Town annual report of Berkley 1945, Part 1

Author: Berkley (Mass. : Town)
Publication date: 1945
Publisher: The Davol Press
Number of Pages: 128


USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Berkley > Town annual report of Berkley 1945 > Part 1


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ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


TOWN OFFICERS


OF THE


TOWN OF BERKLEY


B


F


WN


INCORPORATED


O


+


LEY.


1735.


TS


MAS


TOGETHER WITH THE


Valuation and Tax List


For the Year Ending December 31, 1945


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


TOWN OFFICERS


OF THE


TOWN OF BERKLEY


F


B E


WN


OL


INCORPORATED + 1735.


LEY


TTS


SSA


TOGETHER WITH THE


Valuation and Tax List


For the Year Ending December 31, 1945


TOWN OFFICERS, 1945


Nels Arthur Nelson


Albert Bindon Eino H. Silvan John P. Pilling


Francis F. G. Andrews


Moderator


Elected 1945 Term Expires 1946


Selectmen


Elected 1945 Term Expires 1946


Elected 1944 Term Expires 1947


Elected 1945 Term Expires 1948


Treasurer


Elected 1945 Term Expires 1946


Assessors


Elected 1944 Term Expires 1946


Elected 1944 Term Expires 1947


Elected 1945 Term Expires 1948


Highway Surveyor


Linneus C. Whitaker Elected 1945 Term Expires 1946


School Committee


William A. Cox


Elected 1943 Term Expires 1946


Arthur E. Robbins


Elected 1944 Term Expires 1947


Bion L. Pierce


Elected 1945 Term Expires 1948


Collector of Taxes


Francis F. G. Andrews Elected 1945 Term Expires 1946


Auditor


Harold G. Ashley Elected 1945 Term Expires 1946


Trustees of Public Library


Myra D. Anthony Elected 1943 Term Expires 1946


Florence M. Macomber Elected 1944 Term Expires 1947


Lizzie J. Howland


Elected 1945 Term Expires 1948


Burial Ground Commissioners


Charles E. Harrison Elected 1943 Resigned 1945


Carlton B. Cummings Harold G. Ashley Wojciech Pysz


Linneus C. Whitaker


Appointed 1945 Term Expires 1946 Elected 1944 Term Expires 1947 Elected 1945 Term Expires 1948


Tree Warden


Elected 1945 Term Expires 1946


Milton A. Babbitt


Anthony Sylvia


Norman E. Whittaker


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ANNUAL REPORT


Constables


Elected 1945


Harold G. Ashley


Ernest H. Brailey


William A. Cox


Terms Expire 1946 William B. Mitchell Eino H. Silvan Linneus C. Whitaker


Hiram E. Young


Town Clerk


Francis F. G. Andrews Elected 1945 Term Expires 1948


Fish and Oyster Wardens


George W. Stetson Elected 1945 Term Expires 1946


Finance Committee


Appointed by the committee set up in the by-laws.


John Q. Dillingham, Chairman Hervey Blanchette Arthur L. Clegg, Clerk Charles A. Cady Herbert Aspinall Joseph D. Rose


Laurence B. Swift


Post-War Planning Committee As voted at the annual town meeting, March 3, 1945. Members of the Board of Selectmen and members of the Finance Committee.


4


ANNUAL REPORT


APPOINTMENTS BY THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN


Forest Fire Warden Chief of Fire Department George R. Babbitt Chief of Police John P. Pilling


Inspector of Animals and Slaughtering Joseph O. Freeman Superintendent of Moth Control Alvin E. Briggs


Fence Viewers and Field Drivers Lawrence Barrow Wojciech Pysz


Measurers of Wood and Lumber


Benjamin O. Jones Clyde Cummings William Haskins


Pound Keeper Francis E. Fournier


Sealer of Weights and Measures Wojciech Pysz Dog Officer Charles E. Harrison (resigned) Anthony Sylvia


Special Agent of the Board of Health to Issue Burial Permits Julia C. Andrews


Supervisor of Old Age Assistance Albert Bindon


Clerk of the Board of Public Welfare Bernice M. Andrews


Supervisor of State and Military Aid Soldier's Relief Eino H. Silvan


Town Counsel Swift and Swift


Memorial Day Committee Benjamin Phillips Charles Peterson Fannie Viall


Honor Roll Committee Mildred A. Babbitt Benjamin Phillips Charles Peterson Gil Bettencourt Warren L. Ide


5


ANNUAL REPORT


ESTIMATES FOR 1946


Moderator


$20.00


Selectmen's Salaries


475.00


Selectmen's Expenses


100.00


Treasurer's Salary


500.00


Treasurer's Expenses


280.00


Collector's Salary


500.00


Collector's Expenses


275.00


Town Clerk and Fees


150.00


Town Clerk's Expenses


135.00


Assessor's Salaries


950.00


Assessors Expenses


140.00


Special Appro. Assessors


375.00


Auditor's Salary


55.00


Auditor's Expenses


20.00


Sealer's Salary


40.00


Sealer's Expenses


10.00


School Committee Salaries


160.00


Dog Officer


90.00


Board of Health


800.00


Dept. of Vet. Service


25.00


Public Welfare


2,300.00


Public Welfare Administration


175.00


Old Age Assistance


11,500.00


Old Age Assistance Administration


200.00


Aid to Dependent Children


1,800.00


Aid to Dependent Children Administration


20.00


Soldiers Relief


600.00


Military and State Aid


100.00


Street Lights


100.00


Police Department


200.00


Library


700.00


Honor Roll


50.00


Tree Warden


100.00


Road Machinery Account


125.00


Snow Removal


1,000.00


Town Hall Repairs


150.00


Election and Registration


300.00


Town Hall Expenses


75.00


Moth Department


425.00


Forest Fire Warden


250.00


House Fires


100.00


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ANNUAL REPORT


Drawtender


360.00


Mosquito Control


25.00


Myricks School


25.00


Memorial Day


35.00


Workmen's Compensation


350.00


Incidentals


200.00


Cemetery and care of Soldiers and


Sailors Graves


150.00


Reserve Account


1,000.00


Town Reports


250.00


Padelford Street


8,000.00


Chapter 81


3,150.00


Chapter 90


500.00


Berkley Street


400.00


Interest


25.00


Tax Title Account


130.00


B. C. Tuberculosis Hospital


559.80


State Tax


County Tax


Town Counsel


100.00


Unpaid bills


203.80


School Estimates


27,150.66


7


ANNUAL REPORT


REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN OF BERKLEY for 1945


We are pleased to be able to report the Town of Berkley has continued to increase in financial strength through 1945. While the Town has no funded debt, the Treasurer's report shows a balance of $31,727.39 in surplus revenue with $11,- 500.00 uncollected taxes. In addition, the Town has one $10,000.00 Government bond. We doubt if the Town has ever been in a stronger financial position than at the present time and we sincerely hope it will remain so.


In regard to appropriations for the current year, it would seem that all departments are anxious to increase their appro- priations. While it may be and is necessary in some depart- inents, care should be taken at the annual Business Meeting to keep appropriations within reasonable bounds ; otherwise a noticeable increase in the tax rate will result.


We do not approve, at this time, the use of surplus revenue for the purpose of lowering the tax rate as we are of the opinion that in the near future we may be called upon for much larger expenditures in welfare costs. At such time surplus revenue may be used to keep the tax rate at reason- able figures.


This year the Town is called upon to provide $8,000.00 as our share of the cost of the construction work on Padelford Street, the State having allotted $16,000.00 and the County $8,000.00 for this work. We hope this will be approved by the voters of the Town. We recommend a part of this sum be transferred from surplus revenue. The building of this street will greatly improve our road system in the Town and assure residents of the district electric light and power. We are indebted to Mr. Chase and his assistant, Mr. Coffin, for their cooperation and assistance.


At this time we wish to express our appreciation for the assistance and cooperation of the Finance Committee and all other Town Officials who have aided the board in the conduct of the Town's business.


Respectfully submitted, ALBERT BINDON, EINO H. SILVAN, JOHN P. PILLING,


Selectmen


8


ANNUAL REPORT


SUPERVISOR REPORT


In submitting my report as Supervisor for the year 1945, it is my desire to submit certain facts which I believe will be of interest to the taxpayers.


While the case load for the year has remained the same, or nearly so, as of the first of January, with the exception of Aid to Dependent Children where there has been a decrease of one case.


The expenditure for Old Age Assistance for the year 1945 has been $16,532.83, a decrease of $877.71 over 1944. Aid to Dependent Children has increased by $365.61 over 1944, the reason being that three cases were taken care of for the first three months of the year. Aid in Public Welfare has re- mained the same as in 1944.


Relative to administration costs in all three catagories, the total cost has been $610.41 as compared with $913.39 in 1944, a decrease of $302.98. We recommend a total of $405.00 for administration for the three catagories for the year of 1946.


We request no increase in the appropriation for Public Welfare and Aid to Dependent Children at this time but it will be necessary to increase the Old Age Assistance appro- priation and we recommend an appropriation of $11,500.00. We may be able to revise this figure somewhat at the Town Meeting. This increase is necessary as Chapter 683, Acts of 1945 greatly increases exemptions of legally liable relatives and we expect an increase in the number of cases during 1946. This expected increase will be explained to the voters at the Town's Business Meeting.


At this time I wish to express my appreciation for the cooperation and assistance you as members of the Board have given me, to the Town Treasurer who is willing at all times to assist and cooperate, to the Clerk of the Board, Miss Ber- nice Andrews, to the staff of District Office No. 6 and Mrs. Catherine Burns, the Area Visitor, whose cooperation and as- sistance has been of great value in carrying out the affairs of this department.


Respectfully submitted, ALBERT BINDON, Supervisor


9


ANNUAL REPORT


TOWN WARRANT


Article 1. To hear the report of the Finance Committee and act thereon.


Article 2. To act on the reports of the Town officers.


Article 3. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the Public Library including the dog fund.


Article 4. To choose a Memorial Committee and raise and appropriate a sum of money for same.


Article 5. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money to be expended in the suppressing of the gypsy and brown tail moths including private work.


Article 6. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money to be used in the cemeteries and ior the care of Soldiers and Sailors graves, or act thereon.


Article 7. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money in anticipation of the revenue for the current financial year and to issue a note or notes therefor in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 44 of the General Laws as amended.


Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to install street lights as approved by the Finance Committee at the follow- ing intersections : Myricks and County Streets, Elm and Bay View Ave., Elm and Berkley Streets and at Burts Corner, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $100.00 for same, or act thereon.


Article 9. To fix the salary of all Town Officers and raise and appropriate sums of money for same.


Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the Excess and Deficiency Ac- count sums of money for Chapters 81 and 90 highway main- tenance, or take any action relative thereto.


Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $3,000.00 and to appropriate and transfer $5,000.00 from the Excess and Deficiency Account, said money to be used in conjunction with money alloted by the State and County for construction of Padelford Street, or act thereon.


10


ANNUAL REPORT


Article 12. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to contract with the Department of Public Works and the County Commissioners of Bristol County for the construction of Padelford Street or other highways in the Town for the ensuing year.


Article 13. To see if the Town will appropriate and transfer the sum of $500.00 from the Reward Account to a land damage account to meet the cost of any land damage account to meet the cost of any land damage claims and claims and counsel fees relative to the taking of land, for the Padelford Street construction project, or to take any action in relation thereto.


Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to elect the Tax Collector for the term of three years.


Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to control, regulate or prohibit the taking of eels and any or all kinds of shellfish and sea worms within the borders of the Town of Berkley and such other authority as is provided in Section 52 of Chapter 130 of the General Laws as inserted therein by Chapter 598 of the Acts of 1941, or take any action in relation thereto.


Article 16. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to issue licenses for private shellfish grants in accord with the provisions of Section 57 of Chapter 130 of the General Laws as inserted therein by Chapter 598 of the Acts of 1941, or take any action relative thereto.


Article 17. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate sums of money for the following expense ac- counts : Selectmen, Treasurer, Collector, Town Clerk, Asses- sors, Auditor, Sealer, Town Hall, Myricks School.


Article 18. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate sums of money for the following administration accounts : Public Welfare, Old Age Assistance, Aid to De- pendent Children and Department of Veterans Service.


Article 19. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $559.80 for the Bristol County Tuber- culosis Hospital.


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ANNUAL REPORT


Article 20. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $400.00 for the oiling and sanding of Berkley Street from Point Street 1100 feet more or less, or take any action in relation thereto.


Article 21. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,000.00 to the Reserve Account.


Article 22. To see if the Town will vote to accept Sec- tion 97 of Chapter 41 of the General Laws and vote under the provisions of Section 4A of Chapter 41 to authorize certain Town Boards to appoint one or more members to other posi- tions and fix the salary of same.


Article 23. To see if the Town will raise and appropri- ate a sum of money for compensation insurance for Town Employees or act thereon.


Article 24. To see if the Town will raise and appropri- ate the sum of $25.00 for the purpose of maintaining during the ensuing year the mosquito control work as estimated and certified to by the State Reclamation Board in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 112, Acts of 1931, or act thereon.


Article 25. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for Schools, including supplies, High School tuition, salary of superintendent, teachers, jan- itors, transportation of children and repair of buildings, or act thereon.


Article 26. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate sums of money for Public Welfare, Old Age Assistance, Aid to Dependent Children, Soldiers Relief, Military allowance and State Aid and Board of Health, or act thereon.


Article 27. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate sums of money for the following departments : Forest Fire Warden, Fire Dept. (House fires), Drawtender, Dog Officer, Incidentals, Tax Title Expense, Police Depart- ment, Road Machinery Account, Election and Registration, Honor Roll, Tree Warden, Town Reports, Town Counsel and Interest.


12


ANNUAL REPORT


Article 28. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for Snow Removal and sanding for the year 1946, or act thereon.


Article 29. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $375.00 for special equipment for the Board of Assessors, or act thereon.


Article 30. To see if the Town will vote to accept Mill Street from the intersection with Myricks Street southerly to the land of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railway for a width of two rods as a town way, no damages to be awarded and no betterments to be assessed and provided all abbutting owners or other parties interested release any and all claims to the town on account of said acceptance.


Article 31. To see if the Town will raise and appropri- ate the sum of $148.00 to pay an unpaid bill of Thomas Brothers of 1943.


Article 32. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and transfer the sum of $55.80 from the unexpended balance of the Public Welfare appropriation to pay the following un- paid Public Welfare bills of 1944 and 1945 : Dr. Douza $15.00, Dr. Souza $36.00, Dunnington's $4.80.


Article 33. To see if the Town will vote to amend the first sentence of Section 2 of Article 1 of the By-laws by striking out the words "a collector of taxes for one year" and to insert following the first sentence the following new sen- tence: "In the year of 1947 and in every third year there- after there shall be elected at such annual election, a Collector of Taxes to serve for three years".


Article 34. To see if the Town will vote to raise through a bond issue, the sum of $16,500.00 and appropriate said sum to be expended by the School Committee for the following purposes or to take any action relative thereto : Heating Plant $12,000.00, Lighting $1,500.00, Insulation $800.00, Improve- ment of grounds $1,000.00, Storm Windows and Screening $1,200.00. !


Article 35. To act on any other business that may legally come before the meeting.


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ANNUAL REPORT


JURY LISTS


Names added to the 1944 list :


Norman M. Colpitts, No. Main St.


Shipper


Additional names drawn from 1944 list :


Elijah Ames


William A. Burt


Norman M. Colpitts


Melvin DeCosta


Frank Furtado


Cornelius F. Murphy


Richard A. Perry


William G. Ratcliffe


1945 Jury List


Herbert Aspinall, Bay View Ave.


*Richard W. Babbitt, Bay View Ave. Lawrence Barrow, South Main St.


*Albert W. J. Bindon, Hill St.


*William Bindon, Anthony St. Ralph R. Cochrane, Myricks St. Richard Comerford, Myricks St.


*Manuel P. Fernandes, Plain St. Francis E. Fournier, Locust St. William F. Haskins, Mill St. Warren L. Ide, Porter St.


*Clifford E. MacQueen, Locust St. Nels A. Nelson, Grove St. Arthur T. Peirce, Bay View Ave. Joseph D. Rose, Padelford St. Lester H. Sandlin, Algerine St.


*Arnold W. Silvan, Myricks St. Joseph C. Tavares, County St. Wallace E. Wood, Bay View Ave.


Farmer Crane operator Store manager Bus driver Oiler Railroad


Silver polisher Laborer Farmer Mill operator Farmer Press hand Office manager Custodian Farmer


Fireman


Foreman


Gas Station operator Farmer


*Drawn, July 1 to Dec. 31, 1945.


ALBERT BINDON EINO H. SILVAN JOHN P. PILLING


Board of Selectmen


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ANNUAL REPORT


SUMMARY OF ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF STATE AUDIT


Published by the Town Clerk in accordance with Sec, 40, Chap. 44, G. L.


September 12, 1945


State House, Boston


To the Board of Selectmen, Mr. Albert Bindon, Chairman :


I submit herewith my report of an audit of the general accounts of the town of Berkley for the period from Decem- ber 12, 1943, to May 26, 1945, and of the collector's accounts for the period from April 16, 1944, to May 26, 1945, as well as the installation of an accounting system, made in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 44, General Laws. This is in the form of a report made to me by Mr. Herman B. Dine, Assistant Director of Accounts.


THEODORE N. WADDELL,


Director of Accounts Mr. Theodore N. Waddell, Director of Accounts :


In accordance with your instructions, I have made an audit of the general accounts of the town of Berkley for the period from December 12, 1943, and of the collector's accounts for the period from April 16, 1944, the dates of the previous audits, to May 26, 1945, and in addition have installed a sys- tem of accounts as petitioned for by a vote of the town in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 44, General Laws, the following report being submitted thereon :


The financial transactions as recorded on the books of the several departments receiving or disbursing money for the town were examined, checked, and verified.


The appropriations voted by the town were listed, the charges against appropriations were checked, general ledger accounts were compiled, and a balance sheet, showing the financial condition of the town on May 26, 1945, was pre- pared and is appended to this report.


The books and accounts of the town treasurer were ex- amined and checked in detail. The recorded receipts were an- alyzed and compared with the records in the several depart-


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ANNUAL REPORT


ments collecting money for the town and with the other sources from which money was paid into the town treasury, while the disbursements were checked with the selectmen's warrants authorizing the treasurer to disburse town funds.


The cash book was added throughout for the period covered by the audit, and the treasurer's cash balance on May 26, 1945, was proved by reconciliation of the bank balances with statements received from the banks of deposit, by actual count of the cash in the office, and by examination of the savings bank book.


The savings bank books representing the investment of the trust and investment funds in the custody of the town treasurer were examined and listed. The income was proved and the amounts tranferred to the town were verified.


The recorded payment on account of maturing debt was checked with the amount falling due and with the cancelled note on file.


The records of tax titles held by the town were examined and checked. The amounts transferred from the tax levies to the tax title account were verified, the reported redemptions were checked, and the tax titles on hand were listed, proved, and compared with the records in the Registry of Deeds.


The books and accounts of the collector of taxes were ex- amined and checked. The taxes and assessments outstanding at the time of the previous examination, and all subsequent commitment lists, were audited and reconciled with the asses- sors' warrants for their collection.


The collector's cash books were footed, the payments to the town treasurer were checked to the treasurer's cash book, the recorded abatements were compared with the assessors' records of abatements granted, and the outstanding accounts were listed and proved.


The records of accounts receivable of the public welfare department and the old age assistance bureau were examined. The recorded receipts were compard with the treasurer's cash book and the outstanding accounts were listed and proved.


The outstanding tax, assessment, and departmental ac- counts were verified by mailing notices to a number of persons whose names appeared on the books as owing money to the


16


ANNUAL REPORT


town, and from the replies received it would appear that the accounts, as listed, are correct.


The records of licenses and permits issued by the select- men, the town clerk, and the police department were examined and checked, and the payments to the State and the town were verified.


The surety bonds of the officials required by law to fur- nish them were examined and found to be in proper form.


In addition to the departments mentioned, the available records of all other departments receiving money for the town were checked, and the payments to the treasurer were verified.


There are appended to this report, in addition to the bal- ance sheet, tables showing a reconciliation of the treasurer's cash, summaries of the tax, assessment, tax title, and depart- mental accounts, together with tables showing the condition and transactions of the trust and investment funds.


The books and accounts under the new system of account- ing were opened as of January 1, 1945. A list of the books and forms furnished for the town, together with a brief description of their use and certain general instructions rela- tive to the keeping of the accounts, follows: Journal, ledger, and classification book for accounting officer; cash book for treasurer ; schedules of departmental bills payable; treasury warrants ; schedules of collector's and departmental payments to treasurer ; schedules of tax abatements allowed and of motor vehicle excise tax abatements; voucher folders ; general and school department pay-rolls; monthly statements; and sche- dules of bills receivable.


All of these books and form are arranged so as to simpli- fy the reporting and making possible a proper check on the ac- counting of public moneys ; also to insure a classification of both receipts and payments. All moneys received from every source and paid to the treasurer are also recorded in detail which will furnish an absolute check on the total.


The journal, together with the cash book, forms the medium from which all entries in the general ledger are posted, as it is of vital importance that no entry shall be originated in the ledger. The journal is used for keeping a record of debits and credits such as opening entries, budget


17


ANNUAL REPORT


appropriation items, the entering of tax abatements, tax commitments, accounts receivable, and all entries which are not strictly cash book transactions,


The ledger is of the loose-leaf type; when the several sheets are properly arranged and placed in the binder pro- vided, they form the general ledger, in which are recorded, in controlling accounts, all of the financial transactions of the town. The accounts are grouped in sections : Assets and liabil- ities ; Revenue accounts ; Appropriation accounts ; Funded or fixed debt ; and Trust and investment funds. From the ledger, information relative to the conditions of the several appropria- tions may be obtained readily and the administrative officers may keep constantly informed of the amounts expended and of the amounts available for the balance of the year. This information is very necessary in view of the statute which ex- pressly forbids the incurring of liabilities in excess of the appropriations made for the use of the several departments ; unless the work is well planned, it will be found that the ap- propriations will be exhausted before the end of the year.




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