1961/03/20 AGENDA
Board of Selectmen Meeting
Monday, March 20, 1961
1. Approve last week's minutes. /
2. James F. Kissane, ~r. - re bids.v
3. Fire Chiefs & Marshal - re South Kensington Fire Dept.
4. Grant Skinner - re Merit Raises.
5. Discuss Town Engineer's Budget,
6.. Overtime for Edward Haber.
7. Discuss Selectmen' s Budget.
TOWN OF BERLIN
OFFICE OF THE SELECTMEN
I~inutes Of the Meeting
March 20, 1961
The meeting opened at 7:$O p.m. with the three Selectmen present. Mr. Wallace
as present for the Press. Richard Robywas present to observe.
· item I The minutes of the meeting of March 13, 1961, were accepted as written,
Item II Board members met with Engineer James F. Kissane, Jr., and at his suggestion
all bids received on drainage were rejected. New bids will be advertised for.
Item III The three Fire Marshals, Anthony Rosso, George Skene and Edward Haber met
with the Board. Mr. Powers explained having been invited to a meeting with the
South Kensington Department, about ten or twelve men being present, and having been
asked what the Board of Selectmen's opinion was. He advised them that the Board did
not object to a Department out there. The men met with the entire Board and the
opinion was then too, that they must prove themselves. The men seemed to have the
impression that the Board was trying to knock them down. Now the report is that we
are favoring them. Our opinion has been unanimous in that they must prove themselves.
Mr. Haber reported Mr. Scheer came down last fall and stated they wanted to buy a tanker.
Mr. Haber'advised them on how his Fire Department had stated. His understanding now
is that they have already asked for prices on a tanker. Mr. Kerin related that the
only thing the Board has given them is a three year lease, witch option to renew, on
the Blue Hills School. The Board has nothing to say about what equipment they will be
provided with. He added that they were told they would have to prove themselves first.
Mr. Haber referred to the Board of Finance's request regarding location. He felt that
if they go through with their plans, the location problem has already been eliminated.
Mr. Kerin questioned whether the gentlemen present felt there is anything wrong with
the location. Mr. Rosso felt they were supposedly making a study which would be of
advantage to the whole 'Town. The Marshals primary concern was with the Ferndale area.
Mr. Powers questioned as to how long it was before the other Departments went to the
'~ Finance Board for Mr. Haber stated the Berlin in 194~.
a
budget.
Department
was
org~ zed
T~ converted an old Ferndale Dairy truck into a Fire Truck. In 1944 they received
$! ~.00. Hose was borrowed from the East Berlin Fire Department for training. The
East Berlin men trained the Berlin Department. Mr. Haber further stated he had been
approac~ed for training and had offere~i to train the new Department but has heard nothing
from them since. Mr. Skene stated the East Berlin Department started in 19~O with hose
and an old truck from the portland Fire Department. Later they obtained an old Packard
from the Berlin Auto Sales and made it into a truck. They then bought an old LaFrance
with hard tires. The money for all this equipment was raised by the Department itself.
In 1955 the ~ast Berlin Department received a little help from the Town. The Town
gave them their first truck, a LaFrance pumper, in 1958. Mr. Rosso advised that Kensington
organized in 19~$ and then in 1940 received its first budge~-~as mainly for hose.
Mr. Rosso, Sr., contributed a hearse which the me~ converted into a truck. The men
all contributed 50 cents each and went to Palmer, Mass., and bought a truck for $26.00
and towed it home. They fixed the truck up and used it. He further advised having
been contacted by the new Department about training and though Kensington was willing
to, they were choosey as to who was going to train them. They did not want Kensington's
Drill Master. They have borrowed Kensington's equipment to train but are being trained
by a State Drill~A aster. Mr. Rosso also offered them use of the Kensington building
to set ladders up against.-~ers and the Board unanimously agreed that they should
give the new Department all ~mora'~ support they can but no financial help until they
have proved themselves and are firmly established. Mr. Rosso advised the Board that
he resented being criticized by Mr. Scheer before the Financd 'Board for the manner in
which they had handled the fire at the Knapp home. Firemen present from Hartford and
New Britain had commended the Departments for a good job even though Mr. Scheer felt
they should have done bette~. Finance Board minutes will show what Mr. Scheer said.
Mr. Kerin suggested that Mr. powers write to Mr. Scheer and ask him to come before the
Board and get matters straightened out as to what he said. Mr. Ross~o advised the Board
~'~ th~ Kensington has the charter for the Kensington District. ~cording to his understanding
o$ he law, one department cannot supercede another and he asked that this point be
clarified. It ~as Mr. Rosso's understanding that the new Department had a committee of
-2-
three men to choose which Department would drill them.
It was the feeling ~f the Fire Marshal~ that they would have preferred to have
a new Department on Norton Road or further north on the Chamberlain Highway, but
since they already have the building, their location is already established.
qThe Marshals unanimously agree that the finances area Board of Finance problem
hich they did not care to advise on.
With regard to the area the South Kensington Volunteer Department would cover,
It should be the entire Town, which all the other Departments service, and their own
area on a still alarm.
it was noted that East Berlin was never contacted regarding drilling though
that Department .had drilled ~trained) both the Kensington and Berlin Departments.
The Marshals asked if they might have a little bit of help in repairing their
new headquarters. A carpenter for a short time would be of help to them.
Itu IV Mr. Grant Skinner, Highway Superintendent, appeared before to the Board with
regard to merit raised for the Highway Department. Mr. Skinner recemmended raises
for seven employees. A copy is attached hereto.
Changes in regulations were decided upon. A copy is attached hereto.
Mr. Skinner was instructed to secure prices on a new charon saw and report back
to the Selectmen.
Item V Mr. P~wer$ advised Mr. Kissane had not inclmded a figure for a raise in salary
in th~ angineers Budget since he preferred to have the Selectmen make ~hat decision.
Mr. Powers will ch,ck surrounding Towns for their pay schedule before ~u~king any
decision.
item VI The Board unanimously agreed to pay ~dward Haber 214 hours overtime for
work performed the past week.
Item VII Mr. Powers will present new budget for discussion on next Monday evening.
Item VIII The Board unanimously accepted bid received from Hodern Electronics,
for Lot No. 8, Block No. 98, for $870.OO. Bid is on file in Selectmens Office.
~'~ Th~ meeting adjourned at 10:lO
inc. j
~r. La~uoni
~r. Kerin