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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1951-01-22-min 336 SELECTMEN'S I4IEETING January 22, 1951 , A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room Town Office Building on M nday evening, January 22, 1951, at 7:00 P.M. ChaiPman Emery, Messrs . Gay, Driscoll, Nickerson and Hoyt were present. Mr. Burns, Supt. of Public Works, and the Clerk were also present. Hearing was declared open upon the petition of the Boston Edison Company and the New England Tele- ' Pole location phone & Telegraph Company for joint pole locations on Hayes Avenue. Mr. Oscar Carlson was the only person present . Mr. Burns explained that two poles were to be located in order to service a house now under con- struction and owned by Mr. Carlson. The Chairman asked if he had any objection and he replied in the negative. Upon motion of Mr. Driscoll, seconded by Mr. Hoyt, it was voted to approve the following joint pole lo- cations: Hayes Avenue, westerly from Castle Road, two (2 ) poles. One existing pole to be removed. Mr. Carlson retired at 7:03 P.M. and Mr. Carroll, Tow n Clerk, met with the Board for the drawing of one juror. Mr. Paul Martin, 15 Crescent Hill Avenue, was drawn for a Jury Pool, beginning at Cambridge on March 5, 1951. The Chairman read a letter from Mr. Carroll stat- ing that an additional twenty-nine voting bo.,ths should Voting be purchased to comply with the provisions of General Booths Laws . He asked if purchasing additional booths is something that has to be done and Mr. Carroll replied that it is a requirement of General Laws, although the Town has been going along without them, but it is possible that someone may raise a question. Mr. Carroll said that none have been purchased since he has been in office nd several years ago a price of %18 was quoted. However, he felt very def- initely that they could be constructed for much less. The Chairman agreed to look into the subject and Mr. Carroll retired at 7:10 P.M. &V7 Mr. John W. Raymond met with the Board and the following discussion was held with reference to the low level sewer: Chairman: As we are making up the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting and considering some matters which might come up and some which migit not have to come up, we hcd to not overlook the low level sewer. We, therefore, decided to have you come in and give us your point of view on it. We raised the question as to how long it would be before it would be necessary to have the low level sewer available. Raymond: You had one critical period, as I under- stand it, since 1936 and th. t was in 1948. In 1936 was worst month we ever Lnew for rainfall. I don't think it was quite as bad in 1948. In 1948 we took some samples along the brook after there had been a discharge of sewage in the brook. We did not find any health hazard there at the time . It is possible, of course, that ice could become contaminated in that ice house from discharge of sewage. I understand that there has been nothing received from the State Department of Health about it. We had a lot of pumping in July of 1936 but in that month we had over twelve inches of rain. As far back as I can find in the records for 100 years, we had not had a summer month of more than nine inches . We did find a number of leaks in the sewer in 1936. We rebuilt part of it from Massachusetts Avenue to Vine Brook Road. Later on we discovered some roots on Massachu- setts Avenue were discharging into the sewer. We got those out. Tie whole situation was im- proved somewhat by the Vine Brook work. The £r esent sewer has ample capacity for all reasonable allowances for the population which you now have. We could not design a sewer any larger except to provide for future conditions for a well administered separate sewer system. There may be more solid drainage and roots getting in than you would expect, but I doubt it. We could not discover that there was any obstruction in the sewer in 1948. With pipe as it is now and the construction industry the way it is, I do not believe the ex- penditure is justified It would cost over $600,000 to go from the present end up to the low level 338 sewer coming from North Lexington. While it is not working the way it was intended to flow, it is working the way it was expected to for some years until the Town found the money to build the low level sewer. I do not look for any trouble there for some time to come. It was built of cast iron pipe. You are going to run into the same difficulties we did on Contract B of the Vine Brook sewer. I would not be surprised that there will be a shortage of materials in the next year or two. Pipe may be all right, but concrete and c€lent is retiring somewhat. My own opinion, and the opinion of 'Tetaalf & Eddy is that the ex- penditure is not justified . if the frequency of the overflow comes more often and the damage is by backing into basements in Grant Street and Hayes Lane, it mfy justify going ahead with the protect sooner than I visualize. From 1936 to 1948, as far as I know, there were no complaints. We can' t tell what the weather is going to do . Chairman: You are speaking, when you say you don' t think it is justified, taking into consideration that Farmcrest will be connected within the next year and Fair Oaks within the next two years? Raymond: Yes . I picture those areas about as they come in. There is no low area in there. I don't be- lieve you will get a great amount of infiltration there. Chairman: Speaking of pumping into Vine Brook - they no longer cut ice there , do they? Burns : No. The house' is gone. Raymond: Isn't there a pond in Burlington? Chairman: The Butterfield pond isin Burlington. n. Raymond : I knew the house was gone, but I thought there was a pond below Lowell Street with a little dam. Chairman: Does Butterfield Pond flow out of the sluiceway ordinarily? Burns : It flows all the time. Chairman: The samples you took out of Vine Brook. Raymond: I believe the complaint was from the people who had feared it would interfere with the livelihood 339 of the trout stocked in there. There was nothing in the water that could ue detrimental to fish life. Your ordinary pollution from what runs off would be as great as what little you could pump out. You may have to pump again to protect the by basements on Hayes Lane and Grant Street. Chairman: I would like to change the scene to the so-called Suunyfield. Raymond : The situation has changed up there somewhat since I ] ast studied the area. Burns: There are 45 houses up there in the same condi- ticn as the Manor with sewage running down the streets . Chairman: I there anything we could use up there? Bgrns: If we put in pipe of any kind temporarily, it wotld run off in the marsh. Raymond: it is clay soil rid drainage will not help much. it is sup,osed to ue served oy sewer to the North Lexington lumping station. I could not make mueri of a worthwhile estimate of cost without giving it some study. might have to run from profiles because the location of thc.t sewer would be a lit- tle different from where we showed it in our re- port of 20 years ago. It would be nearer Bedford Street. Mr. Burns explained the proposed location by use of the large map in the Selectmen's Room. Raymond: I suppose you could put in a cheap ejector sta- tion but it is not a permanent answer and eventu- ally the money spent would be just so much money buried in the ground . It might last for 20 or 25 years . It does not justify a first-class pump- in on the order of the i,resent station. Chairman: What saving would there be in en ejector station? Raymond: It might be $20,000 and v15,000 or 020,000 for an ejector station, with the station underground. On top of that you would have your 1F, terals . You would eventually have to spend 4300,000. there 1 would not be any material difference in laterals. Chairman: Would that take some of the sewage from bimonds Road, Grove Street,. etc . ? 340am an cn Burns: It might if it were put high enough. Raymond: 1f you rut in pneumatic equipment it might last a little longer. This unit would take care of a total of 100 houses. Chairman: Would 100 be the limit? Raymond: No. For a little more money you could have a large enough space for equipment for 200 houses. Chairman: With a six inch pipe you guess $40,000? Raymond: With an eight inch it would be only $40,000 or $5,000 more. Burns : Steel pine? Raymond: You could ase steel pipe or cast iron. Nickerson:The engineering would be added? Raymond: Those are off-hand figures. Nickerson:Would it pay for the whole project or just con- struction? Raymond : Just construction. We would have to Gdd at least11 20% for contingencies and engineering and possibly more . It would take a year to get all your equip- ment. Nickerson:Would your construction supervision be over a per- iod of a year? Raymond : No. The construction would not take more than three months after they have the equipment and material, but it would take 25 weeks to get the electrici•l equipment and there may be priorities required before you could get under way which should not stand in the way of a project that you , as a Board of Health, would decide is a health menace. Chairman: Row long would the necessary preliminary engin- eering take? Raymond: I must say that I don't know when we could start it. If we could start right away it would •be a matter of maybe six or eight weeks depending on how much surveying should be done. I expect Bill could take care of the surveying. Some easements might have to be obtained and you might 341 have to buy a lot of land. I don' t think you want to put this in the street. You probably could not put it in Bedford Street because it is a State highway. I don' t like to put stations in public highways . It is bound +o be in the way in years to come and you would Wish it were not there. Chairman: If you were in our position with these families requesting relief would you think it advisable to spend a little money to do some engineering or spend some money to look into it? Raymond: I would advise you to go a little further in the engineerin., on it and see how that is going to work out. I could not make a decision on what I know about it withoit studying it and I don' t believe Mr. Burns could . Chairman: What would it cost to have a report as to whether it is practical and probably a feasible alterna- tive as compared with the original plan? Raymond: I would say that the repot would cost $1,000 assuming that the Town would do the surveying and furnish us with the topographical data. Burns: I would have to hire someone. Chairman: How does the Board feel? Nickerson:I would like to think about it before giving my opinion. Chairman: If we are going to take any action of any kind there will have to be something in the Town War- rant even for money for engineering. Burns: I don't see why we would need an article for en- gineering. We have money for sewer sundry streets. Without cutting into any money earmarked, we could do enough surveying to find these things out . Chairman: Enough to absorb $1,000 for a report? Burns: Well, maybe not enough for the report but enough for the surveying. Raymond: The report should not take more than two or three weeks after we receive the field data from Mr. Burns . This would be something that we would squeeze in. In this case we could put a few more men on a 48 hour week for a. while. 342 Mr. Raymond retired at 8:00 Y•M. Following a short discussion, it wiz the op- inion of the Board that a report as mentioned by Mr. Raymond should be obtained from Metcalf & Eddy. Mr. Burns said thrt he would like authority to engage engineering firms as he needs them. He said that if the Follen Road Section goes through, there is no working profile of any kind. All the men on the payroll now in the Engineering budget are busy. The Board was in favor of giving Mr. Burns au- thority to engage outside engineering assistance to compile, among other projects, the necessary data in connection with the report to be submitted by Metcalf & Eddy on the Sunnyfield sewer. Mr. Burns requested permission to purchase a snow plow and a sand spreader and stated that next Fall he will not be able to purchase this equip- ment. At the present time he can ootfin an eleven- footplow and plow and two sand spreaders at a cost of 4p1,135. SandSpreader He said that, as he understands it, this is up to the maximum of what he has spent in any one month for snow removal He explained that these items will be in his budget but they should b e purchased now while they are available. The Chairman asked if it could be incorporated in the Road Machinery request at the Spring Meeting11 and Mr . Burns replied that he wants to get the e- quipment now before the budget is passed. Mr. Hoyt asked if the reason for the request was simply because Mr. Burns felt that he "should be before the game" or if this is replacing equipment. Mr. Burns replied thft the plow is a replace- ment and the sand spreaders will replace two pur- chased six years ago. He said that he has not as yet submitted his budget to the Appropriation Com- mittee. Upon motion of Mr. Nickerson, seconded by Mr. Gay, it was voted to authorize Mr. Burns to purchase a snow plow and two sand spreaders . Mr. Burns mentioned thrt the hearing on Wood- land Road is scheduled for next Monday night. He said that the people sent in a petition last summer and were advised that it would be considered this year. He expla.med that he has not had an opportun- ity to send out a petition showing the estimated cost to each auutter, but they can be told at the hearing that a petition will be sent out with indiv- dual costs for the sewer and the street, and based upon the returns , the Board can decide whether or not to recommend it at Town Meeting. He said that legally the Town does not have to send out estimates. 343 Mr. Burns said that this is another instance where the sewer must be installed in the street and to install it and operate it, he will have to put the .sewer in Adams Street and in Colony Road from the present end up to Woodland Road. HIe said that it involves about 2140 feet or 419,890 which is in- cluded in his budget. On Woodland Road there is a- nother $19,500 or a total cost for the sewer of $39,300 to take care of Woodland Road. He said that he would like to let the iob and have the sewer installed as earl in the year as possible . M . Burns reported that petitions were sent out in October relative to acceptance of Bartlett, Pearl and Arcola Streets . However, the petitions were not returned to him until January 13th and it is just impossible to have anything ready for the March meet- ing. Mr . Burns presented a blueprint of Laconia Street having to do with Mr. Jose:h P. Kelley' s request for relocation of a portion of the steeet. He explained Laconia that Mr. Kelly proposes to abandon a portion of the Street street and bring it out into Lowell Strut which the planning Board sees from a planning point of view to be desirable, but in view of things to be contended with, it may not be so desirable. Mr. Kelly also wants the Town to accept the layout which means building the street. He said that if the Town con- structed the road on a taking such as this , he doubted if it could collect any assessments . Mr. Kelly has told people purchasing his houses that the Town is going to build the street. It was agreed to fdvise the Planning Board that this matter appears to involve various legal ques- tions and the Board does not feel inclined to make any recommendations until such time Es it has been discussed with Town Counsel. Mr. Gay brought up the suoject of the Town Town Dump Dump on Lincoln Street and conditions which he claims to exist. The subject was discussed briefly, and Mr. Burns was given authority to handle the situation at his discretion. Petition was received from Clifford uanson, et al with reference to a plowing situation adjacent to 905 Massachusetts Avenue. Mr. Burns was requested Snow removal to submit a report at the next meeting of the Board. I 144 Letter was received from Mrs . Carl R. Sumner Sewer 22 Burlington Street, requesting that the sewer be 22 Burlington made available to service her house due to the fact Street that her septic tank does not properly function and the sewer has backed up flooding her kitchen. It was agreed to advise Mrs . Sumner that the Town will not be doing any sewer work until Spring at which time her request will be considered along with various others . Letter was received from Ralph M. Aims quoting Honor Roll a price of WOO for replacing the names on the Honor Roll. Mr. Burns was instructed to submit more in- formation on the subject next Monday night. Mr. Burns retired at 8:50 P.M. Messrs . Lombard Sellars Dawes and Collins of the Board of Public Welfare met with the Selectmen. A brief discussion was held on 1951 budgets and the group retired at 9:25 P.M. Letter was received from the Chief of Police requesting examinations for the positions of Lieuten- ant and Sergeant. Civil Service Upon motion of Mr. Driscoll, seconded by Mr. Exams Nickerson, it was voted to request the Division of Civil Service to hold examinations for the positions of Lieutenant and Sergeant in the Lexington Police Department. Letter was received from the Board of Health requesting that an article be inserted in the war- rant for the Annual Town Meeting relative to the Artic]e appointment of a Committee to study the provisions of Chapter 662 of the Acts of 1949; an Act relative to the organization of Union Health Departments. Mr. Hoyt moved thr.t the request be approved and an article included in the warrant. Mr. Gay seconded the motion and it was so voted. Petition was received from members of the Police Department requesting that an article be inserted in Article the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting relative to the establishment of a five-day week. Upon motion of Mr. Nickerson, seconded by Mr. Gay, it was voted to approve the request and insert the article. Petition was received from StreeSStuart et al relative to an article (called vote in the petition) Article whereby the School Department would provide hot lunches in the elementary schools. The Town Clerk checked the signatures on the petition and the result was that only nine had signed as registered. 345 Upon' motion of Mr. Nickerson, seconded by Mr. Hoyt, it was voted not to include an article on this project . Letter was received from Mr. John. F. McKearney, in reply to the Chairman' s letter of January 6th in reference to the street betterment assessment levied against the McKearney prorerty on Grant Street. Assessments Mr. McKearney asked that his letter be considered McKearney as his request in writing for the deferment of assess- ments levied against Lots C and B, Grant Street, in the amount of $400 each. Letter was received from Frank J. Yino, 18 Ev- erett Avenue, Somerville, offering §1,500 for 15 acres of land on Waltham Street, formerly owned by Amos ?Learns. The unofficial committee on tax title property expressed the opinion that possibly this individual intended to strip loam. Tax Title The Chairman was authorized to ask Mr. Yino Property What use he intends to make of the property should the Board consider selling it. Letter was received from William Fellman, 179 Scituate Street, Arlington, offering $150 for Lot Tax Title 225 Spring Street. The unofficial committee on tax Property title property recommended a price of 4400. The Board preferred to look at the parcel of land before making any decisions . Letter was received from the Lexington Allied Veterans Council stating that the Council voted to 19th of April nominate, for the Board' s consideration, the follow- "ommittee ing individuals to serve as a Patriots ' Day Committe for 1951; Malcolm H. Clifford, Raymond E. Lewis, Wendell H. Irvine, Robert H. Watt and Martin F. Bash- ian. Upon motion of Mr. G- y, seconded by Mr. Nickerson, it was voted to appoint the individuals nominated by the Lexington Allied Veterans Council, to serve as a Patriots' Day Committee for 1951. The Chairman informed the Board that he had asked Mr . Burns how many property owners in the Ledge- lawn are might have situations, insofar as betterment assessments are concerned, similar to that of Mr. Cook and he wanted the Board to know about these as Cook it is possible more requests may come in for adjust- Aggessment ments. However, the Board was not inclined to make any change in te decision to reduce Mr. Cook' s assess- ment to $425. Upon motion of . Nickerson, s• conded by Mr. Hoyt, it was voted ,.t to include an `:rticle on this projec etter w.. s eceived'f rom Mf John . McKearney, in ,`eply to th- Chairman let -r of Ja uary 6th i reference a the street be. ` erment as..essment lev%ed Assessments = _ainst the cKkarney proper on Grant reet. McKearney Mr. Mc earn-y asked t • t his letter consi• red as_ his re.:•est i writing or the deferment of asess- ments le ed a •a�. ..t Lot-. C and B, Grant St eet in the amo t of 4400 ach ettLr was race ed from Frank J. Pino, Ever tt Avenue, Some ille, coffering $1,300 ,,r 13 ac , -s of land on W: . th-m Street, formerly • vn:. by Tax Title - ,,os Stearns. Th: uno icial committee o tax title Property ,•roperty express: : the ..inion that poss `.ly t s individual intended to s , rip loam. The Chair' an was aut orized to a-, Mr. Pin. what use he intens . to make of he proper should th- Board consi• -r selling it. Lett- was received f roi, Wil '` am Fellman, 17• ,cituate, "Street, Arlington, o eing $150 for Lot '5 Spr, ng Street. The unoffi al committee on ta , ":x Title ti, le •roperty recommended a • i e of $400. The Bo -rd 'roperty pr: : red to look at the par :1 o land before mak- ing =ny decision. etter was received f om the L. ington tillied 'eter -ns Council stating hat the Concil voted to ' 19th of April nomin> e, for the Board '. considerati •n, the foll - Committee / ing in. viduals to sere- .as a Patriots! Day Co gi ttee for 195 ; Malcolm H. afford, Raymond . Lewi - , Wen- dell H. ' rvine, Rober H. Watt and Mart ` F. : shian. Upo motion of !r. Gay, seconded by ,Ir. ' icker- son, it w-- voted appoint the individu a- nom- inated by . e Lexi gton Allied Veterans Co ncil, to serve as a 'atrio s' Day Committee for 19.1` The Chai m n informed the Board t t he ' ad as ed Mr. Burns how any property owners in he Ledela Cook area might ha - situations, insofar ccs betterm-n= Assessment assessments e concerned, similar . o that of +, . Cook and he want',d th ' Board to know a. ut these a i is possible m,,re req ests may come 'n for ad jus,, men : . siwever, e Boar. was not inc ned to makry any change in the d • cision to educe Mr. ook' s assement to $425 . r r+� CZ CZ 347 Application was received from the Lexington Community Concert Association requesting the use of Cary Hall on February 18th, March 14th, and April 15th for a musical for members of the ? ssociation. Use of hail Mr. Hoyt moved thst the request be granted subject to a charge of $35 for each use. Mr. Dris- coll seconded the motion and it was so voted. Uron motion of Mr. Driscoll, seconded by Mr. Nickerson, it was voted to approve the Sunday Movie License License submitted by Lexington Theatre, Inc. The Chairman mentioned that bids should be ad- vertised for collection of garbage, the resent Garbage contract expiring on April 19, 1951. ft was agreed Contract to use the s-me form for advertisement that has been used in previous years, subject to any suggestions that the Town Counsel may have. The Chairman read a letter from the Board of Fire Engineers, to which was attached two blueprints Fire from the Mack Motor Company in regard to the recent Contract purchase of the thousand gallon pump. The Board of Fire Fngineers agreed that the changes are ,•cceptable and would like to know if they are acceptable to the Board of Selectmen. The data was submitted by the Mack Company was checked by the Board and upon motion of Mr. Hoyt, seconded by Mr. Driscoll, it was voted to approve the changes as submitted. The meeting adjourned at 10:05 P.M. r A true record, Pttest: e , S ectm-n 11