HomeMy WebLinkAbout1952-05-12-min 245
SELECTIS MEETING
lay, 12, i952
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectman was
held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, on
Monday evenin6, May 12 , 1952 Et 7:00 P. Chairman
lickerson, Messrs . Gay, Driscoll ,11(3 Reed were present .
Mr. Burns, Sup ' t. of Public Works, and the Clerk were
also present.
The Chairman re, d a letter from Mr. William G. Potter
with reference to the vacancy existing inthe Board of
Cemetery Commissioners ss a result of Mr. Spencer ' s death.
A copy )f letter fram Town Counsel to Mr. Potter
was also beceived, advising th t one wbek after notice
has been received from the Conissiuners, they and the
Selectmen fill such vacancy oy ballot.
Action was held over for one week.
Mr. Burns reported on quotati)ns received for valves
and fittings for the woburn Sr et water man installation.
Bids were received s follows
Valves
Public Works Supply Co . 16" 314.15 each
Geo A . Caldwell Co . 16" 372.48 "
Hilco Supply, Inc . 16" 417 .35 "
Valves for
Public Works Supply Co. 12" 149.13 " Woburn St.
Geo. A. Caldwell Co. 12" 149.58 " water main
Hilco Supply, Inc. 12" 167 .60 "
Public Works oupply Co. 6" 45.05 "
Geo. A. Caldwell Co . 6" 44.05 "
Hilco Supply, Inc . 6" 49.35 "
Mr. Burns explained that his requirements are seven
of the 1G", one of the 12" and six of the 6" . He also
explained that Public Works Supply Co. has sold the Town
all its valves for the prst five years .
Upon notion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Driscoll,
iV was voted to accept the bid submitted uy the Public
Works Supply Company for seven 16", one 12 ' and six 6"
valves.
11. Fittinps
Public Works Supply Co. 16x16 4p123 .55 each
talc° Supply, Inc. 10x16 225 .00 witch
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CO
Fittings for Public Works Supply Co. 16x12 41094•E$2 each
Woburn St. Hilco z-upply, Inc. 16x12 192..,00
water main
Public Works Supply Co. 16x6 83 .63 each
Hilco Supply, Inc. 16x6 125.00
Upon motion of Lir. Driscoll, seconded by Mr. Gay,
it was voted to accept the bid submitted by the Public
Works Supply Co . for one 16x16 fitting and six 16x6
fittings .
Mr. Burns informed the Board that he has arrived El
a figure of 08, 607 .85 as the cost of the Mill Brook Sewer.
Mill Brook He, together with the Chairman and Town Counsel, will
Sewer cost meet with the Metropolitan District Commissioners tomorrow
morning at ten 0' clock to discuss the cost of the sewer.
4 Mr. Stevens arrived at the meeting at 7:30 P. M.
Mr. Burns referred to the discussion held last
week with reference to Federal aid for plans, sewer and
water extensions and, under certain circumstances , for
Federal aid street constructIon. He was authorized to answer Mr.
Hill ' s commtnicatn in regard to the Subject, it being
definitely understood that no commitment is to be made
by the Town.
Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Reed, it
was voted to sign the Warrant calling a Special Town
Meeting foP Monday, May26, 1952 at 800 P. M.
Letter was received from Mr. Stevens with reference
to vote of the 1952 Annual Town Meeting, authorizing the
Selectmen to settle the Baskin land damage suit for 4500
Baskin and the conveyance by the Town to Baskin a twenty-foot
settlement strip of land on Adams Street.
Mr. Stevens explained thtt he has received from
Baskin' s attorney a confirmatory deed and release executed
by the Bawkin6. . He solid that it is now in order for the
Selectmen to sign a deed foam the Town to the Baskins con-
veying the strip of land referred to above. The original
and two copies were executed by the Board and the original
delivered to Mr. Stevens.
Letter was received from Viano Properties, Inc. with
reference to a drainage problem which involves its pro-
Viano perty on Bedford Street adjoining Bradford Motor Company.
drainage
complaint The letter stated that / t present negotiations are being
carried on which may lead to improvement of the property
and erection of ouildings in the near future.
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Mr. Burns explained that if a building is erected,
there will be trouble.
Mr. Stevens asked if the Town is dumping water in
the area and Mr. Burns replied in the affirmative.
He stated that the brook has been cleaned out on either
side of the culvert on Bedford Street, but in order to
drain it at Bedford Street it hrs to be at least two feet
lower than it is and at the railroad it has to Ive another
two feet lower . He explained that there ate two water
mains in Bedford Street and they both run through the
culvert. He said that there is only one solution and
that is to start back at the railroad and pipe it beyond
any place where Viano has a building.
The Chairman inquired about the cost and Mr. Burns
said that it would be almost • 10,000.
The Clerk as instructed to invite Mr. Eugene Viano
to meet with the Board next Monday night to discuss the
problem.
Letter wEs received from Elizabeth R. Thornton,
52 Reed Street, asking to have her property on Reed Street
and Kimball Road regrassed.
Mr. Burns explained that husso, the contractor, when
installing the sewer did cause some damage to the property
frontages . However, that was four years ago and claims Thornton
against him for blasting damages are still unsettled. property
Mr. Stevens said that if the contractor, under the regrassed
direction of the Town, piled material on the property,
his opinion is that it should be regrassed.
Upon motion of Mr. Driscoll, seconded by Mr. Gay,
it was voted to authorize the Superintendent of Public
Works to have the property regrassed as per Mrs . Thornton' s
request.
Petitions for street surveys were received signed
by residents on Hudson Road, Winston Road, Grassland
Street and Cutler Farm Road . Petitions
Mr. Burns reported that there is Fl total of twenty for street
signatures and fifty houses, not including Grassland constr.
Street. surveys
The Chairman suggested, and the Board agreed, to
advise the petitioners that undoubtedly the Board will
have a number of requests for street acceptances this
year and these will be placed on file .
Mr. Burns explained that August 15th has been set
as the date for filing petitions and if these people are
to receive an estimate of cost, sufficient time should
be allowed .
It was agreed to view the street next weekend and
II consider all petitions the first of July.
248
OD
At 8:35 P. M. the following members of the Planning
Board met with the Selectmen: Chairman Adams, Messrs.
Hathaway, Irwin, Johnson, Potter and Ripley.
Mr. Adams explained that his Board had requested
this meeting to discuss the approval of subivisions for
proper sewage by the Board of Health before approval by
the Planning Board. He stated that his board thought it
had a workable solution, but since that time the Carrig
subdivision has come up in which there are sixty-four lots.
The Health Sanitarian has advised that certain of theme
lots cannot be properly sewered by septic tanks or
cesspools and Mr. Adams asked who is going to be the
enforcing .uthority, does the Town have sufficient help
and if not how is additional help to be paid. He said
that if something isn' t done so that the sewage disposal
will be suitable in the next few ye rs, the Town will be
faced with a very heavy expense for installing a sewer
main.
The Chairman asked if Mr. Adams had in mind the Subdivision
expense of having a definite conclusive test of the sewege
land made and he replied in the affirmative He said disposal
that he doesnot think the present setup can do it . He
stated that this is something for a Sanitary Engineer
and mistakes just can' t be made in a large subdivision.
Mr. Burns explained that the average house in this
development will have at least three people. The con-
sumption is 250 gallons per house and there are sixty
houses in this portion which makes 15,000 gallons a day.
He said, being very ervIttile„ allow 300 days a year
for this type of consumption and it figures 14,000,000
gallons per year to go into the land. Some of the land
can take it and some can't. He stated that tests may be
conclusive without houses on the land, byt the situation
after houses are erected may be entirely changed. He
said that the intent of the law is one thing, but it is
not working out that way. He said that it does not take
notice of the fact of the amount of water being dumped
and it is putting a tremendous burden on nae individual
to say whether the• bess-pools or tanks will or will not
function.
The Chairman said that if there are going to be
enough developments whereby the Town may expose itself
to possible damage, it may be necessary to engage a
trained Sanitary Engineer. He mentioned the possibility
of Fall Town Meeting and Mr. Adams said that a Fall
meeting would ue too late, because Subdivision plans to
be approved within forty-five days from the date of the
hearing and this particualr Subdivision hearing was held
two weeks ago this evening.
Mr. Stevens said that he felt this is something
that should be done by the Board of Health in conjunction
• with the Engineering Department and it would be a proper
249
place for an expenditure to hire expert engineering service.
He said that the Planning Board does not approve lots
so he could see no teason why it should not approve the
entire plan even though some of the lots can't be sewered
by septic tanks or cesspools .
It was agreed that the Planning Board would confer
with Mr. Burns in an effort to arrive at some figure to
be used for expert Sanitary Engineering service; this
amount to be requested at the Special Town Meeting to
be held on 1;Iay 26th, and to be added to the Board of Health
Expenses budget.
Mr. Adams brought up the subject of Edison Way and
the Chairman stated that the Selectmen would like to have
Mr. Ballard go back to work on this project, He explained
that the Selectmen were not too pleased with the Planning
Board 's thoughts on the subject as expressed at the last Edison
meeting on the matter. He stated that at that time the Way
Planning Board made a definite proposal of what it would
and would not go along with. The Selectmen have never
gone along with that whole picture .
14Ir. Adams said that the Plannint, Boaru agreed to
go along with Edison Way as a road around there; one way
street, that would be blacktop; a portion of the land
between the road and the buildings to be dedicated for
public use for a period of fifteen years, no buildings
on the land, to be blacktopped by the Town and the
private owners to blacktop the remainder.
Mr. Stevens t nd the Plannin,, Board retired at 9:30 P. M.
The Chairman reported that Mr. Long, representativec
of the New England & Telegraph Company, called him im
reference tothe petition for a pole location on North
Street, and advised that he had conferred with Mr. Zecher Pole
and determine with him th-t the pole rill be fifty feet location
fror, his lot line.
Upon motion of Mr. Gay seconded by Mr. Reed, it was
voted to grant the petition nd sign the order for the
following pole location:
North Street, northwesterly from a point
approximately 2855 feet northv.est of Ad?&1fl$
Street. One (1 ) pole .
Further consideration was given to AvIr. Richard Rowse ' s
request for curbing on ilarrington Road. Some of the members
of the Board viewed the location and inasmuch as there Garbing
is curbing on both the Massachusetts Avenue and Bedford
Street sides of the Common, were in favor of the request.
Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Reed, it
was voted to install curbing in front of Mr. Rowse 's
house and as far along Harrington Road as the 4750 annual
budget will go.
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Burns retired Mr . B e red at 9:50 P. M.
Request was received from the Veterans of Foreign
Poppy Drive Wars, Lexington Post #3007, requesting permission to
conduct its annual Poppy Drive oh May 23rd and 24th.
Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Reed, it
was voted to grant the request.
Letter was received from the Le2ington Order of Rain-
bow girls requesting to conduct a Block DFnce on
Block Harrington Road on Friday, June 6th from 8:00 P. M. until
Dance midnight.
Up.'n motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Driscoll,
it was voted to grant the request.
Mr. Warrents letter in regard to emergency power
for police and civil defense wfs held over.
The Chairman reported that he had discussed this
subject with Roy Cook and he has checked into it and
Emergency is now fairly well close to having a completed study.
generator He is of the opinion that a second error would be made
if funds are spent to replace the present unit for a
larger size and raised the question as to what will be
used for power to pperate the oil burner in an emergency.
More detailed information is expected by next Monday
night.
Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Driscoll,
it was voted to grant the following uses of halls :
American Legion Auxiliary Conference Room May 19th
Use of 4-H Club If " " 21st
Halls
Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Ur . Reed, it
was voted to grant a Sunday Movies License to the
Lexington Theatre, Inc.
Police report for the month of April was received
and placed on file.
Appointments to the Board of Public Welfare and $
Director of Civil Defense were held over.
The meeting adjourned at 10:05 P. M.
A true record, Attest :
".2-411.1V'
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