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111th Annual Report
SETTLED
A.D. 1629.
Town
INCORPORATED AT
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Sv
pscott
OTT. A. D
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S
AS
SWA
For the Year Ending December 31, 1962
COVER
Duncan Terrace Golden Age Housing Project 667-1
Cover Photo by Robert G. Byrne, Jr.
Deschamps Printing Co., Inc. 19, Salem, Mass.
SETTLED
A.D. 1629.
INCORPORATE
T.A.D. 1852.
C
AS
SWAN
Town of
SWAMPSCOTT Massachusetts
1962 ANNUAL REPORT
INDEX
PAGE
Appeals, Board of
71
Assessors, Board of 90
Balance Sheet
57
Building Code Advisory Board
82
Building Inspector
63
Civil Defense, Department of
61
Conservation Commission
83
Contributory Retirement System
85
Election Commissioners, Board of
72
Dog Officer
64
Fire Department
67
Forest Warden
65
Health, Board of
115
Housing Authority
117
Information, General
128
In Memoriam
3
Jury List
125
Personnel Board
86
Planning Board
117
Police Department
69
Public Library
112
Public Welfare, Board of
113
Public Works, Board of
91
School Department
98
Superintendent of Schools,
Report of
99
Pupils Enrolled
110
Selectmen, Board of
11
PAGE
State Election
78
State Primary
75
Taxes, Collector of
88
Tax Title Land Report
122
Town Accountant
48
Town Clerk, Records of
15
Town Warrant
15.
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting,
March 27, 1962
27
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting,
March 28, 1962
41
Town Counsel
46
Town Government Study
Committee
87
Town Meeting Members
8
Town Officers Appointed
5
Town Officers Elected
4
Town Telephone
Numbers
Inside Back Cover
Transportation Study Committee
87
Treasurer's Report
90
Veteran's Services, Department of
66
Weights and Measures, Sealer of
65
Where Money Came From
48
Where Money Went
50
Wires, Inspector of
65
Workmen's Compensation
71
World War II Memorial Fund,
Trustees of
85
2
In Memoriam
ELIZABETH A. ADAMS
Board of Public Welfare 1936-1941 Board of Assessors 1951-1961 Died March 9, 1962
ROBERT D. FORREST
Superintendent of Schools 1955-1962 Died March 9, 1962
JAMES A. HEGARTY
Director of Veterans' Services 1936-1949 Died October 15, 1962
FRANK G. MELVIN
Public Works Department Superintendent of Sewers 1908-1951 Died February 27, 1962
We are grateful for the years of faith- ful service to the Town of Swampscott
3
TOWN OFFICERS - 1962 ELECTED
Moderator
Richard B. Johnson
Selectmen
George B. Thomson, Chairman Henry R. Mayo, Jr. Edward K. Hempel
Collector of Taxes
Daniel W. Wormwood, Jr., (1965) } Oliver W. Coughlin (1965) Temporary Tax Collector Barbara Mansur (appointed)
Town Clerk
Daniel W. Wormwood, Jr. (1964)} Oliver W. Cough'in (1964) Temporary Town Clerk Eleanor C. Laumann (appointed)
Town Treasurer Robert G. Byrne (1965)
Assessors Anthony F. Pierre, Chairman (1964) Thomas F. Collins, Secretary (1965) Ernest Manchin (1963)
Board of Public Works
Roger A. Williams, Jr., Chairman (1963) Alfred N. Frazier (1964) George J. Burke (1965)
School Committee
Charles F. Buckland, Chairman (1963) George A. Chadwell (1963) Jacob Shactman (1964) Philip H. Stafford (1965) Theodore C. Sargent (1965)
Trustees of Public Library
George W. Howe, Chairman (1964) Ruth M. Barry, Secretary (1963) Andrew R. Linscott (1965)
Board of Public Welfare Richard Chambers, Chairman (1965) Norbert A. Ulman (1963) Paul C. Curtis (1964)
Board of Health
E. Wallace Donald, Chairman (1964) Dr. Edward L. Cashman, Jr. (1963) Dr. Robert H. Bessom (1965)
Constables
Leonard H. Bates (1965) Herbert C. Ellis (1965) Joseph P. Ryan (1965)
Planning Board
John F. Milo, Chairman (1966) James R. Maddock, Secretary (1967) Glenn W. Bartram (1963) Ralph L. Williams (1964) Alexander B. Way, Jr. (1965)
Commissioner of Trust Funds
Harold R. Austin, Chairman (1965) Armand Leone (1964) John R. Cooper (1963)
Swampscott Housing Authority
John A. Massey, Assistant Treasurer (1963) Leonard H. Bates, Jr., Vice Chairman (1964) Richard T. McIntosh, Treasurer (1965) David F. Doherty, Member (1966) Martin C. Goldman, Chairman (1966) (State Appointee) Austin D. Mosco, Director-Secretary
4
APPOINTED BY SELECTMEN
Secretary of Selectmen Richard A. Wales
Town Counsel Richard Coughlin
Town Accountant
I. Murray Adams
Assistant Town Accountant Anne M. Doughty
Director of Civil Defense Forrest E. Mason, Jr.
Building Inspector Raymond O. Doane}
Assistant Building Inspector Lawson H. O'Brien
Custodian of Adminstration Building John G. McLearn
Assistant Custodians Leonard H. Bates John Cameron
Constable to Post Warrants and Other Similar Work Leonard H. Bates
Dog Officer John J. Mattera
Fence Viewers Raymond O. Doane George H. Melcher George B. Thomson
Forest Warden Walter M. Champion, Jr.
Harbormaster Thomas E. Andresen
Inspector of Wires Fred Sargent
Measurer of Lumber Harold O. Durgin
Sealer of Weights and Measures George A. Holt, Sr.
Shellfish Constables Stanley G. Potier Joseph C. Cardillo
Smoke Inspector Raymond O. Doane
Director of Veterans' Services And Burial Agent Robert M. Leonard
Chief of Police and Keeper of Lockup Francis P. Wall
Workmen's Compensation Agent Douglas F. Allen
Board of Appeals C. Glover Bowes, Chairman (1965) T. Paul Corcoran, Jr. (1964)
Eustis Grimes (1963) John S. McKenney, Associate Member} Mrs. Alexander B. Way, Jr., Associate Member Israel Bloch, Associate Member
Board of Election Commissioners Everett C. Howe, Chairman (1963)
Donald L. Sawyer (1964) Dorothy M. Collins (1965) Lewis H. Berry (1966)
Building Code Advisory Board John DiDio, Chairman (1965) Edward Weinshanker (1964) John F. Milo (1966) Donald C. Goss (1966) Raymond O. Doane
Citizens' Traffic Safety Committee Maxwell Field (1963) John J. Halloran (1963) Ralph Maxwell (1963) }
Dr. Lincoln A. Palmer (1963) Stanley G. Potier (1964) Lewis Athanas (1964) Dr. Charles E. Donovan (1964) Harold Norton (1965) Barbara MacGregor (1965) Margaret Scanlon, Secretary
5
Civil War Centennial Committee
John I. McLaughlin, Chairman Robert B. Hegarty, Co-Chairman Harry E. Cahoon Edith N. Snow Richard A. Spence Alfred N. Frazier A. Richard Stone Robert M. Leonard David W. Callahan George E. Hutchinson
Committee to Investigate Hazards
Philip A. Brine, Jr. Albert DeLisio Ralph L. Williams Saul Gilberg Frederick D. Greehan
Committee to Plan the Erection of An Honor Roll
Edward K. Hempel Otto W. Friedman Herbert C. Ellis Robert M. Leonard
Howard H. Vatcher
Committee to Study Erection of Memorial For Veterans of Korean War
Donald J. Stinson Charles E. Snow, Jr. Francis J. Cassidy Irving Bloom Harold Janakas
Conservation Commission
Otto W. Friedman, Chairman (1963) Mrs. Carlyle Holt (1963) Robert L. Yasi (1964) Mrs. Ellen Bond, Secretary (1964) Douglas F. Allen (1964) John F. Milo (1965) John A. Gregory, Jr. (1965)
Contributory Retirement Board
Edward P. Carroll, Chairman (1965) (elected by employees ) Harold R. Austin (1964) I. Murray Adams, Secretary
Economy Planning Board R. W. Hubbs Donald Sullivan Richard Breed, Jr. Robert C. Hunt Gardner S. Lamson Samuel Freedman Edward Weinshanker
Essex Street Bridge Advisory Committee Alfred N. Frazier, Chairman Alfio Cerone Philip H. Kitfield Edward T. Lotti
Harold Norton
Fourth of July Committee
Edward F. Flynn, Jr., Chairman Antonio Parletta John R. Cooper
Richard M. Ahearn
Michael M. Ingalls
Daniel W. Wormwood, Jr.
Armand Leone
Michael S. Pagnotta
Group Insurance Advisory Committee
Harold P. Willett Joseph C. Cardillo Edward D. Flynn, Jr. John G. McLearn Walter L. Ranger
Harbor Committee
John J. Foley, Chairman Cedric L. Arnold Paul A. Polisson Joseph A. Cardillo Louis J. Williams Mrs. Phyllis M. Blanchette
Memorial Day Committee
Fred Tirabassi George E. Hutchinson Jack Ralph Howard M. Vatcher Herbert C. Ellis John H. Cropley, Jr .¿
6
Tax Revenue Study Committee Herbert Gold John P. Ingalls John P. Drislane Harrison J. Lesses William J. McGettrick Walter H. Forbes, Jr. Gerald J. Kaloust John Der Bogosian Austin Mosco
Trustees of World War II Memorial Fund
Ernest Manchin, Chairman (1965) Philip H. Stafford, Secretary (1963) John R. Cooper (1963) Richard B. Johnson (1964)
Benjamin Goldberg (1964) Clement Kennedy (1965) David F. Doherty (1965)
Veterans' Day Committee Mrs. Louise Benevento Mrs. Gladys M. Newhall Austin Mosco Joseph E. Shanahan Howard M. Vatcher
Waste Collection and Disposal Committee
Douglas F. Allen Thomas E. Burke, Jr. John P. Ingalls, Jr. Roger A. Williams, Jr.
APPOINTED BY SELECTMEN AND MODERATOR
Pensions Committee
Jacob Shactman, Chairman Frank G. Williams, Jr., Secretary Martin P. Sylvester Gerald H. Pashby Mary A. Clapp
Personnel Board
Edward I. Robinson, Chairman (1963) Frederick N. Balsor (1964) Frederick C. Burk (1964)
M. Stanley Metz, Chairman (1965)} Robert L. Yasi (1963) } John G. McLearn, Clerk Raymond A. Harriman (1965)
Transportation Study Committee Howell E. Estey, Chairman Edward K. Hempel, Secretary Nelson J. Darling, Jr. Edwin D. Crowley Samuel Freedman David H. Smith
APPOINTED BY MODERATOR
Committee to Study Taking of Land on Ocean Avenue for Beach Purposes
Alfred N. Frazier Otto W. Friedman Robert L. Yasi Nelson J. Darling, Jr. Charles E. Donovan John F. Milo Vincent P. O'Brien
Finance Committee
Harry G. Davis, Chairman (1963) Howell E. Estey, O.D. (1964) Paul C. Miller (1964) Bernard L. Baker (1965) Lester B. Farwell (1963) Otto W. Friedman (1965) Martin C. Goldman (1965) Selden D. Hulquist (1963)
7
Charles M. Ewing (1963) } Henry R. Mayo, Jr. (1965) } Herbert C. Heggie, Secretary
Committee to Study Town Government
George B. Thomson, Chairman Charles L. Blatchford, Secretary Reno Bisegna James Buchanan Robert C. Hunt
Hadley School Building Committee Burt Harding Lillian White Roger G. Skinner, Chairman
Hadley School Play Area Bradlee M. Backman
Leon A. Hackett* John F. Milo Harold I. Power
George B. Thomson
Rosalind K. Stone James E. Hanley
John Clarke Kane Marshall Kaplani
Machon School Study Committee Sidney A. Simmons Donald C. Goss Sidney Parlow}
Frederick Small Michael A. Palleschi
George A. Chadwell
Selden D. Hulquist
APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
Bureau of Old Age Assistance Norbert A. Ulman, Chairman (1963) Paul C. Curtis (1964) Richard Chambers (1965) Moved ¿Resigned
*Deceased
TOWN MEETING MEMBERS
PRECINCT ONE
Adams, I. Murray Balsor, Frederick N. Balsor, Gertrude P. Bates, Leonard H. Bates, Leonard H., Jr. #Berry, Lewis H. Berry, William H. Bisegna. Reno S. +Boyce, Thomas J., Jr. Bradley, Chester E. Bradley, Joseph A. Cappucio, Mary A. Chandler, J. Dane Cole, Laura M. Corcoran, Lawrence R. Corcoran. Pauline H. Cropley, John H., Jr. Crowell, Frank E. Crowell, Virginia E. *Deceased
D'Agnese. Ralph J. Douglas, Thomas Fiore, Joseph
Flynn, Edward F., Jr. Foglietta. Geremia Francis, Marily E. Frazier, Alfred N. Friedman, Jillian T. Friedman, Otto W. Gallo, Ann M. Gallo, Bennett
Hathaway. C. Frank Hegarty. Robert B. Hinch, William A. Holmes, Andrew B., Jr. Holmgren, Eric A. Holt, George A. Hulquist, Selden D. Jackson, Ralph H. +Moved
Johnson, Karl V. Johnson, Kenneth T. Lotti, Mary R. Mackey, William E. Maitland J. Richard Norton, Harold Picariello, Laurence F. Promise, George A.
#Rawding, Richard S. Rodrick, Joseph S. Rodrick, Woodbury L., Jr. Simmons, Sidney A. Snow, Charles E., Jr. Snow, Mary E. Ventre, Arthur Videtta, Antonetta M.
Whitten, Norman C. Williams, Frank, Jr.
#Resigned
8
Blatchford, Charles L. Burns, Laurence Cahill, Thomas J. Carlin, William J. Chadwell, George A. Champion, James E. Champion, Marjorie C. Craig, Harvey A. Daley, John R. Denahy, John F. Doane, Raymond O. Doherty, David F. Ellis, Lyndon W. Emery, Clementine L.
Estey, Howell E. Flynn, Cecelia H. Flynn, Joseph F. Frechette. Leo M.
Andelman, Ezra Atkins, George B. Baker, Marvin J. Brine, Philip A., Jr. Byrne, Robert G. Caswell, Orville G. Chapman, Charles F. #Coughlin, Oliver W. Devitt, Roland N. Doherty, Warren J. Dow, Howard E. Enholm, Ann V. Enholm, Harold G. Farwell, Lester B. Finch, Clarence M. Gould, Ralph E. Gallo, Nicholas *Hackett, Leon A. Hawkins, Verno M., Erd
Ackerman, Edward D. Benford, Robert L. Benson, Benjamin M. Bickford, Charles H. +Brady, Peter F. Burke, Edward F. Burke, George J. Butterworth, Edward R. Carey, William E. Carroll, Edward P. Carroll, Edward P., Jr. Champion, Walter M., Jr. Coletti, Frank G. W. #Coletti, Richard F. Cooper. John R. Coughlin, Richard Curtis, Paul C. Davis, Harry G. Dilk, Joseph W. *Deceased
PRECINCT TWO
Genest, Edmond A. Graham, Stuart W. Gregory, John A., Jr.
Gross, Israel H.
Healy, William S.
Heggie. Herbert C.
Hempel, Edward K.
Janvrin, Philip E.
Keating, Harold J.
Klein, Herbert D.
Klein, Sarah H.
LaPlante, John E.
Leawood, Cleo
Loring, Robert P.
Ludlam, Edward N.
Massey, John A.
Mattera, John J.
McCarriston, James D.
McManus, Charles J. Miller, John R. Miller, Paul C. Milo, John F. Morley, Peal D.
O'Shea, John J. Pashby, James E.
Patten, Irvin R.
Polisson. Paul A.
Ranger, Walter L.
Ryan, Joseph P. Stafford, Philip H. Stone, John
¿Symmes, Richard P. Ulman, Norbert A. Warnock. Donald J. Watts, John H. Whitten, Philip M.
PRECINCT THREE
Hayden, William V., Jr.
Henry, Roger W.
Howard, Joseph P.
Hudson, Harold C.
Kane, John Clarke
Kane. Catherine L.
Kessel, Abraham Lally, John J.
Lees, Arthur T.
Losano, Francis A.
Losano, Patsy J.
MacLean, Walter D.
Manchin, Ernest
+Maston, Adelinda Maston, Ester I.
+Maston, Roy E. McCarriston, James J. McLearn, John G. Mills, Dorothy W.
Mills, Ernest O.
Mosco, Austin D.
Myers, Daniel J.
Newcomb, Harvey P.
Newcomb, Priscilla O.
Pedrick, Edna Pedrick, James H. Rice, Ashley W.
Scanlon, Margaret M.
Scanlon, Thomas M.
+Scanlon, William J. Skinner, Roger G. Smith, George W. Snow, Arnold L. Snow, Pearl A. Theisen, Ellen Dunn Wales, Richard A. Witter, Lawrence C.
PRECINCT FOUR
Doane, Albert G.
Dwyer, Charles W.
Earle, Virginia E.
Earle, Ralph B. Ellis, Virginia T.
Forbes, Walter H., Jr.
Frazier, Loring R. Freedman. Eli +Goldman, Martin C. Gould, Vera F. Hanley, James E. Harding, Burt F. Howell, George W. Hughes, John J., Jr. #Hussey, Harold G. Hutchinson, George E. Ingalls, John P., Jr. Kraft, Robert M. Leonard, Robert M. +Moved
Linscott. Andrew R. Linscott Harry D. Ludlam, William A. Maddock. James R. Martin, Vernon A.
McHugh, Joseph A. Phinney. Harris T. Power, Harold I. Sargent Fred D. Smith, Robert C. Snow, Robert W. Stoddard. Hatherley A., Jr.
Stowell, Frank S. Summers, James I. Thomson, George B. Tisdell, John M. Williams, Roger A., Jr. Yasi, Robert L.
¿Resigned
9
PRECINCT FIVE
Ackermann, Carl A. Baker, Bernard L. Bartow, William L. Beckert, William C. Bloch, Edith M. Bloch, Israel Bond, Chester E. Booma, Dorothy M. Booma, Roland C. Bowes, C. Glover Broadbridge, Leslie L. Buchanan, James W. Buckland, Charles F. Burk, Frederick C. Cardillo, Joseph Collins, Thomas F. Connell, H. Marjorie Costin. Donald E. Easterbrooks, Vincent B.
Allen, Douglas F. Allen, Louis B. Allison, Dorothy K. Appel, Richard G., Jr. Backman, Bradlee M. Backman, Ruth Blodgett, Donald W. Blodgett, John H., Jr. Breed, Dorothy S. Breed, Richard P., Jr. #Carey, Bernard F. Darling, Nelson J., Jr. Deveney, J. Campbell Donovan, Charles E. Durkee, Donald D. Ewing, Charles M. Fitzpatrick, Paul W. Garland, Paul E. Goldberg, Theodore *Deceased
Field. Maxwell Freedman, Myron Grimes, Eustis B. +Grynkraut, John F. Howes, Roger N. Ingalls, Michael M. Johnson, Warren A. Kennedy, Leonard N., Jr.
Kirkpatrick, Marion Kirkpatrick, Martin Lang, Francis N. Lewis, Sidney R. Lippa, Sherman J.
Loveday. Edward D. Maitland, Francis H. Mattera, Joseph M.
Maxwell, Ralph S.
Mayo, Ralph
McKenna, Charles A.
+Morse, Elihu N. Morse, June Morse, Marion Doen O'Brien, Vincent P. Pagano, Carl J. Remick, Ervin D., Jr. Rothwell, James M., II
Rothwell, William H., 2nd Santry, James W., Jr. Shactman, Jacob Smith, Samuel Soutter, J. Campbell, III Stevenson, Richard D. Symmes, Harold P.
Way, Kathleen Weiner, Maurice M.
Whidden. Donald S. White, Thomas B., Jr.
PRECINCT SIX
Hanson, Josephine E. Harrington, George J.
Howe, George W. Ingalls, Robert U. Jacobs, Bertram C.
Johnson, Chloe Johnson, Harold A. Lamson, Gardner Lilly, John M.
Mayo, Henry R., Jr.
McCarthy. Jeanne W. McCarthy, William H., Jr.
McKenney, John S.
Murray, Richard F. Myers, Allen Nevils, Thomas Newth, Thomas M. Nylander, Arnold L. O'Neil, Robert F. +Moved
Pierre, Anthony F. Powers, Lawrence W. Prichard, William W. Reynolds, Arnold C. Reynolds, Joel W. Rothermel. Albert N.
+Sargent. Theodore C. Shectman, Moses Stiles, A. Hall, Jr. Sites, Marjorie C. Stocker, Crawford H., Jr. Waldo, John A. Wallis, Frank B. Weinshanker, Edward M. +White, Kenneth T. +White, Lillian I. Williams, Ralph L.
¿Resigned
10
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
GEORGE B. THOMSON, Chairman HENRY R. MAYO, JR. EDWARD K. HEMPEL
To the Citizens of Swampscott:
Your Board of Selectmen is pleased to submit to the people of the Town our annual report covering the past year.
The 1962-1963 Board, from the time of its original organizational meeting, established a harmonious, if not always unanimous relationship which has existed
the limitation which the law has imposed on the power and functions of the Select- men.
Cordial and co-operative relations have
throughout the year. At the outset, we established an "Open Door" policy of conducting the Town's business, and we welcomed our fellow citizens to sit in with us at all sessions. Our meetings have been held in an atmosphere of co- operation and on occasions of disagreeing without becoming disagreeable. We have striven to carry on the Town's affairs expeditiously, thoroughly, and as effec- tively as possible, recognizing, of course,
been maintained with all Town Depart- ments. However, we did not shrink from what we considered our duty to the citi- zens of the Town to call attention to matters in which corrective departmental changes seemed to be needed.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Board wishes to compliment Chief Wall on the improvement in both de-
11
partmental morale and efficiency of the Police Department during the period we have been in office. Given three qualified lieutenants he has quickly brought more cohesiveness and efficiency to the Police service in co-operation with our Board. During the past year (after consultation with the Board), he has also utilized the police auxiliaries as supplements to his regular and reserve men. Thus he has given Swampscott more traffic cover- age and personal protection at no addi- tional cost to the Taxpayers. It seems to us significant that although all members of the department are free to appear be- fore the Board with any complaints, not one man has come to us, nor have there been any complaints reported. This, we feel, is a credit to the Chief, his officers and men and is indicative of the co- operation that has existed between the present Board of Selectmon and the Chief.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Because of many reports that reached us, we felt obliged to conduct an in- vestigation into the Fire Department. Our report appears elsewhere in this Town Report, and, therefore, no further comment is necessary here. However, we believe that the condition which we found to exist, as set forth and indicated in the special report, was undoubtedly a motivating factor which impelled the officers and men of the Fire Department to vote to join the International Fire- fighters Union; a local unit of which was granted a charter in Quincy on January 31, 1963. This matter has been an unpleasant one for the Board but we felt the solution was to meet it head-on and take such action as we deemed ap- propriate. The great majority of the of- ficers and men of the department deserve the thanks of the Town's people for their devotion to Swampscott and their loyalty to each other, which appear to be the major reasons for their fine performances in the fighting of fires, despite the re- ported conditions.
VETERANS' SERVICES
Due to a statutory change, the Board and the Town have lost the services of an outstanding Veteran's Service Direc- tor. Robert A. Leonard was as efficient and as courteous a man as ever served his Town. Quiet, but thorough and knowl- edgeable, he will be greatly missed.
In David F. Doherty, the Board was fortunate in finding a man with a record of long service to the community and we are confident that he will prove a worthy successor.
BUILDING DEPARTMENT
At the time of this writing, a com- mittee of three professional men from the Building Code Advisory Board is in- terviewing and examining the qualifica- tions of several applicants for the post of Building Inspector. This special ad- visory committee consisting of architects, Edward Weinshanker and Donald Goss; and engineer and Planning Board Chair- man John F. Milo, will make recom- mendations to the Board who are faced with the responsibility of appointing the most competent man available to replace Raymond O. Doane recently retired after almost three decades of faithful service in this important post. His years of valu- able experience cannot be replaced but we are confident the Advisory Commit- tee will furnish us with the names of those best trained by education and ex- perience in the building field. The Board feels that this appointment, as all others, must be made in the Town's best interest on the basis of professional competency- not political connections.
STREET LIGHTING
Several including Pleasant Street and Forest Avenue have been added to the list of those lighted accord- ing to modern standards. In addition, the Board set as its main purpose an up-to- : date modern lighting plan developed dur- ing the year for the entire Town. The Town was last surveyed eight years ago
12
and meanwhile even some of our newer installations have become obsolete. Basic- ally our new Town lighting program, submitted in final form by J. Robert Cor- nell, Jr., of the Massachusetts Electric Company on January 31, 1963, con- cerns itself with the residential side streets. As it develops; it will not only contribute substantially to traffic safety, but will be a significant factor in pro- tecting persons and property after dark. We hope that this new program will be put into effect as expeditiously as possi- ble, on a priority basis with need being the governing factor.
INSURANCE
Working closely with the Town's Broker of Record, Raymond J. Bufalino, realistic coverages have been maintained or adjusted on all public buildings and, as of this date, the Town is properly cov- ered and protected. A new booklet has been prepared for, and given to all Town employees in our Group Insurance Plan outlining improvements therein adopted by this Board which in our opinion makes the plan one of the best in the Com- monwealth.
COMMUTER SERVICE
In line with the recommendations of the Selectmen and the Board's Advisory Transportation Study Committee which was established in 1956 to combat rate increases and service cutbacks, the Bos- ton and Maine Railroad, with the assist- ance of the State and National Govern- ments, has instituted a "Planning and Demonstration" program offering lower rates and more frequent service to attract patronage. We have endorsed this pro- gram as a positive approach to a serious problem. However, we have protested the recent bus service cutback, since it had been our understanding that bus lines were included in the program. However, the Board has learned that these lines are still under D.P.U. jurisdiction whose negative policies continually have resulted in disservices to the public of this sort.
REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES
Due to the fall off in payments when due on the part of certain major prop- erty owners, and large prior commit- ments on School Construction, we feel that there should be a particularly care- ful analysis of budgets and articles this year by the Town Meeting Members, who, by their votes, in effect, set our tax rate. Finance Committee recommen- dations must be carefully considered. The suggestion that delinquent taxpayers be listed in the Town Report as is done in some other Towns should be considered by the Collector of Taxes. Offsetting the 1963 outlook and contributing to opti- mism for 1964 will be the completion of new revenue producing units at the Shopping Center, consisting of a large modern Bowling Center and seven new stores.
Although the Board's powers regarding Revenue and Expenditures are limited to the meaningless routine and archiac prac- tice of approving bills after other Boards have not only approved the same bills but have spent the money, we can and do serve as an information center for calling revenue and cost problems to the Town's attention.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
The Town, in 1963, entered upon the last phase of its present public construc- tion program by initiating additions to the Machon and High Schools. The past six years have resulted in a meeting of our needs with a new Junior High School, Post Office, Central Fire Station, and a new wing on the Library. We recommend that the Planning Board, our Board's Tax Revenue Study Committee, and the Assessors carefully consider reve- nue producing land use changes to pro- tect the residential character of the Town, and, thereby residential property values. Such values are, of course, en- hanced by putting more of our tax bur- den on commercial property. Our joint
13
objective should be continuation as a first class residential Town. With our public building program completed, and with the possibility of new commercial property increasing, tax rate stability is within our grasp.
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