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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1943-03-08 185 SELECTMEN'S MEETING March 8, 1943 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Luilding, on Monday evening, March 8, 1943, Messrs Potter, Rowse, Locke , Sarano and Sheldon were present. The Clerk was also present. The Town Clerk appeared before the Board at 7 30 P.M. and administered the oath of office to Mr. George C. Sheldon who was elected as Selectmen on Monday, March 1, 1943. There being no Chairman, Mr. Potter as senior member of the Board of Selectmen acted as Chain,- n pro-tem. Mr. Rowse moved that Mr. Potter be elected CI-.alrrnan for the ensuing year. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion. Mr. Potter said that he appreciated the gesture in extending the honor Chairman but he did not feel in a position to accept it . elected Upon motion of Mr. Potter, seconded by Mr. Sarano, it was then voted to elect Mr. a . Edward Rowse as Chairman of the Board for the ensuing rear. The meetinT was then turned over to Mr. Rowse . At 7 ?5 Mr. Charles E. Ferguson and kr. Edwin B . Worthen, two members of the Committee on the Apartment House Regulations, appeared hefnre the -oard. Mr. Rowse said that he had celled Mr. Wrimhtington and told him that the Board had voted to recommend to the Town Meeting that action on the acceptance of the Apartment House Act be postponed He exnl.ained the purpose for this saying that the Board was afraid that _f it were possible to con- Apartment vert large houses into two-family h, uses, it might invite House a group of undesirable investors to Lexington. Code Mr. Ferguson explained that the present Tenement House Act does not apply to t,io-family houses . He also stated that the new Apartment House Regulat ons do not apply to two-family houses He said that anything over two families is an apartment house. He said that houses cannot be converted any more now under this Apartment House Code than under the present Zoning La,-s . Mr. Rowse suggested that Mr. Ferguson and Yr. Worthen attend the Precinct Meeting to be held on Wednesday, March 10, to answer any questions relative to the ,,partment House Code and they agreed to do so. Mr. Ferguson explained to the board that the Old Age Law at the present time permits an old age recipient an equity of $3,000.00. The House Bill #1711 which was entered Old by the Massachusetts Selectmen' s Association eliminates Age the $3,000.00 so that an old age recipient cannot have any equity in real estate . If a recipient owned any real estate 186. dkj Pp he ould have to give a bond to the Town and any equity he had in it . Mr. Ferguson and Mr. Worthen retired at 7 :55 P.M. Upon motion of Mr. Locke, seconded by Mr. Sarano, it Apartment was voted to leave the present Tenement House Act in force House Vote until some Town Meeting following the apprcval of the new Apartment House Code by the Attorney General . At 8 :00 P.M. Mr. Eugene McCarth and Mr. Charles Bart- lett of the V.F.W. appeared before the Board. Mr. McCarthy stated that they requested this appointment in ^eaards to Article 34 relative to the old Adams School Lot, He said that the V.F .V . intended to lease or buy the property if possible. He said that they would like to insert the word "lease" at the Town Meeting instead of the word "convey. " The Chairman explained that it was the Board' s under- Old standing that some member of the V.F. V. would handle this Adams Sch Article at the Town Meeting and a motion could be made in Site any way they so desire . Mr. McCarthy stated that at the present time he did not know who would present the Article. The Chairman explained that the Town Tight use this site for the Fire Station at some future time , and as the Town now owns the land there is no expense. He questioned if the Town had the right to lease the land. 1'he Chairman told the two men to have their speaker prepare to make an offer for a lease of the land and to arrive at some definite proposi- tion for presentation to the lown Meeting. g Mr. McCarthy and kr. Bartlett retired at 8 20 P.M . Mr. Sarano moved for indefinite postponement of Article 34 relative to the so-called old Adams School Lot . Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Paxton appeared before the Board at B 15 P.M. He said that the Lexington Minute Men had requested the use of a small room off the corridor on the first floor of Cary Memorial Building for a meeting to be held on March Uses of 17 from 8 00 to 10:00 P.M. Halls Mr. Potter moved that the use of the room be granted. Yr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Paxton said that the Garden Group had requested the use of Estabrook Hall for Friday, March 12, 1943, from 8:00 to 10 00 P.M . Mr Potter moved that the request be granted. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. kr. Paxton informed the Board that the total paid for snow removal through last Thursday, March 4, was $7267 .00, I 187 and the unpaid bills amounted to • 332.75. Mr. Paxton estimated that the cost rrcm this last storm •.ill be approximately 4865.00 additional. Ho said that with an appropriation of 012,500.00 it leaves only X700.00 or x;800.00 for po sible emergencies which may occur after March 15, and for the latter part of November and Dec- Snow ember. He thought it advisable to have an additional Removal ~1,000.00 in the snow removal appropriation for erer- Mr. Potter moved that the amount of 1;1 , 000. 00 he added to the amount arpropriated for snow removal making the total 13, 500.00. Yr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. The Chairman instructed the Clerk to write to Lr. White inviting the Appropriation Committee to meet with the Board of Selectmen at 7 :30 P.M. on Monday, March 15, 1943. The Chairman read a letter from Commissioner Eugene C . Hultman relative to House Bill ii1334, entitled, "Report of the Special Commission Established for the Purpose of Further Investigation Relative to the Use b-r Additional Commission Municipalities of the Quabbin Reservoir for Water Supply Hearing Purposes, and Relative to the Relation of the City of Boston tb, and Its Share of the Expenses of, the Metropoli- tan District Commission. ' The Chairman requested Mr. Paxton to attend the hearing on this bill. He agreed todo so. Mr. Paxton retired at 8 :40 P.1 . Mr. Morse appeared before the Board at r :40 and re- Mr. Morse tired at 8 :55 P .M . Letter was received from Mr. A. R. Giroux, suggesting that the Board appoint Mr. Thomas S. Grindle as Treasurer U .S .S . of the U .S .S . LEXINGTON Fund Com ittee . LEXINITON Mr. Potter moved that Mr. Grindle be appointed Treasurer of the U.S .S . LEXINGTON Fund Committee . Yr. Sarano seconded the motion,) and it was SO, voted. The Clerk was instructed to write Yr. Grindle of zhe appointment and also to notify the Lexington Trust Company. Letter was received from Stephen C . 'arrity, State Fire Marshall, notifying the Board of the public hearing to be held on Wednesday, March 10, 1943, on the application of Edward W. Higgins for reinstatement of the license granted Gasoline bR the Town of Lexington for the storage of gasoline in an Tank underground tank with a capacity of 500 gallons at 24 Maple License Street, Lexington. No action was taken on the matter. 188 Letter was received from the Lexington Committee on Comm. on Public Safety requesting the transfer of certain unexpended Pub.Safety -)alances from previous appropriations . It was the under- Funds standing of the Board that the Committee should ask the transfer of all balances back into the "fund" and then make requests for the amounts required, specifically stat- ing what they are for and how much of the year they are to cover The Chairman said that he would write Mr. George W. Emery, Finance Officer, on the matter. Chairman of Letter was received from the Board of Assessors ad- Assessors vising the Selectmen that Mr. Clyde E. Steeves had been re-elected Chairman of the Board for the ensuing year. Letter was received from the Commonwealth of Massa- Insp. of chusetts Department of Public Health advising that it was Slaughter- required by law that one or more Inspectors of Slaughter- ing ing should be nominated during the month of March, and the names of such nominations submitted to the Department of Public Health for approval. Mr. Sarano moved that George C. Whiting's name be submitted as Slaughtering Inspector. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. IHamilton Letter was received from Munroe H. Hamilton requesting request an abatement of taxes on Lot 35 Robbins Road. Upon motion of Mr. Potter, seconded by Mr. Sarano, it was voted to refer the request to the Board of Assessors . The deeds to Lots 18 and 19 Harding Road and Lots 22 and Merriam 23 Eaton Road, conveying these parcels of land to Mr. Robert deeds H. Merriam, having been prepared bTr Mr. Wrightington were presented to the Board for signatures. Mr . Potter moved that the deeds be signed. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it was so voted. The Chairman said that Article 15 in the Warrant re- lates to the registration and operation of bicycles. He said that he had a copy of the Act #710 typed for each mem- ber of the Doard. Mr. Potter stated that th-s Article was Bicycle put in the Warrant at the suggestion of the P.T .A. , and the IAct Police Department feel that they cannot do much in regard to the operation of bicycles until this Act has been accepted by the Town Mr. Potter moved that the Board be recorded as in favor of the Act . Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it was so voted. 189 The Board then discussed at length the question of taking the money for the bonus from the E and D or the tax levy. Mr. Potter said that this bonus was as a part of the salaries and should come out of the tax tate . Bonus Funds Mr. Sheldon explained that the Appropriation Committee had previously decided that it be taken from the E and D, but they changed to the tax levy because they wanted to present a united front . Upon motion of Mr. Potter, seconded by Mr. Locke, it was voted that the entire amount of the bonus should come out rof the tax rate. The Bonus Article will be presented to cover all Town employees with the exception of the schools . The School Department will present a separate vote for the schools . It was decided to move an indefinite postponement on Article 35 which has to do with the purchase of bonds, Article 35 in order to establish post-war rehabilitation funds . Mr. Potter moved that the Sunday theatre license for License William Viano on March 14 be approved and signed. Mr. approved Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Commitment of water rates, water iiscellaneous charges, and water rates aaatements were signed. The meeting adjourned at 10:10 P.M. A true record, Attest : Clerk