USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > North Adams > North Adams city directory 1899 > Part 5
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Section 41. The trustees of the public library shall consist of three members at large, who shall be elected by the inhabitants of the city as follows: At the first municipal election held under this act one trustee shall be elected to serve for the term of three years, one for the term of two years and one for the term of one year, beginning with the first Monday in January then next ensu- ing, and thereafter one trustee at large shall be elected in like manner at each annual municipal election, to serve for the term of three years, beginning with the first Monday in January next ensuing, in place of the trustee at large whose term then expires. The trustees of the public library shall have the care and manage- ment of the public library.
Section 42. The auditor shall also be the city almoner, and shall keep a record of the settlements of all paupers or persons who are or may become a city charge, and shall, under the direc- tion of and by the authority of the overseers of the poor, relieve the wants of such paupers outside of the almshouse as may be necessary and proper. He shall, as aforesaid, see that the paupers who are chargeable to other cities and towns are maintained by such cities and towns at their own expense, and that the city shall Le re'mbursed for outlays made for the paupers chargeable to the Commonwealth or other cities or towns. He shall, under the di- rection of the overseers of the poor, report all cases needing legal attention of the city solicitor, and shall furnish him with all the inforration possible in controversies arising over pauper settle- ment or otherwise. He shall perform such other duties as the overseers of the poor may from time to time direct.
Section 43. All city officers not hereinbefore mentioned shall perform such duties as are or may be from time to time perscribed by law, and such other duties, not inconsistent herewith or with general laws, as the council may from time to time prescribe.
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Section 44. The administrative officers and boards above named in this title, and all administrative officers and boards hereafter es- tablished by the city council and not coming within the depart- ment of any officer or board so above named, shall have the power except as herein otherwise provided, to appoint or employ, and to remove or discharge, all officers, clerks and employees in their res- pective departments. Such appointment shall not be for any spe- cified term, but shall hold good until removal or discharge. Orders of removal shall state the reason thereof and shall be entered upon the records of the officer or board making the same, and removals shall take effect upon the filing of a copy of such order with the city clerk in a book provided for the purpose and open to public inspection. The above named administrative officers and boards shall, in their respective departments make all necessary con- tracts for work and for the furnishing of materials and supplies for the city and for the construction, alteration, repair and care of public works, institutions, buildings and other property; except such property as shall be under the control of the school committee, and shall have, subject to the mayor, the direction and control of all the executive and administrative business of the city. They shall at all times be accountable to the mayor, as the chief execu- tive officer, for the discharge of their duties.
Section 45. Every board, and every officer above named, not a member of a board, shall keep a record of all official transactions and such record shall be open to public inspection.
TITLE 8. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
Section 46. The following salaries shall be paid, viz: Mayor one thousand dollars each year. City clerk, thirteen hundred dol- lars each year Tax collector and treasurer, two thousand dol- lars each year. City solicitor, nine hundred dollars each year. Members of the school committee, seventy-five dollars each, each year Members of the board of assessors, four hundred dollars each. each year. Clerk of board of assessors, one hundred and fifty dollars each year. City physician, two hundred and fifty dol- lars each year. Members of the board of health, one hundred dol- lars each. each year. Chief of the fire department, three hundred dollars each year. Assistant chiefs of the fire department one hundred dollars each, each year. Superintendent of the water works, twelve hundred dollars each year. City engineer and in- spector cf plumbing, eighteen hundred dollars each year. Chief of police and keeper of lockup, three dollars and a half each day. Captain of police, three dollars each day. Keeper of the alms- house, seven hundred and fifty dollars each year. Members of
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board of public works, five hundred dollars each, each year. Clerk of. the board of public works, nine hundred dollars each year. Su- perintendent of outdoor work, twelve hundred dollars each year. Auditor, one thousand dollars each year. Members of the police force, two dollars and & half each day. Firemen, hose and hook- and-ladder men, sixty-five dollars each, each year. The compen- sation of all persons not employed by boards or heads of depart- ments and not herein provided for shall be established by the city council, but no new salaried office shall be established except those required by law, nor any increase of salaries made, unless approved by a vote of the citizens at large in their respective precincts at an annual election.
See Page 71.
Section 47. No person shall be eligible to any of the offices of the city government, except superintendent of schools, chief of police, chief of the fire department, or city engineer, unless he is a citizen and has been a resident of the city for at least two years.
Section 48. Any office established under or by this act shall be- rome vacant if the incumbent ceases to be a resident of the city. The conviction of the incumbent of any such office of a crime pun- ishable by imprisonment shall operate to create a vacancy in the office held by him.
Section 49. The provisions of chapter three hundred and twelve of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and eighty-five and acts in amendment thereof and in addition thereto shall not apply to the ity of North Adams until the first day of January in the year nineteen hundred.
Section 50. The administrative officers and boards above-named shall, annually on or before the first Monday of January, furnish to the mayor an itemized and detailed estimate of the moneys re- quired for their respective departments or offices during the ensu- ing financial year. The mayor, president of the council and chair- man of the board of assessors, shall examine such estimates and shall submit the same to the city council on or before the first day Uf March, with their itemized and detailed apportionment, which shall be the appropriations which the several departments and officers may expend during the current municipal year, but said city council at any time prior to May first, of each year, may, subject to the approval of the mayor as provided by law, strike out or de- crease, but not increase any item in said report.
Section 51. Every officer of the city shall, at the request of the city council, give it such information in writing as it may require
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in relation to any matter, act or thing connected with his office or employment or the discharge of the duties thereof.
Section 52. No sum appropriated for a specific purpose shali be expended for any other purpose, and no expenditure shall be made, nor liability incurred, by or in behalf of the city, until an appro- priation has been duly voted by the city council sufficient to meet such expenditure or liability, together with all prior unpaid lia- bilities which are payable out of such appropriation, except in ac- cordance with the written recommendation of the mayor to the city council, approved by the yea and nay vote of two-thirds of the council; provided, however, that, after the expiration of the finan- cial year and until the passage of the annual appropriation, lia- bilties payable out of a regular appropration to be contained there- in may be incurred to an amount not exceeding one-third of the total of such appropriation for the preceding year. Every bill, pay roll or other voucher covering an expenditure of money shall be approved by the signatures, on the back of such bill or vouch- er, of the majority of the board or committee having control of, or incurring such expenditure, and after such approval such bills, pay rolls or vouchers shall be turned over to the auditor. The finan- cial year shall begin with the first day of December in each year.
Section 53. Nothing herein contained shall affect the enforce- ment of the provisions of chapter three hundred and twenty of the acts of ti.e year eighteen hundred and eighty-four, being "An act to improve the civil service of the Commonwealth and the cities thereof," and acts in amendment thereof and in addition thereto, or of the rules made by the commissioners appointed thereunder; and the city council shall make sufficient and proper appropriations for the carrying out and enforcement of said act and such rules in said city.
Section 54. Whenever mechanical of other work is required to be done, or supplies are required for the city, at a cost amounting to five hundred dollars or more, the board or committee having the matter in charge shall invite proposals therefor by advertisements. in not more than two newspapers published in said city, such ad- vertisements to state the time and place for opening the proposals in answer to said advertisements, and reserving the right to said board or committee to reject any or all proposals. Every proposal for doing such work or making such sale shall be accompanied by a suitable bond, or certificate of deposit, for the faithful performance of such proposal, and all such proposals shall be kept by the officer or board inviting the same, and shall be open to public inspection after said proposals have been accepted or rejected.
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Section 55. All contracts made by any department of the city shall, when the amount involved is five hundred dollars or more, be in writing, and no such contract shall be deemed to have been made or executed until the approval of the mayor is affixed thereto. All such contracts shall be accompanied by a bond with securities satisfactory to the board or committee having the matter in charge, or a deposit of money or other security for the faithful perform- ance of such contracts: and such bonds or other security shall be deposited with the city auditor until the contract has been carried out in all respects, and no such contract shall be altered except by a written agreement of the contractor, the sureties on his or their bond, and the officer or board making the contract, with the ap- proval of the mayor affixed thereto.
Section 56. No loan except such as may be incurred in anticipa- tion of taxes shall be made except upon and after the written rec+ ommendation of the mayor, made to the city council and passed by a two thirds yea and nay vote. All bonds and notes issued by the city shall be signed by the treasurer and countersigned by the mavor, and any coupons attached thereto shall bear the signa- ture of the treasurer either in the original or a fac simile.
Section 57. The board of public works shall fix and establish the prices of rents for the use of water, which shall not be made less in any instance than the prices and rents now established by the prudential committee of the North Adams Fire District, until the bonded indebtedness now or hereafter created by said district or rity for the purpose of supplying the inhabitants of said district cr city with pure water shall have been paid; and the income re- ceived therefrom, in each year, after deducting all expenses and charges of distribution of such year, shall be applied as follows: First, to the payment of the interest on the debts and loans now or hereafter incurred by the said city and by the North Adams Fire District for the purpose of supplying said city and said district and the inhabitants thereof with water, and of such part of the principal sum thereof as shall become due in such year; second, after paying such interest and principal sums the residue of such income shall be used to supply the city and inhabitants thereof with pure water in the discretion of said board and any balance of such residue not so used shall be paid into the treasury of the city for general city purposes. As long as there shall be any debts of' - the city that shall have been incurred in supplying said district or said city or the inhabitants of either with water there shall be raise ! each year by taxation a sum which, together with the said inrome, shall be sufficient to pay the interest on all such debts and such part of the principal sum as shall become due in such year.
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Section 58. Upon an acceptance of this act, as herein provided, the selectmen of said town shall forthwith divide the territory thereof into seven wards, so that the wards shall contain as nearly as may be consistent with well defined limits to each, an equal number of voters, and they shall designate the wards by numbers. They shall, for the purpose of the first municipal election to be held thereunder, which shall take place on the third Tuesday of De- cember next succeeding such acceptance, provide suitable polling places in the several wards, and give notice thereof, and shall at least ten days previous to such third Tuesday in December ap- point all proper election officers therefor, and they shall in general have the powers and perform the duties of the mayor and board of aldermen of cities, under chapter four hundred and seventeen of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and ninety-three and acts in amendment thereof and in addition thereto, the provisions of which shall so far as applicable apply to said election; and the town clerk shall perform the duties therein assigned to city clerks. The registrars shall cause to be prepared and published according to law lists/of qualified voters in each of the wards established by the selectmen.
Section 59. All laws relating to the town of North Adams when this act shall be accepted as herein provided, shall, until altered, amended or repealed, continue in force in the city of North Adams, so far as the same are ner inconsistent herewith.
Section 60. All special laws heretofore passed concerning the fire district in the town of North Adams, which shall be in force in said fire district when this act shall be accepted, as herein provided, shall, so far as the same are not inconsistent herewith, be ex- tended to and continue in force in the city of North Adams until altered, amended or repealed.
Section 61. Upon the first day of January next after the ac- ceptance of this act, as herein provided, the North Adams Fire District in said town shall cease to exist, and all the property, powers and privileges of the said district shall vest in the city of North Adams, and all the debts, duties and liabilities of the said fire district shall becorne the debts, duties and liabilities of said city.
Section 62. The passage of this act shall not affect any right acerning or accrued, or any suit, prosecution or other legal pro- cending pending at the time when this act shall go into operaton, and no penalty for forfeiture previously incurred shall be affected thereby. All persons holding office in said town or in the fire dis- triet in said town at the time this act shall take effect shall con-
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tinue to hold the same, notwithstanding the passage thereof, until the organization of the city government hereby authorized shall be effected and until the successors of such officers shall be res- poctively elected or appointed and qualified.
Section 63. The selectmen shall notify the persons elected at such first election, and shall provide and appoint a place for the first meeting of the mayor and city council on the first Monday in January next ensuing and shall by written notices left at their respective places of residence at least twenty-four hours prior to such meeting notify thereof the mayor-elect and councilmen-elect, who shall immediately proceed to organize and carry into effect the provisions of this act, which shall then have full force and effect. The selectmen shall, in like manner, appoint a place and . time for the first meeting of the school committee and notify the members thereof. Nothing herein shall affect the annual meeting in said town for the election of national, state, district and county officers, which may be held next after the acceptance thereof.
Section 64. The question of the acceptance of this act may be submitted to the legal voters of said town at any time within two years after the passage thereof at an annual meeting or any meet- ing called for that purpose, except in the months of November and December. At such meeting the polls shall be open not less than eight hours, and the vote shall be taken by ballot in accord- ance with the provisions of chapter four hundred and seventeen of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and ninety-three and acts in amendment thereof and in addition thereto, so far as the same shall be applicable, in answer to the question: "Shall an act passed by the general court in the year eighteen hundred and ninety-five, entitled 'an act to incorporate the city of North Adams,' be accepted ?" and the affirmative votes of a majority of the voters present and voting thereon shall be required for its acceptance. Tf at any meeting so held this act shall fail to be thus accepted, it may, at the expiration of three months from any such previous meeting, be again thus submitted, but not after the period of two years from the passage thereof.
Section 65. So much of this act as authorizes submission of the question of its acceptance to the legal voters of said town shall take effect upon its passage, but it shall not take further effect unless accepted by the legal voters of said town as herein provided. [Approved March 22, 1895.]
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An Act to abolish The Board of Public Works of The City of North Adams, and For Other Purposes. CHAP. 76. ACTS 1897.
Be it cnacted, etc., as follows:
Section 1. The board of public works of the city of North Adams is hereby abolished, and the powers and duties now exercised and discharged by said board, except the powers and duties exercised and discharged by the members of the board as overseers of the poor and commissioners of public burial places, shall hereafter be exercised and discharged by one commissioner of public works, who shall be appointed by the mayor without confirmation by the city council, during the current year upon the passage of this act, and thereafter on or before the first Monday in February in each year. JJe shall hold his office for the term of one year unless sooner removed from office by the mayor in the manner prescribed in section twenty-nine of chapter one hundred and forty-eight of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and ninety-five, and until his successor is appointed and qualified. He shall receive a salary of eighteen hundred dollars each year. A person not a citizen or resident of said North Adams may be appointed such commission- er or superintendent of outdoor work.
Section ^. The mayor of said city shall appoint without con- firmatior. by the city council of North Adams during the current year upon the passage of this act, and thereafter on or before the first Monday in February in each year, one overseer of the poor, who shall exercise and discharge all the duties and powers pre- scribed by law for overseers of the poor, and shall also be the city almoner of said city and exercise and discharge all the duties and powers now exercised and discharged by the auditor of said city of North Adams as city almoner. He shall also be the commis- sioner of public burial places of said city. He shall hold his office for the term of one year unless sooner removed by the mayor in the manner prescribed in section twenty-nine of chapter one hun- dred and forty-eight of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and rinety-five, and until his successor is appointed and qualified. He shall receive a salary of one thousand dollars each year. The city physician of said city shall hereafter be appointed solely by the mayor.
Section 3. The chief engineer of the fire department of said city shall also be assistant inspector of buildings, and as such assis- tant inspector be under the direction and control of the inspector of buildings. He shall devote his whole time to the city and shall receive a salary of nine hundred dollars each year.
Section 4. Anything contained in chapter one hundred and forty-eight of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and ninety- five, so far as it interferes with this act, is hereby repealed.
Section 5. This act shall take effect upon its passage. (Approved February 18, 1897.
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CITY WARD LINES.
Ward 1 .-- Includes the villages of Blackinton and Greylock east to the point where the old Williamstown road crosses the Hoosac river near the Fitchburg railroad crossing in Braytonville. The line then runs north to Clarksburg town boundary. From the rail- road crossing the line follows the Hoosac river eastward past the fair grounds to Brown street, passing southward along that street and along the east boundary of the cemetery, thence due south to th. Adams line.
Ward 2 .- The western boundary of Ward 2 begins at Clarksburg and runs south to the junction of the old Williamstown highway and the Hoosac river, with the river from that point to Brooklyn street for the southern boundary. Thence the line runs northerly along to Liberty on Liberty to Philips street and northerly along Phillips street across the hospital grounds due north to the Clarksburg line.
Wald " .-- The easterly boundary of Ward 3 starts at the Clarks- burg line and follows Franklin street to Eagle, down Eagle to the Housac river, thence westerly along the river to Brooklyn street, up Brooklyn to Liberty, to Phillips thence due north to the Clarks- burg line.
Ward 4 .-- The easterly boundary of Ward 4 is the line between Iflorida and North Adams south to a point opposite the Five Roads thence due west to the East Mountain school, then north-westerly to East Main street, down East Main through Willow Dell to the Hoosac river, thence along the river to Eagle street, up Eagle and Franklin streets to the Clarksburg line.
Ward ..- Bounded on the east by the Florida town line, on the south by Adams as far west as the south branch of the Hoosac river, thonce northerly along the river to a point opposite J. H. Flagg's property on State street. The boundary line then runs due east to Ashland street and north-westerly along Ashland street to Washington avenue, to Church, down Church to the junction of Main, thence in a general easterly direction along East Main to the East Mountain school and thence due east to Florida line.
Ward 6 .- Starting at the Holden street bridge the lines of Ward 6 run alongside the north branch of the Hoosac river to and through Willow Dell to East Main, thence to the junction of East Main and Church, and down Church to Washington avenue; thence along Washington avenue to Ashland street; thence northerly along Ashland street to Quincy, westerly through Quincy to its termination thence northerly across Summer street to and through Holden street to the bridge.
Ward 7. Starting at the Brown street bridge the boundary of Ward 7 runs along the north branch of the Hoosac river to Holden street thence through Holden across Main to the western terminus of Quincy street; thence through Quincy to Ashland southeasterly through Ashland to the point opposite J. H. Flagg's property on State surcet, thence southerly along the south branch of the Hoosac rive! to the Adams line: thence westerly to a point equi-distant from the Adams turnpike to the Notch road; thence due north through the Tinney and Witherell properties to the easterly bound- ary of the cemetery; thence along Brown street to the bridge, the point of beginning.
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NORTH ADAMS DIRECTORY.
New England Telephone and Telegraph Co. Executive Offices: 125 Milk Street, Boston.
Direct communication can be had with all the principal towns and cities in New England and states east of the Mississippi river. For the accommodation of non-subscribers and the public generally, the company has established public pay stations as follows :
PUBLIC TELEPHONE PAY STATIONS:
ADAMS, MASS. - Central Office. 'Green's Block, Park street. J. Wells Thompson, 27 Centre street Adams, Mass
NORTH ADAMS, MASS.
Central Office, Blackinton block, cor. Main and Holden streets . E. W. Blackinton & Co Blackinton, Mass
C. J. Whitney Briggsville, Mass
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