USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1937 > Part 1
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City of Quinry
1010
1625 M
9
QUINCY 1888
1937
THOMAS CRANE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 with funding from Boston Public Library
https://archive.org/details/inauguraladdress1937quin
City of Quincy Massachusetts
CITY GOVERNMENT OF 1938
TOGETHER WITH THE
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE OFFICIALS OF THE YEAR
1937
16
MANET
QUINCY
CITY DOCUMENT NO. 49
AN INDEX OF THE REPORTS APPEARING IN THIS VOLUME WILL BE FOUND AT THE END OF THE BOOK
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Inaugural Address
Report of The New City Hall Commission 17
City Officials for 1938 23
Report of Auditor of Accounts 28
Report of City Treasurer 108
Report of Woodward Fund, Treasurer 116
Report of Adams Temple & School Fund, Treasurer . 118
Report of Retirement System, Treasurer 121
Report of Retirement System 123
Report of Assessing Department 132
Report of Collector of Taxes 134
Report of Health Department . 148
Report of City Hospital 205
Report of Welfare Department . 254
Report of City Physician .258
Report of Police Department 259
Report of Fire Department 270
Report of Fire & Police Signal Department 279
Report of Building Inspector . 281
Report of Wire Inspector 284
Report of Sealer of Weights & Measures . 286
Report of Engineering Department 288
Report of Planning Board 302
Report of Board of Survey 303
Report of Commissioner of Public Works 304
Report of Sewer Department . 307
Report of Water Department 312
Report of Dock and Waterfront Commissioner 323
Report of City Solicitor . 324
Report of City Clerk 325
Report of Park Department 407
Report of Thomas Crane Public Library 410
Report of School Department . 424
PHOTO BY RICE, QUINCY
HARRY WALLACE TIRRELL CITY MESSENGER Elected by the City Council, Jan. 3, 1938 for the FIFTIETH CONSECUTIVE YEAR
PHOTO BY RICE, QUINCY
HON. THOMAS S. BURGIN 20TH MAYOR OF QUINCY FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY YEAR 1938
ANNUAL MESSAGE BY HON. THOMAS S. BURGIN, MAYOR MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 1938
Gentlemen of the Council:
Today marks a noteworthy anniversary in the progressive de- velopment of our city, as it officially inaugurates the fiftieth year of municipal government in Quincy.
If time permitted, I should like to review the strides of progress that have been taken since the late Charles H. Porter, as our first Mayor, and the twenty-three members of the first City Council gathered together in this building entrusted with the responsibility of managing and directing the affairs of a new city. Let me quote the first three paragraphs of Mayor Porter's Inaugural Address to the members of the then City Council. They embodied the highest thoughts in governmental responsibility, the courage and determina- tion to stand for those things they believed to be right, and the thought that to hold public office was to hold public trust. Let us be mindful of the honor accorded those men and the manner in which they laid the foundation stones upon which our municipal life has been built. May we, therefore, in spirit and in truth, con- duct ourselves in public office so wisely and honorably that we shall pay a tribute of grateful appreciation to the memory of those twenty-four men who had courage to be the pioneers in a drastic change of governmental policies, I quote from Mr. Porter's address:
"We inaugurate today the City Government of Quincy. It is a day ever to be remembered by all our citizens. We take this step after a fair, full and long discussion; and while it is one that will make great changes in our form of government, it seems to me if we administer the government on sound business principles, bring- ing to the carrying out of the ideas embodied in our charter a singleness of purpose, no one of our citizens will look with regret upon our new departure.
"The inexorable logic of events decided the question as to whether we would become a city or not. The steady and rapid growth of our town caused the old-fashioned town meeting to be a failure in our community and we take upon ourselves new duties, and a decided change in the method of administering our internal affairs.
"The charter under which we are to act has many new theories; their value will be determined by time. No New England city has a charter like our own. Briefly stated, the mayor is held directly responsible to the citizens in conducting the affairs of his office. The Council is the legislative body of our city."
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CITY OF QUINCY
We have a gentleman with us today who heard those words spoken and who has heard the Inaugural Address given by each of the twenty Mayors who, since Quincy became a city, have had the honor of serving as Chief Executive. Shortly after I have concluded speaking he will, I hope, be elected by the City Council for the fiftieth consecutive year as City Messenger, and I pause in my re- marks to pay an official and personal tribute to our friend and co- worker, Harry W. Tirrell. He has seen our city grow from a popu- lation of approximately fifteen thousand persons to almost eighty thousand, from a small city to a large municipality, and probably no person in the room would be more qualified than he to tell you of its history. To him, therefore, in behalf of the seven living Ex- Mayors and myself, I present this beautiful basket of fifty red roses as an expression of the love and esteem in which he is held by all of us. I feel that we speak for you gentlemen of the City Council and the entire population of Quincy. May God bless you, Harry, and give you good health to carry on for many more years to come.
Returning for a moment to the advancement of Quincy, may I remind you that since 1889 there have been but few fundamental changes in our form of government. Although the number of mem- bers in the City Council has been reduced from twenty-three to nine, we still have ward representation from each of six wards and members elected at large. The original city charter was re- placed by the Plan A type of charter by vote of our citizens on November 7, 1916, and since that time there have been but few supplementary laws adopted that materially change the general policies of government.
I feel that we can be grateful to those who have preceded us in governmental offices for the judgment and foresight they showed to the end that Quincy stands today, figuratively and literally, "as solid as our granite hills."
It is customary, and I believe desirable, for the Mayor to sum- marize the financial condition of the city and to comment upon the activities of the past year at the first meeting of the City Council. This I propose to do, and also outline briefly my plans for our serv- ice to Quincy for the year ahead.
PRESENT FINANCIAL CONDITION
As of December 31, 1937, the total outstanding funded debt of the city stood at $4,521,500. We have, however, authorized but not issued bonds in the amount of $135,000 for the new Fire Head- quarters. Adding this to the figure previously mentioned, the total funded debt, both authorized and outstanding, would be $4,656,500. This figure includes not only debt for municipal improvements and relief, but also loans on tax titles which now have been reduced to $169,000. A year ago when the latter loans amounted to $431,000 I expressed the thought that they would not involve any additional expense to the taxpayer. The reduction made within the past twelve months confirms my opinion in this respect.
A comparison of the total funded debt with that of a year ago shows a net reduction of $458,500, allowing for the authorized but unissued bonds. This net reduction for the past twelve months is divided as follows: tax title loans, $262,000; all other loans. $196,500.
7
INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY HON. THOMAS S. BURGIN, MAYOR
It might be interesting for you to notice that since June 30, 1935, shortly after I assumed the duties of Mayor, there has been a total net reduction in our funded debt of $781,000, of which $433,000 is in general loans and $348,000 in tax title loans. On many occasions during the past two and a half years I have affirmed my purpose to reduce the debt of the city at the rate of $200,000 per year. On that basis, the reduction for the last two and a half years would have been a half million dollars, but it is gratifying to report that the reduction accomplished is in excess of three quarters of a million, or better than a $300,000 per year average. A net funded debt reduction of the city in the past two and a half years of practically 15% is a showing of which our taxpayers and citizens may justly feel proud in these times of heavy debt increases throughout the country.
Turning now to the year 1938, the scheduled maturities of long term bonds will amount to $822,500, to which we should add a possible further reduction in tax title loans. Of course, we cannot anticipate that the reduction in such loans in 1938 will be anything like the net amount realized in the year just closed, due to the fact that tax title loans now amount to only $169,000. If these loans were reduced even by $75,000 this year it can be seen that debt retirements will approximate $900,000.
In planning my program for 1938 I do not anticipate any borrow- ings for public buildings other than that already authorized for the Fire Station and already included in the calculation of the debt reduction as previously discussed. If our borrowings for street, sewer and water construction are the same as last year, which totals $350,000, and if we borrow $185,000 for relief purposes, an amount equal to the borrowings last year for the same purpose, the total would still be only $535,000. This would afford a possible net reduction of $365,000. It should be remembered that the city may have to supply through borrowed funds somewhat in excess of $68,000 as its share, together with the state and federal government, in the development and improvement of Town River. If such a step is taken our possible reduction would be this much less.
I appreciate that borrowing for relief purposes is in effect capitalizing current expenses. Such a practice in my opinion may be adopted only after mature deliberation. Having given serious thought to the problem, I am firmly of the opinion that the time has not arrived to reverse the policy of the past three years, inaugurated before I assumed office. Our taxpaying home owners must be considered, as it means to them, on the basis of last year's relief borrowings, an increase of about $1.50 in the tax rate if we do not borrow for this purpose. It is, therefore, my hope that the legislative will again make possible the issuance of bonds for relief purposes on some such restricted basis as was the case in 1937 whereby 70% of the previous year's relief costs had to be included in the budget and approximately 30% could be raised through this type of financing.
It is most gratifying to observe the improvement made in the payment of taxes by our citizens. A year ago the unpaid taxes, in- cluding tax titles, were almost $2,000,000. Today they are over a quarter of a million dollars less than this amount, and the per- centage of the current levy collected to December 31st is the highest for any year since 1928.
8
CITY OF QUINCY
Last year I presented the annual appropriation order to the City Council at the first meeting in February, which was considerably earlier than the previous practice, thus making it possible for us to establish our financial policy early in the year. I propose to follow a similar course this year.
Before leaving the financial condition of the city, let me call your attention to the fact that our total funded debt as of Decem- ber 31, 1937, is lower than it has been on corresponding dates for eleven years, or since 1926.
Funded debt of the City of Quincy for twelve years:
December 31, 1926
$3,415,000
1927
5,180,000
1928
5,313,500
1929 5,645,000
1930
5,947,000
1931
5,667,500
1932
4,977,000
1933
4,737,064.06*
1934
5,243,000*
1935
5,295,500*
1936
5,115,000*
1937
4,656,500*
*Including Tax Title Loans.
CONCERNING CITY DEPARTMENTS
While it has been the practice in the past for some of our Mayors to go quite into detail regarding our city departments at this first Council meeting, I do not propose to take your time on these sub- jects, inasmuch as the City Report will contain full information on all such matters.
I shall, however, call some departments to your attention, par- ticularly the larger ones, so that you may be advised of their activities during the past twelve months.
WELFARE
The cost of maintaining the Welfare Department for the year 1937 has been greater than was anticipated at the beginning of the year. It was felt that our expenditures could be reduced as they were in 1936 over the previous year, provided the receipts from the Federal Government could be maintained at the same level as in 1936, and that private industry could absorb a number of those people who were then on welfare. In both instances we have been disappointed, and it has been impossible to reduce the cost of administering relief.
9
INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY HON. THOMAS S. BURGIN, MAYOR
In the first place, in the Old Age Assistance Division, the en- rollment has increased more than 50% on the average for the year, and in addition to that the statutes have been somewhat revised, and the leniency shown to those who are receiving Old Age Assistance has been more pronounced than ever before. This divi- sion alone has cost the City of Quincy more than $265,000 for 1937, an increase of approximately $95,000. In Mother's Aid, or Aid to Dependent Children as it is now called, there has been a noticeable increase, which has cost the City of Quincy approximately $10,000 more than in 1936. It must be borne in mind, however, that our reimbursements on both the Old Age Assistance and Aid to De- pendent Children amounts to approximately $230,000 which is re- turned to the City Treasury.
The average number on Temporary Aid for the year 1937 was less than for the year 1936, while the expenses for this division have been a few thousand dollars greater. This is accounted for by a change of policy of the Federal Government, whereby only citizens could be employed on W.P.A. projects during the past six months, which has made it necessary for the Welfare Department to spend a great deal more money on its welfare cases in proportion to the number heretofore. When we realize that we are now totally supporting a great many families, which in some cases cost more than $20 per week per family, who during the first six months of the year were able to contribute a portion of the cost of main- taining the family, it is not difficult to see that the entire cost of Temporary Aid would be materially increased. I feel that, under the circumstances, the department has done very well and the City of Quincy is in a much better situation so far as Temporary Aid is concerned than other cities of our size in the Commonwealth.
Our settlements with other cities and towns have been very well taken care of during the year, and the department is in a better position at the present time than it has been for a great many years.
During the last twelve months it has been the responsibility of the department to make all the W.P.A. registrations and certifica- tions, which has been an added burden to the department. It has, however, been a greater saving to the City of Quincy because of the fact that those who are in need have been certified as rapidly as we could handle the cases.
PUBLIC WORKS
This department is without question the largest in our city, both in personnel and expenditures. Embodying the Highway, Sanitary, Sewer, Water, Forestry, Cemetery and W.P.A. Divisions, as well as care of Municipal Buildings, it can easily be understood that the responsibility of directing its operations is a tremendous task.
The detail of accomplishments under our Public Works Depart- ment will be completely outlined in the Annual City Report. New streets have been built and old ones rebuilt in every section of the city. Sewer and water extensions have been completed and a large amount of constructive work has been done by the W.P.A. through- out the city.
I pause to express my official appreciation in behalf of our citi- zens to the federal government for their assistance in relieving the
10
CITY OF QUINCY
city of large additional welfare costs through the continuation of the Works Progress Administration. There are now close to one thousand persons receiving this type of aid.
Probably the outstanding street construction in the city this year was the rebuilding of Willard Street from the Milton line to Crescent Street. The remainder of the street to Furnace Avenue will be done early in the spring. We were fortunate in this particular construction to receive aid from the Commonwealth of Massachu- setts under Chapter 90 of the General Laws. Very little money from this source has been received in past years, and I trust we may be again aided during 1938.
W.P.A. Division
We have been fortunate during the past year in receiving. sub- stantial aid from the federal government for labor costs in many worthwhile projects. As stated earlier in this message, approxi- mately one thousand men and women of our city have received employment through this medium in both "white collar" and labor programs. It can well be imagined the additional burden on our taxpayers if these people, entirely dependent on relief aid of some kind, had to be carried on our welfare rolls. We have had to limit our employment in this branch of relief work upon the quota as set by the State and District W.P.A. offices. Your Mayor has made every effort to keep this quota at a maximum, and only recently was able to get approval for one hundred new assignments on men's projects. I have been extremely pleased with the women's sewing projects but my efforts to have the number of persons in this type of work increased have met with unresponsiveness.
Let me call to your attention a few of the many worthwhile projects undertaken in Quincy during the past year:
Skating rink for children of Squantum; North, Quincy Athletic Field for Football and Track, with seating accommodations for 2400; O'Neil Baseball Field, North Quincy; Ex-Mayor William T. Shea Park, West Quincy; Faxon Park beautification, South Quincy; Schoolhouse repairs in all sections; Quincy Municipal Stadium; sidewalk, street, and curbing construction in all sections; Cemetery Wall at Mount Wollaston; Granite Quarrying for city projects, West Quincy; Town and Furnace Brook granite walls; Community Center activities in all sections; Sewing Projects for furnishing clothes for the needy; Fire, Police, Cemetery and Welfare records modern- ized; Recodifying City Ordinances; and many others.
I want to publicly thank Colonel McDonough, our State Admin- istrator, and his assistants in both the State and District offices for their cooperation during the past year.
PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY
Police
The members of this department come in contact with more vis- itors passing through our city than any other municipal employee.
11
INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY HON. THOMAS S. BURGIN, MAYOR
It is not only essential, therefore, but imperative that their actions reflect credit upon the city as a whole. Alert, intelligent and agres- sive police officers should be the rule rather than the exception in the proper enforcement of law and order in Quincy. To this end I hold the Chief and his ranking officers strictly accountable.
Our city should be and will be free from crime and rackets if the policy of non-interference, particularly of a political nature, is con- tinued, and the responsibility of managing and directing the police department is left squarely upon the shoulders of our highly re- garded Chief Officer. He knows his obligation, and it is up to him to live up to it, without fear or favor, if he is to command the respect of his men and our citizens in general. In the name of decent government and a clean city I ask for the cooperation of all in his responsibility.
The many improvements in this department during the past year will be outlined in detail when the official city reports are printed. I do, however, wish to compliment the Chief on his recent announcement that a special officer is to be assigned exclusively for the prevention of property destruction and misdemeanors by juveniles through educational and cooperative lines rather than through fear. This plan has worked advantageously in many other communities, and is appreciated and encouraged by parents, court officers, school officials and the real friends of our younger genera- tion. It is gratifying to receive the approval of the justices and the probation department of our district court in this progressive step.
Until such time as I receive the recommendations of the Chief for the year 1938, there will be no further comments concerning this department.
To Lieutenant William Ferrazzi who has been assigned to the Mayor's Office in checking Beano reports and other special details I express my appreciation for his excellent service.
Fire
I have but one recommendation at this time concerning our Fire Department. Serious consideration should be given by the Council to amending the Ordinance establishing this division of public safety by limiting the number of reserve men to not more than six. I say this because there is at present no fixed number of such em- ployees set by the city. Through the acceptance in 1931 of the state act establishing a reserve force, the only limit of numbers is set by statute. It says in effect that the city may appoint a number equal to a certain percentage of the permanent force. The policy of appointing the limit was adopted, and now we have ap- proximately twenty-three reserve men.
The state law governing appointments to the Fire Department sets the age limit at thirty-five. That provision was placed there for a definite purpose-to get the services of young men physically fit to perform the work of fire fighting. Under the present plan a man may be appointed to the reserve force (with no regular assign- ment of duties) at age thirty-five and, being twenty-third on the list, it would be between eight and eleven years before he would be
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CITY OF QUINCY
promoted to the permanent force. At that rate, our thirty-five-year- old man would be between forty-three and forty-six years old be- fore he would qualify as a first year pay member of the department. It should be remembered that once a man is appointed a member of the reserve force there are no more state civil service examina- tions for him to take, either physical or mental, before automati- cally becoming a regular fireman. There are no duties for him to do except fill in during eight weeks in the summer time while the regular men's vacations are going on, and even then only about the first ten or twelve on the list of twenty-three are assigned to this work.
I feel that the number of reserves, therefore, should be imme- diately set at not more than six; that no more reserves be ap- pointed until there remain only five of the present twenty-three, and then only one at a time to fill existing vacancies as a member of the reserve is promoted to permanent to fill a vacancy in that force. This change would be decidedly to the advantage of our taxpayers and prevent men from being made permanent members of the Fire Department who are well over the age limit of thirty- five.
With the construction of our new Fire Department Headquarters, Fire Alarm Building, and Drill Tower, every requirement of the National Board of Fire Underwriters, with one exception, will have been complied with to the end that we could get our first fire in- surance rate reduction in many, many years. It is to be regretted that the 1937 Council could not see the advantage of passing this one remaining requisite which it is estimated would save $25,000 per year in fire insurance premiums and cost the city only $2300 per year. Early action in 1938 will be necessary, as the new rate books will be printed by the New England Insurance Exchange in about four weeks using the old rates unless the remaining requirement is fulfilled.
Health
The general health of our city is being closely watched by this department under the able guidance of Dr. Richard M. Ash. Every necessary step is being taken daily to prevent diseases in our com- munity, and an examination of the Health Department report will substantiate my remarks.
Hospital
I must pause here to pay tribute to one who gave unstintingly of his time and efforts for the well-being of our sick and injured. In the death of Joseph B. Groce, Chairman of our Hospital Board of Managers, the city lost a fine example of a public spirited citizen. He died in the work he loved, and the manner in which he re- organized the administrative side of our hospital will stand as the greatest memorial any one in this type of work could leave behind him.
To Dr. Leone, our Superintendent, and the remaining four members of the Board, as well as to our medical and surgical staff.
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INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY HON. THOMAS S. BURGIN, MAYOR
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