USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1940 > Part 4
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36
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
TOWN MEETING MEMBERS
Precinct One-Three Years
* Archie C. Cheever 419
*Frederick M. Kelley 264
William J. Coleridge 222 Asa G. Kimball 130
*Charlotte A. Davis 385
*Gordon C. Marr 405
*L. Elmer Day 332 *Henry A. Mccullough 441
Charles C. DeFronzo 215
*Mary S. Doyle 350
George H. Durgin 402
*Elmer R. Emmett 376
*Delmont E. Goding 281
*Lewis O. Gray 373
*Robert F. Griffin 295
Arthur S. Husson 169
Robert W. Johnson 211
Total
10094
Precinct Two-Three Years
*Bruce H. Banks 247
*Charles W. O'Connor 238
*C. Carroll Cunningham
299
*Harold E. Parker 255
Frank W. Dahlberg
* Arthur Dearing 186
297
Thomas H. Quinian
152
*Daniel Flynn 202
George W. Reiniger
170
*James J. Fox 230
Warren O. Sheldon
145
*Fred L. Green 215
Charles Smith 156
Arthur E. Jackson
161
* Anstrice Carter Kellogg
259
Curtis W. Warren 167
Alice B. Martin
187
*Chauncey V. Whittredge 315
Kenneth F. McCully 104
Philip L. Minichiello 100
Andrew J. Mirabella
113
Total ........ 6768
Precinct Two-One Year
*Harold E. Harrington
280
Blanks 283
Benedict Wolf
1
Total 564
Precinct Three-Three Years
*Gordon Baker
309
* Archibald Henderson 35
* Ralph D. Day
301
Kelley
8
*Frank J. Drewniany 258
McColley 1
*Leo Farley 275
Hunter 2
* William Henderson 304
Sullivan
9
*Cornelius J. McHugh
263
Neal 3
Peterson 1
3
* Walter L. C. Niles
301
Morse
1
*George W. Pitman 336
Bloom
3
*Sanford S. Searles 291
Farnham
1
Rich
9
Snow
1
M. E. French
1
Fairchild
1
M. L. French
1
Gifford
1
Hammond
1
Hoffman
1
Laura Pearson
1
Bent
1
Blanks 4357
*Ralph Prestat
35
Total
7709
3
Louis H. Sylvester 245
Henry Calderwood
Blanks 3378
*Ellery E. Metcalf 371
Thomas D. Morse 249
*W. Randolph Popp 315
Dexter G. Pratt 263
*Sture M. Pihl 221
*James W. Vatcher 228
Benedict Wolf 1
Blanks
2120
*Charles H. Moore 276
*Herbert B. Newhall 318
Hatch
Shaw 1
37
Precinct Three-Two Years
Rich
1 Farnham
1
Frank Hutchinson
32
Neal
1
Sullivan
6
Hoffman
1
Hatch
3
Roger Rich
1
Connolly
1
Blanks
544
Baker
1
Morse
1 Total
593
Precinct Three-One Year
Gladys M. Rich
36
Baker
1
*Ernest H. Lancy
27
Morse
1
*Lillian C. Pennell
28
Farnham
1
Sullivan
3
Peterson
6
Neal
1
Hoffman
1
Hatch
2
Blanks
1670
Hilton
2
Total
1779
Precinct Four-Three Years
*Walter S. Almquist
320
*Fred C. Smith 299
* Walter S. Ames
288
*James O. Smith 335
*Gladys D. Bartlett 297
William R. L. Strath 237
*Henry Briley
255
*John A. Taylor 303
Helen I. Dever 214
** Alfred H. Woodward Clarence Martin 2
332
Michael L. Dever
227
*Edward Gibbs, 3rd
373
Albert Brazis
1
*Charles C. Holt
308
Walter Gibbs
3
*George L. Locke
246
W. C. Banks
1
*Sidney A. Rawding 267
Walter Daniels
1
Charles E. Riley 243
Blanks
3499
*William H. Robinson 360
Total
8411
Precinct Four-Two Years
T. Atkins
1
Walter Daniels
1
William Banks
(Tie)
2
Martin Hanley
1
*Walter Gibbs
10 Harry Lancaster
1
W. Strath
1 Edward P. Hart
1
Peter A. Smith
1 Blanks 1273
Sidney Hastings (Tie)
2
Total
1294
Precinct Five-Three Years
*Oren O. Bentley
281
*Otto F. Persson 260
*George B Dixon
286
*Thomas M. Robinson 229
*George Donovan 252
*Edward South 227
*Chester P. Gibson 267
Hollis E. Hogle, Jr. 202
* Richard Merrill 246
*A. Willard Moses 291
*Prescott N. Murray 224
Total 4928
Precinct Six-Three Years
* Nathaniel Diamond
268
*Edward J. Oljey 251
*Phyllis E. Dodge 299
Norberta J. O'Neil 178
*Lacy J. Downie 281
Seth L. Prime 239
*Frank Evans. Jr. 312
* Albion Ramsdell Rice 375
Howard E. Shattuck
219
*John D. Farnham 234
Herbert Johnson
3
*Edwin M. Thompson 213
Blanks 1947
1940]
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
38
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Anthony Forti 225
*Paul J. Hayes 270
*Edwin M. Holmes 279
John Serino 8
Charles S. James 226
Henry Robinson
1
* Alfred Johnson 245
Frederick J. Kilroy 162
*Fred W. McKay 279
Total
7656
Precinct Seven-Three Years
*Earle W. Cousens
276
*Norman D. Hatch 285
*George H. Crawford
283
*William H. Robinson 294
*Byron A. Day 241
*Malcolm N. Tottingham 231
Herbert Diamond
185
Edward S. Dik
189
*Harry A. White 330
*Leslie E. Downs
303
Edward C. Clark
1
*Frederick J. England 357
Dorothy E. Estabrook 219
Total
4840
Precinct Eight-Three Years
*Francis E. Blouin
351
#Ralph Quirk
370
*Gertrude L. Blouin
341
* Alice F. Rodgers
366
*Wilson A. Buffum
374
*James H. Rodgers
373
*Charles N. Chesley
421
*Daniel W. Stowell Wayne R. Weatherhead
320
*Susie A. Dahlen
362
William Salisbury
1
*Gordon H. Jameson 379
Blanks
3959
*Charles R. Murphy 370
Total
9492
Question: "Shall the Town Construct and maintain within its limits a plant for the manufacture and/or distribution of electricity for munci- pal use and for the use of its inhabitants in accordance with the pro- visions of General Laws, Chapter 164, Section 34 as amended "
1 2
3
Yes
235
162
214
4 162 360
5 141 252 55
6 212 338
7 138 298
8 223
Total 1487
No
415
345
306
Blanks
71
57
73
125
88
48
394 61
578
Total
721
564
593
647
448
638
484
678
4773
A true copy.
Attest: VIOLA G. WILSON, Town Clerk.
343
*Russell E. Chesley
392
*Laurence F Davis
405
Theodore F. Husler
1
*Francis X. McCarthy 364
Henry P. Steubesand 216
*Richard H. Stevens 254
Blanks 2834
*Gilbert Wheeler 278
Blanks 1368
2708
39
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
1940]
RECOUNT OF VOTES-March 12, 1940 SELECTMEN
John J. Bucchiere
1 242
2 218
3
4
5
6 323
7 151
8 276
1964
*Edward Gibbs, Jr.
272
292
256
294
179
262
257
270
2082
Clarence O. Martin
153
157
111
160
78 194 239
105
76 277
209 374
2475
*Harold P. Rice
313
278
305
308
203
317
278
341
2343
Earl Roberton
73
30
42
31
32
15
44
292
James O. Smith
116
113
101
217
25 65
93
142
109
956
C. F. Nelson Pratt Erving Sanborn
1
1
Blanks
244
257
245
256
164
386
139
241
1932
Total
2163 1692 1779 1941 1344 1914 1452 2034 14319
ASSESSOR
1
2
3
4
5 132
6 125 167
7 216 103
8 158 208 24
1147
Albion L. Hogan
17
33
45
32
15
52
11 103
185
1321
Karl O. A. Ryman
79
28
56
44
40
35
33
62
377
Blanks
42
27
44
52
47
38
18
41
309
Total
721
564
593
647
448
638
484
678
4773
A true copy.
Attest: VIOLA G. WILSON, Town Clerk.
March 13, 1940
Viola G. Wilson
Town Clerk
Saugus, Mass.
Dear Mrs. Wilson:
The Town Meeting Members of Precinct Four met in the Accoun- tant's Office, Town Hall, on March 13, 1940 at 7 P. M. for the purpose of breaking the tie vote cast for William Banks and Sidney Hast- ings.
21 were present.
W. B. Russell was elected chair- man.
John A. Taylor was elected sec- retary.
The following resident of pre- cinct four was elected :
William Banks, receiving 11
votes.
Signed : WALDO B. RUSSELL,
Chairman.
JOHN A. TAYLOR, Secretary.
A true copy.
Attest: VIOLA G. WILSON, Town Clerk.
116
169
1065
William S. Oliver
266
88
152
118
1208
*George H. Quarmby
484
· 259
255
312
185
Washington L. Bryer
136
148
123
138
124
229
Albion Ramsdell Rice 186
169
171
196
90
221
Total 1390
* Alexander S. Addison
261
159
154
312
245
197
Total
121
275
1
1
40
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Annual Town Meeting, March 13, 1940
The meeting was called to order at 8:06 P. M. by the Moderator, Herbert P. Mason.
A count of the members was taken. There were 170 members present, constituting a quorum.
The salute to the flag was given.
Town Meeting Members not pre- viously qualified were sworn in by the Moderator.
The Special Town Meetings of January 29, 1940 and February 2, 1940 were adjourned without day at 8:17 P. M.
The Special Town Meeting of December 11, 1939 was adjourned until next Monday at 8 P. M. and other meetings contingent on that.
The reading of the warrant was waived. The reading of the records of the previous meeting was waived by unanimous consent.
It was voted to have the Select- men act as appraisers of Town Property in accordance with Sec- tion 2. of Article 3 of the By-Laws.
Voted that no person shall speak for more than five minutes on any one subject without unanimous con- sent of the meeting. 8:24 P. M.
Voted: That the names of mem- bers who attend the respective ses- sions of this annual meeting be taken under the direction of the Moderator and a record thereof prepared and kept by the Town Clerk and inserted in the records of this meeting at the final ad- journment thereof.
Voted to take up Article 3 out of order.
Article 3. Voted : That the town treasurer, with the approval of the selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year be- ginning January 1, 1940, and to issue a note or notes therefore, payable within one year, and to re- new any note or notes as may be given for a period of less than one
year in accordance with Section 17, Chapter 44, General Laws. Yeas 232. Nays 0 8:47 P. M.
Article 2. Reports of Commit- tees :
The Wage and Salary Commit- tee Report was presented. Voted to refer the report to the Finance Committee for study. 8:58 P. M.
The Report of the Illegal Exca- vation Committee was read. The committee asked for further time. 9:00 P. M.
Report of the Illegal Excavations Committee To the Members of the Saugus Town Meeting:
Pursuant to the instructions given the Illegal Excavations Com- mittee by previous Town Meetings, we wish to report that we have been instrumental in the prosecu- tion of alleged violations of the zoning by-laws by B. Perini & Sons Inc. at Main and Forest Street. Trial in the Superior Court was concluded, following which, the case was appealed to the Supreme Judicial Court, where it was ar- gued on November 15, 1939. In as much as the decision has not been handed down by the Court, your committee wished its report to be taken as one of progress and asks that it be given further time.
Illegal Excavation Committee M. EDWARD HAYES, Chairman.
GILES S. BRYER, ELLERY E. METCALF.
The Committee to search for new sources of Town Income presented its report. Voted to receive the re- port and discharge the committee.
Voted: that the report of the Committee appointed to Search for New Sources of Town Income be received, and its recommendations referred to the Finance Committee and the departments concerned and said departments to report their
41
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
1940]
recommendations in writing to the Finance Committee within one month. 9:30 P. M.
The report of the committee on Tax Collector's Salary was re- ceived and the first recommenda- tion was adopted and the second recommendation was referred to the Finance Committee. 9:47 P. M.
Mr. Gibbs presented the Finance Committee Report. It was voted to receive the report and consider the recommendations under the
various articles to which they re- late. 10:12 P. M.
Article 2. Voted to take up Item 32 out of order.
Item 32. Voted that the sum of $228,443.46 be and the same is hereby appropriated for the School Department.
More than thirty persons re- quested a roll call vote and it was so ordered.
Roll Call on Item 32
Walter T. Brander
No Ernest Diotte
No
Fred C. Cheever
Charles E. Flynn
George C. Cronin
No
Harold E. Harrington Yes
Stanley W. Day
No Frank A. Hill
Harold W. Humphrey
No
Stuart F. Kidder
George A. McCarrier
Yes
Rita A. Lavin
Yes
Henry A. B. Peckham
John B. Leahy
Yes
Ruth E. Sawyer
Clarence O. Martin
Yes
W. Charles Sellick
Yes
Eugene Vatcher
No
George F. Shea, Jr.
Yes
Edward Axtell
Yes
Elizabeth Ostergren Ward
J. Harold Davis Archille DeFranzo
Yes
Charles Wilson
Earle N. Dudman
Edward J. Amery, Jr.
Yes
Franz H. Feitel
Yes
Pearl E. Belonga
Yes
Edmund O. Gregson
No
Konrad Berthold
Russell R. Peterson
Walter D. Blossom
Yes
Ernest C. Phillips
Albert C. Day
No
Samuel A. Phinney
Yes
Walter A. Graham
Yes
Joseph P. Rossetti
Yes
Blanche E. Magee
No
Bertram A. Scott
Yes
John F. Mccullough
No
Bruce H. Banks
Yes
Alan F. Sawyer
Arthur Dearing
Yes
Frederick L. Sawyer
Daniel Flynn
Yes
Harry F. Wentworth
Yes James J. Fox
Yes
Bertrand D. Westendarp
No
Fred L. Green
No
Archie C. Cheever
No
Anstrice Carter Kellogg
Yes
L. Elmer Day
Yes
Harold E. Parker
No
Mary S. Doyle
Sture M. Pihl
Yes
George H. Durgin
Yes
James W. Vatcher
No
Delmont E. Goding
Yes
Martha B. Day
Yes
Lewis O. Gray
No
Vernon W. Evans
Yes
Robert F. Griffin
Yes
George F. Gosselin
Yes
Gordon C. Marr
Yes
Alfred J. Hunter
Yes
Henry A. Mccullough
Yes
Ernest H. Lancey
No
Ellery E. Metcalf
Yes
William E. Ludden
Yes
W. Randolph Popp
William C. Pennell
No
Jennie Aucella
Frederick J. C. Price, Jr.
Yes
Benjamin Q. Belonga
Yes
Samuel E. Rice
No
H. Warren Butler
Yes
Gladys M. Rich
No
John W. Conrad, Jr.
George E. Robinson
George I. Hull
Peter A. Rossetti
Welcome W. Mccullough
Yes
C. Carroll Cunningham
Charlotte A. Davis
Yes
Charles W. O'Connor
Elmer R. Emmett
Yes
Chauncey V. Whittredge
Frederick M. Kelley
Yes
Warren V. Gustafson
Henry B. Winslow
42
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Arthur R. Armstrong
Yes
Alfred H. Woodward Yes
Alfred J. Diotte
No
F. Dudley Bacon
No
Annie Diotte
No Joseph Bucherie
Yes
Ethel M. Hunter
No
Frank H. Chickering
Yes
Frank Hutchinson
No Maurice H. Day
Dana B. Lewis
Yes
Richard Downes
William J. Maag
Yes
Robert T. Evans
Yes
Hugh Menzies
Paul F. Neal
Yes
Arthur Lee Homan
Yes
George F. Price
Harry W. Merrill
No
Harold R. Searles
Robert G. Pike
Yes
Elizabeth Sylvester
A. Arvida Swanson
Yes
Gordon H. Baker
Yes
Roswell W. Abbott
No
Ralph D. Day
No
Percy M. Evans
No
Leo Farley
Yes
Clement C. Fearns
Yes
Archibald Henderson
No
John A. Hamerstrom
No
William Henderson
Cornelius J. McHugh
No
Leander Johnson
No
Herbert B. Newhall
No
Nathan H. Mallar
Yes
George W. Pitman
No
Clifield Sewell
Yes
Ralph F. Prestat
Yes
Oren O. Bentley
Yes
Sanford S. Searles
No
George B. Dixon
Yes
Peter B. Addison
George Donovan
Yes
Mary F. Banks
Yes
Chester P. Gibson
Yes
William C. Banks
Richard Merrill
No
Newell V. Bartlett
Yes A. Willard Moses
Yes
Albert B. Brazis
No Prescott N. Murray
No
Ralph H. Carlisle
Otto F. Persson
No
Robert Henry Evans
Yes
Thomas M. Robinson
Yes
Edward Gibbs, Jr.
Yes
Edward South
No
Katherine H. Irby
Edwin M. Thompson
No
Jack A. Meeker
Yes
Peter W. Ainslie
Yes
Horace C. Ramsdell
Andrew B. Britt
No
Harold P. Rice
Yes
Washington L. Bryer
Yes
Gustave A. Anderson
Yes
Albion L. Hogan
No
Margaret J. Daniels
Yes
William Everett La Vene
Yes
Walter Gibbs
Yes
Edward J. O'Neil
Yes
Clyde M. Goldthwaite
Yes
Benjamin A. Ramsdell
No
John C. Harris
Carl A. Sawyer
Yes
Frank Reppucci
No
William J. Wilcox
No
Waldo B. Russell
Yes
Erving M. Blunt
Yes
William C. Banks, Jr.
No
John J. Bucchiere
Yes
Walter S. Almquist
Yes
Frank A. Green
Yes
Walter S. Ames
No
George N. Mckay
No
William Irby
No
Harold Pendlebury
No
Gladys D. Bartlett
Yes
Frank L. Platt
Henry Briley
No
Arthur W. Randall
Edward Gibbs, 3rd
Yes
Frank C. Rice
Yes
Charles C. Holt
Yes
O. Albion Smith
Yes
George L. Locke
Yes
Herbert W. Spence
Yes
Sidney A. Rawding William H Robinson
Yes
Nathaniel Diamond
Yes
Fred C. Smith
No Phyllis E. Dodge
Yes
James O. Smith
Yes
Lucy J. Downie
Yes
John A. Taylor
Yes Frank Evans, Jr.
Yes
No
Stanley B. Harmon
Charles H. Moore
Yes
Walter Kyle
Walter L. C. Niles
Howard W. Morse
Frank E. Russell
No
Agnes B. Dodge
William A Daniels
Yes
W. Ernest Light
Donald J MacDonald
Yes Mario A. Scire
Virginia E. Woodward
Yes
Iona E. Britt
Yes
Richard J. Spencer
Yes
Paul E. Baldwin
Frank J. Drewainy
Arthur L. Hawkes
No
1940]
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
43
John D. Farnham
Yes
Alfred W. Powers
Yes
Paul J. Hayes
Frederick Bancroft Willis
Yes
Edwin M. Holmes
Yes
Giles S. Bryer
Alfred Johnson
No Herman G. Bunker
No
Fred W. McKay
Yes
Robert L. Champoux
Yes
Edward J. Oljey
Yes
Dennis M. Cronin
Albion Ramsdell Rice
Yes
Earle M. French
Yes
Alexander S. Addison
Yes
David W. Hanson
Yes
Wallace Campbell
William T. Inch
Yes
William F. Gilbert
Albert E. Kent
Yes
George H. Mason
Yes
Frank M. Murphy
Yes
Charles B. McDuffee
Theodore R. Schumacher
No
J. Arthur Raddin
Clayton F. Whalen
Yes
Laurence E. Richardson
Yes
Francis E. Blouin
No
Lewis P. Sanborn
No
Gertrude L. Blouin Wilson A. Buffum
No
William Stewart Braid
Yes
Charles N. Chesley
Yes
Harvey H. Drown No
Russell E. Chesley
Yes
Marion E. Drown
Yes
Susie A. Dahlen
Yes
M. Edward Hayes
Yes
Laurence F. Davis
Yes
Howard C. Heath
No
Gordon H. Jameson
No
Clarence W. Howard
Yes
Francis X. McCarthy
Yes
Clarence S. Kenerson
No
Charles R. Murphy
Yes
John B. Lang
No
Ralph Quirk
Yes
Harriett A. McAdoo
Yes
Alice F. Rodgers
Yes
Earl W. Cousens
No
James H. Rodgers
Yes
George H. Crawford
No
Daniel W. Stowell
No
Byron A. Day
No
Viola G. Wilson
Yes
Leslie E. Downs
Yes
George H. Quarmby
No
Frederick J. England
No
Harold E. Dodge
Yes
Norman D. Hatch
Arthur C. Dunk
Yes
William H. Robinson
Yes
Herbert P Mason
Yes
Malcolm N. Tottingham
Yes
James A. Clark
Yes
Gilbert Wheeler
Yes
Walter Roy
Harry A. White
No
Yes 153 No 76 11:14 P. M.
Janie B. Bryer
Elmer E. Butterfield
Walter B. Celander
James S. Donahue
Arthur E. Gustafson
Yes
Paul A. Haley
Morrin Emerson Hazel
Yes
Clarence E. March
Yes
George E. Moorehouse
No
C. Freeman Murray
A true copy.
Joseph Oljey
Yes
Attest: VIOLA G. WILSON,
Town Clerk.
Richard H. Stevens
Yes
Roland H. French
Roger P. Beckman
Frank F. Humphries
John C. Pitman
Yes
Harold A. Smiledge
Napoleon B. Corthell
Yes
Clarence Martin gave notice of intention to move reconsideration of Item 32 of Article 2 at 11:14 P. M.
The meeting adjourned at 11:21 to convene again on Monday, March 18, 1940 at 8 P. M.
Charles B. Pickering
44
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Report of the Finance Committee To the Representative Town Meeting and Citizens of the Town of Saugus
The Finance Committee here- with submits its report on the 1940 Budget :
In view of the tax rate of 1939, it is apparent that drastic action must be taken in various ways to alleviate the burden of the tax- payer. This is a statement of fact and not merely a comment to be taken lightly. The Commititee is of the opinion that all departments must co-operate to the fullest ex- tent toward a common goal, namely to curtail expenditures, to refrain from spending one single penny that is not absolutely necessary.
Following hearings on depart- mental budget and Special Article requests which total over $900,000. the Committee has taken the action set forth in more detail on the fol- lowing pages.
The responsibility of department heads for the conduct of their de- partments within the appropria- tion voted by Town Meeting is posi- tive and in no instance should any department incur indebtedness be- yond the amount appropriated for its operation. The Committee recog- nizęs that the problem of operating within the appropriations made by Town Meeting, and maintaing the usual services will undoubtedly be a difficult one, and in many in- stances will necessitate readjust- ment of personnel, salaries, wages, and other items usually regarded as fixed amounts. The main ob- jective must be accomplished, how- ever, this being to live within the appropriations voted.
The Finance Committee briefly outlines the reasons for the follow- ing itemized recommendations set forth in the Budget under Article No. 2, Town Charges, and also the method followed in arriving at the figures indicated :
Under Article No. 2, the requests of departments for 1940 total $863,154.28 including the General W. P. A. budget request of $40,000 (which item until this year has
been a Special Article not included in this division). Also included is an increase in the "Interest and Maturing Debt Account of nearly $6000. With reference to this latter account we point out that this year we have no money in available funds with which to reduce the total required, whereas in 1939 we had the advantage of the sum of $16,885.20. Except as explained hereinafter under comment on Items 71 and 72, there is no way of reducing the requested amounts in this division, as the amounts are fixed, with the exception of Tem- porary Loan Interest. With the above fixed items in mind the Com- mittee went through each depart- mental budget in detail and dele- ted items or amounts requested which in the opinion of the Com- mittee were not necessary. After completing this lengthy duty, the tentative amounts set for possible recommendation were added, total- ing $801,566.89, which sum plus $4,392.86 for Special Articles ap- proved, totaled approximately $11,- 000. less than the total 1939 ap- propriations. It therefore became obvious that further action of a more drastic nature must be taken in order to bring the total budget down to a figure that would oper- ate the town in a manner that coin- cides with the ability of the tax- paver to pay.
After numerous alternatives had been applied with no appreciable savings indicated, the Committee then approved for the year of 1940 a set of recommendations which re- sult from a straight deduction of 5% from each departmental bud- get throughout the entire list of Town Charges, the deduction ap- plying to the orignal tentative figures set by the Committee. The only exceptions have been pre- viously mentioned and are fixed charges beyond our control.
The Committee is not attempt- ing to show or tell department heads how to best operate their
45
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
1940]
respective departments with the amounts recommended, but feel that the problem is one which the departments themselves must solve, even though a complete change in the set up of the departments re- sult.
The Finance Committee wishes to point out emphatically, how- ever, that where budgets are cut drastically as in this case, that the public cannot expect to receive the full amount of service to which it has been ordinarily accustomed. Saugus is outstanding in the amount of special services fur- nished to its citizens both ordinari- ly and in emergencies and these services must necessarily be some what curtailed.
Comment on the General Budget, Article No. 2
It is the intention of the Finance Committee to include in motions on votes at the Annual Town Meet- ing calling for appropriations on all budgets containing salaries of part time elected officials, to indi- cate the salary figure to be "not more than $ (the amounts to be the same as in prior years.) This method will limit the maxi- mum salary but will allow a down- ward revision if necessary to oper- are within the budget allowed. Ex- cept in the case of elected officials this is distinctly the problem of the department heads to whom the town has entrusted their adminis- trations.
Items No. 7 and 8. Tax Collec- tor's Department and Tax Title Expense. The total recommended in the first budget is higher than last year, while the amount in the second budget is lower. The Com- mittee appointed at the Annual Town Meeting of 1939 to investi- gate and report on the method of compensating the Tax Collector ad- vised the Finance Committee that they would recommend a flat sal- ary of $2500. and all fees inclu- ding tax title fees be returned to the town. It appeared that tax title fees in 1939 amounted to about $1700. and this amount was deducted from the tentative recom- mendation on tax title expenses.
Item 13. Election and Registra- tion. The Committee feels that money can be saved here by open- ing only one precinct in the April pre-primaries. Also, while the committee feels that a certain amount of clerical hire is necessary in this department that we are not convinced that the need of a full time permanent employee is in- dicated.
Items 71 and 72. Sewer Loan and Interest. If the Town Meeting will act upon articles to establish the betterment assessments on those now connected with the Sewer, before action on these items are taken and before the tax rate is declared, a substantial sav- ing could be made from these ap- propriations.
Comment On Special Articles
The Committee has been forced to "Not Recommend" meritorious articles due to the urgent necessity for great economy. The articles not indicated below are "Not Recom- mended," and have not been listed as they are contained in full in the Town Warrant.
Special Articles Recommended Reasons and Amounts
Art. 3. Recommended. (This is the usual article.)
Art. 4. Recommended. (This al- so is the usual article.)
Art. 5. This is also the cus- tomary article. Recommend $800.00
Art. 6. Unpaid Bills. This is the smallest amount for this pur- pose in many years and in several instances the amounts turned back to Surplus, more than cover the amounts now asked for. Recom- mend $1,986.86
Art. 7. Sewer Department Trans- fer (See notation on the General Budget Item No. 55A.) This item does not affect the tax rate. Recom- mend transfer, ($1,447.98).
Art. 8. Recommended. Transfer between the two sewer accounts.
Art. 10. Recommended. The Committee feels that it is good business to have an annual audit.
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TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Art. 11. This is the usual ap- propriation for which we are liable under State Law. Recommend $850.00
Art. 14. Woodbury Avenue-Hes- per Street. Recommend reference to Selectmen, recommending con- tinuation of the project through the General W. P. A. Account.
Art. 17. Wage and Salary Com- mittee-Stenographic Expense. Al- though no appropriation was made to this committee, we feel that the stenographer they employed should be compensated. $100.00
Art. 31. Eminent domain pro- ceedings-Dudley Street. There is some doubt as to the legal owner of this property, which if owned by the Town, could easily be altered to eliminate a dangerous safety condition. Recommend $1.00
Art. 60. Indemnification-Jos- eph Lambert. We feel that if this matter of long standing can be set- tled for this amount (and we are advised that it can be so settled) that it is good business to do so. Recommend $500.00
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