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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1954-03-01-BOS-min 283 Y SELECTMEN'S MEETING March 1, 1954 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, on Monday evening, March 1, 1954 at 7 :00 P. M. Chairman Reed, Messrs. Nickerson, Gay, Driscoll and Bateman were present. Mr. Burns, Supt. of Public Works, and the Clerk were also present. The Chairman read a letter from the Mystic Valley Gas Company requesting permission to locate a welded steel gas main in Lincoln Street and Barrymeade Drive Gas main for the purpose of supplying gas service to the pro- location posed Howard Johnson building on 1oute 128. Mr. Burns explained that he had requested the gas company to submit the request because he has one from the Atlantic. The main will not be put in the street on Barrymeade Drive but is on the sidewalk which is actually nonexistent. No action was taken and the Clerk was instruc- ted to place the request on the agenda for next week. The Chairman read a petition from John Garofalo Arcola St. and Antonio Buss, requesting the extension of the water water main in Arcola Street to service new houses now under construction. Mr. Burns said that he would have funds enough to extend the main as requested. The Chairman read a letter from Robert L. Johnson Johnson, 91 Cary Avenue, registering a complaint complaint about used cars and equipment being kept on property adjacent to his house. The subject was referred to Mr. Lindstrom for investigation and report. Further consideration was given to Mr. Samuel Santosuosso's offer of $300 for lots 51 and 52 Tax tit]® Cummings Avenue. Some members of the Bbard had property viewed the property and the Chairman explained the location by use of an engineer's plan. It wadi unanimously agreed not to dispose of the property at this time. The Chairman referred to an offer of $200 for Tax title lots 22, 23 and 25 Valley Road, submitted some time property ago by Mr. Arthur Massucco, 41 Crawford Street, Watertown. At the time, the Board authorized the 284 4 Chairman to advise Mr. Massucco that it would not consider selling these lots until he acquired lot 24, privately owned. The Chairman reported that Mr. Massucco has tried to purchase lot 24 but the owner is unwilling to sell. It was unanimously agreed to advise Mr. Masaucco that until such time as he is able to acquire let 24, the Board is not interested in disposing of the tax title property. Photostatic copy of Chapter 120 an Act to Define in Part the Boundary Line between the Town of Lexington and Winchester was received, noted and placed on file. Photostatic copy of Chapter 141 ant. Act Authoriz- ing the Board of Selectmen to Appoint the Inspectors of Plumbing in the Town of Lexington was received, noted and placed on file. The Chairman referred to Article 3R in the war- rant relative to selling a portion of the so-called Article Poor Farm Tract to the Lexington Golf Club. The Board agreed'that until such time as more definite information is received relative to area and price, no action should be taken and therefore ask for indefinite postponement at the March 15th meeting. Article The Chairman referred to Article 31 in the war- rant relative to subdividing into lots' all or any part of the so-called Poor Farm Tract for veterans. Mr. Stevens arrived at the meeting at 7 :50 P. M. Mr. Nickerson mentioned the possibility of pre- paring the vote so that the Town could handle this as a special item with the understanding that there are still two lots which could be disposed of, if the Town so votes, to either World War II veterans or Korean veterans. Mr. Burns retired at 7 :10 P. M. Messrs. Joseph E. Belcher and Lewis L. Hoyt, of the Town Manager Committee, met with the Board. Town Mgr. The Chairman said that the board would like to Committee know what the committee is recommending, and Mr. Belcher said that he was chagrined that the Select- men wanted to meet with him, after having written to the Board. He said he plans to take the proposal of last June 8th and let the Town Meeting decide if they want to continue thinking about Town Management or if they' want to forget it for awhile. He said that is his article in the warrant. He is asking if Town 285 Meeting wants to continue thinking about Town Manage- ment, continue the present committee and ask it to bring in a Selectmen-Manager form of administration nest year. He said the committee is not proposing anything except that and will ask for $300 or $500 which will be necessary if the committee is continued, to publish a report and possibly mail it. He said the mailing will determine how much money will be needed. If it is mailed to the Town Meeting members, it will be less than if it is mailed to the registered voters. However, they intend now to mail it to the Town Meet- ing members only. He Bald beyond that his report will not do anything except point out what town management is and ask the members if they want to continue with the suggested program. Mr. Belcher said that he would be present for the first Town Meeting but will not be here for a post- poned meeting and would enjoy the privilege of present- ing his article the first evening if it is agreeable with the Board. Ho said he would like to present it between drticle'19 and 11, but if:.it_ is ffirestPafted until the secnnd meeting, Mr. Hoyt will have to do the work. Mr. Belcher asked if the Chairman would present the article and then have him present the vote and the Chairman replied that Mr. Belcher would have to present the vote. The Chairman said that he assumes the articles will go along in good order until the school items, and he would rather have the Board in accord as to when this article is to be presented. He said he would try to work out with the Board the beat place for it and so advise Mr. Belcher. Mr. Stevens stated that it would be necessary to have a motion to take the article up out of its order in the warrant. Mr. Nickerson said that he understands the Com- mittee is going to recommend drawing up a plan. Mr. Belcher said that a majority of the committee feels that in running a business asA.arge as Lexington it is wise to have as close a control and as well knit an organization as possible and the Selectmen-Manager Form of Government gives that to them. He said they feel there is nothing wrong with the way Lexington is .�b that is theyknow of no par- bs � run,efr:hgs �Yi31 �; titular case of things being done wrong. They do feel Lekington is in the midst of an area undergoing changes and, in order to be ready to counteract the changes, it should be prepared to be able to adopt a plan of govern- ment which has met with approval not only in the United States, but in the world as the most productive type of government. 286 Co Mr. Nickerson said he assumed Mr. Belcher would make a recommendation and his corollary question is has the committee determined and is it going to pre- sent to Town Meeting that it favors a strong, medium or weak form of Town Manager. Mr. Belcher said that he is not going to mention that in his report whatsoever. Mr. Nickerson asked if he didn't think it might be germane to give the Town Meeting members the Com- mittee's thinking on that score. Mr. Belcher replied that he thought they were concerned last June with the fact that this article seemed like something slipped in and they want to clarify first - did the Town Meeting members want a committee in favor of Town Management or didn't they and that has been the guiding light in the Committee's decision to the way they are presenting the article this year. He said he believes the committee is giving the Town Meeting members an opportunity to say whether or not they want someone 'to do some serious thinking about a flown Manager form of govern- ment.n He said the committee 'found out that not too many people were aware of what happened last year and actually the committee will be disobeying the will of the vote. He said he does .not think the committee should recommend a strong, weak or middle line on a Chapter. Any plan they might present before accepted is subject to amendment and he thought the time for discussing whether this is going or that is going would be next year when it is presented to the Town:.: Meeting. He said it could be discussed at preminet meetings and by the time it gets to Town Meeting the members will know what they want. Messrs. Belcher and Hoyt retired at 8:35 P. M. Lt. Knapp The Chairman read a report from the Medical retired Panel that examined Lieutenant Knapp who has re- quested retirement because of physical disability. The panel diagnosed' the case as chronic gout; re- ported that the applicant is physically incapacitated for further duty in his present position and the op- inion is thaethe disability is not the result of accident or hazard undergone during performance of duty; that this disability is likely to be permanent. Upon motion of Mr. Driscoll, seconded by Mr. Nickerson, it was voted toaccept the decision of the panel and retire Lieutenant Knapp as of March 1, 1954 at the rate of 58% of his 1953 yearly salary. 1 287 li The Chairman read a letter from the Planning Board advising that an option has been secured to pur- chase a lot of land on Waltham Street owned by the Land option Dianne Estates; it being necessary to acquire the lot exercised in order to lay out the new proposed town highway run- ning from Bedford Street to Route 2, Upon motion of Mr. Bateman, seconded by Mr. Gay, it was voted to exercise the option and purchase the land for $1250. Mr. Stevens retired at 9:00 P. M. Further consideration was given to request sub- mitted by Daniel A. Lynch, attorney for Connors Bros. re application to transfer the present license for Connors Bros, the sale of all alcoholic beverages from Edward J. Inc. license Connors and Thomas F. Connors, doing business as Connors Bros., a co-partnership, to Connors Bros. Inc. Notice of the proposed transfer was inserted in the February 25, 1954 issue of the Lexington Minute- Man. Upon motion of Mr, Bateman, seconded by Mr. Gay, it was voted to grant the application, subject to approval of the Alcoholic Beverages Control Com- mission. The Chairman read a letter from the Lexington Allied Veterans' Council submitting the names of five individuals to serve as the Patriots' Day Committee Patriots' for 1954. Day Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Bateman, Committee it was voted tq appoint the following persons to serve on the Patriots' Day Committee for 1954; Messrs. Maurice A. Gagne, Malcolm H. Clifford, George Foster, Connell Albertine and Wilfred F. Pierpont, Jr. Application was received from Mrs. Kenneth R. Use of hall Bolles, on behalf of the Lexington Field and Garden Club, for permission to conduct a meeting in Estabrook Hall on March 25th from 8:00 P. M. until 10:00 P. M. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Bateman, it was voted to grant the use of the hall free of charge, subject to a fee of $1.50 per hour for jani- tor's overtime services. The meeting adjourned at 9 :05 P. M. A true record, Attest: Cler , Se ctmen