USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Town annual report of Andover 1963-1969 > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83
* AUTHORIZED and voted an appropriation of $250,000 for construction of the so-called "West Andover Water Loop".
* DIRECTED that a survey be made as to the feasibility of restoring Pomps Pond.
* ADOPTED overwhelmingly a comprehensive revision of the Town By-Laws
* ADDED $700,000 to a previously approved $3.91 Million for the construction of the New Senior High School on Shawsheen Road.
* APPROVED the acquistion of a site off Ban- croft Road for a proposed Southeast Element- ary School.
* AUTHORIZED the acquisition by the Conser- vation Commission of the Davideit property off High Plain Road, West Andover.
BOARD OF SELECTMEN :
CONDUCTED twenty-five (25) regular and nine (9) special business meetings.
* HELD two (2) Hatch Act hearings relating to the filling of wet lands.
SUPPORTED unanimously enactment of sales tax, electronic voting machine and pollution control financial grants legislation by the General Court.
* FAVORED extension by the State of Route 125 into the Lowell Junction industrial area.
** ACQUIRED eighty-two (82) acres of land in West Andover for an elementary school site, seven (7) acres adjacent to the Senior High
School site and the Shorten property on Park Street.
* RECOMMENDED to the Town Meeting the acquisition of the Bancroft Road school site.
* PARTICIPATED in discussions on the forma- tion of a regional pollution abatement district for the elimination of the discharging of un- treated sewage into the Merrimack River.
** SELECTED the late James P. Christie as the recipient of the first annual William Rhoads Memorial given to the Town Employee-of-the- Year.
ESTABLISHED and made the first presenta- tions on Founders Day of Certificates of Ser- vice to citizens of the Town who have served on the various and several Town boards, commit- tees and commissions.
APPROVED the creation of the Historical Dis- trict Study Committee.
CONFIRMED the appointments made by the Town Manager to the Andover Council on Aging.
* VOTED to remove parking meters on Main Street between Punchard Avenue and Elm Street on an experimental basis to determine the extent of willingness of parkers to "honor" posted parking limits.
* DEVELOPED criteria for selection of school sites.
TOWN DEPARTMENTS REPORT :
* FILING of suit by several citizens of the Town challenging the validity of the Town by-law re- quiring Finance Committee approval of money articles presented to special town meetings.
* TRANSFER by the Finace Committee of $24,780.46 from the Reserve Fund to meet un- anticipated departmental expenses during the year.
* PARTICIPATION by the Town Manager in discussion on the formation of the Greater Lawrence Pollution Abatement District.
* ATTENDANCE at Vice-President Hubert H. Humphrey's Washington Conference with City and Town Managers July 28 and 29.
* ADOPTION of new and higher water rates ap- proximating 30% over previous rates so as to place the water system on a self-sustaining basis.
2
* RELAXATION of water use restrictions.
START of construction of $4.61 Million Se- nior High School.
* SELECTION of William Warner of Providence, Rhode Island as architect for the Southeast Ele- mentary School
* APPOINTMENT of Myron H. Muise as Tax Collector.
* INSTALLATION and utilization of computer in Town Accountant's office.
* SALE of $5.5 Million in municipal bonds.
* REALIZATION of $133,201.49 in interest by Town Treasurer through judicious manage- ment of Treasury in the investment of idle Town funds.
* TAX COMMITTMENT of $4,472,030.17 and collection of $4,311,035.98.
ASSESSMENT increase over 1965 of $6,878,300.
* INAUGURATION of property value equaliza- tion program through selection of appraisal firm of Whipple, Darcey and Magane, Andover
* CLOSING of thirteen (13) cases by Town Counsel and the settling of four (4) claims against the Town out of court.
* THIRTY-EIGHT (38) court appearances by Town Counsel.
* REGISTRATION of 10,580 voters.
* RECORDING of 329 births, 163 deaths and 178 marriages by the Town Clerk.
# APPROVAL by the Planning Board of ten (10) subdivisions containing 123 lots.
EXPANSION of Central Merrimack Valley Regional Planning District to include the City of Haverhill and the Town of Merrimac.
* INSTALLATION of a new heating system in Ballardvale Community Center.
* ACQUISITION of eighteen (18) acres of land by Conservation Commission, the first land ac- quired by the Town of Andover for conserva- tion purposes.
* INITIATION of soil survey by U.S. Soil Con- servation Service.
OPENING of Allied Chemical facilities on Dascomb Road.
* SURVEY of Andover citizens 60 years of age and older including one citizen 104 years of age
* ISSUANCE of 525 building permits valued at $8.3 Million.
* TREATMENT with asphalt of approximately 43 miles of Town roadways.
PLANTING of 200 trees to replace 150 trees principally elms removed by Tree Department.
ADDITION of thirty-two (32) street lights.
* ACQUISITION and use of new bulldozer at Town Landfill.
* ELIMINATION OF OPEN BURNING at Landfill.
* DROP in communicable disease and tuberculo- sis cases.
* RECEIPT of 3,273 police complaints.
* 441 MOTOR VEHICLE accidents, of which three (3) were fatal involving four (4) per- sons, 200 personal injuries and 238 property damage only.
* INVESTIGATION of 104 breakings and enter- ings as compared with 79 in 1965.
* CARELESSNESS as major cause of fires.
* MAINTENANCE of 40,000 shelter spaces in Town Civil Defense program.
* ENROLLMENT of 4,850 children in Andover Schools.
UPDATING by School Committee at cost of $500 of so-called "Crimp" Report.
REGIONAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOL enroll- ment for day classes of 39 Andover pupils.
* PLANNING of addition to Regional Vocation- al School.
* COMPLETION and occupancy of addition to Memorial Hall Library.
* DREDGING of small portion of Pomps Pond.
* REGISTRATION of 600 children in Summer Swimming Instruction Program with 200 re- ceiving appropriate certificates.
* COMPLETION of Fish Brook water project.
* PUMPING of more than 120 million gallons of water from Fish Brook to Haggetts Pond.
* DRILLING of 52 test wells to determine the availability of suitable additional ground water supply.
* PREPARATION of plans for addition of 40 units to Housing for the Elderly project.
3
:
1
.......
======
COLLECTOR OF
TAXES
OFFICE HOURS 8.45A.M .- 4.30PM. MON, EVE, 6.0 P.M. - 8.0 P.M.
CLOSED SAT.
In Jim Christie's seventy years is found u measure of a portion of the life of the Town of Andover. In spite of and really because of his quiet and unassuming way, the deeds of his pub- lic service which culminated in his selection in 1966 as Town Employee-of-the-Year-the thoughts of his presence in the Cochran Chapel at the an- nual performance of Handel's "Messiah"-his at- tendance at Phillips Andover-Exeter football games and BAA track meets-the feelings in his endeavors for somebody else, especially younger
and more aspiring Town athletes-are remem- bered at his recent death. They are marked by the dedication of this Annual Report to his mem- ory.
Upon his retirement on October 31,1966, as Tax Collector of the Town of Andover for some twenty-eight years, his friends and fellow-work- ers presented Jim with a gift in the form of a Gaelic blessing which concluded, " ... and until we meet again, Jim, may God hold you in the palm of His hand."
JAMES P. CHRISTIE 1896 - 1967
4
General Government
Town Meeting
The Town Meeting is the legislative and, therefore, the policy-making body for the Town of Andover. Its mem- bers consist of all of the qualified voters of the Town. It convenes at least annually in March to elect the Town's municipal officers - Moderator, Selectmen, School Com- mittee members, Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical High School Committee member, elected Trus- tees of the Punchard Free School, Andover Housing Au- thority, and Trustees of the Cornell Fund, as their terms expire. An extension of the regular Annual Town Meet- ing or an "adjourned" meeting occurring within one week of election adopts the annual budget, makes all other ap- propriations and enacts by-laws. It convenes in special sessions upon call of the Board of Selectmen to consider and to act upon matters which require immediate atten- tion and presumably could not be postponed until the regular Town Meeting.
Andover's legislative body convened no less than four times during 1966-one regular Town Meeting in March and three special Town Meet- ings in March, October, and November. A grand total of approximately 9,000 voters participated in these meeings including the municipal election in March at which some 5,742 votes were cast. The annual business session and the three special meetings attracted some 2,600 voters, or an aver- age of approximately 650 per meeting. There were in 1966 10,580 registered voters and, therefore, Regular Town Meeting members.
The March meeting approved total expendi- tures for all purposes and from all sources taxa- tion, use of Reserve Funds and borrowing-in the amount of $6,631,519.88. Of this amount $5,379,093.00 was to be raised by taxation, $960,000.00 by bonding, and the balance from available funds. In considering and acting upon the 65 articles in the Annual Town Meeting War- rant, some significant actions were taken upon approval of the current year's fiscal program.
In order to continue the maintenance of a sound tax base and to insure that each property would continue to carry its fair share of the tax burden, Town Meeting approved the sum of $40,000.00 for a property value equalization pro- gram by an outside consultant. This program will be completed for use for tax purposes in 1967.
Approval was also given to construction of a $500,000.00 fire station to be located on Stevens Street. This action was subsequently rescind- ed at the October Special Town Meeting and the location changed to the Tyer Rubber property on
North Main Street. This latter action, which also would call for bonding, was ruled to be de- fective by bond counsel. Thus, despite two appro- vals in 1966 for the construction of a fire station to replace the present antiquated facility, no pro- gress can be reported as having been made. It is anticipated that the Board of Selectmen will pre- sent this matter once again to the Town Meeting in 1967.
Favorable action was also taken on additional steps to provide a long-range solution to the Town's water supply problems. The sum of $225,000.00 was voted for the development of wells if subsurface water could be found in suf- ficient quantity to justify the program. Despite extensive surveys to locate ground water, the well authorization was not, nor will it be used. The well tests proved to be unsatisfactory.
The sum of $250,000.00 was appropriated for the construction of a water loop in the West An- dover area. The primary purpose of this project would be to provide more adequate water flow to meet fire insurance requirements, primarily for the industrially zoned area in West Andover. This project will be completed in 1967 with contracts to be awarded in February.
Upon recommendation of the Board of Se- lectmen two significant conservation measures were approved by the voters. The sum of $15,000 was allocated for survey work to determine what could be done to improve the Pomps Pong swim- ming area at the Andover Recreation Park. A con- servation fund was also created with the appro- priating of $10,000.00 for use by the Conser- vation Commission in the acquisition of land for open space purposes.
The Town Meeting also gave approval for amendments to the Town Building Code particu- larly as they related to fire safety; amended the Zoning Bylaw to strengthen the off-street parking requirements for development in the central busi- ness district; approved higher building permit fees so as to permit the Building Department to function on a self-sustaining basis; registered its approval of a forty-unit addition to the Housing for the Elderly Project.
One of the more significant matters brought before the Annual Town Meeting was the revision of the Town Bylaws. This represented the first comprehensive revision of the Town's legal rules and regulations. A one-member committee in the form of Robert S. Zollner, Esq., functioned over
5
a period of some five years in bringing this signi- ficant project to fruition. The Bylaw revision was approved unanimously by the Town Meeting.
Some ten days after the regular Town Meet- ing a special session convened on call of the Board of Selectmen to consider the appropriating of ad- ditional funds for the construction of the Senior High School project approved in 1964. The $700,000.00 which was approved resulted in a $4,610,000.00 project. The Board of Select- men was also authorized to acquire land in Southeast Andover and in West Andover presum- ably for school sites. These were the Taft and Glowacki properties at Gray and Tucker Roads and the Stevens and Demers properties at High Plain Road and Cross Street. Approval was also given for the filing of an application for a public works planning advance with the U. S. Depart- ment of Housing and Urban Development for the anticipated addition to the new Senior High School, including an auditorium.
The October 3rd Special Meeting considered and rejected the acquisition of the so-called Lally property in Elm Square for use as a Town Hall building site. A similar action was taken on th e acquisition of a school site for Southeast Andover .in the vicinity of the Bancroft Reservoir. This latter action was approved by a majority of the voters, but the law requires a two-thirds majority. Some fifteen votes were lacking to meet this re- quirement. As indicated previously, the Town Meeting did approve the acquisiton of the so-call- ed Tyer Rubber property as a building site and presumably as a fire station site. The Town Meet- ing also gave approval to the acquisition by the Conservation Commission of the Davideit proper- ty off High Plain Road in the vicinity of Fish Brook. This action is of particular significance since it represents the first acquisition by the Town of Andover of land for conservation pur- poses.
Upon recommendation of the Board of Select- men and Finance Committee $6,500.00 was voted for engineering work and property appraisals in order to prepare plans for raising the level of Haggetts Pond.
In November Town Meeting was asked once again to approve the purchase of a school site for Southeast Andover in the vicinity of Bancroft Reservoir. This time it was approved.
To suggest even remotely that the Town Meeting had a busy year in 1966 would win an award for being the understatement of the year.
Moderator
Personnel
Expenditures
Part-time 1 $75
Monthly Cost Per Person
$.0003
Elected annually, the Town Moderator is the presiding officer of Town Meetings. His de- cisions as to procedure at such meetings are final and binding. He also appoints members of the Town Finance Committee.
THE MODERATOR RECOGNIZES
6
I AM OPPOSED TO
MR. MODERATOR, I HAVE A QUESTION. WHAT IS PROPOSED IS THE REZONING OF
#
I'LL HAVE A HAM AND CHEESE
MR. MODERATOR AND FELLOW CITIZENS . MY NAME IS . .
THEY MUST BE TALKING ABOUT ARTICLE
ITS BEEN A LONG, LONG DAY.
7
Finance Committee
Finance Committee Expenditures Monthly Cost Per Person
$900
$.0036
Appointed by the Moderator for three-year staggered terms, the seven-member FINCOM functions as the "watch-dog" agency over Town finances. It receives and makes recommendations on the Annual Budget as submitted by the Town Manager. It also considers and comments on all other financial matters or articles which comes before the Town Meeting. No request for the appropriation of funds may be considered by a special Town Meeting without first having been approved by the Finance Committee. The FIN- COM also controls the Reserve Fund established by a Town Meeting and from which transfers may be made to meet situations unforeseen at the time of preparation and adoption of the Annual Budget.
The Finance Committee met periodically during the year to review progress of the Town administration in finance. It approved the trans- fer of $24,780.46 from the Reserve Fund to var- ious Town departments to meet necessary but un- foreseen expenses. These emergency situations in- cluded salaries for retirement administration in- advertently omitted from the 1966 budget; $5,000.00 for test well drilling in determining the availability of ground water; a replacement heat- ing system for the Ballardvale Community Center costing $2,500.00 ; $2,000.00 for snow removal ; and eleven other expense requirements as detailed in the financial section of this Town Report.
The Finance Committee Chairman maintain- ed periodic contact with and was consulted by the Town Manager on financial matters. He partici- pated in the favorable sale of $5.5M in bonds in March.
Board of Selectmen
Although the Finance Committee's batting av- erage in 1966 was slightly lower than its custom- ary 1,000, townspeople continued to show their confidence in the recommendations made by the Committee at the several town meetings during the year. All of the recommendations of the Fin- Com on financial matters were approved by the voters at the regular Town Meeting and the Spec- ial Meetings of March 22 and November 21. Only the Committee's favorable recommendation on the use of the Lally property as a Town Hall site at the October 3 Special Town Meeting was rejected.
The Committee's authority to approve money articles at special town meetings in accordance with a Town By-Law of some years' standing was challenged in a court action brought by several taxpayers in November, 1966. The by-law as pre- viously approved by the voters provides that any article calling for the appropriation of funds at a special town meeting may be considered by the meeting only if it receives a favorable recommen- dation from the Finance Committee. It was enact- ed as a safeguard against the "packing" of spe- cial meetings in favor of money matters for the benefit of usually small but organized special in- terest groups. At the writing of this report no de- cision has been made on the merits of the case by the courts. A court did, however, refuse to issue an injunction which would have created serious problems at the November 21 Special Town Meet- ing.
Personnel
Expenditures Monthly Cost Per Person
Part-time 5 Plus Secretary $3,836 1 1/2 ยข
The five-member Board of Selectmen is the Town's licensing authority and a supervising agency in terms of overseeing the implementa- tion of policies adopted by the Town Meeting. It appoints the Town Accountant, Zoning Board of Appeals, Planning Board of Appeals, officers and registrars of voters and the Town Manager. The Board is responsible for supervising the Town Manager in the faithful discharge of his duties and responsibilities. All appointments by the Town Manager are subject to approval by the Board. Its most significant role is that of recommending policy to the Town Meeting, especially on matters relating to community development. Selectmen are elected to three-year terms of office.
A detailed accounting of the activities of the Board of Selectmen in 1966 would reak like a diary of the governmental activity of all of the departments of the Town and the many other in- fluences on the Andover community. In perhaps no other office of the Town of Andover is as much considered and acted upon, although frequently critixisms of the Board are too often made in terms of the few things not done rather than the more numerous accomplishments.
8
Town Hall
One of the more perplexing problems faced by the Selectmen in the past year was that relat- ing to the housing of the Town Offices, Police De- partment, and Central Fire Station. It was con- sidered frequently in the twenty-five (25) regular and nine (9) special meetings of the Board in the course of the year. Use of the so-called Lally pro- perty in Elm Square as a site for the Town Hall was supported by the Board and presented to the October 3 Special Town Meeting. Townspeople disagreed with the Board's position and despite support from the Planning Board and Finance Committee disapproved the appropriating of funds to undertake the project. In spite of efforts by the Board and an approval by the same meet- ing, the Central Fire Station is delayed until an- other vote and approval by a Town Meeting is ob- tained because of imperfections in the Town Meeting's original vote. The Police Station hinges on the decisions made on locatiing the Town Hall and Fire Station.
The most unfortunate fault of the Board, if indeed it can be so described, has been its honest and conscientious desire to reflect in its consider- ations not only the most economical choice of sites but a location acceptable to the greatest num- ber of Townspeople. The Board recognizes that it has established criteria which are virtually im- possible to meet. It is anticipated, therefore, that prior to the 1967 Annual Town Meeting the Board will have made, or recommended. the decisions necessary to permit these inportant projects to go forward without further delays.
In terms of routine business the Board con- ducted ten hearings prior to the granting of gravel permits and three hearing under the terms of the so-called "Hatch Act." This particular act is of great significance to Andover since for the first time the Town has been granted some con- trol over the manner in which the wet lands in the Town may be used. Subject to approval by the State Department of Natural Resources the Se- lectmen can regulate to the point of prohibiting the disturbing of any wet land particularly as it might affect the Town's water supply. The Board did, in fact, deny two petitions, both of which would have had a detrimental effect on Fish Brook.
Support Given
Support was given by the Board to several bills being considered by the General Court. Re- cognizing the need for increased State financial assistance and some relief to the overburdened
property taxpayer, the Board unanimously sup- ported the enactment of the Governor's limited sales tax. Experience in 1966 proved beyond ques- tion that wothout such assistance the Town would have been faced with a higher property tax. The Board also registered its favorable sup- port of legislation which would have permitted the use of electronic voting machines in Town elections. Unfortunately, the bill died in the Senate. It is to be presented once again in 1967 and will be supported as strongly as possible by the Selectmen.
The Board also appeared on behalf of a bill which ultimately passed the House but died in the Senate which would have extended Route 125 in a northerly direction to intersect with Lowell Junction Road. This significant project would have opened up more than five hundred acres of prime industrial land in the Town of Andover as well as a similar amount in Wilmington. This bill will also be presented once again in 1967.
A great deal of time was spent in negotiating the purchase of the so called Tyer Rubber pro- perty, and despite an agreed-upon price, the Board could not consummate the sale because of legal problems surrounding the vote of the Town which authorized the purchase as well as some matters relating to the title of the property.
Several meetings were held during the course of the year with officials of the City of Lawrence and the Towns of Methuen and North Andover on formation of a regional water pollution abatement district. In addition, one member of the Board of Selectmen, Robert A. Watters, along with the Town Manager represented the Town as members of a subcommittee which sought an answer to this critical problem. Despite a great deal of time, ef- fort, and energy, the Regional Pollution Abate- ment District has been placed in a state of limbo. The problem remains with us, and the Board will be required to devote a great deal more time in arriving at a solution which will be recommend- ed to the Town.
Of perhaps even more critical importance during the past year was the continued water shortage. The Board recommended and the Fin- ance Committee made a transfer of $5,000.00 in order to undertake an extensive test well drilling survey to determine the availability of suitable quantities and qualities of ground water to sup- plement the Town's water supply system. Con- sideration was also given to preparation of plans and specifications for a replacement reservoir for the existing Bancroft Reservoir. It is expected
9
that the 1967 Annual Town Meeting will be re- quested to consider and to approve this project.
Included among the other many activities of the Board of Selectmen during the past year was the very pleasant opportunity to concur with the Memorial Hall Library Board of Trustees and the Town Manager in the naming of the reading room of the library addition in honor of Miss Miriam Putnam. The Board found additional pleasure in creating an Employee's Award in memory of Bill Rhoads, the spark plug of the 1965 Founder's Day. The first award was made to the late Jim Chris- tie, Andover's long-time Tax Collector. Certifi- cates of Service were also given for the first time to citizens of the Town who had completed their service as members of the several Town boards, committees, or commissions. This practice will be continued and represents a small measure of the gratitude of the Selectmen on behalf of the Town for the dedicated service of these many volunteers.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.