USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Town annual report of Andover 1963-1969 > Part 36
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16 Great Books discussion meetings
470 framed print loans
INTER-LIBRARY LOAN
Books borrowed by the Memorial Hall Library from other libraries Books loaned by the Memorial Hall Library to other libraries
511
* Includes magazines, pamphlets, etc.
** Based on 1965 census, 20,551 population.
*** Includes public and private schools from pre-school through 9th grade.
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257
Elementary School Libraries
"AN ARTIST AND HIS WORK" SCULPTURE BY GERALD SHERTZER, COMMISIONED AND CONTRIBUTED BY DANIEL FRISHMAN LIBRARY TRUSTEE.
plish gains but not money alone. A tightening of operation, good planning, and wise judgment to select what is essential from what is momentarily stylish will prevent overextension.
The library must always be in a position to recruit able, well-trained staff members and to retain, through adequate financial incentives and a stimulating program, the able staff that it al- ready has.
In 1967 a book budget of $40,000 is neces- sary if the library is to acquire the wide range of reading materials for all ages, reading interests and needs.
In the service area, more individual assist- ance to adult readers should be available, more subject and individual reading lists compiled. The library should have a full-time young adult libra- rian. Additional staff for reference and reader services will become necessary with library growth.
There are still largely underserved sections
COO LEADING
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INSIDE
of the community: the functionally illiterate and the aged. Can the library serve them better ? How?
There may be need for more library-sponsor- ed book and idea centered discussion groups. An augmented professional staff could work profit- ably more in and with the community.
The audio-visual program has arrived at a plateau with little change over the last few years. What should be the place of films, recordings, prints, television, slides, tapes in the library of today and tomorrow? Are these needs being met by other agencies ? Clubs, churches, schools ? TV at home?
Naturally not all these projects or ideas will come to fruition today, perhaps not even tomor- row. However, they are all worth consideration though the future has its own way of changing priorities and directions.
It is certain that with the new adult addition now a wonderful reality, 1967 can be an extraor- dinary LIBRARY YEAR!
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Recreation
Personnel
Full-time 2 Part-time 51 Volunteers 12
Expenditures
Monthly Cost Per Person
$46,815 181/2 ¢
The Recreation Department was established in 1962 by employing the first full time Director. Previously recreation programming had been a part-time and seasonable activity administered by a Recreation Board. The Director is responsible to the Manager. He is responsible for a year- round program of activities, maintenance and de- velopment with emphasis on playgrounds and a swimming program in the Summer and ice rink maintenance in the Winter. In addition to five playgrounds and the swimming area, the Town acquired a 43 acre tract of land adjacent to Pomps Pond in 1963 for park development. In September of 1963 a second full-time employee was hired to maintain buildings, grounds and equipment used by the Department. The Director and Maintenance Man depend on assistance from over 50 part-time and seasonal employees, con- tractors, employees of other municipal depart- ments and volunteers.
The basic aims of the Andover Recreation Dep- artment are:
I. To make available areas and facilities suitable to the leisure-time needs of all of the peo- ple of Andover.
II. To assist the people of the Andover com- munity in taking full advantage of the/areas and facilities provided by the Town.
Departmental activities were organized and car- ried out within the contexts of a Six-Point Pro- gram - 1) Research and Planning; 2) Physical De- velopment and Maintenance; 3) Activity Opera- tion; 4) Public Relations ; 5) Coordination; and 6) Evaluation. Of these points, physical develop-
"I'M AN OLD COW HAND
ment and maintenance an, activity operation have the highest "visibility of consequence" and are, therefore, most frequently used as the bases for making judgements of the effectiveness of the ac- tivities of the Recreation Department. Sight must not be lost of the place of the other important factors which will play an increasing roll of im- portance in the advancement of recreation 'in Andover as time goes on.
Landscaping of the Recreation Park Lodge and a new bulletin board erected at the Park's en- trance were contributed by the Andover Garden Club and the Welcome Wagon Newcomer's Club respectively. Street lights were also installed along the Park roadway and have contributed materially to reducing Park vandalism in the nighttime. It has also made the Park Lodge more usable after dark. Lights were also installed at the front of the Lodge.
600 REGISTERED, 200 PASSED
Swimming lessons in 1966 for the third sea- son were organized using the so-called "Station Method" of instruction. This allows each instruc- tor to give more independent attention to parti- cipants. Over 600 youngsters were registered for lessons with more than 200 passing the courses. In addition, a pilot program was initiated utiliz- ing the pool of the Holiday Inn in South Lawrence at no charge to the town. The season at Pomps Pond was highlighted by two swimming meets and two band concerts, the latter also at no charge to the town. It is estimated that there were 34,000 visitations at Pomps during the season. This included free swimming periods in the after- noons and on weekends.
In the playground program, stress this past year was on inter-playground competition, spe- cial activities and displays. This augmented a balanced program of games, sports, crafts, art, field trips, social activities and free play. High- lighting the program was the annual trip to
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Canobie Lake Park, a field day, playground carni- val and 4-H Horse Show. It is estimated that there were 20,000 visitations by participants on the six playgrounds during the season.
A badminton league was initiated during the year using school facilities. This is the first time that this has been possible and was undertaken with the expressed approval of the Andover School Committee.
During 1966, the average number of uses of the Recreation Park Lodge increased from 4 to 8 times a week. Regular users included the Orbits Round Dancers, Welcome Wagon Newcomers Club Classes, 4-H Horse Club, TOPS Club, Y.W.C.A. Extension Course and Teen Dance program. There were also special outings by Scouts, Campfire Girls, Schools, Churches, and private groups. To- tal visitations for the year are estimated at 40,000. Service charges are made for use of the Recrea- tion Park Lodge where such use requires addi- tional expense by the town. The charges cover out-of-pocket expenses by the town.
With the cooperation of the Boy and Girl Scouts, the annual Easter Candy Hunt was held at the Recreation Park for the second consecutive year. There were nearly 1,000 youngsters in at- tendance in 1966.
WHEE! - COASTING AT ANDOVER RECREATION PARK
7 0
P
POMP'S DREDGING, 1966
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Water
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"Water supply" were the passwords for 1966. The so-called Fish Brook project consisting of a diversion dam, impounding reservoir, pumping station, and a 24-inch transmission main from the pumping station to Haggets Pond was completed and put into operation. Despite its completion to- ward the end of the spring runoff season, it was able to return to Haggetts Pond some 120,000,000 gallons of water. As a consequence, water use re- strictions were modified and made more liberal than in 1965. Without Fish Brook in 1966 the Town of Andover would have been faced with a drought condition approaching proportions of a small disaster. Impounding the runoff from the Fish Brook watershed and pumping it to Hag- getts Pond for storage will add the equivalent of 1,000,000 gallons per day to the Town's water sup- ply during
drought conditions, or some 360,000,000 gallons of water annually. The final cost of the project will approximate $750,000.00
The brook itself runs a distance of approxi- mately five miles and originates in the vicinity of Lowell Street and Greenwood Road.
Andover's principal source of water supply and storage is Haggetts Pond and its watershed area of 2.14 square miles. Supplementing Hag- getts Pond are three wells - the Abbott Well locat- ed off Andover Street, and the two Ballardvale Wells located off Porter Road. Hagetts Pond, sup- plemented by the Fish Brook Diversion and the three wells, are capable of producing over 3,500, 000 gallons per day during drought conditions.
The purpose of the Fish Brook project is to increase the watershed area of Haggetts Pond and to more fully utilize the storage capacity of the pond, and, as a result, to have Haggetts Pond full every year prior to the warm weather months,
This project is the first step of a long range plan for meeting the water supply requirements of the Town which ultimately will result in aug- menting Haggetts Pond by diversions from the Merrimack River, and the complete treatment of the combined waters to assure an adequate quan- tity of high quality water to meet the Town's needs.
Basic design and engineering data on Fish Brook is as follows : Dam & Spillway
Pumping Station
An earth diversion dam and concrete spillway, the spillway being 75 feet long and the bot- tom of the dam 26 feet below the crest of the spillway. The spillway is designed to pass flood flows of 1,250,000 gal- lons per minute when the depth over the spill- way is 4 feet above the crest.
Four vertical turbine pumps have been pro- vided. Two of the pum- ps have a design cap- acity of 3,300 gallons per minute at a total head of 100 feet. The other two pumps are designed for 1,350 gal- lons per minute at a total head of 84 feet. With four pumps oper- ating, over 10 million gallons per day can be pumped to Haggetts Pond. 15,860 feet of 24-inch diameter ductile iron pipe.
Transmission Main
An extensive well exploration survey was completed during 1966 by the consulting firm of Geraghty and Miller of Port Washington, New York, recognized ground water geologists. In order to assess the potential for ground water develop- ment the program of test drilling was undertaken between January ND July of 1966. To keep costs at a minimum the testing was done by means of 21/2" diameter wells and borings. The geological samples obtained from the drilling were studied
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to determine the textures and water-bearing characteristics of the subsurface materials. The wells were pumped at various depth intervals in order to obtain a preliminary idea of the ground water potential at each site. Water samples were collected from promising wells to provide data on the chemical quality of the ground water. In a few wells screens were installed and more exten- sive pumping tests were carried out.
Altogether fifty-two test wells and borings were drilled at twenty-one different sites. When added to the twenty-one wells drilled in 1957, the Town has been covered rather extensively in the search for suitable ground water supply. At best a few of the locations could be tested more exten- sively with borings of larger diameter in order to determine the exact extent of the ground water supply in sustaining high capacity production wells. It is the considered judgment of the Depart- ment that further tests are not justified at this time.
At the year's end, the so-called West Andover Water Loop Project as authorized by the 1966 Annual Town Meeting was advertised. The con- tract will be awarded and work will begin as soon as weather conditions permit with the project to be completed by Summer of 1967. This project which involves the replacement of inadequately sized mains and the addition of additional lines of North Street, River Road, Cross Street and Plain Road will provide a greatly increased water flow for this section of the Town. This is especial- ly critical in terms of providing service for the West Andover Industrial Areas.
An algae problem occurred in Haggetts Pond late in the year causing considerable inconveni- ence to water users. Household filters and strain- ers were clogged. This was a problem over which the Town had little, if any, control. Attempts were made to treat the condition with copper sul- phate. With the anticipated filling of Haggetts Pond and hopefully to the point of overflowing, this particular condition should be eliminated.
As authorized by a vote of the Town Meeting appropriating $6,500, land surveyors were engag- ed to obtain topographical information to deter- mine the land limits for increased water storage around Haggetts Pond. It is expected that this work will be completed in 1967 and recommenda- tions made to the Board of Selectmen and possi- bly-to a Town Meeting. Increasing the height of Haggetts Pond would permit the storage in excess of One Hundred Million additional gallons of water.
The recent drought emphasized rather dra- matically a serious deficiency which exists in the Town's water system. The Bancroft Reservoir which was determined to be underrated by Two Million Gallons in 1945 now suffers from a Four Million Gallon deficiency to meet the demands being made on this portion of the Town's distri- bution system. There were times during 1965 and 1966 when the reservoir was drawn down to the point where, should a major fire have occurred, the Fire Department would have been hampered seriously in combating the fire successfully. Con- tinuation of this problem may make it impossible to remove water use restrictions in the low service area of the Town which includes Ballardvale, downtown Andover and Shawsheen.
Plans and specifications for this project were completed in 1966 with the use of an interest free Public Works Planning Advance from the United States Government Department of Hous- ing and Urban Development. It is estimated that the total cost of the project will approxi- mate $750,000
In addition to the storage deficiencies of the reservoir, the facility is in a very deteriorated physical condition. Upon its being cleaned in November 1966, the concrete floor was found to be badly eroded with the block walls having un- satisfactory material between the stones. In addi- tion, since it is an open reservoir, it is subject to contamination by birds, animals and beer drink- ers.
Pomps Pond Dredged
In order to make the swimming areas at Pomps Pond usable during the past summer, a limited amount of dredging with the used of hired equipment was undertaken. The ravages of time coupled with the effects of the recent drought re- duced Pomps to a point where its use was im- paired. The dredging carried the area through the summer months although attendance was off con- siderably. This work also served the useful pur- pose of providing additional engineering data on the condition of the pond bottom. A final deci- sion as to the appropriate course of action for improving Pomps remains to be made. It appears that the problem is two-fold - quantity and quality of water available to the Pond and its water depth especially in terms of the level of mud on the bottom. The U.S. Soil Conservation Service provided technical assistance during the year in suggesting possible solutions to the depth pro- blem. In addition, contacts were made with dredg-
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HAGGETT'S POND, 1965
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A SUCCESS STORY
THE BEGINNING OF THE BROOK PUMPING STATION, DAM AND IMPOUNDING RESERVOIR
THE FINISH
THE TRANSMISSION LINE IN PROCESS
FINISHED
TURN PAGE FOR RESULTS
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AN INSPIRING SITE
UP TO 10 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY
Personnel
Full-time 13
Part-time 5 $164,290
Expenditures Monthly Cost Per Person
64¢
ing experts on the technical and cost factors in removing quantities of spoil from the Pond. It is anticipated that specific plans and proposals will be made on this vital matter in 1967. The Recrea- tion Director worked closely with the Conserva- tion Commission in the planning phases of this work.
Although routine maintenance of grounds and equipment consume most of the time and effort of the Department, several noteworthy improve- ments did take place during 1966. The Ballard- vale paved play area was sealed with a green co- lored asphaltic material. It therefore became one of the more usable play areas for basketball in the warmer months and for skating during the Winter. Mulching the sliding area of the Recrea- tion Park as well as the slopes of the Park roadway were completed with the help of Public Works De- partment personel and equipment. A major wash- out on the roadway required extensive repairs and stablization. A cave-in at Ballardvale requir- ed extensive work.
Littering and vandalism were the most com- mon maintenance problems during the year. An average of one day out every work week had to be decoted to cleanup and repair work resulting from someone else's carelessness or thoughlessness. The Department did acquire some additional equip- ment during the year which proved to be of some importance in meeting the demands made of the Department. These included power carpentry tools, a paint sprayer, a grounds care power unit and a second,hand stake body picup truck. This latter piece of equipment made it possible to per- form many tasks which would otherwise have been delayed or not undertaken.
In view of the fact that the Town's wells have been pumped continuously throughout the
Andover's principal source of water supply and storage is Haggett's Pond and its watershed area. In addition, the Town draws upon three ground wells - the Abbot Well located on Andover Street and the two Ballardvale Wells located off Proctor Road.
Supplementing Haggett's Pond storage are the Wood Hill Tank with a capacity of one mil- lion gallons and the Bancroft and Prospect Hill Reservoirs holding 1.5 and .8 milion gallons res- pectively.
Haggett's Pond and the three wells are cap- able of producting a safe daily supply of approx- imately 2.5 to 3 million gallons. Water usage ranges from 2 to more than 4 million gallons per day.
three to five year drought, they are in need now of considerable maintenance. Larger pumps are needed at the Bancroft Station. With the exten- sive building occuring in the eastern section of the Town. it would be poor practice to try to meet the demand under heavy use with the present equipment. Existing equipment size was deter- minded some 15 years ago.
Water rates were increased in 1966 by ap- proximately 30% in order to put the water sys- tem on a self-sustaining basis. Despite conten- tions to the contrary, the Andover water system has been bosing money over theyears. The new water rates provice for a new minimum charge of $7.00 as against $6.00 and corresponding in- creases based upon greater water usage.
Routine requirements in operating the Town's water system required some 1500
special calls, two major breaks in the system oc- curred on Dascomb Road and Pilgrim Drive and were repaired satisfactorily. There were 252 new servies tapped and 200 new meters installed. Sub- divisions added 20,115 feet of mains, 62 gates and 27 hydrants. 10 tapped sleeves and gates were in- stalled.
Meters
Miles of Main
Year
Total Pumping
in Use Hydrants Pipe
1964
945,764,00
5072
1084
128.05
1965
861,629,000
5222
1126
131.36
1966
871,305,000
5400
1188
138.36
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Spring Grove Cemetery
Personnel Expenditures
5
$35,913 14¢
Monthly Cost Per Person
During the year 1966 twenty-three (23) new lots were sold at Spring Grove Cemetery. There were eighty-five (85) interments, an increase of ten (10) over the figures for 1965. A total of $8,234 was received from the sale of new lots, in- terments, vault sales, foundation installations, and from the care of lots not under perpetual care.
From perpetual care payments and from payments made on one old lot not previously un- der perpetual care a total of $3,182 was received. This was turned over to the Town Treasurer for addition to the Perpetual Care Funds, bringing them to a total of $167,482.00
Interest income totaling $4,304 was received from the Perpetual Care Funds during 1966. Add- ed to the other receipts of the cemetery, a total of $12,538 was returned to the Town.
As programmed, 3,068 feet of roads were surfaced with bituminous concrete. Only a small amount remains to complete this program. It is expected this will be done during 1967. In addi- tion to improvement in appearance and conveni- ence, there is a substantial saving yearly in main- tenance.
The demand for lots is growing along with the growth of the Town. It has been found neces- sary, therefore, to develop additional areas for future needs. Work toward this started this year.
The stone wall along Abbot Street was re- pointed and an underground water supply obtain- ed for our garage building. A new heating sys- tem was installed in the maintenance building. Exterior trim as well as building interiors was painted.
Parking Meters
Personnel Expenditures
$6,796 1
The Town maintains a parking meter fund into which all receipts both from on and off-street meters are deposited. These funds may be used only for maintenance of the existing system and additions to it. In 1966, on-street parking meters on Main Street between Punchard Ave. and Elm Street were removed on a trial basis to determine the extent to which parkers could discipline them- selves in not exceeding the posted parking time limits. This far, the experiment has proved to be most successful and may well be extended and be permanent.
Plans were developed in 1966 to improve and to meter completely the Municipal Parking Lot. It is expected that the meter revenue from this area alone will approximate the previous annual collections of the entire parking meter system. The only funds expended in 1966 on parking me- ters were necessary for routine maintenance of the meters and the salary of a single police officer assigned to parking enforcement.
Andover Housing Authority
One new member, Theodore E. Meinelt, Jr., was appointed to the Housing Authority in 1966, and Thomas P. Eldred was re-elected by the townspeople - both for five year terms. Harold E. Coleman left the Board after serving seven years.
At the 1966 Annual Town Meeting it was
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Spring Grove Cemetery was established by a vote of the Annual Town Meeting of 1871. It contains approximately fifty-seven acres of land of which some ten acres remain undeveloped. The cemetery has been planned and developed to re- tain its great natural beauty. There are 1,773 lots in the cemetery. There are an average of eighty interments per year.
Care and custody of cemetery funds ear- marked for perpetual care of grave sites is the responsibility of a five-member Board of Trus- tees appointed by the Town Manager for three- year terms of office. The Trustees are unpaid.
Unclassified
The Andover Housing Authority is an inde- pendent agency of the Town having five mem- bers with one member appointed by the State and the other four elected by the voters for three- year terms. The Authority is responsible for the administration of a low rent Housing Develop- ment and one facility for the elderly.
voted that the Andover Housing Authority con- struct 40 additional dwelling units for elderly per- sons.
On April 6th the Authority entered into a Contract for Financial Assistance with the Com- monwealth of Massachusetts for construction of an Elderly Housing Project containing 40 dwelling units, to be known as Project Andover 667-2. On May 12th Notes of the Authority, guaranteed by the Commonealth in the amount of $520,000.00 @ 3.09% interest, were signed. On June 9th the $520,000.00 was delivered to the Authority. On December 7th the Notes were renewed @ 40% in- terest.
On June 23 a Contract for Architectural Ser- vices between the Authority and Clinton Foster Goodwin, Registered Architect, in the amount of $450.00 per dwelling unit, was approved by De- puty Commissioner Julius J. Sofinowski, De- partment of Commerce, Division of Housing. Mr. Goodwin has drawn plans for two buildings con- taining the 40 apartments. Each apartment will have a total area of 450 sq. ft.
Veterans Project
1966 was the 16th full year of occupancy for this project. Seven new families moved into the Project this year and three tenant families moved to larger apartments in the project.
Payment to the Town of Andover in lieu of taxes was $1,876.00.
The Commonwealth Contribution for the fis- cal year ending March 31, 1967 will be $11,650.00. The Project showed a surplus of $11,454.00 for the first 6 months of the fiscal year. This project was financed with Housing Authority Bonds @ 2-1/8% interest and will become Town property when paid for.
The average monthly shelter rent is $53.00. The average monthly utility charge is $18.68.
The minimum monthly shelter rent for two and three bedroom apartments is $40.00; $45.00 for four bedroom apartments.
The yearly income limits for admittance to the Project, based on the number of minor de- pendents, are: one minor dependent, $4,800; two minor dependents, $5,000; three minor depen- dependents, $5,200.
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