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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1953-02-16-min 484 CC OD SELECTMEN'S MEETING February 16, 1953 , A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Build- ing, on Monday evening, February 16, 1953, at 7 :00 P. M. Chairman Nickerson, Messrs. Emery, Gay and Reed were present. Mr. Burns, Sup't of Public Works, and the Clerk were also present. Hearing was declared open upon petition of the Boston Edison and the New England Telephone & Tele- graph Company for relocation of a j/o pole located on Pleasant Street. Mr. Mahon, representing the Boston Edison Com- pany, was the only person present at the hearing, Pole and explained that Stearns Road is bulrr3gopened and locatinn the proposed location justified. Mr. Burns had no objections. Upon motion of Mr. Reed, seconded by Mr. Gay, it was voted to approve the petition and sign the order for the follbwing pole location: Pleasant Street, approximately 15 feet north- east of Stearns Road, - one pale (Existing JO pole to be removed ). Petition was received from the Boston Edison Company and the New England Telephone Company for pole locations in Woburn Street, Eliot Road and Pole Lowell Street. Mr. Mahon explained that the re- location quest is merely to transfer ownership from the Edison Company alone to a joint ownership with the New England Telephone & Telegraph Company. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Reed, it was voted to approve the petitions and sign the orders for the following pole locations: Woburn Street, westerly from a point approxi- mately 280 feet east of Utica Street, three poles. Eliot Road, approximately 5 feet southeast of Washington Street, one pole. Lowell Street, northerly from a point approxi- mately 807 feet north of Worm Street, eleven poles. Mr. Mahon retired at 7 :10 P. M. The Chairman read a letter from the Metropolitan Fluoride District Commission re increasing the fluoride content in water of the water supplied in the Metropolitan Water District and asked whether or not Lexington was in favor of such a program., 485 The Chairman was authorized to advise the Com- ' mission that the Board has been unable to make a de- cision because of conflicting reports as to whether the treatment of all the water supply would be a bene- fit to everyone, and further was in doubt as to whether the expense involved, whatever it may be, would be ' juatified. Mr. Burns retired at 7 :45 P. M. and the following members of the Board of Fire Commissioners met with the Board: Messrs. Roeder, Fitzgerald and Sheldon. Fire Mr. Roeder asked if the Selectmen had arrived at Depot. any decision in regard to budgets and the Chairman re- Budgets plied that the Board has not finally voted on whether or not it will go along with more men or not and that he had been alittle reluctant to approve, his reason being that everything is going up this year in regard to budgets. He explained that Mr. Driscoll has expressed the opinion that the Fire Department needs additional men. He stated that the Selectmen will meet later in the evening with the Appropriation Committee and the Chairman of that Committee has stated that the Committee is going along with the recommendation of three,men. The Chairman said that the other item of debate was on the item for clerical help, and further stated that the Board is aware of the fact that if there is clerical work to be done it will have to be paid for. However, the Board cannot see the justification for a full-time secretary and does not like the idea of a female clerk in the Station. He explained that the Selectmen have not voted to go along with the request for a clerk and the Ap- propriation Committee has also voted not to go along. However, the Appropriation Committee has approved a sum of money for clerical help. Mr. Roeder said that the office is now in the East Lexington Station and only one man does the work and that is for only four days a week. He said that with a girl all the business could be handled five or six days a week. Mr. Roeder said that when the office was in the center, the man stayed in all the time and never went Out on a fire call. Mr. Sheldon said that the public is served just as well down in East Lexington as it was when the office was in the center. Mr. Roeder said that Howard Fisk, the present clerk, is doing fire duty down at East Lexington now. They are trying to get away from the problem of general mixups in oil burner inspections, etc., and the other reason for going down there was to afford a little more privacy to Deputy Chief Cook. Mr. Roeder asked if it would be possible to have someone hired at East Lexington for the two or three days when Howard Fisk is not there and the Chairman replied that the Appropriation Committee is recommending $800. 1 4E43 cc cc Q. Mr. Roeder said that he would like to eliminate the volume of Fire Department work being done in his office and the Chairman said that he thought maybe someone in his office would do the wa' k and be paid for it. He said that the Selectmen would not vote to approve the clerk and the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee told him that his Committee would not approve it either. He suggested, therefore, that the Com- missioners make the $800 for clerical work do. Mr. Roeder said that they would make out with the $800. Mr. Sheldon brought up the subject of a Deputy and the Chairman informed him that the Selectmen have voted against that as a matter of policy and the Appropriation Committee has coincided. The Fire Commissioners retired at 8:15 P. M. Letter was received from Harvey B. Adams, 46 Downing Road, requesting an appointment with the Board to discuss Reservoir the possiblility of developing a playground on the 'Reser- Playground voir property on Marrett Road. The Chairman was authorized to refer Mr. Adams to the Recreation Committee. Letter was received from Mrs. W. E. Doran, 168 Traffic East Street, requesting the installation of traffic Signs signs. It was decided to request the Chief of Police to make a report and submit recommendations. Letter was received from the Board of Assessors advising that three parcels of property on which Betterment betterment assessments have been deferred under Chap- Assessments ter 159 have been sold, built upon or the betterment used by the owner. The betterments involved are as follows : Water betterment Paul C. Folsom, et al $250..00 Everett Kourian 832.00 Street m Angelo Busa 800.00 The Chairman read a letter from the Lexington Allied Veterans ' Council requesting a room in which to hold a meetings and also a place to store accumulated records. Allied Vets It was agreed to allow them to use a portion of the use of hall available space in Cary Memorial Building in which to & storage store records and further to advise that applications for the use of a conference room for meetings will be con- sidered . 0 487 Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Eqe ry, Uses of it was voted to grant the following uses of halls: halls Simon W, *obinson Lodge Cary May 2 Ladies Night $35 Lex. Methodist Church Cary Nov.27 Fair 35 United World Methodists Estabrook Mar. 7 Meeting free Upon motion of Mr. Emery, seconded by Mr. Gay, it was voted to grant a Sunday Movies license to the Lex- License ington Amusement Co. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. ery, it was voted to sign a deed, prepared by Town ounsel, conveying Veterans' Lot #15 Cedar Street to St nley W. Janusas and Mary Ann Janusas. Mr. Stevens reported that the bill he filed to extend the time for school purposes is scheduled for hearing the 18th and also reported that the Appropri- ation Committee is in favor of extending the t_me and Bill increasing the amount. He explained that $.50M00., is available which means the School Committee will need $1,600;000; and he suggested increasing the borrowing by $2,060,00. The Chairman said that upon Mr. Stevens recom- mendation the Board would ask him to file the bill Wednesday. 11 Mr. Stevens reported on the Greenough claim and said that he is prepared to recommend settlement of Legal - $525. and stated that if the case is tried it Will Greenough involve expert testimony fees by Metcalf & Eddy of Case $150 per day and $50 per day for Mr. Lunder an► Greenough's attorney will recommend 50% of $525 and I $2700 and will recommend $1500 to $1600. He said that the Town cannot recover costs for expert witnesses. He also advised the Board that the Selectmen are not authorized to settle a claim tf anything over $300 and it will require a vote of Town Meeting. Mr. Stevens was authorized to discuss the matter with Greenough's attorney and try to settle the case out of Court on whatever figure he believes is just. Messrs. Stevens and Emery left the meeting at 9:05 P. M. The Clerk also retired. The Appropriation Committee met with the Board and the remainder of the evening was devoted tip dis- cussing budgets. A true copy, Attest : II x 2/ rk, ,