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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1955-02-28-BOS-min 588 Co SELECTMEN'S MEETING February 28, 1955 A regular meeting of the board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, on Monday evening, February 28, 2955 at 7:00 P.M. Chair- man Reed, Messrs. Gay, Bateman, James and Maloney were present. Mr. Burns, Supt. of Public Works, and the Clerk were also present. The Chairman read a letter from J. Cataldo request- Tree ing removal of a tree from in front of the driveway on removal East Street at the bend of the street. The Clerk was instructed to advise Mr. Cataldo that the Board will view the location and advise him of its . decision. The Chairman brought up the subject of Building Inspector and said he thought the Board would have to make some decision relative to the question of whether there is to be one man for Building and Plumbing or two men. Mr. Gay asked if Mr. Lindstrom is going to retire and Mr. James said that it is definite he has applied for retirees-t. Mr. Gaye asked if he meant medical and Mr. James replied in the affirmative. Mr. Bateman said he thought it safe to say that Mr. Lindstrom will not be back for six months. The Chairman suggested appointing an Acting In- spector and reminded the Board that the Plumbing In- spector has to be Civil Servide. He stated that if the Board decidbs to make this a one scan job such as it has been, the man would have to be a A.umbing man who would then learn the building end. He suggested that the Plumbing Inspector be part time for a reason- able salary and then appoint the Building Inspector full time. Mr. Gay said that part time or not, the Plumbing Inspector would have to be Civil Service. Mr. Maloney said that the man th o has expressed interest in the job is a Plumbing Inspector and thought he would be better qualified today than Mr. Lindstrom was when he took over the work. He said he thought any of the tradesmen are qualified to learn, and he ques- tioned if the town is ready for two men who will become two full time men. L 589 The 3hairman said that there is no question when Mr. Lindstrom came to work for the town as Building and Plumbing Inspector the amount of building was not as great as it is now, and from the number of building permits, there is no doubt but that this is going to be another big year. Mr. Maloney said that if a house were designed by a good architect, it is only a police job, and in pol- icing thework the construction people dp not present any problems. It is just a case of making a visit and checking the plans. Mr. Gay said that a plumber works in a house be- fore it is finished. Therefore, he should have some knowledge of how a house is built. He said he thought it would be much easier to get a plumber who could be- come a Building Inspector. The Chairman said that a plumbing man is a sub- contracto#r and a carpenter is a contractor. You then have a subcontractor telling a contracter what to do. Mr. Bateman said he would like to try it out with one man and then it may be determined that it will be necessary to have a plumbing and electrical inspector. Mr. Names said that he does not know ifhe town is ready Or not, but he would like to have a building Inspectortwho would be top man in the department and another man who would serve as plumbing and Wiring In- spector. That way, there would be two full-time jobs, He said the Building Inspector would be the head and the other should take their orders from him. Be ex- plained that the Building Inspector has to handle the zoning problems and an ordinary plumber would not be able to handle those very efficiently for a long time. He said the qualifications for a Building Inspector should be (1) capable of handling zoning, (2) a good personality and able to meet the public. Mr. Ehonald Irwin met with the Board at 7:20 P.M. The Chairman inquired about the bulk of the work and asked for his opinion as to whether the job should be a one-Man job or a two man job and if it could be handled b one man. Mr. Irwin said that on one individual residence there are four inspections required by the Building Inspector, two by the Plumbing Inspector and two by the Electrical Inspector. He said that the Board should bear in mind that the Building Inspector is also the individual who receives the plans and goes over them - an average of thirty minutes per plan on a residence. He said his work begins before the in- spection. He said he definitely thinks it is a two- man job. The Building Inspector should be fill-time 590 C, and he thought the Plumbing Inspector could be a CL part-time job. He said the Building Inspector, of course, should be in charge of the office as there is certain co-ordination he has to arrange between the Wire and Plumbing Inspectors. Furthermore, he has to handle the zoning. Mr. Irwin said that there is then the question as to what the job Is sprigs. Mr. Byrne's aft, who is part-time Plumibilig InOs,tor in Wineheat*r, is interested in the Plumbing Inspector job in Lexington on a part-time basis to work in with his Winchester job. The question of salary came up and he thought $3,000 would be ample. Mr. Maloney asked how much less than $3,000 he re- ceives now and Mr. Irwin replied that he receives about $2700. Mr. Irwin said that, based on what he thinks is required to get the office running the way it should be, it is a full time job. However, he would be will- ing to go along with the Plumbing Inspector as part- time. On a full-time basis he thinks the job is worth $5200 a year plus car allowance; that is Building In- spector and $3,000 per year would be enough for the Plumbing Inspector as part-time. He said he doubted if the Board - would find another man who would do as mush work atter houhs and at home as Mr. Lindstrom • did, and in not doing it, the work will not be done as it should. Mr: Maloney asked how much time Mr. Irwin de- voted to the work and he replied about all morning. He said he could say he has his inspections done at eleven. He said there ars things going on but he has not had the time to inspedt them. He has not been up to the new school. He said there may not be anything wrong, but at least the inspector should be on the job. Mr. Irwin said he does not think one mad could do both jobs and if the right man were not appointed, the Board might receive complaints from the builders Who might feel the man was not qualified. He said the Inspector has the book to go by bUt most of the jobs are done on judgment. If the man is not qualified to make a decision on the spot, there would be complaints. The Chairman asked if Mr. Irwin had been drawing ear allowance and he replied in the negative. The Chairman asked if he would be willing to go along until the Board has the situation settled. Mr. Irwin said he was asked if he would consider the job and he stated that .he would at a reasonable salary. He said the salary be mentioned he •would con- sider a minimum either for himself or for any other competent man. He stated that under a temporary ar- 591 rangemnt he does not feel that he wants to carry on much longer. At present he has to do two jobs to make a living. He is willing to go along until the Board makes a d cision, but he would like to know one way or another. Mr. Irwin retired at 7:40 P.M. Mr. James, continuing his comments interrupted when Mr. Irwin came in, said that the Building Inspector who heads the office must be tactful and able to meet the public. In many cases he is the first person people meet when they come into town. Mr. Burns said that the problem could be solved by a full time Building Inspector and a part-time Plumbing Ir pector; two different men. The Board has to get one man who iS a qualified plumber. The Building Inspector should also not be just a man working with tools but should ha a enough knowledge to analyze a set of plans and know What he is looking at. He should also be quali- fied to be able to read the Zoning By-laws and be able to interpret them because the Building Inspector is the one who enforces the zoning laws. He also has to be in very close co-operation with the Board of Appeals. Mr. Burns said that he talked to the man interested in the Plumbing Inspector' s job on a part-time basis. He is Charman of the Planning Board in Arlington and therefore knows something about zoning and meeting the public. He said it is possible he could pick up the Building Inspector's work, but unless he proved that he could pick it up, and proved it quickly, he would hesi- tate to go along with one man covering both jobs. Mr. Burns said that unless there is a very well qualified man, it 1.0 a full-time job. He said the inspector should not be ex ected to take work home. Mr. James asked if one man the Board might get would be sufficiently better quali- fied than Mr. Lindstrom so that he could do the work with- out taking it home. Mr. Burns said he might have a definite way of opera- ting. Mr. James asked if only one man were put on now, would it be a temporary solution and Mr. Burns replied that it absolutely would be temporary. It was agreed to employ Mr. Byrne as a part-time Acting Plipmbing Inspector inasmuch as his father who is now doinglthe work feels he cannot continue, at a salary of $60.001per week and to employ Mr. Irwin as Acting Building nspector at $100 per week, both on temporary basis unt 1 the status of Mr. Lindstrom's retirement is determined, effective March 1, 1955. Mr. Bateman retired at 8:10 P.M. Certificate of Incorporation was received from the 592 C. Cad Secretary of the Commonwealth on behalf of Onie B. Cert. of Woods. Satisfactory character reference was re- Inc. ceived from the Chief of Police. Upon motion of Mr. Maloney, seconded by Mr. Gay, it was voted to sign the Certificate of Incorporation. Letter was received from John F. MacNeil again requesting an opportunity to meet with the Board for Insurance the purpose of presenting his recommendations in re- gard to placement of town insurance. The Chairman said that he personally contacted Mr. MacNeil and asked if he would wait until the ad- journment of Town Meeting when the Board would be able to devote more time to the subject, and he agreed. Letter was received from Edwin B. Worthen, Presi- Parking dent of the Lexington Savings Bank, together with vote area passed by the Trustees at a special meeting held on February 21, 1955 in re the proposed municipal parking area involving land owned by the bank. The trustees approve the project and believe such a parking lot will be an asset to the Town and they will co-operate to the end that the necessary land owned by the bank, in the rear of its present building, will be conveyed to the town subject to certain restrictions at a reasonable sum. Letter from the Lexington Visiting Nurse Associa- ' VNA tion inviting the Board to appoint a representative to the Association's Board of Directors was held over un- til the next meeting. Meagre. Stevens and Burns retired at 8:30 P.M. Application was received from the Lexington Po- Use of hall lice Women's Association requesting permission to con- duct a meeting in the conterende room, Cary Memorial Building, on March 3, 1955 from 7:30 P.N. until 10:00 P.N. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Maloney, it was voted to grant the use of the room tree of charge subject to a fee of $1.50 per hour for janitor's over- time services. The vote passed by the Board last week with ret- Town erenoe to the position of Tows Accountant was recon- Accountant sidered and Mr. James, who was unable to be present at that meeting, said that he wished to be recorded in opposition. The meeting adjourned at 8:20 P.M. ' A true record, Attest: nark, lectmen',