USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Chelmsford > Town annual report of Chelmsford 1954 > Part 4
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48
REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK
UNDER ARTICLE THIRTY-TWO:
On a motion made by Raymond H. Greenwood, it was voted to authorize the removal of the "Veteran's Honor Roll" which is situated on the lawn at the Town Hall to the common adjacent to the North Road.
UNDER ARTICLE THIRTY-THREE:
On a motion made by Raymond H. Greenwood, it was voted to raise and appropriate the sum of Two Thousand and no/100 ($2,000.00) Dollars to defray the expense of removing and relettering the "Vet- eran's Honor Roll."
UNDER ARTICLE THIRTY-FOUR:
On a motion made by Warren Lahue, in regard to accepting Chapter 657 of the Acts of 1948, etc., and in regard to a 5 day, forty- hour week for employees of certain cities and town, it was voted to dismiss this Article.
"UNDER ARTICLE THIRTY_FIVE:
On a motion made by Leonard S. MacElroy, and amended by Thomas A. Malloy, it was voted to adopt the following by-law. This vote was unanimous.
PERSONNEL, WAGE AND SALARY ADMINISTRATION:
1. TITLE.
The official title of this Plan shall be: PERSONNEL, WAGE AND SALARY CLASSIFICATION and COMPENSATION PLAN-Town of Chelmsford, Massachusetts.
2. EFFECTIVE DATE FOR APPLICATION OF PLAN.
This plan shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest date allowed by law, and shall repeal all other by-laws in con- flict herewith.
3. PERSONNEL BOARD:
This plan shall be administered by a Personnel Board, consisting of three members, two of whom shall be known as public members, and shall be appointed by the Moderator. In the beginning, one of these shall be appointed for a term of one year, and the second shall be appointed for a term of two years. Thereafter, each public mem ber shall be appointed for two years. The third member, to be known as. the Personnel member, shall be biennially elected by the body of town employees, who are subject to the provisions of this by_law. The Personnel member shall be elected in such manner as the employees - subject to the provisions of this by-law shall determine, subject only to the provision that the election shall be secret, and be supervised by a board of three election officers appointed by the Moderator, and
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REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK
to the provision that the election take place each two years at a time previous to the anniversary of the effective date of this by-law.
No member of the Personnel Board may be an employee of the Town nor hold Town Office, whether appointed or elected.
Members of the Personnel Board shall serve without compensation.
The Personnel Board shall meet regularly as necessary to con- sider such business as may be presented by Town Officials, Town em- ployees, or others.
At any meeting of the Personnel Board, action by a majority of those Board Members present shall be binding. At least two members of the Board shall be present in order to constitute a legal meeting.
The Personnel Board may from time to time make and issue reg- ulations consistent with the provisions of this Plan and necessary for its administration.
4. SCOPE OF THE PLAN AND AUTHORITY OF THE PERSONNEL BOARD:
This plan shall contain job titles and minimum and maximum wage or salary brackets for all regular Town jobs except:
a. Those under the direction and control of the School Commit- tee-provided that this Plan may include school jobs to the extent re- quested by the School Committee.
b. Those filled by popular election. (The Personnal Board shall, if requested by the Board of Selectmen, make recommendations prior to the annual Town Meeting relative to salaries for elective positions.)
c. The employees of the Welfare Department, provided, how- ever, that all other provisions of the By-law except wages and salaries shall be effective.
Each Board, Commission, Committee, Town Official, or other Town authority having any Town employee under its direction and control (Hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the appointing au- thority ) shall be responsible for having the wages and salaries for Town Employees under its jurisdiction fixed in accordance with, and only in accordance with, the rates set forth in this Plan. The provi- sions of this plan and regulations of the Personnel Board shall be binding on all Town officials and employees. except as otherwise noted and all questions of doubt or dispute relative to interpretation shall be settled by the Personnel Board.
The Board shall have conclusive authority to decide all questions relating to the application of this by-law. and the pay scales and classifications of positions incorporated in it, and the Board may make regulations not inconsistent herewith as it deems necessary for the administration of this By-law.
The Personnel Board shall prepare and maintain a file of sum- mary descriptions for all jobs in this Plan.
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REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK
d. The invalidity of any provision of this by-law, or application thereof, shall not be construed to affect the validity of any other ap- plication of such provisions or the other provisions of this by-law.
5. RECORDS:
A central Personnel file for all employees subject to this Plan shall be established in the office of the Town Accountant. The files shall be maintained by the Town Accountant or other person desig- nated by the Personnel Board. They shall contain vital statistics, records of wages or salaries and of changes in wages and salaries and such other information as may be requested by the Personnel Board for its efficient operation.
The Personnel Board shall keep records of its meetings or other proceedings, sufficient to ensure continuity in its operations from year to year. These records shall be kept, for the convenience of the Per- sonnel Board, in the office of the Town Accountant.
6. CLASSIFICATION OF PRESENT TOWN EMPLOYEES:
Each person who is an employee of the Town at the time this Plan is effective shall be classified in accordance with this Plan and shall have his wage of salary established in the following manner, each such determination to be subject to the approval of the Personnel Board.
a. Each appointing authority shall review the statues of all its employees and assign each individually to the job classification most nearly corresponding to his duties and responsibilities.
b. If the wage or salary of any individual as of March 15, 1954 is higher than the maximum of the rate range assigned to his particular job, then this rate shall be considered to be a "personal" rate. He shall continue to be paid at this personal rate so long as he holds that job-unless there should be a general revision of the wages and salary schedules.
c. If on the effective date of this by-law the wage or salary of an individual employee is lower than, or falls within, the rate for his job, then the individual will be assigned a specific rate as follows: The date of entry on the particular job in question will be determined and hence the length of time the employee has spent in the job up to the first day of the calendar year in which this Plan becomes effective. The number of full years spent in that job as thus computed will then be used to choose the step rate applicable. This rate, if higher than the old rate, will be the employee's new rate. (This provision shall not, however, operate to reduce the wage or salary of any employee below the level of March 15, 1954.) If the old rate is higher than the indicated new rate, the old rate shall become a "personal" rate to be
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REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK
in effect only for the length of time the employee is in the same job and only until his old rate is exceeded in accordance with the terms of this Plan.
d. If the operation of this section appears to result in unfair- ness to any person, the appointing authority may request an adjust- ment. Such adjustment may be made within the rate range for the job if approved by the Personnel Board.
7. CLASSIFICATION OF NEW EMPLOYEES:
The wage or salary of any individual hired by the Town or trans- ferred from one job to another shall ordinarily be set at the minimum for the job for which he is hired or to which he is transferred. The appointment of such persons at the minimum rate shall routinely be reported to the Personnel Board by the appointing authority con- cerned. In special cases and upon the recommendation of the ap- pointing authority and with the prior approval of the Personnel Board, such person may enter a new job at a rate higher than the minimum but not in excess of the maximum.
8. INCREASES WITHIN THE RATE RANGES:
The normal period of service in a particular job required for ad- vancement from the minimum rate to the maximum rate shall be as provided in this Plan. The successive steps for advancing from the minimum to the maximum shall be as set forth in this Plan. In grant- ing annual step increase as provided by this Plan, the written recom- mendation of the appointing authority and the approval of the Per- sonnel Board shall be required. A person who for any reason does not receive the required recommendation and approval shall remain at the rate in effect during the previous calendar year. In any case involv- ing a fraction of a calendar year-as with new or transferred em- ployee-the Personnel Board shall approve an increase at the end of the first calendar year only upon evidence that the individual has rendered outstanding services meriting this special consideration.
If any employee feels that his appointing authority has without adequate reason withheld the recommendation that could result in his receiving an annual increase as provided by the schedule, he may ap- peal to the Personnel Board. The Board shall hear all parties to the dispute, make such additional investigations as it may deem neces- sary, and its decision shall be final as to whether or not the increase shall be granted. .
If an appointing authority shall consider that the Personnel Board has without adequate reason refused to approve any recommended in- crease, appeal may be had to the Town or final decision by the inser- tion of a special article covering the case in the Warrant for any Town Meeting.
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REPORT OF THE TOWN OLERK
9. PERIODIC REVIEW OF CLASSIFICATION PLAN:
It shall be a responsibility of the Personnel Board to review job classifications and rates of pay at reasonable intervals. Rates of pay shall be reviewed at least every two years.
If at any time the Personnel Board is of the opinion that changes in this Plan are desirable it shall be responsible for taking the neces- sary action to put the changes into effect-all in accordance with the provisions governing amendment of this Plan.
10. REVIEW OF WAGE AND SALARY RATES AND USE OF COST OF LIVING INDEXES:
Whenever the Personel Board reviews the wage and salary prov- isions of this Plan, it shall take into account and give much weight as it may deem desirable to the following:
a. Rates of pay for like positions in other Massachusetts towns considered by the Personnel Board to be comparable to Chelmsford.
b. Rates of pay for like jobs (if any) in commercial and business establishments in area of Chelmsford and vicinity.
c. The current level of the following cost-of-living indexes:
1. Retail Price Index-published by the Department of Labor and Industries, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
2. Consumers Price Index-published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor.
11. AMENDMENTS TO OR CHANGES IN THE CLASSIFICATION PLAN:
The Personnel Board tentatively may add new job titles and des- criptions to this Plan, establishing minimum and maximum wage or salary brackets for the same, and reclassifying existing jobs, revising the description and the minimum and maximum wage or salary brack- ets therefor, any such addition or reclassification to be effective only for the period from the date of such action by the Personnel Board to the date of any vote with respect thereto adopted at a subsequent Town Meeting but in no case later than the next Annual Town Meeting unless such later date as may be specified by such vote. Any increase in wages or salaries under this section shall be effective only if funds are available for the purpose.
Recommendations for changes in wage and salary rates and classi- fications for the following year shall be made in writing to the Fi- nance Committee not later than December 21st of each year.
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REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK
12. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE:
If any employee feels aggrieved by the operation of any provision of this Plan he shall first discuss the matter with his immediate super- visor. If a conference between the employee and his immediate su- pervisor fails to clear up any question to the satisfaction of the em- ployee, he may refer the matter in writing to the appointing author- ity. If two weeks have elapsed since the submission of the matter in writing to the appointing authority and the dispute is still unresolved, either party may appeal to the Personnel Board. This Board shall take the question under advisement, collecting such facts relating thereto as it may deem helpful, and it may, in its discretion, hold private or public hearings with respect to such question. Not later than thirty days after receipt of written submission of the matter to it, the Per- sonnel Board shall render its decision and hereafter take promptly such action as may be necessary and authorized hereunder relative to the dispute.
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REPORT OF THE TOWN OLERK
13. TEMPORARY-PART-TIME-IRREGULAR EMPLOYMENT.
Any employee regularly employed by one appointing authority shall be paid his regular rate of compensation during periods for which he is temporarily assigned to work under a different appointing anthority.
Any employee who regularly works partly for one appointing authority and partly for another appointing authority, all on a regular schedule, may, if the circumstances warrant, receive di ferent rates of compensation for such work.
The compensation of any employee working on a part-time or other irregular basis shall be set or adjusted accordingly.
Compensation shall be paid under the provisions of this section only after recommendations therefor by the appointing authorities have been approved by the Personnel Board.
14. VACATIONS:
All permanent employees of the Town shall be allowed vacations with pay; the time for taking them shall be determined by the head of the department in which employed; employees of one or more years standing on July 1st of each year, shall be entitled to two weeks vaca- tion. Employees of less than one year standing shall be entitled to a vacation equal to one day per month of employment, figured as of July 1st, with a maximum of two weeks. Vacations shall not accumulate from year to year, except with written approval of the Personnel Board.
15. LEGAL HOLIDAYS:
The Legal Holidays to which full time employees are entitled with pay are January 1, February 22, April 19, May 30, July 4, Labor Day, October 12, November 11, Thanksgiving and December 25.
16. SICK LEAVE BY-LAW:
"All permanent employees of the Town are allowed leave with pay on account of illness or injury from causes other than in the line of duty for 10 days in any year exclusive of Sundays or Holidays. This sick leave is accumulative but not beyond a period of three years or thirty days exclusive of Sunday or Holidays. All employees who are absent because of sickness for a period exceeding three days shall present a Doctor's certificate to their Department Head on return for payment of sick leave.",
(Note: The above sick leave by-law adopted July 31, 1950.)
17. LEAVES OF ABSENCE:
a. Leaves of absence may be granted by the appropriate depart- ment head but shall be without compensation.
b| Any employee who is called for temporary military duty may be granted a leave of absence.
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REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK
18. JURY DUTY:
A Full time employee called for jury duty, or to testify as a wit- ness in behalf of the Town, during a time he would otherwise be working for the Town shall be paid an amount equal to the difference between the monies received from the Court, other than travel allow- ances, and the pay he would have received from the Town.
19. HOURS OF WORK shall be as follows:
I. For the Town Accountant and those occupying full time posi- tions designated as "Clerical" 3712 hours a week.
II. For those occupying full time positions designated "Mechani- cal and Construction Occupations", Conservation and Cemeteries, Cus- todian and Health, 40 hours per week.
III. For those occupying positions designated "Public Safety Occupations" and within the Police and Fire Departments, 48 hours per week.
IV. Overtime work for those beyond these hours may be com- pensated for by the time off, except "Mechanical and Construction Op- erations" hourly rates which shall be paid at the Standard rate of pay for the job times one and one-half, except the full time employees of the Fire Department who may be summoned and kept on duty be- cause of a serious fire, without compensatory time off.
V. The foregoing provisions do not apply to persons engaged for occasional work of short duration.
20. THE WORK WEEK:
The work week shall consist of seven days from Wednesday mid- night to Wednesday midnight.
21. BUSINESS HOURS:
All departmental offices shall be open daily for 81/2 hours from the beginning of business on Monday of each week to the close of busi- ness on Friday of the same week.
22. AMENDMENT:
This by-law may be amended by a vote of the Town at any Town Meeting.
23. REPEALER:
If any provisions of this by-law shall conflict with any civil serv- ice law or regulation applicable to any position, or with any other law, it shall be deemed modified by the law or regulation sufficiently only to end the conflict. The invalidity of any provision hereof shall not be construed to invalidate any other provision thereof.
*
....... .........
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REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK
24. JOB TITLES AND STANDARD RATES FOR WAGES AND SALARIES.
A. ADMINISTRATIVE AND CLERICAL:
Minimum Maximum
Increments
*1. Agent for Veteran's Service
$ 550.00
$ 700.00
$ 50.00 yr. 3 yr.
2. Clerk (Senior)
2,200.00
2,400.00
100.00 yr. 2 yr.
3. Clerk
1,800.00 2,100.00
100.00 yr. 3 yr.
4. Town Accountant 3,000.00 3,300.00
100.00 yr. 3 yr.
*5. Town Counsel 500.00
*6. Selectmen's Recording Clerk 425.00
*7. Board of Registrar's Clerk
235.00
*8 Clerk .95 hr.
B. CONSERVATION AND CEMETERY :
1. Cemetery Superintendent $2,700.00 $3,000.00 $100.00 yr. 3 yr.
*2. Moth Superintendent 275.00 yr.
*3. Labor (Park, Playground,
Cemetery, Tree)
1.30 hr.
*4. Labor skilled (Tree Climber) 1.40 hr.
C. CUSTODIAL AND MAINTENANCE:
$1. Clock Winder 78.00 yr.
2. Custodian $2,200.00 $2,500.00 $100.00 yr. 3 yr.
*3. Custodian 22.00 wk. 25.00 wk. 1.00 step rate each yr.
D. HEALTH AND SERVICES
1. Nurse
$2.600.00 $2,900.00 $100.00 yr. 8 yr.
*2 Physician 125.00 yr.
3 Sanitarian 3,300.00 3,600.00 100.00 yr. 3 yr.
E. LIBRARY:
1. Librarian
*2. Assistant Librarian ...
$1,350.00 $1,575.00 $ 75.00 yr. 3 yr. .90 hr.
F. MECHANICAL AND CONSTRUCTION:
1. Highway
Superintendent .....
$4,200.00
$4,500.00 $100.00 yr. 3 yr.
2. Assistant Highway Superintendent
3,300.00
3,600.00
100.00 yr. 3 yr.
3. Motor Equipment oper. 1st class Truck Driver 1.40 hr.
4. Motor Equipment Oper. 2nd Class Tractor Dr. ...
1.50 hr.
5. Motor Equipment oper. 3rd Class (Roller) .....
1.55 hr.
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REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK
Minimum Maximum Increments
6. Motor Equipment Oper ..... 4th Class Grader-Shovel
1.75 hr.
7. Motor Equipment
Repairman 1.75 hr.
8. Laborer 1.30 hr.
9. Laborer, Skilled; Mason, Carpenter 1.50 hr.
G. PUBLIC SAFETY AND INSPECTION:
FIRE
(1-425.00 yr.
*1. District Chiefs
(1-209.00 yr.
(3-100.00 yr.
$2. Captain
40.00 yr. 38.00 yr.
*3. Lieutenant
4. Regular Firefighter
$2,900.00 $3,200.00 $100.00 yr. 3 yr.
*5. Call Firefighter
1.30 hr.
6. Forest Fire Warden
450.00
600.00 50.00 yr. 3 yr.
POLICE
7. Chief
$ 1,000.00
$4,300.00
$100.00 yr. 3 yr.
8. Sergeant
3,500.00
3,800.00
100.00 yr. 3 yr.
9. Patrolman
3.300.00
3,600.00 100.00 yr 3 yr. 1.30 hr.
*10. Special Policeman
$11. Animal Inspector
500.00 yr.
*12. Beach Attendant
$45.00 wkly for season
*13. Dog Officer
300.00 yr.
*14. Sealer of Weights and Measures
275.00 yr.
*Part Time.
UNDER ARTICLE THIRTY-SIX:
On a motion made by Hans Schliebus in regard to the acceptance of Section 57A, Chapter 48 of the General Laws, it was voted to dis- miss this Article.
UNDER ARTICLE THIRTY-SEVEN:
On a motion made by John E. Johnson, it was voted to continue the present by-law committee, and that said committee be instructed to make a further study of the existing town ordinances and by-laws, make recommendations for their revision, recommend new by-laws and ordinances and to report at a special or annual town meeting, co- dify the existing by-laws and ordinances and print them in book form, said books to be sold by the Town Clerk for a sum to be set by the Board of Selectmen.
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REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK
UNDER ARTICLE THIRTY-EIGHT:
On a motion made by Ralph R. Cole, it was voted to amend the Building Code of the Town of Chelmsford in the following particu- lars:
Article VIII, Section 2, Paragraph 1, Sentence 1: After the word "dwelling" add the words-"and attached garages", and after the words-"and attached garages," and after the words "finished grade" add the words-"including the footing" so that the sentence will read as follows: All dwellngs and attached garages must have a foundation wall which extends (42) forty-two inches below the finished grade in- cluding the footing.
132 voted in the affirmative. 27 voted in the negative.
UNDER ARTICLE THIRTY-NINE:
On a motion made by Ralph R. Cole, it was voted to amend the Building Code of the Town of Chelmsford in the following particulars: Article VIII, Section 2, Paragraph 3: After the word "Hollow" strike out the words "or Solid" and after the word "Masonry" strike out the words "and Plain Concrete" so that the sentence will read: Hollow Masonry.
139 voted in the affirmative 6 voted in the negative
UNDER ARTICLE FORTY :
On a motion made by Ralph R. Cole, it was voted to amend the Building Code of the Town of Chelmsford in the Following particulars: Article VIII, Section 2, Paragraph 4, Sentence 1: Strike out sentence one and substitute the following sentence: All hollow masonry founda- tions walls shall be not less than twelve (12") inches thick from foot- ing to a point not more than twenty-four(24") inches below finished grade and not less than eight (S") inches thick for all remaining courses.
116 voted n the affirmative
61 voted in the negative
UNDER ARTICLE FORTY-ONE:
On a motion made by Ralph R. Cole, it was voted to amend the Building Code of the Town of Chelmsford in the following particulars: Article X, Section 1, Paragraph 2: Strke ont the figure "3" and substi- tute the figure "4" so that the paragraph will read: Sills shall be not less than 4 x 6 inches when laid flat on a solid foundation bearing; for a boxed sill, not less than the size of the floor joists, and over open- ings or piers shall be designed for their imposed loads.
This vote was unanimous.
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REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK
UNDER ARTICLE FORTY-TWO:
On a motion made by Ralph R. Cole, it was voted to amend the Building Code of the Town of Chelmford in the following particulars: Article X, Section 4, Paragraph 2: After the word "wire" add the words "or gypsum" so that the paragraph will read: "Attached garages shall be wire or gypsum lathed and plastered on the ceiling and on all walls common with the main building.
This vote was unanimous.
UNDER ARTICLE FORTY-THREE:
On a motion made by Ralph R. Cole, it was voted to amend the Building Code of the Town of Chelmsford in the following particulars: Article X, Section 1, Paragraph 2, under Roof Rafters: After the word "for" and before the word "roof" add the word "all," and after the word "joists" add the words "Table 1, of the Appendix," so that the paragraph will read: Spacing and spans for all roof rafters on slopes less than 5 to 12 inches shall be the same as for floor joists in Table 1, of the Appendix.
This vote was unanimous.
UNDER ARTICLE FORTY-FOUR:
On a motion made by Warren C. Lahue, it was voted to amend the Building Code of the Town of Chelmsford as follows:
Article X, Section 1, under Floor Joists add the following paragraph- "All cutting of floor timbers for the passage of pipes or ducts shall be at their upper edge, and no cut shall exceed one-third of the depth of the timber, or be made a distance of more than one-third of the span from the bearing point of the timber unless the consent of the In- spector is obtained. No cutting in the under side of a. floor timber shall be allowed for any reason.
This vote was unanimous.
UNDER ARTICLE FORTY-FIVE:
On a motion made by Ralph R. Cole, it was voted to amend the Building Code of the Town of Chelmsford in the following particulars: Article X, Section 1, Paragraph 1, under the heading Floor Joists- strike out the words "n dwellings," so that the paragraph will read; "For maximum allowable spans for floor joists, see Table 1 in the Appendix."
This vote was unanimous.
UNDER ARTICLE FORTY-SIX:
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