Select- men, with advice of Town L'ounsel Mr. Stevens inquired as tb the Board's thinking in regard to a Special Town Meeting. 386 pC The Chairman said that the Board would have a meet- ing when the Planning Board is ready, but does not want to have a meeting only for the Cabot, Cabot & Forbes pro- posal. Town Meeting Mr. Adams said that if Mr. Frederic Johnsons pro- ject is not ready, he did not think the Board should hold up Cabot, Cabot & Forbes . The Chairman asked about the sewer emergency situa- tion at Byron Avenue, Lockwood Road and the project for Itek. He read a report relative to the sewer debt as of June 18, 1958, submitted by the Town Accountant which in- dicated that there is available July 1,1958 $301,189.00. Available surpluses are the Excess and Deficiency, $130,780.36 and the Sewer Assessment Fund, $6,656.28 Mr Stevens said that the Town debt limit is on any borrowing. The Town can go beyond the limit with permission from the Emergency Finance, but authority must be received before the money is voted Mrs . Morey said, in reference to a Town Meeting, she would likt to know what the Planning Board is coming up with and asked if the two Boards shouldn't meet be- fore advertising Mr. Stevens explained that the Planning Board will be advertising next week. Mrs . Morey asked what the earliest date would be for a Town Meeting and Mr. Stevens replied that if the change is in the warrant without the Planning Board report, the Board can have the warrant issued and hold the Town Meet- ing any time . However, it will have to be far enough after their hearing to make it possible for them to make a report. Mr. Stevens retired at 8:35 P. M. Mr. Thomas Aldrich, representing Itek, met with the Board. He reported that Itek started in November with four people and it now has about 350 The Company is concerned with information storage and retrieval, a big word for paper work and handling of it . The Air Force has 9 x 11 negatives that can be put in files, but can't be taken out immediately. This gets into filing, storage and retrieval. Presently they are 1A0% in government business, mostly Air Force . In January this year, the company took over the physical research laboratory at B. U. It took over all personnel, a good deal of equip- ment and it has 70,000 feet at 700 Commonwealth Avenue . He said they thought they would not need a manufacturer for several years but two months was nearer their guess and Vectron was acquired by the company in May. The operation is spread between 700 Commonwealth and the Vectron plant. The lease at 700 Commonwealth will be 387 up June 1st next year. They have looked at the Greer land and authorized an option which will be up the first of August. The type of manufacturing would be light elebbMic, and would be over 20% of their whole effort. Mr. Aldrich said the site has very poor access at the present time and the company' s interest in it is with the access road going through. He said he doubted if the Federal Government would go along with $80,000 what is wanted for the land. He said if they purchase the land, they feel the access road would enhance the value . Mr. Aldrich said that there is water and the Town Engineer has checked the pressure and given the company a letter to this effect. There is no sewerage and this matter was discussed at the first meeting. He said he has been informed by Mr. Gayer that the sewerage can be run by gravity. The Chairman asked what the company would do if the road did not go through Mr. Aldrich replied that he could not answer for the Board of Directors They have to have access through part of Mr . Linnehan' s land. Most of the Board has looked at the land and some of them think it is very well located for what they want to do . They are, however, anxious about the sewerage problem and the access roads It was only this morning that he found there was going to be any holdup on the access road at all. Mr. Aldrich said he understood Mr L4nnehan is ask- ing $25,000 an acre for some of the land with no idea of selling it The Chairman said he would be interested to know what the company thought about using the access from Westview Street. Mr. Aldrich replied that he did not know what the decision would be on it. He thought the odds would be slightly towards going ahead from two points of view. According to the Air Force , there has to be a road going through there . The Chairman asked if he heard anything further con- cerning the area up there and Mr. Aldrich replied that he has heard nothing. He said he asked about relocation of the road and was told that any change would greatly increase the cost of the road and they couldn't change it. Mr. Aldrich said that Lockwood Green tells them it would cost about $20,000 tp put in a septic tank and this is not anything the company looks forward to at all . He said he would like the Board' s views on the sewer question He explained that the building would be in the neighborhood of 50,000 to 60,000 feet at this planning. It can best be described as a first-class office building with labora- 38 tory space I Mr. Adams asked what this meant in money and Mr Aldrich replied that he could figure between $15 and 4018 a foot. The Chairman asked if Mr. Aldrich felt this was their starting program, and Mr. Aldrich replied that they feel if things go the way they are going, they will be getting working drawings on something else before they complete this if they do go ahead He said the program is expand- able to 400,000 feet. Vectron will not satisfy their needs and will have Itek' s physical research laboratories plus the system study group plus the administration. All the research and development plus manufacturing would remain in Waltham for the time being. He said they just can't go ahead and put up one beautiful building and move in. They have to cut their needs in half so when the building is done they will be short of space The Chairman asked if Itek would build whether the road went through or not. Mr. Aldrich said he could only give a personal opinion. Mrs. Morey said that with this held up and the cora- ' pany needing space by next Spring, they would have to go some place else . Mr. Aldrich said that was correct . Mr Adams said the Board could ask for an appropria- tion for the sewer and not build it until it is certain that the road is going in. The Chairman explained that the Board would have to be concerned with the access road in order to sell this to the Town Meeting. The Board would also have to tell Town Meeting that the trunk sewer line would not be installed until the road was made available Mr.Aldrich said that, figuring the probable assess- ment and probable tax, certainly the sewer would be paid for the first two years . The Chairman referred to theestimate of $200000 for a filter bed and said that the Board would have to arrive at some connection fee for the sewer. Mr. Aldrich said he thought this was nothing more than an indication of the Town' s attitude . If the Board felt it would like to have this organization in the Town, here is an opportunity to say so. If however, it would like to be more careful and doesn't care, this is another way of saying so. Mr. Adams said if the trunk sewer goes in, the Board hopes it would be for a number of other people . Mr. Aldrich said he understood that, but Itek reels the day it builds on the land, the land will be worth more, so therefore the whole area will be worth more. 389 Mr. Adams asked if the company would like to see the sewer go in for about nothing and Mr. Aldrich replied in the affirmative . The Chairman said that the Board does charge better- ments to everyone on laterals Mr . Aldrich said he thought it was a question of the trunk going in, and going in time to help Itek The Chairman said that the Board was going to ask the Town to spend a large sum of money for a trunk line sewer fpr a cpncern ttlat Is pm tte farthest end pf tkle development and the Board would have to know most of the answers . Mr. Aldrich asked about how much the sewer would cost, and the Chairman replied approximately $160,000 to $180,000 Mr. Aldrich asked where the figure came from that was mentioned before , and Mr. Adams replied that it was with a pumping station. The Chairman stated that if the access road goes in, the Town might be in a very good position to get additional industry there . If it does not go in, the Town would not be in a good position and that is why the Board feels it will have to agree not to start the trunk line until it is more certain that the access road 111 is going in. Mr . Aldrich said this just adds an additional hazard to the company going in. On the basis of taxes involved, he thought it was a worthwhile picture for the Town. Mr . Adams asked if Itekts engineer said they could get along with a septic tank, and Mr. Aldrich replied in the affirmative . He said borings have been taken , the land checked and it can be used this way. !Ir. James said it was his understanding that all buildings in M1 areas have to be connected to a public sewer, The Chairman asked if there was any particular time limit when more information might be available on the access road, and Mr Aldrich replied he supposed when the Colonel arrives back from Washington. Mrs. Morey said he should have some support from the Selectmen and the Assessors as to the value of the land. Mr. Tucker asked if light manufacturing would be involved and Mr. Aldrich replied in the affirmative, He said he would be glad to take any member of the Board through Vectron any time . He explained it is not a production plan and almost all of the work is hand pre- cision. They have one item for which in three years they made 3,000 parts . It is a question of both assembly and manufacturing in that case, but there is nothing of 4 nuisance value . 690 0.e The Chairman said they could qualify as light manu- facturing and Mr. Aldrich replied, or watch making. Mr. Aldrich said that they will have a completely closed air-conditioned building. He said that with the little right-of-way that came with the Greer property at this time the property is separated; legally they cannot get across the spur track. Mr. Adams said that first of all the Board would have to know what the story is on the access road. Mr. Aldrich said that the individual actually do- ing the planning of the road is Jenney on the 6th floor. The Chairman explained that at this point a great deal depends on the access road Mr. Aldrich said he would have to know about the access road in two weeks and the other item he must know about is the sewer. He said if the access road was going through and he had no commitment except the Board' s feeling on the sewer, the company would go ahead with foundation plans, but as of this morning, he doesn't know because of the road Mr. Adams said that the Board would have to have more information on what the status of the latest delay is and he thought the decision on the sewer depended on the road The Chairman said that the Board would try to in- vestigate this further and he felt sure that the Board is receptive to anything that will help the Town. Mrs . Morey said that if the access road was cleared, the Board could be ready to ask Town Meeting for a trunk sewer in the area to open it up. The Chairman said the Board could ask for funds and agree not to use the money unless the road is built. Mr. Adams explained that trunk sewers are paid for by the Town and betterments assessed on the laterals . The Chairman said if Mr. Aldrich would keep the Board informed, the Board would try and do the same for him. Mr. Aldrich said he would be glad to receive a telephone call from anyone relative to getting the access road and getting the sewer worked out . Mr. Aldrich retired at 9:30 P. M Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant the petitions and sign the orders for the following j/o pole locations, all approved by Mr Gayer: Bridge Street, northerly side, approximately 685 feet east of Marrett Road, - One pole (One existing j/o pole to be removed ) 1 1191 II Marrett Road, northeasterly side, southeasterly from a point approximately 750' southeast of Massachu- setts Avenue , - Four poles . Pole locatior Marrett Road, southwesterly side southeasterly from a point approximately 1545' southeast of Massachu- setts Avenue, - Three poles . Guy wire and anchor on last pole . Concord Avenue , northeasterly side approximately 25 feet northwest of Barberry Road, - One pole . The Chairman read a letter from Mr. William Roger Greeley with further reference to planting on the Com- mon and the Town Office buildings . He had the slide Planting, which Mr. Greeley left with the Board some time ago and Town Offices it was more or less agreed that the shrubs on the Town Offices have grown too large . He said he would like to discuss the subject further with Mr . Greeley if it met with the Board' s approval The Chairman reported that Mrs. Chester Cook, of the Lexington Field and Garden Club, wants two trees removed from Emery Park and replaced with tulip trees . Emery Park Mrs. Morey said she thoight the park was in very good condition now. She reported that she attended the dedication services and the Garden Club does not want to have any flower beds in the Park . Letter was received from the State Department of Public Works relative to pine trees at the intersec- tion of Massachusetts Avenue and Route 2A. According Trees to the letter, the trees are outside the stats high- way location and therefore do not come under the con- trol of that department. It was agreed to authorize Mr. Gayer to have the trees cut down. Report was received from the Recreation Committee relative to Baskin Playground and the North Street pit. The Chairman read a letter fr an the Board of Health advising that in case of emergency, persons needing a doctor and unable to contact one in Lexington, should call the Boston Medical Center where an effort will be made to locate the physician. Failing to do so, the Center will send a doctor from as near Lexington as pos- sible . Doctors The Board felt that it would be too time consuming to call Boston for a doctor and agreed to suggest again 392 - �-C that the Board of Health make some arrangement with the Lexington doctors to provide better coverage for the Town. It was also suggested that the Board of Health contact the President of the Lexington Doctor's Association. Letter from the Board of Public Welfare relative to a change in salary for Miss Crosby, now a Senior Salary Clerk, was held over. It was unanimously voted to approve Miss Crosbyts salary at the rate of $3120 per year . Upon motion of Mr. Adams, seconded by Mrs . Morey, it was voted to appoint Ralph I . Dale a Special Police Special Officer in the Town of Lexington for a term expiring cc Police March 31, 1959. Mr. Dale' s name was left off the original list. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted License tog rant a license to Ann Gustin, 50 Bloomfield Street, . to be a guide within the limits of the Town. Mr. Adams referred to Depot Square Road and said if it is to be a loading space for Builders Supply, they should pay for it. He said the road is ruined Depot Square because traffic cannot go through because of the trucks. Road He suggested that the ramp be cut down or else they One Way use an entrance from Meriam Street . Mr. Adams said it should also be made one way out from Depot Square to Meriam Street. Mrs . Morey suggested that the Board look it over . Mr. Adams reported that the Traffic Committee has a meeting scheduled for Thursday. Mr . Adams inquired about the status of the Town Accountant . The Chairman reported that he went to the Civil Accountant Service Board and was told that in 1957 and 1958 only one individual passed the examination for Town Account- ant Civil Service has promised to keep him posted. Mr. Adams said that either the present accountant should be re-appointed or continue as he is . Mrs Morey read a letter from William R. Page, 8 Locust Avenue, with reference to the Great Meadows . Mr. Page would welcome the opportunity to serve on any com- Great mittee which the Board may decide to establish for the Meadows purpose of getting information that would help on a decision regarding action to be taken in respect to the Great Meadows . 393 Names mentioned to serve on such a committee were William Roger Greeley, Henry Duffy, William R. Page and Max Straw It was decided to advise the Planning Board that the Selectmen are considering appointment of such a com- mittee and before doing so, would like an expression of opinion from that Board. Mrs . Morey reported that the Traffic Committee would like the Board to send a letter to the Lexington Savings Bank asking permission to install curbing in Curbing front of the alley between the bank and Durand's . Mrs . Morey reported that Chief Rycroft would like to move the bus stop from in front of Douglass ' funeral parlor back towards the library and put meters in front of Douglass ' . The meeting adjourned at 10:35 P. M. A true record, Attest: 17/ /xedutive( Cler4c, SelLmen /7, p itb