USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1900 > Part 6
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Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors; in this town?
Whole number of votes, 247. Yes, 40; No, 207.
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The meeting was declared adjourned to Wednesday, March 14th, at 7.30 o'clock p. m.
A true record. Attest:
H. A. MONK, Town Clerk.
Braintree, March 14, 1900.
The Town met in accordance with adjournment from March 5th, F. A. Hobart, Moderator, in the chair.
Article 2. The official report of the Town Officers for the year 1899 was presented.
Voted, To lay the same on the table.
Art. 4. Laid on the table.
. Art. 5. Voted, That for the purpose of procuring a tempo- rary loan to and for the use of the Town of Braintree, in an- ticipation of the taxes of the present municipal year, the Town Treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to borrow from time to time, with the approval of a majority of the Board of Selectmen, a sum or sums of money not exceeding in the ag- gregate seventy-five thousand (75,000) dollars, and to exe- cute and deliver the note or notes of the Town therefor, pay- able within one year from the time the loan is made. Any debt or debts incurred by a loan or loans to the Town under this vote shall be paid from the taxes of the present municipal year.
Art. 6. The Committee on Appropriations submitted their report with recommendations in printed form (see files in Town Clerk's Office).
Voted, That the report be received and that it be acted upon each item separately in the order in which they are presented by the committee.
Voted, That the following Articles in the warrant be acted on collectively, namely: 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 32.
Appropriations voted :- Superintendent of Schools, $1400.
Voted, To recommit to the Appropriation Committee all the other items in the report relating to the School Depart-
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ment, with instructions to make more careful estimates, in- cluding the increased expense for the Penniman School.
Appropriated for maintenance of highways, $3500; con- struction of stone road, $3500; construction and repair of sidewalks, $2000.
Voted, That the work on sidewalks be done as soon as pos- sible, and that the Surveyors of Highways investigate as to the best material to be used and the most approved manner of building sidewalks.
Art. 32. For watering streets, $500.
Voted, That the Assessors be instructed to assess abuttors on streets watered, one cent per front foot.
For removal of snow, $500.
Fire Department:
Art. 10. Pay of engineers and men, $1225.
Art. 11. Expenses and repairs, $800; new hose; $325.
Art. 12. New ladder truck for east part of the Town, $1000. Support of poor and maintenance of almshouse, $5000. State tax, $2610.
County tax, $4142.86.
Voted, That this meeting be declared adjourned at 10 o'clock this p. m., and when adjourned it be to Thursday, March 22, 1900, at 7.30 o'clock p. m.
Water Department.
Art. 16. For hydrant service, 177 at $25, $4425.
Art. 17. For water loan sinking funds, $5120.
Voted, To postpone the further consideration of the Appro- priation Committee's report until the adjourned meeting.
Voted, To adjourn to aforesaid date.
A true record. Attest :
H. A. MONK, Town Clerk.
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Braintree, March 22, 1900.
The Town met in accordance with adjournment from March 14th.
Article 6. Voted, to lay Article 6 on the table.
Art. 26. Taken up. Voted, To proceed to ballot for a Board of Health, to consist of three members, on one ballot. Dr. T. Haven Dearing, Dr. C. M. Marston and Dr. Frank W. Brett were elected.
Arts. 6 and 18. Voted, That the revenue derived from the domestic and commercial lights, meter rents and jobbing for the year 1900 be applied to pay four hundred and thirty (430) dollars for the sinking fund and the balance for operating ex- penses and connecting new users.
Voted, The following appropriations :-
Art. 22. For the payment of maturing funded debt, $11,400. For interest on funded debt, $4266. For interest on loans in anticipation of taxes, $1800.
Art. 21. For operating electric light plant, $8500.
Art. 20. Voted, To continue the night police and that the sum of twenty-one hundred and ninety (2190) dollars be ap- propriated to pay the same.
Art. 33. Taken up. Voted, To appropriate the sum of five hundred (500) dollars in addition to the fines returnable to the Town for the enforcement of all criminal laws and the sup- pression of the liquor traffic, the same to be expended under the direction of Rev. C. F. Hill Crathern.
Art. 15. For salaries of Town Officers, $3480. For Treas- urer's bond, $100. For fees of Constables, $100. For court fees and expenses, $100.
Art. 9. Voted, To appropriate the sum of one hundred and seventy-five (175) dollars and pay the same to General S. Thayer Post 87, G. A. R., to assist in the expenses of Memorial Day.
For Soldiers' Relief, $500. For Soldiers' Aid, $75. For , care of drawbridge, $100. For collection and abatement of taxes, $1500. For janitor Town Hall and Library, $600. For Town Hall, $500. For Town lands, $100. For insurance,
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$300. For Thayer Public Library, $900. For distribution of books, $100. 'For contingencies, legal expenses, printing and other miscellaneous expenses, $2500.
Art. 13. Voted, To establish a new fire alarm box at the corner of Elm and Commercial streets, and appropriate three hundred (300) dollars for the same.
Voted, To authorize the Selectmen to draw orders on Treasurer to the amount of twenty-six hundred (2600) dol- lars for the payment of State Aid, and to the amount of five hundred (500) dollars for hospital expenses.
Art. 14. Indefinitely postponed.
Arts. 24, 27, 28. Referred to Highway Surveyors.
Arts. 29, 30, 31. Voted, To lay on table.
Art. 6. Voted, To procced to the consideration of that part of the Appropriation Committee's report which was recom- mitted to them at the last meeting; the committee amend their report as follows: Add $400 to pay of teachers, $108 for jan- itors, $100 for incidentals for schools, and $200 for fuel.
Voted, To appropriate sixteen thousand nine hundred and seventy (16,970) dollars in addition to the dog tax and school fund for pay of teachers.
Voted, To adiourn to Friday, March 30th, 1900, at 7.30 o'clock p. m.
A true record. Attest :
H. A. MONK, Town Clerk.
Braintree, March 30, 1900.
The Town met in accordance with adjournment from March 22d, Moderator F. A. Hobart in the chair.
The Moderator read a notice from E. Moody Boynton, President of the Boston; Quincy & Fall River Bicycle Rail- way Company. informing the Town that certain papers had been served on the Selectmen; the same was received and placed on file in the Town Clerk's Office.
Art. 6. The following appropriations for the school depart- ment were voted :- For janitors, $2016; text books and sup-
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plies, $1800; incidentals for schools, $500; schoolhouse re- pairs, $1000; fuel, $1400.
Art. 19. Conveyance of pupils, $825.
Art. 26. Dr. T. Haven Dearing declined serving as a mem- ber of the Board of Health, and by ballot Henry L. Dearing was elected to fill the vacancy.
A resolution relative to the drawing of orders and the ex- ceeding of appropriations, after a lengthy discussion, was by vote laid on the table.
Voted, That the Town Treasurer be and is hereby made the custodian of all money of the several departments of the Town and all the securities of the several "Sinking Funds" of the Town. The Board of Water Commissioners are hereby in- structed to elect the Treasurer of the Town, Treasurer of the Water Department. The Selectmen are hereby instructed to require from the Treasurer such a bond as in their judgment is necessary for the safety of such money and securities.
Voted, That eight thousand (8000) dollars from the Bank and Corporation Tax and twenty-five hundred (2500) dollars derived from other sources, be applied to the foregoing ap- propriations.
Voted, To appropriate in the aggregate the sum of one hundred thousand four hundred forty-four dollars and eighty- six cents ($100,444.86), and that eighty-nine thousand nine hundred forty-four dollars and eighty-six cents of that amount be raised by taxation.
Voted, To instruct the Surveyors of Highways that it is the desire of the Town that they commence to water the streets. as early as April 15th, and the Water Department are hereby instructed to erect standpipes at convenient places on the lines of stone roads to furnish water for said purpose.
Voted, To adjourn to Friday, May 18, 1900, at 7.30 p. m.
A true record. Attest:
H. A. MONK,
Town Clerk.
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Braintree, May 18, 1900.
The Town met in accordance with adjournment from March 31st.
Article 7. Taken up. Voted, To strike out the following names from the jury list presented by the Selectmen, viz .: I. Wendall Gammon, Herbert W. Borden, Frank A. Reed; N. Gleason Torrey, Charles H. Sprague, and Elmer E. Aber- crombie.
Voted, To accept the list as amended, viz .: Franklin E. Arnold, George A. Arnold, J. Marcus Arnold, James H. Bay- ley. Andrew J. Bates, Frank Albert Bates, Charles S. Bates, Louis F. Bates, Robert E. Belcher, John Barbour, Alden Bowditch, James Connell, Francis W. Crooker, Charles H. Clapp, William H. Currier, Daniel E. Cain, William E. Dow, Henry W. Doane, Horace R. Drinkwater, George G. Ells- worth, George A. French, George F. Fuller, Jeremiah F. Gallivan, Allen R. Gage, Henry W. Gore, Worth A. Green, Edward W. Hobart, Arthur L. Hobart, Edward A. Hale, J. Parker Hayward, J. Francis Hayward, William C. Harrison, Walter H. Howland, Carroll A. Holbrook, Charles G. Jordan, Horace A. Jones, Francis W. Jackson, Bradford Y. Knight, Hiram H. Kelley, James H. King, James R. Lovett, Emor H. Matthewson, Henry W. Mansfield, Henry A. Monk, Alva S. Morrison, Augustus McRae, James McNabb, Jr., Edward (). Pierson, Elbridge F. Porter, Gilbert V. Pennock, Orville M. Rogers, John P. Robery, Josephas Sampson, George E. Sampson, Will H. Shaw, Martin V. B. Shaw, Alfred South- worth, Charles G. Sheppard, George W. Stevens, Edward J. Sullivan, Foster F. Tupper, G. Henry Tuttle, Frank D. Thayer, Sidney A. Tilden, Jonathan F. White, Charles G. Whitcomb, Hartley L. White, Rufus H. Woodsum, Henry B. Whitman.
Art. 2. Voted, To accept the report of the Town Officers as presented.
Art. 4. Voted, To sell the collection of taxes to the lowest bidder. Mr. F. A. Smith agreed to collect for 5 mills per dol- lar; Mr. James H. Bailey agreed to collect for 4 9-10 mills
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per dollar. By ballot, with the use of the check list, Mr. F. A. Smith received a majority of the ballots and was declared elected tax collector at the rate of 5 mills per dollar.
Voted, To reconsider the vote just passed whereby the the Town voted to sell the collection of taxes to the lowest bidder; twenty-five voted in the affirmative, four in the nega- tive.
Art. 8. Taken up. Voted, To charge interest on all taxes remaining unpaid after Dec. 1. 1900, at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum.
Art. 23. Indefinitely postponed.
Art. 34. Indefinitely postponed.
Art. 36. 'Ine Committee on By-Laws reported by submit- ting printed copies of proposed By-Laws.
Voted, That the committee be instructed to distribute cop- ies of the proposed By-Laws so that they may reach every voter in Town, and that this meeting adjourn to Monday, May 28, at 7.45 o'clock p. m. A true record. Attest :
H. A. MONK, Town Clerk.
Braintree, May 28, 1900.
The Town met in accordance with adjournment from May 18th, Moderator in the chair.
Article S. Taken up. Voted, That interest be charged on all unpaid taxes after December 6th, 1900, at the rate of six per centum per annum.
Art. 36. Voted, That a committee of three be appointed by the chair to act in conjunction with the Water Commis- sioners to inquire into the matter of a future water supply for the Town.
The report of the Committee on By-Laws taken up.
Voted, That each section be acted on separately.
The report was still under consideration at 12 o'clock p. m., wlien the Moderator declared the meeting adjourned to Mon- day. June 4th, at 7.45 o'clock p. m.
A true record. Attest :
H. A. MONK, Town Clerk.
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Braintree, June 4, 1900.
The Town met in accordance with adjournment from May 28th. Moderator in the chair.
The report of the Committee on By-Laws first in order.
Voted, That if this meeting be in session at 10 o'clock p. m., the Moderator shall then declare it adjourned for one wecl.
Voted, That speakers be limited to ten minutes each and that no one be allowed to speak more than once on the same question.
Several amendments were made to the report of the com- mittee which will appear in the record of the final action of the Town upon the report.
Voted, To adjourn to next Monday at 7.45 o'clock p. m. A true record. Attest :
H. A. MONK, Town Clerk.
Braintree, June 11, 1900.
The Town met in accordance with adjournment from June 4th, Moderator F. A. Hobart in the chair.
The Moderator announced as the committee under the vote passed May 28th, the following gentlemen: Messrs. George D. Willis, E. E. Abercrombie, George F. Hussey.
Voted, That if this meeting be in session at 10 o'clock p. m., that the Moderator then declare it adjourned for one week.
Voted, That speakers be limited to ten minutes each and that no person be allowed to speak more than once on the same question.
The Town proceeded to the further consideration of the re- port of the Committee on By-Laws, Section 11 of Art. 2 be- ing under consideration.
Voted, To adjourn to Friday, June 15, at 7.45 o'clock p. m. A true record. Attest:
H. A. MONK, Town Clerk.
.
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Braintree, June 15, 1900.
The Town met in accordance with adjournment from June 11th, Moderator in the chair.
Voted, That each speaker be limited to ten minutes and that no person be allowed to speak more than once on the same question.
Voted, That if this meeting be in session at 10 o'clock it shall then be declared adjourned to next Tuesday evening at 7.45 o'clock.
Voted, To amend the foregoing vote to read Monday even- ing, June 25, at 7.45 o'clock.
The discussion of the report of the Committee on By-Laws- was continued until 9.55 o'clock, when the meeting was de- clared adjourned to Monday, June 25, at 7.45 o'clock p. m.
A true record. Attest :
· H. A. MONK,
Town Clerk.
Braintree, June 25, 1900.
The Town met in accordance with adjournment from June 15th. Moderator Hobart in the chair.
Voted, To take up Article 6 of the warrant.
Voted, To appropriate five hundred dollars ($500) to pay for the stand-pipes erected by the Water Department under vote of March 30th, 1900.
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Consideration of the report of the Committee on By-Laws resumed.
Voted, That the following code of By-Laws, as recommend- ed by the Committee and amended by the Town, be accepted and adopted.
ARTICLE I.
Town Meetings and Rules for the Government Thereof.
Section 1. The annual meeting for the election of Town Officers shall be held on the first Monday of March in each year. The polls to be opened not later than ten minutes past six o'clock in the morning.
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Sec. 2. Every Town meeting shall be notified by a Con- stable of the Town by posting attested copies of the warrant calling the same in not less than nine public places in the Town, seven days at least before the day fixed for the meet- ing. and also by publication in the local newspaper, if there be any, at least once before said meeting.
Sec. 3. At the annual meeting, after the choice of Moder- ator, the choice of Town Clerk, Selectmen, Assessors, Over- " seers of the Poor, Surveyors of Highways, Town Treasurer, Auditors, Road Commissioners, Sewer Commissioners, Water Commissioners, Sinking Fund Commissioners, School Com- mittec, Board of Health, Trustees of Thayer Public Library, Collector of Taxes and Constables, shall be by ballot.
Sec. 4. No vote fixing the time for closing the polls at any election shall be reconsidered after the balloting has com- menced except for the purpose of extending the time.
Sec. 5. All questions may be debated; motions to adjourn may be amended by specifying a particular day or time, and on such motions not exceeding ten minutes shall be allowed on each side of the question for debate.
Sec. 6. The Moderator of any Town meeting may require motions submitted for the consideration of the town to be made in writing.
Sec. 7. No final vote shall be reconsidered, unless public notice of the intention to move a reconsideration has been given to the Moderator within one hour after the vote has been declared.
Sec. 8. No vote appropriating or involving the expenditure of money shall be passed at any Town meeting, other than the annual meeting, unless there shall be at least fifty legal voters present and voting in favor of such appropriations or expenditures, nor shall any such vote be reconsidered or re- scinded upon any day other than that upon which it was . passed unless there shall be at least fifty legal voters present and voting in favor of such reconsideration or rescission.
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ARTICLE II.
Concerning Certain Powers and Duties of Town Officers.
Section 1. The Town Clerk shall keep a file of all Town reports, reports of all committees chosen by the Town, and all original documents relating to the affairs of the Town which may come into his possession; he shall, as soon as practicable, . after any election has been held by the Town, in addition to the notices he is now directed to give to officers who are re- quired to take an oath of office, also issue a written or printed notice to all persons who have been elected to any other of- fice, or chosen to serve on any committee, stating the office to which such person has been elected, or the duties which such committee was chosen to perform.
Sec. 2. The Selectmen shall annually during the month of February prepare and publish a pamphlet containing the re- ports of the Selectmen, the Assessors, the Overseers of the Poor, the Engineers of the Fire Department, the School Committee, Trustees of the Thayer Free Public Library, Water Works Department, Electric Light Department and Police Department, its report shall include a record of all complaints made to the Court, all warrants issued and all ar- rests made, and for what reasons; this report to be made by each member of the Night Police Force. Also a copy of the specifications governing all contract work, and other matters usually published, and shall cause the same to be printed and distributed to the inhabitants of the Town not less than four- teen days previous to the annual meeting.
Sec. 3. The Selectmen shall have full authority, as agents of the Town, to institute and prosecute suits in the name of the Town, and to appear and defend suits brought against it, unless it is otherwise specially ordered by a vote of the Town.
Sec. 4. Whenever it shall be necessary to execute any deed conveying land or any other instrument required to carry into effect any vote of the Town, the same shall be executed by the Selectmen or a majority of them, in behalf of the Town, unless the Town shall otherwise vote in any special case.
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Sec. 5. The Town Treasurer's report shall give a summary of the receipts and expenditures of the Town for the year ending on the thirty-first day of December next preceding such report, and shall exhibit both the financial condition of the Town and the state of the treasury on that date.
Sec. 6. The Town Treasurer shall exhibit to the Auditors satisfactory evidence that the cash balance due from him to the Town is actually in the treasury.
Sec. 7. The assessment of all taxes shall be completed and a list thercof delivered to the Collector on or before the fif- teenth day of August in each year.
Sec. 8. The Collector of Taxes shall, within thirty days after receiving from the Assessors the tax list, send or deliver to every taxpayer his tax bill, on which shall be printed the rate of taxation together with the conditions of payment of the samc.
Sec. 9. The Collector shall report to the Selectmen a list of the taxes remaining unpaid on the first day of January in each year.
Sec. 10. The Collector shall make a weekly payment to. the Town Treasurer of all taxes collected by him, and when- ever requested by the Selectmen he shall make payment at more frequent dates; and he shan on or before the thirty-first day of December in each year make up his account and ren- der the same to the Auditors.
Sec. 11. The Auditors shall audit the accounts and vouch- ers of the Selectmen, the Town Treasurer, Collector of Taxes, Highway Surveyors, Water Commissioners, the Manager of the Electric Light Department and all other Town accounts, at the close of the financial year and for this purpose they shall have access to all account books and vouchers belong- ing to the Town and shall report the result of their examina- tion to the Selectmen, who shall present the same to the Town in their annual report.
Sec. 12. All Town Officers, on the settlement of their ac- counts with the Town, shall return vouchers for all moneys.
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paid by them on account of the Town; and the Auditors shall examine the vouchers in the audit of accounts.
Sec. 13. The Overseers of the Poor, Surveyors of High- ways, School Committee, Engineers of the Fire Department, Water Commissioner and Manager of the Electric Light De- partment shall make estimates of money needed in their sev- eral departments for the ensuing year, and deliver a copy thereof to the Selectmen on or before the first day of January in each year, and these estimates shall be presented in the an- nual report.
Sec. 14. The Selectmen, Assessors, Overseers of the Poor, School Committee and Water Commissioners shall cause a notice of the time and place of their respective regular meet- ings to be conspicuously posted and maintained in three or more public places in the Town; and said notices shall state that the respective meetings are public and that the records shall be open for inspection at all proper times.
Sec. 15. All Town Officers shall make out their bills for all charges that they personally have against the Town, up to the thirty-first day of December of each year, and present the same forthwith; and it shall be the duty of the Selectmen to procure the presentation of all accounts outstanding against the Town up to that date, and to cause them to appear in the schedule of expenditures, and the books shall be closed and no more orders drawn on the Treasury until they are made up for the year then ending.
Sec. 16. The Chairman or Superintendent of each and every department of the Town, who have the expenditure of any appropriations of money for said department during the year, shall make detailed reports of such expenditures, and present the same to the Selectmen on or before the following January 31st of each year.
ARTICLE III. · Financial Regulations.
Section 1. At each annual meeting for the transaction of the municipal business, there shall be appointed in such man-
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ner as the meeting shall vote, a Committee on Appropria- tions to consist of fifteen members. Neither the Town Clerk, Town Treasurer, nor any member of the Boards of Select- men, Overseers of the Poor, School Committee, Engineers of the Fire Department, Water Commissioners, Highway Sur- veyors or Road Commissioners, Auditors or Electric Light Manager or Commissioners, shall be a member of the above committee.
Said Committee on Appropriations shall, within two weeks after their appointment, meet at the call of the member there- of first named, for organization by the choice of a chairman and secretary. It shall be the duty of the committee after the posting of any Town Warrant to consider all the articles thereof involving appropriations or expenditures of money and report their recommendations at the meeting called under the warrant; and public notice shall be given of any meeting so held for the purpose of considering any warrant.
Sec. 2. No money shall be paid from the treasury, except the State and County taxes and notes and interest thereon, without an order therefor signed by a majority of the Select- men.
Sec. 3. No money appropriated for a general or special purpose shall be applied to any other use, unless by the vote of the Town; and all unexpended balances of such appropria- tions in the treasury on the 31st day of December in each vear shall be reported in the annual report of the Selectmen.
Sec. 4. No orders shall be drawn upon the treasury for any purpose not authorized by a vote of the Town or the laws of the Commonwealth, nor shall the amount of orders drawn against any general or special appropriation exceed the same.
Sec. 5. Whenever mechanical or other work is required to be done for the Town at a cost amounting to five hundred dollars in one item, the same shall be publicly advertised for proposals, which shall be received in sealed envelopes, to be opened at a specified time, and a contract for the performance of the work shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. who shall give bonds if required by the board or committee
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having the matter in charge: provided, that any and all pro- posals may be rejected whenever the interests of the Town so require. Written specifications of the kind of work to be per- formed, and the manner in which the work shall be done, shall make a part of the contract, which shall also be in writing. And provided also, that whenever new streets are to be built or old ones repaired and the Town has in its employ a Super- intendent or Road Commissioner, he or they may, if in their judgment it is deemed advisable, cause such work to be done by the Town under the direction of the Superintendent of Streets or Road Commissioners, without advertising for pro- posals as aforesaid.
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