USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of the officers of the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts for the year ending 1933 > Part 1
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GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01841 7763
E
GC 974.402 P74PLYA, 1933-1934
TOWN OF PLYMOUTH
1620.
A
SE
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TOW
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ED
REPORT OF THE TOWN OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1933
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
Town Officers
OF THE
Town of Plymouth
For the Year Ending December 31, 1933
H
*
1020.
MAS
1. 200
H
....
TOW
Linotyped, Printed and Bound by THE MEMORIAL PRESS Plymouth, Mass.
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INDEX TO TOWN REPORT
Page
Accountant
177
Schedule A
Schedule B 181
208
Advisory and Finance Committee :
Annual Town Meeting 21
Special Town Meeting 35
Assessors, Board 103
Audit of Town Accounts
37
Balance Sheet 42
Births 67
Buildings, Inspector
146
Cemetery, Commissioners 141
Deaths 74
Engineer, Town 162
Extension Service, Plymouth County 163
Fire, Commissioner 134
Forest Fire, Warden 159
Forestry, Committee 161
Harbor Master 154
Health, Board 123
Health, Board of, Physician 129
Jurors, List 168
Library, Corporation 111
Library, Librarian 112
94
Marriages 56
Meeting, Annual Town, 1933 9
Meeting, Special Town, Aug. 14, 1933 18
Memorial to Walter Davis Shurtleff, M. D. 125
Memorial to John E. Sullivan 125
Milk, Inspector 131
Moth, Superintendent 155
Officers, Town, 1933
3
Manomet Water System
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Park Commissioners 119
Planning Board 166
Plumbing, Inspectors 133
Police, Chief 96
Sanitary Inspector 128
Selectmen, Board
47
Slaughtering, Inspector
130
Streets and Sewers, Superintendent 49
Tree, Warden 157
Water Commissioners 84
Water, Superintendent 91
Weights and Measures, Sealer 147
Welfare, Public, Board 107
Wood and Bark, Measurer 153
INDEX TO SCHOOL REPORT
Page
Americanization
47
Attendance
58
Budget for 1934
7
Calendar, 1934
3
Cornish-Burton 42
Employees 61
Financial
5
Health, School
50
Hedge and Mount Pleasant
37
Individual 45
Junior High
35
Knapp
40
Officers
4
Senior High 31
9
School Committee
Signals, No School 3
Superintendent 11
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Town Officers, 1933
Selectmen-James A. White, William H. Armstrong, Herbert K. Bartlett, Andrew J. Carr and Charles Moning.
Town Clerk-George B. Howland.
Town Treasurer-George B. Howland.
Collector of Taxes-Herbert W. Bartlett.
Town Accountant-Elmer R. Harlow.
Assessors-Thomas L. Cassidy, chosen 1931 for three years; Fred A. Sampson, chosen 1932 for three years; Charles H. Sherman, chosen 1933 for three years.
Overseers of the Public Welfare-George L. Good- ยท ing, chosen 1931 for three years; William T. Eldridge, chosen 1932 for three years; James Rae, chosen 1933 for three years.
Water Commissioners-John H. Damon, chosen 1931 for three years ; William R. Morton and Richard T. Eldridge, chosen 1932 for three years; Frank D. Bartlett and John L. Morton, chosen 1933 for three years.
School Committee-Edward W. Bradford and Ed- ward A. Buttner, chosen 1931 for three years; Harry W. Burns and Albert L. Mellor, chosen 1932 for three years; Fannie T. Rowell and E. Harold Donovan, chosen 1933 for three years.
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Cemetery Commissioners-Richard T. Eldridge, chosen 1931 for three years; Edward R. Belcher, chosen 1932 for three years; Arthur E. Blackmer, chosen 1933 for three years.
Burial Hill Committee-Cemetery Commissioners.
Agawam and Halfway Pond Herring Fishery Com- mittee-Elmer P. Boutin, Charles F. Haire, Jr. and Paul H. Manion.
Park Commissioners-Myron L. Smith, chosen 1931 for three years; James T. Frazier, chosen 1932 for three years; Ernest C. Dunham, chosen 1933 for three years.
Board of Health-Andrew J. Carr, chosen 1931 for three years; Herbert S. Maxwell, chosen 1932 for three years; Walter D. Shurtleff*, chosen 1933 for three years.
*Deceased December 24, 1933.
Surveyors and Measurers of Lumber-Warren S. Bumpus and Alvin A. Hall.
Surveyor of Wood and Bark-Daniel J. Sullivan.
Town Director to County Aid to Agriculture- Oscar H. Tracy.
Planning Board-Arthur E. Blackmer, Ellis W. Brewster, Harry B. Davis, George L. Gooding and Francis C. Holmes.
Field Drivers and Fence Viewers-Norman L. Hale, Lewis F. Smith and Chester A. Torrance.
Committee on Inland Fisheries-Warren S. Gale, Geoffrey D. Perrior, and Michael D. Welsh.
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Committee on Town Forest-Abbott A. Raymond and Charles T. Stevens.
Board of Registration-Asa H. Burgess, appoint- ed 1931 for three years; William F. Goodwin, ap- pointed 1932 for three years; J. Ernest Beauregard, appointed 1933 for three years.
Committee on Sewers-Selectmen.
Sexton-Edward G. Ellis.
Pound Keeper-Russell L. Dickson.
Sealer of Weights and Measures-Daniel J. Sullivan.
Milk Inspector-Daniel J. Sullivan.
Beach Committee-Selectmen.
Superintendent of Streets-Elmer C. Chandler.
Superintendent of Water Works-Arthur E. Black- mer.
Collector of Water Rates-George B. Howland.
Harbor Master-Orrin C. Bartlett.
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 Cedarville Cemetery-Alberto M. Haskell.
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Superintendent of Infirmary-Russell L. Dickson. . Fire Commissioner-Henry Walton. Town Engineer-Arthur E. Blackmer. Chief of Police-Russell P. Dearborn.
Tree Warden-Abbott A. Raymond. Forest Warden-Ira C. Ward. Local Moth Superintendent-Abbott A. Raymond. Building Inspector-Thomas A. Bodell.
1
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ANNUAL TOWN MEETING, MARCH 25, 1933
FRANK C. SMITH, Moderator
Article Three:
On motion of George B. Howland, Voted: That the reports of the several boards of officers and com- mittees of the Town be accepted and placed on file. .
Article Four :
On motion of George B. Howland, Voted: That the Town authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen or a majority thereof, to borrow during the financial year beginning January 1, 1934, in anticipation of the revenue of said year, such sums of money as may be necessary for the current expenses of the Town, giving the notes of the Town therefor, payable within one year from the dates thereof. All debts incurred under the author- ity of this vote shall be paid from the revenue of said financial year.
Article Six :
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town appropriate the sum of $8,850.00 in aid of the Plymouth Public Library, including the Dog Tax of 1932 amounting to $1,649.55.
Article Seven :
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the
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Town appropriate the sum of $750.00 in aid of the Manomet Public Library.
Article Eight:
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town appropriate the sum of $250.00 for use of the Plymouth County Trustees for County Aid to Agri- culture and that the Town choose a Town Director as provided in Sections 41 and 45 of Revised Chapter 128 of the General Laws.
Mr. George B. Howland nominated Mr. Oscar H. Tracy for Town Director and he was elected.
Article Nine:
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town appropriate the sum of $250.00 for the purpose of maintaining, during the ensuing year, the mosquito control works as estimated and certified to by the State Reclamation Board in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 112 of the Acts of 1931.
Article Ten:
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town appropriate the sum of $250.00 to be expended under the provisions of Chapter 252 of the General Laws as amended, for Mosquito Control Works in the Town of Plymouth.
Article Eleven :
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town appropriate the sum of $100.00 for Rifle Range Expenses.
Article Twelve:
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town appropriate the sum of $600.00 for the observ- ance of Memorial Day and Armistice Day.
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Article Thirteen :
Mr. Morton Collingwood moved: That the Town appropriate the sum of $300.00 for the observance of July Fourth, said money to be expended by the Board of Selectmen, but the motion was lost.
Article Fourteen:
To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of eight hundred and fifty (850) dollars, for the con- struction of the Fire Alarm System, from Cliff Street to the junction of Warren Avenue and the State Highway.
Mr. Morton Collingwood moved: That the Town take no action under Article 14, and the motion was carried.
Article Fifteen :
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town appropriate the sum of $1,000.00 to employ a District Nurse.
Article Sixteen:
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That a Committee be appointed consisting of the Selectmen and the Town Engineer to further negotiate with the Public Works Department of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the purpose of determining the easterly line of Water Street so that Water Street may be widened to the east, and report to the Town at a later meeting.
Article Seventeen :
To see if the Town will authorize the Board of Selectmen, and their successors in office, to sell a certain parcel of land situated in that part of Plym-
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outh known as Saquish and being lots 40 and 41, with the buildings thereon, as shown on the Revised Plan of Saquish Beach near the mouth of Plymouth Har- bor, dated October 31, 1914, and recorded with Plymouth Deeds, plan book 3, Page 30, at such time and for such price as in their judgment may be for the best interests of the Town.
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town , authorize the Board of Selectmen and their successors in office to sell the premises referred to Article 17 as set forth in said article.
Article Eighteen:
On motion of Morton Collingwood, it was unani- mously voted: That the Town vote to amend section 13 of the By-Laws of the Town of Plymouth adopted March 22, 1930, by adding thereto the following sub-sections:
a. No person shall deposit in or on any motor vehicle other than his own any placard, show bill, hand bill, or other advertisement.
b. No person shall pass any placard, show bill, hand bill, or other advertisement to any child going to or from school.
Article Nineteen :
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town appropriate the sum of $700.00 to defray the expense of maintenance of the Town Wharf, including pay of caretaker.
Article Twenty :
Morton Collingwood moved: That the Town take no action under Article 20, but the motion was lost.
Mr. Andrew J. Carr then moved: That the Town accept the provisions of the Act of the Legislature
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of 1933 entitled, "An Act to Authorize the Town of Plymouth, by its Board of Health, to Operate and Maintain a Piggery in Connection with the Disposal of Garbage and to Sell the Product therefrom and Make the Necessary Appropriation Therefor," and the motion was carried.
Article Twenty-one:
Mr. Andrew J. Carr moved: That the Town appro- priate ten thousand (10,000) dollars for the main- tenance and operation, by its Board of Health, of a piggery in connection with the disposal of garbage and for the collection of garbage, and the motion was carried, seven hundred ninety-one voting in the affirm- ative and five hundred fourteen in the negative.
Article Twenty-two:
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town lease for a period not exceeding five years, with privilege of renewing the same, from the County Commissioners of Plymouth, the buildings now used by the County of Plymouth as a piggery, with such adjacent land as may be mutually agreed upon by and between the Board of Health and said County Com- missioners, and that the Board of Health be and hereby are authorized to execute such lease.
Article Twenty-three:
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town accept and allow as a town way a portion of Prince Street, two hundred and forty (240) feet in length, running easterly from the end of the street as accepted by the Town on March 26, 1927. Said por- tion of Prince Street has been laid out by the Board of Selectmen and reported to the Town.
Article Twenty-four:
To see if the Town will appropriate a sum not ex- ceeding one thousand (1,000) dollars for building
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curbing and hard-surfacing the shoulders of the road on Prince Street. (By Petition.)
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 24.
Article Twenty-five:
Mr. Morton Collingwood moved: That the Town take no action under Article 25, but the motion was lost.
Mr. James A. White moved: That the Town appro- priate the sum of $1,500.00 for surfacing Robbins Hill Road and Priscilla Road with suitable material, and the motion was carried.
Article Twenty-six:
To see what action the Town will take with refer- ence to appropriating a sum not exceeding two thous- and (2,000) dollars to provide for laying a water pipe from Summer Street across land of Alton A. Burgess for the purpose of supplying water to a proposed development of said Alton A. Burgess along the shores of Little Pond, including authority of the Board of Water Commissioners to execute an agree- ment to the owner of the land and his executors and administrators, guaranteeing to the Town interest at the rate of 6% per annum on the amount expended by the Town less such sums as shall be received for water rates from property owners served from said proposed water pipe, and until such users pay annu- ally a sum equivalent to or exceeding 6% annual interest on the cost of laying said water pipe.
(By Petition.)
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 26, 244 voting in the affirmative and 144 in the negative.
Article Twenty-seven:
To see what action the Town will take in regard to
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requesting the Selectmen to petition the Massa- chusetts Legislature for authority for the Town to vote at a subsequent meeting on the question of whether or not the Town will rescind its vote adopt- ing the statute providing for a two platoon system in the Fire Department. (By Petition.)
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 27.
Article Twenty-eight:
To see what action the Town will take with refer- ence to requesting the Selectmen to petition the Legislature of Massachusetts for authority for the Town, at a subsequent meeting, to vote on the ques- tion of whether or not the Town will rescind its vote with reference to placing the members of the Police Department and Fire Department under the Civil Service. (By Petition.)
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 28.
Article Twenty-nine:
To see what action the Town will take with refer- ence to fixing the salaries of Town Employees for the year 1933. (By Petition.)
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 29.
Article Thirty :
Mr. Morton Collingwood moved: That all previous votes of the Town fixing the minimum rate per hour to be paid to Town laborers be rescinded. Ninety voting in the affirmative, and four hundred five in the negative, the motion was lost.
Mr. James A. White moved: That action under
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this article be indefinitely postponed, and the motion was carried.
Article Thirty-one:
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Selectmen be authorized to expend the sum of two thousand five hundred (2500) dollars, previously appropriated by the Town as a contribution to the construction of a breakwater in Warren's Cove, so-called.
Article Thirty-two:
Mr. Morton Collingwood moved: That the Town take no action under Article 32, one hundred fifty-five voting in the affirmative, and one hundred sixty-nine voting in the negative, the motion was lost.
Mr. Collingwood then moved: That the Town ap- propriate the sum of twenty thousand (20,000) dollars, said sum to be expended under the authority of the Selectmen in the employment of men not now being assisted by the Town, in the construction of the Manomet Water System, so-called, including authority to limit the rate of pay and the amount of employ- ment furnished to individuals and authority to issue bonds and notes of the Town therefor, but the motion was lost.
Article Thirty-three:
To see what action the Town will take with refer- ence to making an appropriation for the repair of the Town Wharf, so-called.
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 33.
Article Thirty-four :
To see if the Town will appoint a commission of
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three members to consider the matter of constructing an over-pass or under-pass over the railroad lying west of Water Street for the purpose of providing an alternative route for through traffic going north or south of Plymouth, including authority to consider needed changes in the layout of Water Street and including the cost thereof. Said commission to report to the Town at a subsequent meeting. (By Petition.)
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That a commission of three members be appointed by the Moderator to consider the matters referred to in Article 34.
Article Thirty-five:
On motion of Morton Collingwood, Voted: That the Town authorize the transfer of the sum of five thous- and (5000) dollars from the reserve from Overlaying's of Taxes to the Reserve Account in the hands of the Advisory and Finance Committee.
On motion of George B. Howland, Voted: That the sum of $515,910.47 be raised and assessed upon the polls and estate of the Inhabitants of the Town of Plymouth, and upon the estates of the non-residents, to defray the expenses of the Town for the ensuing
On motion of George B. Howland, Voted: To adjourn.
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SPECIAL TOWN MEETING, AUGUST 14, 1933
FRANK C. SMITH, Moderator
Article Two :
On motion of J. Frankland Miller, Voted: That the Town appropriate from money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated the sum of fifteen hun- dred (1,500) dollars for the Forest Warden's Depart- ment.
Article Three :
On motion of J. Frankland Miller, Voted: That the Town appropriate from money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of six hundred (600) dollars for construction of curbing and sidewalk on the southerly side of Russell Avenue.
Article Four :
On motion of J. Frankland Miller, Voted : That the Town appropriate from money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of twenty-eight hun- dred (2,800) dollars for payment of bills of the Public Welfare Department for years 1931 and 1932.
Article Five :
Mr. E. Harold Donovan moved: That the Town
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erect a new building on Lincoln Street to provide further accommodations for the Junior and Senior High Schools substantially in accordance with the plans of the Frank Irving Cooper Corporation and submitted by the School Committee, and the Select- men be authorized to make application to the Emer- gency Finance Board under Chapter 366 of the Acts of 1933, and to the proper Federal authorities, for financial assistance under Title II of the National Industrial Recovery Act, for the construction of said building and to appropriate therefor the sum of three hundred thousand (300,000) dollars. To meet the appropriation the town treasurer, with the ap- proval of the board of selectmen, be authorized to borrow from the Federal Government a sum not to exceed two hundred twenty-five thousand (225,000) dollars and issue therefor bonds or notes of the Town to be payable in accordance with Section 19 of Chap- ter 44 of the General Laws as amended by Chapter 366 of the Acts of 1933, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than twenty (20) years after the date of the issuance of the first bond or note, or at such earlier date as the Emergency Finance Board or the Federal Authorities may fix, the erection of said building to be under the direction of said school committee and said school committee is authorized to contract for the erection of said building in the name of the town, provided, however, that thirty (30) per centum of the cost of the labor and mater- ials used in the construction of said building be ob- tained from the Federal Government in the form of a gift under the National Industrial Recovery Act, and provided further that the bonded indebtedness of the town shall not be increased by more than two hundred twenty-five thousand (225,000) dollars by reason of said appropriation.
Mr. Charles H. Raymond moved: That action under this article be indefinitely postponed. Four hundred seventeen voting in the affirmative and four
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hundred ninety-seven voting in the negative, the motion was lost.
The motion of Mr. Donovan was then put before the meeting. Three hundred sixty-two voting in the affirmative and five hundred forty-five voting in the negative, the motion was lost.
On motion of George B. Howland, Voted: To ad- journ.
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REPORT OF ADVISORY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
ON THE ARTICLES IN THE TOWN WARRANT, MARCH, 1933
The Advisory and Finance Committee herewith submits its report and recommendations to the Town on the articles in the Warrant for the annual meeting to be held March 25, 1933.
It is apparent that a rigid scrutiny of all Town ex- penditures is imperative this year. The Town's income is decreasing to a startling degree and the tax burden upon real estate, particularly the home owner, is becoming more and more oppressive. The Welfare Department involves larger and larger ex- penditures. Last year the Department exceeded its appropriation by $32,000.00. The Soldiers' Relief appropriation was exceeded by $9,000.00. The Town's share of the gasoline tax from the Common- wealth of approximately $21,000.00 which was re- ceived last year does not appear to be available this year. The receipts of the Town from income taxes and corporation taxes and other items for the cur- rent year is estimated at approximately $40,000.00 less than 1932 and 1932 was very substantially less than 1931. On the other hand our unemployed citi- zens must be cared for and the necessary govern- mental functions of the community must be carried on at the minimum expense consistent with the proper functioning of the various departments of the Town.
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The Advisory and Finance Committee are of the opinion and so recommend to the Town that the sal- aries of the elective officers of the Town and the Town accountant be left at the figure approved by the Town in 1932, namely a reduction of ten per cent over the salary of 1931. These officers for the most part carry great responsibility and none of the sal- aries, even when the Town's income was at its peak were then excessive. We believe that with the ten per cent reduction of last year that they should not be further reduced. Consequently the recommenda- tions which follow under Article 5 do not contemplate a reduction in the salaries of those officials beyond the ten per cent reduction of 1932.
As to the larger Departments, notably the School, Fire and Police Departments and the various other departments employing persons or officers appointed, either by the Selectmen or the heads of departments, where the salary of the individual exceeds $900.00 per annum the Committee is of the opinion and so recommends to the Town that the budget require- ments for those departments be so reduced that such persons receiving over $900.00 per year shall receive pay or compensation from April 1st on the basis of a reduction of ten per cent per annum. This further reduction to be in addition to the ten per cent reduc- tion of 1932. The following report and recommenda- tions are prepared and submitted to the Town on that basis. With these reductions and the elimina- tion of any unnecessary expense the Committee be- lieves the various departments can continue to per- form their functions for the ensuing year with the appropriations hereafter recommended.
There follows a list of the recommendations of the departments and the recommendations of the Com- mittee.
Articles 5. To make the necessary appropriations to defray the expenses of the Town, and for other
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purposes, and to raise such sums of money as the Town shall deem expedient.
Recommended
By Departments
By Committee
Selectmen's Department,
$3,400.00
$3,200.00
Accounting Department,
2,400.00
2,400.00
Treasury Department,
1,900.00
1,900.00
Tax Collector's Department,
3,800.00
3,800.00
Assessors' Department,
6,500.00
6,300.00
Law Department,
1,000
900.00
Town Clerk's Department,
1,700.00
1,550.00
Engineering Department,
850.00
715.00
Election and Registration,
800.00
800.00
Maintenance of Town House,
2,050.00
2,000.00
Maintenance of Town Hall,
6,000.00
5,800.00
Police Department,
29,776.50
26,500.00
Fire Department,
40,275.00
38,000.00
Inspection of Buildings,
300.00
300.00
Sealer of Weights and Measures, 2,175.00
1,925.00
Moth Suppression,
5,000.00
4,600.00
Tree Warden's Department,
3,000.00
2,700.00
Forest Warden's Department,
3,500.00
2,000.00
Inland Fisheries,
500.00
Plymouth County Hospital Maintenance,
9,591.99
9,591.99
Health Department,
18,600.00
17,700.00
Inspector of Animals,
360.00
335.00
Public Sanitaries,
3,000.00
2,650.00
Sewers,
3,500.00
3,250.00
Street Cleaning,
4,000.00
4,000.00
Roads and Bridges,
35,500.00
35,300.00
Hard Surfacing Streets,
4,000.00
3,900.00
Highway Construction and Reconstruction,
12,350.00
9,400.00
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Gurnet Bridge Tax,
1,677.88
1,677.88
Sidewalks,
4,000.00
4,000.00
Sidewalks, Granolithic,
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