HomeMy WebLinkAbout1953-01-05 Board of Selectmen MinutesDECEMBER 29, 1952- continued.
G~EAT POND ROAD:
A letter was received from Lt.,Edmund and NarJorie Korziuk, owners of a parcel
of land on Great Pond Road, part of which was taken by the town for widening of
Great Pond ]~oad, and also a copy of the letter which they sen~ ~o the Essex County
Commissioners showing the detailed breakdown of the payments ,which they believe
they are entitled to receive for the land taken. The two members of the board
agreed that the copy of this letter should~ be mailed ~o Attorney E~wyn King, who
is handling this matter.
JANUARY 5, 1953::
~ng of 1953was held at 7:00 P.M. with all members present.' ~/eekly
bills and payrolls were approved.
G~OUP INSURANCE.~
~o representatives of'the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance ComPany came before
the board and present a suggested schedule of insurance and a summary of the estimated
cos~ of the plan. They explained tha~ they have based their 'calculations On 140 permanent
employees shown by departments or offices 'to' which ~hey are attached. There are six
employes 65 years of age or older and one employe~ who' is 78 yearn Old. On this ~basis
of 140 employees the monthly premium of $340.00 and an incurred loss ratio,of 50%,
the following dividends have baan prepared by the department. ' On the ~sec0nd year,/the
dividend would be $410, the fifth year, $1077.12, the lOth year, $1117;92~nd.the,ten
year average would be $~09.84. They have used an effective date of January 1~ 1953,
for calculation purposes and the propo~sal is based on $2,000. of Life Insurance for
employees .earning $2,000 or.more a year and $1,O00of Life Insurance for those em-
ployees~ earning less than $2,000 a year according to Chapter 239-of. the A~cts of 1952
of the State "egislature; . ·
The representatives explained that no physical examination is reqairedand if an ~..~
article is inserted in the warrant, t~ey Will talk to~the employees individualy. He
said'they must get ~% of/the employees in order to accept the plan.
N~. Thomson said, the board would, give ~t some thought and if.the article is to be
~, ! inserted in the warrant, the company will be notified. · '
POLICE DEPAR~NT: ..., ~
~Officer John ~illis came before the board to give notice and request a leave' of
absence to begin on January 21, 1953. He thanked the board for appointing~him as ~'~
an officer to the department and said he has done his duty tothe best'~ of his ability
.under"~cer~ain conditions., He said that nobody know' how valuable ,this position has~
been '.t~ him, esPecia~.ly g0ingl to' school, starting a law office and raising, ~ famil~y. '.
He: understands that mt is~.purely discret£onarYl for the' Board td make:.~his~ ~ecision.
~Mr. Thomson inquired,what hisreason was 'for request,this leaVe And officer'Willis
asked~if~he had to give. one. Mr. ~homson said he felt that there should~,b~ a reason
given. Officer~ W'~llis ~he~ said. he has taken papers out. for the office ~of~ Select~en
.and as fa~as heunders~ands he intends ~o run for office. He doesn't care to have
~this the. pamer, at the presen~ time. However~ Mr. Murphy, reporter, stated that
'anything discussed at an open:meeting cannot be:suppresSed by th~1 paper; ~ '
Mr. Willis then said he did not feel. it was .right for 'an officer to ru~ for a public
'office. There is a ~err~n element of coersion~ as a policeman ,and.apart ~rom that
there is nothing inthe law ~o prevent him from~r~nning for~a public, office'. For the -
best interes~ of all involved, he felt that he should request'a leave of absence. He
said.that under the Statute, he is entitled to a three month leave.of absence, on
the approval of the proper board. The board voted to take this matter under advisement.
Later the board discussed the matter and Mr. Finneran said it,was alright ~rith him
if he ~r~s granted a leave of absence. Mr. Coffin said he would like to .have a week
~o think the matter over and it was held over for one week.
DRAINAGE REP0~- SCHOOL BUILDING COMNITTEE: . · ' '
Francis Klttredge came before the Board, representing the School~Building Committee
and informed the board that then the question of development of ~change on the site.
of the new High School is brought ~ up, .there is_a dr.ainage problem:'.In .view 'of the
fact that~ there is considerable water they.h ad~prelmmiary, surv~y made ~o find
adequate facilities for the drainage. Mr. Ki~redg~ presented an original and a
subsequent report 'and he explained that there .are ~wo sys~eme of drainage which
start a~ Park Street 'and Chickering Road and they want mo know what happens to the
water after it enters the ditch. Three possibilities have bee~ presented and it is
all contained in the reports submitted to the board. Mr, Kittredge felt tha~ the
matter should be referred to the proper department for an article in the ~own warrant.
Mr. Thomson said thau an open ditch does no~ appeal to him, that it could be clogged
up many times, I~ would seem particularly a ma~er for the Highway Surveyor and not
the Selectmen. He 'felt that the board could accept this propnsit~on and teke it up
~ith the Highway Surveyor before nex~ ~onday night, when the warrant closes, t
SURFACE D~W~INAGE-continued:
~lr. Kittredge said his committee would be glad to talk to Mr. Catty about this
ma~ter. ~. Coffin then made a motion that the matter as presented by Francis
Kittredge relative ~o surface drainiage in connection with the new High School,
be referred ~o Mr. Carry for study and that he appear before the board on January
12, with reference to the i~mertion of an article in the to~n warrant. Vote was
una~limous ·
ADJUDICATION- WOODBRIDGE ROAD:
A public hearing was held on the adjudication of Woodbridge Road from Green Stree~
mo Tyler Road for a distance of 200 feet. Mr. Thomson read a letter from Mr. Carry,
Highway Surveyor stating that he and Ralph Brasseur had viewed the conditions~ on
Woodbri~ge Road and found that 200 feet of the road from Greene Stree~ to Tyler Road
is in proper condition for acceptance. All abutters were notified of this hearing
it was properly adv~=tised and the Towu Clerk notified and no opposition was received.
Mr. Coffin then made a motion that Woodbridge Road for a~distance of 200 feet from
Greene Stree~ to Tyler Road be adjudicated and presented to the ~own in Ehe form of
an article in the annual warrant.
NEW ENGLAND TEL. & TEL.CO* LAWRENCE G & E CO:
A petition for Joint.pole relocation was received from ~he above companies and
no hearing was required. The Board voted unanimously to grant the petition re-
cuesting permission ~o ~elocats poles, wires, cables and fixtures on High Street,
~pproximately 200' northwesm of Perley Street, i pole. Remove I pole.
P~OLVER PEP~T APPLICATiO.k~
The board voted unanimously to gran~ a license to Andrew Alvino, 125 ~liff!in Drive
for permission ~o carry arevolver or pistol, to be used for hunting or target practice.
~pplication was approved by Chief McKee.
LAW, CE GAS & ELECTRIC CO: STREET LIGHT TO BE CHECKED:
,~r. Finneran received a complaint .about the street light at the corner of Second
and Main Streets,~and it is reported tha~ the lighting, is very poor. The Board voted
to check width th~ ~La~rence G & E Co. tc see if there is eomething wrong with the
light there.
S IDF~ALK COMPLAINT:
Peter Ritchie complained to the board about the sidewalk on Sutton $tree~ from
Sutton's Corner up about 500 or 600 feet which he claims is in a deplorable condition.
He said that people are afraid to ~alk on the sidewalk at night and it is dangerous
for them to walk in the street. The board voted to refer this matter to the Highway
Surveyor for investigation.
DEPARTt~NT OF CONSERVATION: IN~ECT pEST CONTROL:
In conformance with Section 11, Chapter 660, Acts of 1948, the Selectmen are hereby
notified that the ~legal liability of the ~own for Insect Pest Control work. in 1953
is $3,754.00. Theyrecommend that a sum of at least $8,O00 be appropriated and
expended solely for those public nuisances specified in Section 11.
In conformance with Section 13, Chapter 761, Acts of 1949, they hereby notify the
Selectmen ~hat the town's legal liability for Dutch Elm disease control work in
1953 is $1,877.00 and they recommend a minimum of $3,000~be appropriated for the
control program of removing all dead and dying wood, spraying and the removal and
prescribed disposal of all condemned elm trees. The legsl liabilities quoted are
se~ by law, based on the valuation of the ~o~m.. The recommendations are the minimum
amounts but larger amounts may be appropriated ,~s desired. Particular attention is
called to thefact .~hat the above approp~_ations shall be ~wo separate articles in
~the warrant and voted 'as such. The board voted ~or~fer these figures to the
Advisory Board to be considered with the budgets. '
DEPARTMENT OF PU~IC WORKS: -
Notice received that in accordance with the board's vo~e on December 22, 1952
the contractor, ~artin Nailer will do the seeding on Great Pond Road.
BOSTON & ~INE RAILROAD:
Letter received informing the board that some night observations have been observed
at thence arms on the crossings in North Andover and the matter has been referred
the their Electrical Engineer for further study and estimate. When this has been
.complmted the board will be advised further.