Report of the city of Somerville 1944, Part 1

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1944
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 492


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1944 > Part 1


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GIVES


SOM


CITY


IS


CABLE


STRENGTH


CITY OF SOMERVILLE


MASSACHUSETTS


ANNUAL REPORTS


1944


IVES


SOMERVILLE


FREE


ONAL


FOU


AZ


INDEP


MUNI


1842 ESTABLISHED


A CITY 1872 STRENGTH


SOMERVILLE PRINTING CO., INC.


1945


EI.P.E.U. 548


HON. G. EDWARD BRADLEY Mayor of Somerrille


ADDRESS OF MAYOR G. EDWARD BRADLEY TO BOARD OF ALDERMEN JANUARY 1, 1945


This afternoon for the 74th time in our history as a city, elected representatives of the people of Somerville are assem- bled again to organize for the commencement of duties en- trusted to them. For the 74th time a new city government is being inaugurated, a government whose members are as sin- cerely determined to maintain the prestige and institutions of their community as were the members of that group who first took the oath of office as city officials on January 1, 1872 at the Forster School on Sycamore Street in Ward Four.


It has been, since then, a custom for the chief executive to present to the people annually at the organization of each city government, an exposition of his plans for the future progress of the city, or a report on his stewardship.


We have concluded the first half of a two-year term of office. We have faced constantly mounting difficulties due to war time necessities, shortages and restrictions. These will increase in intensity during the next twelve months.


We have gone far toward putting our financial house in order. Collection of taxes by the Treasurer's Office has es- tablished a record UNMATCHED in many years. The Water Department, under Commissioner Harry F. O'Connell, has ob- tained payment for water bills that went back as far as 1940 10 a total approximately $40,000. At the insistent advice of the State Department of Taxation, made in every audit of the city's books for the past several years,. we immediately, on assuming


6


ANNUAL REPORTS


office, initiated a program which has resulted in the elimination from our books of over $162,000. of uncollectable taxes going back to 1929. These false assets, hitherto carried on our ac- count books, gave an improper picture of the financial back- ground of our city and resulted in higher rates of interest charged on loans made to the city. They will not appear on the 1945 balance sheet.


The debt of our municipality has been reduced by over $800,000. and next year a further reduction of $700,000. will be made which will bring our indebtedness down to $2,472,000., its lowest since 1928. By stern insistence on business-like prin- ciples in municipal government and with constant cooperation of the Board of Aldermen and of the employees of every mu- nicipal department we have been able to conduct the govern- ment of our city with a high degree of efficiency and without curtailing the services of any department to the citizens of our community.


It is obvious that we may be compelled to assume new ob- ligations, make greater sacrifices, and practice even stricter economy in the coming year.


The closing of race tracks can result in a loss of over $100,- 000. in revenue to our city. Depreciating value of automobiles can result in an additional serious loss in revenue. It may well be necessary to add this to the levy on real estate. I am de- termined, however, that, insofar as I am able, there will be no increase in taxation and that every city department will con- tinue to operate on as high a standard as they have in the year 1944.


Progress has been made in the construction of the children's area of the Conway Playground. The wading pool and the fountain have been installed, concrete walls have been con- structed, grading will be completed in the spring of 1945; 75 per cent of the playground has been enclosed with chain link fence ; see-saws, swings and sandboxes have been purchased and paid for and will be placed as soon as the remainder of the fencing is delivered and erected. This work would now have been completed had it been possible to obtain material, much of which required priorities from the War Production Board.


Improvements have been made at the Glen Street Play- ground in Ward One, at Foss Park and Marchi Playground in


7


MAYOR'S ADDRESS


Ward Four, at Lincoln Park in Ward Two, at Dickerman Park and Trum Field in Ward Five, at Prospect Hill Park and the area at Northern Artery and Washington Street in Ward Three which will be known as Veterans' Rest. A new children's play- ground has been constructed at Curtis Street and Sunset Road in Ward Seven, with swings, see-saws, showers and sandboxes, enclosed by a chain link fence erected to prevent the children from running from the playground into the street.


The abolishment of the unsightly condition in the rear of the High School and the Central Heating Plant is now under- way. A concrete crib wall has been erected to correct the dan- gerous condition that existed at the foundation of the seventy- five foot chimney stack. Concrete steps from Medford Street to meet the present concrete walk have been constructed. There remains yet to be done a complete crib wall along the back of the High School to meet the present wall at the chimney stack. Drains have been installed to relieve the water condition and shrubs and vines will be planted to further beautify this long neglected spot and eliminate the condition of erosion that for years has disfigured Central Hill.


When we assumed office a year ago we were confronted with a condition in the public schools that can be described by but one word, deplorable. We have spent over $134,000. in an effort to improve that condition. I want to emphasize that this was expended not for salaries of custodians, nor for lights and heat, but directly for repair work in the school system. Actually we have no more than scratched the surface.


To the alertness of a teacher, Miss Ellen L. Bellamy, and the immediate action by the Headmaster, Mr. George Coyne, we owe, beyond any question of doubt, the prevention of a tragedy at the Western Junior High School. As a result of their ob- servation and the collapse of a ceiling at that school, ceilings whose condition had for a long time constituted a grave hazard to the lives of pupils and teachers, were ripped down in 21 rooms and new acoustical tile ceilings put in their places. At the same time these rooms were refinished, repainted and re- varnished.


Only a few days ago a boiler at the Old Police Station ex- ploded. This is the fourth boiler we have been compelled to replace this year, the other three being in the Forster School, the Forster School Annex and the Glines School, where we also


.


ANNUAL REPORTS


installed forced draft systems to enable us to heat those build- ings properly and economically. Boilers must soon, and should be immediately, replaced in eight more school buildings. They have for several years constituted a hazard to the well-being of the pupils of those schools, a hazard mitigated only by the con- stant watchfulness and care of a devoted and conscientious group of custodians. Heating systems in all schools have been repaired insofar as limited man power and funds allowed, spe- cial work having been done on the heating systems of the West- ern Junior High School and of the High School.


It is my desire and intent, as chief executive, to continue this work in the school system to the end that the children of Somerville may have decent, healthful and safe quarters in which to prepare themselves for their adult life. To my mind, this is our most pressing problem. Conditions which existed when we took office must be remedied. A halt must, and will be, called to other and secondary demands by the educational de- partment when those demands tend to hinder this more imme- iliate necessity.


Fluorescent lighting has been installed in the auditorium of the Western Junior High School, made necessary by the trans- fer of children to that room from their home rooms during re- pairs to ceilings mentioned previously. We have installed a fluorescent lighting system in the Central Library, where in- adequate illumination has long been complained of.


The Bow Street building which houses the Recreation Com- mission, the Union Square Branch Library and the Clinic, has been entirely reconditioned ; considerable work has been done at the Contagious Hospital and at the City Home, over 9,000 lights of glass have been set in windows broken during the past twelve months, and every desk in the High School has been re- finished.


The men of the Highway Department under Commissioner Joseph A. Goguen have increased the efficiency of that depart- ment by over 200 per cent as the record testifies. This depart- ment, undermanned and with old, worn out equipment, per- formed its duties this year at a cost of $20,000. less to the tax- payers than in 1943. and unquestionably did a better job. The cost of repairing hurricane damage totaled an imposing feature in most neighboring cities. In Somerville, the employees of the Highway Department assumed this added work which, among


9


MAYOR'S ADDRESS


other things, entailed the removal of over 200 trees and prop- ping up and supporting countless others, at no additional ex- pense to the taxpayers. Streets and public squares have been kept clear by the use of a street sweeper which, for two shifts daily, accomplishes more than 15 men with brooms. Hundreds of feet of asphalt sidewalks have been constructed and at the present time work of this nature is being done at New Cross Street.


The men of the Water Department and of the Sanitary De- partment, under Superintendent John Meskell, deserve, also the commendation of the citizens for the high standard of per- formance they have given under extraordinary difficult condi- tions. They are out in all sorts of weather. Every employee is doing the work of two men, working harder and longer hours in the performance of laborious duties. They have also re- sponded wholeheartedly when their assistance was required by emergencies in other departments.


The Recreation Department has been revitalized, in keeping with the extreme need which has been the subject of the Rec- reation Commissioners' urgent recommendation during the past several years. This Commission, comprised of sincere and able public-spirited men and women, who serve without compensa- tion, has earned the commendation of the people of the entire city; to their efforts and to the zeal of the Commission's Secre- tary, Francis J. Mahoney, may largely be ascribed Somerville's escape from the evils of juvenile delinquency. Appropriations to this service, so drastically reduced in recent years as to have threatened the existence of the service, have been restored to normal; use of public buildings for indoor recreational activ- ities has been restored as the necessary conditions to the oper- ation of any recreation program during indoor seasons; co- operation between publicly-conducted programs under the Com- mission itself and other programs sponsored by semi-public and semi-private agencies has been successfully inaugurated; co- operation with the Recreation Service by other departments which control the "tools" of recreation has been very greatly strengthened ; and the office and headquarters of the Recreation Service have been reconditioned. In general, the importance of the Recreation Service as a municipal obligation has been again recognized. Only the regrettable wartime unavailability of trained leaders in sufficient number has impeded a rapid re- turn of Somerville's Recreation Service to the full bloom which had previously distinguished it throughout the eastern


10


ANNUAL REPORTS


part of our nation. Even with this great handicap, the life of the Boys' Clubs, the Girls' Clubs, handcraft and airplane model- ing groups, and other groups have already been enriched. The foundations laid during 1944 for the general restoration of our public Recreation Service forecasts further progress during the months immediately ahead. The success hitherto and the suc- cess in the immediate future depend, of course, upon the appre- ciation and cooperation of the citizens in general. There have been marked evidences to date that the citizens do appreciate the values of this important work ; and that they are supporting and cooperating with it.


One of our paramount obligations is that which we owe to our veterans, veterans of past wars and the returning veterans of this war.


Because more spacious quarters were required for the per- formance of increased duties than was available at the City Hall, rooms were leased at the Knights of Columbus Building at Highland Avenue, and remodeled throughout under the im- mediate supervision of our outstanding Building Commissioner, John F. Kennedy, in order to provide a modern rehabilitation center and offices for the Department of Veterans' Aid and Pen- sions. This is today considered one of the best centers for vet- erans' rehabilitation in the entire Commonwealth.


To assist the employees of this department and in order to provide more complete assistance for discharged veterans, a committee of prominent public-spirited citizens has been ap- pointed of which Judge Gadsby is chairman, and Fr. Louis Kelleher, Rev. Stephen Lang, Dr. Michael White, Frank Benoit, Daniel Murray and Commissioner of Veterans' Aid and Pen- sions, Thomas F. McGrath, are members. Rabbi Routtenberg, who has recently been called to another city, was one of the original members of this committee.


This much for the past.


To the future we turn with hopes and plans, for the improve- ment of our city ; plans for the reconstruction of its school sys- tem ; its recreation system ; its public departments. These must, of necessity, be post-war plans. We are looking forward to new housing in many of our substandard sections. Plans, which are already underway and which will be developed more com-


11


MAYOR'S ADDRESS


pletely at a future time, will greatly assist veterans who, under the G. I. Bill of Rights, plan to build homes in Somerville.


New streets are needed. New equipment is urgently re- quired by the Sanitary Department, the Highway Department, by the Water Department, the Engineer's Department and by the Police and Fire Departments. That we require a new athletic field consistent with the achievement of our school team is obvious. It is, however, equally obvious that money spent to further improve Dilboy Field, which is neither centrally located nor adequate, would be money wasted.


One of our first post-war projects, therefore, should be the construction of a stadium at Richard Trum Playground and the removal to another location of the obsolete and unsightly public buildings at the rear of the field. The money which would be wasted in attempting to improve Dilboy Field now, will be used for a better purpose and on a better site at that time.


While the expenditure of large sums of money will be neces- sary to bring our municipal departments up to the standard re- quired, we must be constantly conscious of the fact that every cent spent by us comes directly from the pockets of the tax- payers. Property owners foot the bill for municipal govern- ment. They pay for the services ; they have a right to demand, as we have an obligation to provide, those services as economi- cally and as efficiently as we are able to do so. The record of the past year proves that we have not been derelict in the per- formance of that obligation.


A special word of thanks is due those city employees who co- operated-giving their own time-in the host of civic activities of the past year, activities for the common good ; paper drives, blood donations to the Red Cross, Booster Club activities, Hal- lowe'en and Christmas parties for the children. As chief execu- tive, I want at this time, to extend, for their assistance in these worthy causes, my personal appreciation to them and to the members of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, to the Disabled American Veterans, to the Auxiliary Fire and Police Forces and to the members of the K. of C., of the Elks and of the Lions, Kiwanis, and Rotary Service Clubs. They have proved their right to the title of "good citizen." With their continued cooperation, with the assistance of all good


12


ANNUAL REPORTS


citizens, Somerville will advance along the road of better gov- ernment for all the people this year and in the years to come.


Respectfully submitted,


G. EDWARD BRADLEY, Mayor.


13


CITY AUDITOR


REPORT OF THE CITY AUDITOR


Office of the City Auditor, January 31, 1945


To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville,


Gentlemen :-


In accordance with the requirements of Chapter 7, Section 3 of the Revised Ordinances of 1929, I herewith submit a report of the expenditures and receipts during the year 1944, 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 rela- tive to maturities and interest, a balance sheet showing the assets and liabilities at the close of the fiscal year and a state- ment 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, 1944, 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, 1944 was $616,923.57 as follows :


Somerville National Bank


$111,612.06


Somerville National Bank, Welfare


12,309.76


First National Bank


60,034.89


Second National Bank


50,000.00


Merchants National Bank


103,597.72


Webster and Atlas National Bank


73,916.05


State Street Trust Company


56.121.29


National Shawmut Bank


52,771.68


Somerville Trust Co., Benefits


6,533.09


Somerville Trust Co., Teachers


89,127.03


Cash in Office


900.00


$616,923.57


I further Certify that I have examined the Trust Fund Se- curities in the hands of the City Treasurer and find them to be correct, as follows :


Charles M. Berry Fund, Contagious Hospital. ... $1,000.00


S. Newton Cutler Fund, School


5,322.22


Caroline G. Baker Fund, School 300.00


Sarah Winslow Fox Fund, School


401.38


J. Frank Wellington Fund, School


2,000.00


Arthur A. Smith Fund, School


2,500.00


S. Newton Cutler Fund, Library


1,067.73


Martha R. Hunt, Book Fund, Library


14,105.25


Martha R. Hunt Art Fund, Library


1,299.77


Isaac Pitman Art Fund, Library


4,825.76


Isaac Pitman Poetry Fund, Library


1,206.44


Francis A. Wilder Children's Fund, Library. ...


100.00


Sarah Lorane Graves Fund, Library


400.00


Buffum Memorial Book Fund, Library


1,000.00


Eunice M. Gilmore Fund, Library


2,000.00


Thomas J. Buffum Fund, Library


2,020.00


J. Frank Wellington Fund, Library


4,000.00


Edward C. Booth Fund, Library


3,000.00


Arthur A. Smith Fund, Library


5,000.00


Olive C. Cummings Fund Welfare 1,751.45


Mary A. Haley Fund, Recreation


3,645.76


$56,945.76


15


CITY AUDITOR


And the following Invested Funds :


Municipal Buildings Insurance Fund $26,137.67 Retirement System (Cash and Securities) 654,098.52


$680,236.19


FREDERICK W. HALE, City Auditor.


BALANCE SHEET, DECEMBER 31, 1944 1


Revenue Accounts


Cash :


In Offices and Banks $614,519.68


Cash Variations


$745.34


Tailings


1,379.04


Accounts Receivable :


Taxes, 1933


2.00


Taxes, 1935


50.00


Taxes, 1936


65.90


Taxes, 1937


19.00


Taxes, 1939


509.02


Taxes, 1940


122.00


Taxes, 1941


.03


Taxes, 1942


322.00


Taxes, 1943


14,252.42


Taxes, 1944


352,019.34


367,361.71


Tax Titles


Tax Possessions


218,265.00 53,745.68


Due from Deputy Collectors


1,698.02


Old Age Assistance Tax ...


9,581.00


9,581.00


Motor


Vehicle


Excise


Tax,


1929


25.58


Motor 1930


Vehicle Excise


Tax,


12,178.79


School Deposits


...


City Clerk's Deposits


606.25


Unexpended Balances:


Income of Trust Funds


6,215.19


Appropriations


59,728.94


ANNUAL REPORTS


Pay Roll Deductions for Pur- chase of War Bonds 4,970.45


Reimbursements Old Age As- sistance 75.40


16


Assets


Liabilities


$614,519.68


Temporary Loans 1944 400,000.00


203.01


BALANCE SHEET - Continued


Assets


Motor


Vehicle


Excise


Tax,


1931


12,523.93


Motor Vehicle


Excise


Tax,


1932


13,379.77


Motor


Vehicle


Excise


Tax,


1933


9,343.58


Motor


Vehicle


Excise


Tax,


6,136.31


Motor


Vehicle


Excise


Tax,


6,853.02


Motor


Vericle


Excise


Tax,


7,465.96


Motor


Vehicle


Excise


Tax,


9,834.19


Motor


Vehicle


Excise Tax,


4,768.43


Motor


Vehicle


Excise Tax,


2,284.18


Motor


Vehicle


Excise


Tax,


5,230.58


1940


Vehicle


Excise


Tax,


4,333.29


Motor


Vehicle


Excise


Tax,


1942


Motor


Vehicle


Excise


Tax,


1943


2,795.28


Motor 1944


Vehicle


Excise


Tax,


4,433.78


104,158.86


County, Dog Licenses


43.80


·


17


CITY AUDITOR


Liabilities


1934


1935


1936


1937


1938


1939


Motor 1941


2,572.19


18


BALANCE SHEET - Continued


Assets


Liabilities


Department Bills Receivable:


Health Department


4,614.23


117,603.40


Contagious Hospital


28,195.63


Inspection Milk and Vinegar


322.00


Highway Department


65.58


Welfare Miscellaneous


11,063.95


C. of M., Legal Expenses, Bos- ton Elevated Railway Co. .....


3,753.30


Old Age Assistance


2,611.76


Welfare, City Home


9.00


Smith-Hughes Fund 2,474.72


School Contingent


1,894.29


George-Deen Fund


3,670.22


State Aid


3,985.00


Military Aid


2,454.47


Revenue Reserved until Collected :


Departmental


65,420.20


Water


58,150.67


Tax Titles


272,010.68


Motor Vehicle Excise


104,158.86


65,420.20


Water Department Accounts .... 58,150.67


Sale of Land 6,782.38


123,570.87


State Taxes and Assessments,


Overlay, Reserved for Abatement of Taxes:


1944


93.96


Overlay 1933


12,054.00


Overlay 1934


56.00


Overlay 1936


3,937.77


Overlay 1937


13,143.37


Overlay 1938


12,058.73


Reserve Funds, Surplus from


Overlay 1939


12,957.92


Overlay


6,050.49


ANNUAL REPORTS


Soldiers' Relief


15.00


War Allowance


9,666.29


Soldier's Burials


472.00


Foreclosed Property Rentals .. 51.00


499,740.41


Levy 1943


14,252.42


Levy 1944


46,083.84


C. of M. State Taxes and As- sessments 1941


C. of M. State Taxes and As- sessments 1942 65.628.02


BALANCE SHEET - Continued


Assets


Overlay 1940 Overlay 1941 Overlay 1942


12,495.76


Excess and Deficiency


368,576.42


28,204.29


20,681.37


1,608,583.99


1,608,583.99


NON-REVENUE ACCOUNTS


Assets


Liabilities


Cash in Offices and Banks ...... 2,403.89


Non Revenue Appropriations .. 2,403.89


2,403.89


2,403.89


NET-FUNDED or FIXED DEBT


Assets


Liabilities


Net Bonded Debt


3,175,949.13


Loans within Statutory Debt Limit:


5,000.00


Bridge Loan .. High School Loan


194,000.00


Junior High School Loan 267,000.00


Garage Loan 16,000.00


Chapter 44, Sewer Loan 186,000.00


Chapter 44, Highway Loan ..


25,000.00


Funding Loan Chap. 315, Acts, 1941 78,000.00


Municipal Relief, 1944 ...


50,000.00


821,000.00


19


CITY AUDITOR


Liabilities


20


NET-FUNDED or FIXED DEBT-Continued


Assets


Liabilities


Loans outside statutory debt limit:


Elementary School Loan ...... 12,000.00


Police Station Loan 45,000.00


Tax Title Loan 17,949.13


Municipal Relief Loans


1,873,000.00


P.W.A. Sewer Loan


20,000.00


P.W.A. Water Main Loan


10,000.00


P.W.A. School Loan


151,000.00


Chapter 44, Water Main Loan


175,000.00


Emergency Storm Loan


25,000.00


Civilian Defense Loan, Chap.


487, Acts 1941


26,000.00


2,354,949.13


3,175,949.13


3,175,949.13


ANNUAL REPORTS


TRUST AND INVESTED FUNDS


Trust Funds:


Cash and Securities ...........


56,945.76


Contagious Hospital Funds ..


1,000.00


School Funds


10,523.60


Library Funds


40,024.95


Welfare Funds


1,751.45


Recreation Funds


3,645.76


Invested Funds:


Municipal Buildings Insur- ance Fund


26,137.67


734,323.15


734,323.15


..


Investment Funds: Cash and Securities


677,377.39


Retirement System Funds .... 651,239.72


Assets


Liabilities


Trust Funds:


STATEMENT OF APPROPRIATIONS 1944 (REVENUE)


Balance frum 1943


Appropria tions


Llon Transfers From


tion Transfer To


Recelpta & Service Transfery


Tutal Credit


Expendi- turco


Encumlances


Unencum bered Balance


$28.68


705.25


6,835.00


19,253.21


650.00


10.00


19,843.21


19,790.15


63.06


Treasury


1,438.45


64,998.22


138.60


9.24


56,554.41


64,965.75


935.50


652.15


Pedlers License Comm.


16.00


15.00


6.76


9.25


Licensing Commission


2,969.92


2,459.82


2,969.02


80


Certification ol Notes and Bonds


1,600.00


1,500.00


810,00


690.00


City Clerk


19,682,96


216.33


19,416.62


19,278.00 8,669.06


66.11


Loml Court Proceedlogs on Tax Titles and Recording Feas


City Messenger


1,000.00 6.639.33


300,00


1,300,00 6,639.33


1.206.24 6,539.83


Engincoring


14,342.73


11.342.73


11,340.62


2.1


Commr. Public Buildings


25,769.61


25,769.64


25,611.12


₲5.90


69.69


City Planning Board


146.00


146.00


141,78


4.29


Board of Appeal


2,296,00


......*** 850.00


20,185.00


20.176.93


9.07


Pay of Eleellon Officers ....


9,804.00


360.00


9.464.00


0,453.00


1.00


Total General Government $2,143.67


$250,953.88


$1,096.33


$1,838.50


$19.24


$253,858 96


$248,999.66


$1,001.40


$3,858.00


Protection Persons and Property:


Police Department


$338,770.00


$11,479.10


Fire Department


396,362.00


727.48


$327.200.90 397,099.48 9,350.00 69.333.30


396.055.93


G64.21


469.34


Weights and Measures


9,060.00


300.00 $78.94


1.052.90


58,214.44


1,032.91


95.05


Suppression Moths & Caro


9,100.00


9,100.00


9,083.02


16,95


Civillan Defense


12,441.14


100.00


$11,479.10


$1.178.94


$1,824.38


$814,776.44


$810,599.73


$3,264.70


$912.01




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