HomeMy WebLinkAbout1951-08-13 Board of Selectmen MinutesOn motion of Mr. Coffin, the Board voted unanimously to refer this communication to the
attenticn of the Chief of. Police and a request made of him that he report to the Board
monthly as to the progress made.
DISCUSSION RE PAREING AT LAKE COCHICHEWZCK:
~of parking at the Lake. Mm. Coffin stated, that
a warm day, there are as many as twenty or thirty cars and he has seen people there in
cars that were parked so as to impede traffic and even has seen people wading in the Lake.
The Beard discussed the possibility of stopping aL1 parking at the Lake but then decided
it was too bad to deprive North Andover residents of the pleasure of sitting up there on
a warm night, providing they were violating no rules or impeding traffic. Mr. Coffin
felt that rather than ask for a flat enforcement, the police should use a little dis-
cretion. Mr. Thcmson mentioned that with the forthcoming work on Great Pond Road, these
cars would be even more of a hazard with consmructloa going on. The Board voted to call
this matter to the attention of the Chief of Police and that he be reminded of the
Rules~ and Orders l~egulating Traffic, Article %, Section 1, d, with particular reference
to parking on Great Pond Road.
PRECINCT OFFIOER LIST:
J · a ova ma er was'discussed briefly and the' Board voted to ask the Registrars and Mr.
Lyons to meet with them at 8:00 P.M. at their next meeting, 8/27/51, to discuss this matter
more in detail.
:ommum~cation received rem .enry F. Long advising of a testimonial dinner to be held in
honor of George Whitney Searle, whew ill terminate a long career-devoted to the service of
the Commonwealth of Mass. The Board voted to refer this communication to the Beard of Assessors.
~ury was made out by John Dolan, Dog Officer, 12 Ashland Street, who hurt his
shoulder while performing his duties on July'29, 1951. This report was signed by Mr. Thomson
and will be sent in to the insurance company and a copy to the Industrial Accident Board.
APPROVAl OF TRANSFER EROM, RESERVE FUND:
-'pprow was rece re--rom e ' _-sox~jBoard on the transfer of $400 from the Reserve
Fund to the Contingent Fund, as per the request of the Board of Selectmen.
· · -o~ g were ~an ously approved b~ the Beard of Se.lectmsn~ Walter ~1., ~2 Celuah~.
~o, .~ndre~ ~..~lvino, 12~ ~Lfflin ~'ive, Ansust ~o ~l. tmeir, 271 Stevens St., Ansustine ~.
Langtry,'Ll3 ~g~ Street. ~e permit of T.~oyd Grockett, 13 Pond Street, was approved by
Mr. Thomsen and Mr. ~eran, with Mr. ¢o£fin votin~ ,no.~
-o =. ca, on rece ye. -~o~ss. ~op~. of ~tl:a. ic ~o~s enclosing contracts-for the madateaance
of cert~l.n road~ in this to~m un, er ~e provisions of Secttun 3~,'C~ter ~0 of the ~meral
~aws, ~ero ~.~ ~ich the Ccamissioners submitted for the conside~atien of l;~Ls Beaz~. The
sisaed these con~cts and they will be returned to their office.
~oo--~o losses relative 'to the float loss were submitted to the Board by Thcs. Bevington &
Sons, Inc. to be signed by a Town Official and returned. Mr. Finneran, Clerk ~of the Board,
signed these forms and they will be submitted to the Tc~n Clerk to be notarized and then
returned toTho~. Bevington.
MASS. SE~ECTME~,S ASSOCIATION:
:o ~lca-_on._~ eng 'a small' pamphlet received by the Board of Selectmen from the Mass.
Selectmen,s Association, which, according to the letter, is Particularly applicable to
municipal activities.
POLICE RELIEFASs0CIATION:
Ada egat~on, in ~u .ng some'regular officers and'some reserve officers, came before the
Board to get certain'matters straightened out. The first point that Mr. Willis ~rought
up was the question of a pay adjustment for the reserve officers. Mr. Willis stated that
in past years, when a reserve officer substituted for a regular on the latter,s vacation,
he received the regular officer,s salary hut this year, the reserve officers are beingpaid
$l.O0 per hour. Mr. Willis further stated that the fire department follows the procedure of
paying full regular's salary during the vacation Period. The second point that Mr. Willis
brought up was the fact that in the last six weaks, the reserves ~have not received any calls
for work and there has been plenty 5f work available. The third point in question was the
fact that there is supposed to be a provision for three men on duty during the week-errand
one man has been eliminated-during vacation. Mr. Willis thought it was odd that they should
be gliminating a 3rd man, Particularlyduringthe summer between the hours of'4:30 and'9:00
P.M. when Chickering Road has a great deal of traffic~and there is no provision for extra men.
AUGUST 13, 1951 (continued)
~r. Willis further stated that it has been a month since they were last in to see the
Board and these men have been working for $1.00 per hour. Er. Farnham said that one of
the m~.Lu gripes is that these men are not being c~led. ~r.~ ~/illis stated that on the
day shift, it is fairly difficult to get in touch with these men because they have their
regular employment. Mr. Roche spoke about calling the men on short notice and he felt
that they should be given a couple of days' notice. Er. W~llis stated that he had sug-
gested to the Chief that one or two of the reserves make themselves 'available at a~l times
for a certain period cf ti~e, and further stated that these men want to insist on their
rights..
Er. Thom-~on then asked the diff~rent men what their hours were at their r'e~l~r employment
and he was advised by each man. Er. WL~lis said that' he' had a com~-tcation from Civi~
Service which stated "They have no control mof the salary 0f the reserve officers" and
~r. Willis further stated that 'these men must~ be available 'atany' time but he thinks that
the Chief assumes that the men aren't available. Ne t~rther stated that the men would
substantiate the fact that they haven't beenI called. Donovan has worked and he is not
a reserve officer.
Er. Cofffm felt that the chief complaint was th~ fact that they were not being called for
work and he also' felt that they had good grounds. Er. Coffin thought it might be a good
idea to instruct the Chief to confer with each m~n, get telephone humbert, hours they work,
.address, where to get in touch with them in the event they were not home (if posstbl) and
then a list could be made up and he should be advised of any changes and that the Chief
be instructed to schedule his policing as far ahead as practicable and in any case,, see
that reserve work be given to reserve, officers and that a report of calls made and assign
monte made be given to the Board every month. Er. Mcgubbin spoke about n6t being allowed
to work whLle he.was on vacation from the PAthway Dept. and ~r. Thomson asked if the men
would be content to. have one man-work the whole month and. no one else get any work. ~r.
Vfillis said they had no complaint about who is getting the work among the reserves and it
has alweysbean arranged 'that we,v...
Er. Thomson stated that he was in accordance that the reserves should get th'e work But '?
on the $1.00 per hour question, he stated that this is the established rate. of pay for
reserves and there hasn't been any application made to Civil Service toincrease this
to whatever .the regular hourly p~ should be. Mr; Theme'on felt that the BoM should
hear bo.th sides of the story .and the:, Chief was contacted and asked to come to the meeting.
Taking extra vacation time was also discussed and the Board felt that if a re.estI iS
made by a man for additional time, he should be willing not to profit by it. Mr.,Willis
agafm brought up the matter of how this'same situation is handled in the fire depar.tment
but Hr. Thomson stated.that this 'Board has no control over their salaries.and it mightbe
that the Fire Engineers have sent some notification to Civi~' Service. Mr. Finneran, said
'it sbunded as though, the reserve officer were, a "lost man, and Mr. Willis agreed. Mr.
Firmeran then said' that when the,police were. seeking a raise for themselves, no one even,
mentioned .the Reserve Officers. ~ Er; Thomson' stated that' he ,has talked with the' Chief
and~ivil Service told him that he c~uldn't pay more th~n $1.00 per'hour unless Civ~l
Service is notified by the Board of Selectmen. Er. Thomson then ,sa'id, ~"..Y~u~men'.assume
you are available at times other than your regular 'employment., All of you so far as your
regular employment is concerned, are not available duringyour regular working hours."
However, some of the men insisted that they were available at all times~ When the Chief
arrived at the mas.ting, he was asked vahyy the reserves were being paid$1.O0 per hour
and 'the 'Chief stated that was the rate that had been,set. Mr. ~Thomeon~anked if the'ap-
propriattc2 had been set up for. $1.00 per hour and the 'Chief replied it had, as far as
he know~ Mr.' Thomson then asked.what happened to,the ,money when a reserve was,hired to
tak6...a regular's place on vacation and the reserve was paid $1.00 per hour and the,lChief ~'
advised that this moneygoes back in the 'appropriation. Mr.. Coffin asked the, Chief if
he,were able to get the reserve and the Chief advised, that sometimes he could and some_
times, he couldn't.. Er. Thomson asked what the status was of the other men who do police
work but are not on regular, reserve list. The chief advised that they were intermittent
police officers. There was rather a long discussion about using ~wo men on week-end and
sometimes, using three. .
Once. again the matter ~f availability was discussed. Mr. Dushame now stated that. he Was`.
not available atall times, .since his. family came first,, and' stated he,was available,
after four P.M. Mr. Macklin then stated he was available on certain occasions...when, asked
what occasions, he replied "on proper notice"...when asked "what do you consider proper .
notice". Mr. Nacklin Just insisted, "on proper noflice". Er. McCubbin stated h~ w~s~ available
.any time"...whan the Chief. said "any time at-~1~ Mr. McCubbin .replied, "yes"' but said
that the Chief would have to ask Mr. Carty permission to be off.. Mr. NcCubhin said as far
as he is concerned, heis available ,any time" and it is not his fault if, he cannot~get off.
Mr. Thomson then stated that these men create a reserve force and he couldn't~ see any
reason,why this thin& could not be worked out satisfactorily. The Board felt that each
reserved,off[car should make of the t!m~ he is available and submit the original to the
,LYzief and a copy to the Board and the Board thought that the Chief should give them a
report of when these men.are called and the'whole story shm,l~ be given.
In regard, to the question, of $1.00 per hour, Mr. Finneran did not feel as though anything
could be done at this time..Er. C6ffin felt that we should let- it go for the rest cf ·
the ye,a~as it would be discrim~-ation against the fellows who have already worked. Mr.
Thomson felt we should have this in mind at ~,he end of the year and he felt that $1.00
per hour does seem inconsistent with present day prices.
/
The Board and Chief McXee discussed the matter of expenses while the chief has been working
on the murder case in connection with the D.A. 's off[ce and the Board agreed that he should
submit a bill.