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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1946-02-18 430 00 SETRCTMEN'S MEETING G7 February 18, 1946 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was II held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, on Monday evening, February 18, 1946, at 7 :30 P. M. Chairman Locke, Messrs. Potter, Rowse, Sarano and Sheldon were present. The Clerk was also present. At 7 :30 P. M. Mr. James J. Carroll, Town Treasurer, Bids on appeared before the Board. $80,000 Mr. Carroll stated that he had received the follow- Loan for ing bids on an $80,000 loan for the erection of the Central Central Fire Station, to be paid $10,000 annually over a period of Fire eight years; 1947 to 1954 inclusive : Station Lexington Trust Company 100. 3/4% Estabrook & Company 100. 45 3/4% Second National Bank of Boston 100. 137 3/4% First National Bank of Boston 100. 74 3/4% Tyler & Company 100. 07 3/4% Robert Hawkins 100 . 3/4% W. E. Hutton 100. 33 3/4% Mr. Sheldon moved that the bid of Estabrook & Company be accepted. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. Carroll informed the Board that he had received I another set of notices to circulate to the Town Employees Blue pertaining to the Blue Cross. Cross The Chairman agreed to contact the Town Accountant on the matter. Mr. Carroll retired at 7 :45 P. M. , and Mr. DeFoe, Suptt. of Public Works, appeared before the Board. Mr. DeFoe stated that he wished authorization to purchase a supply of copper tubing. He stated that Purchase Redhed has not enough copper tubing to warrant submitting Supply a bid. He received bids from the O'Connell Supply Corp- Copper oration and from Braman Dow & Company. The O'Connell bid Tubing .159 for 3.4" and .195 for one inch will be subject to Authorized prices in effect at the time the material is delivered. The Braman Dow bid of .169 for 3/4" and .1207 for one inch is a firm bid; not subject to change. Mr. Rowse moved that Mr. DeFoe be authorized to purchase a supply of copper tubing from the Braman Dow Company at the prices quoted in their bid. Mr. Sheldon seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Ins. Air- Mr. DeFoe informed the Board that the Aircraft & craft & Motor Vehicle Damage Insurance Policy was about to Motor expire. The premium on this policy is 8365.10. II Vehicle Mr. Rowse moved that the policy be allowed to Allowed expire. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it was so to Expire voted. Mr. Sheldon stated that he wished to be recorded in opposition. 431 Mr. DeFoe reported that he, a representative of the Authorize Boston Edison Compan<r, and Mr. Garrity, had met with Eugene Street Viano relative to the petition received from the Boston Light Edison Company requesting permission for the installation Mass . Ave. of a guy pole on Massachusetts Avenue opposite Grant Street, Opp. Grant Lexington. Street Mr. DeFoe reported that Mr. Viano had no objection to the installation of the pole. Mr. Rowse moved that the order be signed. Mr. Sheldon seconded the motion and it was so voted. Mr. DeFoe said that he had been talking with Mr. Mears relative to the acceptance of Watson Road, and Mr. Mears stated that he thought it very unfair that the residents on Assessments this road should be assessed for the cost of the road in Watson front of the two pieces of property on the two corners that Road have already been assessed on the adjacent street. It was decided to take the subject of assessments up with the Town Counsel. Mr. DeFoe said that the Town has not done much water Water construction for about three years, however, costs have Main advanced so it ,seems to him that instead of the Town con- Construction tributing one-half of the cost of water mains, the Town will be contributing seventy-five per sent of the cost. He said that the average cost now is the average for the last five years that work has been done, and that comes out to $1.18 per foot to each abutter, all sizes of pipe lumped together. Mr. DeFoe suggested charging the abutters the actual cost. Mns Rowse asked how other Towns handled this, and Mr. held DeFoe agreed to check and bring this information into the Over Board. The subject of charging for connecting dead ends was discussed, and it was decided to have Mr. DeFoe contact surrounding Towns and find out what the Various methods are. Mr. DeFoe informed the Board that the Town of Stoneham would like to borrow the street sweeper for a few hours. Lend They will call for and return the sweeper. Sweeper Mr. Sheldon moved that the Supt. of Public Works be Stoneham authorized to rent the sweeper free of charge; however, the driver' s time is to be charged to the Town of Stoneham. At 8:35 P.M. Mr. DeFoe retired, and Mrs. Sexton appeared before the Board. Mrs. Sexton said that she came up to find out about her Sexton property at 1519 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, and she Property wanted to know whether or not there were any plans that involved this particular property. The Chairman informed r her that at the present time there were none. He said that II 1 it had been the feeling for some time that the Town should own this property, and the Board understood from her letter that it might be placed on the market. He asked Mrs. Sexton is she wanted to make an offer to the Town. 432 00 CP Mrs. Sexton said that it is her home and she would like to know whether or not the Town had any intention of taking or purchasing her property. Mr. Potter informed her that the Board of Selectmen had no thought of taking the property for anything in particular, and that there never has been any discussion relative to taking it. He said that if she were willing to sell it, it is the logical thing for the Town to own it. He further stated that the subject would never have been raised if it had not been for her recent letter. Mr. Rowse informed Mrs . Sexton that if she made a reasonable offer, the Board could recommend it to the Town, and it would be up to the Town Meeting to decide whether or not it would purchase the property. Mrs . Sexton said that she was not anxious to sell, she just wanted to get the matter straightened in her mind. Mrs . Sexton discussed at length the proposed parking area, and retired at 9 :10 P. M. The following members of the Appropriation Committee appeared before the Board : Chairman Hoyt, J. Milton Brown, Ronald Brown, Grush, Hopkins, Hynes, Lane, Newhall, Winlock and Mr. White, Town Accountant . Approp Mr. White informed the Board that the tax rate had been Comm. be- figured at x;38.20. He stated that in 1945 the total appro- fore Comm. priations under/Article 4 amounted to $845,955.01.• In 1946 re Tax the appropriations under the same Article amount to $933,045 .75; Rate making a difference of $87,090.74. In 1945 the appropriations under other Articles amounted to $185,459.25. In 1946 the appropriations under the same Articles amount to X471,478.55 or a difference of $286,029.30. The total appropriations in 1945 amounted to $1,031,414.26. The total appropriations in 1946 amount to $1,404,524.30, or a difference of $373,110.04. Mr. White further stated that the amounts transferred in 1945, including Available Surplus Accounts, plus the Excess and Oeficiency, were $285,841.89. The transfers proposed for 1946 wre $504,975.50, making an increase in transfers of $219,151.01. Air. White presented figures and explained in detail how he arrived at the tax rate previously quoted. Mr. Rowse suggested the group go over the budgets in an endeavor to reduce the tax rate submitted at this meeting. The following action was, therefore, taken on budgets and articles : Town Offices & Cary Memorial Building - Expenses The item of $300 for curtains in the Selectmen' s Room ' was eliminated. 433 Police Department - Personal Services The amount of $3,117 requested for two additional men { (as of April 1) was reduced to $2,117. Shade Trees - Wages & Expenses The entire budget was reduced from $2,900 to $1,900. Sewer Maintenance - Wages & Expenses The item of $500 for a pumping station was eliminated, reducing the budget from 0,330 to $4,830. Care of Dumps & Removal of Ashes - Capital Outlay The entire amount requested in this budget was eliminated. Public Works Building - Capital Outlay The entire amount requested in this budget was eliminated. Highway Maintenance - Wages & Expenses This budget was reduced from S42,000 to $38,000. Highway Maintenance - Chapter 90 This budget was reduced from 01,000 to 0500. Highway Department - Road Machinery - Capital Outlay This amount was reduced from ;30,000 to 0,000; the entire amount to come out of the Excess and Deficiency Account. Street Lights This amount was reduced from 029,411.50 to 025,660. The provision for all-night lighting was eliminated. Patriot's Day The appropriation was reduced from $1,000 to $300. ARTICLT'S The S5,000 to be voted under Article 46 for the purchase of the Stevens Gravel Pit is to be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency Account. 434 00 Under Article 16 the Trustees are requesting authorization to proceed with plans for remodelling and approving the East Lexington Branch Library by obtain- ing complete plans and specifications for the construction thereof. It was decided to vote unfavorable action of this article . Article 71 requesting an appropriation for the elimination of dead ends in the water system was dis- approved. It was decided to leave this in Sundry Streets and appropriate under Article 4 $10,000 more for the construction of Sundry Streets; this to be transferred from the Water Department - Available Surplus Account. Article 6 - It was decided to transfer $50,000 from the Excess and Deficiency Account under Article 6. It was further decided that the amount of $15,000 is to be transferred from the Water Department - Available Surplus toward the Maturing Debt. The Appropriation Committee retired at 11:30 P. M. The Chairman read a letter from Norman Schuler, a Req. Use Senior in the Lexington High School, relative to the Barnes possibility of the Barnes Property having been offered Property by the Town for a youth club. Youth The Clerk was instructed to acknowledge the letter Club and advise Mr. Schuler that no arrangements have been made to provide for any project of this type at the present time. Emerson The Chairman read a letter from Mr. R. L. McQuillan Req. Pos 'tn relative to the passibility of obtaining a position in Eng. Deptt. the Engineering Department for one Alfred F. Emerson. The letter was referred to Mr. DeFoe. The Chairman read a letter from Sherman K. Hardy Req . for requesting permission to use two acres of the so-called Street Town Farm for the purpose of a garden and pasturage for Light a horse. Mr. Hardy also requested the installation of a Hill & street light on the pole situated at the center of the Dedar St. abandoned curve on Hill Street at the Cedar Street end. The Clerk was instructed to advise Mr. Hardy that there is an Article in the Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting in March requesting the Town to authorize the Selectmen to sell the property, and that its future use was very uncertain. Mr. Hardy' s request for the installation of a street light was referred to Mr. DeFoe for investigation and recommendations. ' 435 The Board gave further consideration to Mr. William L. Potter' s offer of A225 for Lots 5, 6 and 7, Block 91, Sell Lots IIReed Street, Lexington. A proposal to sell these lots 5, 6 & 7 was advertised in the February 14, 1946, issue of the Block 91 Lexington Minute-Man. No persons contacted the Selectmen' s Reed St. Office as a result of the advertisement, to Mr. Wm. 1 Mr. Sheldon moved that the offer be accepted, and L. Potter that Lots 5, 6, 7, Block 91, Reed Street, be sold and con- veyed to Mr. William L. Potter. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion and it was so voted. The Boardg ave further consideration to Mr. Perrie Sell Lots R. Coliicutt' s offer of $100 for Lots 5 & 6, Block 95, 5 & 6 Reed Street, Lexington. Block 95 A proposal to sell these lots was advertised in the Reed St. February 14, 1946, issue of the Lexington Minute-Man. No to Perrie persons contacted the Selectmen' s Office as a result of Collicutt the advertisement. Mr. Sheldon moved that the offer be accepted, and that Lots 5 and 6, Block 95, Reed Street, be sold and conveyed to Mr. Perrie R. Collicutt. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. William H. Melody' s offer of $50 for Lots 63 to Not to 66 inc. on Hillside Avenue was held over. The Committee Sell Lots on Tax Title Property recommended that the offer be rejected. 63-66 Hill- Mr. Sheldon moved that Mr. Melody's offer of $50 for side Ave. II the above mentioned lots be rejected. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Letter was received from Dr. G. Marshall Crawford, 1101 Beacon Street, Brookline, offering the sum of $100 Adv. Offer for five acres of land in Lexington off IIill Street, for 5 acres Lincoln.-, of land in Mr. Rowse moved that a proposal to sell this parcel Lex. off of land be advertised in the Lexington Minute-Man, and Mill St. that further consideration be given the offer at the next Lincoln meeting of the Board. Mr. Sheldon seconded the motion, and it was so voted. The Chairman read a letter from Mr. W. S. Couette, written in the interests of Dennis Carroll, offering $250 for Lots 18-21 inc. on Reed Street; Lots 27-29 inc. on Garfield Street; and Lots 30 and 31, 35, 36 and 38 on Couette II Poplar Street, Lexington. The Committee on Tax Title Offer Property recommended that this property be sold for not behalf less than 0350. Carroll Mr. Sheldon moved that Mr. Couette be advised that the Board of Selectmen would entertain an offer of $350 I for the above mentioned lots . Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. 1 I 436 00 Application was received from Foster S. Beach for Use permission to conduct a dance in Cary Memorial Hall on of the evening of March 9, 1946, from 8 00 P. M. to midnight. Hall Mr. Potter moved that the use of the hall be granted; subject to the approval of the Chief of Police and a charge of $40. Mr. Sheldon seconded the motion -and it was so voted. Application was received from Edward F. Patry of Patry Bedford for a Public Carriage License. Public The Chairman read a letter from the Chief of Carriage Police relative to Mr. Patry. License Upon motion of Mr. Rowse, seconded by Mr. Sheldon, Denied it was voted that the application be denied. Application was received from Faulkinghem Motors for a Second Class Agentts License. This was held over pending a report from the Chief of Police. Mr. Potter also agreed to check on it. A true record, Attest : 1 1 /, 1_1/