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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1956-02-20-BOS-min 339 SELECTMJMEN' S MEETING February 20, 1956 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, on Monday evening, February 20, 1956 at 7 :30 P.M. Chair- man Bateman, Messrs. Gay and James were present. The Clerk was also present. Hearing was declared open upon intention of the Board to lay out Fottler Avenue from the southwesterly Fottler line of the location of the Boston and Maine Railroad Avenue to the northeasterly line of the location of said railroad, a distance of approximately 50 feet. Notice of intention to lay out was served by Constable. No one appeared at the hearing in favor or in opposition. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. James, it was voted to sign the Order of Layout. Letter was received from the Lexington Visiting Nurse Association inviting the Board to appoint a rep- resentative to serve on the Board of Directors of the Association. The Chairman was authorized to acknowledge the letter and advise that inasmuch as the personnel of the Board will change March 5th, action will be de- ferred until that time. The Chairman read a letter from Suptt. John School Blackhall Smith to which was attached a copy of a addition survey of the need for the Franklin School Addition. data The information was noted and placed on file. Letter was received from Rev. Harold T. Handley requesting permission, on behalf of the Parish of the April 19th (church of Our Redeemer, to erect a temporary stand on stand the Rectory grounds April 19th for the sale of food and novelties. The Board had no objection. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr.. James, License it was voted to sign a Sunday Movie License for the Lexington Theatre, Inc. The Clerk reported that Mr. Bruce Garfield, rep- resenting the Youhg Republican Club, had requested Use of room 340 permission to conduct a meeting in the Seleetmen'a Room on February 22nd from 8:00 P.M. until 11:00 P.M. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. James, it was voted to grant the request. Tax title The Chairman referred to tax title Lot 72 Tower property Road and stated that the Board has been going on a false assumption that there was a drainage problem in- volved. He explained the situation by a sketch and said that Mr. Collins, an abutter would like to pur- chase the lot, not for building purposes. In April, 1955, Mr. David S. Goldfine submitted an offer of $300 on behalf of James F. Gleason, an heir of the former owner. The Chairman was authorized to advise Mr. Goldfine that the Board will shortly advertise this lot for sale but if and when it is sold it will be with the re- striction that no building can be erected on it. If his client is still interested, he should so advise the Board not later than March 5, 1956. Mr. Stevens, Town Counsel, arrived at the meeting at 8: 06 P.M. Memorandum was received from the Massachusetts Selectmen' s Association re Bill H-996 an Act providing for a forty-hour work week for police officers of cer- tain e -tain cities and towns . This act would require every town which accepts it by vote of an Annual Town Meeting to place regular police officers on a 40 hour week re- stricted to five days and eight hours in any one day arranged to fall with 92 consecutive hours. It further provides that additional hours may be authorized but shall be paid for as overtime. Preference shall be -given to police officers on the basis of years of em- ployment by the police department in assignment of hours of work. The- Lexington officers work 41* hours which the Board felt was not out of line. The Chairman was in- structed to contact Representatives Ferguson and Brox on the subject. Mr. Stevens retired at 8:20 P.M. Mr. Roy Milton, representing the Middlesex & License to Boston Street Railway Co. met with the Board. operate He explained that the company is trying to ob- buses tain a license to operate on Route 128 where they cross it in so many places. He stated that they have re- 341 quests from different industrial plants along the route. At present, they do operate a bus from Harvard Square to the insurance company in Waltham. The company does not want to run any regular service, but would like to use Route 128 in connection with these plants. At present special buses are run on Route 128 but in order to carry passengers for hire they have to have a license. The Chair man asked if this would involve any change in the town and Mr. Milton replied in the negative. The Chairman asked why Lexington should issue a permit to operate on Route 128. Mr. Milton replied that the company cannot obtain a permit from the D. P. U. until it obtains a license from the town. He stated that the company is not planning on any service at the present time , but just to take care of the plants. Mr. James asked if there was a bus line presently doing this and Mr. Milton replied that to his knowledge no one has a license on Route 128. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. James, it was voted to grant a license to the Middlesex & Boston Street Railway to operate motor vehicles for the carriage of passengers for hire upon certain ways on streets in the Town of Lexington as follows: In both directions on Route 128 between Bedford Street, Lexington and the Lexington-Waltham Town Line including ramps at Exits 36 and 37, at Bedford Street Exits 38 and 39, at Mdrrett Road .Exits )40 and 41 at Concord Turnpike. Mr. Milton retired at 8:30 P.M. At 9:00 P.M. Chief Rycroft met with the Board. Complaint re The Chairman asked if he had a report on the in- police cident involving Mrs. William H. McNamara, who claimed she had to walk from Marrett Road and .Waltham Street home to Wood Street at 2:00 A.M. because the Officers in the cruiser ignored her. The Chief explained that the report is not com- plete, as they would like an opportunity to talk to Mrs. McNamara. He will have the report for next Monday night. The Chairman stated that the Board has a letter Burdick' s from James Burdick, a copy of which he gave the Chief. resignation He asked if the Chief had talked to Burdick. & vacation The Chief replied in the affirmative and said 342 12.1 that he knew the letter of resignation was coming. Burdick spoke to him about two weeks ago. The Chairman asked if it was all right with the Chief if Burdick left this week-end and the Chief re- plied in the affirmative. He said that Burdick wants his vacation. The Chairman said that as far as the Board could make out no one ever received vacation pay unless they worked a year. The Chief said that Burdick came to work in January 1948 and had no vacation that year. At the time, an employee had to work a year before he was en- titled to a vacation. The Chairman explained the vacation policy adopted by the Board on October 31, 1955. Mr. James stated that as of today there is a period of eight months, six during 1948 and two during 1956 for which he has had no vacation. The Chief said that this should not apply to Burdick. Mr. James explained that the Board decided on what it considered to be a fair and equitable vacation policy which would apply to everyone working for the town and this is it. The Chairman asked the Chief how many week's vacation he thought Burdick had coming to him and the Chief replied that he thought he had two weeks and that is the way he would like to see it. The Chairman stated that the Board would make a decision later in the evening. The Chairman said that he has been, and still is, much concerned about the Police Department. He thought he would be going out of office without saying anything, but does think there is a serious situation in the De- partment. He said he did not know how aware of it the Chief was. He said that Burdick is just one, but he knows of some men, by some he meant two, who are planning on taking other jobs. He said that this is not a^ques- tion of salary. These men are well aware of what their salary is and know what they would like but they are very unhappy. He said that it is a series of little things. The Chief asked what things and the Chairman re- plied that is the trouble. It is not a question of saying someone did not like this or that. It is a question of morale throughout the department. He said he could not put his finger on it. He said he told the Chief the other day that the Board had not done very well, by the Police Department. He said that the Chief has a group of very unhappy officers there. 346 They don' t feel that the management, the officers who lay down the policy etc. are too much concerned with the welfare of the men. He said that they are told to do things and they do them, but they feel their welfare is not of prime importance. The Chief asked what the Chairman meant and he replied that they feel the Chief does not seem to be sympathetic to them. As one fellow said the organiza- tion does not have the confidence in the management and the management is not sympathetic. He said morale is something one can' t put one ' s finger on. He said he thought the Chief had something he should be much concerned about this year. He said he knew the de- partment was going to lose a man or two. The Chief referred to Officer Burdick' s resig- nation and the words "more lucrative position" and said that was the truth. If he had anything to say, he would have said it as he is getting through. He said that the Chairman would not like to have his employees dictate the hours in his store and would operate the business the best he knew how. He said that as long as the men can get someone to listen to them they will pour out their woes. He asked what has hhpperied for two years on a pay raise and said he would start with the Salary and ' Wages Committee. They were not ready to report last year and there were no raises. He said the Board would see two or three men go if they are passed up this year. They know there is a report from the Com- mittee. Those are the things they are griping about, All he hears is wages. He said he knew Officer Burdick, how he works and how he tries to get people involved. He has `not written that he is leaving because he is dissatisfied, but because he is going to get more money. The Chairman said he just wanted to tell the Chief, as the Ist time he will have anything to say as a mem- ber of the Board of Selectmen. He said in his business he opens the door in the morning and says "Good Morning" to the employees and when they go home at night the last person they see is him and he says '"Good Night." He said he thought that helped a great deal. He ex- plained that his employees do not tell him what they shall do or shall not do, but he does listen to the*. If they have an important request and he can grant it, he does. He said he can see trouble ahead and thought the Chief should know. Mr. Gar asked how the change in shifts suited the men and the Chief replied that some of them are unhappy about it. When the order was written, a copy of which was sent to the Board, it was on a trial basis. He said some of the-men complained because they had a meal at three today and the next day when they came to work they ate at six. He said that he may change back but he does 344 CD not know yet. The Chief said that the day and night has nothing to do with it. The trouble is there is too much inter- ference with their outside work. He said if the men are given a rise this year he will enforce the no working outside, but first there had better be some co-operation from the Fire Department. It is diffi- cult for him to enforce the rule *hen the firemen work outside. The Chairman asked if the Chief felt that had in- terfered with the efficiency of the men and he replied in the affirmative. The Chairman asked how many hours the men work and the Chief replied 1414. The Chairman inquired about the one quarter and the Chief explained that is the fifteen minutes for lunch. The men report at quarter to eight until four and they have fifteen minutes for lunch. The Chairman asked if they actually work forty hours a week and the Chief replied in the affirmative. Mr. Gay asked if the Chief would request another list if two more men go. The Chief replied that the State-wide examination is in April and the men wv ntt be available for work un- 11til September. He saidthat he called Civil Service and was told that there is no list. Chief Rycroft retired at 9:25 P.M. Based on the vacation policy adopted by the Board on October 31, 1955, it was determined that Officer Burdick is entitled to one weekts vacation pay. The meeting adjourned at 9:35 R.M. A true record, Attest: S ect en. / 1