USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1958 > Part 7
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ARTICLE 29. (Previously acted upon.)
ARTICLE 30. Chapter 590, Section 59, Acts of 1954. Upon motion duly made by Mr. Garland, it was SO VOTED (10:39 P. M.) : No action.
ARTICLE 31. Chapter 750, Acts of 1957.
Upon motion duly made by Mr. Garland, it was
SO VOTED (10:39 P. M.): That the town vote to accept Chapter 750 of the Acts of 1957 relative to the elec- tion of pensions options.
ARTICLE 32. Reimbursement of Police Office for Medical Expense.
Uron motion duly made by Mr. Garland, it was
SO VOTED (10:39 P. M.): That there be raised and appropriated the sum of $4,500.00 to re-imburse a Police Officer for medical and/or other expenses incurred as the result of an accident in the line of duty said sum to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen. $ 4,500.00
ARTICLE 33. Acquiring of Land for Off Street Parking. MOVED by Mr. Garland :
No action.
MOVED the following substitute motion by Mr. Brooks :
To authorize the Selectmen to purchase from Howard W. Hollis, Plot No. 22 on Assessors' Plan No. 3005, con- taining approximately 27,698 sq. ft. and being located on Brookside Road for a Municipal Parking Area, to remove the buildings therefrom and to grade and surface area and that to accomplish said purpose the total sum of $18,550.00 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 grading, surfacing and preparation of parking area.
Discussion ensued involving Mr. Brooks, Mr. Gar-
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land, Chairman of the Finance Committee, Mr. Pinault, Mr. Alger, Mr. Baldwin, and Mr. Parker.
Comes now the question on the substitute motion by Mr. Brooks.
The Moderator ordered a teller count. Vote and count were taken and the tellers reported 74 votes in the affirmative and 81 votes in the negative. The Moderator then declared the motion by Mr. Brooks LOST. (10:55 P. M.).
Upon motion duly made by Mr. Delory, it was
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED (10:56 P. M.) : That the Annual Town Meeting be adjourned until 7:45 P. M. Wednesday, March 26, 1958.
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TOWN OF BRAINTREE ADJOURNED ANNUAL TOWN MEETING WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 1958
The Adjourned Annual Town Meeting was called to order at 7:45 in the evening of Wednesday, March, 26, 1958, by the Moderator, Mr. E. Curtiss Mower.
There were 181 Town Meeting Members present. The Moderator declared a quorum present.
Prayer for Divine Guidance was offered by Rev. Fr. Hutchinson of St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church.
The following tellers were appointed by the Moderator to serve during the course of the evening:
Albert Avitabile Arthur W. Moffatt
Nahum R. Pillsbury Harvey G. Lyons, Jr.
George A. Brackett Jack R. Ainsleigh William B. Belcher Howard R. Beaver
We now continue with consideration of the Articles in the Warrant: the first order of business being Item 22 of Article 10, Salary Deputy Inspector.
Upon motion duly made by Mr. McGibbon, it was SO VOTED (7:50 P. M.) : That Item 22, Article 10, Salary Deputy Inspector be taken from the table.
ITEM 22. Wiring Inspector, Salary Deputy Inspector. MOVED by Mr. Garland :
That there be raised and appropriated the sum of $100.00 for Salary Deputy Inspector. $ 100.00
MOVED by Mr. McGibbon the following amendment to the motion by Mr. Garland :
To increase the sum of $100.00 to $150.00.
Mr. Garland, Chairman of the Finance Committee, spoke on the motion.
Comes now the question on the amendment by Mr. McGibbon.
Vote was taken and the Moderator declared the amendment by Mr. McGibbon LOST (7:52 P. M.).
Comes now the question on the motion by Mr. Gar- land.
SO VOTED (7:52 P. M.)
MOVED by Mr. Brooks, in compliance with Article II, Section 7, of the by-laws : :
Reconsideration of the vote taken under Article 33. Lengthy discussion ensued involving several of the Town Meetings Members.
Comes now the question by Mr. Brooks.
The Moderator ordered a teller count. Vote and (0''t were taken and the tellers reported 73 votes in the affirmative and 79 votes in the negative. The Moderator then declared the motion by Mr. Brooks LOST (8:16 P. M.).
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ARTICLE 2.
Upon motion duly made by Mr. Oakman, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED (8:19 P. M.) : The adoption of the following resolution :
WHEREAS, with the construction of the Southeast Expressway it has been necessary to demolish several buildings and relocate Railroad Street, and
WHEREAS, many of the tenants in the demolished buildings were liqour establishments that brought no special credit to our community, and
WHEREAS, the first impression many people have of our community is what they see as they disembark from a train, drive across the railroad tracks, or use the new expressway, and
WHEREAS, the opportunity now presents itself to improve the character and appearance of this area, now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that this town meeting place, itse f on record as opposed to the granting of any licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages in this area,
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be delivered to the Board of Selectmen.
ARTICLE 34. First Parish Cemetery.
(No action necessary. Refer to Article 10, Item 35.) ARTICLE 35. Vault and addition for Town Clerk's Office.
MOVED by Mr. Young:
That the sum of $14,000.00 be raised and appropri- ated for the purpose of erecting and equipping a vault and an addition to the Town Clerk's Office to house the same, said sum to be expended under the direction of the Town Clerk, and to meet said appropriation $7,000 be transferred from available funds in the Treasury, and the balance of $7,000.00 be raised in the Tax Levy.
Discussion ensued involving Mr. Johnson, Town Clerk, Mr. Garland, Chairman of the Finance Committee, and Mr. Holt.
Comes now the question on the motion by Mr. Young. SO VOTED (8:38 P. M.)
MOVED by Mr. Harkin, in compliance with Article II, Section 7, of the by-laws:
Reconsideration of the vote taken under Article 35.
Vote was taken and the Moderator declared the motion by Mr. Harkin UNANIMOUSLY DEFEATED (8:39 P.M.).
ARTICLE 36. Review and Revise Precincts and Bound- daries.
Upon motion duly made by Mr. Garland, it was
SO VOTED (8:40 P. M.): That the Town direct the Selectmen to review and if need be revise the precincts and boundaries thereof in December of 1959.
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ARTICLE 2.
Mr. Bean presented the following report under Arti- cle 2.
The October 7, 1957 Special Town Meeting passed the following resolution :
"Resolved, that it is the sentiment of this Town Meeting that the preservation of the Sylvanus Thayer birthplace be encouraged, and to that end the Moderator shall appoint a Committee of seven to investigate avail- able sites and means suitable for its relocation, and that such Committee shall report its findings and recommend- ations to the next regular or special Town Meeting."
The Thayer house which stands at 1505 Washington Street has been given by Walworth Company to the Braintree Historical Society for the use as a Community Historical Center and a permanent memorial to General Sylvanus Thayer. Your Committee decided to seek the help of the Historical Society on its assignment so par- ticularly connected with the Society's field. With the assistance of that body a plan has been evolved and al- ready in part executed. Your Committee is convinced that such a Community Historical Center will be a dis- tinct asset to the Town. The Historical Society is pre- pared at its own expense to make its maintenance and operation the Society's major long-term service project to the Town once it is set up. Participation of the entire community is needed, however, to raise the funds to estab- lish it at the outset.
Town Meeting members have received by mail a set of multilithed sheets describing the project fully. A copy of this explanation is attached to and forms a part of this report. I will avoid a restatement of this material as much as possible.
In carrying out our assignment, time has been of the essence, as the house must be removed from Walworth Company property by June 1, 1958. Town action relative to its part in establishing a Community Historical Center has not been possible until this meeting, but your com- mittee felt that a move by June 1st would require that all other preliminaries be completed prior to this meeting so that the Town could be presented with a pattern of action completed except for he Town's portion. Then, if the Town should take favorable action, we could be in a position to deal immediately with the necessary contractors to meet the June 1st deadline.
Our first step was to determine the cost of the move. Mover's estimate indicate that $10,000 is needed to build a foundation and move the house onto it. We developed a figure of $15,000 by adding an allowance for incidentals to the move, including underpinning replacement which we were told was necessary. This figure still appears
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to be a reasonable estimate for the items included in it. It was felt that a start on interior restoration was also a necessary part of the initial expense, and we selected a minimum figure of $7,500 to make this start.
We thus arrived at $22,500 as an amount to be raised initially. A plan was evolved to try to raise one third by private solicitation in advance of Town Meeting, ask Walworth Company to contribute one third and then ask the Town itself to appropriate the third third -- $7,500 each. A Citizens Committee was formed to obtain private and business subscriptions. To date they have raised $17,500 including the Walworth Company Gift.
The investigation of available sites also received early attention. The Planning Board has examined various available sites with your Committee and agrees that there is only one, available without cost, where a Com- munity Historical Center can really do a job for the Town. The Committee recommends the Town-owned site opposite Town Hall, at the corner of Washington Street and Washington Park Road, shown as Plots 64 and 65 on Assesors Plan No. 1005.
Here the Historical Center can be used effectively in times when the town gathers for celebrations, anni- versaries and the like. It will, on our main street, serve as a constant reminder to Braintree resident that we are an old town, proud of our heritage. It will bring tourists to the community center and it will help give that center the appearance which all New England towns try to pre- serve and which tourists expect to find in an old town. What commercial or industrial benefits will result from this tourist traffic cannot be predicted. The location next to the Library is ideal for its educational purposes. It is centrally located for school children. Near the Police and Fire departments, it will have maximum pro- tection from fire and vandalism so it will be there for generations to come. It is properly part of our Town center and your committee is of the opinion that loca- tion elsewhere would be a serious mistake and greatly reduce its value to the Town. We recommend favorable action on Article No. 37.
From the start, we have been concerned about the condition of the house. We know restoration work is is a specialty and we sought the most expert advice possible. In late December, we secured an agreement from Roy W. Baker, the outstanding restoration specialist in this field, who is now restoring the Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Massachusetts, to come to Braintree and ex- amine the house. This was originally planned for late January. Mr. Baker wished clapboards and sheathing removed at the sills, second floor girts and corner posts before he came, so the structural members would be ex- posed to view. As you know, the opportunity to have West Point Cadets come to the house for a ceremony
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in mid-February held up this dismantling work. Follow- ing the storm which prevented that ceremony, we did get that preparatory work done and Mr. Baker was here last week, as were two other contractors.
Mr. Baker agreed, as did the others, with the Archi- tectural Historian from the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, Mr. Abbott Cummings, that we have an exceptionally fine house architecturally and historically, with a remarkable amount of early interior still available to be restored. He feels that the project is very much worth while. It can be made a show place on the South Shore.
The Contractors' reports of the extent of structural repairs necessary, however, places our project in an entirely different expense bracket from what an examin- ation of the surface appearances, even by qualified per- sons, had led us to believe earlier. Contractors' rough estimates indicate that to do a quality job of restoration, structurally and on the outside, will cost $30,000 apart from the mover's $10,000, if the house is to be a credit to the community. Your committee is not willing to recom- mend a program which will give less than a handsome addition to our town center. The interior restoration can be done gradually, but the outside must be right, from the start.
It is apparent that we aren't going to have our Community Historical Center established, with a start on interior restoration, for the $22,500 originally esti- mated. Instead it will take $45,000.00. Your committee has been forced to re-evaluate the project during the past week. Here is the picture as we see it. Let me summarize cost estimates as we have finally assembled them for report to this meeting:
Moving to a new foundation, including foundation $10,000
Custodians quarters, utility connections, grading, a new coat of paint and under- pinning replacement, an estimated additional 5,000
Complete structural and exterior restoration 25,000 A minimum start on interior restoration 5,000
Total needed exclusive of major interior restoration $45,000
Now where is this $45,000 coming from? The Citi- zens Committee has already received $17,500 in private and business contributions, including the Walworth gift. Your Committee expects this to exceed $20,000 by the time the drive ends. These liberal contributions from our townspeople and from others throughout the country should not be committed unless we are sure we will have the funds needed to see the project through.
This is $25,000 short of the amount needed.' In the last few days another donor has placed in the hands of the treasurer and additional $10,000 to bring the total
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of private gifts to $30,000 if the town will appropriate the remaing $15,000.
Your Committee has considered these new facts very carefully. We lay them before the Town frankly. Al- though this is an entirely different figure from that which we expected to discuss here to night, it is our conclusion that even at this figure the establishment of a Com- munity Historical Center in our town, two thirds paid for by others and maintained without cost to the town, is a bargain. It is an opporunity not to be missed. Not only will it add to our Community life, but interest from outside has proved that a Sylvanus Thayer Memorial will be an historic shrine of national significance.
West Point has made and exception to its rules, to conduct a voluntary solicitation among the Cadets. The West Point Graduates Association is planning to at least match the Cadets contribution, with the possibility of a class by class competition. The Dartmouth College Society of Engineers is just getting under way in their plans for a drive among graduates of the Thayer School of Civil Engineering. An appeal has just gone out to members of the Thayer family and returns are starting to come in. I have a letter from the President of the United States, dated March 7, 1958, here in my hand, wishing the project success. The project to use the Sylvanus Thayer Birthplace has attracted widespread interest to Braintree and we cannot afford to give our- selves a black eye.
This is a now-or-never project. Unlike many worth- while items, it cannot be deferred. The Thayer Birthplace won't be there another year. Nor does the town have another historic building which has more than casual local interest. Others are prepared to bear the bulk of the cost. If the Town is ever going to have an Historical Center this is the opporunity.
If you decide against this appropriation, the project must be abandoned, the Sylvanus Thayer Birthplace destroyed, and the private contribution returned, $30,000 of them. If the project succeeds, generations to come will reap the benefit of your vision. It is your Commit- tee's considered recommendation that the Town appro- priate $15,000 under Article No. 39 for this civic improve- ment.
Respectfully submitted :
/s/ John J. Canavan /s/ Richard A. Hunt /s/ Joseph M. Magaldi /s/ Archie T. Morrison /s/ Howard J. Rose
/s/ Paul H. Young
/s/ Gilbert L. Bean, Chairman
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15,000.00
Upon motion duly made by Mr. Canavan, it was
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED (8:55 P. M.) : That the committee report be accepted as a report of progress and that the committee be continued in office and known as the Thayer Birthplace Memorial Committee.
Upon motion duly made by Mr. Garland, it was
SO VOTED (8:55 P. M.) : That Article 39 be con- sidered at this time.
ARTICLE 39. Relocating and Restoring Thayer House. MOVED by Mr. Garland :
That there be raised and appropriated the sum of $3,500.00 for the relocation and restoration of the house known as the GENERAL SYLVANUS THAYER BIRTHPLACE as a memorial under the provisions of Chapter 40, Section 5, Paragraph 12 of the General Laws, said sum to be expended underthe direction of the Committee appointed at a special meeting on October 7, 1957 and now designated as the Thayer Birthplace Memorial Committee.
MOVED by Mr.Bean the following substitute motion :
That there be raised and appropriated the sum of $15,000 for the relocation or restoration of the house known asthe GENERAL SYLVANUS THAYER BIRTH- PLACE as a memorial under the provisions of Chapter 40, Section 5, paragraph 12 of the General Laws, said sum to be expended under the direction of the direction of the Committee appointed at a special meeting on October 7, 1957, and now designated as the Thayer Birth- place Memorial Committee.
Comes now the question on the substitute motion by Mr. Bean.
Vote was taken and the Moderator declared the substitute motion by Mr. Bean SO VOTED (9:00 P. M.).
More than seven doubting the vote the moderator ordered a teller count. Vote and count were taken and the teller reported 114 votes in the affirmative and 40 votes in the negative. The Moderator then declared the substitute motion by Mr. Bean.
SO VOTED (9:01 P. M.)
ARTICLE 2.
Upon motion duly made by Mr. Harkin, it was
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED (9:02 P. M.) : The adoption of the following resolution :
BE IT RESOLVED, that in appreciation of the services rendered to the Town of Braintree by Ralph
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W. Maglathlin wno for twenty years served as Town Accountant and Chairman of the Contributory Retire- ment Board, and who during the entire length of his services repeatedly demonstrated his ability and devotion to duty, and by his regular and upright conduct merited confidence in himself and the management of Town af- fairs in the handling of the itricate duties imposed by statute upon him,
BE IT RESOLVED, that this appreciation of his services be spread upon the records of this Braintree Town Meeting.
MOVED by Mr. Ainsleigh:
Reconsideration of the vote taken under Article 39.
The Moderator ordered a teller count. Vote and count were taken and the tellers reported 19 votes in the affirmative and 115 votes in the negative. The Mod- erator then declared the motion by Mr. Ainsleigh LOST (9:05 P. M.)
ARTICLE 37. Lease of Land to Historical Society for Thayer House.
MOVED by Mr. Garland :
That the Selectmen be authorized and directed to lease for the sum of $1.00 to the Braintree Historical Society, Inc., or its successors for a term of 99 years a parcel of town owned land at the northeast corner of Washington Street and Washington Park Place, shown on the Assessors' plan No. 1005 as Plots 64 and 65, for the purpose of locating thereon a house known as the Birthplace of Sylvanus Thayer, a native of Braintree, as a suitable memorial to properly commemorate his military services to the United States, such memorial to be used as a Braintree Historical Center. The lease shall provide that the Braintree Historical Society, Inc., shall assume responsibility for necessary maintenance and repairs. In the event that the property is not adequately maintained, the Braintree Historical Society, Inc., shall be required to effect within six months of proper notice such reasonable repairs as shall be det- ermined to be necessary by a vote of the town in any reg- ular or Special town meeting, or forfeit the lease. The lease shall be forfeited in the event the Sylvanus Thayer House is not moved onto the site within one year from this date or in the event the Braintree Historical Society, Inc., shall cease to exist without successor. The lease shall provide that in the event the lease is forfeited, The Braintree Historical Society, Inc., or whatever person or organization holds title to the house, shall be permitted a period of six months to remove the house from the pre- mises, otherwise such house shall become the property of the town.
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Discussion ensued involving Mr. McMaster and Mr. Magaldi.
Comes now the question on the motion by Mr. Garland.
The Moderator ordered a teller count. Vote and count were taken and the tellers reported 139 votes in the affirmative and 9 votes in the negative. The Moderator then declared the motion by Mr. Garland.
SO VOTED (9:20 P.M.)
Recess from 9:20 P.M. to 9:38 P.M.
ARTICLE 2.
Mr. Klay presented the following report.
The Committee appointed under Article 25 of the 1957 Annual Town Meeting to investigate desirable civic uses for the School Fund Lands on Town and Granite Streets has organized and held eight meetings as well as many informal discussions with interested parties.
Conferences have been had with the School Commi- ttee. School Site Committee, individual members of the Park Board and Planning Board, and a representative of the Metropolitan District Commission. None of these agencies find any presently forseeable need for this particular tract.
Your Committee therefore must report that it cannot recommend any civic purpose to which this property can now be usefully dedicated. Furthermore, under the terms of the original gift, "the income was to be forever appropriated for the support of public schools and the promotion of learning in them", all reasonable efforts should be made to produce some income to carry out the donors intention. The obvious and feasable method to accomplish this purpose would be to sell and invest the proceeds subject to the original trust.
Your Committee recommends that the Board of Selectmen include an article in the next Warrant for a Town Meeting which would permit the Town to take such action if this recommendation is followed.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ Frederick J. Klay, Chairman /s/ Robert P. Gray /s/ Neal V. Humphrey /s/ Richard A. Hunt /s/ James F. Ryder
Upon motion duly made by Mr. Klay, it was
SO VOTED (9:35 P.M.) : Acceptance of the report as presented by Mr. Klay.
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ARTICLE 38. Purchase of site for location of Thayer House.
Upon motion duly made by Mr. Garland, it was
SO VOTED (9:35 P. M.) : No action.
ARTICLE 39. (Previously acted upon.)
ARTICLE 40. Establishment of Bookmobile Unit.
MOVED by Mr. Garland :
No action.
MOVED by Mr. Bryant the following substitute motion :
That there be raised and appropriated the sum of $500.00 for the purpose of establishing a fund 'to be used for the establishment by the Library Trustees of a bookmobile unit and purchase of equipment therefore.
Discussion ensued involving Mr. Bryant and Mr. Gar- land, Chairman of the Finance Committee.
Comes now the question on the substitute motion by Mr. Bryant.
Vote was taken and the moderator declared the sub- stitute motion by, Mr. Bryant LOST (9:42 P. M.).
Comes now the question on the motion by Mr. Gar- land.
SO VOTED (9:42 P. M.)
ARTICLE 41. Real Estate Taxes, Property on Town Street.
Upon motion duly made by Mr. Garland, it was
SO VOTED (9:43 P. M.) : No action.
ARTICLE 42. Masonry Repairs and Waterproofing of Town Hall.
$ 9,800.00
Upon motion duly made by Mr. Garland, it was
SO VOTED (9:43 P. M.) : That there be raised and appropriated the sum of $9,800.00 to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen for necessary Masonry Repairs and Waterproofing of the Town Hall.
ARTICLE 43 Purchase of new Chairs for Town Hall Auditorium.
MOVED by Mr. Garland :
No action.
Discussion ensued involving Mr. Shaughnessy and Mr. Garland, Chairman of the Finance Committee.
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Comes now the question on the motion by Mr. Gar- land.
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED (9:47 P. M.)
ARTICLE 44. Disposal of Town Infirmary.
MOVED by Mr. Magaldi :
That the Board of Selectmen be and are hereby au- thorized and instructed to lease to the Braintree Junior Chamber of Commerce, Inc., the town owned building known as the Braintree Infirmary and the land it is located on as shown on Assessors' Plan No. 1001 Plot No. 3, for a period of 99 years for the sum of $1.00 per annum. Said lease to be executed by the Selectmen with provisions and conditions that the building and pre- are to be used for a Community Recreation Center with a further provision that cancellation of the lease will be made when the building and premises cease to be be used for a Community Recreation Center and such fact is established by a certification by the Finance Com- mittee to the Board of Selectmen.
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