Official reports of the town of Wayland 1957-1959, Part 1

Author: Wayland (Mass.)
Publication date: 1957
Publisher: Printed at the Middlesex Freeman Office
Number of Pages: 662

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wayland > Official reports of the town of Wayland 1957-1959 > Part 1

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WAYLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

3 4869 00062 5986

LAND . FREE . PUBLIC . LIBR FOUNDED 1848 ORPOR

WAYLA AND

FOUNDED EAST SUDBURY 1780 1635.

#18358

For Reference

Not to be taken from this room

Official Reports Wayland Public Library

TED

1635.

EAST

FOUNDED

SUDBURY

8 21

183

Town of Wayland MASSACHUSETTS

FOR ITS ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-EIGHTH MUNICIPAL YEAR

FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST

1957

Official Reports

ATED

LAND

EAST

1635.

G3ONNOJ

SUDBURY

0821

183

Town of Wayland MASSACHUSETTS

FOR ITS ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-EIGHTH MUNICIPAL YEAR

FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST

1957

Murphy & Snyder, Inc., Maynard, Mass.

OFFICERS OF THE TOWN OF WAYLAND

MODERATOR

Term Expires

Howard S. Russell 1958

TOWN CLERK

Leila Sears

1958

SELECTMEN

Thomas Francis Linnehan 1958

John R. McEnroy 1959

Frank S. Tarr

1960

TOWN TREASURER

Dorothy Small Damon

1958

TAX COLLECTOR

Walter A. Cheslak

1958

TOWN ACCOUNTANT EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Norman E. Taylor

1960

BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE

J. Sidney Stone 1958

Carlisle D. Scotland 1959

Ronald H. Wood

1960

SCHOOL COMMITTEE

John Bernard Butler

1958

John W. Arnold 1958

William A. Waldron 1959

Eleanore C. Benjamin

1960

Douglas M. Surgenor

1960

ASSESSORS

George C. Lewis

1958

William S. Lewis

1959

B. Allen Benjamin

1960

WATER COMMISSIONERS

George K. Lewis

1958

Fern A. Taylor

1959

Alfred C. Damon

1960

TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY

George C. Bogren

1958

Theone H. Morgan 1958

Helen C. Morgan 1959

William R. Hulbert

1959

Hugh F. Colliton, Jr.

1960

Egon Weiss

1960

CEMETERY COMMISSIONERS

Ernest W. Schleicher

1958

Ralph H. Yetton

1959

Warren D. Valentine

1960

TREE WARDEN

Charles L. Fullick 1958

HIGHWAY SURVEYOR

Albert E. Potvin 1958

BOARD OF HEALTH

Charlotte A. Stewart 1958

David R. Corey

1959

Norman G. Fair

1960

PARK COMMISSIONERS

Frank S. Tarr

1958

Thomas F. Murray

1959

Nathaniel Hamlen

1960

ROAD COMMISSIONERS

Gustaf M. Blomgren 1958

Ronald S. Campbell

1959

Robert N. Elwell

1960

PLANNING BOARD

Bruce F. Kingsbury

1958

L. William Bertelsen, III 1959

Katharine Hodges 1959

1960

George F. Bowers, Jr.

1961

COMMISSIONERS OF TRUST FUNDS

J. Sidney Stone 1958

Thomas B. Gannett

1959

Allen R. Finlay

1960

Frederick G. Perry, Jr.

CONSTABLES All until 1958

Maunsell B. Babin John P. Butler George J. Butler

Ernest H. Damon* Philip R. Gladu Richard A. Gladu

Thomas Francis Linnehan

TRUSTEES OF THE ALLEN FUND

John Connelly Frederic A. Gibbs

1958

George W. Shepard J

MEASURERS OF WOOD AND BARK

Joseph H. Decatur

Thomas F. Linnehan

1958

Arthur Marston

SURVEYORS OF LUMBER

Thomas F. Linnehan

1958

Arthur F. Marston ..

FENCE VIEWERS

Board of Selectmen

1958

FIELD DRIVERS

Constables

1958

MEMORIAL DAY COMMITTEE

F. Clifton Haynes, Chairman

John C. Bryant

Robert G. Lewis

William N. Evans

Paul E. Kohler Robert L. Whaley

James E. Garvey

Ronald H. Wood

DOG OFFICER

Ernest H. Damon

1958

INSPECTOR OF ANIMALS INSPECTOR OF SLAUGHTERING

Warren F. Lawrence 1958

DISTRICT NURSE

Mary E. McNeil

1958

* Incumbent Chief of Police on Tenure of Office.

SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

Edward T. Damon 1958

MOTH SUPERINTENDENT CEMETERY SUPERINTENDENT

John E. Nelson 1958

FIRE CHIEF (G. L. Ch. 48, Sections 42-44, Inclusive) FOREST FIRE WARDEN OIL BURNER INSPECTOR CIVIL DEFENSE DIRECTOR

Francis J. Hartin Permanent

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Edward A. Veno

1958

Frank A. Larson (Deceased)

1958

Lloyd J. Osborn (To fill vacancy)

1958

Robert M. Morgan

1959

George Vinsonhaler

1959

John B. Wilson

1959

Georgia V. Alstad

1960

William A. Loker

1960

BURIAL AGENT AGENT VETERANS' BENEFITS

Ivan E. Beal 1958

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS PLANNING BOARD OF APPEALS

George G. Bogren

1958

Frank A. Smith

1959

Roger E. Ela

1960

(Associate Members)

Frank A. Larson (Deceased) 1958

Ettrick A. Lacey (To fill vacancy)

1958

Kimball C. Powning

1959

ZONING BOARD INSPECTOR WIRING INSPECTOR BUILDING INSPECTOR

Homer L. MacDonald 1958

PERSONNEL BOARD

Henry G. Pearson, Jr.

1958

Archibald Cox 1959

Theodore W. Fabisak 1960

Edward A. Veno (Resigned)

1961

Edwin W. Marston (To fill vacancy)

1961

John Simoni

1962

TOWN COUNSEL WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION AGENT

Frank W. Kilburn 1958

PLUMBING INSPECTOR

Timothy John Daly

1958

REGISTRARS OF VOTERS

Leila Sears, Republican (Clerk) 1958

William R. Gallagher, Democrat 1958

Waldo H. Russell, Republican

1959

Grace I. Courchine, Democrat

1960

ELECTION OFFICERS

Precinct 1

Willard B. Dik, Warden

1958

Claire T. Keller, Clerk

1958

Daniel H. Sheehan, Inspector 1958

John Dunning, Inspector

1958

Willis B. Ryder, Deputy Warden

1958

,Deputy Clerk

1958

Robert J. Dorey, Deputy Inspector

1958

Charles M. Gillespie, Deputy Inspector

1958

Precinct 2

Alvin B. Neale, Warden

1958

Madeline T. Hampstead, Clerk

1958

Frank A. Burke, Inspector

1958

Mary E. Payson, Inspector

1958

Parker H. Groton, Deputy Warden

1958

John J. McCann, Deputy Clerk

1958

N. Lawrence Ekdahl, Deputy Inspector

1958

Joseph Germano, Deputy Inspector

1958

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN - 1957

Mr. Frank S. Tarr, West Plain Street, Cochituate, Mass., was re-elected to the Board of Selectmen at the Annual Election in March, 1957. The Board organized as follows for the year 1957: Thomas F. Linnehan, Chairman; John R. McEnroy, Clerk; and Frank S. Tarr as the third member.

Mr. Frank W. Kilburn was re-appointed Town Counsel.

Three more progressive steps in Town Government were voted at the Town Meeting in March. They are Executive Secretary, Town Col- lector, and Fire Chief. These changes came as a result of a combined study of the Committee on Town Government and the Board of Select- men. The Town voted to accept Chapter 145 of the Acts of 1956 which authorized and directed the Board of Selectmen to appoint an Executive Secretary. This position incorporates two present town jobs - that of Town Accountant, Office Manager and Secretary to the Board of Selectmen, and in addition he is to exercise any authority delegated to him by the Board of Selectmen and stand ready to help all boards and committees desiring assistance. This change was made with the thought that the Board of Selectmen may act more as a policy-making board and the Executive Secretary to handle administration, and relieve the present work load of the Selectmen.

The Tax Collector is now Town Collector - a collector of all monies of the Town with few exceptions. This change is another step forward which consolidates and places under one head, the responsibility of money collected and is in turn presented to the Treasurer from one source instead of many.

The third change, or the appointment of a permanent Fire Chief, came about by accepting Paragraphs 42, 43, and 44 of Chapter 48 of the General Laws, which establishes a Fire Department under the con- trol of an officer known as the Chief and appointed by the Board of Selectmen. The Fire Department, in the past, has been governed by a Board of Engineers - five in number appointed by the Selectmen. With the advent of permanent men, it was found that having a Board of Engineers running the Department was an unweildly and inefficient operation.

After much thought, Norman E. Taylor, Town Accountant and Secretary to the Selectmen, was appointed to a three-year term as Executive Secretary. Francis J. Hartin, Main Street, Cochituate, Mass., Chief of Auxiliary Firemen and a Call-Fireman, was appointed as Way- land's first Fire Chief.

By a vote of the Town, our Police Chief, Ernest H. Damon, was given life tenure.

All appointments required by statute and Town By-Laws were made, and list of same appears in the roster of Town Officers and Com- mittees.

It was voted that Mr. Linnehan continue as a member of the Com- mittee on Town Government and Mr. McEnroy serve on the Committee to study the traffic situation in Wayland.

The Allen Fund Trustees with the Board of Welfare met with the Board of Selectmen and distributed the income of various Charity Funds as held by the Town.

Condemnation proceedings were carried out during the year on various sub-standard dwellings. The procedure will continue in 1958 on a planned basis.

A very hazardous condition on Old Sudbury Road at the river was corrected by building a new bridge over the Sudbury River with straight approaches on either side. This was a joint project shared by Sudbury, Wayland, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Middlesex County.

The Jury list was drawn and listed before July 1st as required by law.

At the scheduled meetings, the first and third Mondays of each month, all bills were approved and projects discussed.

Many special meetings were held throughout the year to discuss the many problems created by a fast growing community.

On September 23, 1957, the Town Offices were moved to the New Town Building. The Treasurer, Water Superintendent, Town Counsel, Cemetery, Tree and Park Departments moved their operations to the New Town Building from outside sources. By December 31st the Police, Fire, and Communications for both Departments were in operation. With the advent of a Communications Department, our Fire and Police com- munication arrangement with Natick was brought to a close.

Wayland is unique in the construction of a New Town Building in that it is completely paid for. No money was borrowed for the planning or construction of same. Most Town Departments can be reached now by calling the switch-board in the New Town Building.

The various Town Accounts were audited successfully in December.

All money collected for licenses has been turned over to the Treasurer.

This year the Town of Wayland through its Board of Selectmen were the recipients of a memorial to one Ephraim Curtis, a noted Indian Scout and an early resident of the Town. This memorial was donated by Miss Curtis, a direct descendant. It is in the form of stone and plaque, and has been placed on the new heater piece adjacent to Train- ing Field Road and Glezen Lane.

In December, we and the residents of the Town, were deeply grieved by the death of a past Selectman and town benfactor, Gerald Henderson. Mr. Henderson's service to the Town and many kind deeds to individuals will long be remembered.

The Board of Selectmen wish to thank the various Boards and Committees and all Town Employees who have graciously cooperated with them during 1957.

Respectfully submitted, THOMAS F. LINNEHAN, Chairman JOHN R. McENROY, Clerk FRANK S. TARR

Board of Selectmen.

ANNUAL TOWN ELECTION March 4, 1957

Pr. 1

Pr. 2

Total

Moderator

Howard S. Russell

1,144

1,009

2,153

Town Clerk

Leila Sears

1,112

1,012

2,124

Selectman

Frank S. Tarr

757

768

1,525

Charles W. Brennan

275

261

536

Alex W. Hayner

186

157

343

Treasurer

Dorothy Small Damon

1,120

1,015

2,135

Collector of Taxes

Walter A. Cheslak

1,111

1,051

2,162

Board of Public Welfare

Ronald H. Wood

1,092

1,005

2,097

School Committee - For One Year - Vote for One

John W. Arnold

703

851

1,554

Ruth P. Bartol

446

243

689

School Committee - For Three Years - Vote for Two

Ivan E. Beal

436

507

Eleanore C. Benjamin

674

544

1,218

Warren R. Bolton

289

259

548

Douglas M. Surgenor

747

414

1,161

John B. Wilson

461

400

861

Assessor

B. Allen Benjamin

1,105

996

2,101

Water Commissioner

Alfred C. Damon

1,105

1,009

2,114

Trustees of Public Library - Vote for Two

Hugh F. Colliton, Jr.

1,087

936

2,023

Egon Weiss

1,009

880

1,889

Cemetery Commissioner

Warren D. Valentine

1,073

974

2,047

Tree Warden

Charles L. Fullick

1,073

1,009

2,082

Board of Health - Vote for One

Theodore W. Fabisak

442

444

886

Norman G. Fair

535

441

976

Thomas F. Linehan

218

272

490

Park Commissioner

Nathaniel Hamlen

1,043

950

1,993

Road Commissioner

Robert N. Elwell

1,050

930

1,980

Planning Board - Five Years - Vote for One

Edward F. Thorburn

735

727

1,462

Frank C. Hancock

418

355

773

Commissioner of Trust Funds

Allen R. Finlay

1,013

900

1,913

Constables - For One Year - Vote for Seven (7)

Maunsell B. Babin

875

726

1,601

George J. Butler

908

748

1,656

John P. Butler

934

824

1,758

Ernest H. Damon

1,048

956

2,004

Philip R. Gladu

862

827

1,689

Richard A. Gladu

813

773

1,586

Thomas Francis Linnehan

988

773

1,761

William Richard Gauthier

326

432

758

Robert L. Groton

415

656

1,071

Referendum, - Question #1:

"Shall an Act passed by the Gen- eral Court in the year nineteen hundred and fifty-seven, entitled, 'An Act pro- viding for life tenure for Ernest H. Damon, incumbent of the office of Chief of Police of the Town of Wayland,' be accepted?"

Yes

941

805

1,746

215

297

512

VOTES ENACTED AT THE ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Held Wednesday, March 6, 1957

Town Clerk's Office Wayland, Massachusetts

Howard S. Russell, Moderator :-

Pursuant to the Warrant dated February 4, 1957, and signed by Thomas F. Linnehan, John R. McEnroy and Frank S. Tarr, Selectmen, service and return of said Warrant having been duly made by Ernest H. Damon, Constable, the inhabitants of the Town of Wayland qualified to vote in Town Meeting, assembled this day; and at 7:45 P. M. the Moderator called the meeting to order, declared a quorum to be present and the meeting proceeded to transact the following business:

The Moderator introduced Mr. and Mrs. Horvath, new Hungarian friends who never had experienced a meeting of this kind. Mr. and Mrs. Horvath were welcomed by the townspeople rising.

Article 1. To hear the reports of the Town Officers, Agents and Committees and act thereon.

Mr. Archibald Cox, Chairman, pointed out that the Report of the Committee to Study Town Government, appointed under Article 3 of the Special Town Meeting of March 7, 1956, had been circulated to the townspeople prior to the meeting and that it also had been included in the Annual Town Report, which was available in the Town Hall. How- ever, Mr. Cox also pointed up pertinent sections, upon which the Town would vote under later articles, and requested permission to hold Article 1 open until after Article 6, in order to move for acceptance of said Report and its recommendations after vote upon the several articles related to same.

There being no objection from the floor, the Moderator considered consent to this request to be unanimous, especially in view of the fact that other Committees reporting under Article 1 also had articles later in the Warrant pertaining to their respective recommendations.

Mr. John B. Butler, of the School Committee, read the following Resolution :

WHEREAS on March 4, 1957, when he retired as a member of the Wayland School Committee, our former colleague,

CORNELIUS J. MAGUIRE

had completed thirty consecutive years of service on the Committee;

WHEREAS that service has been characterized by signal fidelity, ability and generosity; and

WHEREAS we are aware of no comparable record of school com- mittee service either in Wayland or in any other town of the Common- wealth;

NOW THEREFORE, on behalf of all his other past colleagues on the School Committee as well as ourselves, we move, Mr. Moderator, that the citizens of Wayland in town meeting assembled make known by rising vote their regard for and gratitude to

CORNELIUS J. MAGUIRE

and that the Town Clerk be directed to note in the minutes of this meeting such vote, this motion and the preamble to it.

John B. Butler William A. Waldron

Mr. Theodore R. Magoun, Chairman, presented the Report of the Committee to Study the Level of Pelham Island Road, appointed under Article 18 of the Warrant for the 1956 Annual Town Meeting.

This Report explained that the problem involved overlapping prob- lems under consideration by agencies of the Commonwealth and other boards of the Town, so that a final solution to this immediate problem must await certain decisions of these other agencies and boards.

The Report was placed on file with the Town Clerk.

Upon motion of Mr. Magoun, duly seconded, it was

Voted: That the committee to study the level of Pelham Island Road be continued to further study the matter with option to report at any interim Special Town Meeting but with duty to report at the next Annual Town Meeting.

Mr. L. William Bertelsen, III, presented the final Report of the Recreational Site Committee, organized under Article 19 of the Warrant for the 1953 Annual Town Meeting. The Report pointed out certain areas suitable in nature, availability and of low land-value to recom- mend acquisition of these or some by the Town for Recreational Sites, but indicated that final recommendations of this nature came within the scope of the master planning studies of the Planning Board. The committee accordingly recommended that the Warrant for the next Town Meeting include an article authorizing the Town to accept the provisions of the Town Forest Act and to place the recommended areas under that Act.

Upon motion of Mr. Bertelsen, duly seconded, it was

Voted: That the foregoing Report be accepted, and that the Recrea- tional Site Committee organized under Article 19 of the Warrant for the 1953 Annual Town Meeting be discharged.

Mr. Bertelsen placed this Report on file with the Town Clerk.

Mr. Allan R. Finlay, Chairman, presented the final Report of the School Building Committee on Completion of Construction of the Happy Hollow School. A total of $3,029.35 having remained unspent, of which $961.74 was available to meet part of the cost of purchasing the final school site on Rice Road, should the Town see fit to approve this, and $2,067.61 remained out of borrowed funds, use of which would be re- stricted by Section 20, Chapter 44, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

laws, to use for future capital projects in the Town. It was recom- mended by the Committee that such funds be applied ultimately to meet expenses connected with the planning and construction of a new high school.

Upon motion, duly seconded, to accept the report, it was

Voted: In favor.

Mr. John C. Quinn, Board of Health representative on the Water Fluoridation Study Committee, listed the membership of that Committee and asked that a reading of the Committee's Report might be omitted at this time, in view of the fact that said Report had been sent to the townspeople, in ample time for them to have studied it.

Upon motion of Mr. Quinn, duly seconded, it was

Voted: To discuss recommendations of this Committee under Article 46 of this Warrant.

A copy of the above-mentioned Report was placed on file with the Town Clerk.

Mr. Ray W. Harris, Chairman, presented the Report of the Way- land Building Code Committee. Because the Committee had not yet completed its exhaustive review of all details of the code in preparation, it was pointed out that this was an interim report, and it was requested that the Committee, as appointed under Article 23 of the Warrant for the 1954 Annual Town Meeting, be continued, with instruction to report at the next town meeting.

Upon motion of Mr. Harris, duly seconded, it was

Voted: That the same committee be continued and that the com- mittee report at the next town meeting.

A copy of this report was placed on file with the Town Clerk.

Mr. Edward F. Thorburn, Chairman, reported for the Electrical Code Committee.

Upon motion of Mr. Thorburn, duly seconded, it was

Voted: That the Electrical Code Committee be continued to work in conjunction with the Building Code Committee.

Mr. John W. Arnold, Director, reported on the 1956 progress of the WAY-CO Baseball Program, and placed the report on file with the Town Clerk.

Mr. Roger P. Stokey pointed out that the Report of the Committee to Study Drainage Problems, set up in accordance with the vote under Article 12 of the August 15, 1956 Special Town Meeting, had been printed on pages 222-223 of the Annual Town Report.

Upon motion of Mr. Stokey, duly seconded, it was

Voted: That the Report of the Drainage Committee, as set forth on pages 222 and 223 of the Town Report be accepted; that the Recom-

mended Policy contained therein be adopted for guidance of town offi- cials; and that the Committee be continued in office until the next annual town meeting for further study of drainage problems.

Mr. Morgan pointed out that Mr. John Connelly was attending his 66th Annual Town Meeting. In response to Mr. Morgan's observance, the people greeted Mr. Connelly by rising in his honor.