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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1955-01-03-BOS-min 537 SELECTMEN'S MEETING January 3, 1955 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Btailding, on Monday evening, January 3, 1955 at 7:00 P.M. Chairman Reed, Messrs. Gay, Bateman, James and Maloney were present. The Clerk was also present. Mr. James J. Carroll, Town Clerk, met with the Board for the drawing of one juror. Mr. Thomas C. Juror Morris research chemist, 3 Robbins Road, was drawn. Mr. Carroll retired, and Mr. Burns, Supt. of Public Works, met with the Board. Petition was received from the Boston Edison Com- pany and the New England Telephone and Telegraph Com- pany for permission to remove and relocate one pole Pole on Adams Street. location Mr. Burns approved the location and upon motion of Mr. Gay, seconded by Mr. Bateman, it was voted to approve the following j/o pole location: Adams Street northwesterly side, ap- proximately 400 feet northeast of East Street, -- One pole. (One existing j/o pole to be removed.) The Chairman read a letter from the Mystic Valley Gas Company re proposed location of a four-inch steel gas main in Waltham Street to replace the present two- inch line now in use to supply the High School. Gas main Mr. Burne explained that this is actually a re- location quest for a street opening permit. Mr. Bateman expressed displeasure in re Condition of streets following location of mains by the gas com- pany and said he would like to have something done about the situation. Mr. Burns explained that the streets cannot he replaced with permanent hot top this time of the year due to the cold. Permission was granted as requested. The Chairman read a letter from the County Com- missioners inquiring when entry had been made on the Date of public way laid out in the towns of Lexington and entry Winchester beginning in Winchester at a point on Ridge Street near Johnson Road. 538 a Mr. Burns reported the date as October 4, 1954. The Chairman read a letter dated January 2, 1955 Adams St. received from Donald M. Fifield with further reference sidewalk to the construction of a sidewalk on Adams Street. It was the opinion of the Board that no reply is necessary. Mr. Stevens, Town Counsel, arrived at- the meeting at 7:30 P. M. Mr. John Brucchi, 63 Paul Revere Road, met with the Board. He said he understood the sewer was going up Paul Revere Road. The Chairman said that it cer- tainly will not be this year or even next year. Mr. Brucchi said he has been talking about the entire development ih his area and that the State and Brucchi re Board of Health have proved that there is sewage going sewer through his property. He said he would not have to pay for the sewer when it goes through. He stated that he was talking with his lawyer, Dan Lynch, who advised him that he could have the pipe plugged up in ten days, and if he does that some of the homes will be flooded. He said it would cost him $2500 and perhaps he could earn it. He said he understood the Dog Officer receives $800 and the State pays for keeping and disposing of dogs. If he were appointed Dog Officer he would let the salary accumulate and pay for the sewer. The Chairman explained that the salary for the Dog Officer is $235 and further stated that it has nothing to do with the subject under discussion. He said he did not think any such arrangement would be made. The Chairman explained that a trunk line is in- volved which will not be for another year or year and a half And then the laterals will have to be put in. He stated that Mr. Brucchi would have to pay only for the length directly in front of his house and the balance could be deferred until such time as the property is sold, built upon or the sewer used. The Chairman said that the Board is aware of the conditions, but the solution is not to plug up the pipe because then thirty or forty families would be involved. He said that there is a solutien, not the best, but one that will help until such time as the sewer is available. He presented a plan, submitted by Mr. Burns, as to what the best solution is for the present and Mr. Brucchi asked when the work would be done. The Chairman replied that it will be started as soon as the town obtains easements from those individuals owning land through which the pipe is to be laid. L 539 Mr. Brucchi said that this solution would not prevent the sewer from being installed and a betterment assessed against hili. The Chairman explained that eventually the sewer will be installed whether Mr. Brucchi wants it or not. It may not be for five or ten years. Mr. Brucchi stated that he thought the .solution proposed by the Board would take care of the situation. Mr. Brucchi retired at 7:55 P.M. The Chairman read a letter from Commissioner Hawes, State Department of Agriculture, stating that he had been informed that the specifications re collection of garbage in Lexington do not include any clause re- Letter re; quiring the garbage to be cooked. He asked if the Cooking Board would re-write the specifications in an effort Garbage to helptthe Department enforce the cooking of garbage. Mr. Stevens said that inasmuch as the specifica- tions are already out, returnable next Monday, the Board would have to put out an adendum and give the bidders more time if any change is to be made. He ex- plained that there is nothing to prevent a collector from collecting the garbage and then selling it to sdmeone who cooks. The Town Counsel and the Board were of the opinion that it is not up to the Town to try to enforce the law re cooking garbage and Mr. Stevens agreed to draft a reply to Mr+. Hawes letter. Messrs. Stevens and Burns retired at 8:10 P.M. Chairman Roeder and Mr. Fitzgerald, of the Board of Fire Commissioners, met with the Board to discuss budgets. Fire Dept . The Chairman explained that the Board had a Budgets question relative to the items Fire Fighting Equip- ment and Maintaining Apparatus and Equipment. Mr. James said that the explanation sheet indi- cates that on Fire Fighting Equipment, the request is for $200 more than the usual amount and he would like to know what the $600 is for. Mr. Roeder explained that the $600 is regular maintenance for fire fighting equipment. This year they replaced two adapters on the foam pipe and it includes such items as buying for chimney fires, re-charging the 00-21 extinguisher, foam, refills for the dry powder ex- tinguishers, repairs to extinguishers, hydraulic wrenches, new blades for wire cutter, hand light batteries, repairs to the different pieces of apparatus on the different trucks. 540 LIC He explained that the Maintenance of Apparatus and Equipment is maintenance of motors and all parts the trucks. He mentioned pumps, batteries, lights, radiator cleaner, chains, spreaders and fuses. The Chairman asked why the Commissioners con- tinue with the present fire alarm system when there is another type system being used. Mr. Maloney asked how many calls come in from the boxes over a period of a year and Mr. Roeder re- plied that 85% dome in on the telephone but starting in May they will drop. The telephone operators now listen in on the calls but with the new dial system the people will have to learn to use the boxes. The Commissioners retired at 8:45 P.M. Chairman Crerie, Mrs. Morey and Dr. Foley, of the Recreation Committee, met with the Board. The Chairman explained that they had been invited in to discuss budgets. Recreation Mr. Crerie explained that the Committee has to Budgets take over the maintenance of the pool from the Park Department so this particular item is increased about $700. That is the amount paid by the Park Department last year but the people no longer want to do it. The item is merely in the Recreation 'bu dget this year where it was in the Park budget last year. Mr. Crerie referred to the item of $10,000 for acquiring and developing new play areas. He said that the Committee has nothing definite in tiz d, but Mr. Burns is going to prepare a map for the Planning Board and the Recreation Committee so that they can pinpoint various places in town where they would like to bring this program into effect. The Chairman explained that the Committee would have to have definite areas, options and prices for Town Meeting. The group retired at 9:35 P.M. and Mr. Stevens returned to the meeting. Upon motion of Mr. James, seconded by Mr, Bateman, Licenses it was voted 6o grant the following licenses: Countryside, Inc. 1400 Lowell Street Common Viet. Minute Man Restaurant 1715 Mass.. Ave. K a Letter was received frown the Town Manager Com. suLttee, together with draft of an article to be in- serted in the warrant for the Annual March Meeting. Messrs. Stevens and Burns retired at lO:OQ P.M. 541 ' The Chairman brought up the subject of Building and Plumbing Inspector and reported that it is his un- derstanding Mr. Lindstrom will not be back for some Building & time as it will be three or four weeks before he can Plumbing even be allowed up. The present substitute cannot get Inspector along on $60 a week and is now holding up on his own work. He will continue for a couple more weeks but then he will have to worry about his own work. He does not feel that the work of the Building Inspector is part time. The Board discussed a leave of absence for Mr. Lindstrom and appointment of a substitute for that period so he would know just where he stands. Mr. Burns mentioned that Mr. Lindstrom might come back as Plumbing Inspector, inasmuch as that position is under Civil Service, and then the Board could appoint a Building Inspector. He said if Mr. Lindstrom does come back, the Board vert definitely will have to have a man for each job and will have to pay both an average of $100 per week. The meeting adjourned at 10:20 P.M. k true record, Attest: er , Se etmek i