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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1954-03-22 Board of Selectmen MinutesMAROH 22, lP54: ~he regular weekly meeting of the Board of Selectmen ~ras held at 7:30 P.M. with all members present. Weekly bills and payrolls were approved.. TREE REMOVAL HEARINGS: Petition of Janes Weeks, Narblehead Street for removal of a tree which is ob- structing a driveway and recommended by Mr. Conners, tree warden, that it be removed, was heard at 7:30 P.M. The board voted unanimously to refer this to the tree warden for removal of same. Petition of O. E. Faraci, Maple Avenue for removal of a tree, the roo~s of which are causing trouble with the sewer pipes, and recommended by Mr. Conners that it be removed, was heard at 7:30 P.M. ~he board voted unanimously to refer this ma~ter to the tree warden for removal of same. PUBLIC WEIGHER APPOIN2ED: On request of James R. Dooley, the board voted unanimously ~o appoint Robert Hebb, a public weigher. Mr. Hebb is employed by Mr. Dooley at the North Andover Coal Company. RE~UEST. TO HAVELIGHT SHADES ADJUSTED: ~ichard Whipple, 137 Salem St. requested the Board to have the street light shade in front of his property adjusted so that the light would not shine into his home. ~he Board voted unanimously to request the Lawrence Electric Co. to do this work. Maud Welsh, 77 Maple Avenue, requested the Board to have the light shade nd- Justed on Stonington Street so that the light will not be shaded at-all. board voted unanimously to request the Electric Company to make this change. STREET LIGHTREQUEST: Raymond Galloni,44 Bay State Road has request the installation of a street light in front of his property. T~e Board voted unanimeusly to request the Electric Company to check this location and make a reccmmenda~ionto the Board. A requestwas received from Mrs. Beatrice Gaumond, 60 Middlesex Street for the removal cfa ~reewhich is very close to the driveway and is dangerous. She stated that the tree has been bumped several times and rear lighss on her car has been broken because of the narrowness of the driveway. It is also dangerous when the driveway is slippery. The Board voted unanimously to refer this mat~r to the tree warden~ for in- vestigation and report. P~OBATE COURTs MEMO received relative to the estate cf Robert Bemis Smith, late of North Andover, deceased. A petition has been presented to the court, praying that the Boston Safe & ~rast Company be appointed executor thereof without giving a surety on its bend. The return day of this citation is April 5, 1954, at Probate Court, Salem. No action was taken by the board as it was felt that no department had any claims or objections. STATE HOUSING RENT COORDINATOR: Memorreceived rulative to the Rent Control Act, Chapter 434, Acts of 1953. Forty par cen~ of the amounts expended for purposes of this act with the approval of the rent boards shall be reimbursed by the Commonwealth upon approval and certification to the comptroller by the .'o-ordinator. T~e list of documents required were also listed. The Board voted unanimously to refer this to the Rent Control Board. INVITATION* TO~N OF ANDOVER: .The Board received an invitation from the Andover Board of Selectmen to attend an open n~eting on the location 'of P~lief Highway No. 28 to 6e held .on Monday, Narch 29, 1954 at 8:00 P.M. · No action taken by the board. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS: Letter received from Commissioner John A. Volpe aCknowledging letter of March 10 with respect to having a representative attend our open meeting on March 24. ~he letter states that they feel that it wo~ld save embarrassment for all concerned if a representative was not present. No action taken. JOSEPH A. SMITH & ASSOCIATES: Communication received informing the board that a senior member of the staff at this company will meet with the board on Apr/1 26, 19~h at 8:1~ P.M. INTERMITTENT OFFZCERS: The Board held over the matter of appointing Prank Howard and Alexander Ness for another six months provisional employment, pending a report from Chief ~ON 22, 19S4- continued McKee. ~.. ~rk sa~ he h~'% %~ked ~th %he chief, since last year ~d he h~ no speci~ feeling in ~e-mtter but tf these men ~e not need fo= so~ speci~ work, he wo~d feel ~ they co~d be ~scont~ued. He fee~ that the ReS~e Force is active ~d ~wers the c~s ~en needed. He h~ had no ~favo~ble reports ~ ~e past ~, ~. F~er~ ~q~red as %o ~ether or not ~ese in~ttentmmen worked last yea~. ~. ~lis s~d they did. He feels ~a% they should have qu~tfied men for this work ~d if %here are to be ~y special appoint~n~ he believes ~eter~'s should get it. He stol ~lfeves that ~%e~ttent police shoed be ab~ished ~. Kirk ~de a motion that the bo~d request C~ef ~cKee to i~orm the bo~ ~ %o' the need for continuing these s~ct~ officers. ~. ~nner~ seconded the motion ~d vote w~ decl~ed ~ ~ ~imous. O~ ~ TO%~ ~ P~C~E ~JAC~T ~0~. ~ ~ Y~ ~. ~s ~ar~d the ~mb~s t~% he had ~de up his ~d about this properuy ~d he felt that the decision shoed be by the to%~ople. ~is was discussed ~th ~e ~tment Hea~ e~lter in the eve~h~ '~.~ a~eed with ~. ~%~ed~e that t~re is no i~edia~.~.need for p~ch~g this l~d ~d perha~ at a later da~, the ~o~ may,decide to .exp~d lair ~n4 th~ land is not av~able then the v~o~ deponents ~ht.we~ .be rather th~ be too cramped fo= space. ~. ~er~ con--red ~th ~. ~i~is ~. Kirk ~de a motion that the bo~d accept ~is offer ~d place it on file ~ %~% a ~r of th~ks for %he ~nero~ offer be sent %o ~. ~. ~ran seco~ed this moron ~d vo~ w~ decl~ed to ~ ~mous. A co~catlon w~ received ~sion of Ci~l Se~ce relative to ~this ~na- %ion~us a supply of notices to be posed ~ conspicuous,planes~ .~1 station, ~ a cer~ificate to be pro,fly f~]ed out ~ ~%~ned not later %h~ ~rch 29. A ~table place is tebe a~a~ed ~ ~ich ~o co~ct t~s exaction. ~e bo~ void ~6 contact ~ Se~ce ~lative to the ml~ listed, on the notice w~ch is n~ ~co~ec~ due to ~ incre~e voted a~ the ~nu~ tovm ~ey decided that' the Oo~t Room.~d be a s~ta~e pl~e'to hold ~s ~UO~- P~COT S~T~ ~. Wtl~s ~or~d %he other mem~rs, that he had ta~ed '~th ~. ~n Mc0abe ~d ~. ~ed Kent a~ that the t~cks n~ us~.~escott Street ~e to be re-routed d~g the ho~s of 10 p,~. ~d 6 A.~ M. ~ that %hey~ use the rou~ sug~asted by the Selectmen. I% ~ ~e some t~e to straighten this. matter out ~t the ~tve=s ~e receiv~g ~s~ctions n~ to.use..~e new route. A~C~ LEMON-B~ AG~T: A let~r was received fr~ the ~eric~ Legion, Post 21P:'~elative to subleting ~s for the position of ~i~ A~nt tn to~. ~ey listed the follo~g ~s ~i~m ~ond, ~e~t St. ~ J~es ~phy, ~ple Avenue. ~e b~d voted to accept the let~r ~d hold the names ~t~ ~e 7. F. ~; sends ~ ~eir n~s, at w~ch ~me the appo~tment ~ be ~de. ~e Bo~d vo~d ~imously t0 request ~ e~gible list from Ci~ Ser~ce so that .appoint~nts of ~t~ee queried men ~y be made ,to comply ~th the vote of the ~ meet~g, ~ti~e 30, when $7~5 was appropriated for s ~ies for t~ee new office~. LEGAL OPINION: Mr. ~l~is gave each member of the board a copy of the ~pinion of Atty. Arnold Salisbury which show~ no liability on the part of the. town with reference to the claim-presented by Mrs. Cashman. He .suggested that the board advise Mrs. Cashman of the opinion. The Board voted unanimousl~ that in view of .the opinion submitted by ~ttorney Arnold Salisbury- that no liability exists on the part of the town on the claim · submitted and that Mrs. Cashman should be so informed and paymen~ will be refused on said claim. A copy of the ~pin~en and a letter will be sent to Mrs. Cashman. · DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL ~E~OURCES~ The board approved a b~l~ for $71.41 which is the town's proportion due ~he City of Newburyport. ~he account examined is as follows~ Cost of operation for 1953- .$23,750.31- Receipts for 1953- $17,258.75 and Net cost for 1953 is $6,491.56. ~e town's proportion is 1.15. Paid from Contingent Fund. MARCH 22, 1954: continued A petition signed by 236 registered voters requesting the Board of Selectmen to call a Special Town meeting and insert an article was received by the Board. The article is ~o see if the town will vo~e to raise and appropriate, or provide by bond issue, or transfer from available funds, a sufficient sum of money to extend the sewer system on Moody Street from Chadwick Street to the res~idance of Frank Grande. Petition of Davis McKee and others. ~he board accepted the petition and the names will be checked and' no action will be taken until next week. ARTICLE 82- ANN~AL~ IDWN ~-E~TING OF March 13, 1954: 'Alsdon Arold and Edwin ~ller came before the board to discuss the above article which ~as voted unfavorably a~ the ~own meeting. Mr. Arold informed the board that the sewer had been in Putnam Road .for some years and that Mr. Miller wanted the water installed for a distance of 200 feet. He said there were three empty lots on one end of the street and six empty lots on the other end. If the road is put in condition now, then it would have to be torn up again if and when the other owners decided to build and have wa~er and sewer installed. He felt that the bond of $3250 was much ~oo high and that it makes it .impossible f~r Mr. Miller to do anything. Mr. Willis said he felt that in view of the conditions recommended by the Advisory Board, the board would have ~o go along with the requirement of a $3250 bond. Otherwise the ~o~n v~ill be faced with the problem of fixing the street under Chapter 80. The biggest obstacle is going against .the vote of the town but ex- plained that it is. no fault of the Selectmen. There was com~iderable discussion b.etween Mr. Arold and Mr. Willis abo~t this matter and' Mr. Arold asked the other two members for ~their,opinion. -: Mr. Finneran said he felt that the board mus~ go along with the vote of the town meeting. Mr. Kirk stated that he did not feel that the board could go against the town meeting vote. Mr. W~llis suggested that Mr. Arold go-before the Board of Public Works and if they want towalve the second condition they have the power. The money is to be spent by them and Mr. Daffy represents an elective body and they can waive condi- tions as well as the Selectmen. If they want to go ahead and waive conditions they can do it and the Board of Selectmen will not have any objections. Nr. Arold asked if he might quote Mr. Willis and Mr. Willis then'stated that he was not talking for the board but for himself and that wh~t he meant'was that .,he neither objected to their waiving this condition nor was he in favor. .No further action was taken by the board. DEPARTMENT HEADS MEETING:-RE: EQUIPMENT AND SPACE AVAILABLE: Mr. Willis informed the department heads that the purpose of ~this meeting was to evaluate the s~ace available and to find more storage space for the Board of Public Works. Mr. Co.n~.ors, Tree Warden, was unable to be present but he presented a letter with t~e space he has and also the equipment he has available. At this point, Mr. Willis. pointed ou~ another problem, the need for expanding the t~wn Yards. He mentioned the ~,~le property which has been offered to'the to~n at a reasonable price and if these department heads feel that there is no need of expanding, he would like them to so s~ate. POLICE DEPT. Chief McKee said he has ~wo garages under the station, one of which R'e' has allowed the tree warden ~o use.. He has no need of available space. FIRE DE?ART~NT: Chief Thomson reported that they have portable bleachers, belong- ing to the Board of Public Works, sprayer, belonging to the ~ree Dept., Bathing Beach boat, Cross arms and wires- hose wrack will be there, ~wo air tanks 'and a 1/2 ton truck, in the basement of the fire station. He felt that he would not need any more space in the near future. ~RDUOF!~PUBLIC WORKS: Mr. Dully said he has five garage s tails and has a payloader in the stall in the shed. ~hey have three stalls in the Town Infirmary building and al¥ of the Town Building basement is used by the Board of Public Works. He stated that the Town Infirmary has a 30' c 60' shed which would provide ample space for bleachers, etc. There are no doors but he felt that it would .cost only about $300 and then he would have all the space needed. Mr. Kirk said tha~ the infirmary barn could be vacated if it was necessary to use it. HIGH~¥AY DEPT. Mr. Catty aaid he has sufficient storahe space and he wil2 be willing to give the Board of Public Works another stall for their equipmen~ if they will put the doors on. SCHOOL DEPT. Mr. 0'Brien reported that they have no space available for any large pieces of equipment. Mr. Willis said the board didn't wan~ ~oc~amp anyone but as it shapes up now, we couldn't a~and unle.ss the toe purchased the piece of land offered. Mr. Kittredge said he had not studied the situation but he felt that the town might have some ~ax title land which could be used. Where the departments are growing, he felt that they could stand a little segregation rather than have all equipment cramped into the ~o~n yard.