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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1955-05-23-BOS-min 85 SELECTMEN'S MEETING May 23, 1955 • A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, on Monday evening, May 23, 1955 at 7:00 P.M. Chairman Bateman, Messrs. Gay, James and Maloney were present. The Clerk was also present. Mr. Reed arrived at the meeting at 8:30 P.M. Hearing was declared open upon petition of DeVries Construction Co. Inc., for permission to store 1,000 gallons of gasoline in an underground tank on the Gasoline premises at 263 Lowell Street. The application was hearing approved by B. J. Beleastro, Head of Fire Prevention, Lexington Fire Department. Mr. H. L. Paquette, 223 Lowell Street and Mr. Howard M. Tuttle, 219 Lowell Street were the only persona present at the hearing. Both individuals expressed displeasure in re work done by the com- 11 pany in this development. The Chairman called in Mr. Burns, Supt. of Pub- lic Works, who said that no commitment should be made as to the work done by the contractor until it is de- termined whether or not the town is responsible. The Chairman said that he and Mr. Burn& would view the development, find out what can or cannot be done and then advise those present. Re asked what their attitude would be in regard to the application and Mr. Paquette replied that they are opposed to anything •DeVries wants to do. The Chairman asked if they were opposed on general principles and Mr. Paquette replied in the affirmative. The hearing was declared closed at 7:25 P.M. and Messrs. Paquette and Tuttle retired. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Maloney, it was voted to grant DeVries Construction Co. , Inc. a Meaner to stdre 1,000 gallons of gasoline in an w 4eltground tank on premises located at 263 Lowell Street; Chairman to write a letter to go with the per- mit in re complaints registered by Messrs. Paquette and Tuttle. Mr. James J. Carroll, Town Treasurer, met with the Board and stated that he needs to borrow money to carry on until taxes start coming in. He said that on Juno let, July 1st and August let he has bonds coming due and after 86 cn CLI this week's warrants there will be only $129,000 left. 11 Short-term He would like to borrow $500,000 in anticipation of borrowing taxes and stated that the rates would be double this year. The Chairman asked Mr. Carroll to obtain at least three bids, accept the lowest and proceed with the borrowing. Mr. Carroll retired at 7:30 P.M. Mr. Burns reported that he had received bids as follows for gasoline: Socony-Vacuum Oil Co. Inc. 2.98 off tank wagon Gulf Oil Corp. 2.95 w * " Cities Service Oil Co. 2.05 * * ■ Gasoline Faso Standard Oil Co. 1.91 "' e, " bide pieeel Socony-Vacuum Oil Co. Inc. 14.2. 1/ Gulf Oil Corp. 13.8 1/101 Cities Service Oil Co. 13.8 net Esso Standard Oil Co. 14.2 1/21 Mr. Burns explained that the difference between the 3000xiy and Gulf amounts to approximately $27 per year. The Town is now buying from Gulf and has been for two years. 'Mr. Gay asked if the pumps would have to be changed over if the loW bid were accepted and Mr. Burns replied in the affirmative. The Chairman said that he thought the Board should accept the low bid when bids have been invited. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Maloney, it was voted to accept the bid submitted by Soaon7• Vacuum Oil do. Inc. Mr. Burns reported that he had received bids as Sewer pipe follows for 6" sewer pipe: & fittings bids Lexington Lumber Company .3375 per foot Waldo Brothers .3555 " " Lexington Lumber Co. - Fittings 1.35 Waldo Brothers " 1.42 Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Maloney, it was voted to accept the bid submitted by Lexington Lumber Company. 8? Mr, Burns reported that he had received bids as Leah bide follows for 500 -yards of loam: Quinn 2.75 per yard Palladino 2.50 " " Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Maloney, it was voted to accept the bid submitted by Palladino, Mr. Burns reported that the betterments on Bartlett Avenue figures $5,78 and on Gleason Road $5.18. He was authorized to proceed to figure the betterment assess- Betterments menta using the formula which has been used on streets recently accepted. Mr. Burns retired at 8:05 P.M. Chief John W. Rycroft met with the Board. The Chairman exflained that the reason the Chief Police was asked in this evening was because he has told the Inspectors Board several times that the Selectmen are Police Com- etc. missioners of Lexington. He said the Board would like the Chief's cooperation when new appointments such as the detectives come up. He said the Chief spoke to him about it, but the Board would like to be taken into his confidence before changes are made or before men are changed from night to day duty and from day to night duty. He said that the Board feels it has a very fine esprit de corps and the morale is high. He said that he did not disagree with the Chief on the two detec- tives but did not know anything about it. He said that there is a little unhappiness around. ,Th. Chief explained that he filled in the appli- cation and attached a letter to it, all to be signed by the Chairman of the Board, and he assumed that it would be known by the Boaid. He said that he thought everyone on the Board knew about it. The Chairman said that it was probably his fault but he did think that the entire Board should discuss these changes. Mr. James said t hat the first he knew about it was when the letter came back from Civil Service and he was surprised that the Board had not heard about it before, He said the other thing that bothered him was appointing the Chief' s right hand man to one of these jobs because he, Mr. James, felt his job is an admini- strative officer. He said he understood he had charge of a day shift and couldn't do that well and be on twenty-four hour call for an inspector's duty. He said he felt that a man having charge of a shift SS couldn't also handle this. He said it was his under- standing that the Lieutenant should be an adminis- trative officer. The Chief said that he did not agree. He ex- plained that there is no lob in the department that one can learn more about police work than the job the Lieutenant now has. He can see the right and wrong way of doing things. He will get more knowledge and wisdom as he meets with them and goes out with them. They may have better ideas. Mr. James said he was confused but he thought the Lieutenant was a Senior Officer. The Chief said that he does not know of any depart- ment doing investigating work that does not have a senior officer. He said the most important job the de- partment has is investigating work. These are things that happen about which nothing is known until it has been called to their attention. The man has to start from scratch and decide how to move and operate. He said that nothing has ever been said to him about who was selected. He stated that when Lieutenant Knapp re- tired, he was caught and went to the men in the Depart- ment one at a time and asked if they would be interested in doing this work, but they did not want the work. He said Lieutenant Corr was a Sergeant and he had to go to Court with him and cram everything he could into him. The tic men, who he thinks are doing the talking, re- fused the work, but they had the opportunity. He said he did not want to crowd it onto Lieutenant Corr. Mr. James explained that his remarks were not based on any talk he heard. The Chief said that this is a temporary job and the men can be removed if they cannot do a good job. Mr. James said it provides an opportunity for the Chief to train more men. The Chairman said that any more changes such as this would be brought to the Board before he signs for them and it was his error in not notifying the members of the Board. The Chief said that he did not think any harm had been done and he presumed the Board knew about it. Mr. Gay asked if there ever would be a permanent inspector and the Chief replied in the negative explain- ing that this way they do not have the right bo appeal to Civil Service if the Board decides to make a change. Their names have to be recorded with Civil Service be- cause there is extra compensation involved. The Chairman reported that Mr. Tobiason called him this evening and complained about conditions at the gravel pit on North Street. The Chairman said that the 89 Chief would have to put his detectives over there. The Chief said he could assign men there and let other things go. The Chairman said that there is a No Trespassing sign there and it seems to him that something could Gravel pit be done about keeping people out of there. He said on North St. perhaps there should be No Parking signs posted as the police go up, move them out and then go off. Immedi- ately the cars are back. The Chief explained that he is limited as to what can be done because it is private property and it is not up to him as Chief of Police to make any of his men sign a complaint. He asked if Dr. Shannon, the owner, would sign a complaint and back the police. He said the owner has created a nuisance. The Chief said that the police can obtain the in- formation and then the owner signs the complaint. How- ever, by the time the case comes up in Court someone has probably reached the owner and then the police are accused of falsenarrest. Be said the only way to handle the situation is to go over and keep putting them out or have the owner sign a complaint. He said he would send someone out tonight and see what they can do. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Maloney, it was voted to amend Traffic Rules and Orders by adding to Article V Section II. the following: On the north and northeasterly, south and southwesterly sides of North Street from Adams Street to Lowell Stfeet. Letter was received from Cyrus Brewer stating that on two different occasions he has asked to have his name included among those insurance agents or brokers in con- nection with the allocation of insurance commissions. Insurance He stated that his last reply in December, 1954 the Chairman refused to enter his name under the pool arrange- ment., the communication to which Mr. Brewer referred stated that the Selectmen were of the opinion that the list of agents now participating is as large as desir- able and no increase is anticipated. The only possibi- lity of a change in the present list would ge when one of the agents drppped off for any reale . Mr. Gay suggested advising Mr. Brewer that his name is on file and as soon as there is a vacancy in the present list he will be considered when his turn comes. The Chairman said that he would acknowledge Mr. Brewer' s letter. 90 Letter was received from the Planning Board stating that the Board voted on May 16, 1955 to approve acceptance of School Street and the pro- posed road from Bedford Street to Massachusetts Avenue. Letter was received from Mr. Stevens, Town Counsel, advising that Chapter 247 of the Acts of Land 1955, which was approved on April 14, 1955 and be- conveyances comes effective ninety days thereafter, makes a new requirement to be observed in the conveyance of land by cities and towns. Mr. Stevens explained that the town has to charge, in addition to the price, an amount to cover taxes justas though taxes had been assessed for that year; that year-only. He said that the taxes will have to be apportioned from the date of the deed to the end of the year if the tax rate is established or else Kase it on the taxes for the preceding year and not base it on valuation. The money received on this goes into the general fund. Further consideration was given to Floyd A. Roby' s Tax title offer of $800 for lots 16 and 17, Block B, Reed Street. property A proposal to sell these lots was advertised in the May 19, 1955 issue of the Lexington Minute-Man. No persons contacted the Selectmen' s Office as a re- sult of the advertisement. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Maloney, it was voted to sell and convey Lots 16 and 17, Block B, Reed Street to Floyd A. Roby for $800 with the understanding that the deed will be so drawn as to prevent erection of more than one house on the two lots. Tie Chairman brought up Mr. Joseph Moretti's offer of $25 for lots 187 and 188 Rindge Avenue. He Tax title reported that Mr. Moretti came in to see him and showed property him the land he already owns in this area. Mr. Moretti told the Chairman that he would install the water him- self for the entire length. Mr. Reed asked how he could be held to that and Mr. Stevens said that the Board could get a letter from him advising that he understood the town would not put in the water. It was agreed to entertain an offer of $100 for each lot with restriction that only one house will be erected on the two lots and further a signed statement by Mr. Moretti that he will install the water. Application was received from Mr. George E. Foster, on behalf of the Veterans' group, requesting permission 91 to us• Cary Memorial Hall on May 30th for Memorial Day Exercises from 8:00 A.M. until noon. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Reed, it Use of hall was voted to grant the use of the hall free of charge, subject to a charge of $1.50 for janitor's overtime services. Application was received from Susan Phelps, on behalf of the Lexington High School Senior C3ias, re- questing permission to conduct the graduation dance in Cary Memorial Hall on Friday, June 17th from 8:00 P.M. until midnight. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Reed, it Use of hall was voted to grant the use of the hall free of charge, subject to a charge of $1.50 per hour for janitor' s overtime services. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. James, it Sunday was voted to grant a Sunday Movies License to Lexington license Theatre (Ray Feeley). Upon motion of Mr. Reed, seconded by Mr. James, Forest it was voted to re-appoint Roy A. Cook as Forest Warden, Warden for a one-year term commencing June 1, 1955, subject to approval of the Division of Forestry. Board of The Chairman was authorized to contact Mr. Charles Health H. Cole to find out whether or not he is interested in serving another term as a member of the Board of Health. The meeting adjourned at 10:10 P.M. A true record, Attest: -Clerk, Se ,i c tmn