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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-07-BOS-min 6 y ci1f it Oval SELECTMEN' S MEETING July 13, 1992 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held on Monday, July 13, 1992, in the Selectmen' s Meeting Room, Town Office Building, at 7 : 30 p.m. Acting Chairman Eddison, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Dailey, Mr. McSweeney; Mr Cohen, Town Counsel; Mr. White, Town Manager; Ms. Radway, Assistant Town Manager; and Mrs. Peters, Executive Clerk, were present. 7 : 30 p.m. PUBLIC HEARING. BOSTON EDISON. 22 SHERBURNE ROAD Mr. Eddison opened a public hearing on the petition of Boston Edison to install approximately nine feet of conduit in Sherburne Road. Edward Chisholm, representing Boston Edison, said that the work was necessary to increase the electric service at #22 Sher- burne Road. Mr. Eddison noted the favorable recommendation from Richard Spiers, Director of Public Works. There being no comments or questions, Mr. Eddison declared the hearing closed. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the petition, plan and order for a grant of ' location to install conduit on Sherburne Road. 7: 35 p.m. PUBLIC HEARING. N.E. TELEPHONE, HAYDEN AVENUE Mr. Eddison opened a public hearing on the petition of New England Telephone to install 2217 feet of conduit in Hayden Avenue , and two additional manholes along this new conduit route. Robert Boudreau, representing New England Telephone, said the work was necessary to ensure continued service in the area. Mr. Eddison noted the favorable recommendation from Richard Spiers, Director of Public Works. There being no comments or questions, Mr. Eddison declared the hearing closed. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the petition, plan and order for a grant of location to install 2217 feet of conduit in Hayden Avenue, and two additional man- holes along this new conduit route. CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING. BOSTON EDISON CO. /N.E. TELEPHONE, WALTHAM ST. Mr. Eddison opened a continued public hearing on the peti- tion of New England Telephone to place anchor guys on existing poles #81 and #82 on Waltham Street. Mr. Boudreau, representing New England Telephone, reported that company engineers have been working on another solution to the leaning poles, which had been deemed unacceptable by the Town, and would be presenting new plans in the near future show- ing a solution that it was hoped would be acceptable to the Town. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to dissolve the continued hearing, and act on this problem when a new formal proposal is brought before the Town by New England Telephone. Minutes for the Meeting of July 13 , 1992 2 7.1 CONSENT AGENDA VIDEO GAMES LICENSES Upon motion duly made and seconded it was voted to sign three video game licenses, approved by the Board at its last meeting, for machines located in the Roy Rogers Restaurant on Route 128 north. ONE DAY LIQUOR LICENSE. BOSTON HIGASHI SCHOOL Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve a One Day Liquor License for a festival to be held on Sunday, August 9 , 1992 from 3 :00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Higashi School . CONTRIBUTORY RETIREMENT INVESTMENT REPORT Mr. White reported that the Lexington Retirement Board did well with its investments during 1991 . The Lexington Retirement System ranked 65 out of 107 contributory retirement systems in 1990, and ranked 10th in its annual return for 1991 , with a return of 24 .85%. He added that he believed the Retirement Board was very pleased with the efforts of the Town's investment manager, Wellington Management Company. TOWN OF LEXINGTON BOND PROSPECTUS FOR $4. 840,000 Comptroller John Ryan reviewed a copy of the prospectus with the Board, noting that a Aaa rating had been assigned to the $4,840,000 Town of Lexington, Massachusetts General Obligation Bonds that were sold July 8, 1992 . He reported that there was considerable competition for the bonds, and that Kidder Peabody was low bidder at a 4 . 63% rate. Mr. Eddison commended Mr. Ryan and Mr. White for playing a big part in the Town' s maintenance of its Aaa rating. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted: that the sale of the $4,840,000 Municipal Purpose Loan of 1992 Bonds of the Town dated July 15, 1992 , to Kidder Peabody and Associates at 100.00615 and accrued interest is hereby confirmed. The bonds shall be payable on August 15 of the years and in the principal amounts and bear interest at the respective rates, as follows; Interest Interest Year Amount Rate Year Amount Rate 1993 $500,000 5 . 95% 1998 $500 ,000 4 . 50% 1994 500,000 3 .65 1999 500,000 4 . 75 1995 500,000 3 . 70 2000 490,000 4 . 90 1996 500,000 4 .00 2001 425 ,000 5 .00 1997 500,000 4. 25 2002 425 ,000 5 . 10 Further voted: that the consent dated July 8, 1992 to the financial advisor bidding for the bonds is hereby confirmed. mmik CABLE TV & COMMUNICATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE The Board invited Cable TV & Communications Advisory Commit- tee Chairman Caleb Warner to speak on why the Committee asks that the vote on the transfer of the cable TV license be delayed. Minutes for the Meeting of July 13 , 1992 3 Mr. Warner reported that the Town has not received complete answers to questions posed by the State Cable Commission. He spoke of the need to demonstrate to Cablevision and the State Cable Commission that the Selectmen will not vote to approve the transfer until the Committee is satisfied that this information has been received. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to set a date at the Selectmen' s meeting on July 27, 1992, to hold a Public Hearing on the transfer of the cable TV license. 8:00 P.M. JOINT MEETING - BOARD OF SELECTMEN/HOUSING AUTHORITY Joining the Board were Housing Authority Chairman Donald Wilson, members Elizabeth Flynn, Leona Martin, Nicholas Santo- suosso, and former member William Spencer. Housing Authority Chairman Donald Wilson noted the resigna- tion of William Spencer. He spoke of Mr. Spencer' s many years of dedicated work on the Housing Authority and of the difficulty of selecting a candidate to replace Mr. Spencer because of his excellent service to the Town. Mr. Eddison added the Board' s appreciation of Mr. Spencer' s long and outstanding work in the field of affordable housing in Lexington. Mr. Wilson reported that of the four candidates, Frank E. Kirkland, John E. Ryan, Margaret Jemison, and Mary Haskell , who !owa applied to fill the vacancy until the Annual Town Elections are held in the spring of 1993 , a majority ( 3 ) of Housing Authority members favored John E. Ryan as its selection to fill the vacan- cy. One Housing Authority member favored Mrs Haskell. Mr. Eddison nominated Mrs. Jemison. Mr. Cohen noted that an individual poll of both boards is required to fill the vacancy. Mr. Wilson, Mrs. Flynn, Mr. Santosuosso, Mr. Marshall , Mr. Dailey and Mr. McSweeney voted to appoint Mr. Ryan; Mrs. Martin voted to appoint Mrs. Haskell; and Mr. Eddison voted to appoint Mrs. Jemison. Mr. Ryan was appoint- ed to fill the Housing Authority vacancy by a vote of 6-1-1 . METROPOLITAN STATE HOSPITAL LAND Mr. White reported that the City of Waltham, and the Towns of Lexington and Belmont are preparing an application for an incentive aid grant of $50,000 out of EOCD (Executive Office of Communities & Development) to obtain professional assistance to analyze the impact of the state disposition process of surplus land; in this case, the vacant Metropolitan State Hospital land abutting the three towns. The grant would hire MAPC and other such organizations to help determine potential public and private acceptable reuses for the land. Upon motion duly made and seconded it was voted that the Selectmen support the preparation and filing of the application ova for the $50,000 grant. SAFETY ON THE BICYCLE PATH Mr. White reported that safety concerns that have been expressed in Lexington and Arlington about the lack of signage at Minutes for the Meeting of July 13 , 1992 4 the intersection of the bicycle path with town roads. The use of some type of jersey barriers has been discussed, and signs such as "bike path under construction" have been suggested. It was noted that cars have the right-of-way at intersections of the path with town roads. Mr. White reported that "Under Construc- tion" signs have been requested, and that eventually "Stop" signs will be installed facing the bike path at all intersections. ALARM RESPONSE UPDATE The Board reviewed a Memorandum from Police Chief Paul Furdon reporting that the response service fee regulation enacted by the Board of Selectmen has been very effective in reducing the high number of false commercial and residential alarms in Lexing- ton. (A 12% reduction in six months. ) Mr White noted that it is anticipated this percentage will double by the year' s end due to the imposition of service fees. ( $5 , 700 was collected from January to June, 1992 . ) FY93 STATE BUDGET Mr. White reported that the Town will receive $375 , 583 more in local aid than was originally estimated, if Governor Weld does not veto the budget . He added that the Town will also receive $182 ,000 in Chapter 90 funds earmarked for paving, resurfacing and maintaining streets, which he recommended be put aside for fiscal year ' 94 . In addition, he reported that the House and Senate ' s education aid package would grant $100 per student statewide , amounting to $485 ,000 for Lexington if an expected veto by the Governor is overridden by the Legislature. He noted that altogether this is a total of $1 million in additional revenue that the Town had not anticipated in the budget process. EXECUTIVE SESSION Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted 4-0 by roll call vote: Mr. Eddison, Mr. Marshall , Mr. Dailey and Mr. McSwee- ney, to go into executive session for discussion of matters of litigation, the disclosure of which might adversely affect the interests of the town with no intent to resume open session. OPEN SESSION - CEMETERY Mr. White brought up the matter of the use of grave boxes and vaults in Town cemeteries. Upon motion duly made and second- ed, it was voted that grave boxes shall be used for all inter- ments in Lexington cemeteries , except for cremations and for the interment of infants. Grave boxes are to be supplied by the Town at an appropriate cost . The use of vaults or alternative enclo- sures will not be permitted. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn at 9 :08 p.m. A true record, Attest Sara I . Peters Executive Clerk