USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1947 > Part 3
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Art. 88. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $7000.00 for the purpose of filling and grading property known as the Montgomery Property, the sum of $2400.00 to be raised in the Tax levy, and the sum of $4600.00 to be taken from the money now on hand in the Land Sale Account, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Cemetery Commissioners.
Art. 89. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $1450.00 for the purpose of purchasing a new automobile to be used by the Health Department, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Health.
Art. 90. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $500.00 to provide quarters in Pythian Hall for Sgt. Arthur F. De Franzo Post #2346 Veterans of Foreign Wars, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
Art. 91. To see if the Town will vote to sell the bonds purchased under Article 57 of the Annual Town Meeting of 1944, and use and appropriate the proceeds thereof for the purchase of equipment for the Public Works Department or any other expenditure necessary by any other department for the general welfare of the Town, subject to the approval of the State Emergency Finance Board, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Finance Committee.
Art. 92. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $60,000.00 to be raised by bond issue or otherwise for the purpose of purchasing new equipment for the Public Works Depart- ment, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
Art. 93. To see if the Town will vote to use the sum of $4900.00 raised under Article 56 of the Annual Town Meeting Warrant for 1946, for the following purposes: For all expenses, except labor, in the construction of a surface drain on Lincoln Avenue, beginning at Atlantic Avenue and connecting with the present surface drain located at the junction of Lincoln Avenue and Guild Road, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
Art. 94. To see if the Town will vote to use the sum of $950.00 raised under Article 59, of the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting of 1946, for the following purposes: To be expended for all expenses except labor for the construction of surface drain on Hayden Road to connect with the existing surface drain on Essex Street, said sum to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
Art. 95. To see if the Town will vote to use the sum of $1980.00, raised under Article 57 of the Annual Town Meeting Warrant of 1946, for the following purposes: For all expenses, except labor, in the construction of a surface drain on Denver Street, beginning at Pine- hurst Avenue and running to Central Street, thence running to Horton Street and connecting with the existing surface drain, or to see what
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action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
Art. 96. To see if the Town will vote to use the sum of $1850.00, raised under Article 55 of the Annual Town Meeting of 1946, for the following purposes: For all expenses, except labor, in the construction of a surface drain on Centennial Avenue, said sum to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
Art. 97. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for water extension on the end of Robbins Road that crosses Eagle Road, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of Pearl L. Blacknall and others.
Art. 98. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,321.96 for water extension on Golden Hills Road for a distance of approximately 1,000 feet, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of Mary E. Breau and others.
Art. 99. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $27,500 for the purpose of cleaning and widening the Oaklandvale Brook, so-called, from the Newburyport Turnpike to Howard Street a distance of 11,000 linear feet, more or less, and for the repair of three culverts, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of Anna L. Penney and others.
Art. 100. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $825 for the purpose of cleaning and removing an obstruc- tion in the Oaklandvale Brook, so-called, located north of Main Street, near Howard Street, for a distance of about 400 feet, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter agreeable to the petition of Anna L. Penney and others.
Art. 101. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $36,000 for all expenses, including labor, in the construction of a sewer on Central Street, to begin and connect with an existing sewer at a point opposite Auburn Street, thence through Cemetery owned land to Winter Street, and thence along Central Street, including Vermont Avenue and Horton Street to East Denver Street, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen. -
Art. 102. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $4,082.50 for all expenses, including labor, in the construc- tion of a sewer on Lincoln Avenue, to begin and connect with an existing sewer and extend in a general northeasterly direction along Lincoln Avenue for a distance of 500 feet, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
Art. 103. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $2532.34 for all expenses, including labor in the construction of a sewer on Lincoln Court, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
u .Art. 104. To see if the Town will, vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $4511.00. for all expenses, including : labor, in the construc- tion of a sewer on Summer Street to begin and connect with an existing sewer on Main Street and extend up Summer Street for a distance of 550 feet, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen
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Art. 105. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $816.00 for all expenses, except labor, for the construction of a surface drain on Essex Street, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
Art. 106. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $7,000.00 for Chapter 90 construction, said sum to be used in conjunction with State and County funds, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
Art. 107. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,000.00 for Chapter 90 maintenance, said sum to be used in conjunction with State funds, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
Art. 108. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for Town charges for the year 1947.
The polls will open at 12:00 o'clock, noon, and will close at 8:00 o'clock P.M., and you are hereby directed to serve this Warrant by posting attested copies thereof at the usual places seven days at least before the time of holding said meeting, and to distribute copies as provided by the By-Laws at least four days before.
Hereof, fail not, and made due return of this Warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, at the time and place of said . meeting.
Given under our hands and Town Seal this first day of February, A. D. nineteen hundred and forty-seven.
WILLIAM S. OLIVER, C. CARROLL CUNNINGHAM, WILLIAM H. ROBINSON, Board of Selectmen.
A true copy.
Attest:
BARNET SHAPIRO, Constable.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
February 26, 1947 ESSEX, SS.
At the request of the Board of Selectmen and pursuant hereunto I have served the within Warrant as directed by posting attested copies at the several precincts at least seven days before said meeting accord- ing to the by-laws.
A true copy. Attest:
BARNET SHAPIRO, Constable
February 21, 1947
In compliance with Chapter 55 of the Acts of 1928 and also with Section . 2 of the By-Laws of the Town of Saugus, I hereby certify that . today I mailed to all Limited Town Meeting Members a printed copy .. of the Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting of March 3, 1947. 0:
Signed: VIOLA G. WILSON
Town Clerk
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Report of the Finance Committee TO THE ANNUAL TOWN MEETING MARCH 3, 1947
To the Representative Town Meeting and Citizens of the Town of Saugus
The Finance Committee wishes to present herewith its report and recommendations relative to all the financial articles contained in the warrant for the 1947 Annual Town Meeting. The committee has been working since last July on an investigation of the expenditures of all departments. And in so doing has given unbiased consideration to all proposals. The committee was concerned with the financial struc- ture and the ability of the taxpayers to pay at all times. The ability and how much can the home owners stand in the form of taxation has been the major factor in all the deliberations of the committee prior to the final conclusion. The committee has unanimously gone on record to recommend a continuation of the temporary cost of living increase.
Because of the seriousness of our financial condition, the finance committee went on record to devote all its time to studying the budgets in an effort to give the taxpayers of Saugus a reduced tax rate. The makeup of this report has called for an additional expense over that of last year, but the committee unanimously agreed to take this means to inform the town meeting members of exactly what is going on.
Some of the important highlights of our investigation which are causing our high cost of government in Saugus are as follows:
INVESTIGATION
The finance commitee unanimously agreed to investigate the method followed in the expenditure of thousands of dollars by each department head. We have worked hard and in so doing brought to light many policies that have been followed during the past years and have proved under the present-day times to be obsolete and in- efficient. We found that huge sums of money have not been spent efficiently and that no policy adopted to bring about the following:
1. stock control of valuable tools and equipment which in many cases have been stolen from the Public Works Department.
2. an efficient control of the sale of valuable tax title prop- erty - by the selectmen so that a larger income could be derived from this source. In fact approximately $25,000 worth of such property was sold for about $8,000 - about 30c on the dollar.
USE OF CARS
There has been no real need in every instance for all the depart- ments to allow use of cars. Town employes have been paid well and some have been overpaid for use of these cars. In too many cases the payment for the use of these cars belonging to employees has been authorized and voted without investigation of the real value to: the taxpayer.
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PURCHASE OF MATERIALS
We have found no setup, no efficient policy, for the centralized purchasing of town supplies. A saving could be realized in this manner if all town officials purchased their supplies in bulk. In this way competitive bidding among the merchants of Saugus could take place at a saving to the Town.
VOUCHERS
In many cases positive proof is available of employees being paid prior to performing the work. Also approval of payment for material and supplies was made prior to request through the town accountant. This proves that in many cases the accounting system is not being adhered to, which was set up by the town meeting in 1941. The unpaid bills in this year's warrant are testimony of this condition. This was called to the attention of the selectmen in 1946-but to no avail. Final action was taken to stop this procedure when Acting Accountant Carl E. Chapman served notice in writing to the selectmen and all department heads that he would not authorize vouchers that were not in line with established policy.
WATER METERS
Approximately 1800 water meters were useless and piled like broken wood in the Public Works Department. The new superin- tendent, Charles C. DeFronzo, is doing a commendable job in estab- lishing a schedule for weekly installation of repaired meters in the homes requiring same. A photograph in another part of this report will bear witness to this condition which we believe has cost the town thousands of dollars.
RAISING WAGES
In some cases we found wage increases were voted by department heads to their employees many months after the town meeting had made its final vote against such action. This procedure is unfair and inefficient as it causes dissension among town employees. The fact that department heads were able to grant increases in wages within their departments indicates that their budget in the first place was "ballooned." We believe that the town meeting's decision should be respected for what it represents - as well as for the home owners of the town. We most seriously condemn any department head ap- pointed or elected who completely ignores our legislative body when taking action like this.
GRANTING OF CONTRACTS
Hardly any emphasis is placed on the importance of placing con- tracts where the greatest gain to the town would be realized at the lowest cost. In some cases contracts have been granted when if they were held up for one week or so, there would have been a saving to the town.
STOCK CLERK
This job was set up under civil service and the idea was sold to the town meeting members as a valuable asset. We agreed - but investigation showed that this position now does not exist. Therefore the loss of valuable water service, equipment of all kinds has been great. There are no records to show the whereabouts of the material we have purchased, such as, lanterns, rope, tubing, valves, etc. We
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say it is the selectmen's responsibility to see that this stock clerk was available. But for reasons other than the good of the taxpayers of Saugus the man who was assigned to this position has been elevated to the position of chief clerk. We have no complaint other than the one, that we believe, greater value would be given the town through a stock clerk and a well-controlled stock department than a chief clerk in a department that already has two other efficient female clerks.
FILLING VACANCIES
We have found in some cases position filled without complete investigation of the necessity of filling that vacancy. We feel that at no time should a vacancy be filled without its being brought to the attention of the town meting members first. We feel sure that if a procedure were adopted by all departments along these lines consider- able saving could be made thereby.
WAGES
The Finance Committee in its report has not recommended in- creases in cases where employees are now well paid in comparison to other towns our size in the Commonwealth. Statistics show that the town of Saugus has paid better its employees than any other town in the Commonwealth, in some cases better than in the capital itself. We have allowed a slight increase in our fireman's budget to take care' of the difference in wages caused when the board of selectmen after the town meeting granted our police officers an increase in wages without doing the same to the firemen. We have allowed enough leeway in some departmental budgets to level off uneven wage rates.
WORKING PERSONNEL
We have, including our school teachers, a working personnel of approximately 262 persons, making a payroll of approximately $552,876.00. We believe outside of the elementary teachers that our town employees are paid very well.
SCHOOL TEACHERS' PAY
Your finance committee has recommended in the town warrant this year an amount sufficient to allow the school committee to grant the school teachers approximately 60% of the original wages increase request. We all feel that the elementary teachers have been under- paid while other town employees have received more wages. We also feel that the taxpayers of Saugus cannot afford to grant the total request made by our school teachers and school committee. The tem- porary cost of living increase averages approximately $129.00 per person. The increase in wage request for 1947 is approximately $430.00 per person, making a grand total of $559.00 per person. The continuation of the temporary cost of living increase, plus the $25,000 that the finance committee has added to last year's total school budget will enable the school committee to pay each teacher an average of $337.00 more than at any other time. We unanimously agree that our school teachers and school committee along with the school super- intendent have done a good job. Therefore, we believe an increase such as proposed and recommended by our committee is fair and just compared to our ability to pay.
SCHOOLHOUSE REPAIRS
The finance committee in session with the superintendent of
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schools and school committee requested a list of the most important repairs that would have to be made on our school buildings: This list showed that vital repairs on 8 schools could be made with the recom- mended $10,000 we have agreed upon against the original request. of $25,000 in this year's budget. A good job has been done with what money has been appropriated for this purpose.
STADIUM
We feel that since the school authorities took over the stadium and removed it from the reach of the hundreds of school children who used it for a playground they now should maintain and operate it on a business basis, and therefore be responsible for its upkeep and maintenance as its use will be solely on a commercial basis by the athletic council which comes under the jurisdiction of the school committee.
STREET BETTERMENT ACT
The finance committee has unanimously voted not to recommend any appropriation involving the list of streets in this warrant. The action of the committee was taken because the selectmen failed to notify the hundreds of home owners residing on these streets, and the net total of $55,798.11 for labor and material would have to be raised in this year's tax levy. Also that the finance committee. upon investigation found that the estimated cost of this project was under- estimated approximately $30,000. This was brought to the attention of the superintendent and the board of selectmen at which time they felt inclined to believe these engineers were not qualified to present the correct figures. The total cost of this project if voted and accepted as planned means an increase of, $4.00 in the tax rate.
BALLARD STREET
Last September the finance committee took steps to prevent the building of the Ballard Street project and the widening of the road. The general talk at that time and figures available showed that it would cost the town approximately $20,000 for its share. A joint meeting was held by the finance committe, taxpayers association, and board of selectmen, at which time it was agreed to investigate figures available. At a later date the finance committee at a joint session with the selectmen instigated action whereby through the good work of our building inspector the bridge was braced and made usable at an approximated cost of $150.
But this year through our new superintendent a construction program which has been approved by the county and state, (Chapter 90 work) will be started at an approximate cost to the town of $5000. The widening of this road from Dudley Street to the Salem turnpike will be of great value to the town's future development of the marshland.
The finance committee wishes to call to the attention of this meeting the report of our new superintendent of public works, Mr. Charles E. DeFronzo, and the photographs accompanying this report. We have found many dificiencies in this department-too numerous to enumerate. But we believe Mr. DeFronzo will give the town of Saugus a historic administration which will ultimately lead to the restoration of efficiency and much needed completion of improvements.
We have recommended about $20,000 for new equipment which Mr. DeFronzo has stated he needs. At a conference with the majority of last year's board of selectmen we were informed that a request
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for a bond issue would be illegal. Therefore it is the desire of the finance committee to encourage the town meeting to vote for the purchase of the equipment that is needed for this department. He has instituted a vigorous program, one that has been unheard of in the town of Saugus. Mr. DeFronzo inherited a department that was seriously run down. Following is a report that has been compiled by Mr. DeFronzo in reference to the tremendous backlog of unfinished work that has been continually piling up with no efficient plan of operation set up for its completion.
CONCLUSION
The total general budget requests made by all the departments within the town for 1947 are as follows:
Total articles General Budget
Special articles 255,929.00
Requested $1,189,882.48
Recommended $881,137.37 41,501.10
$1,445,811.48 $922,638.47
During the past year the finance committee held many meetings both public and private. It has met with the taxpayers association and it has called meetings with the department heads. It has published the pertinent facts regarding such meetings. Last, but not least, on January 28, 1947, in the courtroom of our local police building all the town officials were gathered. at one of the most momentous meetings in the history of the town of Saugus, at that time we reported a $61.00 tax rate if all the Budget requests were granted. It was the unanimous expression of these officials that the tax rate be reduced. At no time during the past year has the finance committee kept any of its deliberations secret. Rather it has made them public. We have been severely criticized for making this information public. But we feel our goal has been accomplished the people have been informed of the operations within our town government.
All town officials have been notified of the action that we have recommended to this meeting. This was done to give them the oppor- tunity as department heads to study our proposals. We believe that if the finance commiteee's recommendations are voted and adopted the citizens of Saugus will enjoy a reduction in their tax rate, from the $47.50 figure of 1946. Our recommendations are $523,173. 01 less than what was asked for, or a net reduction of approximately 36%.
The finance committee has undertaken a public relations program so the people will be well informed of the goings-on within our town government. We trust that this meeting will approve of the slight increase in our budget for this program.
In another section of this report we have placed for your perusal a list of 12 towns that can be compared with Saugus - the figures show an interesting comparison.
In our special articles we have approved for recommendations only the most vital for the general welfare of the people of Saugus.
The general recommndations of the finance committee will call for the elimination of a number of clerks that we feel are superfluous in the departments involved.
We have reduced the part-time salaries of many of our officials and brought them in line with those of towns comparable to Saugus in size. We have reduced the tremendously high costs as shown in past years for supplies and material. We have made no allowance for the use of telephones in the homes of employees and town officials.
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In general our recommendations are those which we believe can be paid for by the home owners of Saugus without excessive taxation.
The adoption of the finance committe's recommendations will make Saugus one of the few towns in the Commonwealth able to reduce its tax rate and thereby inviting a huge building program and industrial leaders to bring in industry, but who have been hesitant because of increased taxation, and the inability of our Town officials to get together in our town during the past years to go get that business.
We have acted in the best interest of all our town employees, department heads, and last but not least the Home Owner. We are sure that with the consolidated effort of each and every one of us we will bring this drive to a successful close with the achievement of a lower tax rate.
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