USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1940 > Part 2
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Article Fifty-four:
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That the Town accept as a gift from Neil McIntosh, for highway purposes, a small triangular parcel of land, lying at the intersection of Robbins Hill road and White Horse Road, in that part of Plymouth known as Manomet, being on the southeasterly side of Robbins Hill Road and the northerly side of White Horse Road.
Article Fifty-five:
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, it was unanimously voted: That the Town authorize the Board of Health to lease or purchase, in the name and behalf of the Town, land for a dump, and appropriate the sum of $100.00 therefor.
Article Fifty-six:
To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of one thousand (1,000) dollars, to be used by a committee con- sisting of the members of the Town planning board and five additional members to be appointed by the Town Moderator, for the purpose of making a complete econ- omic study of the town, said committee to report its findings and recommendations at the next annual town meeting, with a view of improving general economic con- ditions of the town.
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 56.
Article Fifty-seven:
Mr. Allen D. Russell moved: That the Town adopt the Zoning By-Laws as recommended by the Planning Board.
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Mr. Allen D. Russell moved: That the vote be taken by ballot, but the motion was lost.
Mr. Arthur S. Nickerson moved to amend the motion of Mr. Russell, in the following manner: To amend the By- Laws as follows:
Under Section 2, change paragraph A to read as fol- lows:
A. Any residence or industry, trade, manufacturing or commercial purpose, unless the building shall conform with the rules for residences as to distances from bound- aries and height and is not injurious, obnoxious, or of- fensive to the neighborhood by reason of its design, con- struction, noise, vibration, smoke, cinders, odor, gas fumes, dust, chemicals, or other objectionable features, or dan- gerous to the neighborhood through fire, explosion or other cause. Any new or enlarged business located in a residential district shall provide suitable parking for its employees and customers within its own property limits.
Under Section 8 area regulations change paragraph D to read as follows:
D. Area of Lot Required: No dwelling house for one or more families shall be constructed on a lot whose area is less than five thousand square feet, and, in case, more than one family is to be housed upon one lot, the total lot area shall be not less than two thousand five hundred square feet for each family to be housed upon the lot; provided that, where a lot, at the time of passage of this by-law, appears from the assessors' maps to contain less than five thousand square feet, but not less than four thousand square feet, provided also that a smaller lot may be built on if the buildings thereon are located at least fifteen feet from all boundary lines and leave at least two thousand square feet of clear land exclusive of that area used by the buildings, such lot may be occupied by not more than one family.
Mr. Nickerson's motion was lost.
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Mr. Russell's motion was then put before the meeting. Two hundred four voting in the affirmative and three hundred twenty-six in the negative, the motion was lost.
Article Fifty-eight:
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That the By-Laws of the Town of Plymouth be amended by add- ing to the Building Regulations thereof the following new section, hereby adopted:
Section 29A. Glass Dead Eyes. The first floor of every mercantile establishment and store shall be equipped with glass dead eyes in the locations and of the type deter- mined by the Fire Commissioner of the Town of Plym- outh, to be installed in a manner satisfactory to the Build- ing Inspector. This section shall not apply to existing buildings until after the expiration of six months from the date upon which it takes effect.
Article Fifty-nine:
To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of two hun- dred (200) dollars for erecting markers on unmarked his- torical points about the town, said money to be expended by the Selectmen.
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 59.
Article Sixty:
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That the Town instruct the Advisory and Finance Committee to prepare and submit to the Town, in the printed reports for the 1941 and all subsequent annual town meetings, a list of the regular annual appropriations, so arranged that there shall be two separate appropriations for each de- partment or office. The first to be for the total of all salaries or personal services, other than labor payrolls, and the second for the total of all other departmental expenses including labor payrolls. No transfers to be allowed from one of these appropriations to the other. That any contemplated outlay for departmental equip-
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ment in the amount of four hundred (400) dollars to one thousand (1,000) dollars shall be set forth in the list of appropriations and subject to a separate vote.
Article Sixty-one:
Will the town approve and instruct all heads of all town departments to insert yearly in the annual town report a complete list of all town employees under their juris- diction with their yearly compensation. (By petition.)
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 61.
Article Sixty-two:
To see what action the Town will take with reference to the compensation of Town Laborers. (By Petition.)
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 62.
Article Sixty-three:
Will the town approve and instruct the various town boards and the heads of all town departments that in the future all purchases amounting to $50.00 or over must be put out on a competitive bid basis except in an emergency. Order must be given to lowest bidder. (By Petition.)
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 63.
Article Sixty-four:
To see what action the Town will take regarding the following buildings and land formerly used for school purposes and at the present time vacant:
1. Knapp School and lot of land.
2. Old High School and lot of land.
3. Oak Street School and lot of land.
4. Wellingsley School and lot of land.
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 64.
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Article Sixty-five.
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That the Town approve and direct the following boards: Board of Selectmen; Board of Public Welfare; and the Planning Board; to get all of the necessary facts and figures avail- able from the Federal Government pertaining to a low cost Federal Housing Plan for the Town of Plymouth and report its findings and recommendations to the voters at the next annual town meeting.
Article Sixty-six:
Will the town approve of a medical clinic to be located at the old High School Building on Lincoln Street for the purpose of caring for all relief cases in the town of Plym- outh and authorize and empower the Board of Health, Board of Selectmen and the Board of Public Welfare to regulate and supervise as a joint board this clinic and appropriate the sum of five thousand (5,000) dollars to operate the same for one year? (By Petition.)
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 66.
Article Sixty-seven:
Will the town instruct the Board of Health and the School Department to move their present rooms in the Gov. Bradford Bldg. to the old high school bldg. on Lin- coln Street and also request the Supt. of Schools to move his present office in Town Square to a room in the new high school. (By Petition.)
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 67.
Article Sixty-nine:
Mr. Daniel F. Mulcahy moved: That the Town take no action under Article 69.
Mr. Morton Kyle moved a substitute motion: That the Town appropriate the sum of fifteen thousand (15,000) dollars, to be added to money already appropriated, and
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to be paid, together with money which may hereafter be appropriated, to the State Treasurer, all of said moneys to be expended for the improvement of Plymouth Harbor, only in the event that the Commonwealth of Massachu- setts makes available for such purpose a sum, at least equal to the total contribution of the Town, and the United States of America makes available for such pur- pose a sum, at least equal to the total contributions of the Town of Plymouth and the Commonwealth of Massa- chusetts, and the motion was carried.
Mr. Mulcahy's motion, as amended, was then put be- fore the meeting and carried.
Article Seventy:
Mr. Daniel F. Mulcahy moved: That the Town instruct the Board of Selectmen to have enacted legislation to provide for a Public Safety Commissioner for the Town of Plymouth to be appointed by the Board of Selectmen for a term of three (3) years at an annual salary not to exceed five thousand (5,000) dollars, but the motion was lost.
Article Seventy-one:
Mr. Daniel F. Mulcahy moved: That the Town instruct the Moderator to appoint a committee of five to investi- gate and report to a special town meeting to be called not later than October 1, 1940, on the advisability of establishing in the town an unpaid Public Safety Com- mission of three members, one of whom is to be appointed by the Selectmen, the remaining members to be appoint- ed as the committee may determine. Said Commission shall have all powers of appointment and removal of the Fire Commissioner, Police Commissioner or Chief of Police, as the case may be. The committee shall report its recommendations to the end that legislation be sought to accomplish such purpose, but the motion was lost.
Article Seventy-two:
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That a Com-
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mittee to consist of the Chairman of the Plymouth School Committee and fourteen other citizens to be appointed by the Moderator, is hereby authorized and requested to make a thorough study of the value to the Town of Plym- outh of a Vocational School, also the future use of the old High School House by the Town and to report their findings and suggestions to the Town not later than the next annual town meeting.
Article Seventy-three:
Mr. Daniel F. Mulcahy moved: That the Town take no action under Article 73.
Mr. Philip Jackson moved a substitute motion: That the Town hereby votes to change the date of future An- nual Town Meetings, excepting that part devoted to the election of Town Officers upon the Official Ballot, to the third Monday in February at seven-thirty o'clock in the evening, but the motion was lost.
Mr. Mulcahy's motion was then put before the meeting and carried.
Article Seventy-four:
To see if the Town will vote to adopt as a Standing Vote the following:
No vote involving the expenditure of any sum of money shall be reconsidered at the same meeting, including its adjourned parts, at which it is passed unless Public notice of the intention to move such reconsideration be given within thirty-minutes of the passage of such vote. The Town Clerk shall note in writing the passage of such vote and also the time when the notice of reconsideration is given.
(By Petition.)
On motion of Daniel F. Mulcahy, Voted: That the Town take no action under Article 74.
On motion of Herbert K. Bartlett, Voted: To adjourn.
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REPORT OF ADVISORY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE ON THE ARTICLES IN THE TOWN WARRANT
March 23, 1940
In addition to the activities of its several Sub-Com- mittees and to the monthly meetings of the whole Com- mittee during the fall of 1939, this Committee has held fifteen meetings since January first. Eight of the earlier meetings were principally devoted to consideration of appropriations of the Town Departments. After the publi- cation of the town meeting warrant the time was more particularly given to the very numerous special articles.
We think the voters, as a whole, will understand that the Committee, confronted with a warrant containing about seventy articles on which they must recommend, had to arrive at conclusions without too much extended delibera- tion. The proponents of any specific article who may feel that more of the Committee's time should have been allotted to them are asked to be considerate. Adverse recommendation often does not mean that the Committee sees no merit in the subject matter of an article.
No computation of the current year's tax rate has been incorporated in this report. While the tax load is always in the minds of the members when considering appro- priations, computing the tax rate is not a duty of the Committee. An extended tabulation of certain appropria- tions with their effect on the tax rate over a period of years, which was printed in the Advisory Committee's 1939 report apparently failed in its object.
There is one thing that should be remembered in this connection. The sum of $81,685.00 was appropriated from
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the Excess and Deficiency Account last year and expended. This is equivalent to $3.75 on $1,000.00, and should be taken into account in any comparison of 1939 and 1940 tax rates.
Article 5. Will the town fix the salaries of the following town employees and instruct all governing officials to adjust these salaries as voted to take effect May 1, 1940: Chairman of Selectmen, Other Selectmen, Town Clerk, Town Treasurer, Chairman of Assessors, Other Assessors, Tax Collector, Town Accountant, Town Engineer, Supt. of Streets, Asst. Supt. of Streets, Town Laborers, Town Truck Drivers, Building Inspector, Custodian of Memorial Build- ing, Assist. Custodian Memorial Building, Chief of Police, Sergeants of Police, Patrolmen, Chief of Fire Department, Deputy Chief of Fire Department, Privates (Regular Men), Captains, Animal Inspector, Moth Superintendent, Sealer of Weights and Measures, (2) District Nurses, Supt. of Schools, School Building Supervisor, Supt. of Parks, Supt. of Water Department, Supt. of Pumping Station, Asst. Supt. Pumping Station, Supt. of O. G. and V. H. Cemetery, Health Department Inspector, Meat Inspector, Milk Inspector, Supervisor of Welfare, Old Age Super- visor, Clerk of Welfare and Constables.
(By petition)
The Committee recommends that the salaries of the following elected officers remain as they are now fixed by votes of the Town, viz .:
Chairman of Selectmen $1,200.00
Other Selectmen (each)
150.00
Chairman of Assessors
1,960.00
Other Assessors (each)
1,600.00
That the salaries of other elected town officers be fixed at the following amounts, effective on and after July 1, 1940, provided that a by-law requiring payment, into the Town Treasury of all fees received by all officers, by virtue
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of their office, is then in effect, otherwise at such later date as such a by-law becomes effective.
Town Clerk
$1,700.00
Town Treasurer
1,700.00
Collector of Taxes
2,500.00
That the Town take no further action under this article.
Article 6. To make the necessary appropriations to de- fray the expenses of the Town, and for other purposes, and to raise such sums of money as the Town shall deem ex- pedient.
Recommended
by Departments
by Committee
Selectmen's Dept.
$4,920.00
$4,920.00
Accounting Dept.
3,450.00
3,450.00
Treasury Dept.
3,125.00
3,195.00
Tax Collector's Dept.
4,000.00
4,380.00
Assessors' Dept.
6,700.00
6,700.00
Law Dept.
1,500.00
1,500.00
Town Clerk's Dept.
1,600.00
2,300.00
Engineering Dept.
900.00
900.00
Planning Board
200.00
200.00
Election and Registration
3,200.00
3,200.00
Maintenance of Town House
2,010.00
2,010.00
Maintenance of Town Hall
6,000.00
6,000.00
Police Dept.
34,662.50
36,000.00
Fire Dept.
46,645.00
46,000.00
Inspection of Buildings
160.00
160.00
Sealing Weights and Measures
1,650.00
1,650.00
Moth Suppression
5,250.00
6,000.00
Tree Warden's Dept.
2,750.00
3,000.00
Forest Warden's Dept.
3,246.00
3,200.00
Inland Fisheries
300.00
300.00
Plymouth County Hospital Maintenance
11,251.29
11,251.29
Health Dept.
18,300.00
17,500.00
Piggery Maintenance and
Garbage Collection
8,274.00
8,000.00
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Recommended by Departments
by
Committee
Inspector of Animals
250.00
250.00
Public Sanitaries
2,263.50
2,263.50
Sewers
2,500.00
2,500.00
Street Cleaning
4,000.00
4,000.00
Roads and Bridges
40,000.00
40,000.00
Highway Construction and Re- construction
18,250.00
18,250.00
Hard-Surfacing Streets
4,500.00
4,500.00
Gurnet Bridge Tax
1,934.22
1,934.22
Sidewalks
5,000.00
5,000.00
Granolithic Sidewalks and Curbing
2,000.00
1,000.00
Snow and Ice Removal
20,000.00
20,000.00
Snow and Ice Removal (1939
Overdraft)
87.65
87.65
Street Sprinkling
2,000.00
2,000.00
Street Lighting
20,000.00
20,000.00
Traffic Lights
300.00
300.00
Harbor Master
150.00
150.00
Public Welfare Department
87,500.00
87,500.00
Aid to Dependent Children
16,000.00
16,000.00
Old Age Assistance
76,500.00
76,500.00
Soldiers' Benefits
14,000.00
14,000.00
School Department
223,000.00
221,000.00
Park Department
12,132.62
9,700.00
Pensions for Town Laborers
2,102.00
2,102.00
Contributory Retirement System --
Pension Fund
13,643.70
13,643.70
Expense Fund
200.00
200.00
Insurance of Town Property
3,550.00
3,550.00
Sexton
200.00
200.00
Miscellaneous Account
2,775.00
2,775.00
Water Department Maintenance
25,000.00
24,000.00
Water Department Construction
6,000.00
5,000.00
Water Department, Truck Replace- ment
700.00
700.00
Town Wharf Maintenance
936.00
936.00
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Recommended by Departments
by Committee
Town Forest Maintenance
1,000.00
1,000.00
Oak Grove and Vine Hills Cem- etery
10,000.00
9,500.00
Burial Hill Cemetery
1,500.00
1,500.00
Burial Hill, for Preservation of Old Headstones
200.00
200.00
Chiltonville, Manomet, Cedarville and South Pond Cemeteries
800.00
750.00
Town Debt and Interest
49,500.00
49,500.00
Total of Article 6
$840,568.48
$834,308.36
Art. 7. Plymouth Public Library (Including Dog Tax $1,809.97
$8,850.00*
$8,850.00
Art. 8. Plymouth Public Library, Loring Library
3,500.00
3,500.00
Art. 9. Manomet Public Library
1,000.00
1,000.00
Art. 10. Memorial Day
400.00
400.00
Art. 11. Armistice Day
250.00
250.00
Art. 12. July Fourth
500.00
500.00
Art. 13.
Old Home Day, Nov. 28
200.00
200.00
Art. 14. Pilgrims Progress
100.00
100.00
Art. 15. Rifle Range Expenses
400.00
400.00
Art. 16. Diesel Engine and Pump
for Water Dept.
7,250.00
7,250.00
Art. 17. Vehicle Test Tank for Sealer of Weights and Measures
350.00
235.00
Art. 18. New Car for Sealer of W. and M.
600.00
600.00
Art. 19. New Truck for Highway Dept.
1,050.00
1,050.00
Art. 20. New Grader for High- way Dept.
4,500.00
4,500.00
Art. 21. Road Scraper for Park Dept. (Including $200 from Insurance)
350.00*
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Recommended by by Departments Committee
Art. 22. Aerial Ladder Truck for Fire Dept. (Including $9,000 from Loan)
14,500.00*
. .
Art. 23. New Toilet System at * Cornish School 4,500.00
4,500.00
Art. 24. Mosquito Control Works
500.00
500.00
Art. 25. Shellfish Cultivation, Prop- agation and Protection 1,450.00
1,450.00
Art. 26. Plymouth County Aid to Agriculture
Art. 27. Maintenance of Federal Furnace Road, in con- junction with State Dept. of Public Works and Plymouth County
1,500.00
1,500.00
Art. 28. Unemployment Relief, W. P. A.
60,000.00
50,000.00
Art. 31. District Nurses
2,000.00
2,000.00
Art. 32. Advertising the Town's Resources, Advantages, and Attractions (Condi- tional on Donation of Like Amount)
1,100.00
1,100.00
Art. 33. Purchase of Land at Foot of Market Street for Park Purposes
300.00
300.00
Art. 35. New Fence for Veterans Field
1,000.00
1,000.00
Art. 36. Repairs at Town Wharf
1,200.00
1,200.00
Art. 37. Purchase of Land for Ad- dition to Cemetery (From Receipts from Sale of Cemetery Lots)
2,500.00*
2,500.00
Art. 38. Improvement of Addi- tion to Cemetery (From Receipts from Sale of Cemetery Lots)
500.00*
500.00
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Recommended by by
Departments
Committee
Art. 43. Nick's Rock Road, for Ac- quiring Titles
100.00
100.00
Art. 44. Beaver Dam Road, for Acquiring Titles
100.00
100.00
Art. 45. Hall Street, for Acquir- ing Titles
100.00
100.00
Art. 46. John Alden Road, for Ac- quiring Titles
100.00
Art. 47. Warrendale Road, for Ac- quiring Titles 100.00
Art. 48. Cotton Street, for Ac- quiring Titles
100.00
100.00
Art. 50. Riprap for Breakwater at Warren's Cove (In con- junction with the State Dept. of Public Works and abutting land owners)
3,000.00
Art. 55. Land for Public Dump
950.00
100.00
Art. 56. Economic Study of the Town
1,000.00
Art. 59. Markers for Historical Points
200.00
Art. 66. Medical Clinic
5,000.00
Art. 69. Improvement of Plym- outh Harbor, in addition to $5,000 appropriated in 1939. (All to be expend- ed only in conjunction with State and Federal funds, as provided in the article)
15,000.00
Total of Special Articles
$146,100.00
$95,885.00
Total of Article 6
840,568.48
834,308.36
Total of Warrant
$986,668.48
$930,193.36
(*) $14,009.97 of the total of special articles, (items or parts of same marked with * in above list) from other sources than the tax levy.
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Article 7. To take such action as the Town shall see fit in aid of the Plymouth Public Library.
The Committee recommends the appropriation of $8,- 850.00 including the Dog Tax for 1939 amounting to $1,809.97.
Article 8. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of three thousand five hundred (3,500) dollars, to be ex- pended by the Plymouth Public Library for the Loring Library.
The Committee recommends the appropriation of $3,500.00.
Article 9. To see if the Town will appropriate a sum not exceeding one thousand (1,000) dollars in aid of the Manomet Public Library.
The Committee recommends the appropriation of $1,000.00.
Article 10. To see if the Town will appropriate a sum not exceeding four hundred (400) dollars for the Ob- servance of Memorial Day, said appropriation to be ex- pended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
The Committee recommends the appropriation of $400.00.
Article 11. To see if the Town will appropriate a sum not exceeding two hundred and fifty (250) dollars for the Observance of Armistice Day, said appropriation to be ex- pended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
The Committee recommends the appropriation of $250.00.
Article 12. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of five hundred (500) dollars for the Observance of July Fourth, said money to be expended by the Board of Se- lectmen.
The Committee recommends the appropriation of $500.00.
Article 13. To see if the Town will appropriate a sum
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not exceeding two hundred (200) dollars for the Ob- servance of Old Home Day, November 28, 1940, to be ex- pended under the supervision of the Board of Selectmen.
The Committee recommends the appropriation of $200.00.
Article 14. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of one hundred (100) dollars to defray the expenses of Pil- grim's Progress. Said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
The Committee recommends the appropriation of $100.00.
Article 15. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of four hundred (400) dollars for Rifle Range Expenses.
The Committee recommends the appropriation of $400.00.
Article 16. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of seventy-two hundred and fifty (7,250) dollars for the purchase and installation of a Diesel engine pump at the Pumping Station, as recommended by the Water Com- missioners.
The Committee recommends the appropriation of $7,250.00.
Article 17. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of three hundred and fifty (350) dollars for the purchase of a Vehicle Test Tank for the Sealer of Weights and Measures.
The Committee recommends the purchase of a test tank, without trailer, and the appropriation of $235.00.
Article 18. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of six hundred (600) dollars for the purchase of a new car for the Sealer of Weights and Measures.
The Committee recommends the appropriation of $600.00.
Article 19. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum
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of one thousand and fifty (1,050) dollars for the purchase of a new truck for the Highway Department.
The Committee recommends the appropriation of $1,050.00.
Article 20. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of forty-five hundred (4,500) dollars for the purchase of a new grader for the Highway Department.
The Committee recommends the appropriation of $4,500.00.
Article 21. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of three hundred and fifty (350) dollars, including two hundred (200) dollars received from insurance on tool house destroyed by fire, to be used for purchase of a road scraper for, the Park Department.
The Committee recommends that the Town take no action.
Article 22. To see if the Town will purchase for the Fire Department an aerial ladder truck and appropriate therefor the amount of fourteen thousand five hundred (14,500) dollars. To meet the appropriation there be raised in the tax levy of the present year the sum of fifty-five hundred (5,500) dollars and the treasurer, with the ap- proval of the Selectmen be authorized to borrow a sum not exceeding nine thousand (9,000) dollars and to issue notes of the Town, to be payable in accordance with the provisions of Section 19 of Chapter 44 of the General Laws, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than five (5) years after the date of the issuance of the first note.
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