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1952
ENTERING EST. 1) ,1634
IPSWICH
ANNUAL REPORT
MA
IC
S.V
U.S.A.
1634
THE BIRTHPLACE OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE
1637
TOWN OF IPSWICH MASSACHUSETTS
TOVERNMENT at a minimum is a necessary function . . . At its best it is a force and in- fluence in the community." .
SS .
IPSV
V . U.S.A.
IN
1634
THE BIRTHPLACE OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE 1637
ANNUAL REPORT
For the Year Ending December 31, 1952
The 319th year of the Town's Incorporation
The 2nd year under the Selectmen-Manager Plan
Area of Town, 33 square miles
Population 6895
Photos in this Report were supplied free of charge by Zaharis Studio, and House of Hinlin, or taken by the Town of Ipswich
Ipswich Chronicle Publishing Co., Printers
Ipswich, Mass.
IN MEMORIAM
Town Employees and Officials Who Died in 1952
WALLACE J. LATHROP Former Selectman October 14, 1952
ALBERT G. WAITE School Custodian February 29, 1952
CHESTER A. BOLLES Former Water and Light Comm. July 15, 1952
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THE MUNICIPAL FAMILY
December 31, 1952
TOWN MODERATOR Edmund Kelleher
BOARD OF SELECTMEN Nathaniel M. Quint, Chairman Frank J. O'Malley John F. Conley Harry E. Munro Robert B. Franklin
CEMETERY COMMISSION Harmon Cole Benjamin Homans
FINANCE COMMITTEE Robert T. Bamford, Chairman George C. Parsons
Wilmot E. Hall Richard W. Davis
Stephen Tlumacki Leon B. Turner George J. Soffron Timothy F. Carey, Jr.
BOARD OF HEALTHI Frank L. Collins, M. D., Chairman Ernest J. Smith. D.M.D. Lawrence M. King
TRUSTEES OF GREAT NECK F. Sigourney Todd ITorace Dunbar Harold D. Bowen
BOARD OF ASSESSORS Chester Caldwell Donald Perkins Henry Plander
SCHOOL COMMITTEE Louise C. Richardson. Chairwoman William H. Wallace Richard Mansfield Edward Foley John V. Hubbard, Jr. Seward Tyler Edward S. Sullivan, Jr.
PLAYGROUND COMMISSION John Bialek, Chairman Louise Hodgkins Dr. J. J. Pallotta Robert Savitt Barbara Cole
BOARD OF REGISTRARS Henry Hills, Chairman George Mourikas John A. Kobos
TRUSTEES OF TRUST FUNDS George C. Parsons Edward J. Marcorelle Charles E. Goodhue, Jr.
BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE George R. Hovey, Chairman William Dunbar Aleide Lombard
THE TOWN ADMINISTRATION
Executive Department
Accounting Division
Assessing Department
Civil Defense Department
Collection-Treasury Division
Constable
Electric Department
Engineering Department
Finance Department
Fire Department
Ilealth Department
Legal Department
Personnel Department
Police Department
Joseph R. Coupal, Jr., Superintendent Benjamin Homans, Superintendent Gardner Caverly. Foreman Robert Hills, Acting Foreman John Ladderbush, Foreman
Purchasing Department
Joseph R. Coupal, Jr., Purchasing Agent Anthony Murawski. Town Clerk Robert Savitt. Superintendent High School Principal Burley School Principal
Records Department School Department Ralph C. Whipple Bertram Bennett Bertram Bennett Lena J. Atherley Frank L. Collins, ii.D. Eleanore Richardson, R.N.
Shellfish-Harbors Department
Veteran's Services Department
Water Department
Weight and Measures Division
Welfare Department
Shatswell School Principal Winthrop School Principal School Doctor School Nurse Lionel Sheppard, Sr., Director Anthony Murawski, Veteran's Agent Ralph Proble. Manager Ernest Romano, Sealer Walter Callahan, Director
THE MUNICIPAL COURT
Judiciary Clerk of Court
George Il. W. Hayes, Judge Robert Bamford
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Joseph R. Coupal, Jr., Town Manager Charles Passales, Accountant Chester Caldwell, Chief Assessor Barkley Warburton. Director Gladys Poole, Collector-Treasurer George Ewing, Coustable Charles Mallard, Manager Ralph Preble Charles Passales, Finance Director Samnel Atherly, Chief Ernest Romano. Health Officer William Hayes, Town Counsel Joseph R. Coupal, Jr., Personnel Mgr. Byard Horsman, Chief
Public Works Department Cemetery Division Grounds and Buildings Highway Division Refuse Division
Division
TOWN OF IPSWICH
ORGANIZATION CHART
ELECTORATE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
HOUSING AUTHORITY
MODERATOR
.
SUPT.
REGISTRARS
FINANCE COMM
BOARD OF PLAYGROUND COMM.
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PURCHASING
PERSONNEL
PLANNING BOARD
BOARD OF CEMETERY COMM.
RECORDS
FINANCE
ASSESSING
LEGAL
ENGINEER.
PLANNING
BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
COLLECT.
TREAS
ACCOUNT.
CIVIL DEFENSE
RECREATION
PUBLIC WORKS
POLICE
FIRE
WEIGHTS & MEASURES
HARBORS a SHELLFISH
VETERANS SERVICES
PUBLIC UTILITIES
WELFARE
HEALTH
ELECTRIC
WATER
CEMETERY
GROS. & BLOGS
SANITATION
HIGHWAY
GAR. & STORES
GENERATION
DISTRIBUTION
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BOARD OF HEALTH
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TOWN MANAGER
Report of the Board of Selectmen
To the Citizens of Ipswich:
With the passing of the second year of the Selectmen-Manager form of govern- ment, your Board of Selectmen reports to you with much satisfaction. The reorganiza- tion of the administrative functions of our Town Government, which was begun in 1951 in accordance with our charter, has gone forward under the direction of our Town Manager, Mr. Joseph R. Coupal, Jr. This modernization has not only achieved for us a coordinated and unified structure of municipal government of which we may well be proud, but it also provides for us an intelligent and efficient administration at the lowest possible cost. Faced as we are with a tremendous building program in the coming years, we are indeed fortunate to have this solid bedrock of sound municipal government on which to build.
Your Board also takes much satisfaction in reporting several accomplishments in which it had an especial interest in addition to the regular departmental work. The first of these was the final settlement of the difficult Beach problem. The agreement reached between the Town and the Trustees of Public Reservations provides that 10 per cent of the gross revenue collected at the Beach will be paid to the Town to be used primarily for the rebuilding and maintenance of Argilla Road. The amount due the Town this year is $7,000. Moreover, the Board was able to secure Chapter 90 funds for the rebuilding of this road, which means that, with the assistance given to the Town by the State and County to the amount of $21,000, the road can be completed in one fourth the time and at no cost to the Town.
A second accomplishment was the development of the Municipal Parking area. As you all know, it has provided a good start towards the solution of our great problem of off-street parking, and has won words of enthusiastic praise from merchants and citizens alike.
Our recently installed lighting system in the center of town is another accom- plishment which is winning general commendation. The new mercury-vapor lights provide approximately twice the illumination at only a slight increase in cost. These lights are soon to be installed in the parking area and then gradually extended along Central, South Main, and North Main Streets.
The Board felt that the completion of the Town Wharf was something of an accomplishment, not only because the transfer of the State funds was so long delayed, but because the members feel that it is of the utmost importance to do everything they can to stimulate the clamming and fishing industries and to increase the recreational facilities located in the Town.
Your Board is fully aware of the immediate needs of the Town in the matter of schools, sewerage, and a new Town Hall or Office Building. We fully agree with the Planning Board that the school problem is of primary importance, with sewerage and Town Hall ranking next in that order. The School Building plans are being presented to the Town by the School Building Needs Committee. The Town Hall Building Com- mittee will present to the Town a plan for the building of a new Police Station and Court Room adjoining the Fire Station. If this plan is accepted, additional room will then be available in the Town Hall to provide sufficient office space for the next few years. Your Board, along with the Planning Board recommends the adoption of these plans and the appropriation of sufficient funds to make the Town Hall adequate.
We cannot complete our report without a word of appreciation for the capabili- ties and diligence which our Town Manager has brought to his work during the past year and a half, and which have served so well to bring to you citizens, who are the stockholders of our community, the best Government which our Town has enjoyed for a long time.
Respectfully submitted,
Nathaniel M. Quint, Chairman John F. Conley Harry E. Munro Robert B. Franklin
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BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Left to right: Harry Munro, Frank O'Malley, John Conley, Robert Franklin and Nathaniel Quint
TOWN MANAGER - JOSEPH R. COUPAL, JR.
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Report of the Town Manager
To the Citizens of Ipswich:
This is your 1952 Town Report, the second under the Selectmen-Manager form of Government.
Ipswich is in sound financial condition. During 1952 the tax rate was dropped from $50 to $47.50, and the net debt was reduced from $129,000 to $108,400. Our assessed valuation has increased from $9,623,245 in 1951 to $9,857,705 in 1952. While the tax rate was being dropped $2.50, surplus revenue was increased from $60,000 to $90,000.
The administrative organization of the Town has been completely stream- lined, and Ipswich has one of the best organizations for a Town of its size in the Country. During 1952 the central Finance, Purchasing, and Personnel Departments were com- pleted, and a new Engineering Department was established.
The Fire Department now has a permanent Fire Chief, and the duties of Harbor Master were combined with those of the Shellfish Director to provide for better Harbor and Wharf operation. The Water Department organization was overhauled, and this Department was put on a financially sound basis, while, at the same time keeping rates lower than the average in the State. The Generating Plant was completely overhauled, and a new position of Plant Superintendent was established.
During 1952, $29,000 worth of new equipment was purchased. This included two new trucks with plows and wings, and a new front-end loader in the Highway De- partment, a new cruiser and a new ambulance in the Police Department, and a new garbage truck in the Sanitation Division.
New construction in the Town totaled over $40,000 during the year, and in- cluded Chapter 90 work on Topsfield Road, construction of roads at Great Neck; the new parking lot; surface drainage on Damon Avenue, Masconomet Road, and Broad- way Avenue; the construction of Damon Avenue, new sidewalks, new street lighting, and the rebuilding of the Town Wharf.
One major problem still facing the Town is that of our physical plant, but the Planning Board has reviewed the entire capital needs and made recommendations for the beginning of a long-term capital construction program. Another problem, in the face of increased governmental costs, is that of equitable valuations. However, the Assessing Department has requested $15,000 for tax maps in 1953 which will be a start toward the solution of this problem.
1952 was a year of great accomplishment for every Department in the Town Organization. These stories are told in text and pictures on the following pages. The credit for these accomplishments goes, in the main, to your Town employees who have worked conscientiously and well to give you a dollar's worth of municipal services for a tax dollar. Without their unfailing cooperation, the accomplishments of the past year could never have been so great.
Respectfully submitted,
Joseph R. Coupal, Jr. Town Manager
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FINANCE DEPT.
Charles T. Passales, Acct. - Fin. Dir. Gladys Poole, Treasurer-Collector
REORGANIZATION: During 1952 there was a complete reorganization of the Finance Department. The new organi- zation consists of the Divisions of Ac- counting, Treasury, and Collection. The Accounting Division maintains complete fiscal control over all Departments, in- cluding the Water and Light Depart- ments. All the journals, general ledgers, and classification books are maintained by this Division, purchases are preaudited, and bills processed.
The Treasury Division maintains the municipal bank accounts and processes all disbursements.
The Collection Division collects all municipal revenues, including taxes, motor vehicle excise taxes, water bills, light bills, and all miscellaneous revenues.
ACCOUNTING DIVISION: The Account- ing Division preaudited all purchases and maintained all municipal water and light journals and ledger accounts and classi- fication books. In November, a Bur- roughs Bookkeeping Machine was pur- chased on which are processed all water and light bills, cash receipts postings, and payroll checks. The savings in water and light billing alone through mechaniza- tion are estimated at $2,000 per year.
Profit and loss statements and expen- ditures statements were made out each month, and the 1953 budget was pre- pared.
Complete financial statements for the fiscal year 1952 will be found in the Financial Section of this text.
COLLECTION DIVISION : A total of $928,- 204.22 was collected during 1952. The sources of collection were as follows:
Taxes $469,060.68
Motor Vehicle Excise Tax 48,849.14
Electric Light Bills 271,698.59 Water Bills 43,607.03
Departmental Revenue 92,156.93
Miscellaneous
2,831.85
A break-down of taxes collected and cutstanding is included in the Financial
No. of Employees
1952 Expenditures $16,858.61
Section of the Report. The only prior year's taxes outstanding as of December 31, 1952 and 1951 Real Estate Taxes. Approximately 93 per cent of the total 1952 commitment was collected during the current year.
During 1952, 2,257 poll tax bills, 708 personal tax bills, 2,806 real estate tax bills, and 2,785 motor vehicle excise tax bills were sent out. Also, 6500 water bills and 27,000 electric light bills were collected during the year.
TREASURY DIVISION: The Treasury Divi- sion maintained all of the checking and savings accounts during the year, and check register balances were reconciled with bank balances bi-monthly. Receipts and expenditures during the year were as follows:
Cash Balance January 1, 1952
S 215,961.50
Receipts 1,428,724.42
Total 1,644,685.92
Payments 1,504,934.91 Balance December 31, 1952
139,751.01
Although this statement shows a smaller balance at the end of the year than at the beginning of the year, the actual balance is $200,000 greater than this because that amount was invested in Treasury bills during the year. It is es- timated that this investment will earn the Town $1,231.53 on cash which would otherwise have been standing idle in the Checking Accounts.
Salary cards showing gross salary, withholding tax, retirement, blue cross, and net amounts paid were kept on each employee. Reports were made on Trust Funds, and Treasury Receipts were re- ported periodically to the Town Ac- countant.
Four tax titles were foreclosed. Two new tax titles were taken, and seven were redeemed. There are now sixteen titles on hand in the amount of $1,882.82.
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PURCHASING DEPT.
Joseph R. Coupal, Jr., Pur. Agent
PURCHASING SYSTEM: All purchasing for the Town is now handled through the Town Manager's Office, with the Accounting Department processing the Purchase Orders after approval of the requisitions.
In March, 1952, a new system of Pur- chase Requisitions, Purchase Orders, and Field Purchase Orders was installed.
All regular purchases are made by re- quisitioning the desired item through the Purchasing Department. A formal Purchase Order is then prepared, and approved by the Town Manager. The Town Accountant certifies that there is an unemcumbered balance in the appro-
No. of Employees 1 part time
1952 Expenditures $343.74
priation sufficient to cover each pur- chase, so that no appropriation can be overdrawn.
Field Purchase Orders are used by De- partment Heads for minor purchases, purchases of an emergency nature, or for the acceptance of items delivered peri- odically on a contract basis, such as fuel, gasoline and tires.
PURCHASING STATISTICS: Since January 1952, six hundred fifteen Purchase Or- ders, and fifteen hundred Field Purchase Orders have been processed. In addition, seventy-four major purchases have been made by advertising for sealed bids.
ITI
Fin. Dir. Passales inspects new bookkeeping machine operation
PERSONNEL DEPT.
Joseph R. Coupal, Jr., Personnel Dir.
PERSONNEL ACTIONS: During 1952, twenty-seven new employees were hired, and twenty-one employees were separated. Two transfers and three promotions were made in the Town Departments, and 306 days of paid sick leave were granted Town Employees.
Eleven paid holidays were allowed dur- ing the year, and all permanent employ- ees received two weeks of paid annual leave.
RULES AND REGULATIONS: The Person-
No. of Employees I part time
1952 Expenditures $144 65
nel Rules and Regulations as adopted last year were amended on December 16 to liberalize the sick leave provisions. It is now possible for an employee with ten years of service to accumulate twelve weeks of full-paid sick leave.
RECORDS: A complete personnel file was maintained on each Town employee, in- cluding a record of any transfers, promo- tions, sick and annual leave, or any other personnel actions taken.
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ASSESSING DEPT.
C. Chester Caldwell, Chief Assessor
ASSESSMENTS: Assessed valuation on real and personal property in 1952 was $9,857,705. This was an increase of $234,460 over the 1951 assessed valu- ation. During the year every parcel of taxable real estate in the Town was re- viewed and the assessment checked. In the cases of new buildings, wherever possible, the entire structure was in- spected. The Town was also canvassed to bring up to date the poll tax list. personal property assessments, and dog tax lists. Commitments were made out for all taxes due the Town and appeals for abatement were handled.
The tax rate was set on April 29 at $47.50, which represented a $2.50 re- duction.
PERSONNEL: On March 10, Mr. Donald Perkins was appointed a member of the Board of Assessors to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mr. John A. Singer. The new Board had an or- ganizational meeting on April 10, and Mr. C. Chester Caldwell was elected
No. of Employees
Full time 2
Part time 1
1952 Expenditures $7.464.12
Chairman for the 23rd consecutive year. Mr. Donald Perkins was elected Clerk of the Board.
TAX MAPS: Considerable research was done on the need for tax maps, and $15,- 000 will be requested in the 1953 bud- get for this purpose. Valuable assistance . was given this Department on map work during the year by Mr. Ralph Preble, Town Engineer, and Mr. A. B. C. Mul- holland, Treasurer of the Prop. of Great Neck.
GREAT NECK PROPERTY: In July, the Assessing Department took over the ad- ministration of Town-owned land at Great Neck. All the leases were checked and all records brought up-to-date. A revised rental structure was recommended to the Town Manager, and put into ef- fect upon approval.
GENERAL: A summary of the recapitu- lation sheet showing comparative asses- ment statistics for 1951 and 1952 may be found in the Financial Section.
Board of Assessors. Left to right: Donald Perkins, C. Chester Caldwell and Henry Plander
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RECORDS DEPT.
Anthony A. Murawski, Town Clerk
LICENSES: Comparative statistics on licenses issued for 1952 as compared to 1951 are as follows:
1951 1952
Dog Licenses 638 647
Hunting & Fishing 511 503
Vital Statistics: Comparative vital statistics for 1952 were as follows:
1951 1952 Increase
Births 221 263 42
Marriages 43 56
13.
Deaths 79 93 14
In addition to the above, there were seventeen out-of-town births to Ipswich parents; twenty-eight out-of-town mar- riages; and thirteen deaths of Ipswich residents which occurred elsewhere.
REVENUES: Total receipts to the Records Department for 1952 totaled $4,167.46. Disposition of these receipts was as fol- lows:
Payments to State $1,398.00
Payments to County $1,537.20
Turned over to Ipswich Treasurer $1,232.26
PERSONNEL: On December 26, 1952, Mr. Anthony Murawski was appointed Town Clerk, to take over the duties of the resigning Town Clerk, Mr. John F.
No. of Employees
1
1952 Expenditures $1,014.50
Dolan. Mrs. Pauline Matheson was ap- pointed clerk in the department, which also handles the Veterans Services work.
ELECTIONS: Four elections were held this year, with great interest being shown in the November election. Over seventy applications for absentee ballots were re- ceived, and nearly four thousand votes were cast.
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ANTHONY A. MURAWSKI Town Clerk
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES DEPT.
Ernest Romano, Scaler
PERSONNEL: On November 24, 1952, Mr. Ernest Romano replaced Mr. John LaPlante as Sealer of Weights and Measures.
DEVICES INSPECTED: The following tabulation represents the various devices inspected and sealed. The sealing fees amounted to a total of $94.
No. of Employees
1 part time
1952 Expenditures $111.79
Scales 47
Prescription Balances
1
Weights-Avoirdupois 31
Apothecary 59
Liquid measuring meters under 1" inlet 19
Liquid measuring meters over 1" inlet 15
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1
1
1
1
1
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ENGINEERING DEPT.
Ralph Preble, Town Engineer
INTRODUCTION: A new Engineering De- partment was established in July 1952. The job of the Engineering Department is to provide engineering services for all town departments requiring service. The Town Engineer acts in an advisory ca- pacity on construction and operations in the Public Works Department.
In October 1952, the Town Engineer was given the additional duties of managing the Water Department. The Engineering Department has provided such services as the making of surveys. studies, maps and estimates, the prepa- ration of specifications and contracts for the construction of various projects, and the purchase of materials and equipment. and the supervision of construction.
PERSONNEL: Mr. Ralph Preble was ap- pointed the first Town Engineer in April. to establish the Engineering Department. In November, two cooperative students from Northeastern University, each of whom spends part of his time attending school and part of his time working here. were added to the staff as draftsmen. This plan gives us one such student on duty at all times.
No. of Employees
1
1952 Expenditures $4,309.00
SERVICES RENDERED EXECUTIVE DE- PARTMENT: Plans, charts and graphs have been drawn for visual aids in study- ing various projects or for use in reports of the Town Manager.
Street numbering studies were con- ducted for the purpose of assigning new house numbers in un-numbered sections of Town and for possible renumbering on streets where present numbering is confused.
Recommendations were made on park- ing and other construction.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT: Lines and grades were established for setting curb- stone and the construction of sidewalks. Measurements of sidewalk construction and corresponding computation of areas and quantities was performed.
The Engineering Department cooper- ated with the Highway Department on Force Account work on the Municipal parking Lot. Grades were revamped from those provided by private engi- neers employed prior to the establish- ment of the Engineering Department, to more adequately fit circumstances en- countered during construction. Prepara-
DRAFTING HIGHWAY PLANS
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CHECKING GRADES ON DRAINAGE PROJECT
tion of contracts for miscellaneous masonry work in conjunction with Park- ing Lot construction was carried out.
Assistance was provided during con- struction of Hillside Avenue, including general supervision of work and the re- establishment of lines and grades.
Engineering services were provided for reconstruction work done on Damon Av- enue.
ASSESSORS DEPARTMENT: Plans were started and data was collected for the preparation of the Assessors' Atlas. The Engineer attended conferences in rela- tion to proposed Assessors plans.
WATER DEPARTMENT: The Town En- gineer serves as Manager of the Water Department. Overlapping services makes it difficult to determine which are es- sentially Engineering functions.
CEMETERY DEPARTMENT: A new grave section was laid out in Highland Ceme- tery on the west side of Town Hill. Present cemetery plans will necessitate relocation and layout of the present un- used area adjacent to this section in the spring of 1953.
POLICE DEPARTMENT: Preliminary studies were conducted in cooperation with the Police Department, and plans made for the establishment of speed zones on major traffic arteries. This in- formation and data was supplied to the
various State Agencies, and official authorization was obtained. Locations for signs indicating speed limits were estab- lished.
Information on street grades and other data was provided for specific accident cases.
CONTRACTS: In the development of con- tracts and specifications for work done by private firms for the Town, the En- gineering Department enters into a pro- gram of preliminary studies and surveys, preparation of estimates and costs, draw- ing of plans, preparing proposal, con- tract documents and specifications, super- vision of construction, and preparation of monthly and final estimates for work performed.
The major contracts during the year prepared were:
1) The installation of an oil burner in the Burley School.
Awarded to the Arthur Curtis Com- pany of Revere.
2) Surface Water Drainage construc- tion in Damon Avenue, Masconomet Road and Broadway Avenue.
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