USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1957 > Part 3
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ARTICLE 6. Amending of Schedules A and B of Salary Adminis- tration Plan.
MOVED
That Articles 5 and 6 and motions pending thereto be referred back to the Personnel Board for consideration and report on Wednesday this week if possible, if not, by Monday next week.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
MOVED the following resolution under Article 2:
That it is the sense of this meeting that the Salary Advisory Board be dissolved and that the Chairman of the Finance Committee be directed to insert an Article in the next Annual Town Meeting for this purpose.
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Vote was taken and the Moderator declared the resolution LOST. Mr. Riley presented the following report under Article 2.
This Committee was appointed by a vote of the 1956 Town Meeting for the following purposes: Be a Committee to study the Administra- tion, purpose and recommendations of the Personnel Board to the end that the Town Meeting Members and citizens may have a full under- standing of the function and purposes of the said Personnel Board and report their findings and recommendations to the next Annual or Special Town Meeting.
Following this mandate of the Town Meeting, the members of this Committee immediately organized and commenced to interview the heads of the departments of the Town of Braintree. Meetings were also held with your Committee and the Personnel Board. It is the considered opinion of your Committee that the Personnel Board has been acting within the by-laws as they have been adopted for the administration of their duties.
However, we do feel that there are many inequities existing which have caused dissensions and a definite lowering of morale of the em- ployees of the various departments. There is no doubt that the dissatis- faction and low morale among those affected has been detrimental to the welfare of the Town of Braintree.
It seems to your Committee that these conditions are brought about by the Administration of the Classification and salary plans by the Personnel Board. We recommend that Section 2, subdivision E of the Salary Administration Plan be amended to allow the department heads rather than the Personnel Board to establish the Classification of the employees. We further recommend that Part 1, Section 8 of the Salary Administration Plan be amended so that the Classification and the Salary Plan may be amended by a vote of the Town at a regular or Special Town Meeting without prior reference to the Personnel Board.
For the best interest of the Administration of the Personnel Board your Committee feels that no town employee should be a member thereof.
Russell S. Riley George P. Love, Jr. Robert W. Sullivan Bernard R. Andrews John W. Harding
SO VOTED: That the report of the committee be accepted and placed on file.
SO VOTED : That Article 7 be taken up in conjunction with Article 8.
Mr. Albee presented he following report under Article 2.
REPORT OF CENTRAL PURCHASNG COMMITTEE
By way of an approved resolution under Article 2 of the Adjourned Annual and Special Town Meeting of April 4, 1955, a committee was formed to study the advisability of a central purchasing agency or other appropriate methods of coordination of all eligible town departments.
The committee was composed of members representing the Per- sonnel Board, Finance Committee, Board of Selectmen, School Committee and three members from the town's voting list.
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The committee made an interim report at the 1956 Annual Town Meeting and was granted an extension of time for further study.
Committee activities consisted of :
a. General review of the town ledgers in an effort to determine the approximate volume of purchases in the town.
b. Study of unit prices for various purchases.
c. Discussion of municipal purchasing with the Massachusetts Taxpayers' Association and with an individual privately engaged in this type of work.
d. Discussion with those town departments that did the largest amount of purchasing.
Many interesting suggestions were made to the committee, most of which could be incorporated in the operation of the town without special legal actions. The three most interesting proposals were:
1. A combination position of town accounting-purchasing agent.
2. A central accounting system.
3. A public works department.
The first proposal, which seemed to be a success where it was be- ing used, is something this committee believes the town should keep in mind.
It can be readily understood that this committee could not investi- gate all the ideas proposed and therefore confined its activities to a broad outlook on the general conditions as exist.
Generally speaking it was found that all departments were func- tioning to the best of their individual abilities. But, it should be kept in mind that there is always room for improvement.
If a change in our present form of government takes place, then without much doubt several of the various means of improvement will come into being. These will tend to better centralize and coordinate the whole town.
As a committee, we have been exposed to the variations that exist, and we are firmly of the opinion that further economies can be made in the present purchasing procedures. Through the sincere efforts of all town departments in limiting their budgets and extending every effort toward lower prices with the assistance and scrutiny of sub-committees, it is believed further economies can be made.
Braintree has a total annual volume of purchases that exceeds $1,000,000. Our study revealed that less than one third of this amount could be significantly improved. The improvement might be as high as a 1% savings. This would represent only about $3400 per year. The cost of establishing an independent central purchasing agency would be much greater than this estimated savings. To properly operate a pur- chasing agency alone would cost about $8000 to $10,000 per year and the first year or two would unquestionably operate at a loss. However, to combine the purchasing and accounting would undoubtedly result in a breaking even of costs.
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While we found some checking between departments existed, we believe every department should become more aware of what other de- partments are doing. We believe that advantages in purchasing prices, for example, are not always being realized by each department, by fail- ure to realize that some other department, with larger purchases of an item is obtaining a better price. This is a saving that could be gained without resorting to a formal centralized purchasing system.
The more extensive use of purchasing committees is highly recom- mended for the purpose of studying individual purchases that involve significant sums of money.
We do not recommend the forming of any new agencies at this time but wish to caution the town to be on the alert for any changes that might occur that could disrupt the good organization that now exists.
Respectfully submitted,
Herbert J. Albee, Chairman William B. Belcher William A. Gustafson Harrison T. Smiley Leonard Alves
SO VOTED: That the report of the committee be accepted and the committee discharged.
ARTICLE 7. Salaries Elective Town Officials.
ARTICLE 8. Funds for Interest, Maturing Debt and Town De- partments.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED: That there be raised and appro- priated or transferred from available funds for Maturing Debt and Interest and for charges and expenses of the Town Departments, the following appropriations, the salaries of the elective Town Officers in each case to be for the calendar year 1957, except any salary increase for elective Town Officers which may be approved shall not become ef- fective before the beginning of the fourteenth week of 1957. (See index for amounts).
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED: That the Annual Town Meeting be adjourned until 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, March 20, 1957.
ADJOURNED ANNUAL TOWN MEETING WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1957
The Adjourned Annual Town Meeting was called to order at 7:54 in the evening of Wednesday, March 20, 1957, by the Moderator, Mr. E. Curtiss Mower.
There were 165 Town Meeting Members present.
Prayer for Divine Guidance was offered by Rev. Paul E. Barnes, Pastor of the South Congregational Church, South Braintree.
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The following tellers were appointed by the Moderator to serve during the course of the evening.
Whitney Withington
Otis B. Oakman, Jr.
Merton L. Pratt
William H. Low
Harold J. Clancy
Harry E. Holt Elmer G. Derby
Walter E. Delory
We now continue with consideration of the Articles in the War- rant;
Mr. Frazier presented the following report under Article 2.
This report is submitted by the committee appointed by you at the 1956 Town Meeting to "Recommend a Schedule of Fees for Wiring In- spections and a Method of Compensation for the Inspector of Wiring."
The committee attacked this problem by obtaining information from several towns of comparable size. An analysis of this information in- dicated that the "Wiring Permit Fees" of the Town of Braintree were comparable with other Towns, with the exception of the fee charged for new homes. Previously, this fee in Braintree was $3.00. Your com- mittee recommended to the Selectmen that the fee be changd to $5.00 for one family dwellings, and for Multiple family dwellings $5.00 for the first unit plus $3.00 for each additional unit. The Selectmen ap- poved and adopted this change in rate in January of this year. This rate, if applied to the permits issued during the year 1956, would have increased the revenue to the town from "Fees Collected" from $1833.75 to $2067.75.
One particular observation made by this committee is the all im- portant factor of Public Safety which must be recognized as an inherent part of the Wiring Inspector's job. There have been no fires caused by faulty wiring in new construction work in the Town of Braintree, which can only be attributed to the vigilance and efficiency of our present Wiring Inspector and his predecessor. Such work is worthy of a reas- onable rate of compensation.
The committee has met several times during the year with nearly complete attendance at each meeting, and after much discussion it is the unanimous opinion of this committee that the Wiring Inspector's salary be increased from $1800.00 to $2250.00 per year.
Respectfully submitted,
H. B. Hollis, Chairman W. J. Kemmer, Secretary G. F. Creehan J. H. Frazier A. F. Lucas
SO VOTED: That the report of the committee be accepted with thanks and the committee discharged.
Upon motion duly made by Mr. Harkin under Article 2, it was
SO VOTED: That a committee of five, to be composed of the three Presidents of the Little League Associations in Braintree, the Chairman of the Board of Park Commissioners and a member of the Finance Committee, who shall be appointed by the Moderator, as a committee to study the advisability of incorporating the Little League
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Baseball Activities within the present program of Organized Play, and report their findings to the next annual Town Meeting.
SO VOTED: That Article 65 be considered at this time. ARTICLE 65. (a) Unpaid bills not in excess of appropriations;
(b) Unpaid bills in excess of appropriations.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED: That there be raised and appro- priated the total of $175.44 to meet the payment of certain unpaid liabilities of the Maintenance of Legion Hall account incurred prior to January 1, 1957:
Hancock Oil Company $106.94
Frank Tully 66.00 Braintree Water Department 2.50
$175.44
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED: That there be raised and appro- priated the sum of $324.00 to meet the payment of certain unpaid liabili- ties of the Health Department for Prematurely Born Infant Care: Children's Hospital $324.00
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED: That there be raised and appropri- ated the sum of $300.00 to meet the payment of certain unpaid liabilities of the Department of Registration incurred prior to January 1, 1957: Granite City Print $300.00
ARTICLE 9. Salaries Electric Light Commissioners. (No action necessary. Refer to Article 8, Item 44.)
ARTICLE 10. Municipal Light Plant.
That there be included in the tax levy for electricity used for street lighting, the sum of $24,000.00 as appropriated under Article 8 of the Warrant for the year 1957, Annual Town Meeting, and that said amount together with the income from sales of electricity to private consumers or for current supplied to Municipal Buildings or for Municipal power, and from the sales of appliances and jobbing during the current fiscal year, be appropriated for the use of the Municipal Light Plant, the whole to be expended under the direction and control of the Municipal Light Board for repairs, renewals, new construction and operating ex- penses of the Plant for the fiscal year, as defined in Section 57, Chapter 164 General Laws and that if said income shall exceed the expense for th fiscal year, such amount of excess as is deemed necessary by the Municipal Light Board shall be transferred to the construction fund of said plant and appropriated and shall be used for such additions to the plant as may thereafter be authorized by the Municipal Light Board, and any remaining amount paid into the surplus of the Town Treasury.
Mr. Canavan presented the following report under Article 2.
COMMITTEE TO SURVEY AND INVESTIGATE BRAINTREE MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT
March 1955 Annual Town Meeting passed the following vote: "That the Moderator appoint a committee of five to survey and investigate the Braintree Municipal Electric Light Plant's finances and operation, and to report its findings to the 1956 Town Meeting, or insert an article, if deemed necessary, in the 1956 Town Warrant."
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March 1956 a report of progress was made to the Annual Town Meeting, and the committee's assignment was continued for another year.
Further meetings have been held by your Survey Committee and it now presents its final report.
Your Electric Light Department is generally considered by house- holders to be an asset to the town. There is a unanimity of opinion that it has provided very low-cost domestic service.
There is doubt, however, as to what percentage of Braintree citizens realize either that the Electric Light Plant has a $3,000,000 book value, or that millions of dollars of new money will be needed to meet future; demands, and to replace the present plant whenever it bcomes obsolete.
Neither is there a clear-cut understanding of the net relationship between savings to townspeople on electricity cost, and the real estate taxes lost to them through town ownership of our electric light plant. This item is one that should be covered clearly, yet simply, in an annual, report.
Commercial and industrial rates, generally, are not considered by users to be low, in relationship to similar rates in other local com- munities. Our Electric Light Department can satisfy such users by the simple expedient of comparing any user's cost to comparative costs in Weymouth, Quincy, Belmont and Taunton. Educational work of this sort is important, because the enthusiastic support of these two in- fluential groups can help the Commissioners in selling their expansion program to Braintree citizens.
Manufacturing surplus for six years beginning January 1951 were :
1951
$ 187,057.
1952
174,490.
1953
212,992.
1954
139,729.
1955
279,855.
1956
287,527.
Total
$1,281,650.
This is an impressive record and must be a source of satisfaction and pride to the five Commissioners and the two Managers who served during these six years.
Disposition of these funds is a matter that should be presented to the citizens annually, in clear, yet simple terms. Then, there will be an awareness of how such money has been used to reduce indebtedness incurred for construction. Such surplus analyses also are directly related to the Commissioners' ability to rebate money to the town to help reduce the tax burden on tax payers. Your committee feels that there should be a minimum rebate goal of $50,000 annually, and that the Electric Light Commissioners and Finance Committee should accept the responsibility to explain to the Annual Town Meeting any deviations from this minimum goal.
Actually, there is no need for any special survey committee. All that is required is for both the Electric Light Commissioners and the
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Finance Committee to present to the Annual Town Meeting adequate facts regarding our multi-million dollar electric light business that is operated for our mutual benefit.
There is no doubt that the Electric Light Department report that has appeared in the Town of Braintree Annual Report is not understood, and also does not adequately tell the story of our successful operation of a town-owned electric plant. What is needed is a readable report that should be supplemented by regular monthly bill inserts, covering data on operations, plans and problems. For example: the low relative cost of street lighting is not known and will come as a pleasant surprise to most citizens. Neither is there any appreciation of the cost of ex- pansion to provide for new industrial users, such as Walworth Com- pany, or new commercial users, such as Tedeschi's or Filene's. Your committee recognizes that three worth-while bill inserts have been, mailed, but much more can, and probably will be done. While these bill inserts may not be carefully read by all users, it is reasonable to suppose that responsible citizens will be better informed and, thus, more enthusiastic about sound long-range plans of the Electric Light Commissioners.
Should Braintree's growth result in the gradual retirement of the units in its present $3,000,000 plant, and the investment of millions of dollars in a new plant, it is absolutely essential that townspeople be kept informed, so that any such development will be recognized as part of a long-range program.
Your committee has enjoyed its assignment and hopes that its two reports will encourage our Electric Light Department Commissioners and Electric Light Department Manager to bring their impressive story to the townspeople, because we believe that it is a story of success that deserves broad publicity and general commendation.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED: That the report be accepted, placed on file, and the committee discharged.
Comes now the question on the motion under Article 10.
SO VOTED.
ARTICLE 11. Taking of Land for Municipal Light Plant.
To authorize the Board of Electric Light Commissioners to purchase. or take by eminent domain on behalf of the town two (2) parcels of land presumed to belong to the Cities Service Oil Company located on Weymouth Fore River and northwesterly from Harbor Villa Avenue, containing approximately fifteen and one-half (151/2) acres and being shown as Lots A and B on a plan entitled "Plan of land to be acquired by Town of Braintree for municipal light and power plant in Braintree, Mass., Harry R. Feldman, Inc., Civil Engineers, Boston, Mass., March 1957", on file at the office of said Commissioners, together with all tanks, structures and equipment thereon, and raise and appropriate the sum of $90,000.00 therefor, which sum together with any further sums which may be required as a consequence thereof upon final judgment or otherwise is to be raised by transfer from the Electric Light Depart- ment Depreciation account.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 12. Assessors for Determination of 1957 Tax Rate.
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1
SO VOTED: That the sum of $35,000.00 be raised by transfer from the Electric Light Special Reserve Account to be used by the As- sessors in determination of Tax Rate for 1957.
ARTICLE 13. Board of Commissioners of Trust Funds.
Mr. Bean presented the following report under Article 2.
At the Adjourned Annual Town Meeting of April 9, 1956 the Town voted that a committee of three members, to be known as the Trust Fund Committee, be appointed by the Moderator to examine and report on the present status of Trust Funds now or to be in the control of the Town, and to advise on methods of handling present or future municipal Trust Funds.
Pursuant to this vote the Moderator appointed Gilbert L .- Bean, Richard A. Hunt and Roy W. Lawson as the Trust Fund Committee.
This committee has compiled a list of Trust Funds which now pro- duce income to the Town for specific or general use. A copy of this list is appended to this report. They have obtained copies of these trust instruments and compiled them in a folder for ready reference by the town official responsible for administering the Trust Funds. They have also considered the alternative methods which are available to a town such as Braintree for handling Trust Funds. This report contains the recommendation of this committee as to method of handling Trust Funds which, in their opinion, is best suited to Braintree needs.
At the present time there are 20 trusts counting the group con- nected with the Pond Street Cemetery as one. These trusts represent a Principal of $163,345.89 which produced an income during 1956 of $5,266.27. The principal trusts are as follows: The Pond Street Ceme- tery trusts total $23,244.01. The James W. Colbert Library Fund, $40,443.76, produces income for use in maintaining a library at the Hollis School in accordance with a vote of the Town Meeting April 4, 1955. The James W. Colbert School Trust of $25,000.00 with interest accumulation thru 1955 has been voted by the Town for expenditure for an extension to the Colbert School at the Town Meeting of April 9, 1956, but has not yet been expended. The N. H. Hunt Trust in the amount of $24,436.99 provides that the income be used by the Library Trustees for books. The Charles Thayer Trust has a principal of $20,329.06, the income from which is to be used to maintain a cemetery lot, with any remainder to be expended as the Town may determine. The Thayer Library Foundation Fund with a principal of $11,020.91 was left by Sylvanus Thayer for the support of the Library. There is a Caleb Stetson Fund of $2,500 also for the Library, and a Charles E. French Trust of $2,409.50 to encourage scholarship. The remaining trusts are $1,000 or less.
With the exception of trusts under the jurisdiction of the Library) Trustees, the trusts have been administered by the Town Treasurer. This has not been a particular burden in the past when the Trust Funds were modest. Your committee is aware of an additional trust in an, amount approaching $1,500,000 under the will of Norton Eugene Hollis which will come to the Town upon the death of his daughter. This trust makes specific bequests for Park Department and Library purposes, and the income from the remainder is to be used for School purposes.
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Effective administration of Trust Funds of this size require inti- mate knowledge of stock and bond market conditions, constant vigilance as to stock split-ups, bond calls, etc. It is unfair to place this additional burden and responsibility on the Town Treasurer. Your committee accordingly feels that specific provision should be made so that we are equipped to meet the additional challenge which such a large new trust will impose.
The Massachusetts statutes, in recognition of such needs, provides under General Laws, Chapter 41, Section 45, a method which may be used by municipalities faced with the problem Braintree now faces. Under this statute a Board of three Commissioners of Trust Funds may be set up by vote of the Town which will have the responsibility for managing such funds. Safeguards dealing with their operations are included in the statute.
The Committee recommends that the town create a Board of Com- missioners of Trust Funds under this statute. We recommend that the Commission be created now, since the commissioners are elected, and it will take another year before they can be brought into being. Provision for adequate administration of the large trust just referred to should be made before, rather than after its receipt.
The Committee, in recognition of the fact that such Commissioners will operate on a part time basis, feels that when Trust Funds assume large proportions it is imperative that the Commissioners avail them- selves of the services and advice of a competent Corporate Fiduciary, such as a Trust Company or a National Bank, in matters dealing with the investment and reinvestment of the funds. We strongly recommend this. Protection of principal is an obvious economy and a sacred trust. We therefore propose that when the Trust Funds of the Town exceed $200,000 the town give favorable consideration to a request from the Commissioners for funds in a reasonable amount to engage services of a Corporate Fiduciary.
The Committee feels that a Commission of three, competently ad- vised, whose sole responsibility is the management of Braintree Trust Funds is the best guarantee the people of the Town can have of diligent protection of the principal and careful management of the income.
Richard A. Hunt Roy W. Lawson Gilbert L. Bean, Chairman
SO VOTED: That the report of the committee be accepted with thanks and the committee discharged.
MOVED by Mr. Bean :
That the Town create a Board of Commissioners of Trust Funds under provisions of General Laws, Chapter 41, Section 45, with the recommendation that such Commissioners, or the Town Treasurer in the interim before their election, avail themselves of the services and advice of a competent corporate fiduciary in matters pertaining to the investment and protection of the funds whenever such funds in the aggregate exceed $200,000.00, subject to available appropriation for the purpose; such commissioners to inform the Town Accountant prior to January 15th in each year what funds under their management are to be considered available funds and the purposes for which such funds will be applied.
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