USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Town annual report of Andover 1955-1959 > Part 24
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JAMES B. SULLIVAN, Chairman DONALD P. MACLELLAN, Secretary CHARLES O. MCCULLOM ROBERT WALSH WINTHROP K. WHITE
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Report of Building Inspector
To the Board of Selectmen: Town of Andover, Mass.
GENTLEMEN :
I herewith submit to your board my report for the year ending December 31, 1956.
There were Two Hundred and Forty Eight (248) per- mits issued for New Buildings and One Hundred and Se- venty Two (172) for Additions and Alterations.
The estimated value of new construction reached a total of Four Million Sixty Three Thousand One Hundred and Ten Dollars ($4063110.00) and Three Hundred Ten Thou- sand and Fifty Nine Dollars ($310059.00) was the estimat- ed cost of Additions and Alterations.
Of the above estimated cost for New Building Three Mil- lion Seven Hundred and Eighty Nine Thousand Four Hun- dred Ten Dollars ($3789410.00) was the estimated cost for New Dwellings.
By alterations in existing buildings Fourteen (14) addi- tional apartments have been provided bringing the New Dwelling count for 1956 to a total of Two Hundred twenty- four (224) units.
The New Building permits are classified as follows :
Dwelling and Garages
210
Private Garages
19
Tool Shed
3
Factory Warehouse
1
Shed
1
Garage and Breezeway
2
Car Port
2
Brooder House
1
Swimming Pool
2
221
Hen House
1
Vegetable Packing House
Office Building Green House Parish House
Cleaning Plant Wood Shed
1
248
This Department has collected in fees and turned over to the Town Treasurer Five Thousand Two Hundred and Eighty Four Dollars ($5284.00).
Respectfully submitted,
RALPH W. COLEMAN, Building Inspector
Report of Wire Inspector
Board of Selectmen. Andover, Mass.
GENTLEMEN :
I hereby submit my report for wiring inspections for the year 1956.
544 Permits issued for the year 1956. $1,084.00 paid to Town Treasurer for year 1956.
Respectfully submitted,
A. RITCHIE, JR., Wire Inspector
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Sealer of Weights and Measures
Board of Selectmen, Andover, Massachusetts.
GENTLEMEN :
I hereby submit my annual report for the year 1956 :
Work performed from January 1, 1956 to December 31, 1956 inclusive, including Scales, Weights, Gasoline meters. Vehicle tank systems, etc:
Totals
Adjusted Sealed Not Sealed .. Condemned 54 219 0 1
Total collections for the year 1956 were, $133.05.
Respectfully submitted,
NEWTON A. JONES, Sealer
Weights and Measures
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Report of Civil Defense Agency
Citizens of Andover. -
I am most proud and pleased to report, that your Civil Defense organization has become one of the highly regarded agencies, not only in this sector, (Consisting of 31 Cities and Towns) where we stand on top of the list, but also in the Area, which consists of upward to 100 Cities and Towns.
I personally do not take credit for this accomplishment, but rather, thank our Selectmen, Police and Fire Chiefs, the Heads of various Town Departments, The Andover Red Cross, and the many loyal and patriotic Andoverites who head up various Civil Defense Divisions. I also wish to thank Col. Louis Berwick and the many other State and Federal Civil Defense officials for their help and guidance.
Your Auxiliary Police headed by Chief David Nicoll, Sergeant Robert Deyermond, and Civilian Director Ray- mond Mowatt, have done outstanding service and are re- garded as a Police Unit second to none in the Common- wealth.
Your Medical and Nursing Service under the direction of many of our local doctors, plus Mr. Charles Dalton, Dr. Donald Clark, Mrs. Milton Jackson, Mrs. Gertrude Glennie, Mrs. Albert Swenson and Miss Barbara Loomer, also hold top rating in this exacting group which demands the high- est degree of efficiency, scientifically and medically.
Your Communication Service, under the direction of Mr. Douglas Crockett and Mr. Alexander Ritchie Jr., is one of the leaders in the field. We are indeed fortunate in having such qualified experts lead this unit, and within the next six months we expect to have reached the point where this group will be called upon to instruct and guide other groups of this kind in the Commonwealth.
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Your Warden Service under the capable direction of Mr. Gordon Cannon, and Mr. & Mrs. Richard Moody is moving along rapidly, and soon will offer a complete Unit of effi- ciency and service.
Your Engineering, Public Utilities, Water, Welfare, Transportation, & Legal Units are all moving along toward a point of perfection, thanks to the capable leaders involved.
It is anticipated that your Rescue, Auxiliary Fire Units, under the direction of Fire Chief Lester Hilton, the Skin Diver Units and the Warning Service will be brought into full and top service during 1957. Your Warning System is the one deficiency on our record, for it is most inadequate. However, we hope to rectify this situation shortly, with a system that will service all of Andover in the event of an emergency, and will also serve and be used as a unified "NO SCHOOL SIGNAL".
I am also proud to report that many inquiries are being received from other Communities, who wish to pattern their Civil Defense System after Andover's. We have made rapid strides during the past year, and hope to continue in the year 1957.
May I say 'THANK YOU', and 'CONGRATULATIONS' to all of Andover for your co-operation.
FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1956
$ 187.77
Balance on hand Jan. 1, 1956
3,625.00
Appropriation for 1956 Refund
33.39
Total
$3,846.16
Value
Cost
Auxiliary Police, equipment
$1,155.39
$ 759.50
C. D. Emergency Headquarters
300.00
150.00
Communications
2,411.60
1,243.31
$3,866.99
$2,152.81
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Expenses - Telephone - Printing Supplies - Repairs - Postage Travel, etc., Administration
560.27
560.27
570.87
570.87
Totals
$4,998.13
$3,283.95
- $ 562.21
Being withheld for Observation Post
$ 250.00
312.21
Generator Balance to be applied
237.50
Balance on hand to start Fiscal year 1957
$ 74.71
AID
Value
Cost
Medical and First Aid materials and supplies
$ 1,500.00
.00
A Complete 200 Bed Hospital
40,000.00
.00
$41,500.00 .00
The Fire Department purchased through
C. D. Communication Equipment $ 1,279.78
$ 639.89
Various departments of our Government
have secured Surplus Federal Government
materials through Civil Defense
$ 2,400.00 $ 58.57
The over all value of materials received by the town of Andover through Civil Defense $49,046.77 at a cost of $3,982.41 which includes expenses and Administration.
Respectfully submitted,
HAROLD W. WENNIK, Director of Civil Defense
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Report of Committee On Town Manager Government
MR. SIDNEY P. WHITE, Chairman
Board of Selectmen Town House Andover, Massachusetts
DEAR MR. WHITE:
At the annual town meeting held March 10, 1956, the following article No. 21 was adopted.
"To see whether the Town will instruct the Moderator to appoint a committee of not less than seven nor more than nine members, with instructions to petition the General Court for enactment of legislation establishing in the Town of Andover a selectmen-town manager plan substantially in the form of legislation recommended by the present Town Government Study Committee, or to take action relative thereto".
This is the report of your committee of eight members appointed as directed by the foregoing article.
The committee held public meetings to give opportunity to the voters to express their views, as a result of which se- veral changes were made in the draft of the bill as original- ly drawn. The Committee on Towns of the House of Re- presentatives of the General Court then held a public hear- ing in the High School Auditorium in Andover.
Your committee presented its arguments for the adop- tion of the bill. A long and searching inquiry of the com- mittee members was made by the House Committee. When the House Committee completed its questioning of your Committee, they asked if anyone wished to speak in opposi- tion to the bill. No one spoke in opposition.
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The bill was finally reported out of the Committee on Towns after that Committee had made several amendments and passed both the House and the Senate.
The voters will have an opportunity to vote on the ques- tion in March 1957.
Attached are a copy of the bill filed by your Committee, House No. 3115, and a copy of the bill as adopted, House No. 3165.
Respectfully submitted,
HOWELL M. STILLMAN, Chairman THOMAS V. SULLIVAN, Secretary WALLACE E. BRIMER DANIEL E. HOGAN
C. CARLTON KIMBALL STANLEY F. SWANTON JOSEPH A. MCCARTHY MELVIN L. WEINER
House No. 3115
By Messrs. Giles of Methuen, Longworth of Methuen and Slack of Methuen (by request), petition of Howell M. Still- man and another for legislation to establish a selectmen- town manager plan for the town of Andover. Towns.
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
In the Year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty-Six. AN ACT ESTABLISHING A SELECTMEN-TOWN MANAGER PLAN FOR THE TOWN OF ANDOVER
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
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SECTION 1. Board of Selectmen .- At the first town election following the acceptance of this act the registered voters of the town of Andover shall elect five selectmen of whom two shall serve for terms of three years, two for terms of two years, and one for a term of one year. At each annual town election thereafter the voters shall elect in place of those selectmen whose terms are about to expire a like number of selectmen to serve for terms of three years. When a vacancy occurs in the office of selectmen, the re- maining selectmen may at any time prior to the next town election appoint a qualified person to serve as selectman un- til such election, at which election the voters shall elect a selectman to serve for the unexpired portion, if any, of the original term. The selectmen in office at the time of said first election shall continue in office until their successors are elected and qualified.
SECTION 2. Other Elected Officials. - In addition to the selectmen, the registered voters of the town shall con- tinue to elect the following officials in accordance with any applicable statutes, by-laws and votes of the town: -
(a) A moderator.
(b) A school committee.
(c) Elected Trustees of Punchard Free School.
(d) Trustees of Cornell Fund.
(e) Andover Housing Authority.
The term of office of any elective office, board or com- mittee so continued, under this section, shall not be inter- rupted. Every other elective office, board or commission shall be terminated as hereinafter provided, any other pro- visions of law to the contrary notwithstanding. The term of office of any person elected to any office, board or com- mission existing at the time of such acceptance and termin- ated hereunder shall continue until such first town election and until the appointment and qualification of his success- or, if any, and thereafter the said offices, boards and com- missions shall be abolished and all powers, duties and obli- gations conferred or imposed thereon by law, except as pro-
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vided by this act, shall be conferred and imposed upon the selectmen and exercised by the town manager to the extent hereinafter provided. The powers, duties and responsibili- ties of elected officials shall be as now or hereafter provided by applicable statutes and by-laws and votes of the town, except as otherwise expressly provided herein.
SECTION 3. Appointed Officials. - (a) The selectmen shall appoint a town manager as provided in section six, who may thereafter be removed as provided in section eight.
(b) The selectmen shall appoint a zoning board of ap- peals, a planning board of appeals, officers and registrars of voters other than the town clerk, and may, after such notice and hearing as they may deem advisable, remove any per- son so appointed for cause.
(c) The moderator shall appoint such boards, commit- tees and officers, including a finance committee, as he may now or hereafter be directed to appoint by any applicable law, by-law or vote of the town.
(d) The town manager shall appoint, upon merit and fit- ness alone, and may, subject to the provisions of chapter thirty-one of the General Laws where applicable, remove for cause -
(1) A town clerk, town treasurer, and tax collector. The appointment shall, in each instance, be subject to approval of the board of selectmen.
(2) A board of public health, a board of public welfare, a planning board, a board of assessors, a town accountant, the board of library trustees, the town counsel, and all other officers, boards, committees and employees of the town, with the exception of the elected officials specified in section two, and employees of such elected officials.
SECTION 4. Memberships, Terms, Powers, Duties and Responsibilities. - The number of members of boards, com- missions and committees so appointed as provided in the
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preceding section, the length of the term of each member thereof and of officers so appointed, and the powers, duties and responsibilities of the same shall be as now or hereafter provided by any applicable law, by-law or vote of the town, except as herein otherwise provided. Upon appointment and qualification of the various officials as provided for in sec- tion three, the term of office and all powers and duties of each person theretofore holding each such office shall cease and be terminated.
Officers, boards, commissions and committees appointed by the town manager shall possess all the powers and rights and shall be subject to all the duties and liabilities specific- ally conferred or imposed by any applicable provision of law upon them or upon officers, boards, commissions or committees having corresponding powers and duties, but in the performance thereof they shall be subject to the ge- neral supervision of the town manager.
SECTION 5. Multiple Offices - A member of the board of selectmen, or of the school committee elected after the acceptance of this act, or of the finance committee, shall du- ring the term for which he was elected or appointed, be in- eligible to hold any other elective or appointive town office or position. Any person elected or appointed to any other of- fice, board, commission or committee under the provisions of this act or of any general or special law, shall be eligible, during his term of office, for election or appointment to any other town office, board, commission or committee, except that the town accountant shall not be eligible to hold the office of town treasurer or town collector.
Subject to the approval of the selectmen the town manag- er may, but without additional compensation therefor as- sume the powers, duties and responsibilities of any office which he is authorized to fill by appointment, such assump- tion to be evidenced by and effective upon the filing with the town clerk of a written declaration of such assumption signed by the town manager, except he shall not appoint himself as a member of any board or committee.
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SECTION 6. Appointment of Town Manager. - The selectmen shall appoint, as soon as practicable after the first town election following acceptance of this act or after the occurrence of any vacancy, for a term of five years, a town manager who shall be a person especially fitted by edu- cation, training and previous full-time paid experience in a responsible administrative position in municipal govern- ment, to perform the duties of his office. The town manager shall be appointed without regard to his political beliefs. He need not be a resident of the town when appointed, but shall be a resident of the town during his term of office. He may be appointed for successive terms of office. No holder of elective office in the town shall within five years of holding such office be eligible for appointment as town manager. Before entering upon the duties of his office the town ma- nager shall be sworn to the faithful and impartial perform- ance thereof by the town clerk, or by a justice of the peace. He shall execute a bond in favor of the town for the faith- ful performance of his duties in such sum and with such surety or sureties as may be fixed or approved by the se- lectmen the premium for said bond to be paid by the town.
SECTION 7. Acting Manager. - The town manager may designate, by letter filed with the town clerk, a quali- fied officer of the town to perform his duties during his temporary absence or disability. Pending the appointment of a town manager or the filling of any vacancy or the fail- ure of the town manager to designate a temporary manager, or during the suspension of the town manager, the select- men shall appoint a suitable person to perform the duties of the office.
SECTION 8. Removal of Manager. - The selectmen, by a majority vote of the full membership of the board, may remove the town manager. At least thirty days before such proposed removal shall become effective, the selectmen shall file a preliminary resolution with the town clerk setting forth in detail the specific reasons for his proposed removal,
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a copy of which resolution shall be sent by registered mail to the town manager. The manager may reply in writing to the resolution and may request a public hearing. If the manager so requests, the board of selectmen shall hold a public hearing not earlier than twenty days nor later than thirty days after the filing of such request. After such pub- lic hearing, if any, otherwise at the expiration of thirty days following the filing of the preliminary resolution and after full consideration, the selectmen by a majority vote of the full membership of the board, may adopt a final resolution of removal. In the preliminary resolution, the selectmen may suspend the manager from duty, but in any case his salary shall continue to be paid until the expiration of one month after the date of the final resolution of removal.
SECTION 9. Compensation of Manager. - The town manager shall receive such compensation for his services as the selectmen shall determine, but it shall not exceed the amount appropriated therefor by the town.
SECTION 10. Powers and Duties of Manager .- In ad- dition to other powers and duties expressly provided for in this act, the town manager shall have the following powers and duties : -
(a) The town manager shall supervise and direct and shall be responsible for the efficient administration of all offices, boards and committees appointed by him and their respective departments. He shall, in addition, supervise and direct and shall be responsible for the efficient administra- tion of any agency or activity of the town not subject to his appointment or control, including the Andover Housing Authority, but only at such time and to such extent and for such period as the elected officials having control of such agency or activity may, with the consent of the selectmen, determine.
(b) The town manager, in accordance with the provi- sions of this act and except as otherwise expressly prohibit-
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ed by the General Laws, may reorganize, consolidate or abolish departments, commissions, boards or offices under his direction and supervision, in whole or in part, may es- tablish such new departments, commissions, boards or of- fices as he deems necessary, and in so doing, may transfer the duties and powers, and, so far as possible in accordance with the vote of the town, the appropriation of one depart- ment, commission, board or office to another.
(c) The town manager shall fix the compensation of all town officers and employees appointed by him, subject to any applicable provisions of chapter thirty-one of the Ge- neral Laws.
(d) The town manager shall keep full and complete re- cords of his office and shall render as often as may be re- quired by the selectmen a full report of all operations during the period reported on.
(e) The town manager shall keep the selectmen fully advised as to the needs of the town, and shall recommend to the selectmen for adoption such measures requiring ac- tion by them or by the town as he may deem necessary or expedient.
(f) The town manager shall have jurisdiction over the rental and use of all town property, except schools. He shall be responsible for the maintenance and repairs of all town property, including school buildings and grounds. He shall be responsible for the preparation of plans and the super- vision of work on all construction, reconstruction, altera- tions, improvements and other undertakings authorized by the town, subject, however, to the appoval of the school committee with respect to plans for the construction or im- provement of school buildings or property.
(g) The town manager shall administer, either directly or through a person or persons appointed by him in accord- ance with this act, all provisions of general and special laws applicable to said town, all by-laws and all regulations es- tablished by the selectmen.
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(h) The town manager shall, with the approval of the selectmen, have the authority to prosecute, defend or com- promise all litigation to which the town is a party.
(i) The town manager shall perform such other duties consistent with his office as may be required of him by the by-laws or vote of the town or by the vote of the selectmen.
(j) The town manager shall have access to all town books and papers for information necessary for the proper performance of his duties, and may without notice, cause the affairs of any department or activity under his control, or the conduct of any officer or employee thereof, to be examined.
(k) The town manager shall purchase all supplies, ma- terials and equipment except library books and related printed and audio-visual material, and shall award all con- tracts for all departments and activities of the town under his supervision; and he shall make all purchases, except school text-books, for departments or activities not under his supervision but only upon and in accordance with a re- quisition duly signed by the head of any such department.
SECTION 11. Investigation of Claims. - Whenever any pay roll, bill or other claim against the town is presented to the town manager, he shall, if the same seems to him to be of doubtful validity, excessive in amount, or otherwise con- trary to the interests of the town, refer it to the selectmen, who shall immediately investigate the facts and determine what, if any, payment should be made. Pending such in- vestigation and determination by the selectmen, payment shall be withheld.
SECTION 12. Approval of Warrants - The town ma- nager shall be the chief fiscal officer of the town. Warrants for the payment of town funds prepared by the town ac- countant, in accordance with the provisions of section fifty- six of chapter forty-one of the General Laws, shall be sub- mitted to the town manager. The approval of any such war-
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rant by the town manager, or in his absence the acting town manager, shall be sufficient authority to authorize payment by the town treasurer, but the selectmen shall approve all warrants in the event of the absence of the town manager, acting town manager or a vacancy in the office of town manager.
SECTION 13. Fees paid to Treasury. - The aggregate compensation of each town officer or employee appointed by the town manager shall be limited to the amount established in accordance with the provisions of this act, and all fees received in accordance with the provisions of any general or special law shall be paid into the treasury of the town.
SECTION 14. Certain Officers not to make Contracts with the Town. - It shall be unlawful for any selectman, the town manager, or any other elective or appointive offi- cial of the town, directly or indirectly, to make a contract with the town, or to receive any reward from, or any share in the profits of, any person or corporation making or per- forming such contract, unless the official concerned, imme- diately upon learning of the existence of such contract, or that such a contract is proposed, shall notify the selectmen and the town manager by registered mail, of the contract and of the nature of his interest therein, and shall abstain from doing any official act on behalf of the town in refer- ence thereto. In case such interest exists on the part of an officer whose duty it is to make such a contract on behalf of the town, the contract may be made by another officer of the town duly authorized thereto by vote of the select- men. Violation of any provision of this section shall render the contract in respect to which such violation occurs void- able at the option of the town. Any person violating any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
SECTION 15. Estimate of Expenditures. - All boards, officers and committees of the town shall annually, at the re-
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quest of the town manager, submit to him in writing a de- tailed estimate of the appropriations required for the effi- cient and proper conduct of their respective departments and offices during the next fiscal year. On or before the first day of December of each year, the town manager shall sub- mit to each member of the finance committee and of the board of selectmen a copy of his annual budget, which shall contain a careful, detailed estimate of the probable expendi- tures of the town for the ensuing fiscal year, including a statement of the amounts required to meet the interest and maturing bonds and notes or other indebedness of the town, and showing specifically the amount necessary to be provid- ed for each office, department and activity, together with a statement of the expenditures for the same purposes in the two preceding years and an estimate of expenditures for the current year. He shall also submit a statement showing all revenues received by the town in the two preceding years, together with an estimate of the receipts of the cur- rent year and an estimate of the amount of income from all sources of revenue exclusive of taxes upon property in the ensuing year. He shall also report to said committee and to the selectmen the probable amount required to be levied and raised by taxation to defray all of the proposed expendi- tures and liabilities of the town, together with an estimate of the tax rate necessary therefor.
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