USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1936 > Part 1
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GIV
E
FO
87
STRENG
TABLISY
CITY OF SOMERVILLE
MASSACHUSETTS
ANNUAL REPORTS
1936
GIVES
SOMERVILLE
FREE
ONAL
FOUNDED 1842
MUNICIPAL
A CITY 1872 STRENGTH
ESTABLISHED
SOMERVILLE PRINTING CO., INC.
1937
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Boston Public Library
https://archive.org/details/annualreportofci1936some
HON. LESLIE E. KNOX Mayor of Somerville
MID-TERM MESSAGE of HON. LESLIE E. KNOX Mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts
January 4, 1937.
Gentlemen of the Honorable Board of Aldermen :
A NONPARTISAN majority of ALL the citizens of Somerville gave us a mandate in the last municipal election to administer their city affairs in the manner best adapted to promote their health and their prosperity. As the year 1936 dawned we took a solemn oath to do so. I stress the words NONPARTISAN and ALL with design. We were not charged to do our duty BY and FOR any faction or party. The legisla- tive duties were placed in your hands, the chief executive duties placed in my hands in a NONPARTISAN election without re- gard for faction or party.
What does NONPARTISAN mean and how does it apply to us in Somerville ? That seems easy to understand and simple to answer. Yet there is misunderstanding of the term NON- PARTISAN in some quarters. This confusion is readily under- stood. It arises from professional politicians who gain no im- mediate personal benefit under the plan, attempting to be- cloud the issue in an effort to subsitute for NONPARTISAN- SHIP the worst form of PARTISANSHIP for their selfish political reasons. These professional politicians know the ad- vantages of NONPARTISANSHIP. In most cases they favored its initial adoption. Even those who now are loudest in critic- ism have no qualms of conscience about accepting favors for themselves, their families and their friends from a NON- PARTISAN Mayor. The form of city election that is pre-
6
ANNUAL REPORTS
scribed for us by law, means the joining together of ALL for the common good without regard to faction or party. It means the removal of blind, unreasoning and fanatical subjection to faction or party in the way we conduct our city elections. I am aware, and you are also, that we are all members of some political party in national and state elections. I am as loyal to my party as you are to yours. In our city elections there are no parties. The election is NONPARTISAN by the choice of THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE. It is not OUR choice. You, as members of the Board of Aldermen. and I, as your Mayor, MUST BE NONPARTISAN BY LAW. When we entered an election we agreed to abide by the rules laid down by the people. We agreed to be NONPARTISAN. The great majority of ALL the citizens know we are NON- . PARTISAN. It is only a few professional politicians and their followers who do not think we should be. Most Somer- ville citizens go about their daily tasks perfectly content to do their every day duties as we do ours. No community has been torn asunder by the selfish strife arising from factions and cliques as has Somerville. No community has benefited more and stands to benefit more because of the NON- PARTISAN form of election than does Somerville.
Today, as we stand on the threshold of a New Year, I submit to you that I have discharged the duties of Mayor in a true NONPARTISAN way. I will continue to do that in the year to come. I ask you to cooperate with me. I know no body of men making laws, ordinances, rules and decisions are ever unanimous or infallible. If we devote our efforts to do our best and accept the consequences of our official acts and omissions I believe that is all the citizens expect from us. If we do our job for ALL the citizens in a sympathetic way we shall gain the good will of those we serve and have no regrets. I hold sincere gratitude for members of your Honorable Board who have served faithfully and conscientiously during the past year. I harbor neither ill feeling nor ill will for those who have tried to oppose and obstruct me. I know many times, too, they were motivated more by political expediency than honest conviction. The slate of the past year, so far as I am con- cerned, is wiped clean. We begin a New Year. Behind us is all the experience of the past year. I do not think one of you will claim he did not make a mistake in 1936. I make no such
7
MAYOR'S MID-TERM MESSAGE
claim. Both we and the citizens should profit in the future by the errors of the past. In my first public statement after election I said : (quote) "I am elected a NONPARTISAN Mayor. I shall be NONPARTISAN in dealing with the city business as I am not only NONPARTISAN in name but NON- PARTISAN in nature." (end of quote). I repeat that stand. I see no reason to reverse it. I never deviated from the NON- PARTISAN principle as Mayor. As witness I call the record of my appointments to major and minor positions in the city service; the record of those who have been given employment on the Works Progress Administration, started during my term of office; the record of those who have benefited by wel- fare and other city aids and every official act which I submit to you were done under the principle of impartiality, and for the best interests of ALL the citizens. Never in my office has political faith been taken into consideration in making de- cisions. I defy anyone to prove or offer the slightest evidence that I have not been (quote) "NONPARTISAN in name and NONPARTISAN in nature." (end of quote.)
I welcome constructive criticism from any source and try to profit by it. I have never held myself above honest criti- cism of my acts. Yet I cannot pass this occasion by without calling to your attention that from some of the statements written in the press from time to time, and voiced from public platforms, whenever the opportunity presents itself, that in addition to you as the legislative body and me as the chief executive and the executives I have appointed and you have confirmed, there is another group who try to take upon them- selves the right to make decisions in the conduct of city affairs. They have no authority from the people. They have no responsibility to the people for their decisions. Tonight, once and for all, may I make it plain that irrespective of their opposition I intend to carry on along the line which seems to be for the best interest of all the people.
Those who seek to raise an issue of PARTISANSHIP should be reminded that the State Legislature favored and the people voted that the city would be NONPARTISAN. The citizens made their own selection. If they chose otherwise we would be BOUND BY LAW to abide by that decision. The PARTISANSHIP smokescreen is raised by those who would
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ANNUAL REPORTS
set themselves up as leaders of factions who know they would not be selected as publie officials in a NONPARTISAN election where the choice is made by a MAJORITY of ALL the people. The Somerville electorate knows a NONPARTISAN govern- ment has been selected by the people. They know that during the past year everyone has received fair treatment and con- sideration without taking into account party or faction. We have tried to please everybody. We are sorry we did not suc- ceed, but we can feel confident that our administration of city affairs will please the greater majority. We have faced difficult problems together. We have worked hard to solve them. We have gone along in more or less harmony. We kept uppermost in our minds the needy and unemployed in our city. I think we ean feel proud of our record in aiding those in want and giv- ing work to those able and willing to work.
Fourteen pledges were made by me to the citizens of Somerville in my election campaign. Twelve are fulfilled. One will require passage of state legislation. The other I hope to fulfill in the year to come.
Somerville, during 1936, has been blessed with health and prosperity beyond that enjoyed in many other cities. We can look back on the year just passed as an era of good will and happiness. Loyalty and cooperation has been given me, in the main, by those I selected and you confirmed as heads of the city departments. That same spirit has been shown by all city employees who have returned a good day's work for a good day's pay. City departments are running smoothly and efficiently. I am grateful to all who have contributed to this. The cordiality and cooperation given to me I hope I have re- turned, in some small way, by the consideration and confidence I have tried to give all in the city service.
True, our tax rate showed an increase over the tax rate of last year. Still facing me are a sheaf of unpaid bills, total- ling $325,000 handed to me by the past administration. If the prior administration had paid these bills the last tax rate that preceded mine would have been much higher. These unpaid bills, which I had nothing to do with contracting, are a tre- mendous obstacle in my path. I am now trying to solve the problem they present. I plan to seek aid from the State Legis-
9
MAYOR'S MID-TERM MESSAGE
lature during the coming year, to discharge any obligation that the city legally has in these 1935 unpaid bills so that we may meet the bills that merit payment. I want to call to your at- tention that at the close of this year every bill contracted for by this administration has been paid. I will continue that policy.
Public demand, not only in Somerville but in other cities, requires more service to the citizens from the public funds from day to day. The citizens expect more service. And the greater service costs more money. We are one of two Massa- chusetts cities that had to increase our welfare costs. That was entirely out of our control. I make no excuses that we gave food to the hungry, clothed the needy, supplied fuel and other necessities for those less fortunate than we are, even though it might have cost us a little more than we originally anticipated. There has been a minimum of suffering from want or unemployment in our city-Thank God. I earnestly hope during the coming year that we may be still able to take care of all the needy. I will take on my shoulders all that my critics might say about that.
We formed the Works Progress Administration to take the place of the Emergency Relief. We gave work to more than 2,000 men and women who had to walk the streets jobless, desperate in the thought that they could not provide for their families. We gave them gainful jobs. We restored the self- respect of able bodied persons who sought from us not wel- fare, but work. We did this as NONPARTISANS in a real spirit of NONPARTISANSHIP. I am not of the same political party in national and state affairs as President Roosevelt, but I have been glad, in my humble way, to follow in the footsteps of our great national leader. We played our small part in his humane program of national recovery. Then when I hear those who attack our W. P. A. policy I take heart from the fact that this same cry was silenced with a wave of approbation from almost every state in the nation when it was charged to Presi- dent Roosevelt. Somerville has expressed whole-hearted ap- proval of his policies with which we are doing our best to cooperate. I shall continue to follow the path of our Great President. Tonight I will send to your board, as it is the start of the fiscal year, a request for your approval of an appropria-
10
ANNUAL REPORTS
tion to keep at work during the winter months the eighteen hundred men and women now employed on the Works Progress Administration. The money is needed. I respectfully ask your approval of the order.
We have increased the efficiency of transacting the public's business. Every employee of City Hall is at work at 8:30 o'clock in the morning' until 4:30 o'clock in the afternoon. Hours have been extended in the various city departments to meet the convenience of the citizens.
Despite increased cost to the city of the state, metro- politan and county taxes; in spite of an ever increasing Bos- ton Elevated Railway deficiency; despite many other items that drain money from the public funds we will do our utmost to curb expenditures this coming year. We will try to main- tain our high financial rating without undue curtailment of public benefits.
I found a condition of neglect in various branches of the city's service when I assumed office. There is no more import- ant phase of the city government than maintaining its public schools. I have a program in mind that will reach into our school system bringing all the old buildings up to standard and also providing sufficient new buildings to give a seat for every child. This program will be of permanent future benefit to the health and welfare of our school children.
The credit of our city has never reached a higher point. Reputable credit agencies and financial information sources place the present administration as trustworthy and substan- tial. Confidence reposed in the administration by our financial institutions has been of great benefit to the citizens.
The arms of our public safety-our police and fire de- partments-have never been stronger. We have strengthened the two departments by the appointment of additional men. We have furnished so far as we have been able, equipment necessary to modernize them, and are glad to report that both departments are highly efficient. Just in passing may I note that the new James R. Hopkins Fire Drill Tower and the abolition of the night patrol in the Fire Department has in- creased its efficiency and raised its moral. We can point with
11
MAYOR'S MID-TERM MESSAGE
pride that our Police Department is second to none in this Commonwealth.
I am glad to commend the Highway Department for the excellent service that it has given during the year and the cooperation it has given me.
The Water Department has been highly efficient during the past year and has extended me loyalty and cooperation.
I am pleased to commend the employees of the Building Department for the work they have done in the public build- ings of Somerville during the first year of my administration.
The Somerville school system is rapidly improving itself and our schools will, in the near future I have no doubt, stand comparison with any in the state. There is much to be done in rehabilitating school buildings to which I intend to devote my efforts.
I have been fortunate in gaining the cooperation of other city departments and I mention especially-the City Treasurer. the City Auditor, the City Engineer, the City Clerk, the City Solicitor, Sanitary Department, Assessors', Board of Health and all other departments.
Sidewalks and streets, playgrounds, Somerville Beach, sewerage and sanitation, road beautification, tree planting, public building renovations and many other improvements seen in every section of the city need no detailed comment.
Despite rumor, there will be no decrease in salaries or personnel in city departments. I will seek no contribution or gift from city employees. I was glad to return the contribu- tion city employees had to make to past administrations.
I will try to approach all the problems of the citizens with humane and sympathetic understanding. I will keep in as close touch with the citizens as far as possible by accepting all invitations to meet with them in their common gathering places. In this way I can better understand and know the wants and needs of the citizens. I express deep appreciation of the cordiality, respect, courtesy and friendship given me by the citizens of the city as I met them in their homes and community gathering places. I have interviewed upward of
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ANNUAL REPORTS
15,000 persons since I took office. Never have I turned down a reasonable request nor hesitated to grant a favor.
I will keep in close touch with the city business by fre- quent meetings with the heads of departments as I have done this year. I will make frequent visits to and continue inspec- tion of all city work in progress.
I will not be diverted in the future any more than I have in the past by leaders of cliques and factions who offer me unreasonable opposition. I will ignore, as far as possible, the professional politicians who seize everything I do as the sub- ject of personal attack. Gentlemen of the Honorable Board of Aldermen I urge your cooperation. I need your aid. Our jobs are big jobs. We are NONPARTISAN officials of a NON- PARTISAN people. NONPARTISAN means ALL, not SOME. As we march down the year 1937 we enter a New Year of high hope, greater possibility for public service and promise of better things for all. Let us realize our obligations. Let us harmonize our efforts intelligently for all. Let us resolve to do our duty in this NONPARTISAN city for ALL our citizens. I pledge, that I will try to do mine.
13
CITY AUDITOR
REPORT OF THE CITY AUDITOR
Office of the City Auditor, January 31, 1937.
To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville,
Gentlemen :
In accordance with the requirements of Chapter 7, Sec- tion 3 of the Revised Ordinances of 1929, I herewith submit a report of the expenditures and receipts during the year 1936, as shown by the records in this office, giving in detail the appropriations, expenditures and the receipts from each source of income. Also a statement of the funded debt and temporary loans, table relative to maturities and interest, a balance sheet showing the assets and liabilities at the close of the fiscal year and a statement of the treasurer's cash.
Respectfully submitted,
FREDERICK W. HALE, City Auditor.
14
ANNUAL REPORTS
I hereby Certify that I have verified the Treasurer's cash as of December 31, 1936, by actual count, and have verified by reconciliation of the bank accounts the amounts on deposit in the banks as of the same date.
The total cash balance December 31, 1936 was $823,891.23, as follows :
Somerville National Bank
$337,803.24
Somerville National Bank, Welfare
17,389.00
First National Bank
71,830.44
Merchants National Bank 70,816.15
Merchants National Bank, P. W. A. Water Mains ..
612.07
Merchants National Bank, P. W. A. Sewers
138.34
Merchants National Bank, P. W. A. Highways
24,701.38
Merchants National Bank, P. W. A. School 23,268.37
100,353.78
Webster & Atlas-Vocational School
27,350.39
Somerville Trust Co .- Benefits
6,964.79
Somerville Trust Co .- Teachers
90,242.36
Highland Trust Co .- Messenger account
158.49
Charlestown Trust Co.
15,000.00
Cash and checks in office
913.90
$823,891.23
I further Certify that I have examined the Trust Fund Securities in the hands of the City Treasurer and find them to be correct, as follows :
Charles M. Berry, Contagious Hospital
$1,000.00
S. Newton Cutler, School
5,322.22
Sarah Winslow Fox, School
401.38
Caroline G. Baker, School
300.00
J. Frank Wellington, School
2,000.00
Isaac Pitman Art, Library
4,665.75
Isaac Pitman Poetry, Library
1,166.45
Frances A. Wilder, Children's Library
100.00
Martha R. Hunt Book, Library
14,105.25
Martha R. Hunt Art, Library
1,299.77
S. Newton Cutler, Library
1,064.45
Sarah Lorane Graves, Library
400.00
Buffum Memorial Book, Library
1,000.00
Thomas J. Buffum, Library
2,020.00
Eunice M. Gilmore, Library
2,000.00
J. Frank Wellington, Library
4,000.00
Edward C. Booth, Library
3,000.00
Olive C. Cummings, Welfare
1,751.45
Mary A. Haley, Recreation
3,645.76
$49,242.48
Webster & Atlas
36,348.53
Highland Trust Co.
15
CITY AUDITOR
And the following Invested Funds : Municipal Buildings Insurance $22,301.51
Retirement System (Cash and Securities)
202,891.71
$274,435.70
FREDERICK W. HALE, City Auditor.
16
BALANCE SHEET, DECEMBER 31, 1936
Assets
Liabilities
Cash :
In Offices and Banks
$632,174.84
In Closed Banks
118,218.54
$750,393.38
Accounts Receivable :
Taxes 1929
259.71
Taxes 1930
8,520.52
Taxes 1931
13,824.24
Taxes 1932
22,323.22
Taxes 1933
21,100.07
Taxes 1934
15,632.60
Taxes
1935
215,831.77
Taxes 1936
1,481,379.66
Taxes 1934, J. D. M.
135.03
Accounts Payable
134.002.82
1,779.006.82
Old Age Assistance Tax 1931
2.00
Old Age Assistance Tax 1933
9,574.00
9,576.00
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax 1929
2,205.65
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax 1930
12,271.34
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax 1931
12,674.33
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax 1932
13,815.06
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax 1933
11,246.08
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax 1934
9,671.95
Water Deposits
18.98
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax 1935
20,411.70
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax 1936
53,763.10
136,059.21
Unexpended balances : Income of Trust Funds Appropriations
7,550.42 43,756.93
ANNUAL REPORTS
Highway Deposits
30.00
City Clerk's Deposits
264.46
Cash Variations
73.37
Temporary Loans
Tailings
2,150.000.00 679.46
Street Sprinkling, 1934, J. D. M. $17.68
BALANCE SHEET-Continued
Assets
Liabilities
Assessments :
Street Sprinkling, 1930
24.48
Street Sprinkling, 1931
21.78
Street Sprinkling, 1932
21.78
Street Sprinkling, 1933
13.86
Street Sprinkling, 1934 ..
3.22
Sidewalk Assessments-
Added to Taxes, 1935
63.76
Highway Assessments-
Added to Taxes, 1935
495.50
Tax Title Reserve for Emergency Loan
18,356.57
Sale of Land
20,925.38
Sale of Buildings
1,575.00
1,379.96
Committed Interest:
County of Middlesex --
Sidewalk Assessments
13.78
Dog Licenses
12.60
Highway Assessments
114.86
Committed Interest, 1936
183.31
311.95
Premiums on Bonds 350.00
Departmental Bills Receivable:
Health Department
15,533.06
Contagious Hospital
16,632.73
Inspection Milk and Vinegar
110.00
Overlay, Reserved for Abatement of Taxes:
Levy of 1929
259.71
Levy of 1930
6,798.34
Welfare Miscellaneous
371,196.26
Levy of 1933
16,363.97
Old Age Assistance
16,562.08
Levy of 1936
24,616.74
17
CITY AUDITOR
Added to Taxes, 1936
115.96
Revenue Reserved until Collected:
Departmental
$437,639.03
Water
57,858.26
Special Assessments 1,362.28
'Tax Titles
562,962.23
Motor Vehicle Excise
136,059.21
Committed Interest 311.95
1,196,192.96
Highway Assessments-
Added to Taxes, 1936
619.62
Sidewalk Assessments-
Sanitary Department
518.88
Highway Maintenance
126.42
BALANCE SHEET-Continued
Assets
Liabilities
Welfare-City Home ....
4,593.99
Reserve Fund Surplus from
School Contingent
2,019.61
Overlays
10.00
State Aid ...
5,617.00
Military Aid
4,229.00
Soldier's Burials
500.00
Excess and Deficiency 4,485.55
437,639.03
Water Department Accounts ..
57,858.26
495,497.29
Tax Titles
562,962.23
State Taxes and Assessments ..
752.20
Overlay 1931
8.00
Overlay 1932
298.66
Overlay 1934
3,544.30
Overlay 1935
4,769.48
3,744,559.48
3,744,559.48
ANNUAL REPORTS
NON-REVENUE ACCOUNTS
Assets
Liabilities
Cash in Offices and Banks
$73,497.85
Appropriations Accounts Payable
72,559.32
Federal Grants
3,500.00
938.53
Loan in Anticipation of Fed- eral Grant 3,500.00
76,997.85
76,997.85
18
Reserved for Deposits in Closed Banks 118,218.54
BALANCE SHEET-Continued DEFERRED ASSESSMENTS
Assets
Liabilities
Deferred Revenue :
Apportioned Sidewalk Assess-
ments
699.88
Apportioned Highway Assess-
ments
5,658.68
6,358.56
Deferred Special Assessments .. 6,358.56
NET FUNDED OR FIXED DEBT
Net Bonded Debt
4,368,893.75
Loans within statutory debt limit : City Hall Addition Bonds ..... Additional Fire Equipment Bonds
49,000.00
15,000.00
Sewer Bonds
18,000.00
Bridge Bonds
13,000.00
Highway Bonds
265,000.00
Public Building Bonds 4,000.00
Schoolhouse Bonds
273,000.00
High School Bonds
682,000.00
Junior High School Bonds ..
635,000.00
Garage Bonds 32,000.00
School Equipment Bonds ..
145,000.00
CITY AUDITOR
$2,131,000.00
19
BALANCE SHEET-Continued
Assets
Liabilities
Loans outside statutory debt limit:
Northern Traffic Artery As- sessment
150,000.00
Elementary School Bonds. 65,000.00
Police Station Bonds
165,000.00
Tax Title Loan
434,893.75
Municipal Relief Loans
961,000.00
P. W. A. Sewer Loan
30,000.00
P. W. A. Water Main Loan ...
29,000.00
P. W. A. Highway Loan 124,000.00
P. W. A. School Loan
279,000.00
2,237,893.75
4,368,893.75
4,368,893.75
TRUST AND INVESTED FUNDS
Trust Funds :
Contagious Hospital Funds ..
1,000.00
School Funds
8,029.62
Library Funds
34,822.47
Welfare Funds
1,751.45
Recreation Funds
3,645.76
Invested Funds :
Municipal Buildings Insur-
ance Fund
22,301.51
Retirement System Funds 202,891.71
274,442.52
274,442.52
ANNUAL REPORTS
20
Trust Funds : Cash and Securities
49,249.30
Investment Funds:
Cash and Securities
225,193.22
21
CITY AUDITOR
CASH STATEMENT, DECEMBER 31, 1936 REVENUE
Receipts
General:
Taxes
$4,536,971.66
Motor Vehicle Excise
103,336.99 7.00
Old Age Assistance Tax
C. of M. Income Tax
222,435.03
C. of M. Corporation Tax
67,996.39
C. of M. Race Track Tax
8,772.33
State, Refund Gas Tax
430.86
State, Lieu of Taxes
127.00
Licenses and Permits
92,985.48
Fines and Forfaits
6,305.15
Grants and Gifts
235,550.83
Tax Titles Redeemed
264,547.36
$5,539,466.08
Special Assessments
2,670.63
Departmental:
General Government
12,252.83
Protection of Persons and Property
1,181.77
Health and Sanitation
19,057.67
Highways
649.88
Welfare
262,750.60
Soldiers' Benefits
11,467.37
Schools and School Buildings
17,814.39
Libraries
1,941.51
Recreation
528.85
Employees' Contributions
.42
Teachers' Retirement Deductions
52,100.41
Retirement Deductions
21,862.52
C. of M. Interest Refund
21,561.88
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