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SELECTMEN'S MEETING '
February 8, 1954
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was
held in the Selectmen** Room, Town Office Building, on
Mohda even February8, 954 at 7 :00 P. M. Chair-
man Reed, Messrs. Nickerson Gay, Driscoll and Bateman
were preent. Mr. Burns, Su
p't . of Public Works, and
the Clerk were also present.
Bedford The Chairman read a letter fpm the Bedford Board
sewer of Selectmen advising that the Sewerage Committee has
payment ' approved payment of $5S,000 to the Town of Lexington for
sewer construction.
Mimeographed notice was receive from the Massa-
Billboards chusetts Selectmen's Association requesting notifica-
tion of any specific instances where the Outdoor Adver-
tising Authority has licensed billboards over the ob-
jection of the Selectmen.
Nd such instances having becutred in Lexington,
no action was taken. '
The Chairman read a letter from Mr. E. A. II
Lindstrom, Building Inspector, to which was attached
1 New schedule of proposed increase in building permit fees.
Building Mr. Burns informed the Board that Mr. Lindstrom
Permit has been discussing this subject for some time and has
feel also investigated fees charged by other communities.
Mr. Nickerson asked if the effort is to pay for
the cost of the department and Mr. Burns replied in the
affirmative. He said that at present the fees are not
anywhere near paying the cost.
Upon motion of Mr. Nickerson, seconded by Mr.
Driscoll, it was voted to aprrove the following revised
building permit fees, effective April 1, 1954=
Charge
New Construction - Valuation - leas than $5,000.00-45.0E
" n " over $5 000.00 1.00 per M
Additions & Alterations " up to X500.00 2.00
n n " IT up to $1,000.00 3.00
" r n n up to 5,000.00 5.00
" M n u over $5,000.00 1.00 per M
Private Garages (1 - 2 car) 2.00
( car) 3.00
Moving of Buildingp 2.00
Demolition 2.00 IIFire Damage - same as alterations
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Minimum fee for permits $ 2.40
Maximum fee for permits $1,000.00
The Chairman read a letter from W. Russell Red Cross
Battersby, Chairman of the 1954 Red Cross Fund Appeal, thermometer
requesting permission to erect a small Red Cross ther-
mometer in Emery Park from March 1 until March 31.
Upon motion of Mr. Nickerson, seconded by Mr.
Driscoll, it was voted to grant the request.
Mr. Batem= mentioned the dangerous condition Parking
existing at the municipal parking area due to operators area
of motor vehicles going the wrong way and explained
that the signs painted on the pavement cannot be seen
when covered with snow.
The Board authorized him to confer with Mr.
Burns in ma effort to determine some possible ablution
to the problem.
The Chairman referred to the Insurance Surrey Insurance
for the Town of Lexington prepared by Mr. Robert Cave, Survey by
a member of the Appropriation Committee. The survey Appr. Comm.
contained eighteen recommendations in regard to the
subject of insurance.
Mr. Nickerson reported that he had studied the
survey and also asked Mr. Converse Hill to comment on
the items enumerated in the summary of recommendations.
The members of the Board agreed to read the re-
port, and no action was taken at this time,
Mr. Burns retired at 7:30 P. M.
Mr. Gennaro Sanseverino's offer of $130 for lots Tax Title
35, 36 and 37 Hillside Avenue was held over. (Board Property
to view.)
Application was received from Mrs. William Harris,
12 Bates Road, Lexington, on behalf of the Minute Man Use of hall
Council of Girl Scouts, requesting permission to con-
duct a meeting in the conference room, Cary Hall,on
Thursday, February 18 from 2:45 P. M. until 4 :45 P. M.
Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Bateman,
it was voted to grant the use of the conference room,
free of charge.
Application was received from Swift Company,25
Faneuil Hall Square, Boston requesting permission to Use of hall
conduct a sales introductory meeting in Cary Hall on denied.
February 26 from 2:00 P. M. until 5 :00 P. M.
Upon motion of Mr. Nickerson, seconded by Mr.
Gay, it was voted to deny the request inasmuch as the
buiding was a bequest and such a meeting would not
follow the terms of the will.
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Mr. Harold B. Stevens, Town Counsel, met with
the Board at 7 :40 P. M.
The Chairman read a letter from the Board of
Charge for Aipeals advising that the average cost per hearing is
Board of $9.72 and the present charge is $5.00 per hearing.
Appeals Upon motion of Mr. Bateman, seconded by Mr. Gay,
hearings it was voted to increase the charge for Board of
Appeals and'' the Appropriation Committee; the latter
having originally suggested the increase.
At 7 :45 P. M. Chairman George P. Wadsworth and
Supet. John Blackhall Smith, representing the School
Committee, met with the Board, in regard to inserting
an article in the warrant to -provide for an addition
to the Franklin School.
Mr. Wadsworth explained that the committee has
been going over the future school needs and at the time
the Elementary School Site Committee were talking abaat
the School Street and Maple Street schools it seemed
that the developments were going in fast enough on
Maple Street to instigate a school there. However,
they are not sure now the way the population is going
but that it might be better to-put the addition on the
Franklin School first and come in later with the Maple
Serest School. He explained that both will have to
be done eventually and they thought they could get
plans under $5,000 for the addition, and then next
Fall when they have a better picture of what will be
needed, this job may be done for less money.
He said that the Elementary School Facilities
Committee decided that it should not have plans drawn
for all•three.
The Chairman said that the land formerly belong-
ing to Wheeler has' changed hands and is now owned by
DeVriea, and they intend to proceed with the construc-
tion of 250 houses there.
Mr. Smith stated that when the Elementary School
Facilities Committee was working he felt that an
article should be included for the Franklin addition
because there are a great many students who belong at
Franklin now going to Hancock and Munroe Schools . The
Committee, however, felt that there was too much going
on at once. When the School Committee met with the
Long Range Planning Committee, there was skepticism
as where school enrollment was going, and the questime
of the addition-to the Franklin School was raised. He
informed the Board that there are 45 children near the
Concord Turnpike now going to the Center School who
could logically go to the Franklin School. There aro
82 children at the Hancock School who come from the
Franklin School; 61 at• the Munroe School mho could go
to Franklin and it totals about 190 children who
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should be going to the Franklin School. He said be-
cause of the recent building restrictions they felt
that maybe the development was not going to come in
the Maple Street area and possibly they should go
after the Franklin addition.
Mr. Bateman asked if Johnson Road was laid out
and the Chairman replied that the developer is going
ahead with it.
Mr. Stevens said that it is being redesigned.
Mr. Smith said the problem is that they are go-
ing to pit in the Fiske addition. He said that the
Committee does not want to make them move this year
and then move them again next year. If the children
on the Concord Turnpike are moved next September, it
will be another move for them in a couple of years if
the Franklin School is added to. He stated.that there
are forty children in the Bow Street area and the ques-
tion is whether to put them in the Fiske School or
stand pat thinking they will go to the Maple Street
School.
The Chairman said that the question is whether
or not an article for the Franklin School addition is
to be inserted in the. warrant.
Mr. Driscoll said that he would like to be re-
corded as being in favor of including an article to
enlarge the Franklin School.
The Hoard was unanimously in favor of including
the proposed article.
Messrs.. Wadsworth and Smith retired at 8;40 P. M.
Mr.. Stevens explained the proposed article which Aartible
the Committee on Colonial Architecture wants inserted
in the warrant and stated that it. was very late in
being submitted.
Upon motion of Mr. Nickerson., seconded by Mr.
Bateman, it was voted to take no action inasmuch as the
warrant is closed and ready for the printer.
Upon motion of: Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Bateman,
it was voted to sign the warrant for the Annual Elec-
tion on March 1, 1954 and the Adjourned Town Meeting
on March 15, 1954.
Upon motion of Mr. Nickerson, seconded by Mr. Gay,
it was voted to approve the sum of $50 to cover the Committee
cost of the report of the Committee studying Salaries Funds
and Wages.
Upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Bateman,
it was voted to sign Orders of Layouts for the follow-
ing streets:
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4
Street Bertwell Road Appietree Lane
Orders Buckman DriVe Ballard Terrace
Signed Dawes Roach, Bates Road
Oak Terrace Benjamin Road
Williams Road Stearns Road
Wildwped Road
The original and one copy is to be given to Mr.
Burns and a copy is on file in the 1954 Selectmen's
Files under Highways.
Upon motion of Mr. Bateman, seconded by Mr. Gay,
it was voted to sign the Selectmen's Annual Report
for 1953.
Mr. Stevens retired at 8:15 P. M.
The Chairman reported that Dan Fenn had contacted
him relative to having a representative of the United
Nations group act in the capacity of greeting vSzVting
Welcome to dignitaries rind :foreign -uisitors to Lexington.
Visitors Mr. Nickerson said that he thought if due respect
was tq be given to any visitor, a town official should
greet them and that any time the Board has been advised
of any such visit some member of the Board has been on
hand. ,
Mr. Bateman suggested that either Dr. Wells or Gail
Smith be invited to join the Board of Selectmen when-
ever visitors are welcomed to Lexington.-
The Clerk left the meeting at 8:30 P. M. and some
time later in the evening the Appropriation Committee
met with the Board.
A true record., Attest :
Clre , S ectme,•
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