USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1931 > Part 11
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130
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
There is no question in the mind of the Finance Committee but what the town needs a new fire station. The committee is firmly of the opinion that the town should take steps to replace the present monstrosity at the rear of the Town Hall as rapidly as possible.
The majority of the Finance Committee, however, was unable to reconcile the construction of a fire station this year with the financial condition of the town. The majority is con- vinced that the first essential is, and must necessarily be, the education of the school children of the town. Regrettable as the situation at the fire station is, the Finance Committee believes that the department will have to worry along for at least another year.
The majority of the Finance Committee is convinced that if the town of Saugus constructs, as the committee unanimously feels that it should, a new Senior High School this year, that no other large undertaking should be attempted. The Finance Committee, by majority, is opposed to the town floating two bond issues this year and the construction of a fire station could not be attempted from the general budget.
The majority of the committee is convinced that the Fire Department can use their present building for the time being. The committee has recommended a small item in the general budget for repairs and this is to be used in repairing the lower floor and providing a ventilation system in the sleeping quaters. The committee feels that the Fire Department should subor- dinate its actual needs this year to the pressing demands for additional room for the education of the children of the town.
The committee, by majority, recommends to the Limited Town Meeting that this article be indefinitely postponed.
On this question Mr. Charles E. Stillings was recorded in the negative. Having made a close study of the situation, Mr. Stillings is convinced that the needs of a fire department should be given attention at this time in addition to the demands for increased school facilities.
ART. 30-This is the request of the School Committee for an appropriation of $1,250 to take land at the rear of the Felton School.
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The taxes on this land now due the town approximate $800. The owner would actually receive only a small sum. It would be necessary, however, to take the entire amount from taxation.
If an addition is built to the Felton School, the land will be needed to provide playground facilities for the children.
The Finance Commitee, however, points to the fact that the town virtually owns the land now. It is improbable that with such an amount of taxes on the land, it will ever be sold. The Finance Committee, by majority, recommends that this matter be left until a later date when the budget can more easily stand this expenditure.
The majority of the Finance Committee recommends that this article be indefinitely postponed.
ART. 31. Request of Howard F. Kelly and others for an appropriation of $4,000 for a woods fire apparatus for the Fire Department.
Mr. Kelly appeared before the Finance Committee and pre- sented various reasons tending to show why the town should purchase this apparatus. He estimated that a proper piece of apparatus could be purchased and equipped within this sum.
At the present time the town, with all other communities of the county, has the use of woods fire fighting apparatus owned by the State but stationed at the Danvers Fire Station. The first town getting a call in for the apparatus has the use of the machine and men to operate it. The only cost to the town is the charge for compensation of the men. Last year Chief Mellen R. Joy of the local department used the appara- tus on several occasions.
It was suggested to the Finance Committee that the requested apparatus could be used in fighting fires in the outlying sections of the town. The Finance Committee, however, does not feel that any citizen of the town whose home was afire, regardless of the inaccessibility of the section, would be satisfied if nothing but this small apparatus appeared. The Finance Committee admits the value of the apparatus for forest fire fighting but believes that its usefulness would terminate there.
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[ Dec. 31
Mr. Kelly, who from his work as superintendent of Break- heart Farm in North Saugus, has a keen appreciation of the dangers of forest fires, believes that this apparatus would be an excellent investment for the town. The Finance Committee, however, again stresses the point that last year was an admit- tedly abnormal season and that there is no suggestion that such an extended drought will occur again for several years. The Finance Committee does not believe that the town is justified to expend $4,000 for fighting woods fires such as occur in Saugus in a normal year. The present apparatus, the committee believes, can care for the situation for at least another year.
There is another side to the situation which the Finance Com- mittee has also considered. Even if the town purchased such an apparatus, they would be unable to house it in the present fire station. The committee has not recommended the con- struction of a new fire station this year and certainly would not recommend the purchase of a new piece of apparatus when there are no conceivable facilities for housing it.
The Finance Committee believes that this is a burden which can well be postponed for several years. The committee, there- fore, unanimously recommends that the article be indefinitely postponed.
ARTICLE 32-Request of Charles Wayne Travers and others for $150 for a hydrant on Magnolia street.
At the request of the Finance Committee, Chief Mellen R. Joy of the Fire Department made an investigation of the situa- tion existing in this section. The chief recommended to the Finance Committee that the hydrant be installed. His report disclosed the fact that there are several streets in this section without hydrant service and that in case of a fire the depart- ment would be forced to lay a considerable amount of hose to reach a hydrant.
The Finance Committee, therefore, recommends that $150 be appropriated for a hydrant on Magnolia street.
ART. 33-Request of Frank F. Humphries and others for an appropriation of $10,000 for a monolithic sidewalk and curbing on Winter street.
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1931] ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
This matter has been taken care of by the Finance Committee in the General Budget.
The Finance Committee recommends that Article 33 be indefinitely postponed.
ART. 38. Request of Frank Davis and others for an appro- priation of $4,500 for the purpose of re-shaping Endicott street.
At the request of the Finance Committee, Superintendent Maggi of the Public Works Department investigated this request. Mr. Maggi finds that Endicott street, from Lincoln avenue to Morton avenue, is 950 feet in length. A 24-foot road would cost $2,500.
With reference to the surface drainage problem, however, Superintendent Maggi declares : "The question of caring for the surface water from this and adjacent streets should be studied in connection with the drainage area into which Endi- cott street would drain. In my opinion, no estimate can be made of the proper cost without first making a survey and pre- paring plans from which an estimate could be prepared. The whole area should be studied before expending any money on Endicott street for drainage work."
The Finance Committee concurs with the superintendent. It would be foolish for the town to place a new surface on Endi- cott street at such a cost until the surface water has first been taken care of. The problem at this point is greater than in many other sections of the town.
Because of the lack of such a survey and estimates, the Finance Committee recommends that this article be indefinitely postponed.
ART. 39 .- Request of Charles Wayne Travers and others for an appropriation of $3,000 for widening Elm street.
The Finance Committee has ascertained that this money would merely start the job. Besides the cost of widening the road, there would be a further charge for the taking of neces - sary land along the route.
[Dec. 31
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
Elm street is admittedly a narrow road and is one of the main roads of the town. The Finance Committee believes, however, that before any such program is launched that it would be well for the Public Works Department to prepare plans, estimates, and surveys, indicating the eventual cost. Present information is that the $3,000 would hardly more than start the job.
The Finance Committee recommends that Article 39 be indefinitely postponed.
ART. 40-Request of Harry N. Holt and others for an appropriation of $1,000 for grading and constructing Park street.
This is a street where the Finance Committee believes con- siderable study should be made before any steps are taken. The lower part of the street is entirely ledge and the cost for blasting would be heavy. There is also a drainage problem. The Finance Committee recommends that a study be made of this project and suitable articles presented at future Town Meetings. To expend $1,000 there now in the absence of such estimates would probably mean a waste of the money.
The Finance Committee, therefore, recommends that this article be indefinitely postponed.
ART. 41-Request of George H. Oulton and others for the appropriation of $250 for the purpose of resurfacing Spring street.
Residents of North Saugus have requested that Spring street be resurfaced. Superintendent Maggi has investigated the matter for the Finance Committee. The superintendent finds that Spring street is 1,000 feet long. He declares that the traffic at the present time is not heavy and that the street, although only 18 feet wide, appears to meet all requirements. The superin- tendent finds that the surface of the road is not in bad condition. He informs the Finance Committee that the requested expedi- ture of $250 would make no material difference in the condition of the road. Superintendent Maggi recommends that no expen- diture be made this year.
The Finance Committee, therefore, does not recommend the expenditure requested in the article. The committee is of the
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opinion that an expenditure of $250 on a street 1,000 feet in length would be merely a waste of public funds.
ART. 42-Request of Howard P. Berrett and others for $1,000 for the purpose of constructing a surface drainage system on Jasper street and Auburn street.
This relates to a bad situation on Jasper street, where several new houses are flooded with surface water during a part of the year. The Public Works Department estimates that the cost of carrying the water out to the brook flowing into the Saugus River would be $4,000.
The Finance Committee, however, points to the fact that there are countless drainage problems in Saugus where the con - ditions are fully as bad as on Jasper street. The problem of the committee is not only to find where necessary alterations and repairs should be made but also to reconcile the cost with the capacity of the town to carry the burden. The committee does not feel that it would be wise for the town to expend $4,000 this year for the purpose of relieving the surface drainage prob- lem in this comparatively small section.
To expend this sum in caring for the difficulties in this section would cost the entire town 32 cents on the tax rate.
The Finance Committee, therefore, recommends that Article 42 be indefinitely postponed.
ART. 43-Request of James Blair and others for an appro- priation of $2,000 for surface drainage work, grading, and street construction on Johnson road.
Johnson road was accepted by the town in 1930. There are several streets included in those requesting repairs in the present Warrant, which have been accepted ways for many years. Superintendent Alfred L. Maggi of the Public Works Depart- ment has made an investigation of this project for the Finance Committee. He finds that the road, which is 600 feet long, could be constructed for $2,000, but that after its completion there would still be a surface drainage problem. While the superintendent estimates that these drains could be installed at a later date, the Finance Committee has established the policy of
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
not recommending funds for construction on streets where there is a drainage problem until this is first attended to. It is time for the town to stop building streets only to have them washed away by the surface water,
The Finance Committee recommends that this project be in- definitely postponed.
ART. 44-Request of Gaetano Venazza and others for an appropriation of $1,000 for surface drainage work, street con- struction and grading on Knowles avenue.
Superintendent Maggi of the Public Works Department, after an investigation of this project for the Finance Committee, reports that Knowles avenue is 585 feel in length. The width of the road would be 24 feet and this would require 1,560 square yards of road construction and grading. The superintendent estimates that the construction work alone would cost $1,000 and that there would be no money available for drainage.
The Finance Committee, however, is seriously opposed to street construction work in Saugus before steps have been taken to relieve existing drainage problems. The committee, there- fore, in view of the fact that the drainage problem on Knowles avenue is serious, recommends that this article be indefinitely postponed.
ART. 45-Request of Charles T. Anderson and others for an appropriation of $2,000 for surface drainage work, grading and street construction on Lawndale avenue, from the end of the completed road toward Ferncliffe street.
Last year the town expended $1,800 on the drainage and re- pair of Lawndale avenue and street was completed about half way to the summit. It now becomes necessary, however, to complete the road, not only to provide a smooth surface to the top, but also to protect the surface of the road which the town has already installed. If the work is not completed, that already built will rapidly be washed away.
Lawndale avenue is the main entrance and exit for a large and increasingly growing section.
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ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1931]
At the request of the Finance Committee, Superintendent Maggi of the Public Works Department has gone into the matter at some length. He states that a small amount of surface drain- age work remains to be done but that the larger part of the ap- propriation would be for street construction. The sum asked for, declares the superintendent, would practically complete Lawndale avenue.
The Finance Committee therefore, recommends the appro- priation of $2,000 for surface drainage, grading and street con- struction on Lawndale avenue.
ART. 46-Request of Otto W. Thomas and others for an appropriation of $1.350 for a surface drain with necessary catch- basins in Central and Denver streets.
The town started to remedy the drainage situation at Central and Denver streets three years ago. Since then two appropria- tions, totaling over $1,500 have been made. It is represented that an additional appropriation of $1,350 is necessary to finish the job.
The committee believes that the Denver street situation should be cleaned up with the appropriations which have been made. The Finance Committee, therefore, recommends an appropria- tion of $600 for surface drainage work on Central street to a point 300 feet southerly from Denver street. The committee, however, does not recommend that any additional work be done on Denver street.
The Finance Committee recommends that there be an intelli- gent study made of all these situations before the town starts elimination. Piece-meal work of this character is always much more costly in the end.
ART. 47-Request of Otto F. Persson and others for an ap- propriation of $500 for the repair of Newcomb avenue.
Newcomb avenue is in the Lynnhurst section of the town. At the request of the Finance Committee, Superintendent Maggi of the Public Works Department made an examination of the project. Mr. Maggi finds that the proposed stretch to be repaired is between Edison street and Jefferson avenue-a dis-
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[Dec. 31
tance of 500 feet. It would require the construction of 1, 100 square yards of road construction and sub-grading to do the job, the superintendent declares, and the cost would be $1, 100.00. There are only three houses on the street.
"In my opinion," says the superintendent "the suggested work could be deferred to a later date."
The Finance Committee recommends that this article be indefinitely postponed.
ART. 48-Request of the Board of Selectmen for an appro- priation of $265 for the purpose of constructing a surface drain in Fairmount avenue through the land of Charles N. Wormstead.
Superintendent Maggi recommends that the work be done under a proper agreement with the owner. The $265 would be sufficient, in the opinion of the superintendent. The water indicated collects on Fairmount avenue and has no other outlet than to cross the Wormstead land.
The Finance Committee recommends the appropriation of $265 for a surface drain in Fairmount avenne across the land of Charles N. Wormstead, providing that Mr. Wormstead gives the town in writing an easement suitable to the Town Counsel.
ART. 49-Request of Giles S. Bryer and others for an appro- priation of $1,000 for the purpose of installing a surface drain with catch-basins in Central street, from the brook near Hurd avenue, to a point near Cronin's lumber yard.
This is to eliminate a situation said to be caused by several springs flowing across the sidewalk in front of the lumber yard and Mr. Bryer's property.
The Finance Committee believes that an intelligent study should be made of the situation at this point and that steps should be taken to care for the entire drainage problem arising in the neighborhood of this brook.
The committee does not believe, however, that the town would be justified in going into this section and spending $1,000 merely for the purpse of drying sidewalks. The surface water flowing across the walks is collected from the lands back of the
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property. The Finance Committee has a report from Superin- tendent Maggi of the Public Works Department explaining the situation and recommending that steps be made to care for the situation. The Finance Committee, however, recommends that the article be indefinitely postponed, and that the work, if any is to be undertaken, be cared for from the regular appropriations.
ART. 50-Request of the Board of Sewer Commissioners for an appropriation, by bond issue, of $500,000 for the construc- tion of a sewerage system.
The Finance Committee have gone into this matter at some length. The committee finds from the Board of Sewer Com- missioners that no definite information is as yet available as to whether Saugus can obtain entry in the sewerage system of the City of Lynn. The commissioners feel that this will never be settled until they are in a position to actually discuss the pro- ject-or, in other words, until the appropriation has been made. The Finance Committee, however, believes that this information should be known first, and that the Limited Town Meeting should decide the question of entering the Lynn system, estab- lishing a municipal outfall, or constructing filter beds on the Saugus marshes. This is entirely too important a question for the future of Saugus, the Finance Committee believes, to be delegated to any committee, and that the matter should be fully discussed and acted upon by the town after adequate information has been gathered. It is the understading of the Finance Com- mittee that the City of Lynn now has engineers working on this project and that they will report in the late summer.
The Finance Committee believes that the construction of a new Senior High School is by far more pressing upon the town than that of a sewerage system. Proper educational facilities must be provided first. The committee does not favor issuing two bond issues of this magnitude in one year.
The Finance Committee believes that this matter can well rest for another year. The town will then be in a better con- dition to act upon the question of an outlet for the sewerage.
The Finance Committee, therefore, recommends that Article 50 be indefinitely postponed.
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[Dec. 31
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
ART. 51-Request of Herbert P. Mason and others for $2,000 for water extension on Moreland road and Dartmouth street.
Edmund C. McLaughlin appears before the Finance Com- mittee and informed the committee that he has acquired a tract of land off Felton street, adjoining the Norman road develop- ment, for which an appropriation of $2,000 will be necessary for water. Mr. Mclaughlin will at once start work construct- ing the streets indicated above and expects to build 20 houses on the land this season.
The Finance Committee is unanimously convinced that the type of development which Mr. McLaughlin is bringing to Saugus should be encouraged. During the past three years he has built nearly 100 houses in Saugus. The Norman road development bids fair to be one of the finest residential sections in the town.
The Finance Committee, therefore, unanimously recommends to the Limited Town Meeting the appropriation of $2,000 for water extension on Moreland road and Dartmouth street. Superintendent Alfred L. Maggi of the Public Works Depart- ment has made an investigation of the project at the instigation of the Finance Committee and reports that the cost of the water extension, together with necessary gates and hydrants, is $2,000.
ART. 52-Request of Thomas Ryan and others for an appro- priation of $1,200 for water extension on Castle Rock road.
Superintendent Maggi finds that with relation to this project the present water mains will have to be extended 510 feet. A large part of the construction will be through ledge and would cost not less than $3.50 a foot. It would require, according to the superintendent, an appropriation of $1,800 to do the work outlined in the article. There would be but five takers.
The article, therefore, is not recommended by the Finance Committee.
ART. 53-Request of Charles Wayne Travers and others for $300 for water extension on Evergreen street.
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1931]
Superintendent Maggi has made an investigation of this pro- ject for the Finance Committee. He finds that the requested $300 would do the work but that only one taker would be sup- plied. The Finance Committee has in previous years estab- lished a limit of an expenditure of $200 for each water taker. It appears to be wise to maintain this rule.
The article, is therefore, not recommended.
ART. 54-Request of Antonio Flammia and others for an appropriation of $1,500 for water extension on Basswood avenue.
Superintendent Maggi finds with relation to this project that for a considerable distance the town would have to drill through solid ledge. He declares that this will cost $3.50 a foot. He estimates the cost of the requested extension at $1,700 and asserts that if made water could be supplied to no residents of Basswood avenue. Water would, however, be available for for two houses on adjacent streets. This would mean, how- ever, an expense of $850 for each taker.
This article is not recommended by the Finance Committee.
ART. 55-Request of John G. Walton and the residents of the Golden Hills section of the town for an appropriation of $3,500 for water extension on Edge Hill road, Glenn street, Shore road, and Boulder road.
At the request of the Finance Committee, Superintendent Maggi has gone into this projected extension at some length. He finds that the distance to be covered is 1,Soo feet. "I am inclined to believe," says the superintendent in his report, "from what can be seen on the surface of the ground that the cost with necessary gates and hydrants would average at least $4.00 per foot. The estimate, therefore, for this project is $7,200."
The superintendent declares that the work, if done, would give water to 18 takers along the line and two houses in nearby locations. It would mean an expenditure, therefore, of $360 a taker.
The article, therefore, is not recommended by the Finance Committee.
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
ART. 56 -Request of Frank J. O'Brien and others for an appropriation of $1,600 for water extension on Longwood avenue.
The Finance Committee finds that there are four houses on Longwood avenue which have been fed for some years from a one-inch pipe. Superintendent Maggi of the Public Works Department declares that to take care of a situation existing at present under which none of the houses are able to get water, it would be necessary to lay 900 feet of six-inch pipe. The esti- mated cost of this, together with a necessary gate, is $2,000.
This would mean an expenditure of $500 a taker.
The Finance Committee recommends that this article be indefinitely postponed.
ARTS. 57, 58 and 59-These articles all have reference to the proposed reconstruction of Woodbury avenue and Hesper street. Article 57 is inserted by the Board of Selectmen as they found that Article 59, inserted by Frederick Price, Jr., and other resi- dents of the section, would not permit work to be done on Hamilton street, which is the proposed exit of the new street.
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