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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1950-08-21 Board of Selectmen Minutes AUGUST 21, 1950: continued After every angle had been discussed the planning board voted to refuse the request and various cases were shown W~ere ~pot zoning was illegal. Mr. Thomson then inquired of Peter Ritchie if his board had made any decision about requesting a secret ballot and he said there h~d been some discussion and he wou~d now take the responsibility of going on record as recommending that a secret ballot be taken at the s pecial town meeting and that the planning board will so recommend. Mr. ~homson stated that his npinion ~as that even though any' boar~ made this recommendation, it ~'~11 'be governed by the town meeting . Mr. Ritbhie further stated that his board went into all details and studied every angle and they could find no loophole. ' He said he really believes this 'soy deserves a :hance to have his business and ~that ~fs vote will definitely be in favor of the article. He'felt that the best way to Justify such a case is to have a test case. Mr. Thomson said he realized that this re~ort indicates a lot' of research and .-study and his understanding is that the town clerk is at all times prepared to have the means available to take care of a ballot vote. ParticUlarly if the planning board is to recommend such action he does not believe that the Selectmen should intervene at this time. Th~ Appeal ~ Planning Boards both refused · the petitions on this matter and in view of this, he could not go a&ong with Mr. Coffins motion. Mr. Coffin stated that his question has nothing to do with the voting of yes and no. ~e ~ know there is a csmpaign of the proponents and opponents to Vo~e yes or no and this is a very serious question. We, as Selectmen should see that the office cf chief of police is not mlnused. Mr. Coffin,s motion was repeated that the Board of Selectmen, having Jurisdiction over the chief of police, recommend to the moderator that the ballot vote ~e taken atthe town meeting and that preparation be made.for same. ~r. Co~fin said h.e thought this was one of the ke~ matters that the Selectman should pay attention to, with repsect to this office. Mr. Thomson agreed that the official capacity ought not to affect the v~ters · 'but that every~psrson has a right to ask a person to vote for them but only if~ A proponent is not i~ ~niform. Then it 'would be a matter for prop~er ~onsid- ~ if a police officer while on duty was asking for votes~ .rather than going ~on record as requesting a ballot vo~e. He said he ~ould be glad to give i~~ some thought before the meeting but ~he could not second the motion ~t '~this time· · Mr. COffin felt that this board should protect the people and restraint~ of power is the chief issue before the people. To his mind, Mr. Coffin felt ~that the pebple believe tha~ power is being used. As managers~.of the P01~e- force Z believe we should protect thepeople to see th~at no undue use is made of this deper~mant. - . No further action was taken on this matter. COMMUNITY CENTER: Rev. Cornelis Heyn came before the board 'and pres~e~ ted a' b~ .for ~the"band at 'the Night'bef6re the Fourth Celeb~atian for $36~O0 tO be p~md" f~om'the Contingent and also to ask permission to use the Center Playground on September 16, for their annual fall fair. The board granted permission subject: to the ~pproval of the.Board of Public %~orks. ~-Mr. Heyn also asked that they~have a police officer available and the board voted to ask the ~hief to cooperkte in this matter~ ., . VETERANS HOUSING: IrVing Howes came before the board and asked that this board request:~ that~ a ~survey be. 'made at the Veterans Housing Project as their were several requests made. to him for s=reet .lights and it is very dark i~ that section. Th~ board' voted ~to request the Gas CompaUy to make a surveylof this area and make their recommendation to this board. COMPLAINTS: Complaints from the police department with respect to the Town Line and North Andover Restaurants are contained in the license minute book. All reports will now come through the Chief rather than from the officers, to the Board of Selectmen. PROSECUTING OFFICER: .... The ~board discusoed the mat~er of Sgt. Hilton 'p~osecu~ng''ce~tain Cases and the chief eXPlained that this meant only the cases which come in between ' 5:00 P.M. and 1:00 A.M. v~nile the sergeant is on duty. He would be f~miliar with the cases and also the chief eXPlained that when school starts', one officer will be~ at the schools a good part of the day and someone will have to be in the station. He said there would probably be only a few cases during the year and the Sergeant would be paid for this work, and he did not think~ there would be any objections. Mr. Thomson 's~ated that hewas 'satisfied with this eXPlanation and the ether'members agreed.