USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Williamsburg > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Williamsburg 1952 > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TOWN OFFICERS OF WILLIAMSBURG MASSACHUSETTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31st
1952
INDEX
Town Officers
2
Selectmèn 4
Servicemen's Going Away Committee 6
Warrant
7
Finance Committee
15
Budget Recommendations 18
Town Clerk
23
Tax Collector
27
Treasurer
31
Town Accountant
32
Assessor
48
Water Commissioners 50
List of Jurors
52
Fire Department
53
Library
54
Tree Warden 56
Board of Health 57
Police Department
59
School Department
62
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
Town of Williamsburg
FOR THE
M
Year Ending December 31, 1952
Y
Printed by Gazette Printing Company, Inc. Northampton, Mass.
TOWN OFFICERS
Selectmen :
Donald S. Outhuse, Chairman
1953
Walter E. Kellogg, Jr., Clerk
1955
George Vernon Warner
1954
Town Clerk :
Charles W. Wells
1953
Town Treasurer:
Miss Anna E. Watson
1953
Assessors :
Lunsford Oliver, Chairman
1953
Philip Carnall Edwin Breckenridge
1954
1955
Tax Collector :
Barbara B. Swanda
1955
Elector, Oliver Smith Will:
Richard F. Watling
1953
School Committee:
Warren O. McAvoy, Chairman
1954
Mrs. Eleanor Ballway
1953
Norman Graves
1955
Constables :
Charles Cross 1953
Vardic Golash
1953
Term
Expires
3
Town Officers
Board of Health :
Mary E. Graves, Chairman
1953
Dr. Joseph R. Hobbs
1955
George M. Childs
1954
Water Commissioners:
Howard Sanderson, Chairman
1955
Elmer Nutting
1953
Edward Beattie
1954
Tree Warden :
Frank Vayda
1953
Trustees of Haydenville Library :
Mrs. Lula Smith
1953
Miss Lora Phinney
1954
Mrs. Maude E. Sanderson
1955
Trust Fund Commissioners :
Arthur J. Polmatier
1955
Roswell S. Jorgenson
1954
Richard Graves
1953
Recreation Committee :
Kenneth Beals, Chairman
1955
Frank Paul
1954
Orville Fowler
1953
Moderator:
John H. Breguet
1953
4
Selectmen's Report
Selectmen's Report
The selectmen met February 19, and organized as fol- lows: Donald S. Outhuse, Chairman; G. Vernon Warner, Veterans' Agent ; Walter E. Kellogg, Jr., Clerk and Chair- man of the Board of Welfare.
G. V. Warner was appointed Superintendent of Roads at this meeting.
March 10 G. V. Warner resigned as Veterans' Agent and Walter Kellogg, Jr., was appointed to fill this vacancy.
Fifty-one regular meetings and six special meetings were held during the year.
Two Special Town Meetings were held, one on April 18 and the other on Nov. 3. This meeting was adjourned until Nov. 10, because of a lack of quorum.
1951 Chapter 90 construction that was not completed last fall and all of 1952 Chapter 90 construction was done on Mountain Street.
Chapter 81 construction was done on Nash Street.
Grass Hill Road and Hen Hawk Trail were discontin- ued this year.
It didn't seem advisable to spend the money appropri- ated for repairs on the Town Hall until definite plans for the new school were made. Although new windows were purchased they were not put in.
5
Selectmen's Report
We wish to thank the other town officers, committees, and townspeople for their cooperation and support during the past year.
DONALD S. OUTHUSE, WALTER E. KELLOGG, JR. G. VERNON WARNER.
6
Servicemen's Going-Away Committee
Report of Servicemen's Going-away Committee
The Reader's Digest was sent again this year to the 15 boys who entered the service from the town. The bal- ance in this account now stands at $156.04.
The boys who received the Reader's Digest this year were: Paul Blanchard, Nathan Rice, Aaron Brown, Thom- as Coogan, Raymond Hathaway, Leon Parsons, Jr., Dor- rance Bates, Alfred Mimitz.
Since the first of this year (1953) the following names have been sent in: Ernest Braman, Herbert Nye, Robert Sharpe, Arthur LaCasse, Frank Vaillancourt, Ar- thur Clary, Allen Sylvester.
WALTER E. KELLOGG, JR., Chairman,
MRS. ROSELLA BLANCHARD, MRS. CLARA RUSTEMEYER.
7
Articles and Warrant
Articles of the Warrant
Article 1. To elect a Moderator for one year. To elect one Selectman for a term of three years, who shall be an Overseer of Public Welfare. To elect one Town Clerk, one Treasurer, two Constables, one Elector under the will of the late Oliver Smith, Esq., one Tree Warden, all for a term of one year. To elect three School Committeemen, two for three years and one for two years, one Trust Fund Commissioner, one Wa- ter Commissioner, one Library Trustee, one Assessor, one member of the Board of Health and one Recrea- tion Commissioner, all for a term of three years.
Article 2. To choose all necessary minor Town Officers for the ensuing year.
Artice 3. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Town Treasurer with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1953, and to issue a note or notes therefor, payable within one year and to renew any note or notes as may be given for a period of less than one year, in accordance with Section 17, Chapter 44 of the General Laws.
Article 4. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate such sums of money as shall be deemed neces- sary to defray the expenses of the current year.
8
Articles and Warrant
Article 5. To hear the report of the Selectmen, Treasur- er, Town Clerk, Tax Collector, Assessors, School Com- mittee, Water Commissioners, and other Committees and act thereon.
Article 6. To choose a committee to expend the income from the Whiting Street Fund.
Article 7. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate the sum of one thousand dollars to pay the note which is due in 1952 on the Spelman Annex to the High School and to instruct the Assessors to use the income from the Onslow G. Spelman School Fund (not to exceed one thousand dollars) as an estimated re- ceipts in determining the tax rate.
Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to cooperate with the County and State under the provisions of Chapter 90 of the General Laws, for construction and to vote to appropriate the sum of $2,500.00, the Town's share of the expense, and to vote to appropriate the sum of $7,500.00, the County and State's share of the expense, and in anti- cipation of reimbursement from the County and State under the provisions of the Chapter, the Town's share to be raised by taxation and County and Town's share to be taken from the Surplus Revenue Account and returned to the Surplus Revenue Account when received from the County and State, or take any oth- er action thereon.
Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to cooperate with the County and State un- der the provisions of Chapter 90 of the General Laws, for maintenance, and to vote to appropriate the sum of $750.00, the Town's share of the expense, and to
9
Articles and Warrant
vote to appropriate the sum of $1,500.00, the County and State's share of the expense, and in anticipation of reimbursement from the County and State under the provisions of this Chapter the Town's share to be raised by taxation and the County and State's share to be taken from the Surplus Revenue Account and returned to the Surplus Revenue Account when re- ceived from the County and State, or take any other action thereon.
Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to cooperate. with the State under the pro- visions of Chapter 81 of the General Laws and to raise and appropriate the sum of $3,150.00, the Town's share of the expense, and to vote to appropriate the State's share of the expense, and in anticipation of reimbursement under this Chapter, such sums to be taken from the Surplus Revenue Account, the State's share to be returned to the Surplus Revenue Account when received from the State, or take any other ac- tion thereon.
Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to fix the salary and compensation of all elected officers of the town as provided in Section 108, Chapter 41, General Laws, as amended.
Article 12. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of $468.01 to be paid to the Treas- urer-Custodian of the Hampshire County Retirement System to be credited to the funds thereof.
Article 13. To see if the Town will vote to transfer and appropriate the balance of $6,783.85 in the Road Ma- chinery Earnings Account of 1952 to the Road Ma- chinery Account of 1953.
418
> 2
10
Articles and Warrant
Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to transfer and appropriate the sum of $500.00 from the Water Sur- plus Account to pay the note which is due in 1953 on the South Street Water Extension, or take any other action thereon.
Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to transfer and appropriate the sum of $2,000.00 from the Water Sur- plus Account to pay the note which is due in 1953, on the additional Water Supply Loan, or take any other action thereon.
Article 16. To see if the Town will vote to transfer and appropriate the sum of $540.00 from the Water Sur- plus Account to pay the interest on the additional Water Supply Loan, which is due to 1953, or take any other action thereon.
Article 17. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of $1,325.00 to help defray the ex- penes of a Public Health Nurse, or take any other ac- tion thereon.
Article 18. To see if the Town will vote to accept the Henry W. Warner Trust Fund, to be used for the wor- thy poor, provided the court will allow it to be trans- ferred to the Town from the present board of three Trustees.
Article 19. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the authority to let the Garbage Contract from the Board of Selectmen to the Board of Health.
Article 20. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Water Commissioners to sell the lumber from the Water Shed under the supervision of the State De-
·
11
Articles and Warrant
partment of Conservation. The monies to be put into the Water Surplus Account, or take any other action thereon.
Article 22. To see if the Town will vote to adopt the fol- lowing By-Law or take any other action thereon: "Building permits must be secured from the Board of Selectmen for all construction of buildings or all alterations of buildings that shall cost in excess of $300.00, and/or for all other buildings or alterations where plumbing, sanitation, or garbage and waste re- moval is involved. The Board of Selectmen shall is- sue such permits only after they have examined the application and understand the location and purpose for such building and the qualifications of the appli- cant for such permit. Permits may be granted by a majority of the Board of Selectmen. Duplicate copies of all permits for construction and alteration shall be delivered to the Chairman of the Board of Health, to the Fire Chief and to the Chairman of the Board of Assesors. It shall be the duty of the Board of Health to require the applicant to meet its regula- tions as published and established in the Town. It shall be the duty of the Fire Chief to require the ap- plicant to meet the regulations of the Fire Depart- ment insofar as they are applicable, and to comply with the regulations of the Forest Warden insofar as they are applicable. It shall be the duty of the Board of Assessors to record all new buildings and al- terations on the schedule of taxable properties in the Town. Whoever violates the provisions of this By- Law shall be punished by a fine of $20.00 for each of- fense. There shall be appointed by the Board of Se- lectmen a Board of Appeals consisting of five resi- dents of the Town of Williamsburg who are also own- ers of real estate located in the Town of Williamsburg, to determine any question of appeal from the decis-
12
Articles and Warrant
ions of the Selectmen, the Board of Health or the Fire Chief. The first Board of Appeals appointed shall severally be appointed for terms of such length that the term of one appointee will expire each year, and thereafter one member of that Board shall each year be appointed to serve for a term of five years, and any vacancy in the Board shall be filled by the Board of Selectmen appointing a member to serve for the unexpired term of the member whose position is vacated. All hearings before the Board of Appeals shall be public hearings."
Article 23. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate a sum of money for the purpose of con- structing an addition to the existing Helen E. James School Building and for originally equipping and fur- nishing said addition; determine whether the money shall be provided for by taxation, by appropriation from available funds in the treasury, including the Post-War Rehabilitation Fund, and by borrowing un- der the authority of Chapter 44, General Laws, and Chapter 645 of the Acts of 1948 as amended by Chap- ter 447 of the Acts of 1951.
That the sum of $186,000 be raised and appropriated for the purpose of constructing an addition to the ex- isting Helen E. James School Building and originally equipping and furnishing said addition.
That, to meet said appropriaton the sum of $22,500 be appropriated from the Post-War Rehabilitation Fund; the sum of $43,500 be appropriated from the available funds in the treasury ; and that the Treasur- er, with the consent and approval of the Selectmen be and hereby is authorized to borrow the sum of $60,000 under authority of Chapter 44 of the General Laws and the sum of $60,000 under the authority of Chapter 645 of the Acts of 1948 as amended by Chap-
13
Articles and Warrant
ter 447 of the Acts of 1951, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor payable in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 44 of the General Laws so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than twenty years from the date of issue of the first bond or note.
Be it further voted that a school building committee be appointed and authorized to enter into all con- tracts and agreements necessary to construct, equip. and furnish the addition, to said school building.
Article 24. To see if the Town of Williamsburg will raise and appropriate the sum of $8,000 for the purpose of extending the water mains in the Town of Williams- burg to the Northampton city line at a point to con- nect with the water main from the Hampshire Coun- ty Sanatorium, using 6-inch pipe in said extension ; and that to meet said appropriation the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow outside of the debt limit the sum of $8,000 and to issue notes of the Town therefor, payable in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 44 of the General Laws of Massachusetts, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than five (5) years from the date of issue of the first note.
Article 25. To see if the Town of Williamsburg will au- thorize its Selectmen and its Water Commissioners to enter into a written contract with the County Com- missioners of Hampshire County for a period of five (5) years from the date of the contract to provide water for the Hampshire County Sanatorium locat- ed in that part of Northampton known as Leeds, the said County of Hampshire to pay to the Town of Wil- liamsburg for such water the sum of $1,800 per year during so much of that period as is required to fully
14
Articles and Warrant
reimburse the Town of Williamsburg for the cost of the extension of its water mains to the Northampton city line under the next preceding Article of this War- rant, together with such interest as will have been paid on the money borrowed by said Town to pay for such extension of its water mains; and, in addition thereto, during said 5-year period said County of Hampshire shall pay to the Town of Williamsburg for all water used six (6) cents per hundred cubic feet used during each year.
Article 26. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate a sum of money for the purpose of purchas- ing and preparing site, constructing a school building ; and determine whether the money shall be provided for by taxation, by appropriation from available funds in the Treasury including the Post-War Reha- bilitation Fund, and by borrowing under authority of Chap. 44 General Laws and Chapter 645 of the Acts of 1948 as amended by Chap. 447 of the Acts of 1951, and by Chap. 389 of the Acts of 1952, or take any other action thereon.
Article 27. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Health to set up a Garbage and Rubbish Service on a fee basis and to publish any necessary regulations.
Article 28. To see if the Town will vote to set a limit of ten P. M. after which no persons under the age of seventeen shall loiter on or about the public ways of the town.
15
Finance Committee
Report of Finance Committee
Economy is a distributive virtue, and consists not in saving but selection
Parsimony requires no providence, no sagacity, no comparison, no judgment.
Your Town has an annual income in excess of $250,- 000; an annual expense somewhat less than that. More than $100,000 of income comes from direct taxation of in- dividual real and personal property. There are less than 600 individual dwelling houses assessed, and less than 600 poll taxes levied. Chief sources of income other than these taxes include State Aid for schools, highways and welfare; Federal Aid for welfare; State re-distribution back to the Town of some Corporation Taxes and Income taxes, and from a variety of other sources in minor amounts.
That we shall be alert and certain to receive our just share of all income from State and other sources is of im- portance in our economy.
In the operation and administration of our Town gov- ernment and services we spend approximately $250,000. More than 2,000 resident people are beneficiaries of these services-many of them paying little financial tribute for these benefits, and sharing little in personal service and thought. This quarter of a million dollars is spent nota- bly for Public Education, Highways, Welfare, Health and Protection of Life and Property.
16
Finance Committee
In the direction, management and supervision of these services some twenty-seven local citizens, through elec- tion or appointment, serve with all the effectiveness and devotion they can. The public pays them all only a trifle over $6,000 per year. The average annual payment to twenty-six of them is less than $200 each, per year!
Your Finance Committee of nine appointed individu- als are charged with the responsibility to enquire into, to examine and to advise you as to all business of the Town involving financial affairs, notably to achieve economy with effectiveness.
We re-urge you to think and act carefully and selec- tively in regard to the costs immediate and long range; the income, current and customary as well as potential; its services, their value and distribution. Inequalities of the burden of cost should be leveled as between individu- als, and generations. We should seek to collect fully and promptly all taxes, rents, licenses and fees. We should seek to market sensibly all natural resources and capaci- ties for the common good for our time and thoughtful of the future. We should evaluate, as we may, our services and determine how equitably and fully we are distribut- ing them. We should ask those who use and enjoy serv- ices to bear the cost in greater proportion than those who do not have them.
Practically, your Finance Committee asks your con- siderate support of its recommendations as indicated in the Budget Requests which follow on other pages, and that you consider constructively our recommendations-
(1) That a Financial Survey Committee of five be appointed to act and study with our Accountant and Treasurer the Business-Financial structure of the Town as a whole and by departments to the end that we may have understanding of the facts and standards of com- parison.
17
Finance Committee
(2) That a Committee be appointed to assist the Board of Assessors set up and compile an improved record keeping, to the end that inequalities of taxation be leveled, and that all taxable persons and properties be included.
(3) That we support the plan of the Board of Health to place Garbage and Rubbish collection on a fee basis.
(4) That repairs and new equipment for our schools, as distinct from normal upkeep, be segregated from an- nual operational costs and that funds for these be separ- ately appropriated and acted upon.
(5) That a Town Secretary of Administration be employed to serve especially as Administrator of Garbage and Rubbish Service, Collector of Water Rents, Secretary for the Board of Assessors, and Appointment Assistant to the Board of Selectmen-payment for services to be al- located from present salary and maintenance budgets of these departments, to be added to by special allotments from the two collection services.
We thank all those who, in and out of Town Govern- ment, have cooperated in this study of present needs and future plans.
Respectfully submitted,
ALBERT R. CRONE, Chairman MRS. CARL RUSTEMEYER, Secretary MRS. JOSEPH R. HOBBS MRS. CLARENCE LARKIN
LEONARD WALPOLE MARTIN DUNPHY WINFIELD S. SMITH LEWIS BLACK
18
Budget Requests and Recommendations
Budget Requests and Recommendations, 1953
1952 Approp.
1952 Expended
1953 Request
1953 Recom.
Moderator
Salary
$10.00
$10.00
$10.00
$10.00
Finance
Reserve
3,500.00
2,646.48
5,000.00
4,000.00
Maintenance
35.00
35.00
35.00
35 00
$3,535.00
$2,681.48
$5,035.00
$4,035.00
Selectmen
Salaries, chairman
300.00
300.00
300.00
300.00
member
150.00
150.00
150.00
150.00
member
150.00
150.00
150.00
150.00
Maintenance
300.00
300.00
300.00
300.00
$900.00
$900.00
$900.00
$900.00
Treasurer
Salary
500.00
500.00
500.00
500.00
Maintenance
250.00
250.00
250.00
250.00
$750.00
$750.00
$750.00
$750.00
Elector, Oliver Smith Will
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
Accountant
Salary
450.00
450.00
450.00
450.00
Maintenance
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
$550.00
$550.00
$550.00
$550.00
Assessors
Salaries
550.00
550.00
550.00
550.00
Clerk
100.00
81.25
150.00
150.00
Maintenance
250.00
126.94
250.00
250.00
$900.00
$758.19
$950.00
$950.00
19
Budget Requests and Recommendations
Town Clerk
Salary
$200.00
200.00
200.00
200.00
Maintenance
200.00
212.52
300.00
300.00
Elections and Reg.
500.00
637.15
300.00
200.00
$900.00
$1,049.67
$800.00
$700.00
Tax Collector
Salary
400.00
400.00
400.00
400.00
Maintenance
400.00
380.05
400.00
400.00
$800.00
$780.05
$800.00
$800.00
General Government
Town Hall
1,000.00
1,331.96
1,000.00
800.00
Town Sheds
200.00
183.74
200.00
200.00
Legal Consultation
150.00
225.00
150.00
150.00
Sealer
75.00
100.00
100.00
Moth Work
600.00
146.25
642.00
642.00
Elm Trees
321.00
321.10
321.00
321.00
Tree Warden
400.00
401.00
1,000.00
800.00
Clocks
125.00
110.11
125.00
125.00
Town Reports
350.00
320.00
350.00
325.00
Memorial Day
150.00
150.00
150.00
125.00
Wood Lot
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
$3,381.10
$3,199.16
$4,048.00
$3,598.00
Recreation Committee
Athletic Field
450.00
307.18
400.00
400.00
Rec. and Equip.
250.00
155.36
200.00
200.00
$700.00
$462.54
$600.00
$600.00
Police
Salaries
200.00
200.00
200.00
200.00
Special Police
910.75
75.00
75.00
Telephone
101.85
90.00
90.00
Maintenance
1,200.00
172.60
50,00
50.00
Policing and use of cars
1,400.00
985.00
$1,400.00
$1,384.69
$1,815.00
$1,400.00
20
Budget Requests and Recommendations
Fire Department
Salaries
430.00
Maintenance
430.00 3,270.00
430.00 3,881.57
430.00 5,859.04
4,000.00
$3,700.00
$4,311.57
$6,298.04
$4,430.00
Highways
Chapter 81
3,150.00
14,695.51
3,150.00
3,150.00
Gen. and Winter
7,000.00
8,498.63
10,000.00
9,000.00
Bridges
500.00
499.22
500.00
500.00
Sidewalks
99.29
100.00
100.00
Chap. 90 Construction
1,000.00
6,116.84
2,500.00
2,500.00
Chap. 90 Maintenance
500.00
1,500.08
750.00
750.00
Tools
200.00
149.56
200.00
200.00
Street Lights
2,450.00
2,428.86
2,850.00
2,500.00
$14,800.00 $33,987.99 $20,050.00 $18,700.00
Board of Health
Public Health
1,800.00
1,421.00
3,600.00
3,600.00
Public Health Adm.
60.00
32.90
40.00
40.00
Diphtheria
60.00
18.00
60.00
60.00
Insp. Dairy
75.00
75.00
75.00
Insp. Slaughter
125.00
58.00
150.00
150.00
Salary, chairman
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
Town Dump
350.00
231.50
350.00
350.00
Hayden Dump rental
200.00
200.00
Well Child Clinic
300.00
270.16
300.00
300.00
Garbage Collection
1,400.00
1,401.70
300.00
300.00
Rubbish Collection
400.00
400.00
200.00
200.00
$4,670.00
$3,933.26
$5,475.00
$5,475.00
Water Department
Salaries, Collector
200.00
200.00
200.00
200.00
Caretaker
75.00
75.00
75.00
75.00
Chlorinator
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
Pipe Line Maintenance
1,900.00
4,651.65
1,931.00
1,931.00
Water Shed
1,000.00
500.00
500.00
Chlorinator
300.00
. . . .
500.00
500.00
Administration
200.00
200.00
200.00
New Water Operation
. . . .
. . . . . .
$3,775.000
$5,026.65
$4,156.00
$4,156.00
·
. .
.
100.00
100.00
Insp. Barn and Animal
.
. . . .
. . . .
650.00
650.00
21
Budget Requests and Recommendations
Public Welfare
General Aid
1,500.00
1,500.00
1,500.00
1,500.00
Maintenance
200.000
200.00
200.00
200.00
Old Age Assistance
30,000 00
27,000.00
27,000.00
27,000 00
Aid to Dep. Children
6,C00.00
6,000.00
6,000.00
6,000.00
Agent's salary
1,37.1.43
1,371.43
1,508.57
1,508.57
Aid to Totally Disabled
5,000.00
5,000.00
5,00.00
5,000.00
$44,071.43 $41,071.43 $41,208.57 $41,208.57
Veterans' Service
Benefits
1,500.00
632.26
1,500.00
1,300.00
Salary
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.