USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1937 > Part 1
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Annual Report
Town of BRAINTREE
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1937
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
Receipts and Expenditures OF THE
TOWN OF BRAINTREE FROM
December 31, '36 to December 31, '37
TOGETHER WITH THE REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK, SELECTMEN, ASSESSORS, OVERSEERS OF THE POOR AND HIGHWAY SURVEYORS, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, TOWN TREASURER, ENGINEERS OF FIRE DEPARTMENT, WATER COMMISSIONERS, BOARD OF HEALTH, MUNICIPAL LIGHT BOARD, TRUSTEES OF THE THAYER PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Printed by Order of the Town
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Printed by H. W. BAILEY PRESS. South Braintree, Mass.
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Report of Town Clerk
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WARRANT FOR ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
NORFOLK, ss. To either of the Constables of the Town of Braintree.
Greetings :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachu- setts, you are hereby directed to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Braintree, qualified to vote in elections therein, to meet at the polling places in their respective. Precincts, to wit :-
Polling Place in
Precinct 1, Town Hall
Precinct 2, Legion Building, Hollis Avenue
Precinct 3, Hose House, Allen Street
On Monday, the first day of March, 1937, at five forty-five o'clock in the forenoon, then and there to bring into the Wardens of their respective Precincts their votes on the official ballot for a Moderator, Town Clerk, a Town Treasurer, one Selectman for a term of three years, one member of the Board of Public Wel- fare for a term of three years, one member of the Board of Assessors for a term of three years, one Wa- ter Commissioner and Commissioner of Sinkink Fund
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for a term of three years, two members of the school Committee for a term. of Three years, one member of the School Committee for a term of two years, one member of the Municipal Lighting Board for a term of three years, one member of the Board of Health for a term of three years, one Sewer Commissioner for a term of three years, one Park Commissioner for a term of three years, a Tax Collector, a Tree Warden, two members of the Planning Board for a term of three years, and fifteen Constables; also to vote on the fol- lowing questions on the same ballot: 1"Shall Part One of an Act passed bythe General Court in the year 1937 entitled, "An Act establishing in the Town of Braintree Representative Town Government by limited Town Meeting,". be accepted by this Town?"""-2- "Shall an Act passed by the General Court in the year Nineteen Hundred and Thirty-Four, entitled, An Act establishing a Town Manager Form of Government for the Town of Braintree,' be accepted ?"
The polls will be open at five forty-five o'clock in the forenoon, and will be closed at three o'clock in the afternoon.
You are further directed to notify and warn the said inhabitants qualified to vote as aforesaid, to meet at the Town Hall in said Braintree on Monday, the eighth day of March, 1937, at seven forty-five o'clock in the evening, then and there to act upon the follow- ing articles, namely :---
ARTICLE 1. To choose all Town Officers, except those elected by ballot.
ARTICLE 2. To hear and act upon the report of the several boards of Town Officers, and committees,
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and choose any committee the Town may think: pro -:. per, ::::! !!.
ARTICLE 3. To. see. of 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 begin- ning January 1, 1937, 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, General Laws.
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: ARTICLE 4 ...... 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 begin- ning January 1,. 1938, 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,. General Laws.
ARTICLE 5. To see if the Town will; vote to; authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money for general municipal. purposes under the authority of and in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 49 of the Acts of 1933, or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 6. To see if the Town will hold its Treasurer harmless on his bond for any loss which may arise from the failure of any National Bank or Trust Company in which the funds of the Town may be on deposit, said Bank or Trust Company being de- signated by the Selectmen.
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ARTICLE 7. To see if the Town will hold its Collector harmless on his bond from any loss which may arise from the failure of any National Bank or Trust Company in which the funds of the Town may be on deposit, said Bank or Trust Company being de- signated by the Selectmen.
ARTICLE 8. To see if the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate a sum of money for a Reserve Fund for extraordinary and unforseen ex- penditures during the current year.
ARTICLE 9. To see what sums of money the Town-will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for Interest and Maturing Debt the present year, or take any action relative thereto. -
ARTICLE 10. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate to meet the payment of certain bills contracted in several departments prior to December 31, 1936, or take any other action in the matter.
ARTICLE 11. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for Insurance on Town property and Workingmen's Com- pensation, or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 12. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for the Norfolk County Hospital assessment, for main- tenance and repairs.
ARTICLE 13. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for Street Lighting.
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ARTICLE 14. To see if the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate a sum of money for the payment of printing and distribution of the Annual Report of the Town of Braintree for 1936.
ARTICLE 15. To see what distribution the Town will vote to make of the incomeof the Thayer Fund.
ARTICLE 16. To see what sums of money, in addition to that appropriated under any other article, the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for LAND DAMAGES.
ARTICLE 17. To see if the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate such sums of money asmay be necessary for the purpose of restoring the seven and one-half per cent salary reduction to all em- ployees in the various departments and divisions of the Town including the full complement of officials and employees of the Town of Braintree, and to vote said seven and one-half per cent salary restoration to take effect as of January 1st, 1937, or take any action relating thereto.
SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES
ARTICLE 18. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for the support of the Public Schools for the present year, or take any other action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 19. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of constructing modern toilet facilities at the South West School, or take any action relative thereto.
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ARTICLE 20. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of constructing necessary drainage for the Monatiquot School grounds under the direction and supervision of the Highway Department, or take any other action re- lative thereto.
ARTICLE 21. ON PETITION. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of constructing a new school building on the portion of Hollingsworth Park on Pond Street, and for the original equipment and furnishing of the same, and to authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow any part or all of said sum, or take any other action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 22. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of purchasing or taking land in Precinct Two: said land being lot 8 on Assessor's Plan number 2031, plot 24, consisting of 5394 square feet on Weston Avenue, or take any other action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 23. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for the Public Library, the present year, or take any action relative thereto.
GENERAL GOVERNMENT
ARTICLE 24. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for GENERAL GOVERNMENT for salaries and expenses for the following departments and other purposes, the present year, or take any action relative thereto.
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1. Moderator
2. Finance Committee
3. Selectmen
4. Accountant
5. Town Engineer
6. Assessors
7. Treasurer
8. Tax Collector
9. Town Clerk
10. Election and Registration
11. Law
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12. Maintenance of Municipal Buildings: Town Hall, Central Fire and Police Station and Public Library.
ARTICLE 25. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sum of money in addition to sums of money already appropriated to cover the Town's share for materials, trucking and other necessary expendi- tures in connection with WPA activities or other Spe- cial Aid projects in conjunction with State or Federal Government as may be approved by the Finance Com- mittee, or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 26. To see what further sums the Town will vote to raise by taxation and appropriate to meet certain incidental and miscellaneous expenses not otherwise provided for, namely, GENERAL GO- VERNMENT INCIDENTALS, the same to be in addi- tion to any sums previously appropriated for said pur -. poses.
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PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY
ARTICLE 27. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for the protection of persons and property the present year or take any action relative thereto.
1. Life Guard at Sunset Lake .
1. Building Inspector
3. Sealer of Weights and Measures
4. Tree Warden's Department
5. Moth Department
6. Fire Department
7. Police Department
HEALTH AND SANITATION
ARTICLE 28. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for Health and Sanitation the present year, or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 29. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for the maintenance and operation of the Water Depart- ment, including interest and debt on Water Loans, the same to be taken from the revenue of the Department, and the unexpended balance of 1936, or take any ac- tion relative thereto.
ARTICLE 30. To see if the Town will vote to ap- propriate from the income of the Electric Light Depart- ment, the sum of $300.00 for salaries of the Electric Light Commissioners.
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ARTICLE 31. To see if the Town will vote to include in the Tax Levy for electricity used for Street Lighting the sum of $12,900.00 as appropriated under Article 13 of the Warrant for the 1937 Annual Town Meeting, and that said sum together with the income from sales of electricity to private consumers, or for current supplied to Municipal buildings or for Munici- pal power, and from sales of appliances and jobbing during the current fiscal year, be appropriated for the use of the Municipal Light Plant, the whole to be ex- pended under the direction and control of the Munici- pal Light Board for Repairs, renewals, new construc- tion and operating expenses of the plant for the pre- sent fiscal year, as defined in Section 57 of Chapter 164 of the General Laws, and that, if said income shall ex- ceed the expenses for the fiscal year, such excess shall be transferred to the construction fund of said plant and appropriated and used for such additions to the plant as may thereafter be authorized by the Munici- pal Light Board.
ARTICLE 32. To see what sum or sums of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the purposes of the Sewer Department, to be expended by the Board of Sewer Commissioners, or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 33. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of financing the construction of sanitary sewerage works in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 17 of the Acts of 1930and authorize and direct the Sewer Commissioners to accept on behalf of the Town, for use in carrying out such project, a Federal grant of money pursuant to the Emergency Relief Appropria-
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tion Act of 1935; and authorize the Sewer Commis- sioners to construct said project and contract with re- spect thereto; and authorize the treasurer, with the approval of the selectmen, to borrow such sums as may be necessary to meet any appropriation made; or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 34. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the unexpended balance of $1939.87 from the third sewer loan for P.W.A. construction to a gene- ral construction account, or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 35. To see if the Town will vote to abandon a portion of an easement taken by the Board of Sewer Commissioners in 1931, over land of Marshall L. Whiton on Allen Street, East Braintree, or take any other action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 36. To see if the Town will vote to abandon a portion of an easement taken by the Board of Sewer Commissioners in 1931, over land of Philip Sullivan on Allen Street, East Braintree, or take any other action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 37. To see if the Town will vote to abandon a portion of an easement taken by the Board of Sewer Commissioners in 1931, over land of Emma H. Wynot on Commercial Street, East Braintree, or take any other action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 38. To see if the Town will vote to abandon a portion of an easement taken by the Board of Sewer Commissioners in 1931, over land of the Old
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Colony Railroad Company on Commercial Street, East Braintree, or take any other action relative thereto.
RECREATION
ARTICLE 39. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for the general uses of the Board of Park Commissioners the coming year, or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 40. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $22,000.00 for the construction of con- crete bleachers, grandstand and locker rooms at Hollis Field. This is to be a W.P.A. project under the super- vision of the Highway Department, or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 41. To see what sums of money the Town will appropriate for the purchasing of land for an inclosed Athletic Field, and construction of bleach- ers, field house, and fence around said field. This field to be known as the Legion Memorial Field of Braintree. This field to be managed and controlled by a commit- tee of eight, consisting of one member each from the following organizations and departments in the Town of Braintree, or take any action relative thereto.
The Finance Committee
The Selectmen The School Board
· The Park Board The Planning Board
The American Legion The Rotary Club The Philergians
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CEMETERIES
ARTICLE 42. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for the improvement of the Cemetery the present year, or take any action relative thereto.
SOLDIERS' BENEFITS
ARTICLE 43. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for Soldiers' Relief, State Aid and Military Aid, and Me- morial Day Observance, the present year, or take any. action relative thereto.
PUBLIC WELFARE
ARTICLE 44. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for the PUBLIC WELFARE DEPARTMENT the present year, including Aid for Dependent Children, and Ade- quate Assistance to Certain Aged Persons under the provisions of Chapter 118A, Acts of 1931, or take any action relative thereto.
WELFARE
A. To see what action the Town wishes to take relative to the creating of a position of Old Age Assis- tance Commissioner or Supervisor, together with a secretary for said Commissioner.
ARTICLE 45. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for the support of the Highway Department, including labor, repairs to highways, Town Ways, and
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Bridges; also, for repairs and building sidewalks, stone roads and removal of Snow, Oiling and Tarring of Streets ; purchase of equipment for said department or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 46. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the con- struction and improvement of the whole or any part of a new way as laid out by the County Commissioners from Church Street to the Quincy line including por- tions of a way known as Center Street or take any other action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 47. ON PETITION. To see if the Town will vote to construct a DRAIN on Commercial Court, Precinct Three, and raise and appropriate a sum of money for the improvement of the same.
ARTICLE 48. ON PETITION. To see if the Town will vote to accept as and for a Town Way, Berwick Street, so-called, or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 49. ON PETITION. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the construction of a sidewalk on the westerly, side of Howard Street, from Hayward Street to Shaw Street, East Braintree, continuing said sidewalk from the intersection of Howard Street to the Quincy Line, or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 50. ON PETITION. To see if the Town will vote to construct a sidewalk on Wildwood Avenue, from Standish Avenue to Liberty Street, to insure the safety of the school children of Braintree Highlands, or take any action relative thereto.
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ARTICLE 51. To see if the Town will vote to construct a Retaining Wall and Gravel Sidewalk on BELLEVUE AVENUE and WASHINGTON STREET, BRAINTREE HIGHLANDS, and raise and appropriate a sum of money for the same, or take any action rela- tive thereto.
ARTICLE 52. To see if the Town will vote to remove the Car Tracks on RIVER STREET, RAIL- ROAD STREET, and ELM STREET, and RESURFACE THE SAME, and raise and appropriate a sum of money for the improvement of the same, or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 53. To see if the Town will vote to accept as and for a Town Way, WINDEMERT CIRCLE so-called, 450 feet southerly from Storrs Avenue, as laid out by the Selectmen, and raise and appropriate a sum of money for the improvement of said way or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 54. To see if the Town will vote to accept as and for a Town Way, B. V. FRENCH STREET, so-called, as laid out by the Town Engineer, and raise and appropriate a sum of money for the im- provement of the said way, or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 55. ON PETITION. To see if the Town will vote to accept as a Town Way, WALNUT STREET, so-called, from Storrs Avenue Extension to Lakeside Drive, Braintree, as laid out by the Board of Selectmen, and raise and appropriate a sum of money for the improvement of the said way.
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1.
ARTICLE 56. ON PETITION. To see if the Town will vote to abandon that section of old Washington Street, lying between Hancock Street and present Washington Street, as shown on plan No. 279 on file in the Town Engineer's Office.
MISCELLANEOUS
ARTICLE 57. To see if the Town will vote to elect its Tax Collector for a term of three years, under the provisions of Section 1, Chapter 41, General Laws, Tercentary Edition.
ARTICLE 58. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to sell, after first giving notice of the time and place of sale by posting such notice of sales in some convenient and public place in the Town, fourteen days at least before the sale, property taken by the Town under tax title procedure, provided the Selectmen or whomsoever they may authorize to hold such public auction may reject any bid which they deem inadequate, or take any action relative thereto.
ARTICLE 59. To see what action the Town will take with reference to the disposal or management of property, title to which has been acquired by the Town through proceedings confirming tax titles.
ARTICLE 60. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money to compensate Walter J. MacDonald for legal services rendered in 1935 in the case of Mellen vs. Shay.
ARTICLE 61. ON PETITION. To see if the Town will vote to amend the By-Laws by adding to Article 10 a new section to be called Section 18 and to read
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as follows :- "The Tree Warden shall not remove any shade tree or trees unless or until he has caused to be published in two papers published in the Town of Braintree a notice describing the location of the tree to be cut with sufficient exactness so that the tree may be identified, at least one week before the tree is to be removed and has conferred with a committee of three, to be composed of one member appointed from the Philergians, the Garden Club, and the Historical So- ciety."
ARTICLE 62. ON PETITION. To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 9 of Article 2 of the By- Laws by striking out said section and substituting therefor the following section :-
Section 9. "All voting in a Town Meeting shall be by voice vote, unless otherwise re- quired by law, except (a) when the result of any such vote is in doubt, the Moderator " shall call for a show of hands and may cause the same to be counted, or (b) if the result is questioned by any voter, the Moderator shall call for a show of hands of those who desire a vote verified by tellers. If seven or more ex- press a desire, the Moderator shall appoint tellers to verify the vote, unless the meeting orders such vote taken by another method."
ARTICLE 63. ON PETITION. To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 11 of Article 2 of the By- Laws by adding thereto the following :- "The terms of all committees, unless reappointed, shall expire one year from the date of the vote authorizing their appointment."
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ARTICLE 64. ON PETITION. To see if the Town will vote to amend its By-Laws in the sense of the fol- lowing resolution: "WHEREAS certain voters have been inconvenienced by the settingof too short voting hours; and Whereas, It is essential in a Democracy that all should have the right to vote at liberty and ease; Therefore, Be it Resolved That Section 2 of Ar- ticle 1, of the Code of By-Laws, of the Town of Brain- tree, be hereby amended under the terms of Section 1, of Article 14 of said By-Laws to read as follows: "Section 2. The polls shall be opened not later than six o'clock in the morning, and shall close not earlier than eight o'clock."
ARTICLE 65. To see if the Town will vote to amend the By-Laws, by inserting a new article, to be known as Article 3-A, Section 1, to read as follows :- "The Collector of Taxes shall collect under the title of Town Collector, all accounts due the city or town, in accordance with the provisions of Section 38A of Chapter 41 of General Laws."
ARTICLE 66. ON PETITION. To see if the Town will adopt, and memorialize other Towns and Cities. within the Commonwealth, and the Great and General Court, urging them to adopt the substance of the fol- lowing resolutions, or to see what action the Town will take with reference thereto :-
Resolved: That in the methods to be used in con- structing and repairing our individual properties, those methods to be adopted which will employ men, rather than utilize machinery to the exclusion of manual la- bor.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED :- That in all
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contemplated projects of larger proportions to be done under contract, aistipulation be included in each con- tract which shall specify what work is to be done by hand labor, and what is permitted to be done by machinery :----
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED :- That in work to be carried on by the several municipalities, such means be used as will help absorb the workers and thereby release hte Federal Government from respon- sibilities, consequently curtailing such elaborate work of administration which causes extra burden. of ex- pense.
ARTICLE 67. ON PETITION. "To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $500.00 to assist Braintree Post 86, American Legion and Antietam Camp No. 3, Sons of Union Veterans of Civil War in defraying expenses of Memorial Day."
ARTICLE 68. To see if the Town will authorize the Moderator to apopint a committee to consider the matter of a suitable and fitting memorial to commemo- rate the services and sacrifices of men and women of Braintree who served in the World War. Said Com- mittee shall recommend the type and location of the proposed memorial and shall prepare estimates of the approximate cost thereof, including the site and cost of incidentals, and shall report its recommendations and findings to the next Annual Town Meeting to be held in 1938."
ARTICLE 69. To see if the Town will approp- riate a sum of money to settle and adjust the suit of Albert E. Fox, Administrator, against the Town now
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pending in the Superior Court of Norfolk County, for injuries resulting in the death of Eileen M. Fox, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
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