USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1931 > Part 5
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
There is no question in the mind of the Committee but what this is a step in the right direction. The engineering needs of the town are great and in previous years it has been necessary for the town to engage engineers to do this work. The average appropriation has been of sufficient magnitude to warrant the installation of this budget.
Superintendent Maggi and the Board of Selectmen, however, have asked for $1,600 to engage the services of an assistant to assist the Assistant Engineer. With this program, the Finance Committee cannot agree. The committee is convinced that any assistance which the Engineer may require, which consists mainly of someone to hold his lines, can be furnished by some employee of the Public Works Department. The Finance Com- mittee is unanimously opposed to any such appropriation as outlined. The $1,600 has, therefore, been deleted from the budget.
The department has asked for $200 for engineering supplies. In view of the fact that this is a new service which the town is undertaking, instruments and other essentials are needed. The committee has recommended this request.
The Finance Committee, therefore, recommends $2,280 for the maintenance of the town's Engineering Department, of which $2,080 shall consist of the salary of the Assistant Engineer.
Police Department
In 1930 the Finance Committee adopted the definite policy of taking one town department annually and building it up to a standard such as the committee believed that the needs of the town required. The Fire Department appeared to present the most pressing need in 1930, and the Finance Committee recom- mended and the annual Town Meeting voted sums of money which, in the opinion of the committee, would put this depart- ment into the condition necessary for the welfare of the com- munity. Two new pieces of apparatus were added to the department, six call men authorized, and two additional perma- nent men were provided for. The Finance Committee believes that the Fire Department, with the exception of housing con- ditions, is in excellent condition at the present time.
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ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1931]
Continuing its policy this year, the Finance Committee, after investigation, determined that the town's other protective department, the police force, required attention. During the past few years the town has done nothing in the Police Depart- ment but appropriate the necessary funds to carry on the work of the department, Meanwhile the town has grown by several thousands of people and the valuation of the community has increased several million dollars.
The Finance Committee is convinced that the town should make an effort this year to allow for reasonable expansion in the Police Department. The budget of Chief Roland L. Mans- field of the department, as presented to the Finance Committee, has not called for any extensive changes, and the net increase recommended by the Finance Committee represents a raise in cost to the town of less than $3,000.
Saugus at present has a police force which does considerably more active work than the department of any surrounding com- munity. The needs of the department are great and the Finance Committee believes that the recommended changes will be entirely for the benefit of the community in general.
The changes in the budget follows :
ADDITIONS TO THE FORCE-Chief Roland L. Mansfield recommended to the Finance Committee the addition of four regular men to the department. He declared that the modern theory of policing provides one man to each 1,000 people. With a population of 15,057, Chief Mansfield felt that the town's need required 15 men in the department.
The town now has in its Police Department a chief, captain, and nine men. One of these men does the relief work, that is to say that he does the work of other men when they are enjoy- ing their night off, and the actual number of men at work is only 10.
The Finance Committee has made a careful study of the situation existing in the Police Department. The needs of the town have also been considered. Saugus is a community of over 10 square miles with a population of over 15,000 people. Its territory is far-flung. Through it extend two of the most
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
heavily traveled roads in the entire Commonwealth-the New- buryport and Salem turnpikes.
The committee has had called to its attention several instances where Captain John T. Stuart and other men doing night station duty have been forced to take the ambulance alone and go out to handle a serious accident on one of the two turnpikes. With traffic passing by in a steady stream and the congested area about the accident caused by the hundreds who stop to witness the excitement, it is a human impossibility for a man to take an injured person to the hospital and care for the bad situation resulting from the traffic. There have been other instances called to the attention of the committee where the police station has necessarily been left uncovered for as long as an hour in the evening. If the captain takes the man on the Saugus Centre beat with him to handle an accident, this leaves the station uncovered until they return. During this time another accident may occur, there may be a robbery, or any kind of crime may occur. Experience teaches that the most valuable part of police work is performed from the station. Men on the beat are difficult to find when in need. The average person wanting the police telephones the story to the station. If there is no one there to function, the citizen may have to wait for several hours before obtaining attention. This, in the opinion of the Finance Committee, does not con- stitute the type of police protection which the town anticipates receiving for the maintenance of the department.
The Finance Committee has had called to its attention a situation which arose in the Police Department some months ago. The officer in charge was attending to an accident in another section with the man from the Saugus Centre route. Meanwhile a call came in that an aged lady had been dragged into the bushes in Lynnhurst and robbed of her pocketbook. There was no one there to answer the telephone but a civilian. He waited until the captain returned and then told him the story. When the police arrived on the scene, the thieves were, of course, beyond capture.
Another serious situation exists on the early morning shift. The Finance Committee finds that Patrolman Frank W. Joy, who is in charge of this shift is unable to operate the ambulance. For several hours in the morning during the summer months,
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ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1931]
when the majority of the accidents occur, he is the only police- man on duty in the entire town. In the event of serious acci- dent occurring, it is necessary for him to call a member of the department by telephone. The latter arises, dresses, and comes to the station to take out the ambulance. It is easy to conceive a situation arising of someone dying on one of the towns' streets while waiting for an ambulance to take them to the hospital.
These and other situations of a similar character have con- vinced the Finance Committee that the situation is grave. The committee is convinced that something should be done to remedy the situation at once.
Comparisons of the police force of Saugus with those of neighboring communities are always interesting. The com- mittee finds that Swampscott with a population of 9,000 people, has 14 policeman. Wakefield, with 16,000 people, has 17. Wellesley, with 12,000 people, has 17. On the other hand, Winthrop with 16,000 people has only 12, one more than Saugus. This, however, is a thickly settled community, Plymouth, with 14,000 people, has only 10. More are added, however, for the summer months. West Springfield, however, with 16,000 people has 22 policemen. It is easily apparent that Saugus is far below the par of any of these communities. The fact must also be taken into consideration that Saugus is one of the largest towns in the entire Commonwealth from the point of view of area and that the traffic situation on the two turnpikes is serious.
It has been argued that the State police handle the Newbury- port Turnpike. They do some patroling, investigation shows, but in actuality the bulk of the work in this five miles of route lies in the hands of the local department. The local police handle all of the accidents occurring in this area.
The Finance Committee realizes that the addition of perman- ent men to either the Fire or Police Departments should be con- templated by the town only in cases of extreme emergency. It is true that the cost is a fixed charge remaining on the books of the town permanently. Each additional man means a cost to the town after the first year of $2,007.50 a year thereafter.
The majority of the Finance Committee, however, is con- vinced that the present situation in the Police Department does
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
constitute an emergency and that it is essential and necessary for the general welfare of the community that additions be made to the force. Adequate policing is not an expense-it is an investment-and will net a return to every taxpayer of the town.
No member of the Finance Committee, however, was willing to approve the recommendation of the Chief of Police that four men be added to the force. The committee was, however, of the opinion that something should be done this year to care for the situation.
The Finance Committee, by majority, voted to recommend to the Members of the Limited Town Meeting the addition of two permanent men to the department commencing July I. On this question Mr. Edward Gibbs, Jr., was recorded in the negative.
Chief Roland L. Mansfield of the department assures the Finance Committee that he will with these two men establish a night patrol of the outlying sections and the central portions of the town. For this purpose the Finance Committee has unani- mously recommended $700 for the purchase of a Ford sedan. The chief plans to take off the night motorcycle man of the de- partment and place him, with one of the new men, in the car. They will patrol all sections of the town, giving special attention to North Saugus, West Cliftondale, and Lynnhurst, but making a swing of the entire town frequently during the night. The chief assures the committee that motorcycles for night police work are becoming a thing of the past and that all progressive communities are instituting the patrol. The patrol would be in frequent touch with the station. This would relieve the situation there.
This innovation will not only give protection to the outlying sections but will also shorten up the beats of the other patrol- men, affording them an opportunity to give closer attention to their respective routes. The beat of each policeman is practic- ally three times as long as the beats in surrounding communities.
With the other man the chief plans to establish 24-hour service for Cliftondale square. There are now four banks in the square and the merchants and residents believe that there should be a man there during the day. The majority of the Finance Committee agrees with this intention of the chief.
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ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1931]
SPECIAL POLICE-The request of the Chief of Police for an appropriation for special policemen is slightly higher than last year. Last year the department expended $1,726.95 and this year the chief asks for $2,000. This increase is due principally to the fact that the Christmas celebration requires considerable policing. There is an added charge for this in 1930, which the Finance Committee provided for by a transfer from the reserve fund, and which is not figured into the approx- imately $1,700 quoted above. The Finance Committee has unanimously recommended $2,000.
FORD CAR-The Finance Committee has unanimously voted to recommend to the Limited Town Meeting the purchase of a Ford car for the department at $700. This is necessary regardless of the proposed night patrol. There are many in- stances of departmental work arising where it is inadvisable and expensive to use the heavy car of the department. The com- mittee believes that this is a reasonable expenditure.
OFFICE EXPENSE-There has been no expense to the town for the office equipment for the Police Department for some years and the office is badly in need of equipment. Chief Mansfield has asked for $600 for the purchase of equipment, including a desk with a built-in typewriter. The Finance Committee unanimously recommends this expenditure.
TEL-O-TYPE SYSTEM-Wishing to modernize his department as far as possible, Chief Mansfield has requested the town to install a police tel-o-type system in the station. This is a system controlled by the telephone company whereby a message typed in one police station is at once reproduced in all other stations sharing in the system. At the present time Saugus is the only town in this section which does not have the system. It has been found that it also saves municipalities considerable on their telephone bills as it is no longer necessary for a police officer to sit down and call up the police of surrounding towns and cities to notify them of a robbery or other crime. The local depart- ment now uses the system frequently through the courtesy of some surrounding department but they are unable to receive considerable information which would doubtless be of assistance in solving crimes committed in other towns and cities. All police departments using this system find it indispensable in the conduct of their business and it appears that Saugus should share in its benefits.
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Chief Mansfield is asking for $2, 100 for telephones this year against $1, 168.70 expended in 1930. This includes the installa- tion cost of the new system.
Installation of the system should result in a saving in the tele- phone bill of the department which will bear part of the cost of its maintenance.
SCHOOL SAFETY WORK-During the past year the chief has had a policeman speak at all of the various schools on highway safety and institute safety patrols. He has been forced to en- gage a special policeman to take over his duties while absent on this work. The chief has asked that $100 be placed in his bud- get to pay for a substitute to take the place of the patrolmen doing the school work. The Finance Committee believes this work has been of considerable benefit and that it should be con- tinued. The requested $100 has been unanimously recom- mended.
MOTORCYCLE-Chief Mansfield asked for $600 in his budget for motorcycles. He later, however, informed the committee that if the night patrol is established that he will need only one new motorcycle this year. The Finance Committee has in- cluded $225 in the budget for the purchase of a motorcycle with the understanding that the two old machines will be traded in.
The total requests of the Police Department this year reach $34,058.30, this included the four new men which the chief desired. The Finance Committee recommends to the Annual Town Meeting the appropriation of $32,563.30, including $1,820 for the addition of two permanent men to the depart- ment, commencing July 1, 1931.
Superintendent of Fire Alarm
Although the budget of this department shows a jump from $250 in 1930 to $400 in 1931, there is, in actuality, only an additional cost to the town of $50. In previous years there has been in the Fire Department expense budget an item of $100 for transportation of the Superintendent This year the Finance Committee has recommended $150 as a flat rate for all automo- bile transportation. This sum has been added to the salary of the Superintendent and classified as salary and transportation.
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ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1931]
The expenses of the town of Saugus for this work are re- markably low. The town of Swampscott, as an instance, pays $3,000 a year for this work. The work of the present Superin- tendent has been of a fine character and the additional $50, although not salary at all but classified as transportation, should not be begrudged by the town.
Fire Department
The Fire Department has asked for $13,761 in 1931. The Finance Committee recommends to the Limited Town Meeting the expenditure of $7,850.
The several instances in which the committee has failed to recommend requests of the Board of Fire Engineers follow :
ADDITIONAL MEN-The Board of Fire Engineers has asked for two additional permanent men and six additional call men. They now have a chief, captain, two lieutenants, and eight regular men. In addition there are to call men. This gives a total force of 22 men.
The Finance Committee is unanimously convinced that there is no need of adding men to the Fire Department this year. The Board of Engineers declare that at least 50 per cent of the call firemen attend an average fire. This gives them a force which should be sufficient to handle any fires which occur in Saugus. Last year the Board of Engineers appeared before the committee and declared that with the addition of two regular men and eight call men that the needs of the town would be cared for in the immediate future. The board felt that the most pressing need was regular men to take the apparatus to fires The Finance Committee cooperated fully with the Board of Fire Engineers last year and recommended all of the men they sug- gested. Now the board again desires additions to the force. The Finance Committee unanimously feels that the request is unjustified, that the town has sufficient men to man the appa- ratus and fight fires, and that no additional men should be placed on the department this year.
Additions to the regular forces of either the Fire or Police Department should be contemplated by the town only in cases of grave necessity. Each additional man calls for an appro- priation by the town of $2,007.50 a year-not for one season-
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
but forever. The Finance Committee believes that it would be decidedly unwise for the town to add either permanent or call firemen to the department this year.
FOR VACATION PERIOD-The Fire Department has also asked for $924 for salary of a man to cover vacation periods. The Finance Committee is not convinced that this is necessary and has deleted it from the budget. The committee believes that the present force, even with a man on vacation, is, with the addition of the call men, adequate for the normal needs of the town at present.
APPARATUS REPAIRS-Despite the fact that they have two new pieces of apparatus which should be in perfect condition, the Board of Fire Engineers has recommended $700 for appara- tus repairs. Some $1,900 was spent last year but this was almost entirely on the now abandoned apparatus. The Finance Committee feels that $200 is ample for apparatus repairs in 1931 and has so recommended.
GREASE AND OIL-The department asks for $400 in 1931, although they spent only $240 in 1930. The Finance Commit- tee is unable to forsee where any more grease, gasoline and oil, will be used in 1931. The committee is recommending $250.
BEDS AND BEDDING-In the anticipation of getting two new men, the Board of Fire Engineers ask for $100 for beds and bedding in 1931. The committee has deleted this item from their budget
FREIGHT-The department asks for $75 for freight in 1931. They spent $59 for this purpose in 1930 but almost entirely for parts for the apparatus under repair. The committee recom- mends $10 for 1931.
NEW BOXES-The Board of Fire Engineers is asking for $400 for fire alarm boxes in 1931. This represents four boxes. The committee, however, is of the opinion that the present sys- tem of adding three new boxes annually should be followed. The committee, therefore recommend $300 under this item.
SERVICES AT FIRES-Although the Board of Engineers ex- pended only $28.65 for services at fires in 1930, they expressed a desire for $200 in 1931. The committee is unable to see where
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ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1931]
they should require any such sum for additional services at fires. In the event of an emergency, however, this charge could be met from the reserve fund. The committee therefore, recommends but $25 for services at fires in 1931.
The Finance Committee has also deleted small sums from several other items in the budget, chiefly consisting of ordinary departmental expenses.
Additions to the Budget
The Fire Department has included in the budget several things of a new character and the committee has acted upon the items as follows :
REPAIRS ON THE FIRE ALARM-The Board of Fire Engi- neers have impressed the Finance Committee with the gravity of the situation with relation to the fire alarm system. The system is antiquated and overcrowded so that no additional boxes should be installed on the present circuits. The bells strike spasmodically and many times hit the wrong boxes. The com- mittee is convinced that the system should undergo considerable repairs and that it is of sufficent necessity for the town to under- take this year.
The intention of the Board of Fire Engineers is to add another circuit to the present system and do considerable other work calculated to increase the efficiency. The town must in the near future, in the opinion of the engineers, install a modern system, but it would be impossible to house it in the present fire station.
The engineers have gone into the subject at considerable length and find that the following sums must be spent on the fire alarm system : $300 for labor, $500 for repairs, and $500 for new equipment. The Finance Committee, after a report from the member of the committee delegated to the study of the Fire Department, has voted unanimously to recommend these sums as being highly essential for the safety of persons and property.
REPAIRS ON BUILDING-The present fire station requires repairs to put it into reasonable shape, it being generally con- ceded that the time is not far distant when a new fire station
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
must be provided. The contemplated repairs include work on ventilation and repairs on the lower floor. The Finance Com- mittee recommends the expenditure of $200 for this purpose.
LABOR ON HYDRANTS-This includes shovelling snow away from the hydrants. The committee is convinced that this is work which should be done and has voted to recommend the $200 requested by the Board of Fire Engineers.
NEW HOSE-The Board of Engineers report that the fire hose is in deplorable condition. Some of the hose now in use dates back to 1917 and prior years. The present supply is so inadequate that Chief Mellen R. Joy is often forced to pack wet hose onto the apparatus to properly protect the town. The Finance Committee believes that the Board of Fire Engineers should annually recommend a sum for the replacement of fire hose so that the cost would be maintained at a minor figure.
It seems necessary, however, that hose be purchased this year for the proper protection of the community. The Finance Committee, therefore, has included $2,000 in the budget for the purchase of hose. This should purchase at least 2,000 feet of hose.
SALARIES FOR ENGINEERS-For some years this item has been before the Finance Committee without definite action. After a study of the situation, however, the majority of the com- mitte is convinced that it is not fair on the part of the town to expect men to donate their services for several hours weekly in the administration of a department which last year expended over $16,000 of the taxpayers' money. The Finance Com- mittee is convinced that the policy of the town, prior to several years ago, namely of granting these men a reasonable compensa- tion for their labors, should be resumed. To secure valuable services from citizens without any or with inadequate compensa- tion is depriving them of their just dues. The town of Saugus has not yet reached the stage where it cannot afford to pay for services rendered.
The Finance Committee submits to members of the Limited. Town Meeting that the laborers of the Public Works Depart- ment receive 60 cents an hour for their services. Members of the Board of Fire Engineers, however, working at the job of.
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ANNUAL, TOWN MEETING.
1931]
keeping the expenses of the town at a minimum and still giving service to the citizens, are expected to serve without compensa- tion. Mention should also be made of the fact that the mem- bers are frequently called upon to drive their own cars on the town's business and that their legitimate expenses are consider- ably more than the salary recommended.
.
The majority of the Finance Committee, therefore, recom- mends to the Limited Town Meeting that salaries of $100 each be paid to the members of the Board of Fire Engineers.
Forest Fire Warden
The Finance Committee was confronted this year by the Forest Fire Warden with a budget calling for $2,225. The committee recommends the expenditure of $350 for this depart- ment in 1931.
Chief Mellen R. Joy of the Fire Department, who also acts as Forest Fire Warden, recommends $125 for forest fire appli- ances. In view of the fact that the Chief spent an abnormal amount for this type of equipment in 1930, the committee is convinced that the town has plenty for the present, and recom- mends $50 for this purpose. Last year the Chief spent $905 for services at fires and asks for $1,000 this year. The com- mittee, however, after going into the subject at some length, is convinced that last year was an abnormal season. It is unlikely that such an extended dry period will occur again for many years. The committee, therefore, went back to 1929, which was a normal year, and found that $200 was expended for this purpose in that season. The committee is recommending $200.
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