Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1953-10-13-min X10 � SELECTMEN'S MEETING October 13, 1953 I A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room on Tuesday evening, October 13, 1953 (Monday being a holiday), at 7 :00 P. M. Messrs. Nickerson and Gay were present. Mr. Burns, Supt. of Public Works, and the Clerk were also present. Mr. Reed, Chairman of the Board, met with Mr. Nickerson in the afternoon, went over all the items ;isted on the agenda and made a notation as to how he would like to be recorded on items requiring a vote of the Board. Therefore, all votes passed constitute a majority of the members. Mr. Gay acted as Chairman. Petition was received, signed by residents of Patterson Patterson Road, requesting acceptance of the road by Road the Town and also calling the Board's attention to the fact that gradi.36 of the shoulders has not been comple ted. Mr. Burns explained that the street was con- structed under the subdivision regulations, and it may be accepted by the town without further expense to the abutters . He stated that on occasions property owners do not want the streets accepted and therefore he told Mr. Rosenblum to send in a petition requesting acceptance. Mr. Burns further explained that grading the shoulders is not the responsibility of the town, but is up to the subdivider. It was agreed to acknowledge the communication, advise Mr. Rosenblum that acceptance will be submitted to the Town Meeting in March, and that completion of the grading of the shoulders is a responsibility of the subdivider. Letter was received from Mrs. Maude F. March re- Request for questing installation of water to service her houses Water at 52 Bellflower Street and 45 Freemont Street. In view of the fact that an appropriation is necessary, it was agreed to advise Mrs. March that the project will be considered when the 1954 budgets are prepared, but that does not necessarily mean the work will be approved and funds voted by the Town Meeting. Letter was received from Ernest C. Martin request- ing installation of a street light on Rowland Avenue. No action can be taken this year inasmuch as the money Street appropriated has been allocated. It was agreed to so light advise Mr. Martin and tell him that his request will be considered subsequent to July 1, 1954. 1 111 Letter was received from Robert K. Taylor, 2591 Massachusetts Avenue, relative to relocation of a j/o utility pole now located on his property. Mr. Taylor does not want the pole in front of his property. No Pole petition has been received as yet from either the relocation Boston Edison Company or the New England Telephone & Telegraph Company in this regard. Mr. Burns informed the Board that Sandberg Equip- ment Co. was the low bidder on a sand spreader with a quotation of $1425. Sand Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted spreader to accept the bid of Sandberg Equipment Co. in the net amount of $1425. Further consideration was given to bids opened October 6th for reconstructing two tennis courts at the Parker School. Tennis Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted courts to accept the low bid of $4965 submitted by the Adams Asphalt Co. Inc. Letter was received from jr. Edward A. Larner, Chairman of the Salary and Wage Study Committee, ad- Salary & vising that following receipt of letter from Town Wage Com. Counsel, dated August 3, 1953, it was voted to report to the Selectmen that the Committee had ceased to exist as a committee. The Board gave further consideration to Mr. James F. Sawyer's offer of $1,000 for Lots ] 'and 2, Block Tax title 18, Reed Street. A proposal to sell these lots was property advertised in the October 6, 1953 issue of the Lexing- ton Minute-Man. No persons contacted the Selectmen's Office as a result of the advertisement. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sell&convey Lots 1 and 2, Block 18, Reed Street, to James F. Sawyer: time of payment to be extended for three months. Further consideration was given to Mr. Harold I. Bjorn's offer of $300 (including $75 water betterment ) for Lot 46, Park Heights, Hillcrest Street. A proposal to sell this lot was advertised in the October 6, 1953 Tax title issue of the Lexington Minute-Man. No persons con- property tacted the Selectmen's Office as a result of the ad- vertisement. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sell and convey Lot 46, Park .Heights, Hillcrest Street to Mr. Harold I. Bjorn. Letter was received from Mrs. W. P. Cagey, on Rummage behalf of the Sacred Heart Women's Club, requesting Sale 112 permission to use the Barnes property for a rummage sale on October 31, 1953. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant the request. Letter was received from the Lexington Allied Veterans ' Council requesting permission to use Cary Use of Hall on Wednesday, November 11th from 9 :30 A. M. until hall noon for Armistice Day exercises. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant the request free of charge but subject to a fee of $1.50 per hour for janitor's overtSme services. Application was received from Donald J. Gillespie, Supervisor of Instrumental Music, requesting the use of Estabrook and Cary Halls on Saturday, May 1, 1954 for Use of the purpose of conducting auditions for -the North- hall eastern Massachusetts Musical Festival. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted tb grant the use of the halls, subject to the regular rates if admission is to be charged, plus $1.50 fee for janitor's overtime work. The Clerk informed the Board that Dr. John E. Murray telephoned and requested permission to conduct Permit a paper drive on Sunday, November 8th in conjunction with the drive sponsored by Archbishop Cushing. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant the request. The Clerk informed the Board that Mr. Adams, Chairman of the Planning Board, made a verbal request for a Special Town Meeting to be held in November. If another meeting is held the available funds are in- Transfer sufficient to cover the cost involved and it will be necessary to request transfer of $120. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to request the Appropriation Committee to transfer the sum of $120 from the Reserve Fund to the Elections- Jurisdiction Selectmen' s Account. Mr. Stevens arrived at the meeting at 7 :35 P. M. The Chairman read a letter from Harry F. Connor re condition of the -sidewalk on Waltham Street. Mr. Complaint Burns said that he had received only one call and told Mr. Connor who to call at the New England -Telephone Company and if some action was not taken within a week to let Mr. Burns know. He has heard nothing further since. Mr. Burns took the letter and agreed to check the complaint. 113 Notice received from the Internal Revenue Service re tax on admission charges to public halls was refer- red to Town Counsel. Mr. Stevens referred to communication from Johnson, Clapp, Ives & King relative to a hearing to be held by the Department of Public Utilities on October 23rd on Boston petition by the Boston Edison Company for exemption of Edison a certain parcel of land from the provisions of the hearing Zoning By-lam. Mr. Stevens was authorized to advise counsel for the petitioner that the Board of Selectmen has no ob- jection. Mr. Stevens reported on the so-called Harmon case Claim and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to authorize Town Counsel to settle the claim of Harmon vs. Lindstrom, Tarbox and Lindstrom and Phalen and Roeder for damages arising out of the determination by the Building Inspector in 1949 that property on Rowland Avenue was unsafe for occupancy, for $300. Mr. Nickerson reported that he called Mr. Converse Hill today in re insurance coverage on the bleachers and he thought about a year ago the question came up as to Bleacher whether the Town was liable for damage on the center Insurance playground field. Mr. Stevens saidt hat if a group is just allowed to use the fid.ld ha did not think the town would be liable, and he agreed to discuss the subject with Mr. Hill. At 8 :15 P. M. Mr. George Scott and his business associate, Mr. Miller, met with the Board. Discussion was held more or less as follows : Nickerson: We infer that you wish to reppen the dis- Scott cession. _ Scott : We never closed it but merely postponed it. I know you gentlemen are still interested and I would like to do something with that property . My liability insurance is double because the y'az'd, a is open. People dump things there and I have to have a fellow kbep it clean. I would like to put a fence. there to keep it private. Nickerson: Where do you mean? Scott : In back. Nickerson: You mean the line of the former fire house property? Scott : There are trucks parking there for two or three days, trucks from Connecticut, 114 Miller : His land runs out to the further land of the fire house lot. If he could purchase the fire house lot, his idea is to put a fence around it to keep people from throw- ing bottles in there, etc. Nickerson: You recall our negotiation of previous years, including the setback from the front, included the triangular piece on Mariam Street and Depot Square, and your wish to purchase the Fire Station lot. Various Boards have discussed this with you and we are open to any suggestion that would im- prove that area, but in disposing of the Fire House property there, the whole thing is disposed of as a package. If you have something in mind we would be glad to dis- cuss it with you. We would not want to sell that property until he whole situation is surrounded. Miller: The street now running through Depot Square. It looks to me as though it should and would run through to Mariam Street. Nickerson: That was never our intention. What this Board would like to see would be •some ren- Scott ovation of the area there and if we can Work out at your suggestion, some mutual advantageous proposition, we have the power to sell you the Fire Statioh lot. We are willing to do so if there is an overall plan which we can recommend to the Town. If an overall plan means an appropriation of money, that is up to the Town Meetingtto vote. For the last two years the Town has given the Board of Selectmen the authority to- dispose of the Fire Station property at our discretion. Miller: I can see your point. If twenty-five feet is coming off the front we will need the Fire Station lot for depth. A new build- ing going up - the fire house would have to be considered in with the front parcel. There is not question about that. Stevens : That is equal in area to the front parcel isn't it? Scott : No. It is narrower in front. Miller: I thought there was some talk about a street going through there that would take some of the Fire Station property. Gay : There is no thought of a street going through there at all. Miller : Mr. Scott gave the town seven feet several years ago to help widen the street. Stevens : Do you have in mind taking the building down and putting up a new one? 115 Scott : Yes. II Miller: It wouldn't be worth repairing. Stevens : When would you plan to do this? Miller; Mr. Scott was never given any assurance that he could get the Fire Station lot. If he had some assurance then we might in terest someone. Stevens : If Mr. Scott gave the town this (pointing to a plan) and got that, it would be a good deal both ways. Scott Scott : What about the building? Stevens : You are going to tear the building down and put up a new one. Gay: If you were sure that you could trade thAt for this, you would go after someone? Miller: If we had reasonable assurance. Nickerson': We told you for years we were open mind ed and desirous of improvement of the area. We authorized Mr. Ballard to negotiate. The Board of Selectmen has the authority to dispose of that lot and we would use the authority if you put up what we #thought was a reasonable proposition for improving the corner. You will not find us trying `y to charge a high g g price. We are reasonable. about it and have nothing to conceal. II Scott : With all the plans that Mr. Ballard drew up there always was a doubt at the bottom. Nickerson: We have authority to dispose of the pro- ' perty and the railroad has given approval of going along with disposal of Lot B, which is the setback, and Lot C, which is the squaring out on the Meriam Street side. As to the amount of money involved, back in 1941 you were fairly well down to cases on this . You wanted so much money and ar- ticles were put in the Town Warrant. Miller: That was the time Chandler was coming out. Nickerson: I don't recall we voted any money on it . Miller: Chandler was so much interested at the time he gave us a period of six months or four months for us to go ahead and if it could not be done they would go somewhere else. The time expired and it petered out. Nickerson: We can tell you how this Board feels about it, but we are not real estate men. All we can do is if you make a proposition that we think is fair, we can put it before Town Meeting. Scott: I said I would take $ 30,000 and pay the Town $3,000 for the Fire Station land. We practtea11y agreed on it. Miller : This is the first time that we have been able to reason as to what you want and. Mr. Scott can say what he wants. 116 hmailNickerson: If you put up a proposition to us and we transmit it to t he Town Meeting and it is apparently too excessive, Town Meeting mem- bers will vote it down. Miller : I know Mr. Scott will go along with the Town on anything fair and reasonable. N .okerson: Why don't you two men get together and make a concrete proposition. Scott : I think it is drawn up now. It was *30,000. I said I would give $3,000 for the land. At that time I could have given *1500 for the house and now it will cost $6,000. Miller: Some or the tenants are paying rent you would be surprised at. The people have been there for years. It would be a shame to have these people pushed out. Mr. Scott has considered taking care of the tenants in some way. If they can' t pay for the front, they may be able to pay for back ohes. I think something can be worked out. If the building is to be razed what will it cost? Stevens : The only way to get a building, which will bring in the rentals the property should have, would be to tear it down and build a new one. back The back land is worth less than the front y land. Stevens : All you will be losing is rear land. Miller: He has to take down a building and where he is getting an income, it will stop for awhile and there will be some loss to him on this for which the Town could compen- sate him. Nickerson: You just said the rents were small. You don't get the difference of *30,000 and $3,000 there. The best thing for you men to do is azure that you have a Board of Selectmen that is entirely willing to talk to you fairly. You can regard us as a Board that would put a fair proposition be- fore Town Meeting and argue for it, but we can't argue for edmethiiig whidli ve .ddz 't .. think is fair. Why don't you discuss this between yoursleves, let us know what you think you want to do by giving us some figures? Stevens : You will of course have in mind that this must be sold to Town Meeting and therefore the figure must be something which can be presented to Town Meeting. 1 117 Scott : If the Town does not want the twenty-five feet, we have enough land without it. I may not bother with the Town. To make a parking space I could demolish a couple of stores . The Fire House is sixty-nine feet. I have about nine feet on the front not built upon and I could have a pretty good parking space. It won't look so good to have the building in the street because I intend to put up a two-story building. Stevens : No one, as a tenant, would want it unless there was a wide street and good parking. Scott : I don't think the tenants would care. Miller: We will talk it over and see if we can work out something. Gay : Do you intend to take the building down even if you don't get_the Are Station Scott property? Miller: Well we have no tenant right away. Gay : If you can 't make an agreement with the Town, do you intend to tear it down and put something else up? Miller: Yes we do. We might have someone along in six months or a year. Nickerson: When you do remodel the building you will remake it with the idea of letting it to good tenants. I think you will find a good tenant will be loath to come into the Town with any hard feelings attached to the pro- perty they are leasing. We, by the same token, will be very friendly to your re- building and getting a good tenant, but in order for both of us to get what we wants if we are going to get a vote before Town Meeting and get it voted, it must be some- thing reasonable. We are not trying to be unco-operative and don't want to give you the idea we are stretching this along year after year. If you put up a fair proposition and we go to Town Meeting, be- lieving it it a good proposition and argue for it, I think the Town will pass it. They have given evidence of going along with the Board on anything that is reason- able. eason- able. Scott : You cart be too reasonable. Miller: We will sit down and see what we can work out on this. We may have someone we can feel out on it and then we will get in touch with you in a short time. I have some people to talk to and it may take three weeks or a month. 118 Messrs. Scott and Miller retired at 8 :55 P. M. The following members of the Planning Board met with the Selectmen : Chairman Adams : Messrs. Grindley Hathaway, Irwin, Potter and Ripley. Mr. Burns, Supt. of Public Works, was also present. Mr. Adams said that the Planning Board came down Town two or three weeks ago to talk about a Fall Town Meet- Meeting ing and he believes a majority of the Board feels pre- pared for it. The dates they suggested were the 16th or 23rd of November; the latter giving a little more time., He said he received a telephone call from a fellbw today who is in charge of a Thanksgiving Council of Churches program at Cary Hall and forgot to reserve the hall for the 23rd, but Completed all arrangements for a speaker. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to call a Special Town Meeting to be held on Monday, November 30, 1953. An informal discussion was held relative to pro- posed change in the zoning laws whereby lot sizes would be required to be one acre in size. The meeting adjourned at 9 :40 P. M. A true record, Attest: j/Cle 1