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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1958-02-03-BOS-min 230 SELECTMEN'S MEETING February 3, 1958 111 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, on Monday evening, February 3, 1958 at 7 :30 P.M. Chairman James, Messrs. Maloney, Tucker and Mrs . Morey were present. Mr. Stevens, Town Counsel, Mr. Gayer, Super- intendent of Public Works, and the Executive Clerk were also present. Mr. Reed arrived at the meeting at 8:40 P.M. Mr. James J. Carroll, Town Clerk, met with the Board for the drawing of five jurors . The following individuals were drawn for jury duty: Gordon E. Cunningham, 47 Golden Avenue; William M. Hall, 359 Lowell Street; Christopher H. Bullock, 12 Hill Street; Anne H. Rich, ]40 Lowell Street and Ernest E. Rogers, 18 Goodwin Road. Mr. Carroll retired. At 7:30 P.M. hearing was declared open upon peti- tion of the Boston Edison Company and the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company for permission to locate one pole on Lowell Street. Mr. Mahon, representing the Boston Edison Company, and Mr. Clarence D. Turner, 218 Lowell Street, were present at the hearing. Mr. Mahon explained that this is a new j/o pole which carries service to 259 Lowell Street, a new houses Pole At the present time, there is a sole telephone pole to location the left of this proposed location from which the com- pany is feeding to this home. The telephone company desires to abandon that pole and join the Edison on the new location. He explained that it is not on the lot line because there is a hydrant located at the lot line . Mr. Turner stated that he received a notice which he thought was in error because he lives at 218 Lowell Street and roughly 495 feet away. He said he had no objection but wanted to make sure that he was not the only one who received a notice . Mr. Turner's name was shown on the Boston Edison Company blue print. Mr. Turner retired at 7:40 P.M. Upon motion of Mrs. Morey, seconded by Mr. Tucker, it was voted to grant the petition and sign the Order for the following j/o pole location: Lowell Street, northeasterly side, ap- proximately 495 feet northwest of Fair- lawn Lane, -- one pole . 231 Hearing was declared open upon petition of the Boston Edison Company and the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company for permission to locate one pole on Leonard Road. Mr. Mahon explained that this pole was installed, he believed, in connection with street work. It will Pole replace a pole which had to be moved when the street location was constructed. Upon motion of Mrs. Morey, seconded by Mr. Tucker, it was voted to grant the petition and sign the Order for the following j/o pole location: Leonard Road, easterly side approximately 25 feet north of Woburn Street, -- one pole. Mr. Mahon retired at 7:43 P.M. Mr. Domenic Petrino, 14 Grapevine Avenue, met with the Board with reference to a street betterment assess- ment in the amount of *907.38, and said he would like to have the betterment deferred. Petrino's The Chairman asked if the land was open or if street there was a house on it and Mr. Petrino replied that betterment he has a house and two lots of land. The Chairman asked on which lot the house is lo- ' cated and Mr. Gayer replied that it is on lot 19. He also presented a plan showing the property in question. The Chairman asked if Mr. Petrino made any use of the land and he replied that he does some gardening and raises tomatoes every year. The Chairman asked if lots 23 and 24 were registered and Mr. Gayer replied that he did not know. The Chairman explained that if lots 23 and 24 are registered and being used for farming purposes, the Board can, under the law, but he would check to make cer- tain, defer betterment only on those two lots. He said no deferment •could be made on the house lot. Mr. Petrino said that he still has to pay three years on a sewer betterment and he would like to have the street deferred until he finished paying for the sewer. He said he could hot pay for the street, sewer and house. As sonn as he finished paying for the sewer in three years, he felt sure he could probably pay cash for the street betterment. The Chairman said that the Board would look into the matter and see what the possibility is and let him know. The Chairman explained that the betterment could be apportioned for twenty years and Mr. Petrino said he could not pay $70 a year. He said perhaps in three years he could sell a lot and pay cash. He asked to be advised before February 10th. 232 Mr. Petrino retired at 7:20 P.M. The Chairman said he would like to consult Town Counsel on the subject. Mr. W. S. Couette and residents of Pleasant Street met with the Board. Mr. Couette said that the recent storm has aggra- vated the situation that has existed on Pleasant Street and the abutting houses for a long time. He said he thought the Board was familiar with the fact that Pleasant Street is bhe of the older streets in town and the area always had a high water table . He reported that people on the southeasterly side of Beasant Street are burdened with excess water which comes down from Concord Avenue and beyond, He said the situation was very serious a week ago Sunday in Mr. Smith's house, and he is now being forced to spend a substantial amount of money to protect the foundation. Mr. Couette said that the neighbors are requesting the Board of Selectmen, in Panning for drainage this year, to consider one of the oldest streets in the Town with the idea of putting in storm water drainage which will reduce the water table and would without question Pleasant alleviate most of the water. He said he thought drainage Street should be installed in Pleasant Street. The Town, through its subdivision by-laws required Mr. Carrig to install storm water drain at his own expense. The Chairman asked if Mr. Couette meant that the water comes from Concord Avenue and goes to the turnpike, and he replied that it is the area from Old Concord Avenue to Route 2. The Chairman asked if this condition occurred at times other than When there is a condition such as there was a week or ten days ago. Mr. Couette replied that whenever there is any fair amount of rain, Pleasant Street is a sluiceway and there is a condition of erosion. The Chairman said that Mr. Couettm was suggesting that if drainage is put in, the condition of the water in the cellars would be corrected. Mr. Coutbte; said it will be helpful but he could not guarantee that it will be corrected. The Chairman asked if Mr. Couette was talking about the easterly side of Pleasant Street and he replied in the affirmative, stating that it is on the 1775 House side. The Chairman said that the Board would see what could be done. The group retired at 8:30 P.M. The Chairman said that if there is water coming down Pleasant Street and washing out the shoulders, a drain should be put in. 233 ' Mr. Gayer said he could not do that every place where there is a similar situation. The Chairman asked Mr. Gayer to give the Board a rough estimate of what it will cost to put a drain in Pleasant Street. Mr. Alfred E. Sharaf, 6 Patterson Road and Mr. Sidney Alpert, 15 Patterson Road, met with the Board. Mr. Sharaf explained that they were representing the Patriots Forest group and would like to know what the situation will be on sewers in that area. The Chairman said that the Board has under considera- tion now a trunk line to go from approximately Ross Road under Route 128 to reach that area. He said that there are some problems particularly with regard to obtaining State approval to go out 128. Mr. Alpert asked how eminent the plans are. Sewer The Chairman said that it is estimated to cost Patriots $54,000 to get 900 feet of trunk line and explained Forest area that the Board has not decided how much to include in the sewer construction budget this year. He said if the Board is of the opinion that this is something that should go in this year, then decision id up to the Town Meeting to appropriate the money. Mr. Alpert asked if that included mains in the street and the Chairman replied in the negative. He said the street laterals would probably come the ibllowing year. Mr. Sharaf asked about the cost per family and Mr. Gayer explained that ft is based on the average cost of the five preceding years for all sewers and is computed on the frontage time 100 feet in depth. He said it has been running somewhere around four cents per square foot but it is based on the average of the preceding five years, and does not include trunk lines. Mr. Alpert said he has not been having trouble but there have been quite a few overflowing cesspools. The Chairman asked if the Board of Health was aware of the situation, and Mr. Alpert said he did not think it had been called to the Board's attention. Mr. Alpert asked if there would be an additional charge for connecting and Mr. Gayer replied in the af- firmative. He said there would be a charge for running the line from the main to the house and the plumber would have to be paid to make the change. Mr. Alpert said he understood the charge could be paid over a period of years and Mr. Gayer said it could be apportioned over a twenty year period. Mr. Alpert asked if connections would have to be made right away. The Chairman replied that if people are having trouble and it is brought to the attention of the Board of Health they -could be ordered to connect whether they wanted to or not. X34 2 2 Mr. Gayer explained that if the trunk line if extended 11 under 128 and they want sewer they should get an informal petition into the Board signed by the neighbors. Mr. Alpert said a petition was seat in about six months ago. The Chairman explained that a petition is sent in and the Board refers it to the Department of Public Wprks to prepare an estimate for each lot. That is then returned to be signed by every property owner beside the amount that it will cost. He said this is the official petition. Mr. Alpert asked if another petition could be obtained by streets and the Chairman replied in the affirmative. Mrs . Morey asked what proportion of the houses have disposals and Mr. Alpert replied less than 50%. Messrs . Alpert and Sharaf retired at 9:50 P.M. Chairman MacDonald, Messrs. Ricker, Emerson and Davis of the Group Insurance Study Committee met with the Board. Mr. MacDonald said the most the Committee can do is to recommend that the question be put on the ballot and give the background information. He said the plan, based on the information they have, seems to be a cancella- tion of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, but they have not heard from all the insurance companies yet. He aid ho understood this would add 101.00 on the tax rate and the Committee does not feel it should say to the voters that Group In- they should vote for it or it is necessary to vote for surance it. He said it evidently is a coming thing in industry and of about 350 towns in Massachusetts, about one-third has a plan. The Chairman explained that the vote that was adopted charged the Committee with the responsibility of telling the Town Meeting whether or not it recommends the Town adopt such a plan and if so what plan it recommends and the cost. Mr. MacDonald said they could do that very easily. It would not go on the ballot now and the Committee could go on. The Chairman explained that the vote was adppted last March and says to "file a report at a subsequent Town Meeting this year." Mr. MacDonald said that the Committee was not organized. The Chairman said that, in effect, the Committee is saying it cannot as• a Committee recommend that the Town adopt such an insurance program. Mr. MacDonald asked, if the Committee is going to say that the Town should adopt it, what the reasons are, and get Umb answers to that, they would have to deter- mine what was needed. He said they would want to know if it affected the turnover, if morale is low, etc. 235 He said surrounding towns do have some type of plan and other than saying it places the Town in a better com- petitive position, there is no other reason for saying the Town should have it. The Chairman said if the Committee cannot make a recommendation, it should explain why. He asked if the Committee has come to a conclusion as to what kind of a plan should be adopted if the Town, on the ballot, de- cides to adopt such a plan. Mr. MacDonald replied that the Committee has two or three more insurance companies to hear from, but it would be Blue Cross - Blue Shiald plus low bid from an insurance company on ltb insurance. The Chairman inquired about the cost, and Mr. MacDonald said the only total they have, and not Blue Cross, would be about 36,000 a year which is the total cost to the Town including every employee as of July 1, 1958. The Chairman asked if the Act required a given percentage of the employees to accept the insurance be- fore it goes into effect, and Mr. MacDonald said he thought 75% of the eligible employees have to enroll. Mr. Ricker said insurance companies will not write it unless there is 75%. Mr. MacDonald reported that some of the retiring members now have Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and if the Committee chooses a plan handled solely by a private insurance company. Blue Cross would cancel the Blue Cross now available to retired employees , end they could not pay their own insurance. He explained that individually the rate would be much highem.-. The Chairman asked if the Committee recommended that a question be put on the. ballot asking if the Town favored adoption of this Act, and Mr. Bryant replied as soon° as the Board feels it should be on the ballot. Mr. MacDonald said the Committee feels the voters should have a chance to turn it down or accept it, and the Committee can furnish them with the cost. The Com- mittee does not feel it should tell them they should or should not vote for it. The Chairman explained that the recommendation the Committee has to make is that it go on the ballot or not go on the ballot. Mr. Ricker said that the Selectmen or a group of employees could put it on the ballot and perhaps it is better for the Town to put it on than to force it on the ballot. Mrs. Morey said that once it is out, there will be all kinds of letters from the Teachers ' Association showing why it should be on. The Committee 's statement as to the cost is what is necessary. 23( s The Chairman said the Board's thought a year ago was that it would rather have some people tape this on as an assignment not so much to decide if it should go on the ballot but if it were adopted by the Town, which insurance plan should be recommended. Mr. MacDonald said the Committee should inform the voters what they are voting for once they accept the law, the type of plan and how much it will cost. The Chairman said the voters should know how much it is going to cost. Mr. MacDonald asked if there should be a statement that the cost of the plan is so much and it would geherally cover the benefits by Blue Cross- Blue Shield, etc. , and the Chairman replied in the affirmative. Mrs. Morey said that the Committee should give a short resume of what. the law does. The Chairman explained that there was an appropria- t vn of 4)500 the purpose of which was to cover the post df printing and publishing a report. The Committee retired at 9:10 P.M. The Board of Fire Commissioners met with the Select- men for the purpose of discussing budgets . The Chairman said he understood that, because of a recommendation of a committee of firemen, the Commis- sioners are recommending that the work week be reduced from 611 hours to 56 hours with no change in compensa- tion. Mr. Sheldon explained that at the time the Commis- Budgets sioners did not anticipate that the question of compensa- tion was going to arise and they felt they wanted to present that first. He said there is 'only one other town in the State that works over 56 hours, andave the following information re hours: Wellesley 54; Needham 56; Winchester 56; Melrose 56; Braintree 56; and some 148 which he did not read. He explained that the Commissioners did not feel they wanted to go along with the request Of 50 hours because it would mean more men, and it will require only three more men to give the town the exact coverage it now has . The Chairman asked if there were any increases given throughout the Town this year did the Commissioners think the firemen would prefer the increase to ahater hours and second would the Commissioners recommend an increase rather than shorter hours or would they re- commend both. Mr. Sheldon replied hours vs increase and assuming they were not going to get an increase anyway, the com- mittee would say give us the increase. Mr. Sheldon said that if there is a general increase, the Commissioners would assume that the department will be treated the same as the other departments and if every other depart- ment in the Town does receive an increase except the firemen, they would be unhappy. 237 The Chairman asked if they would be unhappy even with the shorter hours and Mr. Sheldon replied he thought so because they have been working on this shorter hours for a long time . The Commissioners said they were not recommending money and that policy came from the Board of Selectmen and until the Commissioners knew what the policy was, they would not discuss money. The Chairman asked what the men would prefer if the question was put to them, - shorter work week or an in- crease equivalent to the reduction in hours. Mr. Sheldon replied if it could be assumed they were not going to get an increase, they would want the shorter hours. He said if it were a selected increase ardnot a general increase, he thought they would not have an argument. Mr. Roeder said the Fire Department is the poorest paid department in Town on hourly basis, and it has been ten years since an increase. Mr. Reed inquired why the Commissioners did not recommend salary increases and Mr. Sheldon replied that the Commissioners felt it would be unfortunate because it might put the Board at a disadvantage because the Commissioners .did not know what the Board's policy was. Mr. Reed asked if the Commissioners felt the Board was justified in asking for another increase in addition to this 8%. ' Mr. Maloney said he thought it would be difficult to justify an increase in salary and a reduction in hours. The Chairman asked how the 'men would feel if they were told they could have 56 hours at the same pay or could work 60* hours at an increased rate. Mr. Sheldon said if that is the issue, they should be given a chance. The Commissioners could call their committee back and put it to them. The Chairman said he would recommend one or the other but not both, and the Board would like to know the Committee 's decision by next Monday night. There was dimussion on other budgets under the jurisdiction of the Commissioners and they retired at 10:15 P.M. The Chairman read a letter from Mr. Stevens with re- ference to a claim referred to him for collection, by Mr. Gayer, against Alan Fowler of Bedford, for damages resulting from Mr. Fowler striking a town hydrant. He enclosed Claim releases that have been submitted by the insurance company in the amount of $24)1 .11 for the Board to sign. The Chairman read a letter from Alfred P. Tropeano, advising that Antonio Buse had consulted him regarding Busa increased water diverted to the brook running through Complaint his land situated offof Lowell Street. Mr. Reed reported that the condition is no worse now than it ever had. been and that the brook is owned by the Town of Arlington. 238 Mr. Gayer agreed to see what information he can obtain from Mr. Burns on the subject and report to the Board. The Chairman read a letter from Guy Franceschelli advising that he received a street betterment bill as- sessed on property at 34 Grapev!ns Avenue. When the sewer was installed, Mr. Franceschelli requested defer- ment of the betterment which was granted and asked if the street betterment could also be deferred Until the Assessment property is sold or built upon. deferred Under the provisions of Chapter 159 of the Acts of 1950 it was unanimously voted to extend time for pay- ment of street betterment assessment in the amount of $3,780.00 assessed upon land located at 34 Grapevine Avenue, without interest, until said land or any part thereof is built upon or sold or until the expiration of three years from the date hereof, whichever event occurrs first. The deferment of $3,70 does not include the assessment of $315.00 levied against lot 30 upon which Mr. Franceschelli 's house is located. Letter was received from John C. Driscoll with Sewer reference to a notice relative to acceptance of Winthrop Road. Mr. Driscoll petitioned for the extension of the sewer so that the street would not have to be torn up at a later date. Mr. Reed said that if Winthrop Road is going to be accepted, the sewer should be installed. Mr. Gayer reported that there are sufficient funds in the budget to provide for the extension and all he needs is a vote of the Board. Sherburne A telegram and letter was received from Dorothy B. Road and Richard H. Davis, 1719 13th Avenue , Moline , Illinois who own the property at 32 Sherburne Road, formerly pro- testing acceptance of the street. The Chairman said he would like to consult Mr. Stevens inasmuch as the letter stated that if the recommendation for acceptance is passed, legal action will be brought against the Town. Notice was received from Herman B. Dins, Director Licenses of Accounts, that the amount of available funds or "free cash" as of January 1, 1958 for the Town of Lex- ington is $485,746.36. Upon motion of Mr. Reed, seconded by Mr, Maloney, it was voted to renew the following licenses : William Defelice 80 Westview St. Peddler 239 The Carriage House 271 Lincoln St. Common Victualler Mr. Gayer reported that hexeceived estimates of what it will cost to do what the Board has recommended down stairs in this building and he will need $6,140. Mr. Gayer retired -at 10:50 P.M. Upon motion of Mr. Reed, seconded by Mrs. Morey, it was voted to appoint Mrs. Sydney Williams, 1132 Massachdsetts Avenue, a member of the Town Celebra- Appointment tions CommitteeFfor a term expiring April 30, 1958, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation Of Mrs. Wilbur Cheever. The meeting adjourned at 11:05 P.M. A true record, Attest: /xe tiv / Cler , Selec en • I