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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1946-10-14 55 SELECTMEN'S MEETING October 14 , 1946 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, on Monday evening, October 14, 1946,. . at 7:30 p.m. Chairman Potter, Messrs. Rowse, Sarano, Locke, and Paxton were present. The Clerk was also present. At 7 :30 p.m. hearing was declared open upon the application of Daniel P. and Eleanor M. Curtin of 428 Gasoline Marrett Road, for permission to increase the capacity Hearing of underground tanks .for the storage of gasoline from tww thousand to ten thousand gallons. A notice of the hearing was inserted in the October 3, 1946 issue of the Lexington Minutia-Man. No persons appeared in favor Or in oppisition. Mr. Sarano Moved that the license be granted, subject to the approval of the Board of Fire Engineers. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Letter was received from Robert Whitney, stating Fire II that fire insurance policy #61829 in the amount of Insurance #5,000 would expire November 8, 1946. Policies The Clerk was requested to check with the Supt. of Public Works Office to determine whether or not this policy has already been renewed. Letter was received from Jasper A. Lane, relative to fire insurance policy #140172 formerly held by him, and which has recently been renewed through another agent. Mr. Lane is apparently very much distanbed. Mr. Rowse explained that in making up the schedule, M . Lane was placed in Group 3 because of the fact that he is employed in a bank and is not a full time insurance agent. The Chairman called the Board's attention to the fact that Mr. Least* letterhead would indicate that he is in the insurance business located at 40 Central Street, Boston. Mr. Rowse agreed to contact Mr. Lane on the subject, and report to the Board. At 7:45 p.m. Mr. Joseph H. DeFoe, Supt. of Public Works, appeared before the Board. Mr. DeFoe presented a supplementary agreement in duplicate to the contract for the Manor sewerage system for the Board's signatures. iDO 5 6 C erg Mr. DeFoe informed the Board that the sprink'er Ins. leakage insurance policies should be renewed. Mr. Rowse moved that the Supt. of Public Works be authorized to renew the policies through the same agents. Mr. Paxton seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. DeFoe is to determine whether or not additional coverage should be requested before the policies are renewed. Deny V Mr. DeFoe requested authorization to purchase a V Plow & plop and frame for the eletrac at approximately a cost Frame of *400. After some discussion of the matter, Mr. Rowse moved that the order already placed for the V plow and frame be cancelled. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Repair Mr. DeFoe informed the Board that he had received Roof of several bids relative to the necessary repair work to the Public roof of the Public Works Building. He stated that he had Works gone over very carefully the bid received from Nelson Bldg. Brothers, and this one appeals to him. Mr. Sarano moved that Mr. DeFoe be authorized to accept the bid of Nelson Brothers for the repairs on the roof of the Public Works Building. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Gas Mr. DeFoe informed the Board that work has already Main been started on Larchmont Lane opening the street for the Permit installation of the gas main. No permit has been issued:. Mr. Sarano moved that a permtt be granted for the installation of a gas main on Larchmont Lane. Mr. Rowse seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Mr. DeFoe informed the Board that the Coolidge Avenue Tower Sewerage Project has been completed, and he is now working Devel- on Fair Oaks Terrace. He said he has Taft, Ellis, and opment Tarbell sewerage jobs to do. He referred to the Tower Development and stated that there is no building activity and it seemed to him that he should do the sewer jobs before the water mains are installed in the Tower Development. Mr. Rowse asked if Mr . Couette was anxious to have the work done, and Mr. DeFoe said that Mr. Couette was very anxious to have the roads finished and wanted the water mains laid first. He said that he thought the Public Works Department could do all the work they have at the present time with the exception of the Tower Development. Mr. Rowse asked if Mr. DeFoe wanted the Board' s approval on postponing the Tower job. 11 57 Mr. DeFoe said that it seemed to him that he should de the other work first. Mr. Paxton said that he thought that the Tower project should be done so that Mr. Couette could sell the lots. He said that this will be one of the better developments in Town and buildings will not be constructed until such time as first class n .terials' are available Mr. Sarano said that he felt that the Board of Selectmen are obligated to some extent insofar as Tower development is concerned. Mr. Rowse asked if part of the work could be done, and Mr. DeFoe said that Mr. Couette wants the entire job completed, Mr. Sarano asked how long it would take to do the work. Mr. DeFoe said indications are that there are three or four hundred feet of ledge and it would probably take three weeks. Mr. Rowse mentioned that fro* the health angle, the sewer jobs may be more important, but Mr. Paxton said that the sewer conditions are not any more serious now than they have been for a number of years. The Chairman suggested that the Tower Development project may be let out to Rupert Stevens. Mr. Paxton reminded the Board that if the work is to be let out, bids would have to be obtained, plans and specifications would have to be prepared, and this would Held take considerable time. Over The final decision was held over until the next meeting of the Board. Mr. DeFoe retired at 8:25 p.m. and Deputy Chief Cook appeared before the Board. Deputy Chief Cook said that he was representing Mr. George W. Emery, Ghiaf Engineer of the Board of Fire Sell Engineers, who is out of town. He said that he has Motor received an offer of *100 for the motor from the old From ladder truck. Old Ladder Mr. Rowse moved that the unit be sold for the Truck price offered. Mr. Sarano seconded the motion, and it was voted. Deputy Chief Cook said that the Fire Department had received a callfor the ambulance to go to Derry, New Ambul- Hampshire to bring a patient to Lexington. However, the ance patient came back in a private car. Deputy Chief Cook wanted to know if there was any limit as to the distance the ambulance should be sent. The Chairman said that that would depend some- ' what on the number of help in the Fire Department, and 5S whether or not the ambulance would be paid for. Upon motion of Mr. Paxton, seconded by Mr. Sarano, it was voted not to authorize the use of the ambulance outside a radius exceeding forty miles from Lexington Center. Deputy Chief Cook retired at 8:35 p.m. Letter was received from Robert C. Merriam stating that fire insurance policy #1387 in the amount of $10,000 will expire on November 6, 1946. Mr. Rowse moved that the policy be renewed through the same office. Mr. Locke seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Model Letter was received from C. Henry Jackson, 40 Planes Clarke Street, complaining about model planes being Complaint flown on Town property bordering Park Drive. Mr. Jackson claims this activity to be a decided nuisance. The Chairman agreed to contact Mr. Garrity and to inquire as to whether or not the planes could be flown further over on the field away from Mr. Jackson's house. No Drinking Letter was received from Mrs. George P. Morey Fountain in calling the Board's attention to the lack of a drinking No. Lexington fountain at the Valley Road play area in North Lex- ington. It was decided to refer the matter to Mr. Garrity. Application was received from the Veterans of Use of Foreign Wars requesting the use of Estabrook Hall and Hall a Conference Room for Wednesday evening, October 16, 1946. Mr. Locke moved that the uses be granted free of charge. Mr. Paxton seconded the motion, and it was so voted. Copy of the letter addressed to the Board of Votes Assessors from Commissioner Long relative to the votes of the Special Town Meeting, was read by the Chairman. The Chairman informed the Board that he had con- tarred with Mr. Daniel A. Lynch, Town Counsel, inasmuch as Commissionai,ong had not approved some of the appropriations voted from available funds. Mr. Rowse suggested that the Board obtain a ruling from the Town Counsel. The Chairman said he was wondering whether or not Unaccepted the Board would consider doing anything on some of the Streets ' 59 streets in Lexington that are in such bad condition, for which petitions for acceptance had been received. He thought that something could be done until such time as the Town accepts them. Mr. Potter informed the Board that the U.S.O. has U.S.O. been taken over by the Federal Government and a rep- resentative had contacted him relative to obtaining office space. The U.S.O. will furnish entertainment for the Bedford, Waltham and Framingham hospitals, and they would like to operate from Lexington. He suggested that they might use the same conference room now being used by the Veterans Administrator. Mr. Rowse moved that the U.S.O. representative be advised that there is no space available. The motion was not seconded. Mr. Paxton suggested that they use a room at the Barnes Property for a period not longer than December 1, 1946. Mr. Rowse further suggested that the Veterans Adminis- trator be transferred from the Cary Memorial Building to the Barnes Property. The Chairman asked if the Board wanted a layout Poor made of the Poor Farm Tract. Farm Mr. Locke suggested that a layout be made for the Tract entering streets and a back street. The Chairman thought that a general layout of the entire area may have to be made. Mr. Paxton suggested that the Board consider the Engineers Study Plan of the area next week . He reminded the Board that it would not be necessary to have a Board of Survey hearing inasmuch as only the lots on Hill snd Cedar Streets are to be sold. Mr. Paxton said that John O'Conner had telephoned him about Mrs. Leighton' s property on Swan Lane. Swan Letter was received from Alfred P. Tropeano Lane offering five dollars for the interest that the Town has in and to a five foot strip of land along Swan Lane. Mr. Tropeano stated that Mrs. Leighton had been informed by Mr. Spencer that the Selectmen voted on Monday evening, August 19, 1946 to keep the right they had in the five foot strip between her land and the street called Swan Lane, and she was to deed the Town a ten foot strip along the five foot strip so that the Town can lay out Swan Lane to a width of forty feet. 60 CD wa The Chairman said that Mr. Spencer had Mentioned this matter to him and he agreed to take it up with the Board, which he did,. and at that time Mr. Paxton suggested that if and when Mrs. Leighton is ready to develop the area and the street is widened to a width of greater than twenty-five feet, the Town will give up its interest; the street to be forty feet wide. He said that the Board never voted on it, and he did not convey angt such action to Mr. Spencer. Mr. Paxton said that Mr. O'Connor was distnbed be because he felt that some future Board of Selectmen might decide that they did not want a street there. Mr. Paxton said that he did not believe that the Board would ever find a Board of Survey layout by merely a sub-division layout. The Chairman agreed to discuss the matter with Mr. Tropeano. Notation was received from Mr. Fred Spencer in relation to possible revision of precincts. He said that with the Precinct present houses and building permits taken out to Revisiot date, the number of dwellings in each precinct totals as follows Precinct 1 909 Precinct 3 802 Precinct 2 813 Precinct 4 924 Mr. Rowse said that he had been approached relative to the new encolsed athletic field and inquiries have been made as to when the field is going to be used. The Clerk was instructed to write Mr. John J. Garrity, Supt. of Parks and Playgrounds, and abk for a report as to the status of the surface of the enclosed field, if not completed, when the grading will be finished and when the field may be used. A true record, Attest Clerk The next meeting a Board of Selectmen wibl be held in the Selectmen's Room, five Building, on Monday evening, October 21, 1946. I