USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Duxbury > Town annual report for the town of Duxbury for the year ending 1956-1960 > Part 54
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We wish to acknowledg the co-operation and aid of the Board of Selectmen and the Inspector of Buildings in the enforcement of zoning and planning regulations. The Highway Superintendent, the Superintendents and Commissioners of
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the Water Department, and the Agent of the Board of Health have given their usual co-operation where matters of Highway, Water, or Sanitary facilities were involved in subdivision control.
We continue our hope that the citizens will call to our attention areas in which the Planning Board can be of service in directing the growth and necessary change in the Town in a satisfactory manner.
Respectfully submitted,
LUCIUS A. HOWARD, Chairman OLIVER L. BARKER, Clerk CARL F. DANNER ATHERTON LORING, JR. DAVID H. MARSHALL
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REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONERS
To the Citizens and the Honorable Board of Selectmen of Duxbury:
The Water Department completed the year 1959 with total revenues from all sources exceeding the total of all expendi- tures chargeable to the Department. This surplus, $3,235.75, was due to the adoption at the last Town Meeting of the "Report of the Special Committee on Water Department Finance", em- bodying recommendations which outlined appropriate account- ing methods of allocating fire protection costs and of eliminating the existing paper deficit at that time. These recommendations subsequently were submitted in appropriate articles in the war- rant and were approved at the Town Meeting, thereby enabling the Water Department to function in the future as a true enter- prise account.
The following tabulation shows the financial situation in detail:
Debit
Credit
Water Surplus and/or Deficit
(Dec. 31, 1959) $0.00 $0.00
Receipts :
Sale of Water
48,963.58
Meter Charges
1,456.00
Service Connections and Repairs
6,403.46
Miscellaneous
209.34
Hydrant Service
29,978.47
Maintenance and Operation
40,622.00
Out of State Travel
180.00
Commissioners' Salaries
450.00
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Salary Adjustment Schedule
883.00 883.00
Reservoir (Finance Committee)
600.00
Appropriation Balances closed to Town Treasury
85.90
Fixed Charges Interest
8,509.00
Debt Retirement*
Old Water Loans
8,500.00
West Duxbury
5,000.00
Phase I
20,000.00
$84,744.00
$87,979.75
SURPLUS December 31, 1959 $3,235.75
*No loans matured during the year. For detailed status of water loans, see report of Town Accountant, page
(Outstanding water bills amounted to $10,330.65 on Dec. 31, 1959 as compared with $10,148.05 on Dec. 31, 1958.)
The regular operating personnel of the Department during the year consisted of the Superintendent, foreman and two mechanics. This work force has remained constant since 1952. The Department has greatly expanded during the past four years, increasing in the number of services and miles of mains and pumping and storage facilities. The system now extends from the Pembroke line in West Duxbury to Standish Shore, an air line distance of six miles. This increased area of operation has brought certain difficulties of supervision in the efficient employ- ment of our personnel to meet changed plans of operation due to emergency conditions of either a public or private character, and has indicated that an improvement in communications is in order to permit the Department to function with the present
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personnel. This matter has been under study by the Commis- sioners during the year.
During the year, the following work, in addition to routine maintenance and operation, was accomplished:
West Street - A 12-inch main was laid from Bow Street westward on West Street for 2600 feet, in accordance with the authorization contained in Article 42 of the 1958 Town War- rant and with additional funds obtained by the transfer author- ized in Article 34 of the 1959 warrant. The work was done by A. Nava of Kingston under the terms of his contract for the other "Priorities" contracts. Work was completed in October. Twenty services on the old unsatisfactory 1-inch and 11/2-inch lines are now being connected to the new main. All construction under the so-called "Priorities" article now has been completed.
Repairs to Captain's Hill Reservoir - Work was con- tinued on the repairs during the year, and it is expected that they will be completed this spring (1960).
Indian Trail - The laying of the 6-inch main from Wads- worth Road to connect with the 2-inch main on Indian Trail authorized in Article 35 of the 1959 Warrant was completed with Water Department personnel in August at a cost of $1,588.00.
Ten Year Program - Work was initiated on the replace- ment of all meters that had been in continuous service for ten years or more with recently calibrated meters.
Rules and Regulations - This pamphlet was revised completely and reprinted upon complete exhaustion of the old issue. It is now available upon request. All consumers and prospective users are invited to familiarize themselves with these regulations.
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Petitions - One petition for the extension of the water system westerly of Route 3 on Autumn Avenue and Winter Street was received in December and is now being studied so that the Water Commissioners can make their recommendation as to whether or not it would be justifiable to borrow funds for this extension. The petition will be included in the next Town Warrant.
Goodrich Development - Mr. Benjamin F. Goodrich, Jr. completed the installation of water mains in his 39-lot develop- ment between Tremont and Depot Streets during the year. All requirements of the Water Department were met in a most satisfactory manner.
Tobey Garden Street Extension - During the year, Mr. Wendell Drollett, at his own expense, laid 1600 feet of 12-inch main westerly from Tremont Street along the above street in complete conformity with the "Basic Plan" and department standards in order to make domestic water and fire protection available to homes he proposes to develop fronting on this street.
New Truck - The Department's International truck was purchased in 1951. It is now uneconomical to operate, and it is the intention of the Commissioners to ask the Town to authorize its replacement at the next Town Meeting.
Personnel - It is believed that the present personnel plan as it pertains to the Water Department needs revision. The Commissioners believe that certain changes with regard to step differentials, classification differentials and one-job classification are necessary in the present personnel plan as it pertains to Water Department personnel. Their recommendations have been submitted to the Personnel Board.
Future Extensions in the Public Ways - It is the under- standing of the Water Commissioners that the citizens of the
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town desire that the Water Department be operated as a true enterprise - on a pay-as-you-go basis - with due consideration of the economical justification of all extensions, and at the same time with just regard for human factors. At the present time, it is estimated that approximately 90 percent of the homes in the town are within practical access distance of existing mains. The remaining homes are either in groups at long distances from existing mains or are in sparsely settled areas.
These conditions make it increasingly difficult to justify economically extensions into these areas with the present high rate of interest on borrowed money and also due to the relatively short time within which all loans must be repaid. Nothing much can be done regarding the high rate of interest. However, it is believed that the present requirement of the state law that money borrowed to construct "not less than six but less that 16-inch mains" must be paid off in fifteen years is a matter for considera- tion with a view to corrective legislation by our representative in the State Legislature.
It is well known that cast iron pipe has been in service in Duxbury for over 45 years, and in many parts of the country for 100 years. It also is known that cement-asbestos pipe has a much longer life, and it is thought by some reputable manu- facturers to be good for 150 years. While it is thought by some that borrowed money should be paid off as soon as practicable, it is believed by many others that the idea of having some of the long range future users of an extension share in the expense has considerable merit.
If an amortization period of thirty years was required by the State instead of the present fifteen years, it would make some of these fringe extensions more feasible from an economic view point. The Commissioners always have based their economic justification of an extension on the revenue received from the number of potential users with an allowance for population in-
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crease as compared with the fixed charges for the construction of the extension after allocating an appropriate percentage of the total cost to fire protection costs.
Wells - It is the belief of the Commissioners that, due to the population growth factors of this area, funds should be provided to continue the search for additional well sites, par- ticularly in the North Duxbury area, in connection with the future tank called for in the "Basic Plan" and for which a site has been acquired.
STATUS OF APPROPRIATIONS The amounts listed as available, as of December 31, 1959 are:
Art.
Warrant
Item
Amount Authorized $ 41,505.00
Amount Expended $40,578.11
Available Unexpended for Transfer $ 926.89 *** $ 0.00
4
Town 1959
M & O
4
Town 1959
Out of State Travel
180.00
137.99
42.01 **
0.00
4
Town 1959
Commissioners' Salaries
450.00
450.00
0.00
0.00
4 Town 1959
Maturing Debt
33,500.00
33,500.00
0.00
0.00
4 Town 1959
Interest
8,509.00
8,509.00
0.00
0.00
14
Dist. 1954
Main Cleaning
5,000.00
0.00
996.40
0.00
12
Dist. 1955
Eng. Services
6,200.00
2,000.00
434.57
0.00
34 Town 1956
Survey
3,500.00
38.50
0.00
0.00
39
Town 1957
Phase 1
293,000.00
5,890.64
0.00
0.00
40
Town 1958
Repairs Capt. Hill Tank
11,538.66
6,658.65*
2,480.01
0.00
41
Town 1958
Truck
2,107.04
92.38
0.00
0.00
42
Town 1958
Priorities
(74,000.00
15,500.58
963.64
0.00
( 6,165.94
35
Town 1959
Indian Trail
1,600.00
1,588.00
12.00
12.00
* Includes $3,000.00 transferred to Indian Trail - Priorities
** Departmental appropriation balance returned to Treasury 12-31-59
*** Includes $2,635.06 transferred to Priorities Account
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The Future - It is estimated that the commitments and expenditures during the year 1960 will be approximately as follows:
Surplus, December 31, 1959 $ 3,235.75
Receipts :
56,000.00
Commitments Hydrant Service
28,774.37
Expenditures :
Maintenance and Operation
$42,530.00
Fixed Charges: Interest:
Old Water Loans $ 396.25
West Duxbury 810.00
Phase I 6,400.00 7,606.25
Debt Retirement:
Old Water Loans 8,500.00
West Duxbury 5,000.00
Phase I
20,000
33,500.00
$83,636.25
$88,010.12
SURPLUS, Dec. 31, 1960
$4,373.87
The Commissioners wish to commend Superintendent Macomber and his staff for their excellent work during the year, and also to thank the town officials for their cooperation.
Respectfully submitted,
J. ALVIN BORGESON
COL. L. B. GALLAGHER,
USA (Ret.)
LLOYD B. SALT
Water Commissioners
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REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT WATER DEPARTMENT
To the Board of Water Commissioners Town of Duxbury, Mass.
Gentlemen:
Following are the 1959 statistics of the Duxbury Water Department, as required by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health:
Greatest amount pumped in any one day: August 27, 1959, 1,231,000 gallons.
Greatest amount pumped in any seven consecutive days: Au- gust 16 through August 22, 1959, 6,831,000 gallons.
Total amount pumped during 1959: 172,198,000 gallons.
Number of services at the end of the year: 1693.
Number of active services at the end of the year: 1671. New services installed during the year: 48. Miles of water mains at the end of the year: 44.08 miles. Acres of land owned for water supply purposes: 57.67 acres.
Respectfully submitted,
KENNETH O. MACOMBER,
Superintendent
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE AND BUREAU OF OLD AGE ASSISTANCE
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the Citizens of Duxbury:
The Department of Public Welfare submits a brief report for the year 1959. It does not seem necessary to explain the four categories of assistance, Old Age Assistance, Aid to De- pendent Children, Disability Assistance and General Relief.
The allowing of one general appropriation, rather than four separate appropriations, has been a tremendous help. It eliminates the need of special town meetings for additional funds when expenditures exceed the estimated figures. The General Relief for 1959 was much lower than had been antici- pated, and the cost was less than in 1958. Old Age Assistance was greater than our estimate for 1959 due to the number of recipients in Nursing Homes, and the cost per diem.
The Hospital rate, in the local hospital, remains at $22.66 per day for 1960, while some of the Boston hospital rates have increased. The number of recipients admitted to hospitals, during the coming year, will greatly affect the overall expendi- tures.
During 1959, the Department of Public Welfare recovered, under the Lien Law, $11,785.20, making the total recovery $38,485.94 since 1952.
We wish to thank the various organizations for their gen- erous donations at Christmas, to spread cheer to so many lonely and deserving people, both young and old.
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The Department of Public Welfare wishes to express their appreciation to the Selectmen, and to the Police Department, for their willing help and cooperation during 1959.
Respectfully submitted,
HOWARD M. CLARK, Chairman
PAUL C. BARBER
PAUL M. SWANSON
ADRIAN R. CORDEAU
EDWARD G. BOTTENUS
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REPORT OF SOUTH SHORE MOSQUITO CONTROL PROJECT
To the Citizens of Duxbury:
Submitted herewith is the report of the South Shore Mos- quito Control Project of its activities in the Town of Duxbury for the year ending December 31, 1959.
The Town of Duxbury appropriated $7,550 for mosquito control in 1959.
The basic program of control continued to be based on drainage in the off-season and larvaciding of all areas found to be breeding during the mosquito season. This program was supplemented by ground application of D.D.T. dust to selected areas during the period when the swamps were frozen. Fog generators and a mist blower were used to combat flying mos- quitoes.
The cumulative effect of the work of past winters has changed the work of the Project's crews. The winter dusting has stopped the breeding in many small places, making it pos- sible for the crews to contend better with those left and to search for hitherto unnoticed spots. The drainage has elim- inated some crew spraying and much air spray acreage, thus making it possible to absorb higher costs, deal with new breed- ing areas found or created, and yet keep the yearly budget requests the same.
In the Town of Duxbury the following ditch work was done: 3430 ft. of ditches cleaned, 4850 ft. reclaimed, 2175 ft. of new ditch has been dug. In addition 3475 ft. of brushing
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has been done to facilitate entrance to and passage along streams for the purpose of cleaning and treating streams and swamps.
The record breaking rains of early, through mid-summer, added to our summer spray season. These rains coming during the Culex (house mosquito) breeding season, this specie pre- ferring to breed in and around residential areas and in man made receptacles (such as tin cans, bird baths, tires, etc.) in- creased the above normal population of this fierce biting pesty mosquito. These rains also caused areas normally dry in sum- mer months to reflood, adding to our Vexans population. These, along with other problems, gave us one of our heaviest mos- quito years.
However, the Project tried maintenance, their method of operation as in other years, giving priority in this order:
1. Drainage of salt marsh and fresh water areas,
2. Larvaciding of all breeding areas (spraying) air, power sprayers and hand spraying,
3. Adulticiding (fogging and mist blower).
In spite of these in a stepped-up form, mosquitoes were a much talked of problem throughout the summer. However, conditions would have been much worse without mosquito control, as others will bear out in areas outside of mosquito control districts.
Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis in south New Jersey rose to an epidemic stage, which should tend to stress to tax- payers of the area the need for a continued mosquito control program, until we can find out for sure if the mosquito is the carrier and to attack and control these.
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The spring spraying of all fresh water swamps too large to be treated by hand was done in the latter part of April and first of May.
As was done last winter, some aerial applications of dusts will be made. This procedure reduces the spring spraying which must be fitted into the few days in April suitable for air spray- ing. Last winter 3400 acres were aerial dusted in the Town of Duxbury.
The Project wishes to acknowledge the help received from officials and departments of the Town and sincerely hopes that the benefits derived by these departments as a result of this cooperation are as great as those derived by the Project.
GEORGE ROSS STARR, JR., M.D.,
Commissioner of Duxbury
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REPORT OF THE ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
March 14, 1959
The meeting was called to order at 1:00 P.M. by the Moderator, Bartlett B. Bradley.
A quorum being in attendance the meeting was declared in order.
The Town Clerk read the call for the meeting and the return of service thereof.
It was voted to dispense with the reading of the Warrant.
An invocation was given by the Rev. W. Wallace Bush.
The tellers, Nancy Brock, Elwin N. Burdick, Mary Crocker, Eunice Dohoney, Eileen P. Jones, John E. Lucey, Harry McNaught, Alice Merry, Roy F. Moody, Phyllis Randall, and Gilbert F. Redlon were sworn in by the Town Clerk, and the Assistant Moderator, Robert Ross, was sworn in by the Moderator.
The Moderator made the following announcements:
"As has been our practice, proponents of any article in the Warrant shall be given opportunity to speak on the question before the article may be tabled.'
'The Chair will read each article as we go along, and will not repeat the motions, unless requested to do so.'
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'The Chair may request any amendments to be submitted in writing.'
'Please remember that there are two assemblies going at once today so that it is compulsory that every speaker use one of the microphones, and also that each speaker first identify himself."
At this point the Moderator tested the communications system with the other hall (Elementary School Auditorium) to make sure that either hall could be heard by the other at all times.
The Chairman of the Finance Committee announced that the Supplementary Report of the Finance Committee had been printed and put in pamphlet form and given out at the door instead of being read at the meeting as usual. He requested that it be made a part of the record of the meeting.
SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
GENERAL COMMENTS
This is the final report in a series presented by your Com- mittee, designed to acquaint the Taxpayer with the Town's financial condition, which has served as the basis for our recom- mendations to be presented at the Annual Town Meeting on March 14th. We urge you to study these reports and the calcula- tion of the estimated tax rate for 1959, in order that you may understand and support our recommendations. It is important to recognize that it has not been possible to approve all appro- priations requested, but in each case careful consideration has
76
been given to determine the proper relationship of each item to the budget as a whole, before a decision has been made.
Perhaps the most important Finance Committee recom- mendation, not included in the Warrant, pertains to the proposed Junior-Senior High School, articles 16 and 17. This matter has received serious consideration by our Committee for the past two years, as we have recognized the magnitude of this capital expenditure, and its ultimate effect on the tax load. We sug- gested at the 1958 Town Meeting, and the voters supported our recommendation, that the proposed school be the subject of further study, to determine whether; adequate facilities could be provided at a more economical cost, construction of certain phases could be deferred, and the curriculum might, in some respects, be so uneconomic as not to be termed essential. The report of the present School Building Committee has received our careful consideration, and we believe their conclusions properly evaluate the matters submitted to them for study, and that their recommendation as to the proposed site and school provide the necessary facilities at an economical cost. We further believe that it is no mere coincidence, but a fine compli- ment to the previous Building Committee, that the building plans proposed are basically the same as those recommended in 1958. We support the work of these two fine Committees, and endorse the recommendations of this year's Committee.
The following tabulation, formulated with the assistance of the Board of Assessors, illustrates, in simplified form calcula- tion of the estimated 1959 Property Tax for the Town of Duxbury, based on the voters support of the Finance Commit- tees' recommendations. Detailed tabulations and certain offset- ting charges and revenues have been omitted. This must necessarily be considered only an estimate, as it is not possible for the Assessors to establish the tax rate until complete data is received and verified.
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CALCULATION OF ESTIMATED PROPERTY TAX FOR 1959
Estimated Charges
Appropriations :
Annual Town Meeting (As recommended by the Finance Committee) $ 998,329.
Special Town Meeting
8,550.
State & County Assessments
62,050.
Overlay Reserve
20,000.
Gross Amount to be Raised
$ 1,088,929.
Estimated Receipts
State & County
107,465.
Other State Aid
13,900.
Federal Government
35,500.
Other receipts
121,368.
Total estimated receipts
$ 278,233.
Net Amount to be raised by Taxation
810,695.
Less estimated amount of Poll Tax
3,000.
Net amount of Property Tax
$ 807,695.
Estimated Assessed Valuation
$12,250,000.
Estimated Property Tax Rate $66.00.
In this past year we have conducted an intensive study of the so-called "operational budgets" for a 10-year period, to determine what, if any action could be taken by the voters to check the continuing increased cost of Local Government. While individual budgets are not indicated, the following tabulation of expenditures by general classification, illustrates the prob- lem we face. For comparative purposes the 1959 budget recom- mendations have been included in the last column.
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Item
1950
1955
1956
1957
1958
Proposed 1959
General Gov- ernment
$ 26,690
$ 42,294 $ 47,645
$ 48,019
$ 49,432 $ 54,858
Protection of Persons and Property
43,865
72,282
84,432
91,137
98,309
108,632
Health and Sanitation
4,424
4,567
5,799
*12,692
14,683
17,480
Highways
53,052
67,620
92,622
88,281
88,370
89,429
Charities and Veterans' Benefits
75,516
75,575
80,546
76,284
83,670
77,910
Schools
143,749
270,462
300,567
334,007
366,216
405,236
Libraries
2,000
5,274
6,998
8,000
8,899
10,500
Recreation & Unclassified
16,684
31,762
40,885
*37,495
40,997
42,177
Cemeteries
10,043
16,438
17,616
17,745
18,439
18,625
Water
28,268
37,788
39,039
42,135
Interest and
Maturing
Debt
21,683
60,770
72,946
74,092
99,290
98,147
Totals
$397,706
$647,044 $778,314
$825,540
$907,344 $965,129
* Mosquito Control Program changed from Unclassified to Health and Sanitation in 1957.
It should be noted that appropriations for capital outlays for new equipment, road construction, etc., are not included in the chart, nor has any recognition been given to Federal or State grants, or income from various funds, which reflects expendi- tures over and above those indicated.
SALARIES AND WAGES
To present a clear picture of what part of each appropria- tion is directly attributable to salaries and wages, using the year 1958 as an example, the following table indicates this expenditure for each general classification.
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General Government
$ 31,626
Protection of Property and Persons
76,183
Health and Sanitation
3,344
Highways
33,099
Charities and Veterans' Benefits
7,702
Schools
282,101
Libraries
8,212
Recreation and Unclassified
4,134
Cemeteries
18,233
Water
18,139
Total
$482,773
In 1958, then, with total expenditures of $907,344 for operational budgets, the following items totalling $742,146, represent existing obligations over which, we as taxpayers, can exercise little control. They are: Salaries, $482,773; interest and maturing debt, $99,290; and the budget balances for schools, $84,115; and charities and veterans' benefits, $75,968. Of the remaining $165,198, modest economies could be real- ized, but again, these expenditures are essential to maintain existing services supported by the voters at prior Town Meetings.
Our recommended appropriations for operational budgets in 1959 represent possible savings of some $19,000 over re- quested amounts. These reductions have been suggested after thoughtful consideration, and we urged you to support our course of action.
SPECIAL ARTICLES
If we are to follow a sound economic policy in local govern- ment we must look to the Special Articles in the Warrant, and critically appraise the value of new services and capital invest- ments. Too often what may appear initially to be both desirable and economically reasonable, later becomes an accepted neces- sity and an increasingly costly investment.
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