USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1957 > Part 4
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SO VOTED.
ARTICLE 14. Premium Cost for Group Insurance.
That the sum of $27,500.00 be raised and appropriated to provide the Town's share of premium cost of Group Insurance under the pro- visions of Chapter 32B, General Laws. This plan to start July 1, 1957 or later, but in no event shall the plan start until each employee of the Town has indicated on an appropriate form provided by the Selectmen, whether or not he desires to be so insured.
Mr. Spurrell presented the following report under Article 2.
At the adjourned Town Meeting, March 16, 1956, it was voted that the Town Moderator appoint a committee of five to investigate the group insurance plan for Town Employees and bring back to a subse- quent Town Meeting any plans and recommendations and insert any articles in the warrant for the next subsequent Town Meeting they deem necessary.
The committee of five as appointed by the Town Moderator has studied the group insurance and hospitalization plan covered by Chapter 32B of the General Law and its Amendments, which was accepted by the Town by a referendum vote in 1956. This study also included the State Insurance Plan and the City of Quincy Insurance Plan covered under this act. We also investigated the possibility of coverage through the County system but found this undesirable at this time. Information on administration of group insurance and hospitalization in other towns was also discussed. We found that an error in properly starting this plan could lead to improper coverage and high administrative costs. The possibility of errors in this field of insurance is always very great and to the beginner there are many pitfalls.
In order to obtain proper guidance in this important and costly undertaking for the Town the committee sought help from the State Department of Insurance. Mr. Fabisac and Mr. McDonald in this de- partment were contacted and outlined to the committee proper pro- cedures that should be followed in order to take advantage of the coverage allowed under Chapter 32B of the General Law.
These procedures should be :
1. Write specification so that competitive bids would be submitted by all interested insurance companies.
2. Obtain necessary information of the status of Town Employees.
3. Advertise for bids.
4. Evaluate these bids as submitted and select the bid that will give the required coverage at the least cost to the Town and its employees.
Realizing that this program required some expenditures the com- mittee under an article in the warrant of the Special Town Meeting, December 16, 1956 was voted a sum of $500 for expenses.
Mr. Fabisac and Mr. McDonald were retained by the committee and guided us during the remainder of our studies and activities.
After the necessary preliminary work was performed the proposals were submitted to our Selectmen who advertised for bids. The twenty-
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seven insurance company bids were received by the Selectmen and turned over to this committee. These bids were evaluated by our ad- visors and thoroughly discussed by them with the committee.
The Group Insurance Committee under the guidance of Mr. Fabisac and Mr. McDonald of the State Department of Insurance recommend that the Town of Braintree insure its employees under the group life insurance plan with the Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company under the bid as submitted by this company. and under the group hospitaliza- tion plan with the Blue Cross, Blue Shield under the bid as submitted by this organization. The cost of this combined life and hospitalization plan will be approximately $55,000.00 from July 1, 1957, to December 31. 1957. fifty percent to be borneby the Town and fifty percent to be borne by the Town Employees.
Respectfully submitted, Alban G. Spurrell
SO VOTED: That the report of the committee be accepted with thanks and the committee discharged.
Comes now the question on the motion.
SO VOTED.
ARTICLE 15. Memorial Day.
(No action necessary. Refer to Article 8, Item 50.)
ARTICLE 16. Braintree Post, V.F.W., Rent.
(No action necessary. Refer to Article 8, Item 53.)
ARTICLE 17. Braintree Chapter, D.A.V., Rent.
SO VOTED: That the sum of $850.00 be raised and appropriated for the Braintree Chapter 29, Disabled American Veterans for rent of hall to conduct meetings and other functions of the Chapter.
ARTICLE 18. Hydrant Maintenance.
(No action necessary. Refer to Article 8, Item 56.)
ARTICLE 19. Sunset Lake Chlorination.
(No action necessary. Refer to Article 8, Item 57.)
ARTICLE 20. Chapter 374, Acts of 1956, Pension Options.
SO VOTED: That the Town accept Chapter 374 of the Acts of 1956 providing certain pension options.
ARTICLE 21. Chapter 401, Acts of 1956, Civil Defense Volun- teers.
SO VOTED: That the Town accept Chapter 401 of the Acts of 1956 providing that Civil Defense Volunteers shall be classified as em- ployees for certain purposes.
ARTICLE 22. Amending By-Laws, Article 13, after Section 17.
That the Town amend its By-Laws by inserting in Article 13, after Section 17 the following new sections :
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Section 18. The Board of Selectmen may license hackney car- riages or motor vehicles for the conveyance for hire from place to place within the Town, and they may revoke such licenses at their discretion and a record of all licenses so granted or revoked shall be kept by the Selectmen.
Section 19. No person shall set up, use or drive in the Town any unlicensed hackney, carriage or motor vehicle for the conveyance of passengers for hire from place to place within the Town under a penalty not exceeding twenty dollars for each offense.
Section 20. Licenses shall expire on the thirtieth day of April next after the date thereof, and shall not be transferred without the consent of the Board of Selectmen indorsed thereon. For each license the sum of one dollar shall be paid to the Town Treasurer for the use of the Town. A license so granted shall become void if the applicant neglects or refuses to take out and pay for his license within ten days after notice that it has been granted.
Section 21. The Selectmen may grant to the holder of a license under the preceeding sections of this article a license to use a certain portion of a public way as a carriage stand for the solicitation of pas- sengers for hire and no person shall use any portion of any public way for such purpose without such license. Any person who violates any of the provisions of any section of this article shall be punished by a fine of not more than twenty dollars for each offense.
MOVED by Mr. Hunt to amend the motion as follows:
Section 20. Hackney licenses shall expire.on the thirtieth day of April next after the date thereof, and shall not be transferred without the consent of the Board of Selectmen indorsed thereon. For each license the sum of one dollar shall be paid to the Town Treasurer for the use of the Town. A license so granted shall become void if the ap- plicant neglects or refuses to take out and pay for his license within ten days after notice that it has been granted.
Comes now the question on the amendment.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
Comes now the question on the motion as thus amended.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 23. Three year terms for Town Clerk, Town Treasurer and Tax Collector.
SO VOTED: That the Town, starting with the 1958 election, place on the ballot Town Clerk, Town Treasurer and Tax Collector to be elected for a term of three years, under the provisions of Section 1, Chapter 41 of the General Laws.
ARTICLE 24. Town Hall Custodians 1956 Overtime.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED: That the sum of $191.86 be raised and appropriated for the payment of compensation to Town Hall Cus- todians covering overtime work in 1956.
ARTICLE 25. Sale of Land under Control of School Fund Com- mittee.
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SO VOTED: That Article 25 be laid on the table.
ARTICLE 26. Drainage for Weymouth-Braintree Smelt Brook Area.
SO VOTED: That Article 26 be laid on the table.
ARTICLE 27. Public Off Street Parking.
Mr. Palmer presented the following majority report of the Com- mittee on Proposed East Braintree Parking Lot, under Article 2.
This committee was appointed by the Moderator to make a study of the subject matter of Article 28 of the 1956 Annual Town Meeting which concerned the proposed establishment of a municipal parking area on Brookside Road, East Braintree.
In this day and age adequate parking facilities are nearly as neces- sary as highways for the development of good business and for the safety and convenience of the public. We need only to call attention to the extensive facilities being provided in other cities and towns such as Boston, Quincy, Hingham and Scituate to name but a few nearby places.
Braintree has already taken some steps to provide parking spaces. We have recently amended our by-laws to provide that new business developments in the town must provide their own adequate parking areas. In the older business sections already built up it is obviously impossible for individual small merchants to each provide suitable parking areas for their customers. So the town has already taken over this function and provided some parking facilities in our three business sections.
In this report we are concerned only with the East Braintree sec- tion. Here there are two factors bearing on the matter that are not present in the other sections of the town. First the shopping area served is both in Braintree and Weymouth. Second, part of the present public parking area is used by commuters using the Weymouth railroad station.
Several years ago the town provided a parking area in the rear of Clark and Taber's off Norfolk Square. The Smelt Brook was covered over and Weymouth cooperated by taking adjacent land for parking so that together we have an area for about 100 cars. About one quarter of this has been set aside for all day parkers and commuters. Parking has been restricted in the other areas before 9 a.m. There are no meters, parking is free and yet there are no signs in Weymouth or Braintree to indicate that this is a free municipal parking area. On the contrary it has every appearance of being private property. The area is not fenced or marked to show what is public and what is private property. It is not convenient for shoppers to get in and out of this area unless they trespass on private property. The public access is up a hill at the farthest point possible from most of the stores. In spite of these drawbacks the area now is crowded at times. If this area was clearly marked with large appropriate signs indicating that it was a public parking lot and other signs were placed in the streets directing motorists to it, we believe that it would soon be used to capacity. It would seem to be good for business to encourage commuters to park here where they could easily make purchases in local stores instead of carrying bundles out from Boston.
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In addition to this public parking area the First National and A&P Stores have their own private parking areas and there are 38 metered parking spaces in the streets.
The proposed new parking area is composed of two lots on Brook- side Road adjacent to the stores on Commercial Street. Lot 22 consists of 27,698 sq. ft. and is assessed to Howard W. Hollis for $8,760.00 and can be purchased for $14,500.00. Lot 22A contains 8,965 sq. ft. and is assessed to Hollis Auto Co. for $$4,710.00 and can be purchased for $10,000.00. There is a garage type building of little value on each lot. We have a contractor's estimate that he would remove the buildings for $400.00 plus the materials salvaged provided he or the fire depart- ment could burn the refuse on the lot.
This area would provide space for 90 cars and it is very conveniently located on a level with the stores and on the opposite side of Commercial: Street from the present parking area. Entrance and exit would be on Brookside Road without the necessity of crossing private property. The area can be reached from the west via Brookside Road without going through the traffic in the square.
After careful consideration this committee feels that the town would be wise to acquire Lot 22 only. This would provide space for about 60 cars. We estimate the cost of the project as follows :
Purchase price of lot 22
$14,500.00
Removal of building 200.00
Grading and surfacing 3,850.00
Total
$18,550.00
If this property is taken for parking we believe meters should be installed in both this area and the older parking lot where provision, should be made for all day parkers. In this way Weymouth residents. and commuters would pay their share for parking privileges.
The police department estimates that the meters would average about $50.00 a meter a year. They can be installed without initial expense to the town and paid for out of 50% of the receipts. It seems; to us that the initial return from the meters would be far more than the town now receives from taxes on the property and that in time they would be enough to completely reimburse the town for the expense of the parking area.
We therefore recommend favorable action under this article as applied to Lot 22.
Respectfully submitted,
John J. Canavan Frederick J. Klay Seward W. Taber Raymond P. Palmer, Chairman
SO VOTED: That the majority report of the committee be accepted with thanks and the committee discharged.
Mr. Monahan presented the following minority report of the Com- mittee on Proposed East Braintree Parking Lot, under Article 2.
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The shopping area that is the subject of this study, is found to be an area that is split up and separated by reason of the width of highways, intersections, and separate parking areas. Aside from the business establishments at the higher end of the area at the intersection of Commercial Street and Quincy Avenue, there are twenty-six shops on both sides of Commercial Street within the Town of Braintree, with sixteen of these establishmetns being on the westerly side of Commer- cial Street. some of which are bounded by the locus in question, Lots 22 and 22A. There are twenty-nine shops on boths sides of the Street within the Town of Weymouth.
The Braintree area is presently served by existing parking spaces and meter parking on Commercial Street. This shopping center is so diversified and split up, that a parking area on Lots 22 and 22A would not serve the entire shopping area, so as to be deemed convenient and necessary parking.
This Committee is not in possession of sufficient facts or evidence to establish an urgent necessity for a parking area at lots 22 and 22A. If the facts were such as to show a real need for a parking facility in this area, then the entire area should be utilized as a parking space, and not a part of it. It does not appear that the cost of acquiring the area as a parking space has been sufficiently determined, and the valuation of this property as a parking area as against its ordinary market value has not been adequately determined. The question as to what inducement such a parking area would be to attract business can- not be answered, and is deemed to be beyond the scope of this study.
The difficulty with the problem is that the area is not made up of a well-knit, compact, contiguous shopping center, so as to lend itself to be easily and adequately served by one large parking area.
William S. Monahan
SO VOTED: That the minority report of the committee be ac- cepted with thanks.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED: That the Annual Town Meeting be adjourned until 7:45 p.m. Monday, March 25, 1957.
ADJOURNED ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Monday, March 25, 1957
The Adjourned Annual Town Meeting was called to order at 7:55 in the evening of Monday, March 25, 1957, by the Moderator, Mr. E. Curtiss Mower.
There were 201 Town Meeting Members present.
Prayer for Divine Guidance was offered by Rev. Fr. Thomas O'Toole, Pastor of St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church of Brain- tree.
The following tellers were appointed by the Moderator to serve during the course of the evening.
William H. Gustafson Donald J. Laing Harry E. Holt George H. Cain
Thomas H. Matthews William H. Low John F. Harkin Harold J. Clancy
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We now continue with consideration of the Articles in the Warrant; the first order of business being the further consideration of Articles 5 and 6.
To Amend the original motion, that Schedules A and B of the Salary Administration Plan, by substituting the rates that follow:
ATP
GROUP SCHEDULE A
SCHEDULE B
A Superintendent-Highway Superintendent-Water
$5,650.00-$6,880.00
B Superintendent-Sewer
5,360.00- 6,510.00
C
5,015.00- 6,065.00
D Superintendent-Parks
4,670.00- 5,670.00
Chief Town Accountant
Assistant Superintendent-Highway Head Librarian
Town Engineer
E General Foreman-Sewer
83.00-
102.00
Pumping Station Supervisor
76.00-
93.00
F Foreman-Highway Foreman-Water Building Inspector
Senior Engineering Aide
70.00
86.00
H Junior Engineering Aide
64.00
79.00
I Dental Nurse
57.00
70.00
ITS
A Maintenance Mechanic I
1.84-
2.24
B Equipment Operator I
1.77-
2.13
C Stone Mason
1.74-
2.10
Painter-Finish
D Equipment Operator II Labor Grade I
1.72-
2.06
Jack Hammer Operator Maintenance Mechanic II
1.63-
1.97
Pumping Station Operator-Water
Meter Repairman-Water
Station Attendant
1.57-
1.91
G Maintenance Mechanic III
1.52-
1.84
H Labor Grade III
1.44
1.75
Meter Reader-Water
1.35
1.64
J Janitor-Handyman
1.23
1.51
K Infirmary Supt. (Monthly and Found)
160.00
220.00
L Infirmary Matron (Monthly and Found)
120.00
190.00
M Dump Tender (per day)
5.00
N Labor Grade IV (Students)
1.15
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-
Meter Reader-Trouble Shooter-Water Truck Driver-4 ton
I
Supervising Custodian
F Equipment Operator III Labor Grade II Maintenance-Water
E Painter-Rough
G Engineering Aide
00
A Asst. to Highway Superintendent
B Executive Secretary-Selectmen
64.00-
79.00
C Agent-Health Agent-Veteran's Services Librarian
60-
74.00
D Principal Clerk Assistant to Town Accountant
51.00
63.00
Assistant Librarian
48.00-
58.00
G Page-Library
.70-
1.30
PF
A Chief
B Assistant Chief-Fire Deputy Chief-Police
4,680.00-
5,620.00
C Deputy Chief-Fire
4,635.00-
5,460.00
D Captain-Fire Lieutenant-Police
85.00
100.00
E ·Lieutenant-Fire Sergeant-Police
80.00
95.00
F Assistant Supt .- Fire
77.00
92.00
G Repairman-Fire Alarm System
72.00
86.00
H Firefighter
70.00
84.00
Patrolman
I Police Specialist (Patrolman) (per year)
100.00
J Police Specialist (Sergeant) (per year)
200.00
K School Traffic Supervisor (month)
80.00
100.00
MISCELLANEOUS
A Town Counsel
3,250.00- 5,250.00
B Deputy Building Inspector
100.00 per year
C Sealer of Weights and Measures
D Inspector of Wiring
E Field Engineer-Assessors
790.00 per year
F Registrars (Listers) Board of Registration
.10 per listing
G Member, Board of Registration
50.00 per year
H Inspector of Plumbing
4.75 per permit
I Asst. Inspector of Plumbing
4.75 per permit
J Inspector of Animals and Meats
525.00 per year
K Inspector of Slaughtering
50.00 per year
L Town Dentist
4.75 per hour
M Disposer of Dead Animals
475.00 per year
N Chairman-Retirement Board
500.00 per year
0 Secretary-Retirement Board
.00 per year
Q
Secretary-Board of Appeals, Zoning
280.00 per year
R Secretary-Recreation Commission
345.00
per year
S Secretary-Finance Committee
525.00 per year
T Supervisor-Golf Course
3,275.00
per year
U Supervisor-Organized Play
1,050.00 per season
V Instructors-Organized Play
32.00-47.00 per week
W Instructors-Swimming
52.00-76.00 per week 345.00 per season
X Matron-Swimming Program
67.00-
83.00
55.00
68.00
E Clerk
F Clerk-Junior
5,200.00-
6,300.00
1,050.00 per year To be classified
P Secretary-Planning Board
315.00 per year
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Y Caretaker-Swimming Program
Z Janitors-Branch Libraries
AA Moth Superintendent
BB Call Men-Fire Department
1.60 per hour
CC Civil Service Labor Reg. Clerk
DD Dog Officer
.00 per year 370.00 per year
SO VOTED.
Comes now the question on the motion as thus amended.
SO VOTED.
MOVED: 'That to implement the changes in Schedules A and B of the Salary Administration Plan from April 1 (for 39 weeks of 1957) there be raised and appropriated the following sum of money :
ARTICLE 27. Public Off Street Parking.
MOVED.
To authorize the Selectmen to purchase from Howard W. Hollis Plot No. 22 on Assessors' Plan No. 3005 containing approximately 27,698 sq. ft. and being located on Brookside Road for a Municipal Park- ing Area, to remove the building therefrom and to grade and surface area and that to accomplish said purpose the total sum of $18,500.00 be raised and appropriated of which $14,500.00 is appropriated for purchase price; $200.00 for removal of building and $3,850.00 for grad- ing, surfacing and preparation of parking area.
The Moderator ordered a teller count. Vote and count were taken and the tellers reported 106 votes in the affirmative, and 76 votes in the negative. There not being the necessary two-thirds vote in the affirma- tive the Moderator declared the motion LOST.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED: That the Annual Town Meeting be adjourned until 7:45 p.m., Wednesday, March 27, 1957.
ADJOURNED ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
Wednesday, March 27, 1957
The Adjourned Annual Town Meeting was called to order at 7:52 in the evening of Wednesday, March 27, 1957, by the Moderator, Mr. E. Curtiss Mower.
There were 185 Town Meeting Members present.
Prayer for Divine Guidance was offered by Rev. John R. Dallinger, Pastor of Emmanuel Episcopal Church.
The following tellers were appointed by the Moderator to serve during the course of the evening.
Nahum R. Pillsbury Joseph F. Connolly William S. Monahan Carl J. Knutson Thomas F. Cassidy
Wallace B. Strathdee
E. Theodore Nokes Frederick R. Maitland
We now continue with consideration of the Articles in the Warrant; the first order of business being Article 28.
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125.00 per season
100.00 per year 525.00 per year
ARTICLE 28. Construction of Main or Lateral Sewers.
That there be raised and appropriated the sum of $100,000.00 for the construction of main or lateral sewers for sanitary purposes, un- der the direction of the Board of Sewer Commissioners, and that to meet said appropriation the sum of $55,107.58 be raised by transfer from Sewer Receipts Reserved for appropriation, the balance of $44,- 892.42 be raised in the tax levy.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED.
ARTICLE 29. Construction of Washington Street Relief Sewer.
That the sum of $64,000.00 be raised and appropriated, such sum to be expended by the Board of Sewer Commissioners for the construc- tion of a Washington Street relief sewer.
SO VOTED.
ARTICLE 30. Construction of Sewerage Pumping Station on Howard Street.
That the sum of $81,000.00 be raised and appropriated, such sum to be expended by the Board of Sewer Commissioners for the construc- tion of a sewerage pumping station on Howard Street.
SO VOTED.
ARTICLE 31. Extension of Sewerage Pipes from River Street. SO VOTED: No action.
ARTICLE 32. Noah Torrey Fire Loss Reserve Account.
(No action necessary. Refer to Article 8, Item 33.)
ARTICLE 33. Sprinkler System, Noah Torrey Primary School.
SO VOTED: 'That on recommendation of the Finance Committee the sum of $8,098.23 be appropriated for the purchase and installation of an automatic spray sprinkler system for the Noah Torrey Primary School, said sum to be expended under the direction of the School Com- mittee, and to meet said appropriation $4,098.23 be transferred from Sprinkler System-Highland School, and the sum of $4,000.00 be raised in the tax levy.
ARTICLE 25. Sale of Land Under Control of School Fund Com- mittee.
To authorize the Selectmen, subject to the approval of the Brain- tree School Fund Committee, to sell at private sale to Russell Gammell two (2) lots of land, bounded and described as follows:
A. A certain parcel of land shown as Plot 1 on Braintree Assess- ors' Plan 1042 and bounded and described as follows:
Beginning at a point in the easterly side line of Granite Street at land of Ateilio Bregoli; thence running in a general southerly direction by Granite Street and Town Street by three courses, 1187 feet, 10 feet and 542 feet, more or less; thence turning and running in a general easterly direction by other land of said School Fund Committee 445 feet more or less; thence running in a general northerly direction by
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land of Rose M. Sullivan, Trustee, by two courses 1245 feet and 325 feet more or less to said land of Bregoli; thence turning and running in a general westerly direction by said land of Bregoli 120 feet more or less to the point of beginning.
Said parcel contains approximately 13.03 acres.
B. A certain parcel of land together with the buildings thereon shown as Plot 1 on Braintree Assessors' Plan 1043 and bounded and. described as follows :
Beginning at a point in the easterly side of Town Street at Parcel. A above described, thence running in a southerly direction by said Town Street 769 feet more or less to land of Jennie Melrose; thence turning and running in an easterly direction by said land of Melrose and land of Lawson B. Twitchel 590 feet, more or less; thence turning and run- ning in a general northerly direction by land of Rose M. Sullivan, Trus- tee, by two courses, 143 feet and 730 feet more or less to said Parcel A; thence turning and running in a westerly direction by said Parcel A. 455 feet more or less, to the point of beginning.
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