USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1930-1932 > Part 66
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Municipal Information
After the preparation in this office of the chart of "Municipal Statistics of All Cities and Towns in Massachusetts Between 12,000 and 22,000 Population," many cities and towns, as well as several State Departments,
186
have regularly asked for copies of later compilations of similar data. Among the tables and charts thus prepared have been the following: Salaries and Wages, Welfare Expenditures, Waterworks Electric Pumping Rates, Sewer Assessments, Public Works Organizations, Police Statistics, and Voluntary Contributions by Employees.
Investigations for Selectmen
It is interesting to note the many matters considered during the past few years by the Selectmen which required surveys by the Manager in addition to the foregoing subjects. Among these reports have been a Three-Year Plan of Public Improvements for Norwood, Insurance Rates and Fire Department Improvements, Welfare Workers on Public Works, Board of Survey Regulations, Golf Courses, Electric Appliance Sales, Oil Burners, Snow Removal Costs, Taxi Regulations, Cemetery Charges, Traffic Counts, Parking Surveys, Automotive Operating Costs, and Cemetery Regulations.
Manuals of Procedure
The Code of Practice for all departments operating through the Mana- ger's office is nearing completion. This manual will not only set up duties and methods in the various departments in arrangement similar to manuals used by private corporations, but will also contain samples of all forms used and a description of their use. The chronological arrangement of departmental duties cannot help but assure a better and surer compliance with all details of operation. A separate manual of rules and regulations for the Fire Department is being finally revised and will soon be issued in similar form to those previously written for the Police and Electric De- partments.
Cost Data
The detailed cost records of every job performed by the Public Works Department have been kept regularly since 1928 and are most interesting in comparison with similar records kept from 1915 to 1918. We do not know of any city or town in which such data is kept as thoroughly as it is in Norwood. The requests for this data, not only from within Massa- chusetts but from other States and from technical journals and Bureaus of Municipal Research, evidently prove this statement. The value of such records locally is very definite. Not only does this data act as an actual gauge for the preparation of a truc and detailed budget, instead of the old guess method, but it serves as a check at the end of each year on the efficiency and economy with which the work of the past year has been performed. The fact that during the past three years onc hundred fifty- two (152) jobs, totalling $333,989 of budgeted public works, were accom- plished in Norwood for $325,956, or 2.4% under the estimates, is surely the best proof that we have an exceptional set-up for public works.
.
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It should be thoroughly understood that these are not the usual "top- figure" estimates, but are based on actual previous costs and purposely kept as low as possible to reduce budget requests. Thus it can be seen that the 2.4% reduction truly means a reduction below former records.
Public Works Organization
In order to have actual proof that the Norwood Public Works Depart- ment is at the highest possible point of efficiency, a survey has just been completed of departments covering similar functions in other cities and towns of the same size in Massachusetts. The results show that no other community our size secures all the services given by our department. In one town there is no water filter plant or pumping stations to operate,- they have Metropolitan water; neither does that town have any sewer pumping plant because of the fact that the Metropolitan sewer also serves that town by gravity. In one town all sewers and connections are laid by contract and no sewer foremen or skilled men are carried. In the town showing the smallest percentage for permanent men, we find that the town does not have any sewer system whatever, and neither has that town employed a single laborer from public works funds since 1931, but all from unemployment funds. If these items were included, its percentage would be nearly 40% .* In none of the other towns is the Public Works Depart- ment required to carry men to repair schools, libraries and other public property. t (In Norwood twenty-seven (27) public buildings receive minor repairs by Public Works employees). Furthermore, it is found that most of the towns buy all their crushed stone rather than crushing base stone as Norwood does. tWhile this naturally increases the cost of their streets, it diminishes the number of permanent men carried. All these situations require that the Norwood Public Works Department carry inore men than would be the case if its operations were as simple as in these other towns: but even under these handicaps the following tables show how efficiently the Norwood department operates.
No. of Supt. and
Towns
Assistants 8 Men
Total Sal- aries Supts. and Assistants $20,228
Total Perma- nent Men 87 44
Total Sal- aries and Wages Per- manent Men $139,307 75,314
Total Bud- gets of Pub. Wks Functions $420,279 118,539
Percentage of Total Budget Go- ing to Perm- anent Force 33.2%
A
B
4 Men
10,638
57
88,558
325,242
27.2%
C D
5 Men
12,510
56
89,949 56,402
353,627
25.4%*
4 Men
8,670
37
217,352
22.7%+
63.5%
Norwood
2 Men
6,000
These figures show that salaries for supcrintendence alone in Norwood since 1915 (the date the Public Works system was inaugurated by the Manager) has shown a saving of over $100,000 under salaries if operated with the average number of superintendents and assistants as paid in the other towns in this list. In addition to this saving, there is of course, an even larger amount saved by the centralization of all departments in one
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yard instead of several yards as would be the case of separate departments as in many towns; and also a saving is realized by the shifting of equipment and men skilled in the work of all departments rather than having to em- ploy a separate crew of men continually in each department.
Centralized Purchasing
The Municipal Administration Service in New York published a booklet this year by the former President of the National Purchasing Agents' Association and the Professor of Government of New York University. In this booklet on Municipal Purchasing three pages were devoted to a description of the methods used in Norwood and five of our forms were reproduced.
As one definite benefit due to centralized purchasing, a recent check-up was made on the price paid by several other towns for gasoline. This showed an average of five cents a gallon more than the price Norwood was paying for the exact same gasoline. On the 30,000 gallons used by town departments in Norwood, this item alone shows an annual saving of $1500. This is the fifth year that this saving has been made for our taxpayers. There is absolutely no gasoline given out without a signed receipt, whereas, before the 10,000 gallon tank was installed, it was found that the dis- bursements from the individual tank at the Fire Department could not be checked within twenty per cent (20%)-another saving of many hundreds of dollars annually. A representative of a large refinery stated recently that Norwood has been the only town purchasing gasoline wholesale until recently when one of the largest towns in Massachusetts copied this systemn.
Arrangements for also purchasing fuel oil by carload are now being made. A saving will even result the first year over the cost of equipment for handling it and thereafter a saving of approximately $1000 a year can be secured. Norwood is one of the few municipalities to have secured a re- fund from the State gasoline tax continually since its enactment. This year we have received $272.00. A careful listing of all savings made for our taxpayers by centralized purchasing this past year shows $5941 by special trade discounts and $1462 by discounting invoices in ten days (a feature seldom in vogue in many communities). A total saving of $7403. Every purchase of over $500 must be advertised in advance and even items of $100 and less are often advertised. Practically no items, however small, are bought without securing competitive prices and the award is invariably made to the lowest responsible bidder. Every quotation, order and invoice is open to public inspection at all times. On all supplies in which specifications are practical, the materials are tested by the Massa- chusetts Institute of Technology or other approved laboratories before payment.
1S9
Overdue Water and Electric Accounts
On May 16, 1929, an accumulation of unpaid water and light bills inore than sixty days overdue (and in many instances from two to five years overdue) were turned over to the Town Manager for collection. The electric accounts totalled $36,552.42 and the Water accounts $6617.81, making a total of $43,170.23. On December 31, 1932, the uncollected accounts more than sixty days overduc totalled in the Electric Department $1,004.65 and in the Water Department $1,663.0S, a total of $2,667.73. During the years 1928 to 1931 the total annual sales have increased from $302,955 to $372,576 or 23%. The accumulated uncollected accounts diminished from 14% of the annual sales to 7/10 of 1% at the present time. The unfortunate financial condition of such a large percentage of our consumers at the present time as compared with conditions three years ago, emphasizes all the more the thoroughness with which collections have been enforced; and yet on the other side, every consideration has been given to persons out of work, sickness, or other unfortunate circumstances. From what check-up we have been able to make with other Water and Light Departments, and private companies in Massachusetts, we feel there can be no refuting the statement that the business of collecting Norwood's accounts is far beyond that of other public service enterprises.
Retrenchment
The major activity of the Manager's office this past year as in 1931 has been assistance to the Selectmen in the reduction of municipal expendi- tures. As one example of many can be given a week's payroll in just one department, namely the Electric Light, where, for the identical week in 1930 the payroll was $975.05, in 1931 $80S.SS and in 1932 $577.38. Thesc figures show for the same week that 1932 was 28% under 1931 and 40% under 1930. The 1933 weekly payroll is now running about 45% under 1930. The efficiency of the department has not been lowered. The reason for this reduction of personnel was that in 1930 much of the outside system had to be rebuilt and has gradually been completed. The practice of hiring temporary additional help has thus been unnecessary.
In the Public Works department, pursuant with your instructions, the work done was as far as possible, that type which required a minimum of materials; this fact, combined with the drop in material costs, allowed a larger percentage of expenditures to go directly to payrolls than had formerly been the case. While the Cemetery Department shows larger payrolls than in some previous years, it was because of your desire to furnish work for as many men as possible. The town has received the benefit however, of securing over 2500 additional graves.
These, and reductions in other departments, have been the cause of being able to reduce the Manager's budget requests for 1933 to $528,000 as against $636,000 in 1931, and $687,000 in 1930, a reduction for 1933 of
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$75,000 (16%) under 1932 and $217,000 (32%) under the budget of 1930 for the same departments.
In General
In the endeavor to minimize the Manager's report, only a few of the high spots have been reviewed in this brief summary. It can readily be seen that to cover every phase of the work of the Town Manager's office in every one of the municipal departments for an entire year could be drawn out until it made a volume by itself. No mention has been ınade of the amount of time and endeavor which has been given to unlimitcd details affecting the operation and efficiency of these departments and the equipment and property within their jurisdiction. Neither has mention been made of the numerous cases of matters pertaining to personnel. A chapter could be written on the complaints, inquiries, and suggestions which are constantly received and which are given individual attention, recording and answers. These innumerable problems, both large and small, in addition to the continual efforts for reduction of financial burdens to our citizens, have only been accomplished through the ever-willing cooperation and attention to details given by the Superintendents of all departments, as well as with the aid of their co-workers. Above and be- yond all our individual efforts has been the faith and confidence extended to the Manager and all his subordinates by the Board of Selectmen-to whom this brief report is most respectfully submitted. The writer would be unappreciative indeed, if he failed to acknowledge with thanks the kind words of commendation he has received from many citizens on the prompt- ness and thoroughness with which all complaints have been courteously investigated and corrected. Naturally, no public official ever expects to receive as many compliments as criticisms, because in the minds of many, no municipal employee ever knows his work or is credited with sincerity or ability regardless of whether he annually saves the town five times his salary or not. Oftentimes Managers' reports from other cities will be found to contain remarks as to the necessity of having the "wisdom of Solomon and the patience of Job." This truly is no idle remark and while it has frequently been said that an official should be paid double to compensate him for the abuse he has to take, yet we feel there are enough fair minded citizens in Norwood whose sympathy with us makes life worth living, and who encourage us to show the incentive and desire to perform our tasks to the end that we might occasionally at least, earn the remark of "Well done, good and faithful servant."
The Selectmen realize for themselves as well as for their subordinates the great number of people constantly pulling wires for their own personal gain. Likewise wc of the municipal family thank the members of the Board for their recognition of the fact that we cannot be "All things to all men" and that our job as sworn officials calls for the saying of "No" when such means the greatest good for the greatest number.
In closing we would repeat the last paragraph of our 1929 report in
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which we stated that the longer the writer serves municipalities, the more he agrees with the Director of Public Works at Philadelphia when he ended his annual report some twenty-five years ago by quoting Abraham Lincoln where he said "If what I do turns out all right, what they have said against me will not count; but if what I do turns out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right will make no difference."
Respectfully submitted,
C. a. Binghamo
Town Manager
192
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Mr. C. A. Bingham,
General Manager,
Town of Norwood.
Dear Sir:
I hereby submit my annual report relative to the number of arrests and the disposition of the cases brought before the Courts during the year 1932.
Arrests Made for the Following Offences
Assault
45 Lottery
1
Attempt to commit larceny
1 Loaded revolver 5
Attempt to commit rape
1 Murder
2
Bastardy
5 Neglect of children
7
Burning building
1 Neglect of family Peddling no license
10
Breaking and entering and larceny
13 Rape
1
Burglar tools in possession
3 Runaway boys
11
Drunk
135
Trespass
2
Disturbing the peace
23 Throwing glass in street
2
Escape
3 Violation of automobile law
49
False Fire Alarm
1 Violation of Fish and Game law
2
Idle and disorderly
9 Violation of Pure Food law
4
Larceny
18 Violation of Liquor law
6
Lewdness
4 Violation of Vendor law
2
Loitering
3 Violation of Prohibition law 3
Vagabonds
2 Vagrancy 5
Disposition of Cases as Follows
Committed to Concord Ref. 4 Delivered to U. S. Officers 3
Committed to House of Cor.
15 Fined 105
Committed to State Farm
7
Filed
34
Committed to State Prison
1 Probation 10
Committed to Ref. for Women 3 Probation and susp. sentence
63
Delivered to other departments 31
Released 51
Delivered to parents
11 Not Guilty 19
Delivered to Child Welfare
S Dismissed
8
Waiting for trial 8
The total amount of fines levied at the courts for the year 1932 was $2,950.00 and the amount paid was $2,760.00.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM H. SULLIVAN,
Chief of Police.
2
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ANNUAL REPORT OF FIRE DEPARTMENT
Mr. C. A. Bingham,
Town Manager, Norwood, Massachusetts
Sir :-
The annual report of the Norwood Fire Department for the year ending December 31, 1932, as taken from the records is submitted hereon; the number of alarms responded to, amount of water pumped, number of feet of hose used, the value of property at risk, and the paid fire loss is shown.
Alarms were responded to as follows :-
From Street Fire Alarm Boxes 59
Sent out from Headquarters
15
Still Alarms; No Signal Sounded
159
Squad Calls
36
Total
269
There has been a noticeable decrease in the number of False Alarms over last years number of (26) in comparison with this years number (6).
No new equipment of any consequential value has been added to the Department although a new Brush Fire Truck should be purchased in the near future, as the present truck lacks the needed power to do the work required and to haul the equipment and tools that are needed to fight properly and efficiently whenever called upon to do so.
The Department Mechanic in his report states that at the present date all apparatus of the department is in first class condition mechanically. This investment by the Town of a Mechanic in this department has proven its worth in the past year by the saving of many dollars on repair bills of the apparatus.
Another item that has been increased this year over that of last is in the issuance of Permits for the Storage of Range Oil, a great many of these have been issued. Before these permits are issued a member of the de- partment must inspect the tanks wherein the oil is to be stored, to see that the Regulations as set down by the State Fire Marshal's office are adhered to, through these inspections many hazards that otherwise would have been unnoticed, have been noticed and those responsible have been told to remedy the situation. Second notices have not been needed in any of these cases.
The Personnel of the Department has been increased by the addition of one man, Henry O. Millin, appointed April 1, 1932.
The inspection of Buildings, Cellars, Tenement Houses, Stores, and yards
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was continued regularly throughout the year and due to the wonderful cooperation by the tenants and owners the loss by fire has been kept at a minimum this year.
In the extinguishment of the various fires there was used approximately 628,940 gallons of water, and to reach the fires there was used approximately 62,750 feet of hose.
The value of the property that was being risked by fire during the year was approximately $625,975.00 and the paid fire loss was $32,302.23; a large reduction over last years figures. These figures are approximate and a small variation either way may be found.
The position of Chief of Department, was temporarily vacant from September 7, 1932, until December 31, 1932 owing to the resignation of John J. Hannigan. During this time Deputy Chief Louis F. Parker was acting in the capacity of Chief of Department.
The thanks of the members of the department and myself, to the mem- bers of the Town Government, the heads of each department, the press and the citizens of the Town, is greatfully extended for the assistance ren- dered during the year. The members of the department are to be com- mended for their attention to duty, which in a great measure helped to keep the fire loss down.
Respectfully submitted,
ALONZO W. EARLE, Chief of the Fire Department
195
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Mr. C. A. Bingham,
Town Manager,
Norwood, Massachusetts.
Dear Sir:
I herewith submit my report as Superintendent of the Public Works Department for the year 1932. With a reduced budget the Department was able with the men furnished by the Welfare Board, the Unemployment Committee and the Soldiers' Relief, to make many improvements through- out the town. Some of these improvements were as follows:
The widening of Winter Street from Prospect Street to the Westwood Line.
Pleasant Street, west side, from Railroad Avenue to Neponset Street.
The widening of road leading to the Town Dump from Winter Street.
Surfacing with gravel, the street car bed on Washington Street, between the bridges after the rails and ties were removed by the railroad company.
Many sidewalks were improved and sewer laterals were constructed on Morse Street, Highview Street and a section of Washington Street.
A culvert of paving blocks was built through the Corcoran Estate, from Rock Street south.
These men were also used on the maintenance of Parks, Drains, Streets and the cleaning of the filter beds at Westwood Station, and in many other ways that aided in repaying the town for the expenditure.
Highway Maintenance
The usual methods of maintaining the work coming under this heading was continued throughout the year. In addition, Neponset Street was widened and a sidewalk built on the north side from Pleasant Street to Washington Street. On Water Street an added clearance of three feet was made under the Railroad Bridge and 150 feet of the road at this point was surfaced with asphalt.
Highway Construction
Cost
Street
Sq. Yds.
Estimate
Including Overhead $2,232.02
Per Sq. Yard $2.21
Hill Street
1,010
$1,800.00
Mountain Avenue
1,339
2,200.00
2,178.25
1.626
Garfield Avenue
4,049
5,800.00
5,421.44
1.339
Highland Street
726
1,600.00
1,740.69
2.398
*Cedar Street
1,922
5,800.00
6,547.89
3.407
*(This job includes the building of two retaining walls).
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Granolithic Sidewalk Construction
Street
Sq. Yds. Sq. Yds. Walk
Crossing
Feet Concrete Curb
Cost
Washington Street (Tremont to Austin
151.5
28
133
$ 389.68
Washington Street (Front of Abdallahs)
145.66
94
312.70
Linden Street
(Guild St. to Winter St.)
297.25
45.5
710.85
Guild Street (At Bandstand)
106
182.36
Prospect Street (Gaps)
123
31.75
17
252.96
823.41
105.25
244
$1,848.55
Asphalt Sidewalks
Street
Sq. Yds. Estimate
Cost
Cost per Sq. Yd.
Washington Street
(Tremont St. to East Wal- pole Line)
2,000
$1,900.00
$2,367.62
$1.183
Cedar Street
(Chapel St. to End)
595
500.00
1,093.33
1.84
Washington Street (Between Bridges)
1,970
1,900.00
2,154.77
1.094
Washington Street
(Prospect St. to Granite St.)
960
2,800.00
1,337.96
1.40
The above sidewalks were surfaced with a Colprovia Compound an asphalt product. This type of sidewalk apparently makes a very sub- stantial walk at a minimum cost.
At the intersection of Dean and Pleasant Streets the four corners were widened at a cost of $927.98, against an estimate of $1200.
Central Street was resurfaced with a Colprovia Asphalt Top, from Washington Street to East Vernon Street at a cost of $1,199.22 or $.287 per square yard, against an estimate of $1,800.
Nichols Street Extension was treated with an application of road oil and pea stone at a cost of $1,212.31 or $.0842 per square yard.
Short Street from Morse to Washington Streets and Morse Street from Short Street to Neponset River Bridge were reconstructed with six inch crushed stone penetration.
197
Parks
The various parks and playgrounds throughout the town were kept in very fine condition during the season.
Sewer Maintenance
Nothing of unusual character occurred in the sewer system during the past year. The entire system is functioning in a very satisfactory manner. Twenty-four particular sewers, 1349 ft., were laid at a cost of $1,611.13.
Sewer Construction
Size of
Street
Length
Main
Estimate
Cost In- cluding Overhead
Cost
St. John Avenue
320'
6"
$ 800.00
$ 541.05
$1.69
Hill Street
95'
6"
167.78
1.77
Mountain Avenue
138'
6"
257.00
1.86
Prospect Street
115'
6"
246.08
2.14
Hawes Brook Outfall *
3,682'
24"
27,300.00
23,964.20
6.508
Metropolitan
Connec-
tion t
58'
24"'
1,056.03
4408'
$26,232.06
* Hawes Brook: This was heavy construction and it was necessary to hire a large size pump, also 150' of 30-inch flume. A dam was built on the tannery side of the brook to take care of the water through tunnel under the railroad in order to change the course of water, so as to make construction possible.
t Metropolitan Connection: This connection was made at a point approximately 900' east from Pleasant Street on the sewer line leading to the Filter Beds. The construction consisted of 58' of 24" pipe and a 22' manhole. Considerable water and silt was encountered during the process of construction. At the completion of this work, it made it pos- sible for the department to abandon the filter beds. All sewerage is now entering the Metropolitan Sewerage System.
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