USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1955 > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17
The Nelson Street camp ground was also well pa- tronized. There will be an article in the warrant to see if the Town will vote to accept the land northeast of the New Haven railroad tracks adjacent to the Nelson Street Playground as shown on the assessors' map #10 and comprising of a total of approximately 166,900 sq. ft. This land is being offered to the Town as a gift by Mrs. Amelia N. Magee. We sincerely hope this land will be accepted by the Town as it connects with another piece of town owned land to the north; then the Town will own all the shore line from the Nelson Street property to the Plymouth Lumber Company line. Motor boating seems to be an ever increasing form of recreation at Nelson Street. As there is no other suitable location here for launching these boats, this location would be suitable for this purpose.
-321-
The dreaded polio and hurricane scare caused a fall- ing off of attendance the last of the season.
We take space here to thank all who have cooper- ated with us during the year.
REVENUE
1954
1955
Beach Park Concession
$750.00
$750.00
Beach Park Bathhouse
750.00
776.70
Beach Park Parking
1,736.50
1,986.50
Indian Reservation-Camping
2,908.60
4,437.00
Nelson Street Camping
1,182.35
1,411.25
Morton Park Parking
944.00
1,020.50
Morton Park Bathhouse
81.00
100.50
Stephens Field Bathhouse
31.15
71.00
$8,383.60 $10,553.45
ARTHUR SIRRICO, Chairman,
JOHN SEARLES,
EDWARD J. E. HAND,
ARRIGO GUIDOBONI, Park Commissioners.
CLIFTON C. WOOD,
Superintendent.
-322-
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF RETIREMENT
To the Citizens of the Town of Plymouth:
The Board of Retirement presents herewith its nine- teenth report covering the activities and conditions of the Contributory Retirement System for the year 1955.
We bring to your attention the following chapters of the Acts of 1955 pertaining to members or pensioners:
Chapter 494. Amends Section 12(2) (d) of Chapter 32 relative to the rights of the spouse of a deceased member in electing benefits under Option (d).
Chapter 560. Amends Section 3(6) (f) of Chapter 32 relative to reinnstatement to or re-entry into active service.
Chapter 670. An act relative to increasing the amount of retirement allowances payable to certain former public employees. The increases under this act take effect when accepted by a majority vote at a town meeting. An article has been inserted in the warrant for the annual town meeting in March, 1956, to allow action by the town.
Chapter 695. Amends several sections of Chapter 32 referring to membership and creditable service.
I. MEMBERSHIP
1. Active Membership Dec. 31, 1954 Enrolled during 1955 28
212
Transfer from inactive membership 1
241
Withdrawals
14
Retirement
1
Transfers to inactive membership 8
23
Total Active Membership Dec. 31, 1955 218
-323-
2. Inactive Membership Dec. 31, 1954 36
Retirement 1 Transfers from active membership 8
45
Withdrawals 7
Transfers to active membership 1
8
Total Inactive Membership Dec. 31, 1955 37* *This total includes 27 pensioners and 10 inactive members
3. Beneficiaries from Accidental Deaths 3
II. RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES
Balance, Dec. 31, 1954 $245,422.47
1. Receipts:
Deductions from members'
salaries and wages $29,783.80
Appropriation, March 1955 32,961.00
Due from town for military service credit 188.40
Income from Interest
7,755.39
Accrued interest on bonds, Dec. 31, 1955 1,753.96
Gross profit on sale of securities
2,644.56
Increase by adjustment in securities 632.26
75,719.37
$321,141.84
2. Expenditures:
Annuity payments $2,456.46
Pension payments 27,348.17
Disability pension payments 2,006.76
Accidental death payments 4,218.40
Reimbursements to other systems 411.39
Refunds to former members 4,118.41
Transfers to other systems 427.04
1
-- 324-
Clerical services 672.00
Other administrative expenses
224.22
Accrued interest on bonds, Dec. 31, 1954
1,617.88
Gross loss on sale of securities
1.01
Decrease by adjustment
in securities 862.27
44,364.01
Balance, Dec. 31, 1955
$276,777.83
III. BALANCE SHEET
1. Assets:
Plymouth National Bank
$4,028.40
Plymouth Federal Savings and Loan
Association
16,407.45
Beverly Savings Bank
10,937.65
Danvers Savings Bank
15,922.21
American Trust Co .- San Francisco
2,050.00
Cont. Illinois National Bank and Trust
3,441.00
First National Bank of Boston
3,445.00
Manufacturers Trust
2,150.00
National Shawmut Bank
4,400.00
Newton Waltham Bank and Trust
2,500.00
Rockland-Atlas National Bank of Boston
3,861.00
U. S. Treasury bonds, Series G
29,000.00
U. S. Treasury bonds, 31/4's of '83
3,000.00
City of Chelsea Housing Authority
bonds, 25/8's of '78
970.58
of '82
2,901.40
of '84
1,930.77
of '88
1,925.11
City of New Bedford Housing Authority
bonds, 25/8's of '80
968.80
City of Taunton Housing Authority
bonds, 25/8's of '86 3,000.00
Mass. Turnpike Authority bonds, 3.3's of '94
5,075.00
-325-
Chesapeake & Ohio Rwy. bonds, 31/2's of '96 2,064.17 Chesapeake & Ohio Rwy. bonds, 35/8's of '66 1,024.17
Great Northern Rwy. bonds, 23/4's of '82 3,027.83
Gulf Mobile & Ohio Railroad Co.
bonds, 33/8's of '80 1,991.71
Illinois Central Rwy. bonds, 31/4's of '80 1,993.27
Illinois Central Rwy. bonds, 33/8's of '89 2,000.00
Louisville & Nashville Rwy. bonds, 33/8's of '03 2,189.68 Louisville & Nashville Rwy. bonds, 33/4's of '03 2,000.00 New York Central and Hudson River Rwy. bonds, 31/2's of '97 3,184.55 N. Y. Chicago & St. Louis Rwy. bonds, 3's of '86 5,100.08 N. Y. Chicago & St. Louis Rwy. bonds, 27/8's of '61 1,966.04
Northern Pacific Rwy. bonds, 4's of '97 5,994.56
Pere Marquette Rwy. bonds, 33/8's of '80 2,977.84
Reading Co. Rwy. bonds, 31/8's of '95 5,085.52
Seaboard AirLine Rwy. bonds, 3's of '80
2,984.56
Southern Pacific Rwy. bods, 23/4's of '96 1,674.64
St. Louis - San Francisco Rwy. bonds, 4's of '96 1,984.40
Virginian Rwy. bonds, 3's of '95 4,063.20
Western Maryland Rwy. bonds, 3's of '61
1,000.00
Western Maryland Rwy. bonds, 3's of '60 995.83
Wheeling & Lake Erie Rwy. bonds, 23/4's of '74 1,985.56 Amer. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 25/8's of '86 2,014.73
Amer. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 23/4's of '82 2,011.20
Amer. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 23/4's of '80 2,021.46
Amer. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 33/8's of '73 2,025.57
Amer. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 31/4's of '84 4,098.00
Associated Telephone Co. bonds, 35/8's of '81 2,042.11
Illinois Bell Tel. Co. bonds, 3's of '78 2,046.03
Illinois Bell Tel. Co. bonds, 31/8's of '84 2,028.20
Mountain Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 31/8's of '78
2,040.30
New Eng. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 3's of '82
2,052.06
New Eng. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 3's of '74
2,011.15
New Jersey Bell Te.l Co. bonds, 31/8's of '88 976.99
New Jersey Bell Tel. Co. bonds, 3's of '89 2,020.00
Pacific Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 31/8's of '87
2,022.20
-326-
Pacific Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 31/4's of '78 2,060.79
Pacific Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 23/4's of '85 1,920.81
Pacific Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 31/8's of '83 2,012.45 Pacific Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 31/4's of '79 2,846.73
Southern Bell Tel. Co. bonds, 23/4's of '85 1,906.18
Arkansas Power & Light bonds, 31/8's of '74 Central Maine Power bonds, 33/8's of '85
2,036.16
2,016.70
Central Vermont Public Service bonds, 23/4's of '75 1,923.76
Central Vermont Public Service bonds, 31/2's of '81 1,019.48
Cons. Edison Co. of N. Y. bonds, 3's of '79
2,043.58
Cons. Gas, Electric Light & Power Co. of Baltimore bonds, 23/4's of '86 4,024.60
Duquesne Light Co. bonds, 35/8's of '83 2,090.00
Fall River Light Co. bonds, 33/4's of '83 3,003.43
Georgia Power Co. bonds, 33/8's of '82
3,131.75
Maine Public Service Co. bonds, 27/8's of '75 1,879.85
Milwaukee Gas Light Co. bonds, 31/8's of '75 Montana Power Co. bonds, 27/8's of '75
5,879.93
New England Power Co. bonds, 23/4's of '79
2,006.95
New Hampshire Elec. Co. bonds, 3's of '75
3,044.64
No. Indiana Pub. Serv. Co. bonds, 31/8's of '73
4,162.55
North Shore Gas bonds, 4's of '75 2,027.50
Pacific Gas & Elec. Co. bonds, 3's of '70
2,019.23
Pacific Gas & Elec. Co. bonds, 3's of '71 2,072.71
Pub. Serv. Co. of N. H. bonds, 31/4's of '73 2,121.09
Rockland Light & Power Co. bonds, 31/8's of '78 2,038.45 Seattle Gas Light Co. bonds, 35/8's of '76 1,938.79
So. Cal. Edison Co. bonds, 3's of '65 2,020.08
Wisconsin Michigan Power Co. bonds, 3's of '78 1,918.14
Aluminum Co. of America bonds, 31/8's of '64 1,010.33
American Tobacco Co. bonds, 3's of '69 987.57
General Motors Corp. bonds, 31/4's of '79 1,028.41
National Dairy Products Corp. bonds, 31/8's of '76 997.71
3,033.14
-327-
Accrued interest on bonds as of Dec. 31, 1955 1,753.96
Due from town for military service credit 188.40
$276,777.83
2. Liabilities:
Annuity Savings Fund $218,767.46
Annuity Reserve Fund
21,646.56
Military Service Fund
3,080.04
Pension Fund
32,709.80
Expense Fund
573.97
$276,777.83
Respectfully submitted,
ANDREW J. CARR, Chairman, CORA B. GRADY, Secretary, LESLIE R. GRAY,
Contributory Retirement System
Board of Retirement, Plymouth.
-328-
REPORT OF ADVISORY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR 1955
Your Advisory and Finance Committee has noted, as you have, a general tendency for tax rates in this and other towns to increase year by year. Of late, and particularly this year, we have noted elsewhere increases of alarming magnitude and it has been our earnest ambition to keep any such increases, as applied to our town, within the most modest limits that could be allowed, giving due consideration to the necessity of maintaining our capital assets, such as roads and buildings, in good order, our equipment, protective and other- wise, in good repair and our employees in good morale.
When we first examined the budgets submitted by the various departments and the requests for appropriations as embodied in the special articles, we found ourselves faced with an increase in the tax rate of the order of magnitude of $10. After long and careful consideration of every detail in the budgets and the merits of each special article, we have been able greatly to reduce the original figure.
The remaining increase is, for the most part, unavoidable, having been incurred by reasons of actions taken by you at prior town meetings. 44% stems from a reduction of $75,000 in the amount available for transfer from Excess and De- ficiency to reduce the tax rate for this year, due principally to the vote of the town at the special town meeting, August 16, 1954; 34% originates in the step rate increases to Town and School Department employees which are inherent in the pay systems adopted in previous annual town meetings; 14% is accounted for by the 5% increase involved in or attributable to the recommendations of the Personnel Board this year; and 8% to all other reasons, primarily budgetary. In this latter connection we should perhaps note that the total amount recommended for special articles has, on the con- trary and exclusive of bond issues, remained approximately the same as you appropriated a year ago.
As we said then and reiterate now, there must be suf- ficient appropriations for adequate maintenance, repair, re- placement and expansion, in order that, in a later year, we do not incur even higher tax rates. In line with this thinking,
-329-
we have approved only those projects and that equipment which we feel absolutely necessary to accomplish the desired results.
In noting this growing tendency toward heavier costs of operation of our town, we feel that we may be outgrowing some of our present methods of operation, that more efficient methods should be found which will obtain more value received for the dollar which we spend. A more centralized control of operations seems indicated. Centralized repair and maintenance of town vehicles and equipment is one phase to be considered, centralized purchasing of supplies for all de- partments is another.
We believe that highway, sewer, park and similar projects are not necessarily best completed by town employees and town-owned equipment. Projects costing $1,000 or more should be opened to competitive bidding, in which the town department concerned should be allowed to enter, with the contract to be let to the lowest acceptable bidder.
It may be that the magnitude of our operating cost, now exceeding two and a half million dollars annually, requires closer control of expenditures than is possible under our present methods and a marked change is required. Plymouth seems to have grown to a point where a town manager would render valuable service.
Respectfully submitted,
Eugene S. Holton, Chairman
Earle F. Burgess Fernando Collari O. Arrigo Guidoboni Manuel L. Valente
Frank D. Bent Stanley Cheney John R. Pascoe Norman P. Reinhardt
Harold S. Volta
Attested: Cora B. Grady, Secretary
Wesley N. Churchill William F. Farley Everett Malaguti Edward N. Mayer
Paul J. Whipple
1
-330-
SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
Article 8 $2,194,666.96
Total of Special Articles 256,298.95
1954 Appropriation from 1955 Revenue 200.00
State and County Assessments (net) 143,670.85
Overlay Deficit (1952)
279.24
Overlay for 1955 (estimate)
35,000.00
Hurricane Overdrafts (estimate from tax levy) 2,000.00
Total recommended expenditures $2,632,116.00
Estimated Receipts
$847,714.29
Excess and Deficiency
150,000.00
Reserve Overlay
10,000.00
Sale of Cemetery Lots and Graves
1,800.00
Parking Meter Receipts
13,520.00
Sale of Real Estate Fund
12,700.00
From Individual for Water Construction
7,650.00
Total of funds from other sources than the tax levy 1,043,384.29
Net to be raised by taxation
1,588,731.71
Poll Tax 1955 (estimate)
9,100.00
Total to be raised by real estate and personal property taxes $1,579,631.71
Based on the 1954 valuation of $32,250,475, this total will require a tax rate of approximately $49.
-331-
REPORT OF THE PERSONNEL BOARD
In Article V of this year's warrant, the Personnel Board recommends a revision in Schedule A and Exhibit B of the Salary Classification By-Law. This revision is recommended as a result of a survey which the Personnel Board made of the salaries and wages paid by other towns. Although the Personnel Board recognizes there have been no substantial changes in the cost-of-living over the past year, the results of its survey indicate that certain adjustments are necessary at this time in order to maintain the salary and wage level for Plymouth Town Employees in line with levels achieved in other comparable towns.
The Personnel Board survey of salaries and wages of other comparable towns indicates that continued upward adjustments are necessary, especially in the lower rated classifications. Therefore, we recommend upward adjust- ments of 5% for the Clerical, Custodial, Fire and Police Salaries, 5ยข per hour for the Laboring rates, and a graduated increase averaging about 21/2% for all Supervisory Salaries.
In addition to these general adjustments, there will be the normal length of service step rate increases as provided for by law.
The estimated increased cost to the town to put into effect the recommended revision is slightly over $21,000 or approx- mately 41/2% increase in present total salaries and wages coming under the Classification Plan. The mandatory step rate increases will amount to an additional $11,000 or approx- imately a 2% increase in present total salaries and wages.
JOHN D. BREWER, Chairman EDWIN T. WILLIAMS JOHN W. PACKARD
INDEX
Advisory & Finance Committee Report
328
Assessors, Board of 310
Cemetery Commissioners 309
Community Nurse 294
Housing Authority 315
Library 296
Park Dept.
317
Playground Supervisor 319
Personnel Board Report 331
Planning Board 314
Public Welfare
302
Aid to Dependent Children
303
Disability Assistance 304
Old Age Assistance 302
Infirmary
306
Welfare Department
305
Retirement, Board of 322
School Report 225
Administration
227
Art Supervisor's Report 246
Attendance Supervisor's Report 253
Calendar 228
Census 253
Changes in School Staff 255
School Report-continued
Committee 227
Employees 256
Employment of Minors
253
Enrollment
254
Financial Statement
229
High School Principal's Report
241
In Memoriam 231
Junior and Senior High Art 247
Junior High School Principal's Report 243
Music Supervisor's Report 245
250
Physicians' Report 249
School Committee Report 232
Superintendent's Report 232
Selectmen's Department 261
Engineer, Town
265
Fisheries, Inland
264
Forest, Town
267
Harbor Master 293
Insect Pest Control
268
Jurors, List of 283
Public Safety, Commission of
269
Dog Officer
278
Fire Division
272
Forest Fire
272
Health Division 275
Inspector of Buildings 276
Mechanical Division 273
Police Division 270
Sealer of Weights and Measures 278
Selectmen's Report 263
Streets and Sewers, Supt. of 279
Veterans' Services 266
Oral Hygiene and Dental Clinic
3
Town Clerk's Report
Adjourned Town Meeting, March 28, 1955 36
Adjourned Town Meeting, March 29, 1955 65
Annual Town Meeting
12
Births
83
Deaths
83
Marriages
83
Officers, 1955 Town
3
Receipts 83
Special Town Meeting 77
Town Meeting Members
9
Town Accountant's Report 85
Schedule A (Cash Receipts and Payments)
88
Schedule B (Appropriations) 116
Schedule C (Estimated Receipts) 189
Schedule D (Revenue Account) 190
Schedule E (Excess and Deficiency) 191
Schedule F (Balance Sheet) 192
Schedule G (Funded Indebtedness) 196
Schedule H (Funded Indebtedness) 197
Schedule I (Trust Funds) 198
Schedule J (Calculation of Credit) 214
Tree Warden
301
Water Commissioners 217
Water Superintendent 219
NON-CIRCULATING
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.