USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1939 > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20
remainder and towns which make all of their electricity for distri- bution. It is necessary to obtain this data from comparisons with other towns as the actual figures are not available to your commit- tee as far as the Town of Saugus is concerned. We may feel reason- ably sure that our figure is a fair estimate, however, as we have been assured by the Public Utili- ties Division at the State House that this method of comparison has been used with other munici- palities and have been told defin- itely that an exact figure may only be obtained by a survey made by the Public Utilities Division at the request of the town.
An interesting set of figures has been compiled by your committee through comparison of rates now existing in Saugus with those of the 41 Towns listed by the Dept. of Pubic Utilities which compare with Saugus in general layout number of customers, amt. of elec- tricity used and other figures which are necessary in such com- paritive data. Seven of the mu- nicipal plants listed have been used as a basis of comparison and their ave. figures applied to the Town of Saugus based on the num- ber of users. Your committee has determined that in every case and under every rate schedule a sub- stantial saving is to be had over the present rates by the change to Municipal ownership and our ba- sis for this decision is shown in the following set of figures one set of which has been taken from a Municipality which generates all of its electricity and the other from one purchasing all of its cur- rent for distribution.
Town
St. Lgts.
KW Hrs.
$ Paid
Rate KWH
Other Mun Bills
Saugus
725
199465/yr.
14,000
7.13c
$6,000
Hudson
711
290000
4,999
1.73c
3,824
Belmont
1490
807393
23,937
2.94c
4,884
In addition to this tabulation it should be noted that out of the total of 725 street lights Saugus has 562 40 watt and 131 50 watt lamps and only 32 large capacity lamps. In comparison, out of
711 street lights in Hudson there are no 40 watt lights, 591 60 watt lamps and 120 larger ca- pacity.
Belmont has 1490 street lights, total wattage 185,901, Saugus has
65
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
1939]
725 street lights, total wattage 48,480: If Saugus paid the Bel- mont rate the amount paid would be $5,864.27. But Saugus paid $14,- 130.50, a difference of $8,266.23.
Obviously, the Town of Saugus is paying too much for its street lighting and other electric bills. By applying the Hudson rates in the above tabulation to our es- timated street lighting consump- tion for the Town of Saugus the figures show a saving to the town of approximately $10,000 on this one item alone.
At the Belmont rates the sav- ings would approximate $8,000. An important point to keep in mind is that the rates for street lighting in a municipality are de- termined by the Department of Public Utilities under Chapter 164 section 58 of the General Laws, and not by the town. The bill paid by the Town of Saugus to the Lynn Gas and Electric Co., for light and power in its several municipal departments amounted to $386.93 for the month due Feb. 5th, 1939.
By actual calculation of the sev- eral items of this particular bill with the rates in the Town of Bel- mont we find a savings of $133.04, and for the rates in the Town of Hudson, savings of $194.40, in one month.
The General Laws in Massachu- setts requires that a town oper- ating a municipal system shall pay for street lights. As stated above, the Town of Saugus has to appropriate approximately $14,- 130.50 per year. In this town, we have 725 street lights, the ma- jority of them being rated at 40 watts. These are very small and in general entirely inadequate. The Town of Shrewsbury has approxi- mately 875 street lights and the smallest rating installed is 100 watts, two and one-half times the size of the smallest one in Saugus. It is interesting to note that the Town of Shrewsbury, with 150 more lights than Saugus and all of larger ratings, has to appropriate less than $6,000 per year, while Saugus for fewer lights of smaller ratings has to appropriate over twice this figure. In this con-
nection, some individual bills for light and power in Saugus make interesting comparisons with simi- lar users in other towns. In making these comparisons, we do not like to use the lowest munic- ipal rate which occurs in Belmont or Braintree, Massachusetts, or the highest rate which is that of Peabody, Massachusetts, for pur- poses of comparison. However, we are using several different rates.
Your committee has compiled considerable data showing the sav- ings to the individual, in particular with respect to nearby towns and cities used in comparison to Sau- gus. Attached to this report will be found a comparative rate sheet including Hudson, Shrewsbury, Marblehead, Wakefield, Reading, Peabody, Holyoke, Braintree and Belmont. By using the compara- tive figures in the chart, it will be shown that the smaller user of electricity will have the greatest benefit from the municipal system, as in every case there is a definite reduction in the charge. As. a mat- ter of fact, there is a definite re- duction in every instance although the percentage figure varies con- siderably. On the average this chart tends to show that under the municipal system the average user of electricity in the Town of Sau- gus will save at least 20 per cent. of his present bill and if we con- sider the average user to have his bills based on approximately 50 kw hours per month, the saving to the 4212 users of electricity in the Town of Saugus would be ap- proximately $50,000. Based on Belmont figures and approximate- ly the same for Hudson.
For instance, Mr. William S. Braid, near Cliftondale Square, operates a store and of course has bills from his home and his total light bill, schedules A, B and C, for one month totaled $14.66. This is an average winter month. This same bill under the schedule for Hudson would be $11.98, a saving of $2.68. This same bill if paid in Belmont would be $11.07, a sav- ing of $3.59. We have other fig- ures paid by Mr. Ryman who op- erates power and lights in a ga- rage and lights in his home and
66
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
we find for the month of January, 1939, for instance, Mr. Ryman paid a bill of $31.68. This is a total of the A, B and C rates. In Hudson, Mass., Mr. Ryman would have paid a bill of $18.22 a saving of $13.46 over his Saugus bill. In Belmont Mr. Ryman would have paid a bill of $17.48 a saving of $14.20. An- other set of figures from Gibb's Oil Co., operating under A, B and C rates and which paid for De- cember, 1938, a bill of $146.82, shows, based on the Hudson fig- ures, Mr. Gibbs would have paid $56.94, a saving of $90.08 over his Saugus bill, in one month. In
Belmont Mr. Gibbs would have paid $106.03, or would have saved $40.79. These figures which are actual, that is, taken from bills already paid to the Lynn Gas & Electric Co., and compared to the current rates in the other towns show a definite saving to the user. It is recognized that some munic- ipalities have political problems sometimes having a bearing on municipal distribution of power, but these are taken into consider- ation in the rates quoted on the attached sheets and in the above which still show a major improve- ment over the present Saugus rates and consequently tend to show the saving which Saugus us- ers might expect to obtain.
At this point it should be said that Saugus is in a very fortunate position as far as purchasing pow- er is concerned should the town decide not to generate any or all of its power. In addition to our present supplier, we have the New England Power Co., and subsid- iarys available at our borders. Other communities similarly sit- uated have been able to purchase power at very attractive rates for municipal distribution. Naturally, the larger amount of power pur- chased, the better the rate and to obtain some comparative figures we again use the data sheets ob- tained from the Department of Public Utilities. For instance, we find Belmont buying at 1.25c and selling at an average of 3.0c per KWH. In Saugus, we estimate that at least 70 percent of the con- nected load is in the domestic
classification and the average rev- enue received per KWH sold by the Lynn Gas & Electric Co. is 5.347c for this class of service. A. similar comparison can be shown from other municipal systems and all tend to show major savings over present rates.
It can be shown by comparative figures that in building a generat- ing station with the customary ex- pense necessary to retire initial investment as well as to care for depreciation and other normal ex- pense that the town is still in a very favorable position, based on our estimate of the initial instal- lation figure of $600,000. It may be shown that for generation and distribution the town may retire its entire investment over a period' of 20 years, in addition to a sub- stantial saving to the individual user, a substantial saving to the town in its municipal lighting bills- and a saving on the tax rate. These figures apply as well to a distribution system only. The. principal point of interest in this connection is the fact that the municipal index covers similar fig- ures for over 2000 municipalities in the United States and the same' applying to the 41 municipalities by the Department of Public Utili- ties in that in every case, while the percentages vary somewhat, a def- inite saving may be shown over the present Saugus figures and' in addition almost without excep- tion these towns or cities have re- tired their original bonded indebt- edness within a period of twenty years and have also made such ad- ditions to plant as have been found necessary because of increased de- mand and still further, have re- duced their rates from time to time to consumers.
Some question mav be brought up here regarding direct loss of taxable revenue from the present distribution system should the town decide to own and operate its own power and light system. From the 1937 figures we find that the Lynn Gas & Electric Co. paid approximately $12,000 taxes. For the same period, the amount of State corporation tax turned over to the town, including the Lynn'
1-
67.
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
1939]
Gas & Electric Co., contribution was approximately $4,000. We have no way of determining our loss in this corporation tax, but we believe it to be a relatively small portion of this figure. Since none of the generating equipment of this Lynn Gas & Electric Co. system is in Saugus we receive a relatively small tax revenue. From comparative figures of other mu- nicipalities the savings from street lighting and other municipal uses practically offset this loss of direct taxation. There should be no question of the type of service the town can supply to its customers as there is no reason why the town may not duplicate the economies, efficiencies and service of the municipalities used as a basis of comparison in this report.
We calculate the benefits to the Town of Saugus to be: Lower rates to all users of electricity, an
inducement to industries to settle in the town, employment to some 20 or more citizens and lower taxes since practically all systems studied are able to make substan- tial contributions to relief of taxes from income in addition to the profit figure allowed by State law of 8 percent.
We, your committee, therefore, recommend that the Town of Sau- gus take the necessary steps to ac- quire a generating and distribution or distribution system only and having complied with the Massa- chusetts State Law in this respect and the decision of the voters is in favor of the proposition that ap- plication be made to the Federal government for a grant to help carry out the project.
WILLIAM C. BANKS,
HOWARD E. SHATTUCK, ALEXANDER S. ADDISON.
Comparison of Various Charges for Specified K. W. Hours
TOWN
25
40
50
80
100
125
150
200 6.98
250
Peabody
1.35
2.03
2.48
3.55
4.28
4.95
5.63
Wakefield
1.20
1.80
2.20
2.95
3.45
4.08
4.70
5.95
7.20
Braintree
1.13
1.53
1.80
2.48
2.93
3.50
4.05
5.18 6.75
7.43
Shrewsbury 1.25
2.00
2.25
3.00
3.50
4.13
4.75
6.00
7.26
Hudson
1.15
1.60
1.90
2.80
3.40
3.90
4.40
5.40
5.90
Belmont
1.00
1.53
1.88
2.88
3.38
4.00
4.63
5.88
6,88
Lynn
1.53
2.28
2.78
4.18
4.78
5.53
6.28
7.78
9.03
Reading, Belmont and Shrewsbury buy at wholesale and distribute .all services.
Hudson generates from Diesel engines. Total
revenue in 1937,
$162,112.75. Profit
$43,736.35. Total
customers, 3,287. Generated 8,036,300 K. W. H.
Belmont bought 10,598,000 K. W. H. in 1937. Total revenue $301,- :870.00. Profit $41,876.64. Total customers 7,316.
WILLIAM C. BANKS, HOWARD SHATTUCK, ALEXANDER ADDISON.
Reading
1.35
2.16
2.70
3.51
4.05
4.73
5.40
8.33
6.30
68
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting April 4, 1939
The meeting was called to order at 8:00 P. M.
A count of the members was taken. There was not a quorum present.
Voted to adjourn until Monday,
April 10, 1939, at 8:15 P. M. 8:35 P. M.
A true copy. Attest: VIOLA G. WILSON, Town Clerk ..
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting April 10, 1939
The meeting was called to order at 8:00 P. M. and adjourned until 8:10. No quorum was present. The meeting adjourned to 8:25.
The meeting was called to order at 8:25 P. M.
Mr. Gibbs and Mr. Metcalf were appointed tellers. A count of the members was taken. 167 were present.
The salute to the Flag was giv- en.
The reading of the records of the previous meeting was waived by unanimous consent.
Item 42.
It was moved to reconsider Item 42.
The motion to reconsider Item 42 was laid on the table until April 17, 1939. 8:41 P. M.
Article 1. The committee on town government presented a re- port read by Mr. Peckham.
Voted: That the report be ac- cepted and adopted and that the committee be continued and that the moderator fill the existing va- cancy. 9:03 P. M. Yeas 151. nays 9.
The following resolution was of- fered by Mr. Peckham:
"Resolved that the Town of Saugus in town meeting assembled, hereby request the Legislature to enact legislation, providing a town manager form of government for Saugus."
Voted to lay the resolution on
the table at 9:56 P. M. for one week.
Voted to adjourn at 11 P. M. un- til next Monday evening at 8 P. M. Item 40.
Voted to lay on the table. 10:03 P. M.
Item 40a.
Voted: That the sum of $5000 be and the same is hereby appro- priated for asphalt and pea stone,. surface treatment of roads. 10:04 P. M.
Item 41.
Voted: That the sum of $10,500 he and the same is hereby appro- priated for snow and ice. 10:19 P. M.
Item 47.
Voted: That the sum of $11,000 be and the same is hereby appro- priated for the cemetery depart- ment, $9,000 of which to be raised' in the tax levy and $2.000 shall be- transferred from available funds,. (income from perpetual care de- posits). 10:201/2 P. M.
Item 43.
Voted: That the sum of $18,500. be and the same is hereby appro- priated for water purchase. 10:38: P. M.
Item 44.
Voted: That the sum of $17,000' be and the same is hereby appro-
69
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
1939]
priated for water maintenance. 10:57 P. M.
Item 45.
Voted to lay on the table. 10:58 P. M.
Item 46.
Voted: That the sum of $1600 be
and the same is hereby appropriat- ed for water meters, gates and hy- drants. 10:59 P. M.
The meeting adjourned at 11 P. M. until Monday at 8 P. M.
A true copy.
Attest: VIOLA G. WILSON,
Town Clerk.
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting April 17, 1939
The meeting was called to order at 8:15 P. M. by the Moderator, Herbert P. Mason.
A count of the members was taken. 155 were present.
The salute to the Flag was giv- en.
The reading of the records of the previous meeting was waived by unanimous consent.
The Adjourned Special Town Meeting of April 3rd was called to order and at 8:15 P. M. was adjourned to April 18th at 8:15 P. M.
The adjourned annual meeting was called to order.
Mr. Martin moved to reconsider Item 44. Not voted. 8:52 P. M.
Item 51.
Voted: That the sum of $100 be and the same is hereby appropriat- ed for vital statistics. 8:55 P. M.
Item 53.
Voted: That the sum of $400 be and the same is hereby appropriat- ed for the Inspector of Cattle. 8:55 P. M.
Item 54.
Voted: That the sum of $300 be and the same is hereby appro- priated for the Inspector of Milk. 8:55 P. M.
Item 55.
Voted: That the sum of $3.250 be and the same is hereby appro- priated for the collection of gar- bage. 8:55 P. M.
Item 50.
Voted: That the sum of $14,000" be and the same is hereby appro- priated for the health department, including $1,350 as salaries of the. board. 9:36 P. M.
Mr. Norman Hatch was sworn. in as teller.
Item 52.
Voted: That the sum of $1,500; be and the same is hereby appro- priated for the Inspector of Plumb -- ing and sanitation. Yeas 82, nays 62. 9:45 P. M.
Item 56.
Voted: That the sum of $500 be. and the same is hereby appro -. priated for Memorial Day. 9:48 P. M.
Item 57.
Voted: That the sum of $1,275. be and the same is hereby appro- priated for printing and distribut- ing town reports. 9:48 P. M.
Item 61.
Voted: That the sum of $1,700. be and the same is hereby appro- priated for trade school tuition. 9:48 P. M.
Item 58.
Voted: That the sum of $14, --- 379.11 be and the same is hereby appropriated for insurance. 8:53: P. M.
Ttem 59.
Voted: That the sum of $2,300.
70
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
be and the same is hereby appro- priated for playgrounds. 10:39 P. M.
Item 60.
Voted: That the sum of $7,200 be and the same is hereby appro- priated for the reserve fund. 10:52 P. M.
Item 24.
Voted to lay on the table. 10:57 P. M.
The meeting adjourned at 11 P. M. till April 24th at 8:15 P. M.
A true copy.
Attest: VIOLA G. WILSON,
Town Clerk.
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting April 24, 1939
The meeting was called to order at 8:16 P. M.
A count of the members was taken. 151 were present.
The salute to the Flag was giv- en.
The reading of the records of the previous meeting was waived by unanimous consent.
The Special Town meeting for April 3, 1939 was adjourned till the next session of the Adjourned Annual Town meeting.
Voted to take Item 40 from the table.
Item 40.
Voted: That the sum of $20,800 be and the same is hereby appro- priated for highways, fences and bridges and that there is alloted of this amount and transferred to the PWA sewer construction ac- count the sum of $2,300 for the repair of streets under PWA pro- ject, Mass. 1422 F. 9:44 P. M.
Voted to reconsider Item 24. Yeas 105, nays 31.
Item 24.
Voted: That the sum of $1,600 be and the same is hereby appro- priated for the superintendent of fire alarms department. 10:06 P. M.
Item 45.
Voted: That the sum of $1,500 be and the same is hereby appro- priated for water extension. 10:10 P. M.
Voted to take Mr. Peckham's resolution of April 10, 1939 from the table.
Voted: That this resolution be referred to a committee of nine to be appointed by the moderator to consider further and report at a future town meeting. 10:23 P. M.
Article 11. Voted: That the sum of $850 be and the same is hereby appropriated for mosquito control work under provisions of Chapter 112, Acts of 1931. 10:25 P. M.
Voted: That the moderator ap- point a committee of ten town meeting members to call upon Mr. Waddell at the State House to as- certain the financial status of the Town of Saugus and report at a later meeting.
Article 29. Voted to indefinite- ly postpone. 10:30 P. M.
Article 30. Voted to refer to the selectmen. 10:41 P. M.
Article 31. Voted, that the sum of $800 be and the same hereby is appropriated for the investigation and determination of tax titles, the same to be expended under the di- rection of the Town Treasurer. 10:42 P. M.
Voted to adjourn until May 2, 1939, at 8 P. M.
Article 32. Voted to indefinite- ly postpone. Yeas 91, nays 19. 10:48 P. M.
At this point a quorum was doubted. A count of the members
71
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
1939]
showed that 152 were present.
Article 33. Voted to lay on the table. 10:52 P. M.
Article 34. Voted to indefinite- ly postpone. 10:53 P. M.
Article 35. Voted to lay on the table for one week. 10:54 P. M.
Article 36. Voted to indefinite- ly postpone. 10:56 P. M.
Article 37. Voted: To have the Board of Public Welfare, consist- ing of three members, elected as follows: One to be elected for a term of three years, one to be elected for a term of two years, and one to be elected for a term of one year at the Annual Town meeting of 1940, and that there- after there shall be annually elect- ed one member of the Board of Public Welfare for a term of three years. Yeas 102, nays 15. 10:57 P. M.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 P. M.
A true copy.
Attest: VIOLA G. WILSON, Town Clerk.
April 25, 1939.
Mrs. Viola G. Wilson, Town Clerk, Saugus, Mass.
Dear Mrs. Wilson:
I hereby appoint the following: as a committee of ten town meet- ing members to interview Mr. Wad- dell, director of accounts, as an- thorized by vote of the annual town meeting on April 24, 1939;
Messrs. Harold W. Humphrey, Henry A. B. Peckham,. Chester P. Gibson, Benjamin Q. Belonga,. Russell R. Peterson, John C. Pitman, Robert G. Pike, Giles S. Bryer, Dennis M. Cronin, . Frederick L. Sawyer,.
Very truly yours,
HERBERT P. MASON, Moderator ..
A true copy.
Attest: VIOLA G. WILSON, Town Clerk ..
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting May 2, 1939
Adjourned Special Town Meeting
The meeting was called to order at 8:15 P. M. No quorum was present.
The meeting was adjourned to 8:30.
The meeting was called to order at 8:30 P. M. 149 members were present.
The Special Town meeting was adjourned until Monday at 8:15, May 8, 1939. 8:31 P. M.
The salute to the Flag was giv- en.
The reading of the records of the previous meeting was waived by unanimous consent.
Article 38. Voted to lay on the table. 8:39 P. M.
The report of the committee to
interview Mr. Waddell presented their report, read by Mr. Hum- phrey.
Voted to accept the report and to continue the committee. 9:58
P. M.
Article 35. Voted to take from. the table.
Voted: That a committee of five citizens be appointed by the mod -- erator to investigate the advisa- bility of having the Collector of Taxes receive an annual salary as. may be designated and appropriat- ed by the Town Meeting and that all fees as defined by law in ac- cordance with Section 15 and 15A,. Chapter 60 of the General Laws,.
72
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
and all subsequent laws concern- ing fees, that are now retained by the Collector, shall be turned into the Treasury of the town as a town income; said committee to make their report at any subse- quent Special town meeting, if possible, but not later than the Annual Town meeting of 1940. 10:04 P. M.
Article 39. Voted to indefinite- ly postpone. 10:06 P. M.
Voted to take Article 5 from the table.
Article 5. Voted that the sum of $3,500 be and it is hereby appropriated for the continuation of the reconstruction of Woodbury avenue and Hesper street, provid- ed a similar sum is provided by the County of Essex, and $7,000 or other sum by the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts for this purpose. 10:35 P. M.
Voted to take Article 6 from the table.
Article 6. Voted to indefinitely postpone. 10:44 P. M.
Article 10. Voted to indefinite-
ly postpone. 10:45 P. M. A quorum was doubted. 10:54 P. M.
A count of members was taken. A quorum was not present.
Article 13 is pending before the meeting.
Voted to adjourn at 10:55 P. M. until Monday evening at 8:15 P. M.
A true copy.
Attest: VIOLA G. WILSON,
Town Clerk.
Special Report of Committee Investigating Town Finance
Mr. Moderator and Town Meeting Members:
Your committee voted for and appointed to call upon Mr. Wad- dell at the State House to ascer- tain the financial status of the Town of Saugus and report at a later meeting, wishes to submit the following findings.
Those present were Harold W. Humphrey, Chairman, Henry A. B. Peckham, John C. Pitman, Russell R. Peterson, Benjamin Q. Belonga, Giles S. Bryer, Robert Pike, Ches- ter Gibson, Dennis M. Cronin and Frederick L. Sawyer.
The meeting was convened at Mr. Waddell's office, Department of Corporations and Taxation, Di- vision of Accounts, at 2 P. M. and adjourned at 5 P. M., Tuesday, April 25, 1939. Mr. Searles, Mr. Waddell's assistant, went into great detail to discuss and ex- plain the
outstanding facts brought to light by the State audit of 1938. We shall attempt to analyze these departments in the order of their importance.
Town Treasurer's Department It was brought to our attention
that monies appropriated for the purpose of determining the valid- ity of tax titles was used to pay the regular weekly payroll of the treasurer's office during the year 1937.
Exceeding appropriations comes under Sections 31 and 62, Chapter 44, of the General Laws.
Finance Committee
We were advised that the pres- ent form of budget lacks proper control. Warrants should be set up with payroll and supplies in separate amounts to be appropri- ated and voted on by Town Meet- ing members separately. By this means, unwarranted salary in- creases can be controlled. At present department heads can spend appropriations at will.
Tax Collector's Department
The Tax Collector should fol- low up without delay invalid tax titles returned to the Tax Collect- or's Office by the Treasurer's Of- fice, so that the Board of Assessors shall have information to cease as- sessments against tax title prop- erty.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.