USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1954 > Part 2
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Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $7500 for Chapter 90 construction on Essex Street, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 16. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer the sum
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of $17,000 for the purpose of installing side- walks on Bristow Street, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Bristow Street Civic Association.
Article 17. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the surplus or excess and Deficiency Ac- count, the sum of $9100 for the purchase of a street sweeper or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 18. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the surplus or Excess and Deficiency Ac- count, the sum of $4100 for the purchase of a new machine for the accounting depart- ment, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 19. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $29,467.31 for the construction of Hurd Avenue extension to Williams Avenue, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 20. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $3470 to pay for the cost of repairs and alterations to the storage building on upper Main Street, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
Article 21. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds the sum of $15,000 for the purpose of installing sidewalks on Dudley Street, agreeable to the petition of Charles R. Keeler and others, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 22. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate or transfer from surplus revenue the sum of $28,000 to provide for extraordinary repairs to schools and other public buildings, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 23. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the surplus account, "free cash," the sum of $1000 for the purchase of a mimeograph machine, cabinet and incidental supplies, or to to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 24. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $208.62 for the purpose of purchasing Lot A-113 on Plan 2025 for playground purposes, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 25. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of five thousand dollars ($5000.00) for the improve- ment and surfacing of the extension of Hurd Avenue from its present connection with Hurd Avenue to Pelham Street and of Pelham Street from its junction with the Hurd Avenue extension to Williams Avenue, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter agreeable to the petition of William H. Robinson and others.
Article 26. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds the sum of $7000.00 for the purpose of constructing and installing side- walks on Dustin Street, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the East Saugus Improvement Association, Inc.
Article 27. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of $200.00 for the purpose of having a survey made of those areas along the banks of the Saugus River exposed at mean low tide to be known as a clam and shell fish breeding bed as re- quired by Chapter 130, Sections 52 to 75 inclusive of the General Laws of the State of Massachusetts, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter agreeable to the petition of John A. Waugh and others.
Article 28. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the replacement of slate urinals with wall type urinals and add necessary lava- tories in the Saugus High School, or to see what action the Town will take in the mat- ter, agreeable to the petition of the School Committee.
Article 29. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money to indemnify Alfred M. Butler for liability on a claim for property damage incurred by him while operating a Town owned motor vehicle in the scope of his employ- ment or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 30. To see if the Town will vote to amend Article 14 of the Town By-Laws as follows, or see what action the Town will take in the matter agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
(a) Amend the title of Article 14 by add- ing the words "Motor Court and Motel" so the title will read "Regu- lations of Auto Trailer, Tourist Camp, Motor Court, Motel and Park Site."
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(b) Amend Section 3 by adding Section 3a to read "Motor Court and Motel defined, a group of furnished cabins, attached or unattached, one story in height, with an outside entrance, lo- cated along a public highway, where motorists may obtain overnight lodg- ings."
Article 31. To see if the Town will vote to accept Curtis Street as laid out by the Selectmen according to the plan and profile on file in the office of the Town Clerk, and authorize the Board of Selectmen to pur- chase or take by eminent domain the neces- sary land therefor and appropriate a sum of money for that purpose, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 32. To see if the Town will vote to accept Beach View Avenue, as laid out by the Selectmen according to the plan and profile on file in the office of the Town Clerk and to authorize the Selectmen to purchase or take by eminent domain the land necessary therefor, and also appropri- ate a sum of money for that purpose, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter agreeable to the petition of Robert DeLouis and others.
Article 33. To see if the Town will vote to accept Farrington Avenue as laid out by the Selectmen according to the plan and profile on file in the office of the Town Clerk and authorize the Selectmen to pur- chase or take by eminent domain, the land necessary therefor; also to appropriate a sum of money for that purpose, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of Adolph J. Winn and others.
Article 34. To see if the Town will vote to accept Bufford Street as laid out by the Selectmen according to the plan and profile on file in the office of the Town Clerk, and authorize the Selectmen to purchase or take by eminent domain the land necessary therefor; also to appropriate a sum of money for said purpose, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of Lester F. Bick- nell and others.
Article 35. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to take by eminent domain, the land necessary for the proposed improvement of Main Street from Howard Street to the Army Camp, and to appropriate a sum of money there-
for, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 36. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Manager or Board of Selectmen to sell the land on the corner of Wendell and Chestnut Streets, formerly occupied by the Mansfield School, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 37. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Town Manager to sell the lot of land at the corner of Wendell and Chestnut Streets, formerly the Mansfield School property, owned by the Town, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of Charles R. Keeler and others.
Article 38. To see if the Town will vote to acquire by eminent domain, gift, pur- chase, or otherwise for public purposes a portion of land on Walnut Street near the junction of Water Street a total of 360 square feet of land, more or less, shown as Lot A-11 on Assessors Plan of the Town of Saugus, Plan 1039, and appropriate or trans- fer from available funds the sum of $10.00 for the above purposes, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Town Man- ager.
Article 39. To see if the Town will vote to accept Curtis Road as laid out by the Board of Selectmen according to the plan and profile on file in the office of the Town Clerk, and authorize the Board of Select- men to purchase or take by eminent domain the necessary land therefor and appropri- ate a sum of money for that purpose, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
Article 40. To see if the Town will vote to accept Atlantic Avenue as laid out by the Selectmen according to the plan and profile on file in the office of the Town Clerk and authorize the Selectmen to pur- chase or take by eminent domain, the land necessary therefor; also to appropriate a sum of money for that purpose, or to see what action the Town will take in the mat- ter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
Article 41. To see if the Town will vote to amend the By-Laws by adding the fol- lowing Section to Article IX, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter:
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"Section 24. No person owning or having the care, custody or possession of any loud speaker, radio, phonograph or other ma- chine or device for carrying, conveying, pro- ducing or reproducing sound by voice or otherwise, shall operate, use or permit the same to be operated or used in such a man- ner as to disturb the peace and comfort of the neighboring inhabitants, or at any time with louder volume than is necessary for convenient hearing, for the person or per- sons who are in the room or chamber in which such machine or device is operated. The operation of any such machine or de- vice at any time, in such manner as to be plainly audible at a distance of one hundred feet from the structure or vehicle in which it is located shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this ordinance.
Notwithstanding the foregoing paragraph, loud speakers, amplifiers, and similar de- vices may be used in connection with public address systems at such reasonable times and places as shall be set forth in written permit from the Chief of the Police De- partment.
Whoever violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to a fine of not more than twenty dollars, for each offense."
Article 42. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Map and Zoning By- Law so that Lot A-253 shown on Assessors Map 3020 shall be zoned for business, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of George E. Robinson and others.
Article 43. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Map and Zoning By- Law so that Lots E and F, otherwise shown as Lots A-78 and A-88 on Assessors' Plan 3025 shall be zoned for business, agreeable to the petition of Thomas D. Morse and others.
Article 44. To see if the Town will vote to transfer Lots 502 and 503 Cleveland Ave. from school purposes so that they will be available for sale, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 45. To see if the Town will vote to transfer Lots 506 and 507 Cleveland Ave. from tax-title property to the Town of Saugus for school purposes, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 46. To see if the Town will vote to ratify and confirm the acceptance of a deed from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to the Town, dated October 30, 1953 and recorded with the Essex South District Registry of Deeds in Book 4024, Page 92, which deed covers lots 1-45 inc., 48-69 inc., and 75-96 inc. on a plan of Fair- mount Park, Section 3, which plan is re- corded with said Deeds in Plan Book 39, Plan 32, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 47. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen and their suc- cessors in office to sell in whole or in parts at public or private sale, in their discretion, the land shown as lots 1-45 inc., 48-69 inc., and 75-96 inc., on a plan of Fairmount Park, Section 3, to impose thereon such restric- tions, reservations or conditions as shall be deemed expedient, and to execute and de- liver in the name and under the seal of the Town quit-claim deeds or other instruments therefor, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 48. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen and their suc- cessors in office to sell at public or private sale, in their d'scretion, land on Winter Street purchased for cemetery purposes and no longer required by the Cemetery De- partment, being Lots A-25 and A-26, on Plan 1013 on file in the Assessors' Office; to impose thereon such restrictions, reser- vations or conditions as shall be deemed expedient, and to execute and deliver in the name and under the seal of the Town, quitclaim deeds or other instruments there- for, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 49. To see if the Town will vote to instruct the Manager to increase the water rates or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 50. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Town Manager to give permission to allow Town property located on Elm and Walnut Streets to be used for playground purposes until the same is needed for school purposes, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 51. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning By-Law of the Town of Saugus by inserting the word "kennels" after the word greenhouses in Section 4, Paragraph 6 so as to read: - 6. Farms,
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greenhouses, kennels, nurseries and truck gardens and the sale of produce raised on the premises, under conditions prescribed by the building inspector and Selectmen, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of Louis Sherman and others.
Article 52. To see if the Town will vote to adopt Chapter 130 of the General Laws, Sections 52 to 75 inclusive; relating to the planting, growing and digging of clams and shell fish in an area designated by the Saugus Board of Selectmen as required by law of the State of Massachusetts, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of John A. Waugh and others.
Article 53. To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of Chapter 628, Acts of 1953, Section 100B, an act providing for the indemnification by cities and towns of certain retired police officers and fire fight- ers for certain hospital, medical and surgi- cal expenses, agreeable to the petition of Walter B. Wetmore and others.
Article 54. To see if the Town will vote that all street acceptances in the future be made in accordance with the betterment act, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 55. To see if the Town will as- sume liability in the manner provided by Section 29 of Chapter 91 of the General Laws, as amended by Chapters 516 and 524, Acts of 1950, for all damages that may be incurred by work to be performed by the Department of Public Works of Massachu- setts for the improvement, development, maintenance and protection of tidal and non-tidal river and streams, harbors, tide- waters, foreshores and shores along a pub- lic beach outside of Boston Harbor, in- cluding the Merrimack and Connecticut Rivers, in accordance with Section 11 of Chapter 91 of the General Laws, and au- thorize the Selectmen to execute and de- liver a bond of indemnity therefor to the Commonwealth, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 56. To see if the Town will vote to adopt a wiring section of the Building Ordinance agreeable to the petition of the Superintendent of Buildings, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 57. To see if the Town will vote to discontinue a public way known as High-
land Avenue Extension, as previously laid out by the Selectmen and accepted by the Town Meeting on October 25, 1937, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter.
Article 58. To see if the Town will vote to accept a portion of Lewis Lane as laid out by the Board of Selectmen according to the plan and profile on file in the office of the Town Clerk, and authorize the Board of Selectmen to purchase or take by emi- nent domain the necessary land therefor and appropriate a sum of money for that purpose, or to see what action the Town will take in the matter, agreeable to the petition of the Board of Selectmen.
You are hereby directed to serve this warrant by posting attested copies thereof at the several precincts seven days, at least, before the time of holding said meetings.
Hereof, fail not, and make 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 twenty-fifth day of February, A. D. Nineteen Hundred and Fifty-four.
JOHN J. BUCCHIERE ALBION R. RICE FRANK EVANS, JR. DAVID J. LUCEY J. LOWELL GODING, JR.
A true copy. Attest:
Selectmen
Constable
1954 Report of THE FINANCE COMMITTEE and Recommendations on the Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting
To the Town Meeting Members and Citizens of Saugus:
The Finance Committee submits herewith its report to the Annual Town Meeting on the departmental budget for 1954 together with its estimate of the 1954 tax rate.
The Finance Committee has met in formal sessions about 25 times to discuss the budget requests with department heads to hold a public hearing, and to decide on our recom-
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mendations. In addition, the chairman and other members made individual investiga- tions and studies requiring at least 200 hours. The Committee feels that its recom- mendations will provide the minimum neces- sities of the town for 1954 and also provide for some expansion of its services to its citizens.
The Finance Committee's total budget recommendations can be divided into four parts as follows:
Departments directly under
the Manager $634,476.25 or 33%
School Committee 679,671.00 or 35%
Independent Boards and
Committees
25,947.14 or 1%
Miscellaneous 594,098.97 or 31%
The miscellaneous group includes debt service, welfare aid, pensions, street lighting, and several other accounts where the costs are relatively fixed or uncontrollable. By law, the School Committee is relatively exempt from outside budget control. The total budget for the independent boards and committees is so small that budget reduc- tions in this group are necessarily small also. The departments directly under the control of the manager represent only one-third of the budget and are the departments pro- viding most of the services to the citizens. It is also the only group where there is any budget flexibility.
Table I compares the Finance Committee's recommendations with actual expenditures of prior years. The "Manager" group is shown in some detail in order to show how the money is spent. The increase in salaries in 1954 over 1953 is due primarily to salary increases of $14,000 and the addition of ten employees requiring $18,000 in the 1953 budget. About 61% of the budget for ma- terials, supplies, and services is allocated to the Public Works Department, while the Building and Health Departments receive about 15%. The remaining 24% is divided between the 22 other departments.
The Manager recommended salary in- creases for most employees. The Finance Committee allowed increases in all such cases, but the amounts were reduced in a few cases to provide a more uniform per- centage increase for all employees affected.
The Manager recommended an additional thirteen employees and the Finance Com- mittee's recommendation allows ten as follows:
Treasury
One Clerk
Forestry and Parks One Laborer
Cemetery One Laborer
Public Works Two Laborers
Police Two Patrolmen
Fire One Fireman
Engineering Two Engineers
Estimated Receipts from State:
Income Tax
$ 156,532.14
Business Corporation Tax
67,551.15
Meal Tax
5,364.81
229,448.10
The estimated tax rate covering the departmental budget only is computed as follows:
Gross Appropriations
1,934,193.36
Less customary transfers
21,548.34
$1,912,645.02
Assessments for 1953
County Tax
51,014.03
Tuberculosis Hospital
20,453.21
Audit Municipal Accts.
2,304.51
Audit Retirement System
51.58
Metropolitan Parks
17,222.41
Metropolitan Water
29,783.04
Smoke Inspection Service
308.71
$ 121,137.49
Underestimates
Boston Arena Authority
1,975.03
Metropolitan Parks
8.28
$
1,983.31
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Metropolitan Water Connection
Overlay Deficit Tax Titles Overlay 1954
1,600.00
50,000.00
Gross Amount to be Raised
$2,170,115.54
Overestimates
County Tax
1,227.51
County Hospital
1,070.42
Metropolitan Parks
637.39
Smoke Inspection Service
69.48
$ 3,004.80
Estimated Town Receipts
470,000.00
Total Receipts
702,452.90
Net Amount Raised
1,467,662.64
Less Poll Taxes
11,000.00
Net Real and Personal Property Tax Levy
$1,456,662.64
Estimated Assessed valuation - $23,300.00.
Estimated Tax Rate - $62.50
11,800.00 70,949.72
SALUTING THE PAST - HAILING THE FUTURE - Saugus took time out in celebrating its 325th Anniversary last Fall to lay the cornerstone of its new $2.200,000 Senior High School. Holding the solid copper box are, left, Janet Lois Richards, and, right, John Francis Lawrence, members of the Senior Class at the present Senior High School. Behind them stand Frank B. Newhall, left, member of the Saugus High School class of 1887; and Mrs. Lilla G. Quint, right, who graduated in 1896, and is a retired principal in the school system. In the middle is Mrs. Harriett McAdoo, a former member of the School Committee.
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The Finance Committee's computation of the tax rate omits the requested transfer from surplus to offset the overlay deficit and the much discussed aid from the state towards the Veteran's Memorial School and new High School Bonds.
The following is quoted from the 1953 report of the Accountant:
"Much has been said or written relative to the reimbursement by the State School Commission on the cost of constructing the Veteran's Memorial School. Payments for work on this project were still being made up to September 1953. There is a dispute as to final payments, if any, to be made."
The amount to be received toward the Veteran's Memorial School may be as high as $52,000. The amount that may be received toward the new high school is unknown as this report is written
The only way that the town can have the $54 tax rate claimed by some, is for the following four things to come to pass.
1. Receipt of $107,000 in school assistance as expected.
2. Transfer from surplus the amount necessary to cover overlay deficits.
3. The normal growth of the town bring- ing about an increase of assessed valu- ations of at least $700,000 for 1954 over 1953.
4. No special article appropriations.
The Finance Committee recommends that special article appropriations be held to a minimum this year.
WAYNE H. BOOKMILLER, Chairman MURIEL E. FURBUSH, Secretary
MYRON D. DONOGHUE
FRANCIS FARRENKOPF
RANSOM G. SMITH JAMES T. MCCARTHY WALTER F. DEVITT
DANIEL J. DRISCOLL
RICHARD F. MERRILL
PUBLIC SERVICE, UNREWARDED, UNPAID, UNSUNG! Here three members of the Finance Committee of nine citizens thoughtfully scan financial figures in the Town Meeting. Ap- pointed by the Town Moderator, removable by no one, serving as "eyes and ears" of the Town Meeting whom they so faithfully serve, the Finance Committee is not subject to the control of the Town Manager nor any other official of Saugus. Their views are honest, dis- interested, intelligent, and uniformly fair. Shown here, left to right, are Chairman Wayne H. Bookmiller, James T. McCarthy, and Walter F. Devitt. With their colleagues, Mrs. Muriel E. Furbush, Ranson G. Smith, Richard Merrill, Daniel J. Driscoll, Myron D. Donoghue, and Francis F. Farrenkoff, they represent public service at its best.
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TABLE I
FC
1951
1952
1953
M 1954
1954
MANAGER'S DEPARTMENTS
Salaries
Regular
$298,101.28
$320,766.23
$356,519.18
$409,337.70 25,429.40
$398,971.00 21,993.40
TOTAL
316,194.01
341,546.21
380,857.71
434,767.10
420,964.40
Expenses
Matl., Supp., Services
179,707.20
200,359.66
153,515.90
177,055.31
107,410.81
Equipment
18,412.30
40,758.45
12,392.52
25,568.00
13,125.00
Refuse Coll. Contracts
5,150.00
5,150.00
26,015.26
35,966.64
35,966.64
Miscellaneous
4,972.78
6,056.82
5,207.68
6,282.00
3,000.00
208,242.28
252,324.93
197,131.36
244,871.95
219,502.45
Less Federal Grants
3,190.11
4,094.70
6,755.35
5,990.60
5,990.60
TOTAL
521,246.18
589,776.44
571,233.72
673,648.45
634,476.25
33%
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Salaries
453,276.85
526,212.14
561,402.31
591,608.00
591,608.00
Expenses
73,727.92
86,884.22
87,227.00
90,988.00
88,063.00
TOTAL
527,004.77
613,096.36
648,679.31
682,596.00
679,671.00
35%
INDEPENDENT BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
Salaries
11,743.32
12,807.46
13,157.17
13,520.14
13,400.14
Expenses
8,962.75
12,363.29
9,890.73
13,572.00
12,547.00
TOTAL
20,706.07
25,170.75
23,047.90
27,092.14
25,947.14
1%
ALL OTHER
295,076.59
384,390.93
402,763.00
595,054.97
594,098.97
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