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Home My WebLink About1947-01-06264 continued: BOARD OF SELECTmEN- BOXFORD: The board received e letter from the Board of Selectmen in Boxford iuforming them that the Boxford Selectmen had voted to Join with this townto form a district for the securing of a veteran's advisor as required by law.; . Middleton had not replied andthe Board voted to contact Middletonand get verificstion that they would Join with North Andover. VETER&N'S SERVICES-CHAP. 599-Acts of 1946: A communication was received' from Francis X. Cotter, Commissioner, acknowledging our letter of December 27, and approving the 'motion of this board relative to forming a district combining North Andovar, Boxford and Middleton and stating that the motion meets the requirements of the Act. . .. FOREST FIRE WARDEN~ The Board 'of Selectmen unanimously appointed James Hargreaves as Forest Fire ,Warden under Chapter 48, Section $ and cards signed, by the clerk ~of the board were sent' to the Division of Forestry, for the, approval.of,_. . ~ . Joseph L. Peabody, State Fire Warden. . . . . PERMANENT WAR ME~0RIAL O0MMITTEE~ A report was received from this committee to be followed bya more detailed' ~, report after the meeting to-be held on this date in the Court Room.. Mr. ! John A. Cronin reported that all families or, deceased veterans had been* contacted through letters and also personally by 'members of. the commit~ee~ ~. The report states that the families are definitely, against the dedicati0H of triangles and all favored'a permanent memorial, i The committee had 'in mind the building'of'a stadium in'~the vicinit)-,of the high school and '; ' ~::¥' ['~ · Mr. 0ronin stated that money.' could, be obtained from the Federal, Government for the plans and' other mon~'Y~'~o~ld be used from the Rehabilitation Fund. · Later an article could be inserted in the warranz. - ,', P,.EOREATIONAL COMMITTEE:' ...: .' ....' .R~v.: Ralph D. ~ork~ 'Chairman, reporte~ that the -committee .unanimousl~ ,~.':'' ',' '?~" voted~ to accept Joseph Luminells as a member of the committee and he ' ~ The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to open the warrant as'~ of January,:/~-,, '-.' ~ 6, 1947 and 'close it as of January 20, 1947, AT .7.z30 P.M. STREET. LIGHTING: - ~ . The board discussed'.the report of the Lawrence Gas& ~Electrkc comP~n~: ~.~...,~ ~" engineers: and felt. that the. report was an excellent o~e.. Mr.. stated tbsP,,he had',talked wi th Mr. Frost during the week. and Mr. Fros~: ~,-:, .' expIained to him that because a number of highpowered lights, had' been' recommended, the rate will be lower. Mr. Salisbury said he was in":.,' .''- · favor'.of having a'.well lighted'town and if: the report is ·handed back and~, .:, ' only our recommendation used- it nrov. e to' be more ex~enaive.. "; "'f'~ ' Mr. Thomson said that the iucreased cost of $1800 for additional 'lights." ~i would Be reasonable if a life could be saved and other accidents prevented He stated that the board had made a careful survey and all, felt that: the .' ~, lighging is poor throughout the town. The street ,lighting appr,.opriation:,.>", will: be increased to $11,300 'if approved at the annual ,town m~ti~g by ~ ' the voters. Mr., Salisbury suggested having Mr. Frost come over on January 13,' 1947,: Mr. Thomson felt that the Advisory Board may want Mr. Frost to appear. before them to explain about the new lights, and this will.be taken up "' with the Advisory Board,later in ,the evening. . , LAYING OUT STREETSa Leonard Firth appeared before ,the board and presented ,an article for proposed suggestions for laying out streets. Mr. Firth wants the. board to have a definite, policy so people can be told what they have to do. Mr. Salisbury stated that he would be glad to draft a set of rules and ~ regulations' for the boards guidance and the selectmen can then incorpora~ - this matter in the town warrant. Mr. Firth would like to be notified~ if nothing is done on this matter so that he can still have time to have ~ ' an article inserted in the warrant. DEPARTMENT(F CONS~2~ATION .- Communication received reminding the board of the necessity.of appropriating money for the suppression of the gypsy and brown-tail moth and tent caterpillar. The amount to be raised is $4100.00 and should be ~uff~cient t~ cover private work which is usually done in addition to the reguAar ~own worK; More than this amount has already been requested by the Finance Board. 265, ~continued TRANSFER FROM RESERVE FUND: The Advisory approved the transfer of $196.~2 from the Reserve Fund to the Outside Relief and Repairs Appropriationas requested by Mr~ Finneran, Chair- man of the Hoard of Public Welfare. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIES: Notice received that since September 1945 there was a drop of about 1% in food prises between mid-November and mid-December. Comparative index numbers and percentage tables are enclosed. MEETING IN CONNECTION WITH SURVEY MADE BY RALPH BRABSEUR AND MR. GOODWIN: The board of Selectmen held ,a Joint meeting with the Hoard of Assessors, the Advisor~ Hoard and Ralph~Brasseur~amd Clinton F.' .~oo~win_,in regard to assessments in the town. Mr. Thomson asked Mr. Brasseur if he would give~ a report on the recent sampl~ scientific reEaluation project which they,undertook recantly. Mr. H~asseur explained that 19parcel's of'property were measured, .figured and compsrision made with the assessors.books. Ail ,. !. information'is on .the cards, pictures of each house and outside dimensions shown. Ail cards were computed regardless of when the home was built. · TiThe two engineers figured that 1937 was a fair year to take, not being:~high, or Iow. We selected this year as our base and computed the results as shown. The tenth piece of p-..operty on each .page of the assessors book was picked ~ or possibly the clew,nth. We have comparison sheets which will show' what - - the building were or what, we determined to he sound value. The sheets ,showed that the cloal assessments ranged from 60.5 percent of the true vaM~ation;doWm. ' to' a Iow percentage of the sound' value or 20. 5%. Mr. Brasseur t0oM each piece of property separately and.' explained it' to those present; ~Mr. G6edwin explained why the year 1937was used. 'He ,said it showad'a c~art ~ of closes~ even year was fr6m 1935 to '1939. There w~"a sag previously and'~ -~, ~ a' terrific rise later-so 1937 seemd the ,most reasonable year to work from. "~':Mr. 'Thomson, after a lengthy diecdssioA,' asked what the assessors thou. ght~` · -':'~ ~: ~$outthis revaluati0~ project. -: . '~-, -~: ' "'1,?'Mr. Ourley stated that nobody was more int~;~st~d ,,than his board hut he did not wish to commit'himself. It comes up t.o this board finally but he .?,'felt that it- was entirely up to the town meeting. Ne stat'ed that he was not:i ~ '- ' ,' ~, appalled at the figures presented He would not say whether he was for or against the project. Mr. Salisbury then .asked if he was satisfied with the' figures amd Mrj Ourley stated that he was. He,said that the Hoard.of Assessors'decide how much of ~. ,,~ :,~a;figure shall be used. So far as Assessors are concerned, they will do all ',~':':~. ~hey can Mr. Ourley stated that he still feels that ~e Wants t6'ke~p ,. :'] ,~. ~,~ 1.~.:al iow ,valuation in the ~own. Z~.'' '"' :,:.M~. Soucy"sta~ed .thag he felt it would he; good to have a. system to .go by, !.',~ and~at the present time they do not have this. He Said it was almost .... ~ impossible for assessors to examine .property as c'arefully as they would · to but that they do not have 'the' time. '" '' "Mr. Wentworth .stated he would like to have something ~straightened out and .... ,~.;:?that is' to ge~ an expression of advice from ~he.as'sessors. '"'.. :".':. ~iMr.,~Our;~,ey :said .that he.was. ~ot' ducking anyissue but that it the article .... . .,: ~goes into the~ warrant, ~the Town nee'ting will ask for an opinion and ~will -. ~'/ ::\:he prepared to give one at 'that time. .' "' ]~Mr. Salisbury,. then .inqu~d, if Mr. Cu~ley had 'an opinion. , , , -'',.. He 'stated, that he did not think this was the time to spend $14,000. , ,. ,Mr.. Thomson asked Mr. Ourley if he' would-call a special meeting · ' board .'of assessors and let this h6ard know ho~ theY(feel about ., ~',Mr, Ourley'agreed ,to do this, and.nc.tifF t.his boa~d in writing. '~ ./'!!.~'E~S HOUSING PROHLEMS: ' '" : ,, Mr. Salisbury informed the board tha~ under, chapter';3?2, section 6, Acts of. ~?!:lg~,i.before any action can be taken, the State B~rd of Housing must'.feel '. tham mne situation is acute and Mr. Salisbury' then made a motian that'wa · communicate with the State: Board of Housing and ask that they .hold a ,' :public hearing as soon as possible. . ?.F.W. CLUB 1204: ,~Edward Garvey came hefor~ the Hoard and suggested that the board give out certificates of some kind signed by the Governor to 'those who served during ~. the w~ . He said that it was the consensus of the Veterans that only a few veterans would turn out if the~e was to he a celebration. Mr. Garvey asked that the Selectmen not throw this back on the committee (Permanent War Memorial). He suggested that' a medal or certificate would be fitting , .,. -:: .more so than a celebration. MEETING ADJOURNED: