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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1953-02-02 Board of Selectmen MinutesFEBRUARY 2, 1953- continued SCHOOL BUILDING CO~9~ITTEE: The board received a letter informing them that the School Building Committee approved plans and specification for .the new High School as submitted by Adden, Parker, Clinch and Crimp, 177 State Street, Boston. The committee voted to request the Board of Selectmen to seek a ra~ing of the new high school from the New England Board of Fire Underwriters on the basis of the plans, a copy of which our architects will be glad to deliver to the Under~riters. The aim of the School Building Committee is ~o make sure that every possible precaution is taken ~o obtain a minimum ru~e for the fire insurance which the Town will be expected to carry on the new building after its completion. Mr. Coffin made a motion to refer this letter to .Mr. Richard Whipple, chairman of .the Insurance Agents Association with a request that appropriate action be taken and a report made to the Selectmen as soon as possible. Mr~ Fianeran seconded this motion and the vote was unanimous. A copy of the letter will be sent to Mr. Whipple. CIVIL DEFENSE REPORT: The Board accepted a report on $ivil Defense for 'the year 1952 as submitted by Forbes Rockwell, Chairman. The repor~ listed the variou~ meetings and the amount of money spent during the year, the sum of $123.04. To sum up--- North Andover now has a ~ood base on which ~o buil~.~a full-scale Civil Defense organization, should the occasion arise and the 'report states that we are better prepared than most ~owns of our size in this area. BOSTON & MAINE RAILROAD: The Board received a letter relative :o the improving visibility of the gate arms at Sutton Street Grade crossing, North Andover. Scotlite reflectorized yellow materials are being ordered for application to improve visibility of ga~e arms and will follwo and let you 'know when the work is complete, d. Signed by S. G. Phillips, Chief Engineer.~Lettsr dated.January 30, 1953~ DAMAGE CLAIM: The Board received a letter ~rom Aldo A. Galleni, Main Street, Newton NiH. also and~stlmate of the cost Of repairing his car which was damaged when it was in collision with a town truck driven~ by John McDonald of the-Highway Department. The cos~ of repairing the front right pannel and painting same is $20~SO. The Board voted unanimously ~o refer this ~ to . Mr. Carry for a report before the board decides on the necessary, actio~ on this claim. F'~H & GAME CLU~: Mr. Thomeon informed the board that the Fish & Game Club has requested permiSS~o~i' to raise 100 pheasants on the Town Infirmary land for three months. They V~ke . · care of them and liberate them within three months. The Club will build pens for the pheasants. This has been done before at the Infirmary . Permission is requested only for such land as would berequired for the pens. Mr. Foster is willing to have this done. John Dolan talked with Mr. Thomson about this in behalf of the Fish and Game Club. Mr. Coffin made a motion that the North Andover Fish and Game Club ~e given permission to use so much of the land a~ the Infirmary as is required to build pens .~o house 100 baby pheasants, for approximately three months. Ail care .and upkeep to be born by the Fish and Game Club. Motion was seconded by Mr. Finneran and vo~e .was unanimous. Mr. John. Dolan will be notified. CO~X~ T~E- ~/[AWREN CE: The Selectmen received a letter from Chairman Arthur A~' Thomson, relative ~o a committee to be formed, from which a delegation wi]/ be picked to go to Washington t& confer with President Eisenhower for the purpose of finding solutions .to the many grim and depressing problems facing all of us in Grea~er Lawrence. Mr. Thomson has called a meeting :o be held on February 5, at Lincoln Hall, Essex Savings Bank Building at 8:00 P.M. Later, the board received a letter informing them that the meeting will be held on February 6, 1953 at 8 P.M. due to a meeting sponsored by the Greater .Lawrence Council of Churches to be held on February S. CHERRY SHEET: ~ copy of the Cherry Sheet has been received by the Board of Selectmen · EASTERN MASS. STREET P~ILWAY: ~ copy of House Bill 481, relative to establishing a special commission ~o investigate and study'matters relative to the Eastern Mass. Street Railway was received from pasquale Caggiano, 16~ Washington St. Ly~n,Mass. and re- questing that this board adopt a resolution favoring passage of this house bill. Copies of a resolution were enclosed for use-by the board.' No action was taken a~ this time. ~iled unde~ ~SS. STREET R~ILWAY. ~.BRUARY 2, 1953- continued; MOTION AND STATEMENT TO BOARD OF SELECTMEN: Er. Coffin presented a motion and sta%eman~ to the board and said he regretted having to perform this painful duty. ~he matter referred :o the political activity of Chief McKee, which has recently come to his attention. Er. Coffin mentioned that there is nothing in the statutes which can be applied to this situation and he r~alizes that the chief of police has the right of private suffrage as does any citizen. 'He.believes that this board has.the powers and duties ~o insist that Chief McKee cease and desist from all further involvement in any political campaign, either by personal solicitation of votes .or by direction of others to do. so, under penalty of immediate dismissal from office and he so moved that this be done. Er. Finneran said he would not second this motion nor did Mr. Thomson. Er. Thomson.said the answer is in the last paragraph which refers to the right of private suffrage whidh applies to the Chief of Police as well as to every citizen. No action was ~a~en. Mr. Coffin gave a copy of his statement to the reporter and he left the meeting. (Filed under Selectmen's Matters). FEBRUARY 9, 1953: The regular weekly meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held at 7:00 with all members present. Weekly bills and payrolls were approved. CAR DAMAGE CLAIM: A~ter receipt of a report from the Highway Surveyor, the Selectmen carefully considered the claim of A.ldo Galleni against the town and came to the con- clusion that there was no responsibility and respectfully declined payment of the claim. A letter will be sent so advising Mr. Gallcni of their decision. DEPT. OF CONSERVATION: Notification was re,dived from the Dep:. of Conservation, Division of ForestrY, that the appointment of James Hargreaves as Forest Warden in the Town of North Andover has been approved for the year 1953. E~ECTRICAL INSPECTOR'S REPORT: ?~h~ 'Board received and accepted the report of Thomas H. Lebel, Electrical Inspector, for the period from JanuarY 1 toDecember. 31, 1952: ~here were 270 Electrical inspections and 132 'oil burner inspections (new~ork), 67 inspections (replacements, boiler units), 75 inspections (rep!acemen~S, range & parlor), and 61 inspections (conversion installations). ELW~N KING: * ~e~Selectmen received a letter from Mr. King notifying them that*in the case of Sunderland et al against Martin Lawlor, Building Inspector, et al (John ]~yons, Town Clerk and the individuals comprising the Board of ~Selectmen)--"as 'to the Selectmen who are respondents, the case was dismissed because they were held not to be the proper parties respondent." Mr. King also submitted his bill' at this time. DEPT. OF CORPORATIONS &TAXATION: Communication received f om Henry F. Long requesting that the Selectmen urge the town to adopt the provisions of Section 38A of Chapter 41, General Laws. No action was taken 'by the Board relative to this matter. · MASS. DEPT. OF PUBLIC WORKS: A--ckno~ledgmen~ 'was made of our letter dated 1/28/53. ~he communication stated that their records show that on July 29, lP52,, approval was granted'for isolated stop signs so as to face ,.East and westbound drivers on Water Street at Elm Street (2 signs to face Eastbound drivers)" and further stated that a copy of Permit #5315, approving the amendment, was, forwarded to the Town Clerk on July 29, 1952, together with Permit #5034 for the erection of isolated s~op signs at this inter- secllion. Also, a communication Was received stating that the Dept. of Public Works is in receipt of a preliminarY report from our District Office which recommends approval of isolated stop signs so as ~o face "East and westbound drivers on Union Street at Marblehead Street." An amendment was enclosed ~o be a%%ested by the Town Clerk and'both copies to be returned to the Dept. of Public Works, 100 Nashua St., Boston. Approval will be granted upon receipm of the final repo~ from their District Office.