Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1946, Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1946
Publisher: Town of Plymouth
Number of Pages: 398


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1080.


SACHU


Annual Report


OF THE


TOWN OFFICERS


OF THE


Town of Plymouth


M


1626


PUBLIC


YMOUTH, M ASS


For Year Ending December 31,


1946


R 974.48


Lithographed and Bound by THE LEYDEN PRESS Plymouth, Mass.


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TOWN OFFICERS, 1946


Selectmen: James T. Frazier, William H. Barrett, Paul W. Bittinger, Arthur E. Blackmer and Herbert H. Lanman.


Clerk of Selectmen: Norman W. Gray.


Town Clerk: Herbert K. Bartlett.


Town Treasurer: Herbert K. Bartlett.


Collector of Taxes: Harold W. Baker.


Town Accountant: Mrs. Cora B. Grady.


Assessors: George E. Blackmer, chosen 1944 for three years; Robert A. Carr, chosen 1945 for three years; Thomas L. Cassidy, chosen 1946 for three years.


Overseers of Public Welfare: Gordon S. McCosh, chos- en 1944 for three years; A. Rodman Hussey, Jr., chosen 1945 for three years. Mr. Hussey resigned in 1945 and Andrew Rae, Jr. was appointed to fill the vacancy; Harold G. Roberts, chosen 1945 for one year; Harold G. Roberts, chosen 1946 for three years.


Water Commissioners: Richard T. Eldridge and Dan- iel F. Mulcahy, chosen 1944 for three years; Arthur Addyman and C. Brooks Hudson, chosen 1945 for three years; Edward R. Belcher, chosen 1946 for three years.


School Committee: Francis E. LeBaron, chosen 1944 for three years; Mr. LeBaron resigned 1945 and Ralph C. Weaver was appointed to fill the vacancy; E. Harold Donovan and Fannie T. Rowell, chosen 1945 for three years; William H. Armstrong, chosen 1945 for two years; David A. Cappannari and William E. Curtin, chosen 1946 for three years; Ralph C. Weaver, chosen 1946 for one year.


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Cemetery Commissioners: Edward R. Belcher, chosen 1944 for three years; Edward R. Belcher resigned in 1945 and John B. Finney was appointed to fill the vacancy; Arthur E. Blackmer, chosen 1945 for three years; Rich- ard T. Eldridge, chosen 1946 for three years; John B. Finney chosen 1946 for one year.


Burial Hill Committee: Cemetery Commissioners.


Agawam and Halfway Pond Herring Fishery Commit- tee: Emil C. Birnstein, Charles C. Chandler and Arthur W. Lovell.


Park Commissioners: John A. Siever, chosen 1944 for three years; Arthur Sirrico, chosen 1945 for three years; Edward J. E. Hand, chosen 1946 for three years.


Board of Health: Herbert S. Maxwell, chosen 1944 for three years; Paul W. Bittinger, chosen 1945 for three years; Medora V. Eastwood, chosen 1946 for three years.


Planning Board: Arthur E. Blackmer, George L. Good- . ing, Francis C. Holmes, Allen D. Russell and Amedeo V. Sgarzi.


Field Drivers and Fence Viewers: William LaRocque, Chester Torrance and Seth Wall.


Surveyor of Wood and Bark: Harold E. Giles.


Committee on Inland Fisheries: Frank L. Bailey,


George L. Gooding and Howard M. Morton.


Committee on Town Forest: James A. White, John A. Kennedy and George L. Gooding.


Board of Registration: Enrico Ferrari, appointed 1944 for three years; Joseph R. Stefani, appointed 1945 for three years; Walter R. Roberts, appointed 1946 for three years.


Committee on Sewers: Selectmen.


Sexton: Paul H. Ziegengeist.


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Pound Keeper: Russell L. Dickson.


Sealer of Weights and Measures: Harold E. Giles.


Superintendent of Streets: Elmer C. Chandler.


Superintendent of Water Works: Theodore Brink.


Beach Committee: Selectmen.


Collector of Water Rates: Harold W. Baker.


Harbor Master: Elmer P. Boutin.


Members of Retirement Board: Russell P. Dearborn, Herbert K. Bartlett, Cora B. Grady.


Superintendent of Oak Grove and Vine Hills Ceme- teries and Burial Hill: Alexander H. P. Besse.


Superintendent of Chiltonville Cemetery: Charles B. Howland.


Superintendent of Manomet Cemetery: Gordon S. McCosh.


Superintendent of Infirmary: Russell L. Dickson.


Fire Commissioner: Henry Walton.


Town Engineer: Edward Chase.


Chief of Police: Russell P. Dearborn.


Tree Warden: John A. Kennedy. Forest Warden: Henry Walton.


Local Moth Superintendent: John A. Kennedy.


Town Counsel: Amedeo V. Sgarzi.


Building Inspector: Thomas A. Bodell.


Dog Officer: John P. Hanson.


Inspector of Animals: Frederick Bradley.


Inspector of Slaughtering: Hillery J. Bergman.


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ANNUAL TOWN MEETING MARCH 23, 1946


AMEDEO V. SGARZI, Moderator


Article Three:


A report of the Committee on Inspector of Wires was read by Arthur Addyman, Acting Chairman of the Com- mittee, and on motion of Mr. Addyman, it was voted: That the committee appointed under Article 29, of the annual town meeting held March 24, 1945, be continued.


On motion of Herbert K. Bartlett, Voted: That the reports of the several Boards of Officers and Commit- tees of the Town be accepted and placed on file.


Article Four:


On motion of Herbert K. Bartlett, Voted: That the Town 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 be- ginning January 1, 1947, 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, Gen- eral Laws.


Article Five:


Mr. Kendall Estes moved: That the salaries of elected


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town officers be as follows:


Chairman of Selectmen $ 726.00


Other Selectmen (each) 363.00


Chairman of Assessors 2,571.60


Other Assessors (each) 2,129.60


Town Clerk 2,080.00


Town Treasurer 2,080.00


Collector of Taxes


3,170.00


Chairman of Board of Public Welfare


50.00


Mr. James T. Frazier moved to amend Mr. Estes' motion: By substituting the following figure, Chairman of Selectmen, $1,200.00 for the figure $726.00 and Other Selectmen, each $500.00, for the figure $363.00, but the motion was lost.


Mr. Estes' motion was then put before the meeting and carried.


Article Six:


Mr. Kendall Estes moved: That the town appropriate the sum of $1,105,324.05 to defray the expenses of the town and for other purposes, of which sum $477,330.41 shall be for salaries and personal services, and $627,993.64 for other purposes including labor payrolls, all as print- ed in the recommendations of the Advisory and Finance Committee.


Mr. William H. Barrett moved to amend by substitut- ing the following: The figure $3,720.00 for Salaries and Personal Services of the Accounting Dept., for the figure $3,967.50 and for other expenses, no recommendation, but the motion was lost.


Mr. Estes' motion was put before the meeting and carried.


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At 2:37 o'clock, Mr. Ralph Gilbert moved to suspend the regular meeting in order to call a special town meet- ing. At 2:47 o'clock the regular meeting was resumed and article seven was taken up.


Article Seven:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $11,000.00, including the dog tax of $1,680.57 in aid of the Plymouth Public Library.


Article Eight:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $3,560.00 to be expended by the Plymouth Public Library for the Loring Library.


Article Nine:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the Town appropriate the sum of $1,031.88 in aid of the Man- omet Public Library.


Article Ten:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $400.00 for the observance of Memorial Day, to be. expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.


Article Eleven:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $600.00 for the observance of July Fourth and that $150.00 of this amount be ex- pended in said observance for the sponsoring of chil -. dren's sports, the whole to be expended under the direc- tion of the Board of Selectmen.


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Article Twelve:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $350.00 for the observance for Armistice Day, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.


Article Thirteen:


On the motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $300.00 for the observance of Old Home Day, November 28, 1946, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Se- lectmen.


Article Fourteen:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $2,730.00 for the employ- ment of one or more district nurses, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Select- men.


Article Fifteen:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate from the Post War Rehabilitation Fund the sum of $52,500.00 to be spent in conjunction with sums to be provided by the United States Government and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for a Harbor Dredging project in the Town of Plymouth.


Article Sixteen:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $2,500.00 for the construc- tion of a cement bridge between Little Long and Big Long Pond, said funds to be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency Account, provided said transfer is ap- proved by the Commissioner of Taxation, otherwise said funds to come out of the current tax levy.


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Article Seventeen:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $150.00 for the use of the Plymouth County Trustees for County Aid to Agricul- ture and choose a Town Director.


On motion of Herbert K. Bartlett, Voted: That Robert B. Bowler, Jr., be chosen for Town Director for County Aid to Agriculture.


Article Eighteen:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town authorize the Selectmen to sell, after first giving notice of the time and place of sale by posting such no- tice of sale 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 that 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 Nineteen:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $645.00 for compensation and expenses of the Dog Officer, as required by Chapter 320 of the Acts of 1934.


Article Twenty:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town vote to accept seventeen (17) ' cemetery perpetual care funds, amounting to $2,650.00 received and deposit- ed in the Plymouth Savings Bank in the year 1945, in accordance with the usual votes of the Cemetery Com- missioners and Selectmen, and listed as new funds, in the Town Report for that year.


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Article Twenty-one:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the Assessors, in making the tax rate for the current year, are authorized to use, for reducing the rate, $40,000.00 from money in the town treasury not otherwise appro- priated.


Article Twenty-two:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town authorize the transfer of the sum of $15,000.00 from the Reserve from Overlayings of Taxes to the Reserve account in the hands of the Advisory and Finance Com- mittee.


Article Twenty-three:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the sum of $20,000.00 be appropriated from unappropriated available funds in the town treasury to meet the Town's, State's, and County's shares of the cost of Chapter 90 construction on Sandwich Street; all reimbursements from the State and County for this work to be restored, upon receipt, to unappropriated available funds in the town treasury.


Article Twenty-four:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town take no action under article twenty-four.


Article Twenty-five:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $2,000.00 for the purchase of a dump truck for the Highway Department.


Article Twenty-six:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $1,000.00 for the purchase


-.


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of a pick-up truck for the Highway Department.


Article Twenty-seven:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $700.00 for the purchase of a road marking machine for the Police Department said funds to be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency Account, provided said transfer is approved by the Com- missioner of Taxation, otherwise said funds to come out of the current tax levy.


Article Twenty-eight:


Mr. Kendall Estes moved: That the town appropriate the sum of $1,500.00 for the purchase of two new auto- mobiles for the Police Department to replace two that are now in service, said funds to be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency Account, provided said transfer is approved by the Commissioner of Taxation, otherwise said funds to come out of the current tax levy, but the motion was lost.


Article Twenty-nine:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $2,100.00 for the purchase of a new truck for the Park Department, said funds to be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency Account, provided said transfer is approved by the Commissioner of Taxation, otherwise said funds to come out of the current tax levy.


Article Thirty:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $4,000.00 for the purchase of a garbage truck for the Health Department, said funds to be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency Ac- count, provided said transfer is approved by the Com- missioner of Taxation, otherwise said funds to come out of the current tax levy.


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Article Thirty-one:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $150.00 for the purchase of auxiliary blades for the present power mower of the Park Department, said funds to be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency Account, provided said transfer is approved by the Commissioner, of Taxation, otherwise said funds to come out of the current tax levy.


Article Thirty-two:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 for the develop- ment and building of a concrete stadium at the new playground on Standish Avenue, as shown on plan rec- ommended by the architect, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Park Com- missioners, said funds to be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency Account, provided said transfer is ap- proved by the Commissioner of Taxation, otherwise said " funds to come out of the current tax levy.


Article Thirty-three:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $500.00 to build a portable band and grandstand, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Park Commissioners, said funds to be transferred from the Excess and Defi- ciency Account, provided said transfer is approved by the Commissioner of Taxation, otherwise said funds to come out of the current tax levy.


Article Thirty-four:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town instruct the Tree Warden to plant a tree in memory of each Plymouth boy who gave to us his last full meas- ure of devotion in World War II, and that the Board of


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Park Commissioners appoint a committee of three to serve without pay, with the Tree Warden and the Park Superintendent in selecting and planting these trees and to plan a suitable dedication service, said planting and service to be at the new playground at Standish Avenue, and that the sum of $175.00 be appropriated for this pur- pose.


Article Thirty-five:


Mr. Kendall Estes, moved: That the town be author- ized to purchase, from Armando Borsari, land situated on the southeasterly side of Liberty Street and lying southwesterly of and adjoining the Standish Avenue playground, for the purpose of enlarging said playground. Said land is shown as lots 1 and 2 on a plan entitled "Land Southwest of Standish Avenue Playground, Jan- uary 26, 1946" and contains 19,960 square feet, and that the town appropriate therefor the sum of $1,150.00, said funds to be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency - Account, provided said transfer is approved by the Com- missioner of Taxation, otherwise said funds to come out of the current tax levy. Three Hundred forty voting in the affirmative and thirty-six in the negative, the neces- sary two-thirds having voted in the affirmative, the motion was carried.


Article Thirty-six


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, it was unanimously voted: That the town be authorized to purchase, from the Plymouth Savings Bank, land situated on the north- westerly side of Braunecker Road, and lying southwest- erly of and adjoining the Standish Avenue Playground, for the purpose of enlarging said playground. Said land is shown as lots 33 and 34 on a plan entitled "Land South- west of Standish Avenue Playground, January 26, 1946" and contains 17,780 square feet, and that the town appro- priate therefor the sum of $200.00, said funds to be trans-


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ferred from the Excess and Deficiency Account, provided said transfer is approved by the Commissioner of Taxa- tion, otherwise said funds to come out of the current tax levy.


Article Thirty-seven:


Mr. Kendall Estes moved: That the town authorize the Water Commissioners to enter into all necessary contracts to lay and relay water mains of not less than six inches in diameter and to increase the water supply by developing an additional well and to do such other acts or things as may be necessary to supply water to the inhabitants of the Town as recommended in part by the report of Metcalf and Eddy, Consulting Engineers, and that the town appropriate therefor the sum of $150,000.00. That, to meet this appropriation, the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be author- ized to borrow a sum, not exceeding $150,000.00 and to issue therefor bonds or notes of the town payable in accordance with Section 19 of Chapter 44 of the General Laws, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than fifteen years after the date of the issuance of the first bond or note, or at such earlier date as the Treasurer or Selectmen may determine. Two hundred forty-eight voting in the affirmative and twelve in the negative, the necessary two-thirds having voted in the affirmative, the motion was carried.


Article Thirty-eight:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town take no action under article 38.


Article Thirty-nine:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of' $3,500.00 for the purchase of two trucks for the water department, said funds to be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency Account,


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provided said transfer is approved by the Commissioner of Taxation, otherwise said funds to come out of the current tax levy.


Article Forty:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town authorize the Water Commissioners to dispose of the buildings on a parcel of land at Little South Pond, acquired in accordance with the vote of the town at its last annual meeting, as the Water Commissioners may see fit.


Article Forty-one:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town take no action on article 41.


Mr. John Armstrong moved to amend by substituting: That the Moderator be authorized and directed to appoint a committee of five citizens, one of whom shall be the Town Clerk, and that said committee make a study of the subject of voting machines and report their recom- mendations to the next Town Meeting, but the motion was lost.


Mr. Estes motion was then put before the meeting and carried.


.


Article Forty-two:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $2,500.00 for the purpose of continuing the survey and Assessors' Plans, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Assessors.


Article Forty-three:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town take no action under article 43.


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Article Forty-four:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $3,000.00 for enlarging and improving the present quarters of Alexander Scammell Post No. 1822, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, located on Spring Street, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.


Article Forty-five:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town accept Section 58A of Chapter 48 of the General Laws and appropriate the sum of $4,650.21 to be added to the regular Fire Department budget under article 6, for additional salaries.


Article Forty-six:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $1,190.84 to provide liability insurance to protect the officers and employees of the Plymouth Fire Department, as provided in clause 1, Sec- tion 5, Chapter 40, of the General Laws of Massachusetts.


Article Forty-seven:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $881.28 to provide liability insurance to protect the officers and employees of the Forest Fire Department, as provided in clause 1, Section 5, Chapter 40, of the General Laws of Massachusetts.


Article Forty-eight:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town take no action on article 48.


Article Forty-nine:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, it was unanimously voted: That the town accept and allow as town ways


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South Cherry Street and a road leading from Cherry Street to Braunecker's railroad crossing, to be known as Squanto Road, as laid out by the Selectmen and report- ed to the town, and make an appropriation of $100.00 for land and property damages and expenses of acquiring titles.


Article Fifty:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, it was unanimously voted: That the town accept and allow as a town way Boutemain Avenue, as laid out by the Selectmen and reported to the town, and make an appropriation of $100.00 for land and property damages and expenses of acquiring titles.


Article Fifty-one:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $5,000.00, to be added to the $5,000.00 already appropriated, for dredging the channel around Town Wharf.


Article Fifty-two:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell the lot known as the Russell Mills School house lot, no longer needed for school purposes.


Article Fifty-three:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell a portion of the Alden Street School house lot, no longer needed for school purposes.


Article Fifty-four:


Mr. Kendall Estes moved: That the town take no action under article 54.


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Mr. Philip Jackson moved to amend by substituting: That in the future the care, supervision, and regulation of so-called Town Brook and its Dams, etc. and also so- called Poor House Pond be placed in the hands of the Committee on Inland Fisheries for the Town of Plym- outh and that the Town hereby appropriate the sum of one hundred dollars for the expenses of the same in addition to such sums as said Committee may be able to secure from the users of said stream for so-called Water Wheels and other business purposes excepting the abutters for use in watering their gardens.


Mr. Estes motion as amended by Mr. Jackson was put before the meeting and carried.


Article Fifty-five:


Mr. Kendall Estes moved: That the town take no action under article 55.


Mr. Philip Jackson moved to amend by substituting: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of six hundred (600) dollars for the deepening of the streams and the removing of the necessary amount of sand, etc., from so-called Town Brook and Poor House Pond so as to cause said pond to cleanse itself and cease to be a menace to the health of the Town; said appro- priation for this work to be spent under the direction of the combined Boards of Inland Fisheries and of Health for the Town.


Mr. Estes motion as amended by Mr. Jackson was put before the meeting and carried.


Article Fifty-six:


Mr. Kendall Estes moved: That the town take no action under article 56.


Mr. Philip Jackson moved to amend by substituting: To see if the Town will vote to appoint a Committee to


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serve indefinitely to consist of the Town Moderator, the Chairman of the Town's Finance Committee, the Representative of this District to the Massachusetts Legislature and the Chairman of the Honorable Board of Selectmen for the Town to try and obtain new busi- ness for the Town and especially request them to meet with the officers of the Cape Cod Steamship Company or kindred organizations to try to obtain steamship serv- ice to this town and to appropriate such sums of money for the expenses of this Committee as the Town's Finance Committee shall deem necessary.


Mr. Estes' motion, as amended by Mr. Jackson was then put before the meeting and carried.


Article Fifty-seven:


Mr. Kendall Estes moved: That the town take no action on article 57.


Mr. Philip Jackson moved to amend by substituting: To see if the Town will vote to discontinue the sale of so-called herring or alewives to be taken from so-called Town Brook for the coming three years.


Mr. Estes' motion, as amended by Mr. Jackson was then put before the meeting and carried.


Article Fifty-eight:


On motion of Mr. Kendall Estes, Voted: That the town appropriate the sum of $500.00 for the purpose of maintaining, during the ensuing year, the mosquito control project in the Town of Plymouth, as estimated and certified to by the State Reclamation Board.




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