USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1936-1938 > Part 33
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Bill subject to 5% discount if paid within ten days from the date thereof. Minimum NET bill, $5.00
This service is available only where the established facilities of the De- partment permit such service. Motors and starting equipment subject to the approval of the Department.
Starting current (locked rotor) must not exceed 4} times running current. Service furnished only at 240 volts.
Rate D
Three Phase Power and Light High Tension, 2300 Volt
Available for all uses of electric energy where the demand is less than 100 K. W.
Each active meter including the use of
100 K.W.H. per month, $5.25
Excess K.W.H. in the same month, $.025
Bills subject to 5% discount if paid within ten days from the date thereof.
Minimum NET bill, $5.00
This service is available only where the established facilities of the De- partinent permit such service.
Equipment subject to the approval of the Department.
Note: Customers having a high night load may be billed through a two- way meter under the following conditions:
Peak hours for the purpose of this rate-6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Off peak hours 10:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.
Where the consumption is not less than 100 K.W. during each of the above periods per month, the customer may be billed on the above specified rate for the on peak period and at le per K.W.H. for the off peak period.
Rate F
Hot Water Heating Rate.
Available for residential and commercial electric hot water heating applications off peak:
1st 40 K.W.H. at $.25 per K.W.H.
Excess K.W.H. in the same month, $.01 per K.W.H.
This service is available only where an approved electric storage type two element hot water heater of not less than 50 gallon rated capacity is installed. This service is rendered only during off peak hours, but the department agrees to supply service for not less than 17 hours in each calendar day.
Minimum charge $1.00 per month.
No three phase energy furnished under this rate.
In the administration of Rate F it is recommended that this rate be made available to all existing hot water heaters whether of the storage tank type, side arm type or immersion type with the following provision.
Each tank to which the electrie hot water heater is connected or in which the electric heater is installed, shall be provided with a combination tem- perature and pressure relief valve of the tube type which provides a tube extending down into the water in the tank and a vacuum relief valve, these devices to be placed directly on the tank and not in the piping to or from the tank. No check valve is to be permitted in the cold water line.
A recommendation of the Special Rate Committee was adopted on May 4 in the following form, namely:
That a discount of five (5%) pereent from the present rate be given to the Norwood Press and the General Printing Ink Corporation
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(Morrill Division) upon payment of their bills respectively, subject to the following condition, namely, that the five (5%) percent dis- count apply to payments within ten days from the date of the notice of indebtedness.
and the further recommendation was also adopted, namely,
that the application of the B rate be discontinued and that the A rate be substituted therefor as to doctors and dentists practicing their professions in their homes.
On May 4, the Special Rate Committee of Electric Service recommenda- tion was adopted, namely,
That the Selectmen select as their expert investigators to examine and advise as to the desirability and practicability of the town establishing its own municipal plant for the manufacture of electric energy, John A. Stevens, Inc. of Lowell, Massachusetts, and that such investigation be made within the scope of the vote of the town meeting of March 22, 1937.
On May 25, notice was received of the engagement of John A. Stevens, Inc. of Lowell, Massachusetts, pursuant to the recommendation of the Light Rate Committee and the vote of Selectmen, to consider and make a report giving estimates of cost of construction of an electric power gener- ating plant and the cost of power generating including both operating and fixed charges.
Layouts and Orders of Taking
On April 20, an order of taking was adopted with respect to a portion of a parcel of land owned by Winslow Bros. and Smith Company as author- ized by action under Article 17 of the annual town meeting warrant at the adjourned meeting held on March 22.
On June 15, orders of taking together with plans made were adopted for acquiring easements for the following purposes in the parcels designated. Highway purposes (1) In land of Nikolai Hellsten
(2) In land of Laurence Gammell
Surface Drainage Purposes (1) In land of Bird & Son, Inc.
On June 15, an order of taking was adopted of an easement in accordance with the layout of Berwick Place Extension as a town way and on July 6, it was voted that the General Manager proceed with construction of Ber- wick Place Extension as accepted at the last town meeting, on the basis of a fifty foot layout and to include in the warrant for the coming special town meeting to be held on July 16 an article permitting of action on an alteration by widening of Berwick Place as laid out in 1935 by an addi- tional ten feet, thereby making a uniform layout of fifty feet in width from Walpole Street to Nichols Street.
On July 29, orders of taking of easements were adopted with respect to the following ways:
An extension of Allen Road;
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An extension of Nichols Street, and
An alteration by widening of Berwick Place
all with respect to layouts reported to and accepted at the town meeting held on July 16.
On September 14, a layout was made of a portion of Gay Street as a town way, extending from Third Street generally easterly and under the provisions of law authorizing the assessment of betterments with plan of layout and a plan showing the area estimated to receive benefit or ad- vantage from the improvement. Also the layout was made of a town way with plan and profile of that portion of Gay Street constructed by the owners to a finished grade and extending westerly to Pleasant Street from the accepted portion of Gay Street.
On November 23, there was adopted an order of taking for the new town way laid out as an extension of Gay Street under the provisions of law relating to the assessment of betterments and for the extension of Gay Street as laid out between Norfolk Street and Pleasant Street.
On October 13, the layouts of certain alterations by widening of existing town ways and the plans thereof were made as follows, namely:
1. Bullard Street.
2. Maple Street at intersection of Maple and Cottage Streets.
3. Railroad Avenue.
4. Linden Street at intersection with Winter Street.
5. Roosevelt Avenue at intersection of Adams Street.
On November 30, orders of taking by right of eminent domain with respect to several alterations by widening were adopted, as follows, namely: Bullard Street.
Maple Street at intersection with Cottage Street.
Railroad Avenue.
Linden Street at intersection with Winter Street.
Roosevelt Avenue at intersection with Adams Street.
On December 14, orders of taking of easements through land of Florence M. Johnson were adopted as follows, namely:
Surface Drainage: Gay Street southerly to Main drain taking of 1915. Sanitary Sewers: Southerly of Dean Street and easterly of Neponset River.
Water Supply System and its Protection
The new water purification plant was placed in operation by the con- tractor on January 18, water being pumped into the distribution plant for onc shift each day for test purposes called for in the contract and there- after the plant was turned over to the town as completed.
As to the Buckmaster Pond water supply, attention was given on Janu- ary 19, to a report received from the State Department of Public Health in answer to a request for approval for temporary use of unfiltered water
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from this supply during the period of change-over involved in the transfer of certain equipment from the Purgatory Brook supply to the new purifica- tion plant. The report set forth a recent survey made of the drainage area including an examination of the Pond and analyses of samples of water and the results of such examination and conditions as found and the Department recommended that if it becomes necessary to use the water of this Pond without filtration the rules and regulations adopted by the Department on January 3, 1901, be strictly enforced and all water supplied from the Pond be adequately chlorinated.
On January 26, the General Manager advised that he had arranged for a survey of the area around the Pond to be made by the Town Engineer and an agent of the State Department with reference to the protection of this water supply source and that the property owners in the vicinity responsible for violations of the regulations set up by the State Depart- ment of Public Health for such protection be given an opportunity to correct conditions and in case of their failure to do so prosecution for such violation would be undertaken.
On July 20, the General Manager reported that by reason of violations of the regulations of the State Board of Health relative to the protection of the water supply at Buckmaster Pond, it was found necessary to take court action against a certain property owner with respect to a situation existing within the prescribed distance from the high water mark of the pond and who was found guilty by the court and was allowed to remedy the conditions complained of following which the court filed the case against him.
On January 12, Clerk Pendergast reported securing a sixty day personal option to himself or his assigns for the purchase of parcels of land lying generally easterly of land owned by the town, being property of Charles Eaton and Annie L. Withington, and property of Ellen Adams Weatherbee, for the purpose of protecting the existing water supply and with a view to the town acquiring these lands for such purpose under said options.
On March 30, the purchase or taking of these parcels of land was ap- proved in writing by the State Commissioner of Public Health said parcels being designated as Parcel A, and Parcel B, containing in the aggregate 3 acres 1,432 square feet and Parcels 1, 2, 3, and 4, containing in the aggre- gate 43 acres 21,480 square feet, being in his opinion necessary for the proper protection of the water supply of the town and under the provisions of Chapter 559 Acts of 1911 approval was given of the purchase or taking of these lands which were further identified as shown on two plans, one dated March 12, 1937, and the other dated March 22, 1937, and there- upon by action taken on said date an order of taking with respect to Parcels 1, 2, 3 and 4 was adopted, said order being a declaration of the action of the Selectmen that such lands were taken in fee by right of eminent domain for the protection of the water supply of the town.
On April 20, an order of taking was adopted for acquiring land for the
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protection of the water supply as authorized by action under Article 2 of the annual town meeting warrant.
On May 18, the town received the final grant allotment of P. W. A. docket No. 1317R which included the iron removal or new water purifica- tion plant, so-called, for the water supply system.
On June 8, a report was received from the General Manager that an agreement as authorized had been signed with X. Henry Goodnough, Inc. for a survey to investigate the feasibility of an additional underground water supply, and the purchase and installation of a second high lift pump at the new Ellis Pumping Station, which agreement includes a charge for services of $950, the town to supply the labor for rod soundings, labor, material and equipment for test borings and labor, fuel, and use of port- able pumping equipment for pumping tests at a cost not to exceed $650.
Employment Relief Projects and Activities
On January 12, the General Manager reported that work on the Nahatan Street Drain was to be completed on the 14th and that but one construc- tion project was available for employment of laborers in Public Works Department and laborers under part time relief, namely, the Pleasant Street Drain, and to continue the present policy of employment it was necessary to undertake another project and he recommended the con- struction of a drain on Pleasant Street from a culvert southwesterly of Lenox Avenue and running northeasterly a distance of approximately three hundred feet to take care of surface water entering Pleasant Street from Lenox Avenue and also to take care of water coming down Pleasant Street from the direction of East Cross Street and that the engineer's estimate of the cost of such project was approximately $1,500, thereby providing work for the present personnel for approximately two and one half weeks, and this recommendation was approved.
On January 12, a conference was held with the Finance Commission to discuss the question of providing funds for a continuation of employment, following which it was voted that all employment under part-time relief policy and policy of continuation of employment for the seasonal workers be terminated when the existing funds for certain drainage construction are exhausted.
Through action on said date a request was made on the Finance Com- inission to give favorable consideration to a recommendation of the appro- priation of $2,500 at the annual town meeting as the town's portion for material requirements of a project approved by W. P. A. for clearing and preliminary work on the improvement of White Mike's Field Playground.
On January 26, a recommendation was approved as to a proposed project of recreational character for Norwood similar to that operated last year, the State office of the National Youth Administration having approved the project, which provides for the employment of a supervisor and twelve instructors to conduct recreational activities for a period of
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three months, the same contemplated as being established at three recrea- tional centers, namely, Junior High School, Civic Building and Balch School, and the General Manager to place this project in operation as promptly as possible.
On February 2, the General Manager reported that, by reason of lack of funds available for construction work, it was necessary to lay off men in the Public Works Department including fourteen men working on part time relief and approximately forty-five men on regular Public Works Department payroll.
On February 9, further consideration was given to the policy on em- ployment of veterans as presented by Soldiers' Relief Agent with particular reference to veterans laid off from public employment, as to relief dating from day on which they were laid off.
On February 23, completion of Central Fire Alarm Station P. W. A. project No. 1317 R. B. was reported.
On March 2, following conference with respect to re-employment with certain employees in the Public Works Department who had been laid off for about six weeks, voted, that the General Manager take the names of the seven men attending the conference and take up with the Superin- tendent of Public Works the possibility of providing some employment for these men even though it might mean a stagger arrangement, namely, one week on and one week off.
On March 9, with respect to employment in the Public Works Depart- ment, voted by the necessary two-thirds vote under the provisions of Section 31, Chapter 44 General Laws (Ter. Ed.) that the situation with respect to a surface drainage project on Pleasant Street easterly of Railroad Avenue constitutes an extreme emergency involving the health and safety of persons and property and that the General Manager be authorized to incur liability to correct and safeguard said situation.
On March 23, it was voted that the work of constructing a sewer on Mylod Street to Rockhill Street with estimated cost of about $4,510 of which $3,510 is for labor and $1,000 for material, be undertaken to provide employment in the Public Works Department for those men who are now on the Public Works Department payroll and on March 30, approved the installation in Mylod Street of a surface water drainage system, in connec- tion with the sanitary sewer drainage system now under construction. In view of the fact that such installation could be made at this time at a cost of approximately $1,300 with respect to the area involved, and that if a separate drainage system be installed at some time in the future the cost of such system would be approximately $3,800.
On April 27, a report was received from the General Manager that Dis- trict Director Delaney of the W. P. A. had furnished information regarding the employment of twenty additional men, bringing the total number employed approximately to the quota of one hundred sixty-seven and
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thus permitting the undertaking of the W. P. A. sidewalk project in the near future.
On May 4, action was taken with respect to truck hire in the Public Works Department, that Superintendent of Public Works use his best judgment in hiring whatever trucks are necessary in carrying out his work, having in mind that the Selectmen wish this truck hire to be distributed as equitably as possible, consistent with the proper operation of his de- partment and the economical execution of his work.
On May 18, a report was received from the General Manager that on May 19 it was intended to start again construction of granolithic sidewalks under P. W. A. sidewalk project and this work would be continued from the point where it was left off last fall on the easterly side of the town.
On June 15, a report was received from the General Manager that since the W. P. A. lay off started about two weeks ago there have been twenty- four women and ten men dropped from the W. P. A. payroll and that there would be an additional ten men dropped June 16, making a total drop of thirty-four.
On June 22, the General Manager reported that the personnel of the local P. W. A. had been reduced to one hundred and three, including men and women and that thirty women and twenty-three men had been re- leased, or a total of fifty-three.
The General Manager also reported information from District Super- visor Engineer Chapman that the W. P. A. office would approve a renewal of the Westover Parkway project but that this approval would mean a temporary suspension of the cemetery project and the moth project and would provide for a double shift in employment of forty men.
On June 29, action was taken with respect to a protest made to the Works Progress Administration at Boston relative to the lay off of W. P. A. workers by the local Department of Public Welfare.
On July 6, approved recommendation of General Manager that $750 be set aside from the appropriation for cooperation with Federal Govern- ment on unemployment relief for the purpose of providing material and equipment rental cost for the miscellaneous school repair project.
On July 6, a report received from the General Manager that since the last meeting fifteen more men had been laid off the W. P. A. thereby reducing the personnel to eighty-eight, namely, seventeen women and seventy-one men.
A report was received from the General Manager on July 20, of instruc- tions from local W. P. A. Engineer McGinnis that all non-citizens must be dropped from W. P. A. rolls and that accordingly eight non-citizens have already been dropped and investigations are being made as to others to determine whether or not they are citizens. Report was made also that the total employees in W. P. A. are seventeen women and seventy- three men and it is expected that another crew of twenty men will be placed back in employment on W. P. A. and applied to Westover Parkway project,
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provided no further reductions are necessary because of the regulation requiring the dropping of non-citizens from the rolls.
On July 29, the General Manager reported W. P. A. personnel and setting forth in detail the several projects on which sixty-nine persons were being employed, also informing the Selectmen that it had been found necessary to terminate the W. P. A. granolithic sidewalk project on ac- count of the allotment of Federal funds being exhausted, and that two cement finishers, both non-citizens, as such were laid off as of July 28.
Approval was given to the General Manager's request to employ two cement finishers to be paid out of town funds for this project until the sidewalk in front of the Callahan School on Garfield Avenue is completed to Pleasant Street and if necessary to pay for hire of laborers to complete this sidewalk, the estimated amount for labor expenditures and cement finishers to be not in excess of $150.
On July 29, on report that practically all the work on the Rifle Range project had been completed and as to uncompleted work that it would be better for the town to employ private labor at a cost not to exceed $450 rather than to provide a like amount for the expense of the local company of the National Guard to use the Wakefield Rifle Range because the Norwood Rifle Range is not available, the recommendation was approved, the necessary money to be made available from the appropriation under the control of the Selectmen for cooperation with the Federal Government in projects that may receive or are receiving benefit. On August 10, a report was received from the General Manager that the Rifle Range work was completed and that Captain Barry of the local company thought every- thing was satisfactory and expected to start rifle practice at the range at the end of the week.
Information was received from the General Manager on August 10, that, at present, thirty Norwood men were working on a W. P. A. contract job at East Foxborough and transportation was being furnished by bus or by passenger car as the number fluctuated and necessity demanded.
A further report was received of a total employment of seventy-two in W. P. A. personnel, an increase of three since the last meeting.
On August 24, a report was received from the General Manager that the appropriation allocated to the Westover Parkway project for material and equipment rental cost on W. P. A. projects in the sumn of $4,104 is now overdrawn, and recommending a transfer in the sum of $4,100 to meet an overdraft of approximately $400 and for the completion of the project, and further reporting that the grading is practically completed and the application of oil to a part of the finished surface has been made. These recommendations were approved.
On September 7, following report of the General Manager on the sewing project situation with respect to dealings with the W. P. A. office, it was voted to be the sense of the meeting that the women's sewing project be continued, and that the sum of $468 as the town's service deposit be made
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available from funds appropriated at the annual town meeting for the purpose of cooperating with the Federal government in unemployment relief with respect to projects in which the citizens of the town may receive direct or indirect benefit.
On the same date a letter was received from the Works Progress Ad- ministration indicating a definite policy of furloughing all persons who receive temporary jobs and guaranteeing them reemployment.
On September 21, after conference with certain employees of the Public Works Department with reference to working conditions, voted that in the event that employees of the Public Works Department lose working time on account of weather conditions or holidays such employees be per- mitted to work Saturday forenoons to make up lost time.
On October 5, the General Manager reported that fourteen men had been assigned to start work on a P. W. A. beautification project at Plain- ville on Route 1 and transportation for these men had not been requested.
On October 5, on report that additional funds were needed to meet liability and further needs on account of completion of Westover W. P. A. Parkway project voted that the sum of $3,500 be made available from funds under control of Selectmen appropriated for cooperation with Fed- eral Government in relief of unemployment.
On October 5, on report of the General Manager with reference to re- placement of water pipes at Central Fire Station building, voted that the Finance Commission be requested to make available by transfer from reserve fund of the sum of $700 to meet the additional expense incurred in excess of allotment for repairs at Central Fire Station.
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On October 13, a report was received from the General Manager to the effect that it will be necessary to provide an appropriation which will permit of an expenditure of $15,000 for labor together with material costs in order that the present employment program may be carried through to December 31, 1937.
On October 26, it was voted, with respect to the necessity for further funds for transportation of P. W. A. workers, that the Finance Commis- sion be requested to give favorable consideration to a further transfer of $200 for the purpose of meeting the expense of transportation of inhabitants of the town to Foxborough or Plainville, such persons, being engaged on government projects through which the inhabitants of Norwood may receive benefit.
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