Town annual report of Chelmsford 1963, Part 9

Author:
Publication date: 1963
Publisher: Town of Chelmsford
Number of Pages: 166


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Construction


Interest


Outstanding 12/31/62


Paid in 1963


Principal Due in 1964


Interest Due in 1964


North School


1.70%


$ 280,000.00


$ 30,000.00


Outstanding 12/31/63 $ 250,000.00 5,000.00 270,000.00 4,000.00 700,000.00


$ 30,000.00


$ 3,995.00


Center Fire Station


2.10%


10,000.00


5,000.00


5,000.00


105.00


Center School


2.70%


325,000.00


55,000.00


55,000.00


7,290.00


North Fire Station


3.25%


5,000.00


1,000.00


130.00


High School #1 Issue


3.50%


750,000.00


50,000.00


1,000.00 50,000.00


23,625.00


High School #2 Issue


3.20%


1,390,000.00


90,000.00


1,300,000.00


90,000.00


40,160.00


Highway Garage


3.40%


65,000.00


5,000.00


60,000.00


5,000.00


1,955.00


Boston Road School


3.50%


900,000.00


50,000.00


850,000.00


50,000.00


28,875.00


Addition to High School


2.70%


490,000.00


50,000.00


440,000.00


50,000.00


11,880.00


$4,215,000.00


$ 336,000.00


$3,879,000.00


$ 336,000.00


$ 118,015.00


Loan


Rate


112


ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


POLICE DEPARTMENT


Ralph J. Hulslander, Chief


To The Honorable Board of Selectmen Town of Chelmsford


Gentlemen:


I hereby submit my report of the Police Department and Roster for the year ending December 31, 1963.


Chief of Police Ralph J. Hulslander


Sergeants


Raymond E. Harmon Basil J. Larkin Leslie H. Adams, Jr.


Richard F. Campbell


Patrolmen Allan H. Adams (Deceased)


Donald J. Butler


Walter W. Edwards


Ronald E. Leach


James J. Kerrigan


Peter F. Fitts


Pennryn D. Fitts


Robert E. Germann


Bernard L. George


Henry R. McEnany


John J. Bell


Charles H. Hadley John B. Sousa


Thomas A. Palmer


Edwin R. Hodgson Frank Baran


John P. Campbell


William McAllister


James F. Midgley


Intermittent Patrolmen


Henry F. Mullen


Robert F. McAndrew Robert G. Peterson


John J. O'Rourke


Edward M. Rooney Raymond P. Mckeon


Herbert E. Ringerson


Frederick C. Dillon Eugene W. Walsh


Intermittent Police Woman Christina N. Park


Crimes Against Person 18


Crimes Against Property


25


Crimes Against Public Order


256


TOTAL 299


DISPOSITIONS-Worcester State Hospital 5; Not Guilty 5; Dis- missed 2; Youth's Service Board 7; State Prison 3; Fined 157; Released 19; Filed 18; Defaulted 1; Turned over to State Police 1; Turned over to Concord Police 1; Turned over to Billerica Police 1; Turned over to Lawrence District Court 1; Turned over to Lowell District Court 33; Turned over to Middlesex County Training School 3; Turned over to


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ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


Westford Police 1; Bedford V. A. Hospital 2; Turned over to Malden District Court 1; Continued 4; Held for Probable Cause 1; Probation 21; Suspended 4; House of Correction 8. Total 299.


Statistics of the Police Department for the year 1963. Number of accidents and persons claiming injuries in 1963. January 32, injured 18; February 45, injured 39; March 41, injured 22; April 21, injured 22; May 26, injured 32; June 28, injured 31; July 37, injured 20; August 28, injured 21; September 31, injured 29; October 37, injured 26, fatal 1; November 40, injured 25; December 63, injured 37, fatal 1. Total acci- dents 429. Total injured 322. Fatals 2.


Police answered 3,886 calls, served 657 summons for out of town Po- lice Departments, recovered 27 stolen cars, found 166 business places un- locked, made 299 arrests. The four cruisers patrolled 287,692 miles in 1963. The cruisers answered 427 more calls in 1963 than they did in 1962. The cruisers patrolled 32,678 more miles in 1963 than they did in 1962. We investigated 80 more accidents, served 102 more summons and found 48 more business places unlocked in 1963 than in 1962. Ar- rests were down slightly from the 1962 figure.


The year 1963 was a busy year for your Police Department as you can see by the preceding statistics.


As the town grows a greater demand is placed on your Police De- partment for various services, in particular the number of homes to be checked when residents are on vacations, this is a very important phase of police work and I urge all residents to notify the Police Department when they are leaving on vacation so that we may better serve you.


Heavy road construction came to an end this year when the last segment of Route 495 in Chelmsford was completed.


At a Special Town Meeting last Fall funds were made available for a new Police Station to be built on North Road, near the High School. This new station will be modern in every respect and will enable the Police Department to better serve you. The Station should be completed in late summer or early fall of 1964.


The Auxiliary Police Band under the able direction of Sergeant Basil Larkin plans to continue the Band Concerts again this year as they have the past several years, which I feel brings a great deal of pleasure to young and old alike.


At the present time we have thirty Auxiliary Police Officers, com- pletely uniformed. and well trained in all phases of police work which they would be called upon to perform in case of an emergency. Sergeant Basil Larkin is in charge of the Auxiliary Police Unit.


I wish to express my thanks to the Board of Selectmen and all other town officials and employees and also to the general public for


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ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


the excellent cooperation given to the Police Department during the past year.


Signed: RALPH J. HULSLANDER Chief of Police


IN MEMORIAM


Allan H. Adams was a Patrolman of the Police Department of the Town of Chelmsford, having been appointed as an Intermittent Officer May 30, 1931, and Regular Patrolman February 12, 1934. He died on February 5, 1963 after a short illness.


His experience of many years is greatly missed and his faith- fulness to duty will long be remembered by his fellow workers and the Townspeople of Chelmsford.


115


ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


FIRE DEPARTMENT


Ernest G. Byam, Chief


To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:


The past year has been an extremely busy one for this Department. We responded to a total of 732 requests for assistance during 1963 which was an increase of 179 over the previous year. A number of these calls were caused by the severe drought during the summer and fall. The situation during September and October was explosive and we were very fortunate not to have had more serious fires.


The people of Chelmsford were aware of this danger and are to be commended for their carefulness during the dry spell. The most serious fire at this time occurred at the Thanksgiving Ground Forest, where over 15 acres burned over, and was only then brought under control after hours of hard and dangerous work by your firefighters. This fire was not declared out for eight days, and had to be watched continually.


The Town Dump was another source of danger at this time, and only through the cooperation of Superintendent Fred Greenwood of the Highway Department and of Isadore Needham, the caretaker of the dump, were we able to prevent a very serious fire, and I take this opportunity to thank them both.


Two other very serious emergencies that occurred the past year was the Boston and Maine train wreck and the fire at the Grossman Lumber Company, both of which could have been much more serious and could have caused a much bigger loss than they did.


CHELMSFORD FIRE DEPARTMENT


CHELMSFORD


LADDER


I


116


ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


Continued attention has been given to the work of fire prevention, it being one of the essential parts of our work. During the year, working in conjunction with the State and Town Building Inspector, inspections were made in all schools, churches and public buildings. Every three months throughout the year all convalescent and nursing homes were inspected to eliminate fire hazards.


Maintenance work on the fire alarm system consisted of general and emergency repairs, and pole changeovers. Approximately three miles of new wire was strung from the Center Station to the North Station, in order to tie the North circuit into the Center, and to enable us to sound the North whistle from the Center Station. This work was all done by the firefighters while on duty, in order to save the cost of letting the work out.


The firefighters on their regular tour of duty took care of all the maintenance work necessary at all five fire stations, and most of the apparatus repairs.


For this year I recommend that the Town vote to replace our pick-up truck which is now 13 years old, and for the immediate future I recommend that a permanently manned station should be considered so that we could have this ready by the end of 1966 at the latest.


The following amounts of explosives of all classes stored in the Town of Chelmsford are: Magazine #1, 21,500 lbs., Magazine #2, 22,570 lbs., Magazine # 3, 2,500 lbs.


WIRE INSPECTOR


Harold Tucke, Jr.


The following is a report of the Wire Inspection Department for the year 1963.


There were 595 applications for inspection issued. 20 of these were for the electrical installations in commercial and industrial buildings. 311 were issued for the wiring of new homes or the rewiring of old ones. The remaining 264 were issued for minor installations such as, oil burn- ers, hot water tanks, range and dryer outlets, service changes, etc.


117


ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


BOARD OF ASSESSORS Warren Wright, Chairman


Charles A. House Claude A. Harvey


The following table is presented as a comparison of the financial and physical growth of the Town in the last six years:


Per


1958


1963


Increase


Cent


Number of Motor Vehicles


6,987


10,756


3,769


54%


Number of Dwellings


3,765


5,851


2,086


55%


Real Estate Valuation


$14,958,240


$25,537,545


$10,579,305


70%


Personal Property Valuation 1,741,465


2,902,295


1,160,830


66%


Motor Vehicle Excise Tax __


207,334


458,984


251,650


121%


An analysis of the above figures gives some indication of the tre- mendous increase in the activities and work load of your Assessors' De- partment.


RECAPITULATION 1963


Town Appropriations:


(Voted by Town Meetings)


$3,773,561.78


State Assessments


17,221.45


County Tax and Hospital Assessments


49,726.34


Overlay


93,467.99


Gross Amount to be Raised


$3,933,977.56


ESTIMATED RECEIPTS


Town (All Revenue Derived from


Motor Vehicle Excise and all


Departmental Receipts)


$ 312,599.17


Income Tax (Collected by State


and Returned to Town)


250,688.40


Corporation Tax (Collected by State)


67,091.96


Meal Tax (Collected by State)


7,127.64


$ 637,507.17


Available Funds (From Excess and Deficiency Account: Unexpended


balances from Previous Years) $ 725,874.79


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ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


Total Estimated Receipts and Available Funds $1,363,381.96


Total to be Raised by Taxation $2,570,595.60


$2,570,595.60 to be Raised on Poll, Personal and Real Estate Taxes (Levied and Collected by the Town.)


The Board wishes at this time to thank all town officials and de- partments for the cooperation extended to them during the past year and wishes to especially extend their appreciation to the members of our staff who have performed so conscientiously and efficiently.


BOARD OF APPEALS Richard B. Carr, Chairman


Stanley J. Polak


Edward F. Murphy


Richard L. Monahan Paul W. O'Neil


Alternate Members


James O. Robinson Anthony S. DiCiero


During the past year the Board of Appeals conducted 42 Hearings. Disposition of the 42 Hearings was as follows: Variances and Special Permits granted 33


Variances


denied


7


Variances


withdrawn


1


Variances


No decision to date


1


42


The Board wishes to take this opportunity to thank all Town Officials and Townspeople for their cooperation during the year.


DOG OFFICER


To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:


Town of Chelmsford


The following is a report of my services as Dog Officer for the year 1963.


Dogs sold to individuals 49


Dogs sent to Medical School 49


Injured or sick dogs disposed of


13


Total dogs picked up 111


Lost dogs located and returned to owners 31


Complaints and miscellaneous calls investigated 168


Respectfully submitted,


FRANK WOJTAS Dog Officer


WELFARE DEPARTMENT


Arthur Cooke, Director Howard Humphrey, Chairman Raymond Greenwood Charles Egerton


In 1963 the cost of Welfare was $309,870.08 as compared to $289,258.70 in 1962. The Town was reimbursed from Federal, State and other sources in the amount of $255,467.02. There were 110 new cases, 5 withdrawn, and 2 denied. These included 49 Medical Aid to Aged, 15 Old Age Assistance, 24 Aid to Dependent Children, 3 Disability Assistance and 19 General Relief cases.


Cost to


Total Spent


Chelmsford Ret. to Town


Old Age Assistance and Medical


Aid to Aged


$217,653.60


$ 28,249.66


U.S. Grants $123,105.28


State $ 64,519.99


CA 1,778.67


General Relief


7,303.58


4,812.05


1,589.23


902.30


Aid to Dependent Children


38,138.29


8,669.56


17,508.50


11,960.23


Disability Assistance


21,154.08


7,175.10


7,282.40


6,696.58


Administration Expenses


25,620.53


5,496.69


14,668.70


5,455.14


Recoveries on Liens


$ 13,524.78


TOTALS


$309,870.08


$ 54,403.06


$162,564.88


$ 90,221.17 $ 2,680.97


119


ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


Other Cities and Towns


120


ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


PARK COMMISSIONERS


David P. Ramsay, Chairman


Arthur L. Bennett Ralph E. House


To the Board of Selectmen


Chelmsford, Mass.


The Park Commissioners organized in the Spring for 1963 and mem- bers Ralph E. House and Arthur L. Bennett elected David P. Ramsay, Chairman. Harold E. Eriksen was again appointed superintendent.


As soon as the weather permitted, the parks were raked and cleaned of the winter accumulation of debris. Loam, fertilizer and grass seed were spread and many plants were set out in all the parks.


Purchases during the year included a power mower and several smaller tools. Two new American flags were also required for the flag poles in the Center and North Sections.


At a special town meeting, it was voted to accept a piece of land at the intersection of Billerica and Turnpike Rds. This land will be cleaned up and graded. It will then be maintained by the Park Department.


The flags of the Chelmsford parks were at half-staff during the thirty day period of mourning for President Kennedy.


Appreciation is expressed by the Commissioners for the co-operation received from groups and individuals during the year.


Respectfully submitted,


DAVID P. RAMSAY RALPH E. HOUSE ARTHUR L. BENNETT


121


ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT Frederick R. Greenwood, Supt. of Streets


To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:


Year


No. of Highway Employees


1945


10


1950


16


1955


21


1960


22


1963


26


The above figures do not include waste collection employees. The following is a breakdown for waste collections.


Year


No. of Waste Col. Employees


Labor Expended


1954


3


$ 8,104.30


1957


5


19,955.78


1960


10


32,556.77


1963


13


53,265.66


Twenty-eight new streets or 6.02 miles of road were accepted in 1963.


Considerable time was spent on drainage projects this year and projects completed are listed as follows:


Sylvan Avenue-188 feet 12" R.C. pipe, 2 catch basins installed.


Hidden Way-40 feet 10" metal pipe, 12 feet 10" pipe, 1 manhole installed.


Manwell Road-316 feet 12" pipe, 60 feet 12" metal pipe, 4 catch basins installed.


Park Road-432 feet 12" plain pipe, 24 feet 12" R.C. pipe, 25 feet metal pipe, 2 catch basins installed.


Dunstan Road-290 feet 12" R.C. pipe, 2 catch basins installed.


Manning Road-774 feet 12" plain pipe, 66 feet 12" R.C. pipe, 20 feet metal pipe, 7 catch basins installed.


Riverneck Road-550 feet 12" plain pipe, 54 feet 12" R.C. pipe, 4 catch basins installed.


Longmeadow Road-450 feet trench dug along side of road, seepage bed installed. 16 feet 4" pipe installed.


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ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


Graniteville Road-280 feet 12" pipe, 24 feet 10" asphalt coated pipe, 2 catch basins installed.


Academy Street-236 feet 10" pipe, 1 manhole installed.


Westland Avenue-164 feet 12" R.C. pipe, 440 feet 12" plain pipe, 26 feet 13x22 metal pipe, 120 feet 15" plain pipe, 3 catch basins installed.


Sunset Avenue-240 feet 12" R.C. pipe, 1 manhole installed.


Fletcher Street-66 feet 10" pipe, 1 catch basin installed.


Bradford Road-486 feet 10" pipe installed.


Mill Road-54 feet 30" metal pipe installed.


Turnpike Road-212 feet 12" plain pipe, 22 feet 12" R.C. pipe, 2 catch basins installed.


The Chapter 90 Construction program proceeded on schedule on Old Westford Road with roadway excavation, placing 12" of gravel found- ation and surface treatment on approximately 4000 feet. In the later part of the summer months a two course bituminous concrete surface was constructed with 11/4" of top being placed over 134" base course. Bituminous concrete berms were installed on grades of 3% and over to control the water flow. In the spring, clean-up and fine grading of the shoulder areas will be completed.


The Chapter 90 maintenance project included hot topping approx- imately 2300 feet on Boston Road.


This year, the Town received $23,048.72 from the State which is known as Chapter 782 funds. This money was spent to resurface sections of Boston Road and Billerica Road. A new trunk line drainage system was installed, consisting 896 feet of 15" R.C. pipe and 3 manholes, through school department land to help alleviate a drainage problem on Chelmsford Street.


New equipment purchased in 1963 include 1 four-wheel drive front- end loader, 1 power sweeper broom, 1 two ton truck chassis and one side- walk plow.


The usual oiling of streets, brush cutting, installing of street signs, sanding, snow plowing and snow removal, drainage, and general main- tenance was performed throughout the year.


I wish to thank the townspeople for their kind consideration and cooperation and the Police Department for notifying the department of dangerous conditions on the roads during the winter months.


FREDERICK R. GREENWOOD Supt. of Streets


123


ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


CONSERVATION COMMISSION


Clifford J. Holmes, Chairman


Martin K. Bovey Franklin J. Campbell Charles A. House


Margaret E. Mills


Edmund Polubinski Edwin H. Warren


A major effort was spent during early 1963 to assist the Planning Board in developing sound long range regulations for the protection of the Town's streams. The Conservation Commission requested the estab- lishment of flood plain zones in certain critical areas. However, it was felt that this type of zoning might be controversial, and flood plain zoning was not made a part of the new zoning bylaw as adopted by the Town.


The only sure method to control the use of land is by getting legal control over the land, either by purchase or other means such as ease- ments. The purchase of land is made easier by the Commonwealth's Self-help Land Acquisition Program. Under this program, the Depart- ment of Natural Resources will reimburse the Town up to one half of the purchase price paid for approved parcels of land. The Conservation Commission is making every attempt to negotiate for only those proper- ties which may be approved for State aid under the Self-Help program.


Two properties were under negotiation at the end of 1963. Prelim- inary application for State approval was in progress at the time of this report, and articles for the warrant were being prepared. It is fortunate that the land now being offered to the Town lies in an area where there is no public land available for recreational purposes. Acquisition of the land will then protect an important watershed, provide space for recrea- tion and at the same time preserve a part of the rapidly dwindling amount of open land in Chelmsford.


One more piece of land has been proposed to the Conservation Com- mission, and this one may come to the Town at little or no cost. It is again located on a stream; it is land in a development area which can much better be devoted to conservation purposes than be filled, chan- neled and divided into lots.


124


ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


CEMETERY COMMISSION Arne R. Olsen, Chairman


Arthur J. Colmer Frank H. Hardy


To the Citizens of Chelmsford


The past year saw another busy one in the Cemetery Department with a continued program of general improvements in all Cemeteries to turf, roads, fences, etc. Lime and fertilizer was applied in all Cemeteries. A large section of Fairview Cemetery was top-dressed and seeded. Smaller sections were done in the West and Hart Pond Cemeteries.


Forefathers Cemetery was the scene on two separate occasions of much vandalism. Several historical stones were broken and must be re- paired.


The new riding mower purchased last year proved to be a great asset to this department.


The erection of another long section of wrought iron fence along Riverneck Road in the Pine Ridge Cemetery, a gift to the Town by Mr. George Barris of North Chelmsford and Mr. Raymond Osborn of the Center Section, adds greatly to the beautification of the Cemetery. More fencing has been donated by Mr. Barris and Mr. Osborn and will be in- stalled this year.


The gift of a new flag pole by the Box 7 Associates in memory of deceased firemen was installed in Pine Ridge Cemetery.


The large flag was a gift of the American Legion Post 212 and many favorable comments have been received regarding these gifts.


The drainage system was continued with four catch basins and approximately 600' of 12" trunk lines being installed. Much hauling of fill and grading sections was done at the new entry to Pine Ridge Cemetery.


The new garage voted at last year's Town Meeting was built on Billerica Road and proved to be very beneficial to the operation of this department.


The transfer of another $4,000 to the Town General Fund was made from Cemetery Funds.


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ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


During the year 88 interments were made as follows:


Pine Ridge 52


Forefathers 6


West 13


Fairview 5


Riverside 7


Hart Pond 5


During the year 36 lots were sold as follows:


Pine Ridge 26 West Cemetery 5


Fairview 6


Hart Pond 1


Five thousand four hundred and eighty-five dollars ($5485.00) was added to the Perpetual Care Account in 1963.


The total revenue from all sources amounted to $18,211.54.


The Cemetery Commissioners and Supt. A. R. Jordan wish to thank Mr. Fred Greenwood of the Highway Department, and Mr. George Stewart of the Water Department for their continued assistance again during the past year. Their cooperation during times of storms, frost, etc., over the years is very much appreciated.


Respectfully submitted,


Cemetery Commissioners


ARNE R. OLSEN, Chairman ARTHUR J. COLMER


FRANK H. HARDY


INSPECTOR OF ANIMALS


To the Honorable Board of Selectmen


Chelmsford, Massachusetts


Gentlemen:


The following is the report for the year 1963:


Number Dog bites 115


" Dogs showing physical signs of rabies 0


Dogs submitted for laboratory examination 0


Premises keeping cattle 23


Premises keeping domestic animals other than cattle 18


Cattle and young stock


366


" Swine 715


Horses


41


" Sheep 14


" Cattle released from interstate shipment Permits 8


Cattle 34


Respectfully submitted,


WINSLOW E. MERRILL, V.M.D.


126


ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


Robert A. McKittrick


REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD


The volume of activity was again high for the Planning Board in 1963. Building in Chelmsford has continued at a high rate despite the one acre minimum lot size, and due to our new subdivision control laws, more scrutiny is required of the Planning Board to make certain that the interests of both the town of Chelmsford and the purchaser of new homes are safe-guarded. (The high building rate that Chelmsford is experiencing is indicative we think, of the attractiveness of the town and the confidence that builders have that Chelmsford will continue to be a desirable place in which to live).


In addition to the normal activity of administering the subdivision control laws, the Planning Board completed its work on the Master Plan which was authorized by the voters of Chelmsford at the 1961 Town Meeting. Through 1962, the work completed under the Master Plan included preparation of a new basic land use map, a neighborhood an- alysis study, population study, sewerage study, and perhaps most im- portantly, a complete revision of the subdivision control regulations.


With the completion of the Master Plan in 1963, the following studies were finished: Economic bases, community facilities, traffic cir- culation, capital budget, and a new set of zoning regulations.


In preparing the zoning by-law, the Planning Board held a series of conferences with all of the town departments, the various town de- partments, the various town committees, interested civic groups and finally, a public hearing was held in each of the six precincts of the town. The Planning Board made every effort to explain the proposed zoning by-laws and took under advisement, as the result of the fore- going conferences, a number of suggestions, many of which were in- corporated into the final zoning proposal which was presented to the voters of the town and approved by them at the special Town Meeting in June of 1963.


The Planning Board feels that the work accomplished under the terms of the Master Plan has been and will continue to be of benefit to the town. Both concrete objectives-subdivision regulations and zoning by-laws, and long-range forecasts-have been achieved which serve the need of Chelmsford.


127


ANNUAL TOWN REPORT


ZONING MAP


RESTOENTIAL DISTRICTS


SINGLE RESIDENCE


SINGLE RESIDENCE


GENERAL RESIDENCE


COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS


NEIGHBORHOOD


ROAOSICE


SHOPPING CENTER


GENERAL


INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS


LIMITEO


GENERAL


FLOOD PLAIN CISTRICT


LOWLAND ELEVATION


----


RB


RB


RC



MATCH


800 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 FT.


ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATES INC. BOSTON




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