USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1932 > Part 7
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1,017 75
1,230 20
1,256 00
1,135 00
Sealer of Weights and Measures
880 55
1, 1OI 59
1,110 00
980 00
Gypsy Moth Department
4,999 33
5,008 35
5,000 00
5,000 00
Tree Warden Department .
1,349 81
3,264 50
1,200 00
775 00
Safety Committee
403 71
300 00
50 00
$73,168 27
$75,006 49
$76,506 80
$68,049 90
Education and Library
Schools .
$206,260 06
$212,955 07
$205,000 00
$200,000 00
School House Repairs
8,828 56
9,229 25
2,000 00
2,000 00
Public Library . .
7,434 56
7,563 64
7,393 00
6,200 00
$222,523 18
$229,747 96
214,393 00
$208,210 00
97
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1932]
Recommended
Expended in 1930 $30,568 30
Expended in 1931 $30,500 00
Asked for in 1932 $28,988 00 2,324 So
· . .
. . .
.
Charities and Soldiers' Relief
Board of Public Welfare
Expended in 1930 $33,155 98 10,488 29
Expended in 1931 $61,110 48
Asked for in 1032 $71,980 00
Rcommended $62,000 CO
Infirmary . · State Aid
1,227 00
1,300 00
1,500 00
1,500 00
Soldiers' Relief
15,328 71
19,508 95
20,000 00
18,000 00
Soldiers' Burial
97 00
.
.
200 00
200 00
$60,296 98
$89,060 52
$100,025 00
$85,350 00
Highways, Fences and Bridges
Highways, Fences and Bridges .
$19,935 10
$15,895 00
$15,000 00
$12,500 CO
Sidewalks and Curbing .
14,278 61
12,721 35
3,000 00
·
·
Snow and Ice
6,026 78
6,985 21
5,900 00
3,500 00
Street Lighting
11,700 00
14,594 00
17,390 00
17,390 00
Cliftondale Square
3,644 46
Street Cleaning
1,000 00
1,000 00
Cleaning Catch Basins
497 51
500 00
Surface Treatment of Roads .
4,000 00
10,000 00
4,000 00
Tar Sidewalk and Repairs .
750 00
1,000 00
500 00
Street Signs ..
299 30
Pleasant Street Drain
350 00
Fences
522 47
150 00
Vitrified Pipe
.
.
.
$51,940 49
$60,909 30
$54,790 00
$37,890 00
[Dec. 31
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
.
.
.
·
.
.
.
.
.
. ..
.
·
·
500 00
7,141 09
6,345 00
3,650 00
. . .
Enterprises and Cemeteries
Expended in 1930
Expended in 1931 $20,000 00
Asked for in 1932
Recommended
Water Purchase .
$18,940 67
$20,000 00
$20,000 00
Water Maintenance
23,554 16
25,494 99
23,000 00
17,500 00
Water Extension .
6,050 42
5,999 SS
6,000 00
4,000 00
Replacing Water Mains
1,397 62
49, 102 38
. . .
. ..
Water Meter
2,993 79
399 75
400 00
200 00
Cemetery .
6,600 00
7,672 26
5,600 00
5,600 00
Pumping Station, Automatic
500 00
500 00
Taylor Street E. Relay
300 00
Installing Gates
997 28
500 00
500 00
$59,536 56
$109,663 54
$56,300 00
$48,300 00
Health and Sanitation
Health Department
$3,924 73
$5,028 62
$5,495 00
$5,000 00
Vital Statistics
91 25
86 50
100 00
100 00
Inspector of Plumbing
1,456 02
1,500 00
1,500 CO
1,300 00
Inspector of Cattle .
685 39
784 86
785 00
705 00
Inspector of Milk
300 00
300 00
300 00
300 00
Collection of Ashes
4,900 00
4,900 00
4,900 00
4,900 00
Collection of Garbage
3,000 00
3,000 00
3,000 00
3,000 00
$14,356 39
$15,599 98
$16,080 00
$15,305 00
·
.
.
·
.
...
.
.
.
.
99
1932]
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
Recreation aad Unclassified
Expended in 1930
Expended in 1931
Asked for 1932
Rccommedevi
Memorial Day
$469 56
$450 00
$450 00
$450 CO
Town Reports .
1,604 70
2,062 80
2,000 00
2,000 00
Insurance .
5,427 97
6,665 30
8,917 38
5,400 00
Playground
3,732 28
3,581 44
2,450 00
1,100 CO
Reserve Fund
6,000 00
7,798 66
6,000 00
6,000 00
Trade Schools .
1,474 53
998 98
900 00
900 00
$18,709 04
$21,547 IS
$20,717 38
$18,850 00
Interest and Maturing Debt
Interest on Temporary Loans
$6,279 48
$9,997 09
$40,000 00
$40,000 00
Interest on School Loans
5,736 25
4,999 00
4,381 25
4,381 25
Interest on Water Loans
1,221 25
2,073 75
1,786 25
1,786 25
Schoolhouse Loan Bonds
16,500 00
16,500 00
16,500 00
16,500 00
Water Loan Bonds .
.
3,000 00
8,000 00
8,000 00
8,000 00
$32,736 98
$41,569 84
$70,667 60
$70,667 60
Total
$576,247 69
$691,537 67
$654,420 78
$595,747 50
100
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
1932]
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
IOI
Speclal Articles Recommended for Passage
ARTICLE 4-Addition to Essex County Tuberculosis Hospital $72 78
ART. 5-Maintenance of Essex County Hospital, 3,956 91
ART.
7-Unpaid bills of 1931 and prior years ·
5,069 07
ART. 9-Land damages on Main street ·
1,732 89
ART. 10-To determine the validity of tax titles, 900 00
Total
$11,731 65
Total requested in special articles
$739,334 15
Total recommended
11,731 65
Report of the Finance Committee to Representative Town Meeting on Investigation of Board of Public Welfare
The Board of Public Welfare
At the annual Town Meeting of 1931, the Finance Com- mittee was directed by vote of the Representative Town Meet- ing to conduct a study of the Board of Public Welfare and its transactions and to report, with its findings, at the next annual Town Meeting. The committee was specifically directed to re- port such recommendations as would tend to increase the efficiency of the department.
The committee, after an analysis of the situation, became convinced that it would be unwise for the committee as a whole to participate in such an investigation. It was realized that the work would necessitate the expenditure of considerable time and effort and that it could best be attacked by a sub-committee cap- able of devoting exclusive efforts to the problem. By vote of the committee, it was decided to appoint a sub-committee for the purpose, and Chairman Alexander S. Addison selected Frederick R. Sharp, Charles E. Stillings, and Charles T. Anderson for the task. Paul A. Haley, secretary of the Fin- ance Committee, was selected to serve as secretary of the sub- committee. Mr. Sharp was subsequently selected as chairman of the investigating committee.
Question of Policy
The sub-committee was faced at the outset with the question of establishing a definite policy upon which to premise its in-
103
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
vestigation. Various charges of inefficiency and maladministra- tion in past years had been voiced upon the floor of the annual Town Meeting. Definite accusations had been leveled at the door of the Board of Public Welfare but all of them were con- cerned with things which had been done in the past.
To investigate the work of past boards, would, the sub-committee felt, serve no useful purpose. Even if the charges were established to be facts, there would be no method by which the injury done in the past could be rectified in the present. To delve into the expenditures and records of the past would have ne- cessitated the expenditure of time and money. The committee was faced with the realization that the Town Meeting had provided it with no funds to en- gage assistance.
After considerable debate, the committee determined that the ends of efficiency would best be served by confining the investi- gation to the work of the present board and in attempting to present to the members of the Representative Town Meeting methods by which the efficiency of the office might be speeded and the expenditures for welfare if not decreased greatly in- creased in their effectiveness. The committee felt that to drag up the happenings of the past would be merely bringing to light water which had flowed over the dam. To devote their efforts to presenting to the citizens of the town concrete means by which the efficiency of the board could be enhanced would, the com- mittee felt, result in placing constructive critcism before the Annual Town Meeting of this year.
Full Cooperation
The sub-committee wishes at this time to state that they have been greeted with the full cooperation of the Board of Public Welfare. All papers, documents and information at the dis- posal of the board have been freely tendered to the Investigating Committee at their request. The spirit of the members of the Board of Public Welfare has been most helpful and encouraging and the Finance Committee, regardless of any recommendations which it may make involving changes in the department, desires to thank the entire board for their hearty cooperation and evident desire to assist in the work.
103
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1932]
The Committee's Work
The sub-committee of the Finance Committee has attended, either as a group or by individuals, 14 meetings of the Board of Public Welfare. They have devoted entire evenings to scan- ning the actual work of the board under extreme pressure and have arrived at the unaminous opinion that the Board of Wel- fare is doing, in general, very excellent work. In addition to this field work, the sub-committee has made an extensive study of methods employed in surrounding communities. Through the courtesy of His Honor, J. Fred Manning, Mayor of Lynn, it had the benefit of an evening's conference with Joseph Cole, Executive Secretary of the Lynn Board of Public Welfare, who graciously came to Saugus and gave the committee considerable information relative to the general scope of work in that neigh- boring municipality. The committee has spared no effort to make an adequate comparison of Saugus with neighboring com- munities but has been faced constantly with the fact that the burden in Saugus is not comparable to the final degree with that of any other community.
Load is Heavy
The sub-committee is convinced that the load which the Board of Public Welfare is carrying is heavy, tre- mendously heavy. Never before in the history of the town have they been subjected to such extraordinary demands upon the public purse. The board has been faced with an emergency, they have been forced to act as any administrative body in the face of such demands, and that they have made mistakes in the allocation of public funds is merely a normal reaction. The com- mittee is convinced that the Board of Welfare has made every effort to weed out the undesirables but they have been faced with a difficult problem in arriving at the truth. Despite the efforts of their clerk and investi- gator, many persons have failed to give correct in- formation and the strictest kind of investigation has failed to bring to light situations which have eventually cropped out. Saugus is far from being alone in this difficulty. Our neighboring city of Lynn has been faced with a situation which has resulted in the arrest of several persons. During the past year the Saugus
104
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Board of Welfare has brought about the arrest and sen- tence to jail of one person proven to be falsely repre- senting his financial condition. The greatest problem which the Board of Welfare has had to face has been the deceit of persons applying for aid and the commit- tee is convinced that the board has done all in their power to minimize these type of cases.
Dishonesty is found in all walks of life. It is inevitable that some would occur in such a situation as confronts the town at present. The strictest investigation may fail sometimes to over- come the dishonesty and deceit of persons who are too lazy to work and are determined that the taxpayers of the town shall support them.
The sub-committee feels that every honest citizen of the town has a certain definite and well defined duty in this crisis. If he has definite information tending to show that any recipient of public aid is unworthy, that he is spending the money provided by the taxpayers for things which are not necessities of life, or that he is possessed of an income which does not require the continuance of such aid, then it is his clear and defined duty to report the same to the Board of Public Welfare. It should not be forgotten that the funds to maintain the needy of the town are provided by all of the citizens of the town and that many of the contributors are numbered among those who find it a greatly increasing problem to gather together the money necessary to meet their taxes. Surely there is nothing of the "tell-tale" in reporting to the Board of Welfare situations which they should be acquainted with. Rather it is a patriotic duty.
No Protests
The Finance Committee announced during the course of its investigation that a hearing would be held at which all persons having any complaints against the Board of Welfare were wel- come to attend and present the facts. The hearing was held in the Town Hall. It is significant that not a single protestant appeared. The only objectors recorded were a group of inde- pendent store owners of the town who were opposed to the board's policy of giving store orders on chain stores when requested by the recipient of aid. As a result of the hearing, the sub-committee reported to the Board of Welfare that a change
105
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1932]
might be expedient and that the Welfare Board voted to give grocery and milk orders in the future solely to Saugus people.
If citizens of the community had the best interests of the town at heart it was, the committee believes, their clear cut duty to have appeared at this meeting and presented evidence for the Finance Committee to base its investigation upon.
One specifie case was brought to the attention of the Finance Committee several months later by a former recipient of aid. His chief complaint was that the Board of Welfare had refused to continue his aid of $10 per week because he declined to accept a job at $16 a week at the Town Infirmary. He con- tended that when not working he could earn from $6 to $10 a week repairing cars and that he could not afford to take a steady job at $16 per week. The sub-committee conferred on the case with the Board of Welfare, with the recipient present, and he changed his story considerably when confronted by the Wel- fare Board. The opinion of the Finance Committee is that the Board of Welfare was justified in its action.
Disagreeable Job
The gist of the Finance Commiteee's finding on this subject is that the Board of Public Welfare has a thankless and disagreeable job. Their work during the past year has been somewhat simplified by additional assistance authorized by the Annual Town Meeting. Miss Lillian Shores has taken over the complete clerical work of the board with a decided impetus to efficiency and the board selected as its invesigator Mr. Frank Garofano. The Finance Committee has found his work of a high character and in its conference with Mr. Cole of the Lynn board found that his contacts with Mr. Garofano had convinced him that he was doing an excellent job.
Furnished Labor
During the past year the board has instituted a policy of forc- ing able-bodied men to work for their dole. Many of them have been placed with the Board of Public Works and records of the Welfare Board shows that they have furnished a minimum
106
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
of seven and a maximum of 40 men during a period of 30 weeks. They estimate a total of 30,960 hours of labor furnished free to the Board of Public Works. The Finance Committee believes that this is a fair and just policy and that those receiving aid should be willing to work it out. There has been, however, a decided lack of cooperation in this respect from the unemployed and recipients of aid and the committee recommends that more stringent methods be employed to make certain that they do work for their dole.
No Trained Investigator
Mrs. Philip E. Jameson, executive secretary of the Saugus Welfare League, in a lengthy and deeply appreciated letter to the committee suggests the need of a trained social service worker in the department. The Finance Committee has investigated this question from all angles. It finds that in Lynn the Board of Public Welfare is opposed to such workers on the grounds that they result in an increased expense. The reports of a social service worker continually call for more aid than the town is in the habit of giving and the Finance Committee is convinced that were one to be employed in Saugus our expenses would mount considerably. We are inclined to feel with Mr. Cole that the need is not so great for social service workers as for hard· headed, practical, experienced men, who will do all in their power to weed out the undesirables and cut the expenses of the department to a minimum. In this connection, the com- mittee wishes to state that it believes that the present investigator is doing an excellent job.
Cash Abuses
The Finance Committee finds that a large part of the trans- actions of the Board of Public Welfare are in cash orders. The board argues that many persons are able to support themselves better with cash than grocery orders. To this premise, how- ever, the sub-committee, after a study, takes exceptions. The committee believes that the majority of the complaints against the business of the Board of Welfare have arisen as a result of this cash basis. It is easier to misuse cash than grocery orders. Again we call attention to the practice in the city of Lynn. Mr. Cole informed the committee that he was opposed entirely
107
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1932]
to the cash basis of doing business and that his board issues nothing but orders.
The Finance Committee feels that Saugus might well emulate this example. An abolition of cash and the substitution of orders for groceries, clothes, shoes, and medicines, would inflict a hardship upon no one. It would at the same time provide a much more ready method of checking. We recommend that the giving of cash be entirely discontinued as far as possible. This should result in considerably more efficiency.
System Wrong
The Finance Committee is also convinced that the system of the Board of Public Welfare is wrong. The board operates on the system of years gone by whereby every applicant has to appear at the Town Hall to face the board every Tuesday eve- ning. This brings to the Town Hall weekly a crowd which taxes the capacity of the court room and as an average of 10 minutes is required to listen to the case of each applicant, many of them, often mothers with children, are kept at the hall until 10.30 or after at night. This, the committee believes, is basic- ally wrong and merely piles up the burdens of the Board of Welfare. The office now has a capable clerk who could inter- view all those on the rolls weekly and obtain all necessary information. Reports on each case could then be presented to the board for action. If they were not satisfied with any reports, it would be a simple matter to turn them over to their investigator or to ask the recipient to appear before them. We believe that the time of the Board of Welfare could be saved by this method and that they would have more opportunity to work on other basic needs.
We find that this is the system in vogue in Lynn and other surrounding communities. We believe it to be only consistent with good judgment and recommend that it be employed in Saugus.
We find that the expenses of maintaining the Board of Public Welfare have not increased out of proportion to those of sur- rounding communities. The need is urgent, the burden is heavy, and the capacity of all towns and cities is being taxed to the limit.
IOS
TOWN DOCUMENTS. [Dec. 31
We submit this report to the citizens of Saugus and the mem- bers of the Limited Town Meeting as our honest convictions based upon extensive study.
Sincerely,
Signed, FREDERICK R. SHARP, Chairman, CHARLES E. STILLINGS, CHARLES T. ANDERSON.
We hereby accept this report of a sub-committee of the Fi- nance Committee as the report of the Finance Committee.
Signed, ALEXANDER S. ADDISON, Chairman, PAUL A. HALEY, Secretary, EDWARD GIBBS, JR. BERTRAND D. WESTENDARP, FRANK F. HUMPHRIES, CHARLES T. ANDERSON, FREDERICK R. SHARP, CHARLES E. STILLINGS.
The Water and Dock committee's report was accepted as printed in the 1931 Town Report.
C. F. Nelson Pratt reported progress in the Water Investigat- ing Committee. The report was accepted as one of progress.
At this time the Finance Committee submitted a supple- mentary report on the Public Welfare Department.
The following tellers were selected by the Moderator and duly sworn : Benjamin Ramsdell, George Durgin, Frederick R. Sketchley, Mabel Nelson.
At this time a resolution was offered by C. F. Nelson Pratt, regarding the apportionment of the expense of maintaining the Pines River Draw Bridge.
At this time Frank P. Bennett, Jr., relinquished the chair to speak in favor of Mr. Pratt's resolution.
Herbert P. Mason served as Moderator pro tem.
109
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1932]
"Whereas-The cost of maintenance of the proposed new Point of Pines bridge, so-called, to replace the present bridge over the Saugus river and the expense for operation of the draw in said bridge is to be allocated on the basis of Lynn 40 per cent, Revere 20 per cent and Saugus 40 per cent, and
"Whereas-This proposed bridge is a major project on a highway connecting Lynn and Revere, and a traffic route be- tween the North and South Shores, and
"Whereas-The town of Saugus has no buildings or houses in the proximity of the bridge and will derive no direct or im- mediate benefits from the draw in this bridge, and
"Whereas-The taxpayers of Saugus would be called upon to pay a permanent annual expense for operation of the draw of approximately $3,000, therefore be it
"Resolved-That the Annual Limited Town Meeting of Saugus of March 16, 1932 favors the construction of a new bridge, but is opposed to any assessment being made to Lynn, Revere, or Saugus for maintenance costs or for operation of the draw, and be it further
"Resolved-That we believe that the entire cost for mainten- ance of the bridge and operation of the draw should be met from he State Highway Fund, and be it further
"Resolved-That copies of these resolutions be sent to the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senator from the Ist Suffolk District, the three representatives from the 10th Essex District, and a copy be spread upon the records."
The resolution was passed on a roll call vote 182 in the affirm- ative and one in the negative.
Town Meeting Members
PRECINCT ONE
Clarence M. Davis y, Walter S. Dyer y, Edwin M. Holmes y, Jesse W. Lambert y, Frank N. Lendall y, John F. Mccullough, Jr. y, Welcome W. McCullough y, Frederick L. Sawyer, Harry F. Wentworth y, Bertrand D. Westendarp y,
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Timothy J. Bannon, Thomas E. Berrett y, George H. Durgin y, Elmer R. Emmett y, Lawrence E. Day y. Russell P. Gray y, John G. Holmes, y, Henry A. Mccullough, Charles M. Sweeney, Vincent J. McGilvary, Jr., Walter T. Brander y, Fred C. Cheever y, Arthur D. Hitchings y, Wallace E. Long y, Gordon C. Marr, George A. McCarrier y, Thomas P. Parsons y, Henry A. B. Peckham y, W. Charles Sellick y, Charles Wilson. Yeas 23.
PRECINCT TWO
Nathan F. Chapman, Robert J. Maher y, Russell R. Peterson y Samuel A. Phinney, n, Angelo Rossetti y, Fred B. Swett y, Edward E. Walker y, John Willis White, C. Carroll Cunningham y, John F. Hunt, Charles H. L. Kahler, Charles M. O'Connor, Kenneth A. Larkin, Richard J. Spencer y, Charles W. Turner, Chauncey V. Whittredge y, George Wood, Benjamin Q. Belonga y, H. Warren Butler y, Bertram E. Dexter, Charles E. Flynn y, Ernest A. Hodgdon y, Clarence O. Martin y, Harry L Potts y, John A. Taylor y, Harry T. Turner y. Yeas 16. No I.
PRECINCT THREE
Arthur R. Armstrong y, Dorothy J. Eyre, Bertram C. Farnham y, Isabella J. Griswold y, Joseph A. Lambert, Mabel I. Nelson y, Kaler A. Perkins y, Charles L. Putney y, Frederick R. Sketchley y, Charles E. Thrasher y, Frederick H. Griswold y, William T. Allen, Stanley W. Hatch y, John J. Kelly y, Henry F. Gayron, Jr. y, Herbert B. Newhall y, Walter L. C. Niles y, Frederick R. Sharp y, Samuel E. Rice y, Sanford S. Searles y, Esther A. Borjeson y, Charles A. Charles y, Vernon W. Evans y, George F. Goeselin y, John W. Hitchings y, William E. Ludden y, Daniel M. Radford y, Lincoln D. Robbins y, Lewis O. Stocker y, Frederick B. Willis y. Yeas 27.
PRECINCT FOUR
Ethel L. Gibbs, Walter S. Hamilton y, Angelina S. Hayden y, Bessie 1. Neale y, Frank Repucci y, Marion P. Russell, Waldo B. Russell y, Sydney Smith, Ernest F. Tarbox y, Virginia E. Woodward y, Mabel L. Carter, Chester F. Cross y, Paul A. Haley, Harold P. Rice y, Newell V. Bartlett y, John S. Cashen y, Fred L. Hawkes y, Leonard C. Maxwell, Edwin A. Rich, Jr. y, Lewis E. Richardson y, Arthur B. Barnes y, George
III
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1932]
H. Blood y, Ashton F. Davis y, Robert Henry Evans y, Edward Gibbs, Jr. y, Elmer E. Gray y, Edwin K. Hayden y, Horace C. Ramsdell y, Frank B. Sloan y, Crawford H. Stocker y. Yeas 24.
PRECINCT FIVE
Roswell W. Abbott, George B. Conley y, Arthur Lee Homan y, Martha R. Merrill y, Lucy F. Stillings y, Edward W. Wilson y, Joseph E. Wormstead, Oren O. Bentley, Harold J. Coburn y, Chester P. Gibson y, Ernest W. Homan y, Howard F. Kelly y, A. Willard Moses y, Otto F. Persson y, Francis W. Comey y, Rosanna M. Gautreau y, Robert E. Jacobs, Arthur L. Hawkes y, Harry W. Merrill y, Robert G. Pike y, Charles E. Stillings. Yeas 17.
PRECINCT SIX
Iona E. Britt y, Joseph G. Fisher y, William Huggins, George W. Lambert, Albert J. Mandeville y, George N. Mckay y, Arthur W. Randall y, Flora L. Russell y, Charles T. Anderson y, Elizabeth H. Anderson, Charles C. DeFranzo y, W. George Greenlay, Oswald C. Anderson, Raymond E. Morrison y, Benjamin H. Pingree y, William S. Rockhill y, Peter W. Ainslee y, Andrew B. Britt y, Washington L. Bryer y, Agnes B. Dodge y, William L. Dowling y, Charles E. Light y, W. Ernest Light y, Benjamin A. Ramsdell y. Yeas 19.
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