USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1930 > Part 10
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The Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that the sum of $631 be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency or Surplus Account to the Public Works Department to make necessary repairs at the Town Garage resulting from the recent fire.
ART. 15. Request of the Board of Selectmen for $275 to be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency or Surplus Account to the Highway Department to pay for repairs made to a truck damaged in the recent fire at the Town Garage.
This is a similar case. A truck was damaged at the time of the fire and the town received $275 in insurance for the damage. In this case, however, the need of the truck being great, the Superintendent had the same repaired, paying for the work from the Highway Department funds. The transfer is to return the money to the Highway Department.
Feeling that this is a reasonable and proper request, the Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that the sum of $275 be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency or Surplus Account to the Highway Department to pay for repairs to the truck damaged in the recent fire at the Town Garage.
ART. 16. Request of the Board of Selectmen for $2,000 to establish an engineering department in the Public Works Department.
Superintendent Maggi of the Public Works Department has appeared before the Finance Committee on several occasions
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with facts and figures to support this article. Mr. Maggi declares that the engineering facilities of the town are meagre and that there has never been an effort in the past to keep ade- quate records. For the past two months an engineer has been engaged, his salary being paid from the sidewalk appropriation, and in addition to doing all of the survey and technical work in connection with the construction of the Central street sidewalk, he has devoted considerable time to arranging for the layout of several streets which the Board of Selectmen recommend for acceptance.
The Superintendent of Public Works is anxious to retain this man for the remainder of the year. He is at present engaged at the very reasonable salary of $35 per week. The Department also wishes to engage a man of lower compensation to assist in this work. He feels that about $200 is necessary for equip- ment, making a total to maintain an engineering department for the remainder of the year of $2,000.
Realizing the fact that the town is greatly in need of engi- neering service of such calibre as Mr. Maggi seems capable and willing to give, the Finance Committee, was, however, unable to unanimously agree upon the wisdom of establishing a perma- nent engineering department. Upon this subject the Committee was evenly divided. The opposition to such a step felt that it would be merely an entering wedge to the maintenance of an expensive department which might in future years be a costly luxury rather than an integral part of the town's executive machinery.
After considerable discussion and thought, the Finance Com- mittee arrived at the decision to recommend to the Special Town Meeting the appropriation of $1,000 for engineering services for the remainder of the year. The Committee does not recommend the establishment of a permanent department at this time which will in the future be a fixed charge against the town. Such a department would cost $4,000 to maintain in 1931, and with the many expenditures which must come next year, the Committee feels that it would be wise to see what the Superintendent can accomplish for the remainder of the year with the services of his engineer before committing the town to such a step.
It is the understanding of the Finance Committee that the engineer will seek during the remainder of the year to establish bench levels in all parts of the town, to prepare adequate and
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permanent records of all water extension and road construction work to be done during the year, to cooperate with the Board of Assessors in engineering work, and to locate surface drains and water mains.
The Finance Committee feels that an appropriation of $1,000 for this purpose is wise and that the town will undoubtedly secure engineering services and information of great value. Upon the success of this work, will depend the recommendation of the Finance Committee relative to the establishment of a permanent department in the Spring of 1931.
The Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that the sum of $1,000 be appropriated for special engineering services for the Public Works Department during the remainder of 1930.
ART. 17. Request of the Board of Sewer Commissioners for a bond issue of $500,000 for initial sewer construction in Saugus.
Creation of a sewerage system and the gradual elimination in the more densely populated parts of the town of the present inadequate method of sewerage disposal is one of the major problems of the town which must be faced in the immediate future. The town last year secured the approval of the General Court to a bond issue of $500,000 outside of the debt limit and appointed, through the moderator of the Town Meeting, a Board of Sewer Commissioners to initiate and supervise con- struction. Investigations of this Board has strengthened the belief that the present situation in Cliftondale, East Saugus, and Saugus Centre is serious. It is clearly indicated by the evidence that the growth of the town is being seriously retarded because of its antiquated method of disposal. Business property in the central parts of the town is in many instances lessened in value because of the saturated condition of adjacent land which cannot be built upon but must be retained for cesspool purposes.
There appear to be obstacles, however, to an immediate start upon a program of sewer construction. The board of sewer commissioners has informed the Finance Committee that before actual construction can start that a survey must be made to ascertain the probable costs and relative merits of entering the Lynn system, if such be possible, or installing a system of filtration beds on the Saugus marshes.
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The sewer commissioners declare that it will take approxi- mately 10 months to prepare such a survey and prepare specifications for contractors.
The Finance Committee is of the opinion that this work should be started at once. The survey would then be completed and the actual project ready to start in the spring of 1931. If action is postponed to the annual meeting of next March, the expiration of the 10-months survey would bring the job into the winter of that year. It would not be until the spring of 1932 that the initial construction could be started.
The Finance Committee does not, however, favor voting a bond issue of $500,000 at this time. The committee feels that the money will be of no value to the sewer commissioners until the survey is completed next spring and that it would be pre- ferable to complete the survey and then present to the Town Meeting the relative advantages of the Lynn system of disposal and the filtration beds with a request for such funds as are necessary to initiate the work.
The Finance Committee believes, also, that the limited Town Meeting should pass upon the method of disposal. The question is too weighty to repose in the hands of any Board or Com- mission without securing actual authorization of the town. It appears, however, that the survey must be completed before such information as to disposal as would guide the town can be presented to a Town Meeting.
The Finance Committee does not believe, however, that the matter should again be shelved. The town must in the immediate future be properly sewered. Its growth in the future and its health and comfort in the present depends upon this vital necessity of modern civic life. The committee believes that $15,000 will be sufficient for the Board of Sewer Commissioners to conduct their survey, secure all possible information, and report to the Annual Town Meeting of next March ready to start actual construction.
The Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that a Bond Issue of $15,000, payable in 30 annual installments, as part of the sewer loan, be authorized, said funds to be expended by the Board of Sewer Commissioners for the purpose of making a survey for the installation of a Sewerage System.
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ART. 18. Request of the Law Department for $2,200 to settle claims brought against the town.
These claims have actually been settled and the litigants paid. The town must therefore, either appropriate the money or pay the amount through the Board of Assessors.
The Board of Selectmen has assured the Finance Committee that they are making an effort to dispose of many of the suits pending against the town of Saugus. It is understood that the board plans to either settle or bring to a speedy trial this year all of the cases in which the town is represented. In the two cases alluded to above, the town counsel felt that a suit was fraught with potential danger for the town. Arthur J. Hynes, whose claim was settled for $2,050, tripped on a tree root on Ballard street. Falling, he injured a finger, with the result that blood poisoning set in and the finger was amputated. The man is a painter and the amputation was alleged to be an impediment in his business. He brought suit for $4,000. The Town Counsel advised that the suit might be extremely dangerous and favored settlement for $2,050. In the second case, Mrs. Mabel F. Knowlton fell on a sidewalk in Cliftondale and suffered a fractured knee cap. She also brought suit. The opinion of the Town Counsel was of the same nature and the town settled for $150.
The Finance Committee is not opposed to the settlement of such cases where the facts are of a particularly damaging nature and warrant the assumption that the eventual cost will be much greater than the settlement figure. The committee believes, however, that more of this type of cases should be tried in the courts and not settled for large sums of money.
In this case, however, the claims have been settled and the money paid. The Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that the sum of $2,200 be appropriated for the Law Department to settle two claims against the town.
ART. 19. Request of the Board of Selectmen to pay David J. Sheehan $399.44 for construction of a sidewalk in front of the residence of Frank B. Sloan.
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The Finance Committee was unable to gain much informa- tion relative to this article. It appeared, however, that the town had a contract with Michael McDonough to place a drain through the estate of Mr. Sloan Included in the contract was a provision that the contractor would pay for all damages occurring. The Selectmen intended to keep back a percentage of the contract price until the job was approved but through an error failed to do so. It was discovered that the sidewalk had been damaged and that a new walk must be constructed. Mr. McDonough, having been paid his entire price, declined to build the walk. The Selectmen then engaged Mr. Sheehan to construct the walk without an appropriation to cover the cost.
The Town Counsel has informed the Finance Committee that he knows nothing of the situation and has never been consulted by the Board of Selectmen.
The Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that Article 19 be indefinitely postponed pending an opinion from the Town Counsel as to the legality of the claim against the town.
ART. 20. Request of Charles M. O'Connor, director of State Aid and Soldiers' Relief, for $3,500 for Soldiers' Relief for the remainder of the year.
This department continues to be an increasing burden upon the town. For the past three years the expenses have been increasing at an alarming rate, due somewhat to the industrial conditions, and also to the grave increase in the number of incapacitated veterans. An indication of the gravity of the situation may be seen in the fact that in the past three years the amount spent for Soldiers' Relief has leaped from about $2,800 in 1927 to a probable total this year of $11,000.
When Mr. O'Connor came before the Finance Committee with his annual budget last winter, he felt confident that con- ditions were improving and that he could take care of all cases arising in 1930 for $6,000. The Finance Committee, however, was not so optimistic and raised the total to $7,500. With less than half of the year gone, Mr. O'Connor finds that he has expended in excess of $6,000 and careful estimates indicate that it will be impossible to complete the year without an additional appropriation of $3,500.
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The Finance Committee is reluctant to recommend such an unprecedented figure for this type of relief. It feels quite con- fident, however, that the people of Saugus would not wish to see any deserving veteran and his family suffer for lack of food or clothing.
The Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that the sum of $3,500 be appropriated for the Soldiers' Relief Department, to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
ART. 21. Request of Charles M. O'Connor, director of State Aid and Soldiers' Relief, for $200 for the State Aid Department.
This is a correlated case. The expenses of the State Aid Department have shown a corresponding increase with those of the relief department. This year Mr. O'Connor had at his disposal $1,500 for State Aid. This would have been sufficient had not the General Court at its last sitting passed a law under which the amount to be paid those benefiting under the depart- ment has been substantially increased. The result is that the department will need $200 additional to complete the year.
All money expended for State Aid is, in actuality, merely loaned the Commonwealth and is paid back into the town by the State Treasurer.
The Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that the sum of $200 be appropriated for the State Aid Department, the same to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
ART. 22. Request of the Board of Selectmen for transfers from unexpended balances, totaling $265.16, for the construc- tion of a drain in Fairmount avenue, through the land of Charles N. Wormstead.
This drainage situation has been a consistent and notorious trouble maker for some years. The town has discussed the matter of constructing the drain on several occasions but no action has been taken. Superintendent Maggi reports that something should be done at once to eradicate the surface drainage problem at this point.
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SPECIAL TOWN MEETING.
1930]
The Finance Committee agrees with the Superintendent of Public Works, however, that no work should be done by the town until suitable easements are obtained in writing from Mr. Wormstead.
The Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that the sum of $265.16 be transferred from unexpended balances to pay for the construction of a drainage system in Fairmount avenue, through land of Charles N. Wormstead, providing that Mr. Wormstead gives the town an easement across his property.
ART. 23. Request of the Board of Fire Engineers for $600 for salaries of call firemen.
This request originates as a result of errors by both the Finance Committee and the Board of Fire Engineers. The Finance Committee, in the press of last minute business before the Annual Town Meeting, neglected to provide sufficient funds to pay the salaries of the eight additional call firemen which they recommended to the Annual Meeting. The Board of Fire Engineers likewise made an error in that they appointed the men as of May I instead of July I, as voted by the Finance Committee.
The men, however, were greatly needed at the time. They have been doing excellent service and should, in the opinion of the committee, be paid for their services in full at the rate of $150 annually, as voted by the Annual Meeting.
The Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that the sum of $600 be appropriated for salaries of call men of the Fire Department.
ART. 24. Request of the Town Accountant for a transfer from the excess and deficiency or surplus account of $2,671.67 for unpaid bills.
The larger item of these bills relate to the Board of Public Welfare and are for aid given to Saugus citizens residing in Lynn. The Lynn City Solicitor has threatened to bring suit against the town if these bills are not paid and also to shut off
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
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all aid given by Lynn to persons with a Saugus settlement. It would appear reasonable and right to pay these bills at once. The other bills are of a minor nature and after investigation the committee is convinced that they should all be paid at this time.
The Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that the sum of $2,671.67 be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency or Surplus Account for the payment of unpaid bills of 1929 and former years.
ART. 25. Request of the School Committee for $2,500 to partition off and equip two rooms in the old Center School.
The Commonwealth forced the town last year to establish an Opportunity Class for retarded pupils. There were 17 in the class last year. They were housed in a very inadequate room, formerly a toilet, at the High School, with insufficient light and facilities. This year there will be more than 35 pupils in this class and it will be necessary to have two rooms. Under the ' system in vogue this year the pupils attended in the afternoon, which proved to be a very unsatisfactory plan. The present intention of the School Department is to house them in two rooms at the old Center School and have both morning and afternoon sessions.
It appears that this is the only satisfactory solution of the problem. The needs of the town in this work are great and the committee feels that the rooms are needed to provide proper instruction for these less fortunate youngsters.
The Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that the sum of $2,500 be appropriated for the purpose of partitioning off and equipping two rooms at the old Center School.
ART. 26. Petition of Thomas Ryan and other residents of Golden Hills for $1,500 for approximately 510 feet of water extension on Castle Rock Road.
This is one of the most deplorable situations to come to the attention of the Finance Committee this year. Mr. Ryan and another resident of Castle Rock road are located a few hundred feet beyond the point where the end of the Golden Hills water
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SPECIAL TOWN MEETING.
1930]
extension project closed last year. It was originally intended to reach their homes and the pipe was laid out on top of the ground, but ledge encountered along the entire route caused the appropriation to be depleted before their homes were reached.
These gentlemen have resided in Saugus for eight years. They have families. Their wells are dry and all water used must be carried from Melrose by automobiles from garages and filling stations. They use the waters of the lake for washing and household purposes. The situation from a health point of view alone is deplorable.
The town removed the pipe left on the surface of the ground to another spot this spring. Superintendent Maggi declares that he will replace it and that the cost of the pipe will not be estimated in the job. He feels that exclusive of pipe the extension can be laid for $1,200.
Mr. Ryan and his neighbor are the only actual potential takers. There are three vacant houses along the route, two of which are habitable, and one of which, according to report, will be occupied at once.
It is obviously impossible for the Finance Committee to recommend to the limited town meeting the expenditure of $1,200 for the small return of $30 annually which would result from the two water takers to be secured. The committee, however, feels that in such a situation that the town would desire to give such relief as is financially possible. The com- mittee has decided to recommend the appropriation of $1,200 with the understanding that the residents abutting guarantee the town in writing a return of $75 a year on the investment. This is the equivalent of five takers. This comes within the policy of the town with relation to this type of work. It is understood that if the three vacant houses are occupied, or any ratio of them, that the cost of these gentlemen will decrease.
The Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that the sum of $1,200 be appropriated for water extension on Castle Rock road, approximately 510 feet, with the understanding that no work be undertaken until the abutters file a bond satisfactory to the Town Counsel and Board of Selectmen, guarantee- ing the town a return of $75 annually in water rates.
ART. 27. Request of Otto F. Persson and residents of
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Lynnhurst for a transfer of $500 from the Cleveland avenue water extension account for repairs on Newcomb avenue.
Newcomb avenue is one of the few streets in Lynnhurst which are not in commendable condition at the present time. A short section of the street is still in need of repairs. There is remaining on the books of the town an item of $500 appropri- ated for water extension on Cleveland avenue in that section of the town which was never expended. It is now available for other use. Citizens of Lynnhurst feel that as the money was originally appropriated to be expended in their section that it should logically be spent for the repair of Newcomb avenue. The Finance Committee is of the opinion that this provides an excellent opportunity for repairing one of the last streets in Lynnhurst which needs attention. The transfer will add nothing to the tax levy.
The Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that the sum of $500 be transferred from the Cleveland avenue water extension account for the repair of Newcomb avenue.
ART. 28. Request of Arthur E. Wilson and other residents of North Saugus for $2,000 to add two permanent patrolmen to the police force.
Mr. Wilson appeared before the Finance Committee and ably supported his article. He presented the fact that the people of North Saugus and Lynnhurst have at the present time no regular police protection. The establishment of a night patrol of two men in the small car of the Police Department was advo- cated by him. Chief Roland L. Mansfield of the department endorsed the article.
The majority of the Finance Committee is of the opinion that additional police protection is needed in Saugus. The town covers an area of II square miles, has a population of 14,500 people and embraces two of the most heavily traveled State highways in the entire Commonwealth-the Newburyport Turn- pike and the Salem Turnpike. The bulk of the policing on these roads is left to the local department.
The committee is also convinced that it is necessary to have better protection at the police station. It is now frequently neces- sary for the officer in charge to leave the station uncovered for
.
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as long as an hour at a time while he is attending to police work in other parts of the town. ' This situation is distinctly dangerous and, in the opinion of the committee, should be taken care of at once.
Comparative figures show that Saugus is under-policed in relation to neighboring communities of our size. The town has many hazards not shared by these neighboring towns with fewer men to handle the work of the department.
The majority of the Finance Committee has decided to recom- mend to the Special Town Meeting the addition of one permanent man to the Police Department. They feel that the department has not advanced in the same ratio as the growth of the community.
On this question, Mr. Edward Gibbs, Jr., was recorded in the minority.
The majority of the Finance Committee, therefore,
Recommends-that the sum of $1,000 be appropriated for the purpose of adding one permanent man to the Police Department.
Minority Report
When the matter came up for consideration before us, only one person appeared to urge approval, despite the fact that the hearing had been well advertised in the press-not an indication of an overwhelming demand on the part of the townspeople !
It should be borne in mind that in succeeding years the cost to the town will be $4015.00 per year for salaries alone, year after year. The Finance Committee disapproved the addition of any more regular officers to the Police Department, only three months ago, and segregated Police Salaries in the budget to prevent appointments. Conditions are the same now, and no emergencies have arisen.
It was explained that these men are to be used as a night patrol-both men to be placed in the old Star Sedan (which is now described as being in good condition) to drive around the outskirts of the town together at night. It was also explained that the night motorcycle officer would be eliminated and a day man placed in Cliftondale Square to protect banks, and other establishments. Perhaps some of these suggestions have merit, but the town is confronted with many demands for meritorious projects costing large sums of money ; for our population and
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