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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1962-06-06-BOS-min SELECTMEN'S METING June 6, 1962 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, on Wednesday, June 6, 1962, at 7:30 P .M. Chairman Adams, Messrs . Richards, Cole, Brown and Burnell were present . Mr. Stevens , Town Counsil, Mr. Staples, Executive Assistant, and Miss Murray, Executive Clerk, were also present . Mr. Alan Silverman, 15 Rumford Road, met with the Boara. Mr . Silverman had passed his test to be a Guide and was recommended by Mr. Garrity, the examiner, and approved by Chief Rycroft . License Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to grant Alan Silverman a Guide License which was pre- sented to him by the Chairman, together with a Guide badge. Mr. Silverman retired at 7:39 P.M. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to exercise the option obtained from John J. and Muriel McDonnell to purchase for $3500 lots 166 to 169, inclusive, fronting on Young Street, as part of the proposed ele- Exercise of mentary school site in the Laconia-Young-Webb streets option area. Mr. Stevens reported that the legislation, in which the Board is interested, is progressing . He stated that the Arlington Relief sewer bill had its Legislation second hearing in the Senate and will be up for a third reading, he assumed, on Monday . Mr. Stevens reported that the bill to reimburse subdividers has gone through both branches and should Legislation be enacted in the Hous_ tomorrow. He stated that the Bureau of Accounts is in favor of the bill and will give a favorable report to the Governor. Mr. Stevens advised that he would like the Board to employ a ne.:: Town 'ounsel by September 1st . Mr. Burnell asked if he meant the Board should replace him immediately and Mr. Stevens replied in the Town Counsel affirmative . He said that he would complete the work he has, up to the extent the Board wishes him to do so, but would have to refuse to take on anything after September 1st . 438 1-C The Chairman reported that the Department of Public Safety has scheduled a hearing fro= June 12 relative to an application made by Norman Eldridge White, d/b/a White ' s Music, to operate a theatrical book- ing agency at 16 Wheeler Road. Hearing It was agreed to advise the Commissioner of Public Safety that the address is in a residential area, an area in which a business is not permitted without a Board of Appeals ' hearing. Mr . Staples was asked to attend the hearing. Mr. Stevens referred to Tambascia land acquired by the MDC for access to the site of the water tank. Appraisal The Board authorized Mr. Stevens to request the PDC to employ another appraiser to appraise the Tambascia property. The Chairman read a letter from Albert DeVincent Land for and Henry DeVincent , addressed to the School Sites Com- school mittee, stating that if the Town wants to acquire their land for school purposes, it will have to be acquired by eminent domain . Land for The Chairman read a similar letter from Alice and school Adolph Kroll. Action on both communications was deferred for the present time . Mr. Charles M. Evans, of the Charles M. Evans & Associates, met with the Board. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign an agreement between the Town of Lexington and Charles M. Evans, doing business as Charles M. Evans & Associates, relative to preparation of job classifications Salary and pay schedules . Schedules Mr. Evans stated that the procedure generally followed, and job and if acceptable to the Board, would be followed in Lex- classification ington, would be to have a meeting of all department heads to explain tha procedure to be followed. He stated that in order to give the department heads an opportunity to ask questions, if there are any skeptics, he would like to receive the questions early in the project rather than later . He explained this is in the line of good relation- ship, and experience has proved that things move along better if a meeting is held. He said it would not be necessary to call all the department heads in a group; they could be met individually, but time is saved by a group meeting. He explained that Questionnaires will be distributed and asked the department heads to have them re- turned within a week or ten days , and he would like to • hold a meeting as early as he could, this week, if possible . The Chairman said this would include the Town Clerk, Tax Collector, all offices. Mr. Evans asked if the Board planned to include those in elected positions . The Chairman said the work is somewhat comparable and the clerical help should be within the scale . Mr . Staples reported that he had talked with Mr . Snow and Mrs. Rich who both felt it should be done . He said he did not receive a solid reply from the Town Clerk. The Chairaan said the Board could not establish the salaries for the elected officials because that is done by Town Meeting, but the Board is in a position to want some information so that it can recommend. Mr. Evans explained that if their salary is by law, those positions cannot be included, but there is no reason why the Board cannot make its recommendations to the i''inance Committee and to the Town 1' eeting. The Chairman explained that the Library Trustees have their oum schedule which is comparable to the schedules used by other libraries in the area. Mr. Evans said he would like to see thos' rates . ad Mr. Richards explained that the library schedule will not be in effect until July 1st . Mr. Staples asked about including the Assessors, and 1'r. Richards said if the salaried personnel was to be included, he thought the Assessors would have to be included. Mr. Burnell said the board must eliminate the school and library but could include all others, and some of them would be a maLier of recommendation . The Chairman said the Board recently adopted a sick leave and vacation pay schedule which he thought Mr. Evans should review and offer suggestions . Decision relative tothe Carrig development , Minute Carrig Man High-Lands Section Four, was held over. subdivision Mr. Stevens retired at 8 :25 P.M. Mr. Evans said he would like, if the Board approved, to hold a meeting Friday afternoon. The Board had no objection and the Chairman said that Mr. Staples would take care of the details. Mr . Evans retired at 8:29 P.M. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes of theSelectmen ' s Meeting held Minutes on May 28, 1962, as amended. 440 Letter was received from the Lexington Chapter, Red Cross American Red Cross, inviting the Boaud to the Chapter' s • Meeting annual meeting on Tuesday evening, June 12. Mr. Burnell said he would be pleased to represent the Board. Appointment of an Associate Member to the Board of Appeals was held over. • Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted Warrant to to issue a warrant to the Dog Officer to catch and con- Dog Officer fine and to kill or sell all dogs that have not been licensed, collared or harnessed and tagged. • The Chairman referred to the recent change in poll- Polling ing places in Precincts One and Two . • places Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to give notice by mail to each registered voter in the precincts . Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted License to grant a Taxi Driver' s license to William I. Imlaph, 34 Wyman Road, Lexington, satisfactory character reference having been received from Chief Rycroft . • Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted License to grant a Taxi Driver' s license to Henry G. Holmberg, Jr. , satisfactory character reference having been re- ceived from Chief Rycroft . Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to advise Thomas A. Hale , 41 Woodcliffe Road, that his License application for a Taxi Driver' s license would be held until such, time as he has received a Driver ' s Education Certificate . Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted License to deny George L. Pettinelli ' s application for A Taxi Driver ' s license, a record of speeding being filed as recently as 1961. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted Sewer to sign an Order for the construction o_.' a sewer in Brookside Avenue from Waltham Street 639 feet, more or less, easterly to Stedman Road. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted Sewer to sign an Order for the construction of a sewer in Valleyfield Street from Grassland Street 1297 feet , more or less, southerly to terminus. I 441 Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign an Order for the construction of a sidewalk Sidewalk from Woburn Street 1912 feet, more or less, to Fulton Road on the easterly side of Lowell Street. Letter from Viano Theatres, Inc. , relative to con- necting to the storm drain, was referred to Mr. Staples for more information . Mr. Staples mentioned that Mr. Carroll had dis- cussed the possibility of there being some aid from the Federal Government on the Woodhaven Trunk Sewer , Aid for sewe: and he read a draft of a letter to the Director of Sanitary Engineering inquiring about Federal Aid under Public Law 660 . The letter was approved as read and Mr. Staples was authorized to send it along . Mr. Staples reported that Mr. Irwin, Building Inspector, had inquired about spending some of the balance remaining from the purchase of his car for a Polaroid camera. Camera Mr . Staples was requested to obtain more in- formation as to the use of the camera. Mr. Staples mentioned that no definite decision had been made relative to the acquJsition of Mr. William Ash' s property, 96 Laconia Street, for a Ash property school site . Mr. Richards said this particular parcel of land is the key to the entire area that the Town plans to acquire . He said Mr. Ash' s appraisal was not too far apart from t_ie one the Town received. Mr. Staples reported that Mr. Ash said he did not care about his appraisal and wants $15,000. Mr. Staples was authorized to offer Mr . Ash the amount of his appraisal plus a year ' s occupancy, rent and tax free . Mr. Burnell reported that the Traffic Study Com- mittee held a meeting the other day and went over some of the problems. He referred to the petition relating to the in- stallation of a traffic island at the intersection of Ledgelawn Avenue and Hillside Terrace . He reported that the Committee decided a traffic island would Traffic create a greater hazard. Mr . Carroll recommended that for approximately $2,000, Hillside Terrace could be narrowed where it connects with Ledgelawn Avenue, and said if the Board approved, he would include it in his budget for next year . 44 r-C Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to advise Mr. Carroll that the Board approved his re- commendation. Mr . Burnell reported that the Committee also dis- cussed the letter received from Charles E. Parks rela- tive to traffic in Simonds Road. He said there is no question but there is a serious problem there . He Traffic said that last evening Mr. Paul Nest, a Town Meeting Member, reported that there had been an accident at Gleason Road and Simonds Road. Mr. Staples said Chief Rycroft was of the opinion that it would be better to have "Slow" signs rather that "Stop` signs. Mr. Burnell said that in discussing the subject with the Chief this morning, he asked if there was some type of sign that the Board could approve and put into effect immediately; something that would alert the people as they came to Simonds noad. The Chief suggested stenciling the word "Slow" on the pavement . Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to authorize stencil-ng the word "Slow" to warn vehicular traffic approaching z)imonds Road. Mr. Arthur E. Burrell, Director of Civil Defense, • met with the Board at 9:L.0 P.M. • Mr. Burrell said he was concerned with getting some sense of direction and policy from the Board of Selectmen. He stated it is the responsibility of the_ Civil Selectmenaas a Board, and the scope and complexity of the problem is such that one cannot do very much without Defense the firm support of the Board. The Chairman presented Mr. Burrell with a draft of the policy of the Board which had been prepared by Mr. Cole, and approved by the Board. Mr. Burrell said he thought , just glancing through it, that he could subscribe to it . The Chairman said the Board wanted to decide this evening what is to be done about staffing, and the ap- proximate salary. He said he thought it was the Board' s feeling that there would be a full-time girl, if necessary, and a part-time man . Mr. Burrell said when this was discussed last November, he wa:r talking about two full-time people. He said there is no question but there will have to be a full-time girl. Following a rather lengthy discussion, Mr. Richards stated he thought it would be better if Mr . Burrell would take on the responsibility of training a girl and if so, he should be paid a reasonable amount . He also suggested that Mr. Burrell select the girl. Mr. Burrell said he would be willing to try it on a six month' s basis . The Chairman said, as a matter of procedure, Mr. Staples should be in contact with Mr. Burrell and keen the Board advised. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to pay Mr• . Burrell at the rate of $60 per week as a regular part-time employee, effective June 7, 1962, for a period expiring December 31, 1962. The meeting adjourned at 10:35 P.M. A true record, Attest : j i VExecutive Clerk,, Selectmen