HomeMy WebLinkAbout1948-05-25396
SFT.FCTMEN's MEETING
May 25, 1948
A special' meeting of the Board of Selectmen
was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town OfficeBuilding,
on Tuesday evening, May 25, 1948 -at -7:30 p.m.
Chairman Paxton, Messrs. Emery, Gay, Driscoll and
Nickerson were present. The Clerk was also present.
Mr. R. L. McQuillan, Chairman of the Board of
Health, met with the Board and was somewhat disturbed
because of the fact that he had heard unofficially
that Dr. Pyle had not been re -appointed to the Board
of Health and a new appointment had been made. Mr.
McQuillan felt very strongly that there should be a
doctor on the Board.
The Chairman explained that, with the many and
varied problems which are presented to the Selectmen,
often times decisions are made in which criticism
may be 3ustif led. He emphasized that the Selectmen
had no intention of ignoring the members of the Board
of Health or of doing anything that would in any way
hurt the members. He assured Mr. McQuillan that Dr.
Pyle had been officially appointed to serve as an
advisor and consulting physician to the Board of Health.
Mr. McQuillan said that both he and Mr. Russell
believe -the Board of Health should consist of five
members.
The Chairman suggested that the Clerk write a
letter to4endeavor to find out thy a three-man Board
was established by Legislature why the original
petition requested a five man Board. He further
suggested that Mr. McQuillan contact the Town Counsel
in view of having a draft prepared to present to the
Legislature requesting that the Board of Health of
the Town of Lexington consist of five members.
Mr. McQuillan retired at '7;50 p.m.
The purpose of the meeting this evening is to
interview -the applicants for theposition of Assistant
Assessor. The Chairman read the application before each
interview and also explained to the applicants the general
qualifications as set up by the Board of Selectmen.
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He further stated that the Board of Assessors would
make the actual appointment but they had requested
the Selectmen to interview the applicants. The
Chairman also told them that the appointment may not
be made until some time in the fall at which time
other applications may be received.
The first applicant was Mr. William McKay, 34
Grapevine Avenue. He said that he attended South
Boston High School and graduated in 1938. He then
went to South Boston High Night School for two years
and took a general course in bookkeeping and typing,
because he had taken a college course in day school.
He worked for Driscoll's Milk Company from 19384939
and then went to work as a belihpp at the Hotel
Lennox. He stayed there for a year and went to work
for the Ice Box Lunch Company as a route man from 1940
to 1943. He was in the Navy from 1943 tail 1945. At
present he is with the Rockwood Sprinkler•Company
installdhg sprinkler systems. He was a radio man in
the service and was in the Pacific theatre. He has
lived in Lexington for eight years. Mr. McKay said
that he is satisfied with his present position but
it takes him away from home a great deal and he would
like something in town.
Mr. McKay retired at 8:00 p.m.
Mr. Clifford L. Day, Jr., 86 Oak Street met with the
Board. He is 29 years old, graduated from Arlington High
School in 1936, had two years of night school at Lowell
Institute where he took up electronics and received one
year college credit.. He worked with the Atlantic &
Pacific from 1936 to 1940 as Assistant Manager, was in
the Army from 1940 to 1945, a 1st Sergeant in the
Infantry. In 1945 he went to work for the American
Railway Express Company and left in 1946 to take a
better position with Ivar Johnson Spnoting Goods Co.
and Worked as Assistant Department Manager. He is now
working at Grover Cronin in Waltham and willbe in
charge of the television sales. Mr. Day has lived in
Lexington for five years; 1s married has one. child.
He has a 40% disability -- malaria and undulent fever.
Mr. Day retired at 8:15 p.m.
Mr. Joseph F. O'Connell, 169 North Street met with
the Board. He came to Lexington in 1940, but joined
the Army from Milton as he was only boarding in Lex-
ington. He has a service incurred disability of 10%,
is married and has one child. Mr. O'Connell's application
contained most of the information desired.
He retired at 8;25 p.m.
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Mr. James J. Walsh, Jr., 1508 Massaohnsetts Avenue
met with the Board. The Chairman explained that his
application was most complete and gave a very good
detailed history. Mr. Walsh is not working at the
present time.
He retired at 8:30 p.m.
Mr. William J. Collins, 4 Cottage Street mwt with
the Board. He has not attended school since he finished
high school in 1932, with the exception of taking some
University Extension courses at Harvard.. He retired
at 8:40 p.m.
Mr. Frederick James, 40 Reed Street met with the
Board. He graduated from Lexington High School in
1945 and then attended Northeastern Engineering School
for one and a half years. He has also attended the
American Institute of Banking night school. He work-
ed for the Davis Aircraft Company until it went out
of existence, worked as a carpenter's helper for
Custance Brothers and took his present position with the
Lexington Trust Company in 1947. He has been a resident
of Lexington all his life and is 22 years old. Mr.
James is not a service man.. He retired at 8:45 p.m.
Mr. Cornelius P. Cronin, 14.Utica Street met with
the Board. Mr. Cronints application was very complete
and gave his education and experience indetail. In
answer to the Chairman's questions he said that he received
a degree, Bachelor of BusinessAdministration. He is now
taking -a graduate courser which would lead to a Master
Degree, but he is more interested in the courses than
in obtaining a degree. There are Certain required courses
one must take to obtain the degree. He is interested in
personnel management and courses that can be used
directly in business. He took cost accounting at
Northeastern UniverBity and explained that in cost
accounting the three things in which one is interested
are labor,material and overhead. He is now going to
night school. He is employed by H. E. Harris & Co.
as personnel manager. There are 200 girls and 65 men
working for -the company and the weekly payroll is over
$8,000. Mr. Cronin said that it is his job to hire
the employees, upbraid them and be the Chaplain so to
speak.
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He explained that the company is more or less a
family affair and his desire to change is because of
security. He said that even though the remuneration
might not be as good as his present position, he Belt
the town is growing and the responsibility of the
Assistant Assessor will also grow and the position
will be worth more as time goes on.
Mr. Cronin retired at 9:00 p.m.
The Chairman said that the Board should arrive
at some decision relative to Mr. Spencer's request
for permission to employ a girl for ten weeks and
the postponement of appointiLng Assistant Assessor
until next fall, with additional applications coming
in at various intervals.
Upon motion of Mr. Driscoll, seconded by Mr. Gay,
it was voted that, according to the request presented
by Mr. Spencer, the Board understands and agrees that
the appointment of an Assistant Assessor is to be
postponed until some time in the fall of 1948 due to
the fact that Mr. Spencer will be too busy during
the next three months to devote any time to train a
new man.
The Board had no objection to the Assessors
employing a clerk for a period of from eight to tet weeks
at a salary not to exceed X3O.
Mr. Emery said that, as a matter of courtesy, he
believed the Appropriation Committee should be advised
and ifthe Assessors are going to find it necessary employ
additional help each year, provisions should be made in
their regular budget.
The meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.
A true reoord, Attest:
399
Clerk for
Assessors
Postpone
appoint-
ment of
Assistant
Assessor
y /
e , elec en.