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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1946-11-04240 NOV~,~R 4, 1~6- continued TRANSFER FROM RESERVE FUND APPROVAL: Approval for the transfer of $2500 from the Reserve Fund to the Outside Relief and Repairs appropriation was received from the Advisory Board. Transfer is requested by Lillian Dearden, Agent and approved by the Board of Public Welfare. NOTICE OF SELEC~AIEN'S ASSOCtATIONANNUAL MEETING: Notice received that the Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Selectmen's ~sso;uj ciation will be held early in December. ;~ Notice will be received at a later date. Anonymous Letter: An anonymous card was sent to the board requesting that they walk down Main Street towards the tracks and s eewhat a mess of paper and debris there is there. It was signed "A taxpayer." The board voted to refer this matter to the Highway Surveyor and to the Police Chief to see if this situation csn be cleared up. STATE AID: S~ate aid for Sophi~Hane, Ruth Carey and Margaret Twomey for the amount of $30.00 ($10.00 for each) was approved by the board. STEVENS HALL: Permission was given to the Eclectic Club for the use of Stevens Hail on December 5, 1946 to have a banquet for the football squad. Hall.is available for that night. .-. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS: Anlagreement was signed by-the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen whereby the town agrees to pay one-half the cost of removing smow on the Auto Route No~ '133, From Route 125 to the Boxford Line, 1.60 miles. This shall be carried '~.~' r6ut.by the Town carrying the trucks on the Town Payroll for one-half of the ~lowing time of each individual storm. TSe balance of the total plowing time one?half), the trucks will he carried directly on the payroll of the District Office of the Department of Public Works. . STEVENS HALL: ~.~ . ~.-..~Tha request of Mr. Harold Hering and Mr Lewis for permission to use Stevens Hall on Saturdays (morning) to-give a series of motion pictures for the children of.~the town was refused by this board. Mr. O'Brien, superintendent of schools informed the board that the Janitor does his cleaning on Saturday mornings :'.~amd it' would meaning extra hours on Sunday. On the strength of this information .L~: .the board voted unanimously .to refuse.this request -~ so notify Mr. Hering. ', ".,' ",. "i~WLAG POLE: ~ Mr.~William Henrick came before the board and stated that it would cost $16.00 for new rope and the labor required to setit up, on Tavern Acres. The children ->,have ruined the rope and Mr. Renrick feels thatthis mattes should be called .,~..' ~,. ~o the attention of the police, as it will be an expensive proposition if it ':,r;:::.continues. : :"',: ~ENT CEILING: lrcommtnication was received from Frank ~. Spmosek of 310 Lincoln Street, L~wiston, Maine asking for information about an application for increasing ~ rent ceiling. The board suggested that he be.notified and informed .that he should write to the Rent Control Office at Lynn. , WEIGHER APPOINTED: Albert Houte of East Water Street'wes appointed a weigher by unanimous vote of ~he board. This appointment was made at the request of Forbes Rockwell, of~ Davis & Furber-to replace Byron Benjamin who is their sworn weigher.. 'AP,5IISTICE DAY APPROPI~IATION: Walter Hamilton ~a~efiefore the board and stated that he. would require an additional amount 'of money for the armintice day expenses. He stated that the band is $90.00 and everything is double in price. The board told him they · ~would allow him $25.00 which would be paid from the Contingent Fund, if he needed this amount. Mr. Hamilton said he would.try and keep the~expenses lower,~ than that amount, if possible. FIRE ENGINEER: James Hargreaves came before the Board and informed them that he had received a letter from Mr. AnthonpRogers of 0!ark Street gnd a bill for $49.00 for damage to his saw rig, caused by the ladder truck backing into it, last winter when the fire truck backed out of Clark Street. Mr. Nargreaves stated that truck this time and to be re wan 246 November 4, 1946- continued Chief Hargreaves stated that he wished to bring another matter before the board at this time. He said he had noticed that the matter of setting the salary of the Chief Engineer was postponed indefinitely, and he wanted something definite so that he could make his plans for the future. He said several people had spoken ~o him recently to find out what was holding up his appointment as a full time engineer. Mr. Hargreaves mentioned that he had contacted three members of the Advisory Board, not as members but as individuals and they felt that he was to get a full time job. When questioned about'the money that was left in the appropriation they stated that they figured someone would get a full time Job, whether it. be Mr. Hargreaves or not. The money was appropriated at the last town meeting and even though the voters ~oted against a full time position as a driver for the duration of the war,~the money was not taken out of the appropriation. Article ten of the town warrsnt was read by Mr~ Thomson at this time and in which the Advisory Board suggested that the article he unfavorably recommened as the interpretation of the qualifying,~ clause"for the duration of the war" is both questionable and controversial~, Mr. Finneran mentioned that there was negative action by the town meeting and a positive action by the people. Mr. Hargreaves informed the board that he received 1468 votes in favor. He stated that it very embarrassing to him to have people question him. H~ said he had worked hard to get the Job and went to a lot of trouble and expense. Mr. Hargreaves stated that the Selectmen should set the salary and they have ignored this. Mr. Salisbury then stated that he made a motion some time ago. and upon t~e suggestion of the chairman the motion was not seconded and the board agreed to postpone this matter indefinitely. He also remarked that when Mr. Hargreaves 'Mas given the status under civil service, he secured the Job of Chief-Engineer with Civil Ser~ic~ protection Mr. Thomson explained that at the previous meeting when Mr. Salisbury hismoticn, if we had taken a definite vote and you wished to go to the Advisory Hoard, they might well say that the Selectmen have set your salary and tbe, board did not want to prejudice the Advisory Board in this matter. They...~:~] felt that a postponement would be the bet~r method. Mr. ~argreaves again explained that he wan~ed ~o make definite plans. Be"~aid he has yet to find one person who does not believe' that this is afull Job or should be, except this board who feel that the Job is wBrth only$~06.00. Mr. Salisbury said that he felt that this problem should besett!ed before~ the Advisory and then at the next town meeting. Mr. Hargreaves stated that he was willing to go before the people and. gsk' for a ~ time Job as the people voted for him when he received1468 votes but.he . does not get an cooperation from the Selectmen. He said there was a technicality but the intention of the article was for a full time Job. Mr. HargreaveS..told the board that he had always ~sed his automobile for his work in the Fire~'department · but that the present members of the board of engineers do not approve' of.'thi~ He said he does not have a truck come and pick him up as the c-~]men do and he has to spend money to get tca 'fire. Mr. ~argreaves thinks it is "getting~ to be a Joke." Mr. ~agreaves said %hat according to the town by-laws, the'~selec~man are required to appoint a suitable number of engineers but that they don't, have to appoint three; they could appoint one if they saw fit. '' Mr. Salisbury then stated that all technicalitieshad been overcome when~he was appointed as Civil So,ice Chief Engineer but if one of the engineers were'. ' appointed as a full time engineers you would be showing a distinction as~,I~- see it. The Town could accept a statute making a chief and abolish the board of engineers but under the ~present set up ~ cannot see how it' san be done~ The fact that the money is available and that you say it would not cost .the town any more money, is ridiculous. Once a full time salary is established it would continue year a~ter year. We still have three men and they are all on a part time basis. Mr.. Hargreaves then said that in the past he has operated on full time-for at least three or four years. He also said that if they wanted an increase in salary, they came to the Bosrd of Selectmen. ?he money is available and* that is what ! am working on. He wenton~%o.say that the Chief is blamed for everything in the department. He referred~o~er~,recemt~ fire and said they were going to sue him and he wasn't even there. Mr. Salisbury then~ said that~very often the Chairman of the Boardof Selectmen gets~hlames for things too but he doesn't get any more salary than the other two members. Mr. Hargreaves said that at a fire he wants to take the responsibility-and asked Mr. Salisbury if Be did not feel that a.chief engineer is more important than the other two members. Mr. Finneran stated that he wanted to be fair about this matter but the~ action of.the town meeting indicated that they didn't want him for a full~ time driver and he felt that this matter should come up at the next town meeting. 247 NOVEMBER4, 1946- continued: Mr. Hargreaves again said that the Advisory Horrd saw the need of an extra man whether it be Mr. Hargreaves or someone else. Mr. Finneran asked Mr. Hargreaves if the board gave him a full time position, if he did not think it would be going against the desire of the town meeting, to which Mr. Hargreaves replied that he did not. Mr. Finneran said that he felt that it would and Mr. Hargreaves asked him why. Mr. Finneran said,"~ do, that's all." Mr. Salisbury pointed out that in the past fifteen years the matter cf appointment cf a full time chief for the board of engineers has come up and each of the three times it has been voted not to have one man. Then the action of the last meeting proves that the ~own does not want this; that the town voted to have you a Chief engineer with the salary attached to it. Mr. Hargreaves said, "Y'm.tetling you that the people voted for a full time engineer. "Mr. Salisbury, ~ know you have been responsible for all my troubles," said Mr. Hargreaves. "Not single handed," replied Mr. Salisbury. "lo, you and your followers, Veterans of World War ~I", said Mr. Hargresves. Why should the Veterans of World War II get preference. I was in World War I. Those men didn't want me, they wanted one of their men Mr..Finneran inquired of Mr. Hargreaves if he had any figure in mind in regard to salary on a full time basis to which he replied that he felt he should receive the Same amount as the Chief of Police. Mr. Salisbury asked if he felt that he should receive a salary as a full time manand if so, there is no need for the remaining engineers. Mr. Hargreaves stated that he worked 24 hours per day and received $506 a year. He'said he never leaves the house unless ha informs the station how they can reachhim. Mr. Salisbury stated that in other towns, it has b~en found that it was not wise to place one engineer~on ~,~l time. Mr. Hargreaves said that we are the only town with engineers and all others have a chief of the department. Mr. Salisbury felt that it would be inconsistent to have one oft he engineers on iktll time. Mr.~,Hargreaves again stated that it is unfair to the town to hold up on this ma~ter as his hands are tied and he can do nothing. Mr. Salisbury stated that if the Advisory Board voted to give a full salary and the town meeting voted on it, he, Mr. aargreaves would get the increase. Mr. Finneran then asked Mr. Thomson how he'felt about the matter. Mr.~.Thomson stated that he felt tha~this board has the right to establish a fullltime salary for this p&sition. Mr..Salisbury said, "Yes, we have the right." Mr. Salisbury went on to say that during the past ten or lfifteen years, four or five towns have put their chief engineer under civil service. Few towns have a board of engineers. Mr. Hargreaves went on to say that there is need for a full time man. They have thirty pieces of apparatus' and outside labor is expensive but they have to engage the outside men to repair and the fire alarm system is the same. He ...,is .capable of doing this work, he said, but is not able to,as he is employed during the day. He stated that it was important to have this system kept in good repair. Mr.'Hargreaves stated'that he.did not think that this board was going to be very: favorable. Mr. Hargreaves Addressed Mr. Salisbury and charged him with trying to prevent htm from securing a fulltime position. He said he had succeeded in'.keeping him out as fire chief. 'Mr. Hargreaves said he had been known as the Chief of the Fire Department and he knew that the people wanted himin there as · a full~ time chief. Mr. Selisb.ury asked how he could be voted into'a position which did not exist. He informed him that he had competent legal advice os'this matter to which Mr. ~ Hargreaves replied that he did not bother to take it. He also mentioned that business men knew what they were voting for. and mentiOne~ one prominent man who was ata loss to understand why Mr. Hargreaves.was not appointed to a full time Job. Mr..,Finneran said that the best he could do would be to consider it next year. Mr. Salisbury said that if. the advisory board votes to include funds for a timeposition for the chief engineer, the selectmen would have nothing to do with it. Mr. Salisbu_~y said this was not true..Mr. Thomson then told Mr. Hargreavesthat irrespective, of the Advisory Board, the Town Meeting, it was the duty She selectmen to set the.salary for the board of engineers and they · might refuse to do this. He said the town meeting simply provides the money. Mr= Hargreaves then said he had a Job and was doing the best he could. He said he was not interested in town affairs. He had worked hard and got 1460 votes and asked if the selectmen felt that these 1460 voters had nothing to say in this matter. Mrg Salisbury then made a motion that the salary of the Chief of the Board of Fire engineers remain as it is for the balance of the year. Mr. Hargreaves said he wanted toknew if he was to be a chief of engineers on full time. Mr. Thomson said that the motion made by Mr. Salisbury shows that you are to be a part time man. :