Report of the city of Somerville 1955, Part 8

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1955
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 368


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1955 > Part 8


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In December our Children's Program at Central was dis- rupted by a broken steam main which necessitated the closing of the Junior Library for a week. Because of the location of the main in a trench beneath the floor under the wall stacks it was necessary to rearrange the entire set-up by moving the stacks to the center of the room. In the process the cork floor cover was ruined and must be replaced and the walls will have to be refinished.


We are indebted to Mayor Donovan and Public Works Commissioner Manning for the cooperation we have received in taking care of our needs. New rubber tile floors have been laid at East and Teele Square, much needed front doors and marquee have been installed at East. A rubber composition has been applied to the main entrance stairs at Central and the start of a complete new lighting system has been made.


Honors were bestowed upon two of our Trustees during the year. Father Thomas F. Garrity was elevated to a Monsignor and John J. Griffin was appointed General Agent of the Wel- fare Department.


There was only one change in the Board of Trustees. Dr. Charles E. Rosenthall was appointed for a three year term end- ing in 1958 and Mr. Arthur G. Helmund and Mr. William M. McKenna were reappointed for another three year term. Mr.


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ANNUAL REPORTS


McKenna, senior member of the Board, has served twenty-five continuous years as a trustee.


A scare was thrown over the staff during the polio epidemic when one of our new members Eugene Allen was stricken. For- tunately his paralytic involvement is not too severe and he is making heroic efforts in his fight back to normalcy.


Recruitment of qualified personnel continues to be a prob- lem. In the past year we had only one applicant with a college degree who accepted employment on the basis that he intend- ed to continue his education next year to acquire a library science degree. There were five resignations and seven new appointments to the staff. One of the appointees resigned after three months service and a second is leaving to be mar- ried this spring. At this writing the staff, other than those in su- pervisory positions consists of three members with five years of experience, one a married woman who is leaving in the next month or so, and the other two have been severely handi- capped because of poor health. One with four years of expe- rience and one with three years, both recently married. There are three with 2 years of experience, one of whom is leaving to be married, six with one year of experience, one of whom is leaving this spring because of a family condition and another because of her pending marriage. Of the six non-professionals with less than a year of experience, one will resign this spring to be married as noted above and the second to continue his education. Though marriage appears to be the chief cause of our havoc, the starting salary of $41.43 per week, with a work week including at least two evenings until 9:00 p. m. and Satur- day morning hours, is not sufficient inducement to entice cap- able applicants.


Absenteeism has become a plague during the year. With a staff of forty-two members there has been 4881/2 days of absences. An analysis of the individual records produce some rather startling facts. Since the change in the staff rules per- mitting married women to continue employment on an annual basis, six of our recently married girls have been absent 136 days or approximately one-third of the total. Sixteen staff members have been out only 28 days, ranging from one to 41/2 days and three have had a perfect attendance leaving seven- teen members absent 324 days. If this serious condition pre- vails among so few I fear drastic action must be taken con- cerning our generous twenty-five working days sick leave es- pecially with the unfortunate city ordinance allowing the in- definite accumulation of sick leave. To realize the serious- ness and the injustice of this situation, we have several staff


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members with an accumulation of from 150 to 170 days as of December 31st. It has been my experience in cases of severe need because of prolonged illnesses that no Mayor in the past has refused my requests for extended sick leaves but now we are at the mercy of the employees who take advantage of a generous provision after they have acquired an accumulation of days and particularly after a ring has been placed on their finger.


The staff changes were as follows:


Resignations


E. Lillian Clifford Grace A. Coiley A. Frances Dennis Mary T. Dineen Constance R. Jordan


Appointments


Eugene F. Allen


Non-Professional


Mary F. Baker


Ann M. Coleman


"1


Mary T. Dineen


Roberta Grant


..


11


Elizabeth A. Malcolm


.


.


Promotions


Thelma G. Donovan


Junior Assistant, Ist Year


Margaret E. Durkin


"


11


Lillian F. Hixenbaugh


Saralee Preziosi


Anne M. Russell


11


11


Diane B. Wilder


Grace A. Coiley


Junior Assistant, 2nd Year


John A. McInerny


Virginia A. O'Hare


11


11


Margaret E. Ronayne


11


Eleanor A. Long


Junior Assistant, 3rd Year


Marion H. Torino


Senior Assistant, 1st Year


Alice P. Burkhart


Senior Assistant, 2nd Year 11


A. Marion Johnian


Katharine V. Nolan


11


11


M. Louise McGrath


11


Katharine V. Nolan


First Assistant at East


Shirley A. McCauley


11


11


"


"


Though I have been critical in this report concerning the staff, I must confess with few exceptions they are a most loyal group who willingly cooperate in all matters pertaining to the best interest of the library. To them I am greatly indebted.


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ANNUAL REPORTS


To the Board of Trustees I am ever grateful for their in- terest and advice. The friendliness and spirit of cooperation of this Board is outstanding. I appreciate your confidence and counsel.


Respectfully submitted,


JOHN D. KELLEY,


Librarian.


AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION FORM FOR UNIFORM STATISTICS


City: Somerville County: Middlesex


State: Massachusetts


Name of Library: The Public Library of the City of Somerville


Date of founding: 1872


Name of Librarian: John D. Kelley


Report of the fiscal year ending: December 31, 1955


Governmental unit of support and service: City


Population served (1950 census) 102,254


Terms of use: Free for lending-Free for reference


Agencies


Central Library


1


Branches in Library Buildings


2


Branches in Rented Rooms


1


Stations in Rented Rooms


2


Others, in Schools


271


in Institutions


8


TOTAL


285


Circulation and Use


Number of volumes of adult non-fiction lent for home use 52,670


Number of volumes of adult fiction lent for home use


95,876


Number of volumes of juveniles lent for home use 220,330


Total number of volumes lent for home use


368,876


Period of loan for the majority of adult book stock 14 days


Number of inter-library loans: Volumes lent 31


Volumes borrowed 25


Number of reference questions answered 9948


Total number of records lent for home use


Albums 3,696


Records


18,416


Registration


Adult


Juvenile


Total


Total number of registered borrowers .....


9,307


7,725


17,032


Borrowers registered during year


4,592


3,749


8,341


Registration period: 2 years


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PUBLIC LIBRARY


Book Stock


Adult


Juvenile


Total


Number of volumes December 31, 1954 ..


92,362


46,952


139,314


Number of volumes added during year ...


5,284


6,622


11,906


Number of volumes withdrawn during year


3,665


3,240


6,905


Number of volumes December 31, 1955 ..


93,981


50,334 144,315


Number of newspapers currently received excluding duplicates


16


Number of periodicals currently received excluding duplicates


149


FINANCE


Assessed valuation of the city-$124,739,300.00


Receipts


Local Taxation


Library Department


$167,098.62


Fines included in above


$4,365.95


Dog licenses included in above


4,592.00


Invested Funds:


Balance from 1954


$1,516.86 899.11


Income during 1955


2,415.97


TOTAL


$169,514.59


Expenditures


Salaries: Library Department


$136,141.39


Books: Appropriation


$19,909.51


Funds


322.95


20,232.46


Music


1,045.18


Periodicals


1,316.85


Binding


629.41


Insurance


.00


Other Operating Expenses


7,351.56


TOTAL


$166,716.85


Transfers To Other Departments


None


Balance


December 31, 1955


Library Department


Appropriation Services


$772.23


Appropriation Ordinary Maintenance


.49


Trust Funds


2,025.02


GRAND TOTAL


2,797.74 $169,514.59


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ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE


BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE


J. HELEN CLOUGH Chairman JOHN J. CONWAY JOHN P. HENRY


COMMITTEES


On Finance, Investigations, and Relief Mrs. Clough, Mr. Conway and Mr. Henry


GENERAL AGENT


JOHN J. GRIFFIN


CITY PHYSICIAN


JOHN M. TAVARES, M.D.


STAFF OF THE CITY PHYSICIAN


BENJAMIN BLESOFF, M. D. JOSEPH BALDASSARRE, M. D. MARIE A. HANRAHAN, R. N. MARY G. WELCH, Med. & Dent. Asst.


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WELFARE DEPARTMENT


Somerville, Massachusetts February 15, 1956


To His Honor the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville


Gentlemen:


The Board of Public Welfare submits, herewith, the annual report of the General Agent and the report of City Physician, together with illustrative statistical tables.


Respectfully submitted,


J. HELEN CLOUGH, Chairman JOHN J. CONWAY JOHN P. HENRY


To the Honorable Mayor and the Board of Aldermen


Gentlemen:


The following is respectfully submitted as the Annual Report of the General Agent of the Board of Public Welfare for the year ending December 31, 1955.


The year 1955 was a memorable one in the history of the Somerville Welfare Department because of a significant suc- cession of very important events.


The three year term of Mr. Charles J. Sullivan as a member of the Board of Public Welfare expired and he was succeeded by Mr. John P. Henry who took the oath of office on January 13, 1955.


At the regular meeting held on January 18, the Board organized for the year and Mrs. J. Helen Clough was elected Chairman of the Board, by unanimous vote.


The chief change in the Staff was the naming of a new Executive Head of the Department. John J. Griffin, Supervisor of Old Age Assistance since 1943, Acting General Agent dur- ing the vacations and illness of the late Mr. Willwerth, and Temporary General Agent since March 1, 1954, was promoted to the position of permanent General Agent by unanimous vote of the Board of Public Welfare at the regular meeting of the Board on February 15, 1955 after the official establishment


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ANNUAL REPORTS


of the Civil Service List which Mr. Griffin headed. Mayor William J. Donovan immediately approved the action of the Board and arranged with City Clerk Norman E. Corwin for the instant taking of the oath of office by Mr. Griffin who was forthwith sworn in by the City Clerk in the Mayor's Office.


NET COSTS ACTUALLY DECLINE


It will be a startling surprise to most people to learn that although the gross expenditures of the Welfare Department increased by $74,001.52 in 1955 over the 1954 total, the net costs to the City of Somerville actually declined by $26,546.50.


The aggregate expenditures for 1955 were $3,010,429.67 as against $2,936,428.15 in 1954. But the net costs in 1955 were but $662,279.53 in contrast to the preceding year's figure of $688,826.03. Despite the traditional asseverations about the tremendous influence which Welfare costs sup- posedly have on the local tax rate, it is perfectly plain that the 1955 net costs represent less than $5.10 of the $63.20 per thousand tax rate. It is true of course, as we have frequently pointed out, that the annual appropriation must include the amounts eventually and belatedly to be reimbursed by the State, but it is likewise important to bear in mind the yearly income from the State's share in financing. Expenditures and costs are entirely different realities, but in common conversa- tion the distinction is likely to be lost, especially by those unfamiliar with the intricacies of welfare financing. It is high time that public cognizance was taken of the stark truth that net costs to the City constitute less than one quarter of the total outlays. In fact, net costs in 1955 were but 22 percent of gross expenditures.


A further analysis of the figures reveals some very inter- esting data. For example, the expenditures for "Personal Services" which is salaries, was reduced over $10,000 in 1955 chiefly due to the closure of the City Infirmary. The 1954 expense for "Personal Services" was $212,326.04 and the 1955 figure but $201,994.59, a difference of $10,331.45.


The maintenance costs of the Municipal Welfare Clinic reflected the radical change in policy which we effected in 1954 whereby the policy of dispensing drugs was abrogated and the character of this unit was made simply diagnostic, except for emergency treatments. Since the salaries of the City Physicians are included under this heading and since they remained the same, as did also the wages of other staff mem-


145


WELFARE DEPARTMENT


bers, it is clear that the savings effected resulted from the discontinuance of drug dispensing. In 1954 the Clinic costs equalled $20,233.36 and in 1955 they totalled $16,404.76 or a reduction of $3,828.60.


From time to time we have heard ill-founded criticisms of the presumably excessive costs of public assistance admin- istration. A dispassionate look at the record locally at least, tends to shatter such a baseless preconception. Neither private industry, in general, nor the voluntary social service agencies have administrative costs comparably low. The Table which is printed below provides insight into the facts. Pithily, it demonstrates that the gross administrative expenses of the entire Welfare Department are but 7.3 per cent of aggregate disbursements. In reading the detailed breakdown it should be borne in mind that the figures represent expenditures rather than costs. The Department receives 75 per cent Federal-State reimbursement for administration as well as for assistance in the Disability Assistance Division, fifty per cent administrative financing from the Federal Government in the Old Age Assist- ance and Aid to Dependent Children categories and an approx- imately equal share from the same source for some of the personnel carried on the Miscellaneous Welfare payroll whose jurisdiction extends to all the other categories as for example, the Accountant, the Head Clerk and the General Agent. It should also be known that general overhead costs for mainten- ance, furnishings, repair, and utilities are shared by Uncle Sam.


The ledgers disclose that of the $3,010,429.67 expended in all by the Department but $219,101.44 or 7.3 per cent went for administrative expenses, and that administrative grants from the Federal and reimbursements from the State totalled $91,213.07. Hence, 41.6 per cent of all administrative ex- penses were subsidized by the Federal and State governments.


The total income of the Department during the year is detailed below in Tables A through E. It equalled $2,348,150.14. The extent of the Federal participation is regulated by the application of a complicated formula and in 1955 Uncle Sam's paid share of our relief grants was $5,038.97 less than in 1954. On the other hand, State reimbursements were $70,494.00 higher despite a drop of almost $10,000 in the meal tax distribution, and a dimunition of almost $5,000 in reimbursements for non-settled cases, because of the closure of the City Home. These non-settled cases of course, have been absorbed by the categorical programs wherein the specific returns are not easily identified.


146


ANNUAL REPORTS


In 1954 Federal fiscal participation returned $1,124,904.59 to us, and in 1955 the sum was $1,119,865.62, whereas in the former year the State reimbursed us to a total of $1,007,476.59 and in 1955 to the gross figure of $1,077,970.59.


Because in Massachusetts, the financing of public assist- ance is a tripartite responsibility involving the Federal, State and local governments, the principles and procedures of the Department's fiscal operations are not readily comprehended by externs. Suffice it to remark here that the monies received from the Federal government are earmarked for the Depart- ment's own accounts, may not be channelled elsewhere and go to supplement the local appropriations included in the Annual Budget which are calculated in view of such income. On the contrary, the reimbursements made by the Common- wealth go into the City's general revenue account and are not returned to the Department's accounts. Hence, the anticipa- tion of such income cannot influence the amount of the local appropriation included in the Municipal Annual Budget. Moreover, while there is a steady annual income from State reimbursements flowing into the City's treasury, the fact is that reimbursements for public assistance expenditures lag as much as a year in arrears. Thus reimbursements for A.D.C. expenditures made from July 1, 1954 to June 30, 1955 were not paid to Somerville until September of the year 1955. The usual time of payment is somewhat earlier but the protracted session of the State Legislature and the delay in the passage of the State budget deferred distribution of the Common- wealth's share. An inherent difficulty is the fact that the State's fiscal year is from July 1 to June 30, while the fiscal year of the local governments is concurrent with the calendar year.


RECOVERIES OF MONEY


The chief fount of what are known as "Recoveries" of assistance money expended derives from the Lien Law obtain- ing in Old Age Assistance, from estates (mostly by virtue of Section 4A of Chapter 118A) and less importantly from insur- ance assigned to the City in accordance with the low ceiling for readily liquidable assets ($300) prevailing in Disability Assistance eligibility requirements. Our policy has been to pursue diligently and to corral every possible penny available from these potential sources. The undersigned has reserved the discharge of liens to himself precisely in order to imple- ment a vigilant attitude in respect to their financial possibili- ties.


147


PUBLIC LIBRARY


The records for the year carry substantial evidence that this aggressive pursuit has proven manifestly productive of positive results. Our total collection from "Recoveries" in 1954 was $26,151.43 whereas for 1955 it amounted to $42,853.69, rep- resenting an increase of $16,702.26 or 60.4 per cent.


We were especially fortunate in the size of certain settle- ments effected during 1955 and it would not be safe to use our experience as a criterion of future activity in this area, particularly since we successfully pressed for the payment of several outstanding obligations.


COLLECTIONS FROM CITIES AND TOWNS


Virtually all the municipalities of the Commonwealth are confronted with critical financial problems similar to our own. Hence collecting monies due from them for public assistance which we have granted to persons possessing "legal settle- ment" in their respective territories, is not an easy task. It is especially onerous and difficult when the besieged community chances to be a creditor whose claims we have not fully honored.


As in the case of "Recoveries" we have followed a policy of systematic attack in this field by maintaining continuing contact with the Welfare Agents of the various Cities and Towns and by periodically reviewing our mutual commitments.


Despite the intrinsic complexities, we are happy to report that during 1955 we managed to amass $66,607.40 in sharp contrast to the $37,284.03 inflow of the prior year. The in- crease therefore, was $29,323.37 which is tantamount to an increment of 78.6 per cent. It is perhaps superfluous to emphasize here, that such income swells "estimated receipts" to the benefit of the local tax rate.


ANNUAL BUDGET


Projecting estimates of probable expenditures by the De- partment for the coming year, based on the experience of the previous year in the several categories of public relief, is an extremely delicate assignment because of the myriad number of variables which must be considered. No amount of crystal gazing can envision how many applications for aid will be filed, how many recipients will die, transfer, enter Nursing Homes, be hospitalized or need medical attention. Nor can


148


ANNUAL REPORTS


the decisions of Congress or of the State Legislature be antici- pated in relation to their continuing appraisal of liberalizing proposals. Even less predictable are the never-ceasing fluctu- ations of the economy as a whole, and the changes in local industry, particularly. Moreover, the exact returns in Federal grants are not foreseeable since they vary according to the type as well as the number of cases. Neither we may add, is the precise time of receipt of these necessary funds. It is not to be wondered at therefore, if welfare administrators attempt- ing to prepare reasonably approximate Annual Budget figures share the sensitive feelings of the philosopher William James when he spoke of being "overwhelmed by an irremediable sense of precariousness.'


Despite the inevitable hazards of the requisite "scientific guessing" we may now observe in retrospect that we came comfortably close to achieving a "bull's-eye." Unlike other Municipal Departments which do not receive Federal financial grants or have refunds and recoveries, the Welfare Department must prepare net estimates as well as gross according to a fixed formula which essentially reflects the previous year's income. We requested a net overall appropriation of $1,887,- 820.91. His Honor the Mayor slashed our total by $176,438.54. Before the end of the year virtually the entire deduction had to be restored by floatation of a $160,000 bond issue. In fact, if we met all the City and Town demands for money owed we would have needed the restoration of the whole amount subtracted, and more.


FINANCING


The manner and means of financing public assistance is not the responsibility of the administrator but rather that of the Executive and Legislative breacher of government on every level-national, state and local. The statutes of our own Commonwealth make it eminently clear that adequate monies must be appropriated for public assistance. The fact however, that the administrator inevitably stands at the very vortex of the maelstrom of fiscal problems which ceaselessly beleaguer his Department, conduces to the development of a board interest in this vital area of government. Hence a few observations may not be out of order here.


First of all, it should be remarked perhaps that financing public assistance is such a complex problem and is so inter- related with other phases of governmental operation as well as with the cyclic variations in the social economy, that any


149


WELFARE DEPARTMENT


generalizations formulated in respect to it are subject to exceptions and often to debate. A look at the local record nevertheless is illuminating.


Ever since the early days of the so-called economic depres- sion of the nineteen thirties, the Massachusetts Legislature by a succession of enactments has provided the statutory authority for municipalities to borrow for public relief pur- poses. Such borrowings of course constitute supplementary appropriations. The extent to which the permissive Acts of the Legislature have been taken advantage of locally, should be a matter of general interest and accordingly, we recently requested City Treasurer William J. Reynolds to supply us with a schedule showing the activity in this field over the years. The schedule is printed below. It divulges the impres- sive fact that in the period 1933-1955 inclusive, the City of Somerville has borrowed $6,120,500.00 for relief.


The total costs of these loans in terms of premiums and regular interest charges is not conveniently available. In any event, the whole subject appears to warrant analysis and re- flection. Unfortunately we do not have at hand all the myriad facts requisite for a scrutinizing and objective evaluation. We are principally concerned about the evident implication of insufficient appropriations for relief in the Annual Budgets at the beginning of the respective years. The causes of such inadequacy probably differed from one year to another, but they assuredly deserve the studied attention of some scholarly researcher interested in taxation.


This retrospective look at the ledgers suggests a number of thoughts. The figures would seem to indicate that munici- palities like individual persons who fell victim to the economic debacle never completely surmounted the accompanying fiscal crisis. Indeed, the financial dilemma appears to have worsened. An alternative conclusion of course, might be that in municipal financing as in other areas of human conduct, adherence to accepted custom is easier than enterprising devia- tion.


It is pointedly plain of course, as we well realize, that liberalizing legislation, vacillations of the economy and the size of assistance caseloads cannot be gauged in advance with absolute accuracy, and therefore estimates for the Annual Budget may fall short of the eventual realities. On the other hand, realistic estimates by the administrator, may be dis- counted with the consequent necessity of supplementing ap-


150


ANNUAL REPORTS


propriations financed by costly borrowing. It is in this regard that we consider the wisdom of indulging in the recidivistic habit of floating bond issues for public assistance definitely challengeable.




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