USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1962 > Part 14
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$350,000
2. Relocate Pearl Street sewer in the vicinity of new bridge to be constructed over Monatiquot River: 15,000
3. Trunk sewer extension in Farm and Monatiquot River valleys between Jefferson Street and Granite Street to serve proposed industrial development: 400,000
4. Trunk sewer extension in Pond Meadow drainage valley from M. D. C. sewer at Pond Meadow to Grove Street near Columbian Road to serve proposed in- dustrial development: 350,000
Total Recommended New Construction:
$1,115,000
Mr. Arthur P. Andersen, elected a member of the Sewer Commission in March, 1959, died July 14. Mr. Andersen was sincerely interested in the development and growth of the Town and gave freely of his time and service to promote its best interests. Mr. Forrest A. Parmenter was appointed November 3 to fill the vacancy on the Sewer Board.
The close cooperation and valuable assistance received from other Departments and Committees of the Town throughout the year materially aided the Sewer Department, and are greatly appreciated.
Respectfully submitted, GEORGE F. BROUSSEAU Superintendent
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BRAINTREE AIRPORT COMMISSION - 1962 William G. Brooks, Chairman
John W. Murphy
William K. Stewart
Gordon H. Robinson George T. Woodsum
The Braintree Municipal Airport, located off West Street near Old Route 128, is registered with the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission as a Commercial Landing Field, at latitude 40 degrees 12' 20" and longitude 72 degrees 02' 25" and is operated under the direction of the Braintree Air- port Commission.
The 2300 foot runway, 100 feet wide is operated under strict rules as specified by the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission, with an airport manager and two assistants as prescribed by the laws of the Commonwealth. All members of the operating group, commission and Airport Association serve without compensation and in the 16 years of operation the Commission have had no working financial budget for airport operation. Thirteen years ago the Town of Braintree appropriated $1, 000. 00 to assist in building the runway but through the 16 years of operation private interests, aviators and persons interested in aviation have raised over $75, 000. 00 to build the run- way and spent thousands of hours of hard labor to build one of the best small airports in New England.
With the influx of many new business and industrial operations in Braintree the airport is one means of attracting new companies to settle in the area. Thousands of small planes are now used by business executives and the Braintree Municipal Airport is becoming a popular place for sales - men to land and service their customers and avoid a tedious and expensive trip from Boston. Telephone facilities at the airport make it possible to secure quick transportation to local business areas.
The Braintree Municipal Airport is located in an area far from the residential section of the town. The pattern of approach and departure for planes is far away from the town and the site has been declared by State and Federal authorities as one of the best in the Commonwealth.
The Braintree Airport Association, Inc., operating under the direction of the Braintree Airport Commission and Airport Manager, includes the active fliers and persons interested in aviation. The Association is open to residents of Braintree and the South Shore. Regular meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month in the auditorium of the Hollywood Lanes Bowling Alley on Forbes Road. It is not necessary to own a plane to be a member of the Association. Persons interested in aviation including fliers and students interested in joining the group should make application to the Secretary, Braintree 84, Mass. Dues are $10.00 per year to be used for field improvement. Interesting speakers and social gatherings follow each meeting.
Tie down facilities when available are open to association members. All persons with planes using the airport must register with the Airport Manager. At the present time 29 planes are tied down at the Braintree Airport.
The officers of the Braintree Airport Association of 108 members, the active group interested in aviation for the year 1963 are as follows: Presi- dent, William G. Brooks; Vice President, Arnold R. Stymest; Secretary, Mrs. Evelyn T. Billings; Treasurer, Dr. John F. McGee; Asst. Treasurer Mrs. Muriel O'Keefe; Airport Manager, Arnold O. Stymest. Directors, Arthur R. Fiorini, Peter J. Bottazzi, William B. Webber, .
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Malcolm Woronoff, George W. Condon, Herman Gatchell, Fred Russo, John Hobbs and Harlan Kingsbury. Airport Supts. Paul Sawtell, John Mullins, Frank Sartori and William Crooker. Social Committee, Mrs. Ann Harbison, Mrs. Claire Supple and Mrs. Muriel O'Keefe.
Members of the Airport Commission wish to commend the 108 members of the Braintree Airport Association who have contributed funds and hours of hard labor to make the airport a success. The sincere cooperation of members of the Braintree Water Commission and interest and assistance given by Water Supt. Donato T. Richardi has been most important in the successful operation of the air strip. Braintree is most fortunate to have the only airport in the local area and is a real asset to the Braintree In- dustrial Commission in attracting new industrial plants to the area.
WILLIAM G. BROOKS
BRAINTREE INDUSTRIAL & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION 1962
William G. Brooks, Chairman; Charles R. Furlong, Secretary; John O. Holden, Treasurer; William B. Webber, Archie T. Morrison, Paul H. Young (Selectmen); Frederick J. Klay (Planning Board); Calvin E. Young (Assessors); Donato T. Richardi (Water Department); Carl W. R. Johnson (Electric Light Department); and William G. Dyer (Sewer Department).
The year 1962 will long be remembered as an outstanding period of successful expansion of business and industrial building in Braintree. The Town's strategic location at the junction of Route 128, the Southeast Ex- pressway and Route 37 and the complete cooperation of officials of impor- tant town departments and interested citizens has helped to establish the fact that Braintree is fast becoming the leading business and industrial center of the South Shore.
Fortunately the more than 1, 000 acres of land in the Town's 9 zoned Industrial Centers and Business Districts is located in areas that will not mar the beauty of Braintree's many picturesque residential properties. The far sighted work of Braintree's Planning Board Director and Commis - sion members is to be commended for their forward thinking during the past 15 years.
For many years excessive residential building has increased the popu- lation of the town, resulting in the demand for an expanded school system and town services with a sharp increase in property taxes. Unless new in- dustry and business is attracted in the immediate future, at a fast rate, home owners will again suffer an excessive tax burden. Fortunately the opening of the South Shore Plaza Shopping Center and sharp increase in business and industrial building allowed the Town Assessors to decrease the tax rate $5. 00 per $1, 000. 00 valuation this past year.
Your Industrial Commission in interviews with many prospective buyers of industrial property realize that water lines, sewers, gas supplies and roads are an important factor in attracting national companies to build in Braintree. Important manufacturing groups refuse to purchase property in areas not served by town sewers. Two important industrial centers, one with 400 acres and the second with over 200 acres, both zoned for in- dustry, will remain dormant until the town provides this necessary sewer system to the border of these large areas. At the present time these large areas are uninhabited but contracts are soon to be completed for large
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national companies to start building in both areas, if sewers are available. Your Industrial Commission will not ask Town Meeting Members to provide this service until clients guarantee to build manufacturing plants that will pay taxes to absorb bond issues and interest over a period of 10 to 15 years. Special government grants may be available to absorb part of this sewer installation expense. These important steps must be taken while times are prosperous and financing is available or this land will remain dormant for many years.
The funds made available during the past two years for water lines and sewers to New Wood Road, located on the north side of Route 128 has opened up over 90 acres of desirable land in the new "South Shore Plaza In- dustrial Center" resulting in three important additions to Braintree's tax structure, namely; the Wollaston Alloys Inc. modern factory, Henry Jenkins Transportation Co. trucking terminal and Red Coach Grill Restau- rant, who have prepared their building site on Granite St. and will build a $250, 000. 00 building in early spring when sewers are available. A 5 year sewer bond covered the cost of sewer construction and will more than pay for this facility that will service many more manufacturing units that will be built on the remaining 80 acres. As a result of this investment by the Town of Braintree, property owners "On the Hill" have built private sewers, installed water lines, gas and completed roads at a cost in excess of the appropriation of the town, opening up one of the most desirable Industrial Plazas on the great highway Route 128.
Citizens of Braintree must realize that other towns on the South Shore have desirable industrial property and are fast providing sewer and water supplies to their available industrial land. Braintree has a head start but must realize that an investment today for sewers will bring thousands of dollars of tax money in years to come. One lost industrial building with a value of $1, 000, 000. 00 would have built a sewer line to an industrial center and not cost the taxpayer additional money during the period of the sewer bond issue.
The new industrial and business buildings completed in 1962 are as follows: Wollaston Alloys Inc. manufacturers of ferrous and non-ferrous alloy castings, formerly of North Quincy; Henry Jenkins Transportation Co. trucking center serving all New England, formerly of Mattapan, Mass., both in the new South Shore Industrial Plaza, a large addition to the plant of the Abrasive Products Inc. on Pearl St., South Braintree, manufacturers of Coated Abrasives. In the Messina Industrial Center, on Messina Drive off Pond St. the Whiting Milk Co. have built one of the most modern milk distribution plants with 120 new trucks covering South Shore routes, a new office building for the F. X. Messina Enterprises and Tomasi Nurseries Landscape Center and the new building of F. E. Daddario Corp., general contractors, to be completed in March. On the Messina site a 2-story manufacturing plant for the Hixon Electric Company will be erected in the spring.
The 300 ft. by 150 ft. Forbes Office Building on Forbes Road border- ing Route 128, constructed by C. Healy Co., Thomas Hannaford Pres. was completed last spring and now has the following tenants: Shelby Mutual In- surance Co. regional headquarters; Pioneer Carmer Co., Contract Ad- ministration Inc., C. Healy Co., E. J. Barret Jr., attorney, F. J. Weiner Co., Frank Taylor Associates, Streater Store Fixtures Inc. Regional Offices; Libby McNeal Libby and Arthur C. Curren Co.
At the Carlino Industrial Center on Pond St. the M. J. McDonald Son manufacturers of kitchen cabinets erected a new building and the H. & R. Mfg. Co. of Cleveland, manufacturers of windows are building an addition
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to their plant. The Carlino Engineering Co. have started a new office building and garage on Pond St. L. Grossman Sons moved their central offices from Quincy and their several hundred employees are now located in a spacious office building in the Grossman Business and Industrial Cen- ter on Union St., South Braintree.
Other business buildings completed in 1962 in the South Braintree Business Center are the addition to the Braintree Savings Bank, New Braintree 84 Central Post Office built and owned by private interests on Washington St., Fasano' Diner and Restaurant and Ye Olde Village Garrison Office Building by McNeally & Bucknam now under construction in South Braintree Square. The Paul Sweezey Co. building on Adams St. was com- pleted in 1962.
Other major buildings completed or under construction include the Tassinary Apartments on Elm St., McNeally and Bucknam Apartment House on Hancock St. and Hall Ave., South Braintree, 2 McNeally Bucknam Apartment Houses in Braintree Highlands on Washington St., and the Rectory of St. Thomas More, corner of Elm and Hawthorn Road to be completed in early 1963.
The Braintree Observer Press Co. has moved to a building on Pearl St. across the street from their former plant and the Sigma Instrument Co. are renovating the building on Pearl St. vacated by the Observer Press.
The following report was submitted by Paul W. Lowney, manager of the South Shore Plaza Shopping Center with the notation. South Shore Plaza Continues to Grow: "Since the inception of South Shore Plaza, and the first store opening in February of 1961, the Plaza has grown to 45 stores and services. In 1962 six new stores opened at South Shore Plaza: included among these are R. H. Stearns, the Finishing Touch, James David Shoe, The Rib Room Restaurant, the Tivoli Restaurant and Liberty Mutual Insur- ance Company. In the past few days a Service Station has opened and earlier in the year the Charter House Motel of the Hotel Corporation of America opened a 103 room hotel, dining room and conference room facilities.
"With these additions, South Shore Plaza has grown to over 450, 000 square feet of selling space, which is doing in excess of $20 million per year. The forty-sixth store, Lane Bryant, with 7, 000 square feet is due for a March 1963 opening. The Plaza's 3000 car parking area provides parking space for customers and employees at all times.
"With Phase Two leasing starting in 1963, the South Shore Plaza will become the largest shopping center in New England, and the most enjoyable regional center in the East for shopping. With the opening of South Shore Plaza's meeting room in February, the Plaza will become a real commun- ity center, as well as the center for shopping in the South Shore. "
The Braintree Industrial & Business Development Commission invites citizens of Braintree to recommend Braintree as the ideal place to build new industrial plants.
WILLIAM G. BROOKS
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ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT Harold C. Pearl, Town Engineer
Numerous compiled plans showing available industrial property were prepared for members of the Industrial Board.
Considerable time was spent checking the physical characteristics of available land for prospective buyers of industrial property.
Personnel from this department attended all auctions of tax title property and furnished plot plans showing boundary lines, etc.
The Braintree Street and Zoning Maps were revised and printed.
Highway Department
Grades of Court Road and Selwyn Road were checked.
Granite Street center line from Town Street to Randolph line was established.
Layouts were made of the following:
Forest Street from Liberty Street to Birch Street
Massachusetts Avenue from Arbutus Avenue to Brewster Avenue Winthrop Avenue from Washington Street to Arbutus Avenue
The following sidewalks were staked out:
Audubon Avenue from Arthur Street to Quincy Avenue
Arthur Street from Arborway Drive to Audubon Avenue Hillside Road - 300 feet
Middle Street - 170 feet
Peach Street between No. 40 and No. 74
Drains were staked out for the following:
Central Avenue from No. 61 to Franklin Street to Sunset Lake Forest Street from Liberty Street to Birch Street
Massachusetts Avenue from Arbutus Avenue to Brewster Avenue Town Street from No. 24 to Pond Street
Winthrop Avenue from Washington Street to Arbutus Avenue
Park Department
Grades were established at the 6th tee at the Municipal Golf Course.
A layout was made of the East Junior High School football field.
Police Department
Layouts were made for stop signs at the intersections of the following streets:
Ash Street and Monatiquot Avenue Liberty Street at Division Street Union Street and Middle Street
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Miscellaneous
A layout was made for a water main on Wayne Avenue from Pond Street to St. Michael Road for the Water Department.
A plan of Henry D. Higgins property on Washington Street was pre- pared for the School Department.
The following former Braintree Housing Authority property was sur- veyed at the request of the owners:
Drake Street - 1 lot Erickson Street - 3 lots Mann Street - 1 lot Pantano Street - 6 lots
Nine hundred deeds were processed for the Board of Assessors and the required changes made on plans and records.
All subdivision plans from the Registry of Deeds were processed and changes made on plans and records.
One hundred forty new buildings were located and plotted on Assessors Plans, together with three hundred fifty additions.
ELECTRIC LIGHT DEPARTMENT
Your Commissioners submit the Annual Report of the Braintree Electric Light Department for the year ending December 31, 1962.
WALTER J. HANSEN, Chairman
ERNEST S. REYNOLDS, Secretary CARL W. R. JOHNSON
MANAGER'S REPORT TO THE MUNICIPAL LIGHT BOARD
Gentlemen:
The year 1962 saw much development and growth in the Electric Light Department. Increasing load requirements, particularly the larger number of individual customers with heavy power requirements, has required a new approach to generation and distribution. This will be discussed in some detail later in this report.
The growth pattern is somewhat changed this year and is quite evident from the following comparison:
1962 Kwh.
1961 Kwh.
Increase
Percent
Residential
38,784,058
36,732,335
2,051,7,23
5. 68%
Commercial
3,697,037
3,615,893
81,144
2. 3%
Large Commercial
21,534,828
16,870,058
4,664,770
28. 54%
Industrial
38,447,680
35,324,580
3,123,100
8. 86%
Municipal
3,255,947
2,790,853
465,094
16.7%
Street Lights
2,307,612
2,070,675
236,937
11. 4%
108,027,162
97,404, 394
10,622,768
10.9% average
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While the number of residential customers has increased by only 98 or 1. 4%, the average power use per home has increased from 4256 to 4443 or 187 kwh. equal to 4. 3%. This has resulted in an increase of 5. 68% over the previous year which is a somewhat lower rate of increase than the previous year.
The Commercial customer is rapidly becoming a large user of power because of refrigeration, air conditioning, higher lighting requirements, etc., and we find a change in many instances from the Commercial rate to the large Commercial rate for many customers. This Large Commercial or Small Power rate now covers most stores, gas stations and small busi- ness establishments and has shown a healthy growth this year of 28. 5%. Last year this same rate increased by 90. 0% which of course was largely the result of the Shopping Plaza.
Our Industrial installations have again shown a large increase of 8. 86% bringing this type of power requirement almost equivalent to the residential use. Last year this requirement increased by only 3.1%. Added industries should increase this requirement substantially during 1963.
Municipal usage and street light requirements show an increase of 16. 7 and 11. 4% respectively, showing the steady growth of our Town's require- ments. This overall picture shows a total sales growth of 10. 9% which means that the Department power output doubles every eight years.
The planning necessary to meet the problems of generating and dis- tributing power to such a rapidly growing load has, and is, receiving a great deal of study. In the generating field, purchase power has been considered rather than install additional capacity, but the costs of this source of power far exceed the financing and operating costs of our own generating equipment. Possibly, in the future, this may not be so, but, we find it prohibitive to purchase anything but emergency standby power at this time. Our generat- ing equipment consists of five units of varying sizes and ages. The newest units installed in 1953 and 1959 are in excellent condition. The oldest units at Allen Street Station are in good condition and are considered very depend- able for the immediate future. The main problem confronting our generat- ing capability is firm power for peaking capacity, that is, having adequate reserves should the largest unit become inoperative during peak load. This type of peaking capacity is absolutely essential for dependable service but may never be called on to deliver any large quantities of power. For this purpose the very cheapest investment in capacity should be made without too much regard for efficiency as the equipment should not be called on too fre- quently except in case of emergency.
The decision to purchase 5000 KW of diesel generating equipment for this purpose has been made and the units are scheduled for delivery late March or early April, 1963. This peaking equipment can be expanded an additional 5000 KW, to a total of 10, 000 KW, as required, but this will be the largest amount of peaking capacity that the Braintree system can use. Future expansion of our generating facilities should then be made by means of base load steam plant or any more efficient method should one be avail- able when the time arrives.
Addition of the two diesel generating units will cost $578, 000. 00 and will be financed entirely from Light Department funds. The installation of this diesel generating capacity at Plain Street Sub-station will also delay in- stallation of line capacity to the area. This area now requires over 14, 000 KW of power and the line capacity is 19, 000 KW. Loss of one line could reduce the power available to the area until reapirs could be effected. The diesel generator will now be in a position to replace this line in case of failure.
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With our present equipment and the total peaking capacity of 10, 000 KW installed, a new unit at Potter Station or some other source of power will be required by 1967. Means of distributing this power to our customers in an efficient, well regulated manner without overloading our streets with numerous feeders and large conductor sizes has merited much discussion during the year. A decision was reached whereby power will be delivered to our customer transformers at the same voltage as our generator terminal voltage. This has the attraction of cutting our line losses by approximately 30% and investment for future transformer sub-stations and regulators will not be required. This system has been installed to serve the South Shore Plaza and with the addition of a new feeder in 1962 now serves Woods Road and Forbes Road. During 1963 it will be extended from Forbes Road to the Randolph line. This line will be available to serve the new industries an- ticipated along Route 37. A second high voltage line from Allen Street to North Braintree area now under construction should be in service before peak loads next December. Other 15 KV lines will be installed as necessary to replace obsolete equipment and overloaded low voltage distribution equipment.
The purchase of hydraulic equipment for pole setting and removal as well as the hydraulic bucket has added much to our line Department equip- ment and at this time we anticipate doing all line reconstruction with our own crews. The addition of compact trucks for meter installation and servicing of sub-stations has been a great improvement over our former method of transportation.
Replacement of our original radio equipment which had become obso- lete and difficult to maintain has also contributed much to the efficient use of all our mobile equipment.
REPAIRS AND NEW CONSTRUCTION
In our Steam Department most equipment is in good operating condi- tion. No. 5 boiler is one of our oldest units and replacement of the air heater tubes must be completed this year. Some superheater tubes in this unit are blanked off but further difficulties in this area are not anticipated. Other boilers are in good condition and no major repairs are expected this year.
No. 2 turbine will require replacement of the inlet nozzle blocks this year, and No. 1 Unit at Potter will require replacement of part of the governing mechanism. No other major repairs are anticipated this year.
Line truck No. 3, purchased in 1955, should be replaced with a new one this year.
Additional switchgear units for Allen Street should be purchased and installed for extension of 15KV from that station. An additional 15KV unit should be added at South Shore Plaza Station 8 to serve Granite and Pond Street line.
At this time some consideration should be given to a new office or a new office site and new equipment to update our present methods of account- ing and billing. Studies of this type generally take considerable time and new office facilities will be required within the next three years.
I wish to thank the Board of Commissioners of our Electric Light Department for their counsel and guidance in directing this Department during the year. I also wish to express my appreciation to each employee of the Department for their loyalty and co-operation.
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