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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TOWN OFFICERS OF WILLIAMSBURG MASSACHUSETTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31st 1953
INDEX
Town Officers
2
Selectmen 4
Warrant
6
Finance Committee
15
Budget Recommendations 18
Town Clerk
23
Tax Collector
29
Treasurer
32
Town Accountant
33
Assessor
49
Water Commissioners
52
Tree Warden
54
Library
55
Board of Health 56
Police Department
58
Sealer
60
School Building Committee 61
Civil Defense
63
School Department
66
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
Town of Williamsburg
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1953
Printed by Gazette Printing Co., Inc. Northampton, Mass.
TOWN OFFICERS
Term Expires
Selectmen :
Donald S. Outhuse, Chairman
1956
1955
Walter E. Kellogg, Jr., Clerk George Vernon Warner
1954
Town Clerk :
Charles W. Wells
1954
Town Treasurer:
Miss Anna E. Watson
1954
Assessors :
Vernon P. West
1956
Philip Carnall
1951
Edwin Breckenridge, Chairman
1955
Tax Collector :
Barbara B. Swanda
1955
Elector, Oliver Smith Will: Richard F. Watling
1954
School Committee :
Warren McAvoy, Chairman
1954
Eleanor Ballway
1956
Kenneth Sherk
1956
Norman Graves
1955
Robert Soderberg, resigned
1955
Ruth Emerick, to fill vacancy
1954
Constables :
Charles Cross
1954
Vardic Golash 1954
3
Town Officers
Board of Health:
·
George M. Child, Chairman
1954
Dr. Joseph R. Hobbs
1955
Mrs. Mary Nelson Dr. Joseph R. Hobbs
1956
1955
Water Commissioners :
Howard Sanderson, Chairman
1955
Robert Purnell 1956
Edward Beattie, deceaser
1954
Robert Wells, to fill unexpired term
Tree Warden :
Frank Vayda
1954
Trustees of Haydenville Library :
Mrs. Lula Smith
1956
Miss Lora Phinney
1954
Mrs. Maude E. Sanderson
1955
Trust Fund Commissioners :
Arthur J. Polmatier
1955
Roswell S. Jorgenson
1954
Richard Graves
1956
Recreation Committee :
Kenneth Beals, Chairman
1955
Frank Paul
1954
Richard Graves
1956
Moderator :
John H. Breguet 1954
4
Selectmen's Report
Selectmen's Report
The Selectmen met and organized Feb. 23 as follows: Donald Outhuse, chairman; W. E. Kellogg Jr., clerk, chairman of Board of Welfare, and Veterans' Agent; and G. Vernon Warner, Superintendent of Roads.
Fifty-two regular meetings were held and 5 special meetings were held during the year.
There were 3 Special Town Meetings held during the year.
Chapter 90 construction was done on Mountain Street.
There was a Chapter 90 Special Grant for the pur- pose of resurfacing Route 143 (Chesterfield Road).
Chapter 81 construction was done on Nash Street.
At the last Annual Town Meeting, the Selectmen were authorized to hire a Town Secretary. Mrs. Vernon West was hired and served in this capacity until fall when she resigned and Mrs. Gabriel Mongeau was appointed to fill the vacancy. Because of the heating problem at the Town Hall, the Secretary's office was moved to the Fire House.
There was a serious infestation of Gypsy Moths in Town this year. Spray was used along the Highways. There are plans for airial spraying in cooperation with the County and State.
5
Selectmen's Report
The sanding of the roads was let out to contract this year at a saving to the Town.
We recommend that the outside of the Town Hall be painted and the windows that were purchased last year should be installed.
We wish to thank the other town officers, commit- tees, and townspeople for their cooperation and support during the past year.
DONALD S. OUTHUSE, WALTER E. KELLOGG, Jr. G. VERNON WARNER.
6
Articles of the Warrant
Articles from the Town 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 two School Committeemen, one for three years and one for two years, one Trust Fund Commissioner, two Water Commissioners, one Library Trustee, one As- sessor, one member of the Board of Health and one Recreation Commissioner, all for a term of three years.
Article 2. To choose all necessary minor Town Officers for the ensuing year.
Article 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 Gen- eral Laws.
Article 4. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate such sums of money as shall be deemed necessary to defray the expenses of the current year.
7
Articles of the 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 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 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 maintenance, and to vote to appropriate the sum of $1,000.00, the Town's share of the expense, and to vote to appropriate the sum of $2,000.00, the County and State's share of the expense, and in anti- cipation of reimbursement from the County and State under the provisions of 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 received from the County and State, or take any other action thereon.
8
Articles of the Warrant
Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to cooperate with the State under the pro- visions of Chaper 81 of the General Laws and to raise and appropriate the sum of $4,100.00, the Town's share of the expense, and to vote to appro- priate the State's share of the expense, and in anti- cipation 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 Reve- nue Account when received from the State, or take any other action thereon.
Article 10. 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 11. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of $894.01 to be paid to the Treas- urer-Custodian of the Hampshire County Retirement System to be credited to the funds thereof.
Article 12. To see if the Town will vote to transfer and appropriate the balance of $6,837.75 in the Road Ma- chinery Earnings Account of 1952 to the Road Ma- chinery Account of 1953.
Article 13. 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 1954 on the South Street Water Extension, or take any other action thereon.
Aricle 14. 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 1954,
9
Articles of the Warrant
on the additional Water Supply Loan, or take any other action thereon.
Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to transfer and appropriate the sum of $495.00 from the Water Sur- plus Account to pay the interest on the additional Water Supply Loan, which is due in 1954, or take any other action thereon.
Article 16. To see if the Town will vote to transfer and appropriate the sum of $2,000.00 from the Water Surplus Account to pay the note which is due in 1954 on the Water extension to the Hampshire County Sanatorium or take any other action thereon.
Article 17. To see if the Town will transfer and appro- priate the sum of $192.50 from the Water Surplus Account to pay the interest which is due in 1954 on the Hampshire County Sanatorium Water Extension, or take any other action thereon.
Article 18. To see if the Town will authorize and em- power the Board of Selectmen to sell and dispose of the buildings formerly owned by Jakop Grzesczyk, located on the Southerly side of Pine Street in the Village of Haydenville, in such manner and for such price as they determine fitting and proper.
Article 19. To authorize the board of Assessors to hire Gordon W. Ainsworth, Registered Land Surveyor of Deerfield, Mass., to prepare tax maps as outlined in a proposal by Mr. Ainsworth on file with the board of Assessors, and to vote from available funds the sum of $6,250.00 to pay the cost of above proposal or take any other action thereon.
10
Articles of the Warrant
Article 20. To authorize the moderator to appoint a com- mittee of two to work with the board of Assessors to study methods of revaluation and to make recom- mendations as to best method in a report to the next annual meeting or take any other action thereon.
Article 21. To authorize the board of Assessors to pur- chase, for the use of the secretary, the following ma- chines.
1 Monroe Calculating Machine $360.00
1 Burroughs Adding Machine 279.00
Total 639.00
or take any other action thereon.
Article 22. To see if the Town will vote to accept and lay out as a Public Street that strip of land (50) feet in width and approximately 500 feet in length run- ning Easterly from South Street and shown as a pro- posed street on a plan entitled : "Subdivision of land blonging to Ernest H. and Ruth T. Graves" dated July, 1952 and recorded in Hampshire County Reg- istry of Deeds, Plan Book 41, Page 2; said street to be known as Eastern Avenue, or take other action thereon.
Article 23. The following addition to the By-Laws of the Town of Williamsburg has been proposed and will be voted upon the at the Annual Town Meeting, Feb- ruary 15, 1954:
"No person under the age of 17 years shall loiter on or about the public ways of the town after 10:00 p.m."
11
Articles of the Warrant
Article 24. The following amendment to By-Law No. 2 of the Town of Williamsburg has been proposed and will be voted upon at the Annual Town Meeting, Fe- bruary 15, 1954, which By-Law reads as follows : ' The annual town meeting shall be held on the third Monday in February of each year at such time and place as shall be stated in the warrant"; delete "third Monday" and substitute "second Saturday", so that the By-Law now reads :
"The annual town meeting shall be held on the second Saturday in February of each year at such time and place as shall be stated in the warrant".
Article 25. The following By-Laws have already been adopted by a 2/3 vote of the townspeople. Since these By-Laws were not submitted to the Attorney General within one year after adoption, it is neces- sary to resubmit them to be voted on again for the Attorney General's approval :
(A) "The polls at the annual town meeting shall be open for the election of town officers from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m."
(B) "Board of Selectmen.
The Board of Selectmen, consisting of three members, shall be elected for a three-year term. However, at the annual meeting in 1948, one shall be elected for a term of one year, one for a term of two years, and one for a term of three years, and thereafter one shall be elected at each annual meeting for a term of three years."
(C) "Board of Health.
There shall be created in the Town, a Board of Health separate from the Board of Selectmen, consisting of three members, who shall be elected
12
Articles of the Warrant
at the annual Town Meeting, to serve for a term of three years, and until their successors are elected and qualified. However, at the annual Town Meeting in 1946, one shall be elected for a term of one year, one for a term of two years, and one for a term of three years, and there- after one shall be elected at each annual Town Meeting for a term of three years. The mem- bers of the Board of Health shall receive such compensation for their services as the Town by vote shall determine."
Article 26. To see if the town will vote to have a com- mittee of three, to be appointed by the Moderator to work with the Board of Health, to investigate a dump site and raise and appropriate the sum of $250.00 for survey expenses if necessary or take any other action thereon.
Article 27. Section 1. To see if the Town will create a stabilization fund.
Section 2. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate to the stabilization fund created under Section 1 an amount of money equal to 5% of the amount raised in 1953 by taxation of real estate and tangible personal property.
Section 3. To see if the Town will appropriate and transfer from the present surplus account to the stabilization fund, created under Section 1 of this article, the sum of $10,000. if such transfer is ap- proved by the Emergency Finance Board, or take any other action thereunder.
Article 28. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to appoint a Town Secretary to serve from
13
Articles of the Warrant
March 1, 1954 to February 28, 1955 who shall main- tain an office, open to the public, in such place and during such hours as may be judged most convenient and practical; such Town Secretary to be available for a minimum of thirty-five hours per week throughout the year, except for such periods of vaca- tion or leave as may be agreed upon; that the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $2,275.00 from which to pay this Secretary, maintenance costs for which shall be provided from the maintenance appro- priations allotted to the various departments for which the Secretary acts: that the duties of such Secretary shall be those set by the Selectmen and the Chairmen of the departments of government for which service is performed, or take any other action thereon.
Article 29. To see if the Town will vote to appoint a Committee to re-survey plans for the extension of water service and fire protection to Searsville, Vil- lage Hill and Mountain Street and to report details and costs of such an extension not later than the next annual Town Meeting, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $300.00 for the use of that committee, or take any other action thereon.
Article 30. To see if the Town will vote to Transfer from overlay surplus reserve the sum of $4,000.00 to reserve account under jurisdiction of the Finance Committee to meet unexpected or emergency needs of the Town Departments, or take any other action thereon.
Article 31. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen and Tree Warden to cooperate with the State or County in the Gypsy Moth spraying pro-
14
Articles of the Warrant
gram and use part or all of the $642.40 appropriated for gypsy moth work for this purpose.
Article 32. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $2,500.00 for the purpose of erecting an addition to the engine house in Williams- burg and authorize the fire chief to enter into any contracts pertaining thereto or take any other action thereon.
Article 33. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,325.00 to help defray the expenses of a Public Health Nurse, or take any other action thereon.
Article 34. To see if the Town will instruct the Mod- erator to appoint a committee consisting of seven members to study the building needs of the Hayden- ville and Williamsburg Fire Station, the committee consisting of one member of the Williamsburg Fire Department, one member of the Haydenville Fire Department, the other five members to be chosen from the list of registered voters, the committee to report to the Town at the next town meeting, or take any other action thereon.
Article 35. To see if the town will vote to transfer and appropriate the sum of $4,000.00 from the water surplus account for the purpose of erecting a build- ing at the well site to store water dept. equipment or take any other action thereon.
37 -38
15
Finance Committee
Report of Finance Committee
"There is no adequate revenue with economy." -Benjamin Franklin.
"It may be said that the people determine what taxes shall be imposed." -U. S. Treasury Department .. .
Your Finance Committee would refer you to the re- port of the Town Accountant wherein is listed those transfers made by the Finance Committee from the Re- serve fund, for the year 1953, the purpose of which was to meet unforseen and emergency needs of various de- partments, and to pay from last year's reserve appro- priation overdrafts by various departments of govern- ment. Your Finance Committee would remind all de- partments that they are required to live within their appropriations as voted by Town meetings for the use of such department, and that each item voted is con- sidered as a separate appropriation. This restriction is not applicable or binding upon a School Committee. This is State law and your Finance Committee and all other departments should obey it.
Your Finance Committee refers you also to the pages carrying Budget Requests and Recommendations for 1953 which are part of this report. It represents depart- mental budget requests, generally itemized, and recorded
16
Finance Committee
here after study, discussion, with agreements and differ- ences as between the Finance Committee and each de- partment. Your action upon them in Town meeting es- tablishes with each department an agreement to be dis- charged. It therefore controls the spending of your tax money and permits you the opportunity to exercise "economy" and "to determine what taxes shall be im- posed." You, individually and together, make effective your Town administration, or reduce to futility the ef- forts of Departments, and of this Committee to operate, plan and control the direction of Town affairs.
Your Finance Committee is conscious of its lack of authority, but does not agree to the notion, sometimes expressed, that its effectiveness is little, and its actions futile. With a full sense of responsibility to our func- tions in government we inquire into and around all de- partments of government. With your interests as tax- payers, and with the progress of your community as a whole ever in mind, we seek to coordinate all the various requests and projects so that all functions of government shall be effective and progressive within the limits of that which we believe may be prudent and frugal.
Your Town has needs, vital needs, for Town business offices, for better sanitation, for extended water services, for improved protection of persons and property, for road and street improvements, and for better housekeeping, in addition to the improvements of educational facilities. It is our job and yours to see to it that we shall not so emphasize one that the others decay or deteriorate. We invite you to consider your Town needs carefully not only
17
Finance Committee
at Town Meeting, but along with each alert committee or group that exists or is set up to promote a steady im- provement for Williamsburg and Haydenville on every front. That requires judgment, comparison and sagaci- ty, as well as enthusiasm.
Respectfully submitted,
ALBERT R. CRONE
MRS. CARL RUSTEMEYER MRS. JOSEPH HOBBS MRS. VIOLA FRASER LEONARD WALPOLE MARTIN DUNPHY WINFIELD S. SMITH LEWIS BLACK ROY LEONARD
18
Budget Requests and Recommendations
Budget Requests and Recommendations, 1954
1953 Approp.
1953 Expended
1954 Request
1954 Recm.
Moderator
Salary
$25.00
$25.00
$25.00
$25.00
Finance
Reserve
4,000.00
3,143.66
4,000.00
4,000.00
Maintenance
35.00
35.00
35.00
35.00
$4,035.00
$3,178.66
$4,035.00
$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
315.34
300.00
300.00
$900.00
$915.34
$900.00
$900.00
Treasurer
Salary
500.00
500.00
600.00
600.00
Maintenance
250.00
250.00
300.00
300.00
$750.00
$750.00
$900.00
$900.00
Elector, Oliver Smith Will
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
Accountant
Salary
450.00
450.00
500.00
500.00
Maintenance
100.00
108.91
100.00
100.00
$550.00
$558.91
$600.00
$600.00
Assessors
Salaries
550.00
550.00
550.00
550.00
Clerk
150.00
150.00
·
Maintenance
250.00
268.36
250.00
250.00
$950.00
$968.36
$800.00
$800.00
19
Budget Requests and Recommendations
Town Clerk
Salary
200.00
200.00
200.00
200.00
Maintenance
300.00
308.94
300.00
300.00
Elections and Registration
200.00
653.40
400.00
400.00
$700.00
$1,162.34
$900.00
$900.00
Tax Collector
Salary
400.00
400.00
600.00
500.00
Maintenance
400.00
475.00
475.00
475.00
$800.00
$875.00
$1,075.00
$975.00
General Government
Town Hall
800.00
850.29
2,000.00
2,000.00
Town Sheds
200.00
161.00
150.00
150.00
Legal Consultation
150.00
250.00
250.00
250.00
Sealer, Weights and Measures 100.00
200.00
100.00
100.00
Gypsy Moth
642.00
16.62
642.40
642.40
Elm Trees
321.00
300.00
321.20
321.20
Tree Warden
800.00
860.15
800.00
800.00
Town Clocks
125.00
190.78
125.00
125.00
Town Reports
325.00
309.40
350.00
350.00
Memorial Day
150.00
150.00
150.00
150.00
Wood Lot
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
$3,623.00
$3,298.24
$4,898.60
$4,898.60
Recreation Committee
Athletic Field
400.00
400.00
400.00
400.00
Rec. and Equp.
200.00
194.77
200.00
200.00
$600.00
$594.77
$600.00
$600.00
Police
Salaries
200.00
200.00
200.00
200.00
Special Police
75.00
75.00
150.00
150.00
Telephone and mileage
90.00
269.59
100.00
100.00
Auxiliary equipment
150.00
Patrolling
985.00
774.70
1,400.00
1,400.00
..
. . .
$1,350.00
$1,319.29
$2,000.00
$1,850.00
20
Budget Requests and Recommendations
Fire Department
Salaries, chief
200.00
200.00
200.00
200.00
deputy chief
150.00
150.00
150.00
150.00
40 firemen
80.00
42.00
80.00
80.00
Telephone and lights
350.00
350.00
Insurance
165.00
165.00
Labor at fires
1,500.00
1,500.00
Fuel
. . . .
...
550.00
550.00
Equipment maintenance
4,000.00
4,636.06
505.00
505.00
Training
. . . .
. .. .
500.00
500.00
New equipment
. . . .
. . . .
1,000.00
1,000.00
Water holes
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
300.00
300.00
$4,430.00
$5,028.05
$5,500.00
$5,500.00
Highways
Chapter 81
4,100.00
4,100.05
4,100.00
4,100.00
Gen. and Winter
8,050.00
8,050.00
9,000.00
9,000.00
Bridges
500.00
560.29
1,000.00
1,000.00
Sidewalks
100.00
67.35
.
Chapter 90 Construction
2,500.00
2,500.00
2,500.00
2,500.00
Chapter 90 Maintenance
750.00
750.07
1,000.00
1,000.00
Tools
200.00
184.10
200.00
200.00
Street Lights
2,500.00
2,739.00
3,100.00
3,100.00
$18,700.00 $18,950.86 $20,900.00 $20,900.00
Board of Health
Public Health (Sanatorium) 3,600.00
2,523.76
1,800.00
1,800.00
Barn and Animal Inspector
60.00
60.00
60.00
60.00
Salary of Chairman
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
Dairy Inspector
75.00
75.00
75.00
Slaughter Inspector
150.00
46.00
125.00
125.00
Haydenville Dump Rental
200.00
200.00
200.00
200.00
Rubbish Collection
200.00
450.00
600.00
600.00
Well Child Clinic
300.00
300.00
300.00
300.00
Town Dump
350.00
330.00
1,385.00
1,385.00
Public Health Adm.
40.00
80.00
165.00
165.00
Garbage
300.00
300.00
2,800.00
2,800.00
$5,375.00
$4,389.76
$7,610.00
$7,610.00
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
200.00
200.00
Rep. to Haydenville station .
. .. .
21
Budget Requests and Recommendations
Water Department
Salaries, caretaker and supply 200.00
200.00
100.00
100.00
Collector of water rents
200.00
200.00
150.00
150.00
Caretaker, water shed
75.00
75.00
100.00
100.00
Chlorinator caretaker
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
Pipe Line Maintenance
2,931.00
2,471.16
3,000.00
3,000.00
Water Shed
500.00
608.90
500.00
500.00
Chlorinator Maintenance
500.00
351.35
700.00
700.00
Well Maint. and Pump costs
650.00
1,035.63
1,000.00
1,000.00
Administration
200.00
184.40
100.00
100.00
$5,956.00
$5,226.44
$5,750.00
$5,750.00
Public Welfare
General Aid
1,500.00
1,500.00
3,000.00
3,000.00
Maintenance
200.00
200.00
200.00
200.00
Old Age Assistance
27,000.00
27,000.00
24,000.00
24,000.00
Aid to Dep. Children
6,000.00
6,000.00
7,500.00
7,500.00
Agent's salary
1,508.57
1,508.57
1,659.43
1,659.43
Aid to Totally Disabled
5,000.00
5,000.00
5,000.00
5,000.00
$41,208.57 $41,208.57 $41,359.43 $41,359.43
Veterans' Service
Benefits
1,300.00
536.03
1,300.00
1,300.00
Salary
150.00
150.00
300.00
300.00
Maintenance
150.00
150.00
150.00
150.00
$1,600.00
$836.03
$1,750.00
$1,750.00
Cemeteries
Mountain Street
75.00
75.00
75.00
75.00
Old Village Hill
50.00
. . . .
75.00
75.00
$125.00
$75.00
$150.00
$150.00
Library
400.00
398.94
400.00
400.00
Interest on Revenue
400.00
291.87
200.00
200.00
Workmen's Compensation
1,200.00
1,059.62
1,200.00
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