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Wilmington Memorial Library Wilmington, Mass.
GREER
ANNUAL REPORT of the
TOWN OF WILMINGTON
For the Financial Year Ending December 31 1952
TOWN OF WILMINGTON ORGANIZATION CHART Selectmen-Manager Government
VOTERS
Housing Authority
Town Moderator
Selectmen
School Committee
Boards and Commissions
Officers
Board of Appeals
Finance Committee
Board of Registrars
Town Manager
Election Officers and Constables
Town Counsel
Town Accountant
Trustees of Trust Funds
Cemetery Commissioners
Water Commissioners
Board of Health
Board of Welfare
Police Department
Fire Department
Highway Department
Tree Warden
Veterans Agent
School Maintenance
Nursa
Agent
Specials
Dog off.
Supt.
Sup't.
Agent
Forest Fire Wardens
snow Removal
Town Dump
Insect Control
Inspector
Inspectora Slaughteron
S. D. Carter Lecture Comm.
Library Committee
Board of Assessors
Planning Board
Collector
Clerk
Treasurer
Building Inspector
Sealer of Weights and Measures
Police Women
MESSAGE FROM THE TOWN MANAGER
Although the Town of Wilmington's report for 1951 was awarded second prize in its population class, several Wilmington officials and interested citizens desired the retention of the bookkeeping details for easy reference. Word descriptions of the various departments, activities, and functions of the town have been reduced while finan- cial data has been expanded. It is hoped that reader interest will be retained by the use of appropriate pictures and concise captions. As an economy measure this year, the town report was composed at the town hall using an IBM electric composition typewriter rather than including this operation in the printing process. Net savings to the taxpayers under this new system will be just under $500. 00 each year.
Due to the growth of Wilmington and the complexity of handling its municipal functions correctly, a full-time accountant, sanitarian, building inspector, two firefighters, and three police patrolmen are budgeted for 1953 based upon the experience of the past year. Capi- tal expenditures are being planned over the years with a new elemen- tary school and police-fire station approved in 1952 with construction in 1953. Planning for the necessary addition at the high school will begin in 1953 and be presented to the voters in 1954, with construc- tion in 1955. Equipment replacements are scheduled each year. With the heavy expenditures of a power grader, fire equipment, and front-end loader nearly behind us, the overburdened Wilmington tax- payer can look forward to regular small capital outlays for equipment paid from the Excess and Deficiency Account, or the Road Machinery Fund, rather than from direct taxation.
The industrial growth of Wilmington and the advancements in methods of operation within the framework of the town government itself, already point out the improved financial standing of the town at the end of the fiscal year 1952, with uncollected taxes reduced by over $25, 000. 00, and our surplus revenue increased by over $75,000. 00. If the 1953 budget recommended by the town manager and approved by the board of selectmen is substantially followed at the coming town meeting, Wilmington's taxpayers can look forward to a substantial reduction in their tax-rate, possibly as much as a $6. 00 DECREASE.
It must be realized that the recommendations of the town manager are made only after due consideration for the work projects which must be undertaken in 1953. Any further reduction can only result in fewer progressive accomplishments during the year.
Dean C. Cushing Town Manager
1
YOUR TOWN
If you want to live in the kind of. a town, Like the kind of a town you like, You needn't slip your clothes in a grip, And go on a long, long hike.
You'll only find what you left behind, For there's nothing that's really new
It's a knock at yourself when you know your town, It isn't the town, it's you.
Real towns are not made by men afraid Lest somebody else gets ahead; When everyone works and nobody shirks You can raise a town from the dead.
And if you make your personal stake, Your neighbor can make one too, Your town will be what you want it to be; It isn't your town. . . . it's YOU.
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
132
Page
Message from Town Manager
1
Your Town 2
Directory of Officials 4
Unsung Heroes 7
In Memoriam .
8
1952 Accomplishments
10
Recommendations for the future Plans
for 1953 11
Town Collector. 12
Town Clerk 13
Board of Registrars
15
Town Treasurer
Board of Assessors
15 16 20
Town Counsel.
Public Library .
22
Police Department
24
Fire Department.
Highways
Water Commissioners
Tree Warden
Sealer of weights and measures
Board of Health
Public Health Nurse
Inspector of Animals
Inspector of Slaughtering
Middlesex County Extension Service.
Building Inspector.
Veterans Agent. .
Board of Public Welfare.
Cemetery Commissioners
Planning Board. .
Housing Authority .
Jury List
S. D. J. Carter Committee .
School Committee 57
Town Meeting Record 97
Warrant for Annual Town Meeting 123
Town Accountant. 130
26 28 33 37
39 40 43 45
45 46 48 49 50 50 51 52 54 56
DIRECTORY OF OFFICIALS Officers and Department Heads
Telephone
Accountant
Robert H. Peters 2526
Animal Inspector
Ralph B. Odiorne 524
Building Inspector
Ernest B. Rice, Sr. 2947
Ernest W. Eames 639
Clerk
Mary E. Gilligan 3014
Miriam H. Ware 3014
Constable
Harry J. Ainsworth 468
Counsel
Philip B. Buzzell 2026
Dog Officer
Leo E. LeBlanc 3374
David Brabant 2863
Extension Service Director
John R. Evans 474
Fire Chief
Fire 421
Forest Fire Warden
Health Agent
Dr. Gerald A. Fagan 444
James H. White 481
Librarian
Esther Hall
Dean C. Cushing 3311
David I. Elfman 520
Esther Nichols, R. N. 744
Ann E. Butters, R. N. 2211
Paul J. Lynch 3331
Clifford J. Good
2052
Sealer Weights and Measures
Samuel Pike
Herbert Thrush 2264
Grace Tilley 3081
John William Babine 3321
Frederick Horton 2994
Water Superintendent
Edmund H. Sargent 711
Welfare Agent
Walter G. Buckle
2211
4
Other 3346
Highway Superintendent
Manager
Moderator, Town
Nurse, School
Nurse, Town
Police Chief
School Superintendent
Slaughtering Inspector
Treasurer
Tree Warden
Veterans' Agent
Cemetery Superintendent
Collector
Dump Custodian
Arthur J. Boudreau
2839
AND COMMISSIONS
BOARDS
Appeal, Board of
Winston S. Chamberlin, Secy. Carl Heldman Joseph A. Maynard Samuel Tucker (resigned) Howard Woolaver, Chairman
Assessors, Board of 3081
Louis T. Doucette Olive M. Sheldon Frank F. Walters, Prin. Assessor
Carter Lecture Fund Com. 677
Alice M. Allen
Anna R. Barry Helen Hayward Mildred E. Neilson
Guy E. Nichols, Chairman
Cemetery Commissioners 744
William S. Cavanaugh Joseph B. McMahon Guy E. Nichols, Chairman
Finance Committee 496
Charles Allgrove Minot J. Anderson
Herbert C. Barrows, Chmn.
William P. Curtin, Secy.
Alden S. Eames (resigned)
Frank J. Hadley
John G. Hayward
Alvin W. Richardson
Hobart W. Spring
Frank P. Stevens
Health, Board of 2545
Charles A. Baldwin (resigned) Gaius E. Harmon, M.D. , Chmn. (resigned)
Albert Marfleet Ralph B. Odiorne (resigned)
John E. O'Neil, Chmn.
Housing Authority 3323
William A. Anderson E. Hayward Bliss (resigned) Ralph R. Currier, Secy. Joseph M. Grimes, Chmn. (resigned)
Joseph F. McManus Gardiner Ritchie
5
Library Trustees
3817
Frankline E. Allen, Secy. Philip B. Buzzell, Chmn. Mervin J. Curl May Hadley
Planning Board
3839
Claude Helwig Edward C. Manning, Chmn. (resigned)
Norman W. Perry, Chmn. John A. Ritchie Elmer H. Woller, Secy.
Registrars, Board of
3014
William I Coffin F. Talbot Emery Mary E. Gilligan, ex officio Joseph P. Ring
School Committee
2052
Ernest M. Crispo
Eleanor F. Grimes, Chmn.
Ruth Gratcyk John F. Hartnett
Arthur V. Lynch
Warren Willis, Secy.
Selectmen, Board of
3081
Charles H. Black
Henry James Lawler Kenneth M. Lyons, Chairman
Frederic P. Melzar
Joseph H. Woods
Trustees of Trust Funds
2026
Philip B. Buzzell, Chmn. Caleb S. Harriman Edward M. Neilson
Water Commissioners
711
Alden N. Eames Caleb S. Harriman, Chmn. Harold E. Melzar William M. Shaughnessey (resigned)
Welfare, Board of 2211
Florence Balkus Maurice D. O'Neil (resigned) Andrew P. Ring
6
THE UNSUNG HEROES
With nearly a dozen town meetings scheduled for the next two weeks in Greater-Lowell, including several of the largest in the en- tire area, there could be no more appropriate time than today to pay tribute to the unheralded, unhonored and often maligned heroes of the town governments - - the members of the finance committees.
Of all the thankless tasks that fall upon the shoulders of civic- minded citizens, there is none more thankless than that of member- ship on this committee. On them is the responsibility of taking the budget estimates of all departments and striving to pare them down to a level where the tax-rate can be held below the confiscation level -- and if anyone questions the difficulty which that imposes upon these men this year, they need only take a look at some of the estimates and compare them with the total valuation of the town in- volved.
These men receive no pay, yet they meet night after night during January and February hearing the pleas of department heads for more money, more jobs, higher pays, and then spend the remain- der of their spare time trying to sort out the wheat from the chaff. They know that department heads, in many instances at least, pad their figures with the knowledge that cuts will be made, and they realize at the same time that other department heads, not as "smart" as the previous group, submit honest figures -- so they must try and decide who padded and who didn't; and cut accordingly.
They have to try and keep their minds clear of prejudice, even though they know that at town meeting some of these depart- ment heads and their friends are going to get up and verbally "whale the living daylights" out of them for cutting "such an essen- tial department, " even though nothing essential is involved.
Their only recompense is the knowledge that they have done their jobs trying to steer their town through a trying financial morass, and the knowledge that while they may be assailed, blasted and cursed by a few voluble town meeting pressure groups, the ordinary guy who has no axe to grind and who goes to meeting to do his best by voting right realizes that the finance committee members are doing their best to guide him and to make his town a better place in which to live.
(Reprinted by permission from Lowell Sun, March 4, 1951. )
7
IN MEMORIAM
Caleb S. Harriman December 26, 1952
Mr. Harriman was born in the State of Kansas, Nov. 15, 1873, and moved to Massachusetts when very young. He graduated from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in 1895 and shortly afterwards entered the leather business in Wilmington.
Mr. Harriman was the first Chief of the Wilmington Fire Department, a former School Committeeman, Chairman of the Board of Water Commissioners, as well as, Trustee of Trust Funds for many years.
It would be impossible to describe all the many services and benefactions of Mr. Harriman to the community in which he lived. Only his friends and business associates are acquainted with all he has done to promote the growth of Wilmington. Mr. Harriman, with his retiring modesty, would not want us to praise him for them.
The advantages which we enjoy today, as citizens of our com- munity, did not come easily. They came, to a great degree, through the self-sacrificing and financially-unrewarded labor which he put into them.
Mr. Harriman was a faithful and considerate public official - his loyalty to the Town of Wilmington brings the consciousness of overwhelming loss - we shall miss him.
9
1952 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
.... strengthened our financial structure through more militant collection of taxes and water bills, cleared major amount of our old large tax-title accounts, reduced unit costs in all departments by the adoption of newer methods of operation.
... induced four more first-class diversified industries to locate and build in our town, including National Polychemicals on Eames Street, and Mytron, Inc. on Middlesex Avenue in North Wilmington -- already in production.
. voted a new combined police-fire station, elementary school, combination high pressure fog and volume pumper fire truck, two Walters snow fighters, a front-end loader, two-way radio for all major departments, and obtained the use of a new Austin- Western power grader without capital outlay to the town.
. co-ordinated all public works departments into one team to eliminate duplication of work.
. established new by-laws and building code based on modern standards.
.... began an intensive program of preventative maintenance and repairs in our public buildings, especially schools.
.1
I
-
144
10
PLANS FOR 1953
. continue our industrial expansion program which has been so beneficial to the town.
... . completion of stronger sub-division requirements to eliminate the burden of water main extensions, road surfacing, and drainage construction on the general property tax.
.... completion of the rezoning of the entire town to fit present day economic conditions.
.... completion of health regulations and expand control of drain- age with the establishment of the position of town sanitarian.
.... expand our recreational program both at Silver Lake, and other sections of the town without any recreational facilities now.
.... obtain a new and larger water supply, and determine sound methods for financing its expansion.
.... employ a full time town accountant, and expand our public safety departments to meet the growing needs of a larger community.
.... complete a tax equalization survey based on the unit system of assessment.
.... begin a major five-year program of street construction; road widening and straightening; culvert relocation, enlargement, and lowering; and land reclamation through ditching and drain- age.
ARCH TECTS
DOSTON,
NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Wildwood Street
TOWN COLLECTOR
Planned at the same time as the consolidation of all town offices 1952 saw the solidification of Wilmington's financial situa - tion with the greatest percentage of tax collections in recent years. In addition, tax takings are now current and will remain so with the taking for 1952 scheduled for May 1, 1953.
Due to the inability of the state departments concerned to transmit to the local assessors excise tax information on time, our excise tax situation cannot be improved greatly without a change in the State tax law.
All in all, a review of the town's collections in the past two years shows such a marked improvement that our free cash situation for the 1953 Annual Town Meeting can be attributed in no small way to the decision of town officials that, taxes and bills due the Town of Wilmington will now be paid and not allowed to run indefinitely as in recent years.
IOAVELIRK
TREASURER
YOUR CENTRAL TOWN OFFICES
12
TOWN CLERK
Chapter 46: Vital Statistics:
Since 1939 nothing had been done about listing of Births, Deaths, and Marriages in the card index file and the special books which list the births, deaths, and marriages alphabetically by years.
At the present time the births have been listed on the card index alphabetically from 1940 to 1951 inclusive. They have also been listed in a special book alphabetically by years up to and in- cluding 1951.
Deaths have been listed on the card index file from 1940 to 1951 inclusive and listed in a special book with enough information for reference, so that the cards may be filed. These records are expected to be completed in 1953.
Marriages have been listed on a card index file from the regular record book, but still have to be listed in a book alphabeti- cally by years before these figures can be put in the card index file. These also will be completed in 1953.
When all these records are in files, it will be comparative - ly easy to locate any record of vital statistics, for the first time in twelve years.
Chapter 114, Section 45.
The Town Clerk has been appointed Special Agent of the Board of Health and now issues burial permits.
Street Records:
Blue prints have been collected from various places in the Town Hall and from the Highway Department, and they have been filed with the Town Clerk so that it is now possible to locate a plan with reasonable ease. Due to lack of files, a good many plans are still at the Water Department; but the files have been ordered, and it is expected that all blue prints will be filed at the Town Hall by 1953.
Streets Accepted:
Streets accepted have been listed on a card index, with the date of acceptance and the distance accepted, for easy, quick, and accurate reference.
13
Chapter 148, Section 13.
Licenses and Permits
Renewal permits for the storage of gasoline in underground tanks are now issued from the office of the Town Clerk.
A list of all licenses authorized by the Board of Selectmen will be on file in this office shortly, under the name of the licensee and the type of license, to co-ordinate and control necessary en- forcement under these licenses.
Town Reports for the years 1910 to 1950 have been bound in volumes of five years each for ready reference. Quite a few of the earlier years are missing so that the files cannot be completed. Reports for the years 1897 to 1903 inclusive, and for 1906 and 1909 are on file. If there are any persons who have reports for the years before 1897 and the other years which are missing, the Town would be very glad to have them so that those old reports may be bound and put on file in the Town Clerk's office. A report for the year 1925 is also needed.
One volume of the Persons Listed by the Board of Registrars of Voters has been bound. This is for the years 1929 to 1938 in- clusive. The Town has the books for the years 1914, 1915, 1919 to 1923 inclusive, and 1944 to 1952 inclusive and would be very glad to receive any of the listings of the missing years.
In addition to the Annual Town Meeting this year, Wilmington has had four Special Town Meetings. After the regular Annual Town Election, the following meetings were held: Presidential Primary, Primary Election, and the State Election. At the Presidential Elec - tion a new system of counting the ballots was tried without using the counting board. It seemed to be very successful in speeding up the counting and checking errors.
Births recorded in 1952
153
Deaths recorded in 1952
85
Marriages recorded in 1952
81
Chattel Mortgages recorded
298
Chattel Mortgages discharged
59
Dogs licensed
703
Kennels licensed
18
Licenses - Fish & Game
370
14
1
Chapter 46, Section 15.
The Town Clerk will furnish to parents, householders, mid- wives, and physicians applying therefor, blanks for return of births as required by law.
Two of the compiled records of Births, Deaths, and Marriages from 1730 to 1898 have been sold, leaving a balance on hand Jan. 1, 1953 of 75. By a vote of the Selectmen these records are on sale at $1. 00 each. Bookstores are allowed to purchase these copies at 60ยข each from the Town Clerk.
BOARD OF REGISTRARS FOR THE YEAR 1952
In addition to the regular meetings of the Board of Registrars, there have been four all-day sessions before the elections as is re- quired by law.
In 1952 there were seven hundred and sixty-six (766) new voters registered, three hundred and seventy-three (373) men and three hundred and ninety-three (393) women. A total of eighteen have been taken off, as they have moved permanently out of town, making a total of registered voters, as of January 1, 1953, three thousand five hundred and seventy-eight (3578). This number will be reduced, of course, after the listing is completed, and checked with the voting lists for others who have moved out of town since January 1, 1952.
On January 1, 1952 there were listed by the Board of Registrars four thousand three hundred and eighty-one (4381) persons, twenty years and over - - two thousand two hundred and fifteen (2215) men, and two thousand one hundred and sixty-six (2166) women.
TREASURER'S REPORT
Cash in Treasury, January 1, 1952
Receipts Sundries Receipts Collector
$ 297, 054. 24 705,048. 76 562,207. 29
1,564,310.29
Less Treasury Warrants
1,360,288.62
Cash In Treasury, January 1, 1953 $ 204,021.67
15
BOARD OF ASSESSORS
Valuation of Taxable Property as of January 1, 1952
Real Estate Personal Property
$8,579,560. 00 622,138.00
RECAPITULATION
Real Estate Tax
480, 455. 36
Personal Property Tax
34,839. 72
Poll Tax
4,572.00
Excise Tax (Estimated)
32,000.00
Total Appropriation
790,565. 81
Middlesex County Pension Fund
5,178. 88
State Audit
4,196. 68
State Parks and Reservations
869. 46
County Tax
13,119.68
Tuberculosis Hospital
5,910. 44
Amount of Overlay
20,088.52
Gross amount to be raised
871,634. 67
Total Estimated Receipts and Available Funds
351, 767. 59
Total Amount Levied on Polls and Property and commited to the Collector in 1952 519,867. 08
Tax Rate per $1,000 for 1952 - $56.00
TABLE OF AGGREGATES FOR WILMINGTON OF POLLS, PROPERTY, AND TAXES, AS ASSESSED January 1, 1952
Compiled from the figures entered in the Valuation List not including figures relating to Exempted Property or to the Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise.
Number of Persons Assessed
Individuals All Others
Total
On Personal Estate Only
21
14
35
On Real Estate Only
3277
37
3314
On Both Personal and Real Estate
122
4
126
Total number of Persons assessed
3475
Total number of Polls assessed
2286
Value of Assessed Personal Estate
Stock in Trade
86,875.00
Machinery
81,820.00
Live Stock
69,748.00
All Other Tangible Personal Property
383,695.00
Total Value of Assessed Personal Estate
$622,138.00
Value of Assessed Real Estate
Land exclusive of Buildings
1,605,350.00
Buildings exclusive of Land
6,961,160.00
Northeastern Gas Transmission
13,050.00
Total Value of Assessed Real Estate Total Valuation of Assessed Estate
8,579,560.00 $9,201,698. 00
16
Taxes for State, County, and City or Town Purposes, including Overlay: On Personal Estate On Real Estate On Polls
34,839. 72 480, 455. 36 4,572.00
Total Taxes Assessed
$519,867. 08
Number of Live Stock Assessed
Horses (1 year old, or over)
37
Neat Cattle (1 year old, or over)
0
Cows (Milch)
81
Bulls 4, Oxen 0, Yearlings: Steers 1, Heifers 32
37
Swine (6 months old, or over)
1,024
Sheep (6 months old, or over)
7
Fowl
13,687
All Other
1,289
Number of Acres of Land Assessed
10,014
Number of Dwellings Assessed
2,368
TOWN OWNED PROPERTY - REAL ESTATE
Water Department - 150 acres of land and buildings
416,000.00
Schools - Approx. 29 acres of land and buildings
629,800.00
Town Park - 93 acres of land
4,500. 00
Silver Lake Beach
500.00
Town Hall - 1/4 acre of land and building
8,000.00
Cemetery - Land and Building
23,000.00
Library - 1/16 acre of land and building
2,000.00
Firehouse - 1/8 acre of land and building
2,750.00
Moth House - 6, 694 sq. ft. of land and building
700. 00
Highway Building - 15, 000 sq. ft. of land and building
5,000.00
Common & Flag Staff - 2 acres of land
2,500.00
TOWN OWNED PROPERTY
Land and Buildings
Furniture and other Property
Total
Town Hall
8,000
2,500
10,500.00
Police Department
2,675
2,675. 00
Fire Department
2,750
27,000
29,750.00
Sealer of Weights and Measures
1,300
1,300.00
Tree Warden's Department
700
1,800
2,500.00
Highway Department
5,000
18,000
23,000.00
Welfare Department
1,100
1,100.00
Schools
629,800
90,000
719, 800. 00
Library
2,000
2,000
4,000.00
Parks, Playgrounds, Gymnasium and Bath -house
7,650
850
8,500.00
Water Supply System
416,000
12,000
428,000.00
Cemetery
23,000
2,000
25,000.00
Airport
2,300
2,300.00
$1,097,200
$161,225
$1,258,425.00
17
WILMINGTON'S VALUATION GOES
New industry took ad- vantage of our potentia ities.
.J. W. Greer Co.
Raffi and Swanson
National Polychemical
r
r
New England Gas Products
18
ND UP AND UP
ndustry alone did not ncrease our valuation.
wilmington's merchants did their part.
Before and After
WEINCEROS
WEINDEM
lomes too reflected the new spirit
New Construction
Remodeling
19
TOWN COUNSEL
In accordance with the requirements of the Town by-laws, my report as Town Counsel covering the year 1952 follows:
A. On January 1, 1952, there were pending the following actions by or against the Town (exclusive of actions in which the Town was merely summoned as trustee, and in which it had no interest, and of tax lien foreclosure proceedings in the Land Court):
City of Lowell v. Town of Wilmington, District Court of Lowell. (Action of contract by City of Lowell to recover the sum of $275. 96 for special vocational training of certain pupils. )
City of Lowell v. Town of Wilmington, District Court of Lowell. (Action of contract by City of Lowell to recover $657. 77 plus interest for aid furnished in a public welfare case. )
City of Lowell v. Town of Wilmington, District Court of 1 Lowell. (Action of contract by City of Lowell to recover $721. 90 for aid furnished in a public welfare case. )
Town of Wilmington v. A Certain Defendant, Fourth District Court of Eastern Middlesex. (Action of contract under G. L. Chap. 117, Sec. 5. )
Jacob Levine & Sons v. Town of Wilmington, Fourth District Court of Eastern Middlesex. (Action of contract to recover burial expense. )
Town of Wilmington v. Edward N. Gadsby et als, Com- missioners of Department of Public Utilities and Boston and Maine Railroad Company, Supreme Judicial Court, Suffolk County. (Petition to review certain rulings and orders of the Department of Public Utilities in connection with protection at the Middlesex Avenue Grade Crossing of the Boston and Maine Railroad. )
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