USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wayland > Official reports of the town of Wayland 1957-1959 > Part 28
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BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED
(1) that the people of Wayland do hereby express their apprecia- tion of the devoted service of Howard S. Russell especially as Moderator.
(2) that this resolution be made a part of the permanent records of the Town and
(3) that the Town Clerk send a copy of this resolution to Howard S. Russell and Mrs. Russell suitably inscribed together with the best wishes of the community.
This Resolution was acknowledged and accepted by unanimous rising vote of the Meeting.
Mr. Theodore R. Magoun presented the Report of the Recreational Advisory Committee, copies of which had been distributed at the door, and a copy of which was on file with the Town Clerk:
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REPORT OF THE RECREATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Annual Town Meeting of March 5, 1958, under Article 1, voted that a committee of five be appointed by the Moderator to:
"be known as the Recreation Advisory Committee and its pur- pose shall be to assist the Park Commissioners in expanding Wayland's recreation program and facilities and to serve as liaison with elected officials and citizen groups active in recrea- tion and conservation in Wayland, and to review the report of the Planning Board on recreation and to make such specific recommendations in relation to said report to the Town as it deems advisable."
The Recreation Advisory Committee, appointed in April, 1958, has held numerous meetings during the year. Among them were meetings with the Park Board, Planning Board, School Committee, School Build- ing Committee, Sudbury River Valley Trustees and various other civic groups. At these meetings we learned of their programs, both short and long range, and made recommendations to them based on our studies to that date. We surveyed aspects of the recreational programs of neighboring towns such as Natick, Wellesley, Weston, Maynard, Ashland and Hopkinton. We considered the Report of the Planning Board on Recreation, known also as the "Harris Report," and availed ourselves of the facilities of several State agencies concerned with con- servation. We now offer our first report to the Town.
Our recommendations fall into two major categories - recreation and conservation :
1. RECREATION
It is our opinion, based on surveys made to date, that at the present time the recreational needs of Wayland are being met in a satisfactory manner with the programs now being offered by the Town Park and School Departments, Art Associations, Boy and Girl Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, Church Groups, Civic Groups, 4H Clubs, Junior Town House, Red Cross and Wayco Recreation Programs.
We, therefore, recommend that the direction of recreation by the present unpaid volunteers is by far the best plan for the town now. Not only does it provide the personal touch which only an interested parent can give, but it saves the town a substantial amount of money which a paid director and staff would require.
The only difficulty with the recreation program in the past has been a matter of scheduling and publicity. To avoid this in the future, we recommend that all organizations and groups clear their schedules with the Park Department Secretary if they wish to use town playing fields, or with the School Department Secretary if they wish the use of school fields or buildings. We further recommend that the Park Department Secretary co-ordinate and publicize all recreational activi- ties presently functioning as well as adding new activities as they may be introduced.
We feel that Wayland offers now, on a town-wide basis, adequate playground and recreational areas, and that these should continue to
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be developed on the decentralized school sites and facilities as well as the other town and public properties; i.e. bathing beach, Hannah Williams playground, rifle range in the new Town Building, etc. It appears that the planned facilities at the new school buildings, particu- larly the proposed new High School, will meet cur recreational needs. We recommend that the School Department continue its present policy of allowing community use of school buildings and grounds for recrea- tional purposes.
A survey of High School student recreational desires was conducted by this committee and resulted in:
1. A rifle training course. Now an existing function under leadership of the School Department.
2. The need for a teen-age canteen. This is now being investi- gated by at least one volunteer group.
We also agree that there is not a need for the town to purchase more land for beach use anywhere within the town limits, and especially in any area where current real estate prices would have to be paid, and where expensive dredging or filling operations might be necessary. We recommend that the town should put money into the expansion of the present beach at Lake Cochituate, where there is a staff of life guards, beach attendants, and gate attendants already in existence, and which staff could be expanded when necessary, without duplication. We foresee a time when the beach area might have to be tripled to accommodate the town residents, and this can be done with the land the town presently owns there.
Our preliminary findings on neighborhood "tot lots" are that they are not desirable and not worth the money it would cost the town to buy them at real estate prices. A host of parents interviewed on this subject were of the opinion that they would not allow their children to go some distance away, cut of sight, to play in a lot at the far end of a development, when their own substantial back yards provided plenty of play area and room for play equipment.
2. CONSERVATION
This committee feels that it is of the utmost importance to pre- serve the rural aspects of Wayland at a time when industrialization is producing miles of factories and multiple housing units where there were once only acres of pasture and swamp all around us. With the foresight of the Planning and Zoning Boards, so far this town has been kept as a pleasant suburban town, and we feel that this zoning plan as now supported by the townspeople should be continued without change.
At the same time, we believe that it is important to promote the gifts to Wayland or to private groups like the Sudbury Valley Trustees, of marsh lands and town forest lands. Especially important, we feel, is the necessity of preserving a "green belt" along the Sudbury River Valley. Although we should encourage private groups to acquire, by purchase or gift, land for wild life preservation or town park use, we do not recommend that the town purchase such land at the present time when mounting costs for schools and other necessities are putting
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a strain upon all of us. The later acquisition of such land from these civic groups on a cost basis should be considered in the distant future, when the town's financial condition can better absorb this kind of expense.
Since the intent of this committee in its first year was to cover only the broad aspects of recreation and conservation, rather than its minute details, it is recommended that this committee be continued for further study.
Respectfully submitted,
RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
/s/ Joseph J. Joyce /s/ Harvey C. Newton /s/ Shirley M. Willard /s/ Harriet M. Veno /s/ Theodore R. Magoun, Chairman
Upon motion of Mr. Magoun, duly seconded, it was
Voted: That the report of the Recreational Advisory Committee be accepted and placed on the Record of the Town Meeting; that the Recreational Advisory Committee be continued to study the several matters still pending before it and be instructed to further report to the Town at the next Annual Town Meeting.
Mr. Magoun read the following Statement, and requested that it be made part of the record of this Meeting:
STATEMENT
For the first time in twenty years a matter of professional etiquette is properly before the Town.
The membership of the Recreational Advisory Committee was, per- haps, the last appointment made by Mr. Howard S. Russell as Moderator before his retirement after twenty years of devoted service and integrity in this position of trust. We thank him for the oppor- tunity to serve.
Wayland now has a new Moderator, duly elected, who has accepted the responsibilities and duties of the post.
The membership of the Recreational Advisory Committee, a Modera- tor's Committee, therefore advises the Town of its resignation, effective forthwith, as a matter of professional etiquette, affording the new Moderator the fullest freedom to exercise his privilege of appointment.
/s/ Joseph J. Joyce /s/ Harvey C. Newton /s/ Shirley M. Willard /s/ Harriet M. Veno /s/ Theodore R. Magoun, Chairman
The response of the new Moderator was to reject the resignations summarily.
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Mr. Charles H. Peters offered the following
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS on March 1st, 1959, when he retired as Road Com- missioner,
MR. RONALD S. CAMPBELL
completed twelve consecutive years of service to this Town as Road Commissioner.
WHEREAS that service has been characterized by wisdom, ability and devotion to duty ;
THEREFORE, as citizens in Town Meeting assembled, Mr. Moderator, be it moved that by a rising vote we make known our gratitude to Ronald S. Campbell;
AND that the Town Clerk be directed to note in the minutes of this meeting such vote, this motion and the preamble to. it,
AND that a copy be sent to Mr. Campbell.
Mr. Douglas Surgenor, Chairman, presented a Special Report of the School Committee, announcing a grant of $15,000. to the Wayland Schools by the Fund for the Advancement of Education, established by the Ford Foundation. Funds under this grant will supplement regular operating funds of the School Committee and will permit acceleration and expansion of their study of curriculum improvements. The funds are to be used before September 30, 1959, at which time a report of progress will be drawn up.
Mr. John B. Wilson requested that the report of the Pelham Island Road Committee be deferred until Article 22, which relates to the report. This request was UNANIMOUSLY ACCEPTED.
Mr. Allan R. Finlay presented the Report of the School Building Committee: That bids on the proposed new high school building would be due in about three weeks; that the financing of the new high school was being worked out in such a way that, rather than increasing the 1959 tax rate, the total capital cost of various schools might be a smaller part of the 1959 tax rate than in 1958! He also mentioned the transferral, proposed by Article 12 of this Warrant, of funds remaining from the Happy Hollow School account to complete installation of the sprinkler system in the present high school building, in the hope of reducing fire insurance cost to the town.
Upon motion, duly seconded, it was
Voted: To accept the Report of the School Building Committee.
In the absence of any report from the Committee to Study Traffic Rules and Regulations, and upon a motion of Mr. Archibald Cox, duly seconded, it was
Voted: To continue this Committee for another year.
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Mr. Cox summarized the Report of the Committee to Study Town Government and, duly seconded, made the following
MOTION: That the Committee's Report be accepted and that the Committee be continued for another year in order to continue its original assignment of looking into the possibility of closer correlation of the work of the various Town boards and departments and for the purposes of investigating the length of the terms of certain offices, of reviewing the relations of the School Department with other depart- ments especially the Library, the Board of Health and the Park Department, of reviewing the handling of Fire and Police communica- tions and of investigating the desirability and practicability of distribut- ing better information concerning the Town government and the activities of the several departments.
Mr. Magoun, duly seconded, offered the following Amendment to Mr. Cox' Motion :
"And that the Report be spread before the meeting - printed as part of the minutes of the meeting in the next Annual Town Report."
Voted: In favor of Mr. Magoun's Amendment.
Voted: In favor of Mr. Cox' Motion, subject to Mr. Magoun's Amendment.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO STUDY TOWN GOVERNMENT
The Committee to Study Town Government submits the following report on its activities since the annual Town Meeting in March, 1958.
1. Fire Department
After consultation with Fire Chief Francis J. Hartin the Committee unanimously makes the following recommendations:
(1) Pursuant to the long range plan adopted at the 1958 Town Meeting the Town should set aside an additional $10,000 for financing the purchase of equipment.
(2) The Fire Department is encouraging full time firemen to do as much productive work as possible while on duty. One fireman main- tains and repairs the fire alarm system and installs extensions. Another can perform most of the mechanical maintenance and repairs upon fire department equipment including its trucks. Both jobs require skill and experience. Having the work done by Town employees instead of contracting it out will break even on the fire alarm system and save significant sums on the maintenance of equipment. Accordingly the Committee joins in the Fire Chief's recommendation that the positions of Fireman-Electrician and Fireman-Mechanic be established each with a salary $300. a year above the salary of fireman.
(3) During the year the Fire Chief worked out a plan having men on duty 24 hours a day in the Wayland Fire Station at minimum cost to the Town. The Fire Chief will arrange with members of the call department to undertake to spend at least 50 nights a year in the
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Wayland Fire Station in return for a payment of $300. Two men would be on duty from early evening until the regular firemen come on duty in the morning. The outlay would be approximately $4,200 a year. A night alarm brings out the entire call department if no one is on duty at the station even though many alarms can be handled by two men with proper equipment. Consequently, having men on duty 24 hours a day would reduce the cost of the call department with the result that the net increase in cost resulting from the new arrange- ment would be considerably less than $4,200.
The Committee canvassed this proposal carefully because it feared that such a measure might lead to a permanent force of salaried firemen 24 hours a day in both fire stations. After discussion, however, the Committee concluded that if properly handled, the measure would strengthen the call department and thereby postpone the day when the Town might require a permanent force of firemen 24 hours a day. The key is using the $300. payment exclusively to build up the call department.
The Committee, therefore, joins in recommending the appropriation of the necessary funds to be used only for paying call men $300. a year upon their undertaking to be on duty in the fire station at least 50 nights in the year. The recommendation applies only to the Way- land Fire Station this year. The money would not be paid to any of the salaried firemen employed by the Town.
2. Consolidation of Police and Fire Departments
The 1958 Town Meeting instructed the Committee to Study Town Government to report on the advisability of consolidating the Fire and Police Departments. After canvassing the problem the Committee con- cluded that this was a step to be considered in the future rather than at the present time.
3. Telephones and Post Office
The 1958 Town Meeting instructed the Committee to investigate the possible solutions to the problems in Wayland; residents whose out-of-town friends and business contacts were unable to reach them in Wayland because their telephones were listed under Natick and the Post Office address is Cochituate.
The Committee is pleased to report that it has made arrangements with the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company which will result in listing under Wayland all residential telephones within the gecgraphical and political limits of the Town. Residential telephones which have an Olympic number will also continue to be listed under Natick. Thus the Olympic residential numbers will receive a double listing without extra charge.
The same practice will be applied to residential telephones carrying Trinity numbers.
The New England Telephone and Telegraph Company took the position, however, that commercial telephones would have to pay for the double listing.
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4. Continuation of the Committee
The Committee on Town Government believes that it should be continued for another year in order to continue its original assignment of looking into the possibility of closer correlation of the work of the various Town boards and departments. The Committee has four specific studies in mind :
(1) Investigating the length of the terms of certain offices;
(2) Reviewing the relations of the School Department and other departments, especially the Library, the Board of Health and the Park Department;
(3) Reviewing the handling of Fire and Police communications; and
(4) Investigating the desirability and practicability of distributing better information concerning the Town government and the activities of the several departments.
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas F. Linnehan
Carol J. Thomas
Robert M. Morgan Caroline L. Whiteside
L. W. Bertelsen (with respect to the Fire Department) Robert H. Charnock
(with respect to the Fire Department) Robert W. Shuette (with respect to the Fire Department) Francis J. Hartin (with respect to the Fire Department) Archibald Cox, Chairman
Upon motion of Mr. Morgan, duly seconded, it was
Voted: To continue the Drainage Committee in existence for the coming year.
Article 2: To choose all necessary Town Officers, Agents and Committees not elected by the official ballot.
Upon motion of Mr. Morgan, duly seconded, it was
Voted: That the same three Trustees of the Allen Fund, namely : John Bryant Benjamin W. Johnson, III George W. Shepard
continue to serve as Trustees of that Fund.
Upon motion of Mr. Magoun, duly seconded, it was
Voted: That the Selectmen act as fence viewers; that the Con- stables act as field drivers; and that the persons now serving in the following offices be re-elected :
22.
Measurers of Wood and Bark: Joseph H. Decatur, Thomas F. Linnehan, and Arthur Marston.
Surveyors of Lumber: Thomas F. Linnehan and Arthur F. Marston; and that the Memorial Day Committee be appointed by the Moderator, in accordance with the vote made at the last Annual Town Meeting.
Article 3: To see if the Town will vote to amend the Town by-law establishing the Wage and Salary Classification Plan, as amended, in any of the following respects, and to appropriate and assess a sum of money for the purposes thereof, or take any other action relative thereto:
(a) Amend Article II, Section 1, of said Plan by deleting the head- ing "10 years after" from the final column of salary rates and sub- stituting the heading "5 years after."
(b) Amend Article V, Section 1, by striking out the word "four" in the first sentence thereof and substituting "five."
(c) Further amend Article II, Section 1, of said Plan by adding the following new classifications and salary rates :
AFTER
Position Min. 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 years
Receptionist
and Switchboard
Operator $2,630.50 $2,713.30 $2,796.10 $2,878.90 $2,961.70 $3,044.50
Machine Room
and Supply Clerk
2,630.50
2,713.30 2,796.10
2,878.90 2,961.70
3,044.50
Firemen,
Electricians 4,026.00
4,150.80
4,274.40
4,398.60
4,522.80
4,647.00
Fireman,
Mechanic
4,026.00 4,150.80
4,274.40
4,398.60
4,522.80
4,647.00
(d) Further amend said Article II, Section 1, by deleting the salary rates for "Librarian," "Assistant Librarian - Professional," "Children's Librarian - Professional," "Cemetery and Moth Control" and substituting the following:
AFTER
Position
Min.
1 year
2 years 3 years 4 years 5 years
Librarian $4,443.50 $4,567.70 $4,691.90 $4,816.10 $4,940.30 $5,064.50
Children's
Librarian,
Professional 3,815.50
3,919.00
4,022.50
4,126.00
4,229.50
4,333.00
Assistant
Librarian,
Professional 3,815.50
3,919.00
4,022.50
4,126.00
4,229.50
4,333.00
Cemetery and
Moth Control 3,933.00
4,057.20
4,181.40
4,305.60
4,429.80
4,554.00
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(e) Further amend said Article II, Section 1, by deleting the classi- fications "Public Health Nurse" and "School Nurse" and the correspond- ing salaries and by substituting the following new classifications and salaries :
AFTER
Position Min.
1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 years
Registered
Professional
Nurse
$3,650.00 $3,770.00 $3,890.00 $4,010.00 $4,130.00 $4,250.00
Public Health
Nurse I 3,950.00
4,070.00
4,190.00
4,310.00
4,430.00
4,550.00
Public Health
Nurse II
4,350.00
4,470.00
4,590.00
4,710.00
4,830.00
4,950.00
(f) Further amend said Article II, Section 1, by increasing five (5) percent each annual or monthly salary and each hourly wage rate (including the salaries established by the preceding amendments).
(g) Amend Article III -A, Section 3, by inserting in the second sentence after the words "on a week-end" the words "or on a holiday listed in Article V - B."
Duly seconded, Mr. Edwin W. Marston made the following
MOTION: To amend the Town By-Law establishing a Wage and Salary Classification Plan established March 3, 1954 and amended March 9, 1955, March 7, 1956, March 6, 1957 and March 5, 1958, in the following respects: (as given in the Warrant, a re-reading was omitted by the maker of the Motion, with unanimous consent of the Meeting) ; and that the amendments herein made with respect to wage and salary levels and job classifications shall be effective as of March 3, 1959 - and as of January 1, 1959 in the event current pending legislation before the Massachusetts General Court is enacted, permitting the effective date to be set retroactively to the first of the year.
Duly seconded, Mr. Cox moved to Amend this Motion in the fol- lowing respects :
(1) To change "Firemen Electricians" to read "Fireman Electri- cian"
Voted: In favor of this Amendment.
(2) To strike out the final paragraph of the Motion and insert the following :
"Said amendments shall be effective as of January 1, 1959 to the fullest extent permitted by existing law or practice or any bill enacted by the General Court during the current session."
Voted: In favor.
Voted: (Upon the main Motion of Mr. Marston - subject to the above Amendments) :
First Vote gave a scattering "No."
Second Vote was unanimously in favor of the Motion, as amended.
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Article 4: To grant money for necessary Town purposes.
Duly seconded, Mr. Morgan made the following
MOTION: That the report of the Finance Committee be accepted and its recommendations be adopted; that $1,874,505.37 with the addi- tion of: $9,032.50
Planning Board
Engineering - Existing Town Roads .... $1,000.00
Drainage Maps 1,200.00
Board of Health
Registered Professional Nurse 3,832.50
Highway Department
Snow Removal 1,500.00
Park Department
Rent and Misc. Expense 1,500.00
$9,032.50
and with the subtraction of: $18,647.50
Health Department
Nurse #1
$4,147.50
Schools
Expense of Instruction
Teachers' Salaries
14,000.00
Building and Equipment Maintenance and Outlay ... 500.00
$18,647.50
be granted, appropriated and assessed for the several purposes desig- nated, making a total budget of $1,864,890.37 and that the same be expended only for the purposes shown under the respective boards, com- mittees and officers of the Town; and that
All employees in the Town Office Building, other than elected offi- cials and those of the Police and Fire Departments, come under the supervision of the Executive-Secretary, and that he be charged with the operation of both Town Office Buildings and equipment;
The operation of the dumps be under the supervision of the High- way Department;
The money from Dog Taxes be allocated in its entirety to the Library-Appropriation account :
The Public Health Nurse #II and Registered Professional Nurse, scheduled under the appropriation for the Board of Health, be under the supervision of the Health Department;
That the funds provided for under Fire Department, Call Men - night duty be used only under the following conditions: $300.00
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annually to call men who serve on the night shift, 6:00 P. M. to 7:00 A. M. fifty nights a year and not more than two nights in any one week. All funds to be expended for Call-men only, not regular men. This is done with a view to building up the call department;
The funds provided for under School Department - School Admin- istration Building - Purchase of Building and Renovation of Building - be expended under the supervision of the School Building Committee;
The work on Assessors' Maps continue to be done under the joint supervision of the Planning Board and the Board of Assessors;
The supervision of the job of street numbering and the appropria- tion therefor be the responsibility of the Planning Board;
The appropriation for "Engineering - Including Existing Town Roads" be under the joint supervision of the Planning Board and the Road Commissioners;
The gift to the Library, acceptance of which is provided for under Article 10, be made available for expenditure along with other amounts appropriated by the Town under the budget for general expense of the Library;
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