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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1954-02-15-BOS-min 267 SELECTMEN'S MEETING February 15, 1954 A regular. meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's room, Town Office Building on Monday evening, February 15, 1954 at 7:00 P. M. Chair- man Reed, Messrs. Nickerson, Driscoll, Gay and Bateman were present. Mr. Burns, Supt. of Public Works, and the Clerk were also present. Petition was received from the Boston Edison Com- Pole pany and the New England Telephone and Telegraph Com- location pany for permission to remove and replace one pole on Simonds Road. Mr. Burns explained that the pole as now located is in the way of a driveway of a new house and he recom- mended that the petition be approved. Upon motion of Mr, Gay, seconded by Mr. Nickerson, it was voted to approve the petition and sign the order for the following pole location: Simonds Road, approximately 280 feet east of Blake Road - One pole, (One existing J/0 pgle,to be removed. ) The Chairman read a letter from Oscar R. Carlson, Request et al requesting the installation of street lights in for street Castle Road. lights The Chairman was authorised to advise Mr. Carlson that the request_ would be placed on the list for con- sideration some time about the first of July at which time all requests for street lights will be considered and submitted to the Boston Edison Company. The Chairman read a letter from Mrs. H. Pierce Request Brower, 148 Pleasant Street requesting replacement of for tree a tree at her house th ich was removed when the house was constructed, Mr. Burns reported that the tree was taken down by the builder and now the new owner wants it replaced. The Chairman was authorized to advise Mrs. Brower that her request will be placed on t he list of similar requests to be considered some time after the 1954 bud- gets have been acted upon by the Town Meeting Members in March. The Chairman referred to letter received from attorney Norman T. May, on behalf of William H. and Effie S. Lyon, requesting abatement of sewer better- 268 CL ment assessments on Lots 1, 2 and 3 Bedford Street, formerly owned by Neil McIntosh. He reported that .ho had mentioned the subject Betterment to Mr. Lyon and was informed that he only wants a deferred deferment. The lots are now being filled in with material being removed from the location of the dial telephone exchange. Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Bateman, it was voted, under the provisions of Chapter 159 of the Acts2of 1950, to extend the time for payment of sewer betterment assessments on Lot 1, $162.84; Lot 2, $174.47; Lot 3, $174.47, without interest, until said land or any part thereof -is built upon, sold, or until the expiration of three years from the date hereof, whichever event occurs first; provided, however, that this extension of time shall terminate immediately if the facilities of the sewer are used for said land or any part thereof. Mr. Burns retired at 7 :35 P. M. Further consideration was given to Mr. Gennaro Sanseverino's offer of $150 for Iota 35, 36 and 37 on Hillside Avenue. 'fax title The Chairman reported that he had viewed these property lots and they are located at the end of the street almost over to Lisbeth Street. He recalled that the Board has not previously been in favor of disposing of tax title property on Hillside Avenue, preferring to wait -until Oak Terrace (Mr. Larsen's street) is completed. He also reminded the Board that there is no water in t he street. Mr. Gay said that Mr. Sanseverino wants the lots for an entrance and protection. The Chairman reported that the Board refused to sell lots on this street in 1952 upon recommendation of the Planning Board. Mr. Nickerson recommended retaining the lots un- til the completion of Oak Terrace and Mr. Gay was authorized to advise Mr. Sanaeverinn to contact the Board about two years from now, the burden of approach being on him. Mr. Stevens, Town Counsel, arrived at the meet- ing at 7 :40 P. M. Tax Title Letter was received from Samuel Santosuosso, property 410 Massachusetts Avenue, offering $300 for lots 51 aid 52, Cummings Avenue. The Board preferred to view the lots before mak- ing any decision on the offer. 269 The Chairman read a letter from Colonel Connell Per Drive Libertine, on behalf of the Church of our Redeemer, requesting permission to conduct a Paper Drive on Sunday, March 14th. Upon motion of Mr. Driscoll, seconded by Mr. Bateman, it was voted to grant the request. The Chairman read a letter from Mr. Lindstrom, New fees Building Inspector, together with schedule of building for Bldg. permit fees to supersede the schedule he presented on permits February 8th. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to rescind the vote of February 8th and further voted to approve the proposed schedule as submitted by Mr. Lindstrom today, effective March 1, 1954. Mr. Stevens said that the Planning Board has Option by taken an option to purchase a parcel of land owned by Planning the Dianne Estates. The idea would be to have the Bow d option exercised by the Selectmen for $1200. He paid $2500 for the entire lot and the Town will receive e little less than half. Mr. Stevens stated that he has drawn the option and is no* checking the title. He said the Selectmen should receive a report from the Planning Board to enable exercising the option at the next meeting. Letter was received from Me. Stevens with refer- Bequest once to the vote adopted at the Special Town Meeting in November, authorizing the Selectmen to accept a deed from the Lexington Field and Garden Club of the triangular parcel of land situated at the junction of Lincoln Street and Marrett Road. Pursuant to the vote, the Club has Qonveyed the parcel to the Town to be held for the benefit of the public, and Mr. Stevens recorded the deed today in -Middlesex South District Registry of Deeds. Letter was received from Mr. Stevens with refer- Tax title once to Lot 7, Block 98, Reed Street and an explana- property tion in detail given to the status of this parcel of land. According to the Registry of Deeds title is in the Town of Lexington although taxes have been assessed to and paid by Rose B. Turner and her estate since 1921. The estate is represented by Francis E. Burke and he has requested that the title be cleared. Mr. Stevens be- lieves that the request is a proper one and he has asked Mr. Burns to let him know if there are any easements, rights or interests that the Town should reserve in this lot. Upon motion of Mr. -Nickerson, seconded by Mr. Gay, it was voted to authorize the Town Counsel to proceed 270 0.1 to CL to clear the title and settle the matter for $15. At 8:00 P. M. Mr. Donald Gillespie met with the Board to discuss the Northeastern Massachusetts School Musical Festival to be held oft May 1st. He explained Music that the Lexington School System will be host this Festival year and all the towns in Middlesex and Essex Counties will be sending their bands and choral groups to audition. He stated that it is a sharing in music and the groups are rated on constructive criticism. He expects there will be '3,000 children taking part in the festivities. There will be auditions in ten halls, including Cary Hall which will be used for the largest auditional Units of bands and combined choral concerts. In the afternoon the choral concert will be fol• lowed by a parade of bands which ends at Parker Field where each band will play six numbers together. The Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a dinner for the directors and administrators. He said they would like to give each child participating a program folder which will come rather high. As the host chairman, he aid the committee would like ;s 1) A picture of the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen for the program booklet, together with a message of welcome. 2) Have the charge of Cary Hall, exclusive of janitor's fees, rescinded. There will be a charge of 50¢ for adults and 25¢ for students which will admit them to any of the ten halls and the enclosed field. 3) Chairman give a brief talk at the super- visors, dinner. 4) Supply police for the parade in the stadium and approve the parade of thirty-nine bands. 5) The P.T.A. or the Dad's Club would like per- mission for a booth concession, the proceeds of which will go to the scholarship fund, The Chairman said that as far as he knows the Board would have no objection to the parade providtig arrangements are made with the Chief of Police. Upon motion of Mr. Driscoll, seconded by Mr. Bateman, it was Voted to rescind the vote of the Board charging $35 for the use of Gary Hall inasmuch as tickets for the festival are actually admission to all the buildings used as well as the enclosed field and not limited to Cary Hall. 271 The Chairman said that, in reference to police for the parade, Mr. Gillespie should contact the Chief of Police and suggested that either the P.T.A. or the Dad+s Club apply for the concession. Mr. Gillespie retired at 8:20 P. M. Chairman Wadsworth, Mr. Fisher and Mrs. Morey, of the School Committee, met with the Board. School The Chairman said that he understood from Mr. Committee Wadsworth.that in his discussion with the Approp- re: budgets riation Committee the statement was. made that the Selectmen had been making a request for merit raises. Mr. Wadsworth said that was his understanding. They worded it this way - They were not going along with anything but a merit increase. He asked if they heard from the Selectmen and the answer was they heard, up to date only of three or four merit increases. Mr. Wadsworth said he took that to mean that the Selectmen had submitted three or four. Mrs. Morey felt that in going over the list there were three or four merit in- creases and the rest across the board. The Chairman said that at no time has the Select- men recommended merit increases to the Appropriation Committee. Mrs. Morey said she understood the Selectmen recommended an increase with a little more for some than others. The Chairman said that the Selectmen have not given ground and are not recommending merit increases, and to his knowledge they do not intend to change, but will go along with increases as recommended by the Board in the budgets. Mr. Wadsworth asked if the committee could get an idea as to what that is and the Chairman replied that in the PublicWorks Department it is 10 an hour; in the Police and Fire Departments it is $208 a year or $4.00 a week; department heads $200 to $300; Junior Clerks $2; Senior Clerks $3 and janitors $2. Mr. Wadsworth said his committee had the janitors ranging $1, $2 and $3 using a little bit of a merit system. He said the Appropriation Committee told him they would not go along with anything but a merit raise and asked the School Committee to reduce its budget $15,000 on expenses and $5,000 on personal services. He said they cannot do a great deal about the personal services. Since the budget was made up in December, the situation is getting blacker in r egard to what they will need for teachers next year. He said they were considering a Director of Elementary Education and Audi©-vias oa but now the *obey may have to go into additional teachers. 272 CL He said they can only cut the janitors by giving them $1.00 and this would reduce the budget only about11 $1,000. He explained that the large items are the toilets at Parker and Adams Schools and they are in very bad condition. Then there is the oil burner at Adams School, He said anything postponed will have to be considered next year. The Chairman explained that the Selectmen are not opposed to merit increases but do feel that the overall recommendation is a merit increase. Mr. Nickerson said he becomes increasingly con- cerned about the misuse of the word merit. When the Appropriation Committee says it is going along with merit increases they imply that any other increase is of no merit. He said the Selectmen feel the increases they have recommended this year all have merit, and they are not being recommended just to spend the town's money. He said they feel these people need the money and merit getting it. He explained that the Board thinks the whole thing is merited and will try to clar- ify that to the Town Meeting members at the precinct meetings. Merit, to the Selectmen, is what has to be paid in the market to have the services of the town well managed. The Chairman explained that there are a few in- stances, such as in the Engineering Department, where an individual is doing a different type of work and the Board feels the job is worth more money, Mrs. Morey asked what the labor is paid and t he Chairman replied that unskilled labor is $1.50 per hour for a forty-four hour week. Mrs. Morey said that the custodians always ask that question, and compare themselves with the Public Works employees. They have requested a $10 per week increase plus additional $5 if they have charge of a building. Mr. Wadsworth said the Supt. of Buildings rev calves $5,000 and t he Committee is considering recom- mending an increase of $200. He has been on. the job a year and the increase would not be effective until September. Mr. Wadsworth said this man has given the Superintendent of Schools an opportunity to do some of the things he should be doing and has dense an excellent job. He said the Committee feels he is worth it and does not want to go by the first year without giving him some reesagnitj.cm. Mr. Wadsworth said the Committee is recommending an increase, or $560 for Mr. Smith which will bring him up to $9,000. Mr. Nickerson a ,ked if it has been decided that the teachers will receive $i0O step-raise and $100 ad- ditional. 273 Mr. Wadsworth replied in the affirmative and said the step-rate increase is $100 for those who qualify and the other $100 comes from moving up the rates the first three years from $100 to $150. He said the Com- mittee feels it must do this to compete with other towns. Mrs. Morey said that the Appropriation Committee agreed to go along with the entire increase. They had no quarrel with the budget on teachers. Mr. Wadsworth said that his committee could try to cut the budget and take out $7500 which would be a gamble. This is assuming that the toilets don't cost 15,000 as estimated. The School Committee and Mr. Stevens retired at 9:05 P, M. Mr. JamesJ. Collins and the following members of the Appropriation Committee met with the Board: Chair- man James, Messrs. Biggs, Cave, Clarke, Ferguson, Madden, Fisher and Reed. The Chairman said that there is some difference in the information given relative to Miss Crosby's Approp. salary so he invited Mr. Collins to be present. He Committee & explained that the Appropriation Committee is recom- Mr. Collins mending an increase of $4 and the Selectmen are recam- re: Salary mending $2. He said he understood from Mr. Collins that Miss Crosby's work has not increased insofar as doing different work or being in a different category, and that she has not taken over any more work than what she had already done. W. Collins said that the picture has changed since he talked with the Board. She did all the pay- rolls, but as of January 1st there was a new medical plan to take care of. He has given A.D.C. and Disabi- lity Assistance to Miss Mitchell and taken it away from Miss Crosby. Now she has only Old A.ge_ Assistanee She types the payroll for general relief which is about nine names a week. The Chairman said that the change has been made since the first of January and the Board had no know- ledge of it. The Selectmen felt that where she had not taken over work of the other clerk she was int he csate- gory of a Junior Clerk and warranted the same increase as the Junior Clerks. He asked if one Mork could be increased without increasing the others. Mr. Collins said that one_could not be merited without meriting the other and they are supposed to re- ceive increases on merit only. y The Chairman said that the Board felt, where Miss Crosby had been doing the same work and not taken on any other duties she was in an unfortunate position. Mr. Collins said that she is a Junior Clerk and cannot be made a Senior Clerk. 274 Mr. James said the Appropriation Committee is recommending a $4 increase because, according to Mr. Collins ' figures, the Civil Service range for Junior Clerks is -from $2100 to $2700 per year. Last year she received $2168 which is $68 more than the minimum established fort hat position. She has been working ten or twelve years and the Committee felt she should be -getting more than the minimum. Therefore, they r ecommend $4 a week increase which brings her up to not quite the middle of the range. The Chairman explained that the Selectmen have never adopted the Civil Service step-rate increases. Mr. James said -that his committee hasn't either but is giving her $4 a,week. He said that Dire Collins said his department is different and should pay the same as other Welfare Departments pay. If that is the case, this $2100 is minimum and she receives only $68 more than minimum. Mr. Collins said that the Senior Clerk $2460 minimum is set by the State. That clerk has held her position seventeen years and is only one-half step above the minimum. The Social Worker has been work- ing for the town sixteen years also and is only one- half step above the minimum. Mr. Nickerson said that in spite of minimum and maximum as recommended by the Civil Service, the Select- men have always voted the salaries according to the Junior and Senior Clerks in the other departments and have been able to do that because the salaries_ have' been above the minimum. He stated that the Board-has always held the line on Junior and Senior Clerks and can't see why a change should be made this year because even though Miss Crosby is in an unfortunate position, she still has to be a Junior Clerk and it would not be fair for her to receive .more than the other Junior Clerks. Mr. Ferguson asked what her unfortunate position was. Mr. Collins replied that she is a Junior Clerk who can't be raised because he is allowed to have only one Senior Clerk. He stated that he has been to the State Civil Service, but they will not make her a Senior Clerk. Mr. Ferguson said that she merits Senior Clerk rating. Mr. Collins said that both positions are on par but the other clerk was there six years before Miss Crosby was and took the examination for Senior Clerk a long time ago. - Mr. Ferguson said the only reason the Selectmen are holding down is the girl merits an increase, but they do not recognize merit. The Chairman explained that the Selectmen do not 2 want to break the established pattern. He said that they had discussed making her a Senior Clerk but found it could not be done under Civil Service besemse of the size of the office. Therefore, they felt the situation was unfortunate, but nevertheless, do not intend to break the pattern for clerks. Mr. Ferguson said that the Chairman did not answer his question and said that the Board does not recognize merit. The Chairman replied that the Board is recognizing merit on all the wages this year. Mr. Ferguson said that if everyone receives a raise it is not merit. The Chairman said he disagreed. Mr. James said that Mr. Collins is teltri'g about one type of Senior and Junior Clerk - Civil Service, and the Board is telt-leg about another category. The Chairman said that she would have to be classi- fied as a Senior Clerk if her rate is increased. Mr. Ferguson said that there could be two Senior Clerks if the Board wanted to recognize merit. The Chairman explained that, according to Civil Service, there can't be two Senior Clerks in the office. Mr. Ferguson said they could be classified it the town as two Senior Clerks, but not for Civil Service. Mr. Gay asked what Civil Service would say if she were made a Senior Clerk and Mr. Collins replied that Civil Service has always disapproved. He said he would have to report her as a Senior Clerk. Mr. Clarke said that if she is a Senior Clerk in the town, she could still be a Junior Clerk in Civil Service. Mr. Collins said that if her salary is within the double step-rate it would be all right. He said that she is doing less work than she was last month, and pro- ceeded to read the duties of the Senior and Junior Clerks. Mr. Ferguson said that he would rather go by what Mr. Collins said before, that she merits a Senior Clerk rating. Mr. Nickerson asked if the town votes the now Junior Clerk a Senior Clerkts salary could it be put down on the records so that Mr. Collins would not get into any trouble. Mr. Collins replied that there would be no trouble if it does not amount to a double step-rate. The Chairman asked if one clerk in the Department could be increased without considering the others. Mr. Madden said that, according to Miss Richardson at the State House, one can be given a double step-rate and the next none as long as they had all been considered. Mr. Collins said that is not the way it was ex- plained to him. 276 Cr Mr. Bateman said that he would like to have a letter from the State as to just what can happen. Mr. Collins asked what was to be done about the Senior Clerk and the Chairman replied that the Board intends to recommend an increase of $3 a week. Mr. Collins said that he did not think Miss Crosby should receive a double step-rate and the other Clerk nothing. Mr. Collins retired at 9 :45 P. M. Mr. James informed the Selectmen that the Approp- riation Committee would send out a letter tomorrow ad- vising of a joint meeting on budgets to be held next Tuesday, Conference Room, Cary Building. This is to be the only joint meeting on budgets. The Appropriation Committee retired at 9:SO P. M. Upon motion..of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Bateman, Uses of it was voted to grant the following uses of halls : halls Veterans' Memorial Comm, Selectmen's Rm. Feb.18 Meeting n a a M " Feb.25 a Simon W. Robinson Lodge Cary May 15 Banquet (Subject to charge of $35 plus janitor's fee) Morning Study Group Estabrook Mar. 9 Meeting American Legion Estabrook 3rd Mon. each month Orders of Upon motion of Sr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Nickerson, Layouts it was voted to sign Orders of Layouts for the follow- ing streets : Barberry Road Lantern Lane Battle Green Road Minute Man Lane Castle Road Peachtree Road Field Road Peartree Drive Holton Road Williams Road Hutchinson Road Wyman Road The original and one_copy is to be given to Cdr. Burns and a oppy is on file in the 1954 Selectmen's Files under Highways. Proclamation The Chairman read a letter from Ervin E. Gross, Jr., Chairs= of the Lexington Chapter, American Red Cross, suggesting a proclamation to be printed in the Lexington Minute-Man the week of February 22nd, an- nouncing the opening of the Chapter's annual drive far funds. • Upon motion of Mr. Bateman, seconded by Mr. Gay, it was voted to publish the suggested proclamation inas- much as this is a national drive. 277 The meeting adjourned at 10:00 P. M. ' A true record, Attest : le �`, Se otmenc 1