USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wayland > Official reports of the town of Wayland 1954-1956 > Part 29
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"Amendment (a) would have the effect of granting a general increase of 10 cents an hour to all hourly paid employees and a general increase of $300 a year to all salaried employees. The general increase is justified by the general trend in wage and salary rates, the rising cost of living, and the pressures generated both by the growth of the town and the establishment of new industries along Route 128.
10
1 yr.
after after
The new rates are necessary to keep the compensation of Wayland's employees in a proper relationship to the compensation paid town employees in similar nearby communities.
"Amendment (b) puts on a permanent basis two interim classifica- tions and rates set up by the Personnel Board since the last Town meeting as a result of the employment of new personnel.
"In setting up the interim classifications the Personnel Board expressed no opinion concerning the need for such positions or the availability of funds. Under the Wage and Salary Classifications Plan it is the function of the different departments to decide what types of employees, and how many employees, they need to carry out their statutory duties. It is also up to the different departments to decide what funds are available and how they shall be spent. The function of the Personnel Board is to see that the duties assigned to an employee by a department are accurately described, and to set a wage rate for work of that description. The Board's present recommendations are made on the same basis. If the Town votes to accept the recommenda- tion with respect to either of these positions, it would simply be approving the establishment of a classification carrying specified rates of pay in the event that the money is appropriated and the position is filled. The Town would then be free to vote either way it wished on whether to grant or withhold the money necessary to fill the position under the budget article.
"Amendment (c) would establish new rates of pay for the Police Chief, the Building and Wire Inspector, and part time clerks. The Personnel Board's recommendation would give the Police Chief the same general increase as other town employees and would also raise the salary an additional $300. The present salary schedule dates from the time when there was only one permanent policeman in Wayland. The Police Chief presently supervises five patrolmen and should be compensated for the extra responsibility. Furthermore, a survey of the rates for comparable positions in neighboring com- munities shows that Wayland is paying far less than other towns. The increase would give Wayland's Chief of Police a salary more nearly comparable to the salaries paid in other communities.
"The salary schedule proposed for the Building and Wire Inspector makes the adjustments necessary to take account of an increase from 28 to 32 hours a week and to grant him a proportionate part of the general increase recommended for all town employees. The new rate for part time clerical work is necessary to attract employees to these positions.
"Amendment (d) would fix a 52 hour work week for firemen. The standard practice is to pay firemen and patrolmen the same annual salary but to require firemen to be on duty at least 56 hours a week. Since Wayland's firemen do not spend part of this time sleeping, it it was agreed last spring that their work week should be 52 hours.
"Amendment (e) would enable the Personnel Board to grant pro- fessional employees in the Library and professional nurses vacations conforming to the established practice of these professional groups. Other towns have also found it necessary to follow any such standard professional practices."
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The Finance Committee concurs with the Personnel Board and recommends the approval of the article.
Article 4. To see whether the Town will vote to authorize and empower the Selectmen to appoint an Executive-Secretary, pursuant to G. L. Ch. 41, 23A (inserted by Ch. 145, Acts of 1956), who shall be appointed, hold office and exercise authority and perform duties as therein provided.
This and the following three articles deal with the reorganization and combining of certain town jobs, rather than the establishment of new positions.
The Special Committee to study Town Government, appointed at the last meeting, has inserted this article. It provides for the appoint- ment of an Executive-Secretary to the Selectmen, under an act passed by the Legislature in 1956. The full report of the committee was distributed to the Town in January and the voters of the Town are urged to read it so that they may have a more complete under- standing of what is involved in the recommendation. The Finance Committee is satisfied that, under our loose traditional form of New England Town Government, some such arrangement as outlined here is necessary for the correlation of our independently elected depart- ments. Clearly, any Board of Selectmen needs the assistance of a full-time administrator, if the Board is to carry out its responsibility effectively as the chief policy-making board of the Town, having as it does, many appointive personnel under its supervision. Only through relieving the Selectmen of routine matters and a large amount of detail, can the Town continue to expect men of quality to be willing to serve as Selectmen. If adopted, it is contemplated that the job would not be a new position, but would involve the merging of the position of Town Accountant and Secretary to the Board of Selectmen. In many respects, this arrangement is superior to that of the stronger Town Manager form of government. The final responsibility continues to remain with the Selectmen. The Finance Committee feels that there is no single step which the Town could make which would at present do so much to improve our local form of government.
The Finance Committee, therefore, recommends the approval of the article.
Article 5. To see whether the Town will vote pursuant to General Laws Ch. 41, Par. 38A, to authorize and direct the Collector of Taxes to act as Town Collector to receive all monies and collect all accounts due the Town, including all payments for licenses, permits, fees and fines, but excluding monies due to the Board of Public Welfare, trust funds, or payments due from the State or federal government, or any subdivi- sion thereof; or do or act.
This article is inserted in the Warrant by the Special Committee to study Town Government. It provides that the Tax Collector shall be designated as Town Collector and charged with the sole authority and responsibility for receiving all monies due the Town, except pay- ments from other governmental units and certain payments to the
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Board of Health. These changes would eliminate unnecessary paper work and provide for the safer handling of Town monies. Under it, there can also be provided a single salary for the Collector, with the provision that all fees and miscellaneous receipts become the income of the Town. The arrangement here outlined is one which a number of other progressive Towns have been operating under for many years.
The Finance Committee recommends the approval of the article.
Article 6. To see whether the Town will vote to accept the provi- sions of General Laws Ch. 48, Paragraphs 42, 43 and 44, and establish a fire department to be under the control of an officer to be known as the chief of the fire department, who shall be appointed by the Selectmen and shall have and exercise all the powers and discharge all the duties provided in said section, including those heretofore performed by the engineers.
This article was likewise introduced by the Committee to study Town Government. It proposes that the Town accept the provisions of the General Laws, providing for the operation of the Fire Department under a chief appointed by the Selectmen. The chief would be a full- time officer, centralizing the responsibility for the department and would supplant the Board of Engineers. He would be expected to perform all the duties now performed by the engineers, assistant chief, clerks and the oil burner inspection division. Virtually all up-to-date communities the size of Wayland have placed their Fire Departments under a single full-time chief. In view of the fact that our Depart- ment is now operating with four full-time men, it is an appropriate time for the Town to make the change.
The Finance Committee concurs in the recommendation of the committee to study the Town Government and has placed in the budget an adequate overall appropriation sufficient to cover such salary schedule as might be arranged by the Selectmen and the Wage Board for eight months of 1957. In the budget, it has also adjusted various other items with this in mind.
The Finance Committee recommends the approval of the article.
Article 7. To grant money for necessary Town purposes. See Finance Committee Report.
Article 8. To see if the Town will appropriate sums of money for the Water Department, determine whether the money shall be provided for by appropriation from available funds in the Treasury, by taxation and/or by borrowing; or take any action relative thereto.
The sums of money required under this article for the full opera- tion of the Water Department for the calendar year 1957 are as follows:
(1) Water Coupon Notes, Bonds and Registered Notes Maturing in 1957 - Payment of Principal $17,500.00
(2) Water Coupon Notes, Bonds and Registered Notes - Payment of Interest 2,192.25
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(3) Water Department - Maintenance: Salaries:
Superintendent
$5,070.00
2d Man
4,210.00
Labor - permanent men
15,000.00
Appropriation
24,280.00 31,500.00
(4) Town Office - clerical, billing, collection work, machine work
3,500.00
(5) Purchase of - one new 1/2-ton truck $200.00
- one new 3/4-ton truck 300.00
500.00
(6) New Meter Installation - for existing services
15,000.00
(7) New Equipment
6,500.00
(8) Test wells for new Well
1,000.00
(9) Standpipe Survey 3,000.00
(10) Water Main - Claypit Hill Road
7,200.00
(11) Water Main Extensions - Existing Town Roads Appropriation
5,000.00
Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and assess a sum of money for the reconstruction and improvement of Chapter 90 roads, said money to be used in conjunction with any money which may be allotted by the State or County, or both, for this purpose, the work to be done under the supervision of the Road Commissioners; or take any action in relation thereto.
During 1956, the surface was laid on Old Sudbury Road from the railroad station to about the North Cemetery. During the latter part of 1956, the State, working on an unbalanced appropriation, rebuilt Sudbury Road south from the Sudbury line and constructed a new bridge across the river, carrying the road to a point just opposite the Wayland Golf Course. Our Highway Department expects to rebuild as much of the road between the North Cemetery and the Golf Club as the appropriation approved by the state and county will permit.
Under this article, the Finance Committee recommends the appro- priation of $6,000, with $6,000 to be matched by the county and $12,000 by the state, making a total of $24,000.
The Finance Committee recommends the approval of the article.
Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to fix the salary and com- pensation of all elective officers of the Town, as provided by Section 108, Chapter 41, General Laws, as amended, and set the effective date of such salary and compensation.
It is necessary for the Town to fix annually the salary and com- pensation of each elective officer.
The Finance Committee recommends that the salaries for elective officers be set as indicated in the budget and that they be effective from January 1, 1957.
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Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell or otherwise dispose of: (1) the Police. Department's present two 1956 Chevrolet Police cars, in connection with the purchase of two new Police cars; (2) the Water Department's present 1956 Chev- rolet 1/2-ton pick-up truck and present 1956 Chevrolet 34-ton pick-up truck, in connection with the purchase of two new trucks; (3) the High- way Department's present 1956 Chevrolet 1/2-ton pick-up truck and present 1951 Caterpillar D-4 tractor, in connection with the purchase of a new 1/2-ton pick-up truck and one new tractor-loader; (4) the Cemetery Department's present 1955 Ford 1-ton dump truck, in connection with the purchase of a new truck; (5) the Fire Department's old 1933 Reo service truck, no longer needed; (6) miscellaneous worn out equipment in the Fire Department, no longer needed; and (7) certain Town Office second-and furniture or fixtures, in connection with the purchase of new furniture and fixtures; funds for the Police, Highway, Cemetery Depart- ments and the Town Office being provided for in their respective budgets, funds for the Water Department being provided for in a separate article; or do or act.
Sale, trade-in or other disposal of Town property requires a vote of the Town. Police cars, Water Department trucks and light Highway Department trucks are now being purchased on an annual trade-in basis. The Welfare Department car, the Cemetery Department truck and the Park Department trucks are being handled on a two-year trade-in basis. The Highway Department's heavy equipment is kept for a longer period. The trade-in arrangement is working out very favorably to the Town, both as to the minimum amount of cash payment required and as to the minimum of repairs and maintenance.
The Finance Committee recommends the approval of this article.
Article 12. To see if the Town will authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1957, and to issue a note or notes therefor, payable within one year and to renew any note or notes as may be given for a period of less than a year, in accordance with Section 17, Chapter 44, General Laws.
This article gives the necessary authority for the Town Treasurer to make temporary borrowings during the summer and fall in anticipa- tion of the receipt of tax revenue for the current year. Although in some years it is not necessary to borrow, it is desirable to have this authority granted annually.
Article 13. To see if the Town will vote to accept various con- veyances, gifts, and devises to the Town; or take any other action rela- tive thereto.
This article appears in the Warrant annually and provides the opportunity for the Town to accept various gifts and conveyances. There are several items which the Town Counsel will propose to the Town in this connection.
The Finance Committee recommends the approval of the article.
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Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Personnel Board to make a study and survey as to the feasibility of the Town accepting the Group Insurance Program provided for under Chapter 32B of the Massachusetts General Laws for state, county, and town employ- ees; or take any action relative thereto.
The Legislature has recently passed legislation authorizing muni- cipalities to join with their employees in the purchase of group insur- ance, hospitalization and medical coverage. In view of the number of Town employees, the costs and the variations in the types of coverage permitted, it is a matter which should require serious study by the same board which has jurisdiction over, and regularly reviews, com- pensation. The Personnel Board is properly equipped to make an exhaustive study of the matter.
The Finance Committee therefore recommends the approval of the article.
Article 15. To see if the Town will vote, or take any action relative thereto, to raise and appropriate a sum of money to increase the com- plement of the Police Department, by adding thereto six (6) additional full-time police officers.
This article seeks to increase the complement of the Police Department by adding six (6) additional full-time police officers, which would in effect double the present force. The Finance Committee has reviewed the entire matter of police coverage with the Selectmen and has come to the conclusion that for a number of reasons, there is no necessity at the present time for the increase in the force here requested.
The Town Office Building, which will among other things ulti- mately house a central communications telephone and radio service for Police, Fire and Civil Defense, will not be ready until some time during the summer. The Selectmen have recently arranged for the con- tinuation for a year of the present telephone service supplied the Police Department through the Natick Police switchboard, so that the Town will be continuing to receive the same coverage it now has. In the last four years, the department has grown from a single full-time person, the chief, in 1952, to one man and the chief in '54, two men and the Chief in '55 and five men and the chief in '56. This increase in personnel has been substantially in excess of the growth of the Town' and there is, therefore, no reason to think that we are not now receiving adequate police coverage and service.
The Finance Committee feels that this request for additional service is a matter which can be deferred and therefore does not recommend the approval of the article.
Article 16. To see if the Town will vote, or take any action relative thereto, to increase the minimum salary of police officers and police chief $400.00 per annum, with annual step-rate increases of $150.00 each year for four years, enabling the police officers and police chief to achieve maximum pay after four (4) years' service instead of ten years' service.
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This article seeks to single-out the Police Department for a blanket raise of $400 per annum, per man; to raise the step-rate increase from $120 to $150 a year, and to eliminate the ten-year length of service step now existing in Town schedules by making it available at the end of four years. The request was neither cleared through the Personnel Board nor the Selectmen. The Personnel Board has made a thorough study of all wage classifications, reviewing them as against those used in surrounding and comparable towns. Under Article 3, it is proposing a $300 across-the-board increase for all salaried employees, in addition to the regular step-increase and a substantially larger increase for the Chief of Police. It is not favoring the abolition of the final ten-year length of service step-increase.
The Finance Committee has reviewed the entire matter of wages with the Personnel Board and feels that the Town will be well advised to stand by its Personnel Board's recommendations.
The Finance Committee does not recommend the approval of this article.
Article 17. To see if the Town will vote, or take any action relative thereto, to adopt and make effective in this Town, Section 53C, Chapter 262, of the General Laws: "Any police officer, on duty at night or on vacation, furlough or on a day off, who attends as a witness for the Commonwealth in a criminal case pending in a district court, or the superior court, may be granted such compensatory time off as shall be equal to the time during which he was in attendance at such court, or, if such additional time off cannot be given because of personnel shortage or other cause, he shall be entitled to additional pay for the time during which he was in attendance at such court."
This article seeks to provide for payment by the Town for time spent by a police officer in court, when his appearance there is during time when he would normally be off duty and yet for which under certain circumstances, he receives money for travelling expenses and witness fees. The matter is rather complex and requires further study. The practice varies as between towns. There is some real merit in the request, but the situation has been open to considerable abuse in some localities. If the statute is to be accepted, it should be done with some safeguards, and since compensation is involved, the matter should be referred to the Wage Board, from whom the Town should obtain a full report before taking action.
The Finance Committee, therefore, feels the article should be neither accepted nor rejected, but that the subject matter should be referred to the Wage Board.
Article 18. To see if the Town will vote, or take any action relative thereto, to provide for the payment by the Town of medical expenses, hospital expenses and regular weekly salaries of police officers and the police chief, suffered or incurred in the line of duty.
The subject matter of this article calls for some explanation. Workmen's Compensation was taken out a number of years ago for all Town employees other than policemen and firemen, who, under the
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statute, are ineligible under this form of policy. Since then, the Finance Committee has been looking into the matter further. At a cost of about $700 a year, a separate policy covering all policemen and firemen, including "call men" and "special officers," can be purchased to provide (1) $1,000 of blanket medical-accident reimbursement. (2) $1,000 life insurance for accidental death, (3) weekly indemnity while disabled, as a result of an accident while on duty, of $40 a week for 52 weeks. This coverage in several respects is substantially better than that which is provided under Workmen's Compensation for the other employees of the Town.
In view of the risks involved, the Finance Committee feels that the Town would be warranted in carrying the insurance. It has, therefore, included in the budget for insurance sufficient funds to pay the premium on such a policy.
The Finance Committee, therefore, recommends that no action will be necessary under this article.
Article 19. To see if the Town will vote, or take any action relative thereto, to raise and appropriate a sum of money to increase the com- plement of the Fire Department, by adding thereto four (4) additional full-time firemen.
This article seeks to add four (4) additional full-time firemen. It is being proposed that they be used for Saturday and Sunday coverage of the stations. Up through 1955, the Department had no full-time men. Because of the difficulty in being sure that a sufficient number of "call men" would respond during the day time, four full- time men were added in 1956, working a single shift, two men to a station during the day time Mondays through Fridays. On Saturdays and Sundays, as well as during all other days and during the night, "call men" continue to be available and have responded in sufficient numbers so that it would not appear to your Finance Committee that the hiring of additional full-time men is necessary. Clearly, the coverage is now much more complete than it was and with some further rearrangement could be deemed to be adequate. The cost of four additional full-time men would come to from $15,000 to $20,000 a year.
The Finance Committee does not recommend the approval of the article.
Article 20. To see if the Town will vote to appoint a committee to study the need and the advisability of the purchase by the Town of a Fire Department ladder truck.
While this article merely seeks the appointment of a committee, nevertheless a rather full study was made of the Department's equip- ment in 1953, when plans were being made for a new station and when two new $17,500 trucks were purchased. At that time, it was felt that the need for a specialized ladder truck in Wayland was not sufficiently great to warrant it being included in any near term plans for the Department. The type of houses already here and of those being built in the Town did not appear to that committee to call for a ladder truck, which would today probably cost $35-45,000.
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The Finance Committee has reviewed the matter further and feels that this is the type of equipment, the purchase of which should be deferred for a rather indefinite period, until at least some of our other larger items of expense have been cared for.
The Finance Committee, therefore, does not recommend the approval of the article.
Article 21. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and assess a sum of money for the purchase of a car for the Fire Department.
This article involves a completely new service, so far as the Town is concerned. It contemplates the purchase of a car for the Fire Department, equipment not necessarily needed by the Department as now operated. Under existing circumstances, a driver of such a car could be more advantageously used in the driving of a fire truck to the fire. The acquisition of such a piece of equipment, in the opinion of the Finance Committee, can clearly await the reorganization of the Fire Department.
The Finance Committee does not recommend the approval of the article.
Article 22. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and assess a sum of money for the support of the summer arts and crafts program; or do or act.
The Junior Town House is now conducting a summer arts and crafts program, which if assumed by the Town would add about $1,000 a year annual expense to the Town's budget. The Finance Committee sees in this article a request for the adoption of a new service not now performed by the Town. It does not feel that this is an appropriate time for the Town to assume this type of expense, worthy as the project may be.
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