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CI
ESTALI
OMEI
FOUND
CITY OF SOMERVILLE MASSACHUSETTS
ANNUAL REPORTS 1958
VES
SOMERVILLE
O
FREI
AL
MUNICIPAL
A CITY 1872 STRENG
1842 ESTABLISHED
HLO
Somerville Printing Co., Inc. 1959
FOUNDED 1842
.
EIPEU 3-842
HON. WILLIAM J. DONOVAN Mayor of Somerville
MAYOR'S DONOVAN'S MID - TERM ADDRESS SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS JANUARY 5, 1958
Mister President, Honorable Members of the Board of Alder- men, Honorable Members of the School Committee, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:
There are many useful ways in which a man can devote his life and one of the most satisfying is to devote part of it to serving his fellow man.
Men serve in many ways, some do it through spiritual means, others dedicate themselves to education or science, while others choose to give a part of their life to public service.
Public service can be most soul-satisfying when a person sees his efforts resulting in a steady and continuing clearing up of a bad case of poor school facilities; when you see a mother rocking her child to sleep under the shade of a tree in a new tot-lot; or when the total expenditures for claims for damages because of traveling tree roots and rutted roads falls steadily and sharply downward because of his programs.
Seldom, however, is a city official fortunate enough to re- ceive as powerful an acknowledgment from an outside source that his efforts have indeed proved greatly beneficial to the people he is serving than we have received this past month from the National Board of Fire Underwriters.
We have been informed that, on December 2, 1958, all mercantile and specifically rated risks in Somerville were re- vised due to a change in grading from fourth class to third class. This means a substantial reduction in fire insurance rates throughout the city and that we have indeed succeeded in making Somerville a safer and better place in which to live.
The reason for a reduction in class lies in two departments: the Fire Department, including the caliber of its personnel, age of its equipment, and its auxiliary; and the Department of Public Works, including its care of the water and fire alarm systems, code enforcement, and electrical inspections; plus tel- ephone service and mutual aid tie-ins.
4
ANNUAL REPORTS
No public official can be successful, however, without two basic elements-able and dedicated assistants, and interested, alert civic groups willing to express their opinions on public matters.
All city employees have, in properly carrying out their par- ticular jobs, contributed toward improvement of the city.
During the past year we have been particularly fortunate in necessary changes in top personnel. Though we will all miss Superintendent of Schools Everett W. Ireland, who served in the Somerville school system for 38 years, he has been ably replaced by Dr. Leo C. Donahue, Assistant Superintendent of Schools for 17 years, and a member of the State Board of Edu- cation.
Our new Police Chief, Thomas J. O'Brien, has already taken steps to strengthen the department and its protection to the city and its residents through adoption of a system of three eight-hour shifts a day.
Following the tragic death of our good friend, Welfare Agent John J. Griffin, on January 2, 1958, William T. Casey, Supervisor of the Disability Assistance Division, has been doing an outstanding job as Temporary General Agent of that Department.
The Police and Welfare Departments are working closely together on investigating possible fraudulent claims. This past February a police sergeant and patrolman were assigned to the Marital Relations Division of the Welfare Department to aid in a concerted drive on deserting husbands and non-supporting fathers.
Some of the greatest service we feel our administration has been able to perform has been accomplished through the in- strument of the Department of Public Works and under the outstanding direction of Commissioner Walter J. Manning.
The Department's activities are as varied in scope and ap- plication as the demands of the city government itself can make it. It has also carried the major burden of responsibility for such projects as school buildings, including the construc- tion of our three new ones; rubbish disposal, including the final studies leading to action on construction of an incin- erator; offstreet parking; road reconstruction; and recreation facilities.
Let us review the Department's accomplishments in each of these fields during the past year.
5
MAYOR'S ADDRESS
Schools - The Department has redecorated or created 10 classrooms during 1958, bringing the total since 1954 to 160; modernized three lavatories, for a total of 13; installed a new electric service and completely renovated the auditorium of the Northeastern Junior High School; installed new roofs on two schools and repaired several others; completed sanding all desks and chairs in three schools; installed a new boiler and a new cafeteria in the Trade High School; and repainted and gen- erally redecorated numerous corridors, teachers' rooms, lava- tories, and numerous specialized rooms such as libraries, health and music rooms.
Early in our school renovation program we brought all schools up to the minimum standards of the State Building Codes and have gone beyond them in improving facilities for Somerville's children.
The main problem we face today on school improvement, however, is one of old age. With 20 of our schools over 40 years old, the only permanent cure for many of the ills can be a continued program of replacement, and within that program, a consolidation of school districts. School renovation work has been done in the knowledge that, while a school building is in use all feasible action must be taken to make the school a good educational facility. However, the Commissioner has had the work done with the possibility in mind that eventually many fixtures, furniture, blackboards, and the like can at some fu- ture date be transferred to another school building when fur- ther action is taken on school replacement.
With the first phase of our school modernization program completed - the opening of the three new schools, the re- modelled central building of the High School and the renova- tion of others running smoothly - we expect to be able to take action toward the second phase, a consolidation program through further school construction.
Offstreet Parking - The Department of Public Works this year completed our fifth municipal parking lot. It is equipped with 5, 10, and 25 cent meters in order to allow all-day parking in the lot and leave street meters available for shoppers.
Lack of cooperation from proprietors and employees of the establishments which would benefit directly from the existence of the lot, has been one of the major disappointments in the operation of this program. The parking lots, it is true, are also constructed as a convenience to our residents, the shoppers, but the businessmen should consider it their responsibility to see to it that the lots are properly utilized.
6
ANNUAL REPORTS
During the past year also, a specialized engineering firm was engaged to study the offstreet parking problem in Union Square. The report was received last month and its elaborate program is being studied carefully in the light of the city's entire needs so that specific recommendations for initial im- plementation can be integrated with action on expansion of the Davis Square parking lot.
Again here we have completed the first phase of a program and preparation has already been made for entering the second phase.
Road Program - During 1958 tree removal and necessary drainage improvements were made on several streets in prep- aration for reconstruction under the State-aided Chapter 90 program. A major step toward improvement of many areas was taken when the State Department of Public Works acceded to the Commissioner's request for approval of use of Chapter 90 funds on "feeder" streets when all main through streets of a city are in good condition.
In order to obtain the full price benefits of quantity buy- ing, we further requested that the State D. P. W. bid the 1958 approved Chapter 90 street work together with those approved for our 1959 allotment. It is expected then that 15 more streets will be reconstructed in 1959.
Incineration - At this time last year we told you that rising costs of rubbish disposal would force action on a solu- tion to the city's need for an incinerator. We further told you that full studies were being made and that I was attempting to co-ordinate these plans and studies with the needs of other communities, as well as the possibility of having the incinerator constructed either by public or private means.
During the year two steps have been taken toward a per- manent solution to this problem.
A detailed study was completed by Commissioner Manning showing the entire financial picture that would result from operating to the nearest available open dump upon the closing of our present one; contracting for incinerator services with a private firm which might possibly build an incinerator; and building our own incinerator. This three-pronged analysis was submitted to your honorable board and, following your selec- tion of the proposal for a city-owned incinerator, a bond issue was requested and approved for construction of the incinerator.
Architects' and engineers' drawings and plans are now being completed to construct the incinerator on McGrath Highway in the brickbottom redevelopment area.
7
MAYOR'S ADDRESS
Payments for the incinerator will be eased on the taxpayer and the costs of rubbish disposal eventually reduced because of the following factors: First, payments for the incinerator itself will be spread over 20 years; the city's garbage will also be disposed of in the incinerator; a fee system of collections for business and commercial establishments which has already been put into effect; and revenue from use of the incinerator by private disposal firms and other municipalities.
Recreation Facilities - We were happy to see the M D C construct a new and completely equipped tot-lot at Foss Park, but received even greater satisfaction from the agreement of the M D C to construct a full-scale multi-purpose recreation area on both sides of Dilboy Stadium, along the lines of plans drawn up by Commissioner Manning. Work has already been started on this project and the bleacher wall of the old field has been razed.
The M D C has further agreed to hot-top a large area at the Healey School in order to enlarge Caesar Marchi Playground.
The Department of Public Works itself has installed three new basketball backboards, constructed three picnic tables in cooperation with the Recreation Commission; completed instal- lation of new cement sandboxes in all but one supervised play- ground. New baseball backstops were erected at Glen Street and Lincoln Park Playgrounds; Stone Place Playground has been resurfaced; and the Prospect Hill Tower grounds have been sodded.
The foregoing has been only a brief summary of the year's major accomplishments of the Department of Public Works, which has had to assume the entire burden of city rehabilitation work. I refer you to the annual report of the Department for further enlightenment as to the innumerable benefits resulting to the city from the Department's activities.
In other Departments; library circulation has increased and facilities improved with the opening of a new branch in Union Square. Prepared by the Public Works Department, the new quarters are four times the size of the old.
Recreation Commission activities continue to grow with increased interest in the Ceramics and Senior Citizens Clubs, and the establishment of a third twilight outdoor Basketball League. The conversion of operations in the Treasurer's office from old, time-consuming hand operations to the more effi- cient use of machines continued with the purchase of two Receipts Data Capture machines, designed in great part by the City Treasurer himself.
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ANNUAL REPORT
New rolling equipment includes a new hose wagon, ambu- lance, and two Deputy Chief's cars for the Fire Department; three Police cruisers; a new station wagon for the Recreation Commission; and a new loadpacker for the D P W, Sanitary Division to insure proper maintenance of our modern fleet.
We count as a point of service the establishment last Feb- ruary of a five-step salary schedule for city employees, not already on schedule. This was made possible with the comple- tion of a reclassification by Civil Service of Department of Public Works and many city hall employees. It is my earnest hope that establishment of such a schedule will once and for all eliminate possible inequities from the pay of city employees and take Civil Service wages permanently out of the realm of possible political favoritism.
Another major accomplishment of the past year was the opening of Highland Gardens, the first housing project for the elderly in the United States constructed under the Federal pro- gram, and the start of construction of a duplex style project for the elderly on Capen Street, making a total of 106 apart- ments for the elderly in the city.
Another Housing Authority project; improvements to the grounds at the Mystic Avenue and Clarendon Hill housing projects, includes the preparation of recreation areas.
All work by the Renewal Authority, including consideration of redevelopment of 13 acres in the South-Ward Street area in conjunction with Cambridge, has been stalemated by the lack of information available as to the possible location of proposed State highway extensions.
The Neighborhood Associations and Community Council have been active in keeping information flowing about urban renewal and the procedures which must be followed before the State can announce any route for its highways through Somer- ville.
The League of Women Voters, the Parent-Teachers Asso- ciations, and the Taxpayers Association are to be congratulated for their willingness to speak out on controversial matters.
The Chamber of Commerce must be commended for its activities following the near-tragedy of the closing of the Ford Motors Co. Plant in Somerville last March. The Chamber acted as liaison for groups seeking information on the plant, the city and their facilities.
The purchase of the Ford Plant by First National Stores, Inc. and its reopening in September heralds, I feel, a reinforce-
9
MAYOR'S ADDRESS
ment of the prosperity of this city based on the stability inher- ent in the food industry which is so predominant locally.
This general bolstering of the prosperity of our city in the extension of the tax base and creation of new jobs through new industries and expansion of existing ones has continued in its steady pace during the past year, despite the recession that hit the entire state and nation during the first part of 1958.
The Building Division issued permits for new construction valued at over a million dollars in the last twelve months.
Expansion of our tax base can never be as rapid as it has been in communities with considerable land already available since 90 per cent of our 4.22 square miles is built upon.
Most of the widening of our tax base in the easily foresee- able future must come therefore from the re-use of existing land.
Our industrial redevelopment project in the Linwood-Joy Brickbottom area is rapidly bearing fruit with a heavy increase already being realized in taxes from the area.
During the past year the streets were widened and utilities placed underground. Nine new buildings have either been constructed or are underway. Completion of the sale of the land will bring even further revenue from the industrial area.
All of this will be of little avail as long as the city continues to be caught in a financial squeeze not of its own making. We are powerless against mounting costs and even more powerless against the increasing charges against us by state-created non- municipal agencies, such as the M. T. A.
Just ten years ago Somerville paid $56,967.69 as its M. T. A. assessment. This past year we paid $611,367.16.
Our total State and County Assessment in 1948 was $700,581.58. Last year it was $1,924,981.09.
With so much of our financial burden due thus directly to state agencies or imposed upon us by special state legislation contrary to home rule, it seems to me that it is time for the Legislature to take action toward providing funds for the measures they adopt. It would be well for the State Legislature to accompany all financial legislation with a state appropria- tion for its payment or some means of raising the money in- volved. I commend this course to all of our Legislators.
We are also robbed of the benefit of our expanding tax base as long as it continues to get frittered away in over-value abatements. The Assessors have already expended about a half
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ANNUAL REPORTS
million dollars for abatements in 1958, representing a reduc- tion of over six million dollars in valuations from our tax base.
If, as they assert, these over-value abatements are not given as political favors, then the fault must be with the orig- inal assessing methods employed. It would seem advisable therefore that an impartial firm of management engineers be engaged to make a survey of the assessors' procedures with the objective of determining possible reforms within the Depart- ment that would lead to more efficient methods and practices.
If it were not for these factors, the city's financial situation would be bright, since - 1. Our citizens are receiving a direct financial benefit through the reduction in fire insurance rates; 2. They are benefiting from a reduction in maintenance costs throughout the city's departments by means of consolidation and modernization; 3. Our debt picture is among the best in the state; and 4. What indebtedness has been incurred has been for capital improvements which will benefit the city for years to come and result in ultimate savings.
Thus all of us in the administration have done our best to serve the city and its people, who we hope will grow and prosper as a result of the benefits and improvements we have worked so hard to bring them.
Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM J. DONOVAN, Mayor
11
CITY AUDITOR
REPORT OF THE CITY AUDITOR
Office of the City Auditor January 31, 1959
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 Ordinance of 1929, I herewith submit a report of the expenditures and receipts during the year 1958, as shown by the records in this office, giving in detail the appro- priations, 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.
Respectfully submitted,
FRANCIS E. WALSH,
City Auditor
12
BALANCE SHEET CITY OF SOMERVILLE, DECEMBER 31, 1958 REVENUE ACCOUNTS
Assets
Cash:
In Offices and Banks
$336,039.29
$336,039.29
Petty Cash Advances
800.00
Accounts Receivable:
Taxes 1946
9.03
Taxes 1948
84.00
Taxes 1949
12.00
Taxes 1950
690.02
Taxes 1951
2,434.48
2,397.30
Taxes 1952
2,687.24
Reimbursements Disability Assistance
4,432.06
Taxes 1953
3,566.21
Reimbursements Old Age Assistance
27,822.06
Taxes 1954
7,060.16
Pay Roll Deductions for Purchase of Savings Bonds
1,468.86
Federal Tax Withholding
152,843.78
Parking Meter Receipts
9,015.51
County - Dog Licenses
88.75
Group Insurance Deductions
452.44
Group Insurance Dividend
2,553.42
Employees Insurance Deductions
670.44
Blue Cross Deductions
25,331.12
Blue Cross Dividends
1,877.66
Hot Lunch Project Receipts
11,698.64
School - Athletic Receipts
4,560.35
1948
81.04
1949
2,579.58
1950
5,993.54
Revenue Reserved until Collected:
ANNUAL REPORT
Liabilities
Taxes 1949 Real Estate
$146.25
Cashiers Overages
230.65
Unidentified Cash
24.37
Tailings
6,804.30
School Deposits, Forfeited Fees
186.90
City Clerk's Deposits
1,434.75
School Dept. Evening School Deposits
2,033.25
School - Book Deposits
1,097.90
Unexpended Balances: Revenue Appropriations Income of Trust Fund
533,131.27
Taxes 1955
6,150.32
Taxes 1956
16,471.23
Taxes 1957
19,581.96
Taxes 1958
. 925,507.75
$984,254.40
Tax Titles
147,943.44
Tax Possessions
38,406.89
Bldg. Code Razing Fees, Taxes 1956 739.00
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax:
George - Barden Fund
2,209.93
Smith - Hughes Fund
327.51
. .
BALANCE SHEET - Continued
Assets - Continued
Liabilities - Continued
1951
5,325.35
Departmental
188,235.96
1952
7,228.45
Water
118,413.62
1953
5,562.65
Tax Titles
147,943.44
1954
6,007.89
Tax Possessions
38,406.89
1955
7,479.48
Motor Vehicle Excise
273,520.89
1957
26,408.74
1958
192,378.58
$273,520.89
Federal Grant-School Dept.
47,117.00
Sale of Real Estate
7,340.85
State Taxes & Assess. 1958 ..
27,242.28
Health Department
144.00
Welfare Miscellaneous
89,038.61
Old Age Assistance
33,181.32
City Home
1,540.10
School Contingent
4,675.15
Aid Dependent Children ...
59,636.78
Veterans Services
20.00
188,235.96
Water Department Accounts ..
118,413.62
Overlay:
1945
19.40
1948
600.99
1949
123.76
1950
3,795.11
1951
2,081.36
1952
3,360.20
1953
3,251.83
1954
.
.
..... ...
1,384.64
1955
.. 24,427.40
.
.
.
.
·
.
·
.
·
·
·
·
.
·
.
·
1956
14,475.59
Bldg. Code Fees Revenue .. 739.00
767,259.80
Departmental Bills Receivable:
Reserve for Petty Cash Advances
800.00
Excess & Deficiency
167,743.96
CITY AUDITOR
13
·
.
.
·
.
·
·
·
·
....
.
$306,649.58
..
.
.
.
14
BALANCE SHEET - Continued
Liabilities - Continued
Assets - Continued
1956
38,018.63
1957
47,850.64
1958
42,521.28
County Assess. T. B. Hospital 1958
3,667.26
County Tax 1958
887.37
$171,989.87
$2,260,343.36
$2,260,343.36
NON-REVENUE ACCOUNTS
Assets - Continued
Liabilities - Continued
Cash in Offices and Bank ....
$266,474.40
Non-Revenue Appropriations
$264,731.31
State & County Highways Ac-
State & County Aid to Highways Revenue
46,484.32
counts Receivable
46,484.32
Somerville Housing Authority
1,743.09
Loans Authorized
1,150,000.00
Loans Unissued
1,150,000.00
$1,462,958.72
$1,462,958.72
ANNUAL REPORTS
NET FUNDED OR FIXED DEBT
Assets - Continued
Net Bonded Debt 4,237,000.00
Liabilities - Continued
Loans Within Statutory Debt Limit:
Chapter 44 - Sewer Loan $46,000.00
Municipal Relief Loan .... Municipal Garage Loan ....
295,000.00
515,000.00
Elementary Schools
1,200,000.00
Public Works Equip. Loan .. 19,000.00
Public Works Bldg. Loan .
32,000.00
Munic. Off-Street Parking
240,000.00
Sanitary Dept. Equipment ..
100,000.00
Macadam Pavement Loan ..
180,000.00
Sidewalk Constr. Loan
80,000.00
Incinerator Loan
250,000.00
$2,957,000.00
Loans Outside Statutory Debt Limit:
P.W.A. Sewer Loan $6,000.00
Veterans' Housing Loan
145,000.00
Transit Assessment Loan ...
79,000.00
Stadium Loan
115,000.00
Reconstruction High School, Funding Loan 810,000.00
Water Meters Loan
125,000.00
$1,280,000.00
$4,237,000.00
$4,237,000.00
-
CITY AUDITOR
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TRUST AND INVESTED FUNDS
Assets - Continued
Liabilities - Continued
Trust Funds: Cash and Securities
$59,469.77
Trust Funds:
Contagious Hospital $1,242.74
School Funds 11,515.87
Library Funds 39,136.26
Investment Funds:
Cash and Securities
2,760,321.14
Recreation Funds 3,645.76
Invested Funds: Municipal Bldgs. Ins. Fund 4,512.88
* Retirement System Funds, 4 % & 5% .. 2,575,598.02 .. Veterans' Housing Funds .. 180,210.24
$2,819,790.91
$2,819,790.91
* Figures submitted by Retirement Board.
ANNUAL REPORTS
Welfare Funds 3,929.14
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CITY AUDITOR
REVENUE CASH STATEMENT, DECEMBER 31, 1958
Receipts
General:
Taxes
$9,755,153.59
Motor Vehicle Excise
968,659.90
Tax Titles
22,826.65
Tax Possessions
1,600.00
C. of M. Meal Tax
62,497.81
C. of M. Lieu of Taxes
1,063.34
Licenses and Permits
129,519.28
C. of M. Corporation Tax
535,410.38
C. of M. School Aid
500,631.14
C. of M. Grant a/c Paraplegic
1,046.64
C. of M. Income Tax
274,505.00
Federal Grant - School Department
47,517.00
Fines and Forfeits
22,080.30
Grants and Gifts
1,465,518.89
Parking Meters
42,855.84
All Other
595.89
$13,831,481.65
Departmental:
General Government
21,805.46
Protection Persons & Property
1,570.95
Recreation
273.40
Library
5,877.12
Health and Sanitation
15,812.85
Welfare
37,578.56
Highways
3,042.15
Aid Dependent Children
157,644.71
Old Age Assistance
880,456.85
Disability Assistance
107,180.06
Schools and School Buildings
28,135.88
Veterans' Services
32,983.27
Teachers' Retirement Deductions
146,871.21
Hot Lunch Receipts
127,300.25
Athletic Receipts
17,460.25
Federal Tax Withholding
957,129.01
Payroll Deductions for the Purchase of Savings Bonds
18,640.77
Blue Cross Deductions
145,275.43
Insurance Deductions
1,067.38
Group Insurance Deductions
15,065.00
Public Works Receipts
13,870.50
Blue Cross Dividend
77.57
Group Insurance Dividend
1,111.00
Veterans' Housing Fund Transfer
42,775.00
All Others
473.34
$2,779,477.97
Water Department Accounts
623,722.16
Interest on Taxes, Inc.
17,174.27
Trust Fund Income
1,508.51
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