USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1910 > Part 2
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ART. 40. To appoint a Committee on Ways and Means as required by Section 1, Chapter V, of the By-Laws.
ART. 41. To see if the Town will vote to issue bonds to the amount of $90,000, under the provisions of Chapter 112 of the Acts of 1909, for the purpose as provided in said Chapter 112, of becoming a part of the Metropolitan Water District.
The polls to be closed at sunset.
And you are directed to serve this Warrant by posting attested copies thereof at the Town Hall, Depot, Post Office, and three other public and conspicuous places in the Town, seven days at least before the time of holding said meeting.
HEREOF FAIL NOT, and make due return of this Warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk at the time and place of meeting as aforesaid.
Given under our hands this twenty-seventh day of February, in the year nineteen hundred and nine.
ARTHUR C. WIDGER, FRED C. MARSH, JAMES F. CATON, Selectmen of Swampscott.
A true copy. Attest :
RICHARD G. GILLEY,
Constable.
27
TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1910]
Return on the Warrant.
Pursuant to the within Warrant to me directed, I have notified the legal voters of Swampscott by posting attested copies of said Warrant at the Town Hall, Depots, Post Offices and three other public and conspicuous places in Swampscott on Saturday, the sixth day of March, 1909. The posting of said notices being at least seven days before the time of said meeting.
RICHARD G. GILLEY, Constable.
Meeting called to order at 6 o'clock A. M., by the Moderator, Daniel F. Knowlton. The following were qualified by the Clerk to act as election officers : Special, John A. Cullen (Dem.), Ballot Clerks, Willis C. Paul (Dem.) and Willard M. Hatch (Rep.) Tellers, W. Herbert Webster, Freeman A. Baker, Frank V. Porter, Charles B. Jones, S. Perry Congdon, William H. Lee and James W. Libbey (Rep.) ; Joseph P. Nies, James A. Finnegan, William P. Bergin, Sidney M. Shat- tuck, Daniel J. Kain and Robert Leslie (Dem).
The polls closed at 5.50 P. M., 1,056 general, 24 special and 978 separate ballots having been cast.
At 12.05 A. M. the vote was declared as follows :
For Moderator-Daniel F. Knowlton, 703, elected ; blanks, 353.
For Town Clerk-Milton D. Porter, 795, elected ; blanks, 261.
For Selectmen-James F. Caton, 384 ; Walter A. Davis, 618, elected ; Charles S. Haskell, 580, elected ; Elias G. Hodg- kins, 418; Fred C. Marsh, 340 ; Arthur C. Widger, 516, elected ; blanks, 312.
For Treasurer-Benjamin O. Honors, 833, elected ; blanks, 223.
28
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
For Collector of Taxes-Nathan G. Bubier, 670, elected ; George T. Till, 364 ; blanks, 22.
For Assessor for three years-Isaac H. Andrews, 401 ; Gil- bert Delano, 519, elected ; blanks, 136.
For School Committee for three years-Sidney E. Bailey, 370 ; Arthur W. Stubs, 533, elected ; blanks, 177.
For Board of Health for three years-John B. Cahoon, 548, elected ; Richard P. Horton, 295; J. Everett Morse, 146; blanks, 67.
For Overseer of Poor for three years-Charles A. Blanchard, 382 ; Edmund Russell, 548, elected ; blanks, 126.
For Water Commissioner for three years-Leon L. Dennis, 461 ; Samuel M. Kehoe, 549, elected ; blanks, 46.
For Sewer Commissioner for three years-Edward H. Curtis, 496, elected ; Stephen P. Hurd, 490 ; blanks, 70.
For Park Commissioner for three years-Arthur T. Tapper, 247 ; Everit B. Terhune, 602, elected ; blanks, 207.
For Trustee of Public Library for three years-Elizabeth J. Hadley, 675, elected ; blanks, 381.
For Auditors-Herman F. Ashton, 479, elected ; Thomas E. Berry, 209; Eugene P. Brogan, 190; Stuart P. Ellis, 487, elected ; Alfred F. Frazier, 305 ; George R. Hussey, 404 ; Ber- tram C. Melzard, 406, elected ; blanks, 688.
For Surveyor of Highways-Charles Mills, Jr., 336 ; Michael J. Ryan, 662, elected ; blanks, 58.
For Tree Warden-L. Herbert Cahoon, 468; George New- hall, 532, elected ; blanks, 56.
29
TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1910]
For Constables-Frank H. Bradford, 642, elected ; William H. Carroll, 645, elected; Richard G. Gilley, 706, elected ; scattering, 9 ; blanks, 1, 166.
License question-"Shall Licenses be granted for the sale of Intoxicating Liquors in this Town?" No, 767; yes, 192; blanks, 97.
Chapter 476, Section 1, Acts of 1908. Shall an Act passed by the General Court in the year 1908, entitled "An Act relative to vacations of members of Police Departments be accepted by this Town?" Yes, 541 ; no, 215 ; blanks, 300.
Chapter 112, Acts of 1909. To see if the Town will vote to issue bonds to the amount of $90,000 under the provisions of Chapter 112 of the Acts of 1909, for the purpose as provided in said Chapter 112, of becoming a part of the Metropolitan Water District. Yes, 588; no, 274 ; blanks, 194
Chapter 209, Acts of 1908. Yes, 797; No, 107; blanks, 74. At 12.15 A M., Adjourned to tonight a 7.45 o'clock.
Attest : MILTON D. PORTER, Town Clerk.
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting, March 16, 1909.
Meeting called to order at 7.45 o'clock P. M., by the Mod- erator.
Records of last meeting read and declared approved.
ARTICLE 6. Voted, that all the reports of the different departments be accepted, and those containing recommendations be referred to the Ways and Means Committee.
30
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
ART. 7. Voted, to refer this article to the Ways and Means Committee.
ART. 9. Voted, that the bond of the Town Treasurer be $15,000.
ART. 10. Voted, unanimously, that for the purpose of pro- curing a temporary loan to, and for the use of the Town, in anticipation of the taxes of the present year, the Town Treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to borrow from time to time with the approval of a majority of the Board of Selectmen, a sum or sums in the aggregate not to exceed $125,000, and to execute and deliver the note or notes of the Town therefor, pay- able within one year from the time the loan is made, and any debt or debts incurred by a loan or loans to the Town, under this vote shall be paid from the taxes of the present year.
ART. II. Voted, that the bond of the Collector of Taxes be $10,000.
ART. 12. Voted, that a discount of two per cent. be allowed on all taxes paid on or before October I of the current year.
ART. 15. Voted, that the bonds of the Water Commissioners be same as last year.
Voted, to refer Articles 13, 14, 16, 18 and 19 to the Ways and Means Committee to report at the adjourned meeting.
Voted, to lay Article 17 upon the table.
Voted, to take up Articles 20, 21 and 30 together.
Voted, That a committee of five be appointed from the floor to formulate a plan for the consolidation of the various depart- ments of the Town, and report at the adjourned Town Meeting.
C. Irving Lindsey, James T. Lyons, Elgar H. Townsend, Edward H. Kitfield, and Clarence B. Humphrey were appointed as that Committee.
3I
TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1910]
ART. 22. Voted that a Saturday half-holiday be granted with pay from April I to October 1, 1909, to employees of the Highway, Health, Water, Sewer, and Moth Departments, to those who work three days in each week including Saturday forenoon.
Voted, to take up Articles 23, 24 and 25 together, and refer them to the Ways and Means Committee, and the Sewer Com- missioners.
Voted, To refer Articles 26, 27 and 28, to the Ways and Means and Street Light Committees.
Voted, That Articles 29, 31, and 32, be referred to Ways and Means Committee.
Voted, That Articles 33 and 34 be considered together and referred to Ways and Means Committee.
Voted, To take up Articles 33, 36, and 37 together, and refer to Ways and Means Committee, also to refer Article 38 to same Committee.
Voted, That when we adjourn, it be to Tuesday, April 6, 1909, at 7.45 P. M.
Voted, To lay Article 39 upon the table.
ART. 40. Voted, that the Committee on Ways and Means be appointed by the chair.
Voted, at 9.05 P. M. to adjourn.
Attest : MILTON D. PORTER,
Town Clerk.
32
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
Recount of Ballots for Sewer Commissioner for three Years.
Petition having been presented to the Town Clerk for a recount of the ballots cast for Sewer Commissioner at the Annual Town Election held on the 15th, inst., the Board of Registrars of Voters met at the Town Hall this 20th, day of March at 2.30 o'clock P. M. and canvassed and recounted the said ballots with the following result :
Edward H. Curtis
496 Elected
Stephen P. Hurd Blanks
491
69
MILTON D. PORTER, Clerk of Board of Registrars.
Attest : MILTON D. PORTER,
Town Clerk.
Adjourned Annual Town Meeting, April 6, 1909.
Meeting called to order at 7.45 P. M. by the Moderator, Records of last meeting read and declared approved, Mr. J. Henry Welch, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, read and submitted the report of the Committee upon the recom- mendations of the several Boards, and the Articles of the Warrant which had been refered to them.
Report of the Committee on Ways and Means.
To the Citizens of Swampscott :
Your committee finds that the financial condition of the Town has improved over that of a year ago. Notes amounting to $12,000 will become due this year, as against $23,000 last year.
This decided improvement is due to the fact that the Depart- ments did not over-run their appropriation to the extent of the previous year.
33
TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1910]
The appropriations during 1908 at Special Town Meetings were less than $1,000, while for the year 1907 they amounted to $13,000, much of which was voted against the advice of the previous Committee on Ways and Means.
Overdrafts.
The By-Laws give the Selectmen power to authorize over- drafts in any department up to $200, above that amount any expenditures shall be made only by a vote of the town. This is very explicit and allows the Selectmen no alternative.
Last year the overdrafts in the different departments amounted to $3,552.94 and in five instances, Cemetery, Curbstone, Farms, Schools, Fire Horses and Street Watering, the amount has exceeded the $200 limit.
We believe our Selectmen have always acted as they thought for the best interests of the town, but in these instances they have exceeded their authority in authorizing these expenditures when they had a course of duty plainly marked out in the By- Laws which they should have followed.
Bills Held Over.
Your Committee has made persistent inquiries of every Board regarding outstanding bills past due. Aside from the contested Board of Health bills, we have found none excepting in the School and Street Light Departments. Only last Thursday, April Ist, the School Committee handed to the Selectmen for pay- ment, over $600 in bills past due, for debts incurred for the period from September 1, 1908, to January of the present year, all of which should have been included in last year's expenses in their report, and paid from their appropriation for 1908.
Our Town By-Laws require that all Boards shall submit to the Selectmen before February 10th, a statement, which shall include an itemized account of all debts unpaid on January 31st.
The first intimation the Board of Selectmen had that these School Department bills existed, was when same came to them on April Ist.
3
34
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
Your Committee had much rather praise than criticize any Board, but such neglect of duty seems inexcusable. The School Committee's excuse for holding these bills, was that the parties to whom same were payable were willing to allow unlimited time, and that all money they had on hand was required for teachers salaries and current expenses.
Under such conditions of management, no accurate idea of the financial condition of any department would be obtainable.
Your Committee finds it is a complicated problem that con- fronts every town in maintaining its present efficiency of govern- ment, and meet the demands that increasing population require.
Swampscott has been able to meet these demands better than most towns of the state, as it is the favored summer residence of many wealthy parties who become large tax payers here.
We wish to call attention to the Legislation during the past year which has materially reduced our income from the Corpora- tion Tax, to the extent of several thousand dollars. Formerly Swampscott got the whole amount ($17,000 in 1908) of the Corporation Tax levied on stock owned by parties residing here on May Ist, while under the new law we get but one-half of same, the balance going to the State.
There is a persistency about this class of legislation that may eventually deprive us of all such revenue.
In 1898 we paid a State Tax amounting to $3,100 and in 1908 $19,100, while we received from the State on account of the Corporation Tax, 1898, $14,500 and the year 1908, $17,000, which makes an increase of expenditures in State Tax in ten years of 650 per cent. with an increase of receipts from Corpora- tion Tax for the same period of but 12 per cent.
During this same period (1898 to 1908) notwithstanding the rapid increase of our valuation in Swampscott, our Town Debt has increased three times, while our valuation has not quite doubled. In voting moneys for present and future needs, the citizens should keep in mind these conditions.
35
TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1910]
Selectmen's Recommendations, Page 89.
For items which may be called fixed charges, we recommend that amounts as follows be appropriated :
State Tax, estimated
$20,000 00
County Tax, estimated
12,000 CO
Interest, estimated
·
8,500 00
Interest, Sewer Bonds
6,700 00
Retirement of Sewer Bonds
4,600 00
Notes payable
12,000 00
$63,800 00
These amounts only dispose of our State and County Taxes and outstanding debts contracted in the past, yet to meet same requires $6.38 out of our $16 per 1,000 tax rate on a $10,000,000, valua- tion basis leaving less than $10 for each thousand valuation to. maintain all our Departments and pay current expenses for the year.
After careful consideration we recommend that amounts as follows be appropriated.
Selectmen's Report, Page 89.
Selectmen's Department, receipts and, $6,500 00
Assessors . 1,500 00 ·
Poor, receipts and 2,400 00
Soldiers' Relief, receipts and .
2,400 00
Library, dog tax, receipts and 800 00 .
Town Hall, receipts and 1,400 00 ·
Monument Lot · .
50 00
Tree Warden $300, amended *350, receipts and 350 00
Ambulance, receipts and 150 00 ·
Town fences
·
150 00
Board of Health, receipts and · 4,000 00
*Adopted as amended, by vote of the meeting.
36
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
Selectmen's Department.
It is difficult to establish a fixed sum for this department, as many bills have to be paid from it, which would be paid from an emergency fund if such existed here, as is the case in many towns.
Recommendations.
We would also recommend that the Board of Selectmen pur- chase the coal for all departments, also the hay and grain for the fire department in the manner provided for in Chapter VI., Sec- tion I, of the By-Laws. As the cost of these commodities amounted to six thousand dollars last year, we think a saving might be effected by this change of method.
Police Department.
The Chief of Police asks for $300 extra this year for a special officer to be stationed at upper Swampscott. The reason for this is, that he considers it necessary to protect that portion of the town on account of Salem having adopted a license policy to go into effect May Ist.
He also asks for $200 to provide for the additional expense of giving the police one day off each month as voted by the Town. These requests seem reasonable to the committee, and we recom- mend that $7,000 and receipts be appropriated for this depart- ment.
Cemetery.
On account of the recent enlargement of the cemetery we recommend that the appropriation for this department be $1,200, and receipts.
Water Rates.
This amount is a fixed charge of $15.00 for each hydrant, plus $500 for water for sprinkling. This is the rate fixed by the Water Commissioners, and we recommend that $2,500 be ap- propriated for same.
37
TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1910]
Park Department, p. 61-164.
This Department recommends an iron fence around the stone retaining wall at Fisherman's Beach; the changing of two faucets at the Town fish house, and building of basins for the same to be connected by drains with the sewer ; the building of a granolithic roadway to the beach east of the Town fish house ; and the improvement of the play ground. All of these improve- ments met with the approval of the Committee, and we recom- mend the sum of $2,000 and receipts be appropriated for this Department.
Maintenance of Sewers.
Swampscott has the most expensive sewer system of any Town of its size in the state. Last year for maintenance, retirement of bonds and interest, $17,000 was expended by the Town, which sum represents nearly one-tenth of the total tax levy of the Town. Considering this heavy sewer indebtedness, your Committee would advise against more bond issues until the sewer debt is materially decreased, which is being done at the rate of $4,600 each year by the retirement of that amount of serial bonds. We recommend for the Department an appro- priation of $5,000 for maintenance.
(This amount is based on our recommendations in Article 16.)
Highway Department.
Last year this Department macadamized Atlantic avenue for a distance of 5,300 feet at a cost of $7,600. This amount compares favorably with the average cost of roads built by the common- wealth, which fact is creditable to our Department.
Crushed stone is an important item in the cost of our roads. We recommend that the selectmen make an investigation of the cost per ton and incorporate in their next Annual Report the results of such investigation. We have made investigations along these lines but we have been unable to get at an accurate estimate of cost.
38
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 3I
We have also investigated along the lines of the expense to the Town of the Saturady half holiday and find it to be about $22.50 for the half day each week. We mention this to explain why the expenses of these departments must necessarily increase.
Street Signs.
Few of the streets in Town have signs to designate their names. This has been called to our attention by the Surveyor of High- ways and we advise that a start be made this year with a fixed design of signs.
Curbstone and Concrete.
When an application is made to the Board of Selectmen for concrete or curbstone the Committee recommends that the abutter's share of such expense shall be paid before work is begun. We believe this change will be an improvement over present method.
We recommend that the following appropriations be made :
Highway and Receipts $10,000 00
Sidewalks
450 00
Crushing stone
1,000 00
Catch Basins and Gutters
750 00
Curbstones, New and Receipts
500 00
Resetting Curbstones
200 00
Care Brooks .
200 00
Street Signs .
50 00
Care of Snow
1,000 00
$14,150 00
Continuous Sidewalk.
Your Committee approves of the recommendations of the Surveyor of Highways that curbstones be laid and sidewalks be gravelled on the northerly side of Norfolk avenue from Middlesex avenue to B. & M. R. R. bridge on Stetson avenue, and the southerly side of Orient street from Town Fish House to Lincoln
39
TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1910]
House avenue. Where sidewalks require curbstones the Sur- veyor believes better results will be obtained by laying curbs and gravelling the walks a year previous to the concreting. We also recommend that the Town concrete all portions of sidewalk on the northerly side of Elmwood road between Thomas road and Monument avenue that are needed to make a continuous sidewalk for the distance. We recommend the appropriation of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for continuous sidewalks.
School Committee.
We have made an inspection of all the school property in company with the School Committee. We were much pleased with the new Farms School, which seemed to the Committee, a model school of its kind. We found all the school buildings in good condition except the Beach and Redington Street Schools, which are a discredit to the Town and should soon be abandoned. The natural increase in school attendance requires two new rooms every three years so that the need of a new building is imperative.
Phillips' School Alterations, p. 93.
The Committee asks for $3,000 to make alterations in two attic rooms off the main audience hall on the third floor for establishing a banking department in the commercial course in one, and facilitate the present drawing course in the other. We have examined these conditions and considered the requests of the Committee. These rooms were evidently designed for storage purposes, as the maximum height is only 10 x 6 at the centre with low slanting roof at the sides. It is proposed to widen the dormer windows to get better light and it will also be necessary to install a system of heating and ventilation for the rooms. In the opinion of your Committee, the results to be obtained do not warrant the expenditure of $3,000 which is asked for this purpose. We think it wiser to defer these im- provements until the money can be used toward some substantial addition to the building which will be better suited for the work intended. We recommend that no action be taken.
We recommend an appropriation of $35,000 for schools.
40
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 31
Your Committee in looking over the plumbing arrangements at the Phillips school found five of the thirteen closets leaking badly and we found from the reading of the meters given us by the Water Department taken January 11th and March 31st, dur- ing which time the school was in session fifty-three days, there has been a consumption of 69,520 cubic feet at a cost of $130, an average of nearly $3.00 for each school day. During the same period, the Clarke School, which contains more scholars, has used water to the value of only $30. This is an expensive waste of water and one that ordinary care would have prevented.
Fire Department, Record Page 137.
Your Committee has thoroughly investigated the needs of this department. Although $2,000 was expended in repairing the main Engine house, there are some repairs yet needed to com- plete same, which will cost more than we consider should be spent for this department this year. The first consideration in this department should be efficient up-to-date apparatus for the protection of life and property in case of fire. The present hook and ladder truck has been in use nearly thirty years. It was formerly drawn by hand. There is only one extension ladder, which is fifty feet in length. The others are too short for our higher buildings and all are in bad repair. We believe this piece of apparatus is not equal to the demands which may be required of it and we would recommend that a new truck be purchased by the selectmen and board of fire engineers. We recommend and appro- priation not to exceed $2,200 and receipts from sale of old truck for this purpose.
The fire chief of the department recommended in his Annual Report the purchase of a new supply wagon for the Phillips Beach House. When making our inspection of Town property you may imagine the Committee's surprise when it was shown the brand new wagon, the advisability of purchasing which your Committee was supposed to report upon.
No doubt exists in the minds of the committee that a wagon was needed for the purpose of exercising the horses, but that it
41
TOWN CLERK'S RECORDS.
1910]
should be purchased when there were not sufficient funds to the credit of that department and charged to next year's appropria- tion when as yet no appropriation had been made, shows not only a lack of business method by our Selectmen, but a violation of Chapter 3, Section 8 of the By-Laws, which says that when- ever the proposed total expenditure in excess of an appropriation equals or exceeds two hundred dollars, such expenditures shall be made only in pursuance of a vote of the Town A wagon was hired until the new one was installed. In the opinion of your committee, one could have been hired until an appropriation had been made for the purchase of a new one. We recommend the following appropriations for this department :-
Three pairs of new doors for main engine house
$150 00
New racks for battery room 50 00
For painting and repairing rear part of building
50 00
For repairs and painting at Phillips
Beach House
150 00
Supply wagon .
260 00
For expenses of department
·
9,000 00 and receipts
Street Lighting.
At the close of the financial year, March 15, the Treasurer's book showed a balance of about $800 to the credit of the Street Light Department, which would have been sufficient to have paid the February bill for lighting had it been presented. But as it was not presented at that time and the amount in the treasury to the credit of the department reverted to the general fund, leaving a deficit in this department of $846, which must be added to the appropriation for this year.
We therefore recommend the sum of $11,200 for street lighting (to March 1, 1910).
72
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Jan. 3I
Street Watering.
The subject of Street watering has been a difficult proposition for the Selectmen to solve. Your Committee has considered the advisability of recommending a Street Watering assessment. We find the rates for such assessment in different towns to vary from 22 to 5 cents per front foot, but we find no record of Swampscott having accepted the act whereby the Town may assess a street sprinkling tax. We believe a tax of this sort to be a fair and equitable way of solving this question and increasing the revenues of the Town. We advise that steps be taken to accept this act. We recommend an appropriation of $4,000 for street watering.
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