USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1930 > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23
Voted, Article 5. To accept the report of the Finance Committee and adopt their recommendations as follows: That the treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen be and hereby is authorized to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the receipt of revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1930, to an amount not to exceed in the aggregate five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.) and to issue a note or notes of the town therefor, payable within one year, the debt or debts incurred thereby to be paid from the revenue of said financial year. (Unanimous)
REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
This is under the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting held February 17. 1930, to the adjourned session thereof, held February 24, 1930, at 7:30 P. M.
To the Members of the Limited Town Meeting:
The Finance Committee has made an examination of the Warrant and presents the following report upon those articles that it has con- sidered.
There are many articles that request the appropriation of very substantial sums of money. These articles will require careful study and many conferences with the various departments and committees presenting them. Our report concerning these articles will be made to the adjourned meeting.
Article 3. We recommend that the Town Clerk furnish a bond with a surety company as surety in the penal sum of one thousand dollars, and that the custodian of trust funds furnish a bond with a surety company as surety in the penal sum of ten thousand dollars.
Article 5. We recommend, for the purposes specified in this ar- ticle, that the treasurer, with the approval of the selectmen be and hereby is authorized to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the receipt of revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1930, to an amount not to exceed in the aggregate $500,000 and to issue a note or notes of the town therefor, payable within one year, the debt or debts incurred thereby to be paid from the revenue of said financial year.
Article 18. The power of establishing sidewalks in public ways is vested in the Board of Selectmen by Sections 25 and 26 of Chapter 83 of the General Laws. We probably will recommend an appro- priation for this work to be expended by the Board of Selectmen in accordance with the provisions of these sections and all requests therefor should be addressed to this Board. We recommend, there- fore, that action under this article be indefinitely postponed.
Article 31. For the reasons stated in our recommendation under Article 18, we recommend that action under this article be indefinitely postponed.
Article 51. We recommend that the following unexpended bal- ances on sewer construction be transferred to the Sewer Emergency Fund, namely: Phillips avenue sewer $1,915.29, Bradlee avenue sewer $6,086.10, Eastern Intercepting Sewer $12,485.55, Humphrey street and Ocean avenue sewer $594.02, Bristol avenue sewer $1,811.59, Sargent road and Prospect avenue sewer $385.09, Whitman road sewer $90.26, Barnstable street sewer $460.11, said balances aggregating $23,827.01.
Article 58. We recommend that the following unexpended bal- ances be transferred from water construction to the Emergency Water Fund, viz: Whitman road water $1,086.87, Plymouth avenue water $379.35, said balances aggregating $1,466.22.
22
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Article 61. This article seeks the appropriation of $650. for cloth- ing for the captains and patrolmen of the Police Department. We made a careful examination of this subject last year and recommended indefinite postponement. Nothing has occured in the meantime to change our attitude. If the members of this department are to be furnished with clothing, then the employees of the Street Department and other departments of the town should be treated in the same manner. We believe that this would be a bad custom to establish. If an officer's clothing is damaged in the performance of his duty, it has always been the practice to reimburse him for the cost thereof. It seems to us that this is as far as the town should go. We recom- mend, therefore, that action under this article be indefinitely postponed.
Article 70. Last year we recommended that the departments should include all fixed expenses in their budgets and this recommenda- tion was adopted by the town meeting. The Fire Department expends $1,000 annually for hydrant rental. This is as necessary an expense as that for gasoline. It should, therefore, be embodied in the budget of this department in accordance with the vote of the town and we have accordingly done this. We recommend, therefore, that action under this article be indefinitely postponed.
JAMES W. SANTRY, Chairman.
RALPH J. CURTIS,
LEROY S. AUSTIN,
RALPH H. CARY,
PAUL W. BRICKETT,
DONALD REDFERN,
JOHN A. WALDO,
Finance Committee.
The finance Report was read by James W. Santry, Chairman.
Voted, Article 6. To accept the recommendations not calling for the appropriation of money as contained in the reports of officers, boards and committee.
Voted, Articles 7 to 17 inclusive referred to Finance Committee.
Voted, Article 18. To accept the report of the Finance Committee and adopt their recommendation, that action under this article be indefinitely postponed.
Voted, Articles 19 to 30 inclusive referred to the Finance Com- mittee.
Voted, Article 31. Action under this article be indefinitely
postponed.
Voted, Articles 32 to 50 inclusive referred to the Finance Com- mittee.
Voted, Article 51. To accept the report of the Finance Committee and adopt their recommendations as follows: That the following un- expended balances on sewer construction be transferred to the Sewer Emergency Fund, namely: Phillips avenue sewer $1,915.29; Bradlee avenue sewer $6,086.10; Eastern Intercepting sewer $12,485.55; Humph- rey street and Ocean avenue sewer $594.02; Bristol avenue sewer $1,811.59; Sargent road and Prospect avenue sewer $385.09; Whitman road sewer $90.26; Barnstable street sewer $460.11.
Voted, Articles 52 to 57 inclusive be referred to the Finance Committee.
Voted, Article 58. To accept the report of the Finance Committee and adopt their recommendations. That the following unexpended balances be transferred from water construction to the Emergency Water Fund, viz: Whitman road water $1,086.87; Plymouth avenue water $379.35.
Voted, Articles 59 and 60 be referred to the Finance Committee.
Voted, Article 61. An amendment to the Finance report was lost, namely: that article be accepted as in the warrant and the recommen- dation be adopted.
Voted, Article 61. To accept the report of the Finance Committee and adopt their recommendations, that action under this article be indefinitely postponed.
23
RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK
1930]
Voted, Articles 62 to 69 inclusive be referred to the Finance Committee.
Voted, Article 70. Action under this article be indefinitely post- poned. Voted, Articles 71 to 79 inclusive be referred to the Finance Committee. Voted, Article 80. Action under this article be indefinitely post- poned.
Voted, Article 81. Action under this article be indefinitely post- poned.
Voted, Article 82. Be referred to the Finance Committee.
Voted, Article 83. Be referred to the Finance Committee.
Under Article 84 an open meeting was declared for a hearing. Under the objectors, Mr. Dooley, representing Mrs. Josephine God- frey, and Clinton Johnson for the Blaney Estate were heard. No person speaking for the article, hearing was declared closed.
Voted, Article 84 be laid on the table until the adjournment of this meeting. For, 75; against, 13.
Under Article 85. Open meeting was declared for a hearing. No person appeared against, one person appeared for.
Voted, Article 85. That this article be referred to the adjourned meeting of this meeting, that the Board of Appeals be instructed to make a study of this article and report at said meeting.
Voted, Articles 86 and 87 be referred to the Finance Committee. Voted, Article 88. That the town appoint a committee to con- sider plans and details and to suggest a proper location for a per- manent Honor Roll, to replace the present Honor Roll on the Town Hall lawn, said committee to consist of the Commander of the Amer- ican Legion, the Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and one representative town meeting member, said committee to report at a subsequent town meeting.
Voted, Article 89. That the town continue in existence the present by-law committee, appointed under Article 6 of the warrant for the annual town meeting of 1929, with authority to consider revisions of and amendments to the by-laws and report to the town not later than the next annual meeting.
Voted, Articles 90 to 93 inclusive be referred to the Finance Committee.
Voted, that when we adjourn, it be to March 26, 1930, at 7:45 P. M. Voted to adjourn at 9:05 P. M.
Attest : RALPH D. MERRITT, Town Clerk.
ASSISTANT TOWN CLERK
February 21, 1930.
Nina C. Merritt, appointed assistant Town Clerk, and qualified for office. Attest : RALPH D. MERRITT, Town Clerk.
TO FILL VACANCIES
March 14, 1930.
We certify that a special meeting of the town meeting members of Precinct 5 was called and held in accordance with the provisions of the law relating thereto at the Town Hall on the 14th day of March, 1930, and the following were elected to fill the vacancies in said Precinct 5 for one year each, by unanimous vote.
NATHAN G. BUBIER, 11 Hardy road, GEORGE H. LUCEY, 49 Devens road,
Attest:
JOHN B. HADAWAY, Chairman, EDWIN M. BAILEY, Clerk. RALPH D. MERRITT, Town Clerk.
24
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
WARRANT FOR SPECIAL TOWN MEETING Wednesday, March 26, 1930
Essex ss.
To either of the Constables of the Town of Swampscott in said County, GREETINGS:
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are directed to notify the inhabitants of the town of Swampscott, qualified to vote in elections and in town affairs, to assemble in the Town Hall in said Swampscott, on Wednesday, the twenty-sixth day of March, at 7:15 P. M., then and there to act on the following articles, viz:
Article 1. To see if the town will vote to appropriate the sum of one thousand dollars to purchase a power sprayer for the Moth Depart- ment, as recommended by the Moth Superintendent.
Article 2. To see if the town will vote to appropriate the sum of one thousand dollars, under the provisions of Chapter 67 of the Acts of 1930, for the purpose of providing proper facilities for public en- tertainment at the time of the national convention of the American Legion, to be held in Boston during the current year and of paying expenses incidental to such entertainment, as petitioned for by Leon E. Abbott Post 57, American Legion, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen as provided by the Act.
Article 3. To see if the town will vote to appropriate the sum of two hundred fifty-nine dollars and eighty cents for the purpose of paying the contractor on the Town Hall vault the above amount awarded to him by a board of arbitration appointed under the contract.
Article 4. To see if the town will vote to amend the zoning by- law so as to change the boundary line of Zone 3 as shown on a plan of land in Swampscott known as Phillips Gardens, P. J. Leary, C. E., May, 1929, so that the same shall coincide with the southerly side of Charlotte road, as shown on said plan as petitioned for by Conrad P. Richardson et als.
Article 5. To see if the town will vote to appropriate the sum of one thousand dollars to be paid to Maurice Yozell upon delivery of a deed to the town of all the land owned by him bounded by Cedar Hill terrace and lying ten feet easterly of the boundary of land of Lewis M. Kessler on Bay View avenue together with an agreement to reduce the ledge on said land to the grade of Cedar Hill terrace.
Article 6. To see if the town will vote to establish the following yearly rate of salaries in the Police Department: Chief, $3,000; Captains, $2,500; Patrolmen, after three years, $2,190, and appropriate money to cover the same, this to be retroactive to January first, as petitioned for by Kendall A. Sanderson et als.
Article 7. To see if the town will appropriate the sum of $1,000 for the purpose of paying for land taken by the town on Whitman road between Orchard road and the Stanley School, lot approximately 10,000 feet, as petitioned for by James Nason et als.
Article 8. To see if the town will vote to take by eminent do- main for the purposes of construction, extension and operation of the sewer system such easements in and over private property as may be necessary therefor, and appropriate money for such takings.
Article 9. To see if the town will vote to extend the sewer from the eastern intercepting sewer to the estate of Fred M. Kimball on Atlantic avenue, a distance of 258 feet and appropriate $550 therefor as asked for by Fred M. Kimball and recommended by the Water and Sewerage Board and Board of Health.
Article 10. To see if the town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to petition the Legislature for permission to use the Town's Municipal Insurance Fund and the income therefrom for general revenue purposes.
25
RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK
1930]
Article 11. To see if the town will appropriate the sum of three thousand one hundred-fifty-three dollars and fifteen cents ($3,153.15) for the purpose of restoring to the Municipal Insurance Fund and the Municipal Insurance Fund Income account the amounts which the Director of Accounts rules were taken from the said fund and income account illegally by vote of the town.
Article 12. To see what action the town will take upon the recommendation of the committee appointed at the Annual Town Meeting of 1929 to investigate and report upon the method of sewer assessments.
Article 13. To see if the town will accept and adopt the sections as laid out by the Board of Sewer Commissioners, and the territory embraced in each section for extension and development of the sewer system.
Article 14. To see if the town will vote that assessments for main drains or common sewers be made under the authority of General Laws, Chapter 83.
Article 15. To see what proportion of the cost of main drains or common sewers the town will bear.
Article 16. To see what methods of assessment under General Laws, Chapter 83, the town will adopt.
Article 17. To appropriate and raise by borrowing, under any general or special law which authorizes the town to borrow money, or otherwise, such sum or sums of money as may be necessary for any or all of the purposes mentioned in the foregoing articles.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting attested copies thereof at the Town Hall, Post Offices, and three other public and conspicuous places in the town, seven days before the day ap- pointed for 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 aforesaid.
Given under our hands this fourteenth day of March, A. D., 1930.
NATHAN G. BUBIER, HOWARD K. GLIDDEN, HARRY E. HARDY, Selectmen of Swampscott.
A true copy. Attest: FRANK H. BRADFORD, Constable.
RETURN OF 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 Post Offices, Town Hall, at least one public and conspicuous place in each precinct in the town and at or in the im- mediate vicinity of each railroad station in Swampscott, on Tuesday, March 18, 1930, the posting of said notices being seven days before the time of said meeting.
FRANK H. BRADFORD, Constable.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING Wednesday, March 26, 1930
In accordance with the foregoing warrant the voters assembled at the Town Hall, the necessary quorum being present, the meeting being called to order by the Town Clerk. John R. Hurlburt, Moderator, being sick at the hospital, and unable to attend, the meeting first
26
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
elected a Moderator protem. Kendall A. Sanderson was nominated for same. Voted, that nominations be closed. Voted that the Town Clerk cast one ballot for Kendall A. Sanderson for Moderator protem. In accordance with same the Town Clerk cast one ballot for Kendall A. Sanderson, who was declared elected and who duly qualified for the office.
The warrant with the return thereon was read by the Town Clerk. Voted, Articles 1, 2 and 3 be referred to the Finance Committee.
Under Article 4 of the warrant, the majority report of the Board of Appeals was read, and the minority report was read by Thomas S. Bubier.
MAJORITY REPORT March 25, 1930
To the Members of the Representative Town Meeting:
The Board of Appeals to whom was referred Article 85 of the annual town warrant have duly considered the matter and beg leave to submit the following report:
This article is to see if the town will vote that portion of the land Known as Phillips Gardens, as shown on a plan drawn by Philip J. Leary, civil engineer, and bounded by Bates road, Charlotte road, Phillips Park, and land of Vorenberg, be transferred from a single residence district to a two family district on the zone map of the town, so as to make the same conform to the remainder of the land shown on the above mentioned plan, as petitioned for by S. Louis Eigner et als.
The plot of land known as Phillips Gardens contains 31 lots, 24 of which are in the two family district, six partly in the two family and partly in the single family district and one lot entirely in the one family district. It is the desire of the petitioners who were the de- velopers of this plot of land to have the entire plot placed in the two family zone thus putting every lot on the same basis. This would necessitate the moving of the dividing line between Zone 2 and Zone 3 to the rear of the lots on Charlotte road, thus substituting a dividing line between properties for an arbitrary straight line crossing the prop- erty, as the dividing line between the two zones. It is our belief that the natural barrier between the Phillips Garden property and the ad- joining Vorenberg property makes the rear line of the Phillips Garden property the logical zone line and we so recommend according to the description furnished by the Town Engineer.
When the boundary line reaches Bates road we have crossed Bates road followed the westerly boundary to the southerly side of the lots opposite; then followed the rear lines of the lots to a point where they intersect the original zone line. It would be possible to carry the line up Bates road to the original line but if this was done it would re- create a condition similar to that which we are trying to eliminate, namely: two family houses could be legally built on one side of Bates road and single family houses only on two lots on the street. In other words, we would have the unfair condition of two lots on a street restricted to single family houses while every other lot on the street including those directly opposite are unrestricted and can be covered with two family houses. While it may be true that the owners of these two lots have not petitioned that they be changed it is only a matter of time before they would awake to the necessity of making such a petition and the town would be faced with the necessity of going through all the machinery which by grasping the opportunity that is now before us, can be avoided
We recommend that the zone line separating Zone 2 and Zone 3 be changed according to the following description prepared by the Town Engineer.
27
RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK
1930]
Beginning at the intersection of the dividing line between Zone 2 and Zone 3 with the northeasterly line of Phillips Park, owned by the town of Swampscott: thence by land of the town of Swampscott, and S. Louis Eigner for a distance of about 70 feet to land of Rose F. Vorenberg; thence easterly by land of Rose F. Vorenberg and land of S. Louis Eigner for a distance of about 327 feet to the westerly line of Bates road, thence on the same course across Bates road to the easterly line of Bates road for a distance of about 41 feet; thence south- erly along the easterly line of Bates road for a distance of about 18 feet to a proposed lot line of the Puritan Development Co., thence at right angle to Bates road, extension for a distance of 100 feet; thence northwesterly and parallel to Bates road for a distance of 130 feet; thence northeasterly and at right angles for a distance of 100 feet to the westerly line of Shelton road; thence southerly along said line of Shelton road for a distance of 5 feet to the intersection of the dividing line between Zone 2 and Zone 3.
Respectfully submitted, GEORGE M. GLIDDEN, RALPH MAXWELL, WILLIAM O. TITCOMB, Board of Appeals.
MINORITY REPORT
The town has referred to the Board of Appeals the petition of S. Louis Eigner asking that the boundary line between Zone 2 and Zone 3 as it crosses Phillips Gardens, so-called, be so changed as to coincide with the boundary line between Phillips Gardens and the adjoining land of Vorenberg. The town has given specifically the bounds of the property in question, and in my opinion it would be improper for the Board to make any recommendation as to the property on the east side of Bates road for the double reason that we have not been asked to do so, and because the town could not, under the wording of the article in the warrant, make any change in that property at the present town meeting even if it should so desire.
The avowed purpose of the petition is to make the south side of a new street laid out by the petitioners, called Charlotte road, available for two tenement houses. The petitioners bought their property about a year ago, and consequently were charged with notice of the Zoning Ordinance. They cannot, therefore, claim, and their counsel disclaimed at the hearing, that they were suffering any hardship.
The town of Swampscott owes much of its charm and attractive- ness to the fact that it is largely a town of single family houses occupied by the owners as homes. It is to be noted that none of the five or six two family houses in the district in question were begun by home owners, but rather by speculative builders who have been unable to complete them, and the petitioners and others by the foreclosure of mortgages have become owners somewhat against their wills. Al- though some of these houses were staked out as early as last July, none of them have been completed, and they are consequently un- occupied.
The houses are, from their outside appearance unattractive, and the fact that they were begun by builders who were unable to com- plete them does not lead us to believe that they will be of better quality inside than they appear to be on the outside.
In short, the development that is going on in the petitioners' property is not one that seems likely to be of any great value to the town nor to the petitioners themselves.
At the hearings all of the residents on Beverly, Bates, and Shelton roads who appeared were opposed to the petition, and this fact, though not controlling, is important.
28
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
It is true that there is a certain natural barrier separating the petitioners' property from that of Vorenberg, but I believe that if a row of two family houses of the same type as those already built were to be erected on the south side of Charlotte road, the result would be decidedly detrimental to the houses on and adjoining Puritan road which were all built for one family and many of them under restric- tions which required them to cost at least seventy-five hundred dollars.
A further fact to be considered is that the committee appointed by the town to consider the question of a new high school has recom- mended that one be built in Phillips Park, near the petitioners' prop- erty. I believe that it would be well to postpone any change in the zoning lines until this question is settled. The petitioners will not be greatly harmed by the delay. Until some of their idle property has been moved, and until there seems to be a real demand for property in their neighborhood there is no crying necessity for the change that they ask.
The conclusions are that there is no need for any present legisla- tion, and that as the proposed change would not be beneficial, no action should be taken.
THOMAS S. BUBIER,
Under Article 4, a hearing was declared, being an article to amend the Zoning By-laws.
Voted, Article 4. To amend the Zoning By-laws, so as to change the boundary line of Zone 3 as shown on a plan of land in Swamp- scott, known as Phillips Gardens, P. J. Leary, C. E., May 1929, so that the same shall coincide with the southerly side of Charlotte road as shown on said plan. For, 60; against, 5; carried by more than two- thirds vote. 21 town meeting members not voting.
Voted, Articles 5 to 9 inclusive to be referred to the Finance Committee.
Voted, Articles 10 and 11 be referred to the Finance Committee. Voted, Articles 12 and 13 be referred to the Finance Committee.
Voted, Articles 14-15 and 16 be referred to the Finance Committee. Voted, Article 17 be referred to the Finance Committee.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.