USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1962 > Part 6
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1988
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A recount for the office of Governor of the Commonwealth, petitioned for by John A. Volpe and Endicott Peabody, was held in the Selectmen's Office on Friday morning, November 30th, 1962. There was no change in the original number of votes cast for this office.
BUILDING CODE ADVISORY BOARD
JOHN DIDIO, Chairman
RAYMOND O. DOANE
DONALD C. Goss
JOHN F. MILO
EDWARD WEINSHANKER
During the past year cases were brought before the Board and notices of the decisions were filed in the office of the Town Clerk.
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CONSERVATION COMMISSION
OTTO W. FRIEDMAN, Chairman MRS. CHESTER E. BOND, Secretary
MRS. CARLYLE H. HOLT DOUGLAS F. ALLEN JOHN A. GREGORY, JR.
JOHN F. MILO ROBERT L. YASI
The Conservation Commission has been occupied this past year examining all tax-titled land in Town. With any kind of luck at Town Meeting, the Commission hopes to fulfill its purpose of existence. As designated in the Town Warrant we together with the Board of Selectmen are sponsoring two articles for the purpose of protecting our "open spaces". The Selectmen and the Planning Board agree that certain parcels of land should be set aside for the citizens' use as recreational and park areas to retain what little "green belt" is left in Town.
The Commission agrees that if this is done, it will be pleased to control and supervise the management of these areas.
The above pictures prove conclusively that these beauty spots should not be included in any plans to increase the "asphalt jungle" which is constantly menacing our beautiful Town. The Commission beld a public meeting this summer with the League of Women Voters and representatives of various Garden Clubs and resolved the "Muskrat Pond Issue".
The Commission plans this year to launch a town-wide campaign to educate our citzens and school children in the meaning of Conservation.
True conservation means protection and pleasure for all.
HELP US PRESERVE THESE BEAUTY SPOTS FOR YOU
PALMER'S POND
83
"DYNAMITE" POND
1
MUSKRAT POND
CONTRIBUTORY RETIREMENT SYSTEM
EDWARD P. CARROLL, Chairman
HAROLD R. AUSTIN
I. MURRAY ADAMS, Secretary
1961
Assets
$559,831.64
Active Members
Pensioners
1962 $679,653.74 190 31 186
29
Two Pensioners died during 1962, three new pensioners were added plus a pension paid to a previous employee now pensioned by the City of Lynn.
There is available in this office a detailed financial statement and a listing of all investments.
TRUSTEES OF WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL FUND
ERNEST MANCHIN, Chairman
PHILIP STAFFORD, Secretary
DAVID F. DOHERTY BENJAMIN GOLDBERG CLEMENT KENNEDY RICHARD B. JOHNSON JOHN R. COOPER
The twelfth annual report of the Trustees follows:
One meeting of the Trustees was held at the General Glover House as the guests of Benjamin Goldberg. The twelfth annual scholarship was awarded to Robert A. Ellis who registered at the State College at Salem. The amount of the scholarship was $350.00.
The total of the scholarships awarded to date is $3,550.00.
The balance in the Fund as of December 31, 1962 follows:
Salem Five Cents Savings Bank
$ 5,516.17
Salem Savings Bank Provident Institution for Savings
6,716.04
123.73
Total balance
$12,355.94
Amount due Robert A. Ellis
150.00
Net balance
$12,205.94
The Swampscott World War II Memorial Fund welcomes gifts and bequests. It is suggested that those contemplating gifts or bequests, confer with any of the Trustees of the Fund. Contributions made to this Fund are deductible by their donors in computing their taxable net income.
85
PERSONNEL BOARD
EDWARD I. ROBINSON, Chairman
FREDERICK N. BALSOR
RAYMOND A. HARRIMAN
In accordance with Section 8, Article 9, the Personnel Board herewith submits its fourth annual report to the Board of Selectmen and to the citizens of the Town of Swampscott.
The Personnel Board wishes to re-echo the sentiments of the Board of Selectmen, who extended, on behalf of the towns- people, their sincere appreciation for the dedicated services rendered by M. Stanley Metz and Robert L. Yasi, while members of the Personnel Board. The Personnel Board was truly sorry to hear of their retirement.
During the year, the Personnel Board met with every Board and every employee who requested a meeting. The Board also met with many of the part-time em- ployees and hopes to evaluate all part- time positions and place them in their proper places in the Job Classification and Pay Scale Plan.
Due to the resignation of Mrs. Eleanor Laumann, a senior clerk, a request was made by the Town Clerk and Tax Col- lector for the hiring of a suitable replace- ment. He also stated that Mrs. Marion Stone, who had served as senior clerk in the Assessors' Office for four years, would be willing to serve as senior clerk in his office, starting in Grade 2, Step 4. The Board agreed, with the provision, that if the Town Meeting advanced the senior clerks to Grade 3, Mrs. Stone would serve for one year in Step 2 of Grade 3.
During the past year the Personnel Board has exchanged information with many of our neighboring cities and towns. This exchange has been mutually beneficial.
Many requests have been received for changes in classification, as follows:
FREDERICK C. BURK
JOHN G. McLEARN
Board of Assessors, Board of Election Commissioners, Board of Health, Board of Public Works, Board of Selectmen, Chief of Police, Town Accountant, Town Clerk and Tax Collector, Town Treas- urer, Trustees of Public Library request that the Senior Clerks be reclassified.
Board of Public Works requests that the following be reclassified:
Superintendent of Public Works Town Engineer
Assistant Town Engineer
Public Works Administrative Assistant
Public Works Craftsman MEO and L and M
and that the following salaries be re- viewed:
Highway, Park and Water Division Superintendents.
Trustees of the Public Library request that the following be reclassified:
Librarian Children's Librarian
Reference Librarian Custodian
Board of Health requests that the fol- lowing be reclassified:
Health Officer
Health Nurse
The Board of Selectmen request that the following be reclassified:
Police Chief
and that the salaries of the following be reviewed:
Sealer of Weights and Measures
Policewomen.
The Police Department, with the ap- proval of the Board of Selectmen, and the Public Works Department, with the
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approval of the Board of Public Works, request that, due to the increase in the cost of living, a general 5% increase be granted.
After careful consideration and study, the Personnel Board will make a report on these requests to the 1963 Annual Town Meeting.
Due to a request from the Board of
Public Works, the Personnel Board agreed to submit the following article to the 1963 Annual Town Meeting:
Full-time employees selected for jury duty shall be granted leave for the dura- ton of such duty. Upon presentation of an affidavit of jury pay granted, the Town will pay the difference between jury pay and the employee's regular salary.
TRANSPORTATION STUDY COMMITTEE
HOWELL E. ESTEY, O.D. Chairman EDWIN D. CROWLEY
NELSON J. DARLING, JR.
This committee has continued in its pursuit of providing adequate transpor- tation facilities within the Common- wealth by its close co-operation with the Mass Transportation Commission and legislative action toward the solution of these problems. It provides for a con- tinuance of Railroad, Bus, and Highway facilities or additions thereto, as may best fit into the over-all plan which includes one hundred and forty-four communities, in the four areas under study, ours being the North Shore area.
This has resulted in the providing of adequate Federal and State funds and the consequent action of the Mass Transpor- tation Commission, making the first study, thus utilizing the facilities of the Boston and Maine Railroad with Budd cars and Bus feeder lines in the over-all demonstration. This has provided a stepped-up time table schedule of service
EDWARD K. HEMPEL, Secretary
SAMUEL FREEDMAN
DAVID H. SMITH
on the B. & M., with reduced fares as an incentive toward increased patronage and consequent betterment. As Swampscott is on the main line, with its station and parking area facility, the Town is to re- ceive its added share of commuter and passenger service as a consequence.
This committee has been represented, by its executive members and our legis- lative representatives, in meetings with the governor and the Commission as has been required and is alert to all phases of the transportation problem as it affects Swampscott in particular.
In what appears to be necessary, and in our best interests, there has been placed in the Town Warrant an article concerning the Central B. & M. Station and its area on Railroad Avenue and Columbia Street. This is co-operative action by this committee and the Board of Selectmen.
TOWN GOVERNMENT STUDY COMMITTEE
GEORGE B. THOMSON, Chairman CHARLES L. BLATCHFORD, Secretary
RENO BISEGNA JAMES W. BUCHANAN ROBERT C. HUNT
The Town Government Study Committee, established under Article 17 of the Warrant for the 1962 Town Meeting hereunder submits its report and recom- mendations.
87
Given a broad mandate by the Town Meeting's acceptance of the Finance Committee's favorable recommendation, the Town Government Study Commit- tee began a regular series of Tuesday Executive Sessions promptly. Seeking to get a cross-section of the views of Town Officials and Town Meeting members, they were sent a questionnaire. The per- cent response was good and many sug- gestions received - many, most con- structive - particularly when one con- siders that it is difficult for officials and Town Meeting representatives to be completely objective where their own positions may be involved. In addition, the people of Swampscott were invited to send in any suggestions they might have.
ALL proposals, except those obviously of dubious legal status, have been placed in the Warrant for the 1963 Town Meeting. This was done whether or not the Committee favored them, in an at- tempt to allow the Town Meeting mem- bers to express their views publicly.
In our judgment, after a review of similar studies made by other towns, re- ceipt of suggestions from Swampscott Officials and citizens, and the Commit- tee's own thinking, based on hours of discussion of certain weaknesses in our Government, as it is now constituted,
certain articles received our approval and it will be so indicated in our report to the Town Meeting and the people of Swampscott.
Two main issues arose again and again:
(1) There is a definite need for central- ized overall control of the Town's Administrative business and logically this control can be placed only with the Selectmen.
(2) Swampscott has one of the largest Representative Town Meetings in the Commonwealth and one of the lowest attendance records. Out of 324 men and women, there are times when the Moderator has diffi- culty finding a quorum.
The report to be presented to the Town by its Government Study Com- mittee will, in the opinion of the Com- mittee, indicate areas worthy of the con- tinued attention of the Town Govern- ment Study Committee, the Town Meet- ing, and the people of Swampscott.
Favorable consideration of the Com- mittee's recommendations to date and endorsement of the continuation of this endeavor in recognition of its magnitude and lasting importance is recommended by your Town Government Study Com- mittee.
COLLECTOR OF TAXES
OLIVER W. COUGHLIN, Collector of Taxes
In account with the Town of Swampscott - 1962:
DR.
--
Real Estate
$2,289,674.45
Sewer Assessments
2,365.26
Sidewalk Assessments
104.95
Water Liens
7,884.19
Committed Interest
558.41
Personal Property
159,198.20
Poll
8,262.00
Excise
398,261.81
Water Rates
136,889.10
Water Service
21,945.48
Water Rent
1,375.00
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Unapportioned Sidewalk Assessments
680.29
Unapportioned Sewer Assessments
610.16
Department Accounts Receivable Estate of Deceased Persons
1,698.87
Interest - Estate of Deceased Persons
62.43
106.30
Apportioned Sewers Paid in Advance Refunds
15,838.26
Collectors' Cost
1,224.35
$3,050.654.74
CR.
Cash Paid on Real Estate
$2,122,577.40
Cash Paid on Sewer Assessments
2,153.47
Cash Paid on Sidewalk Assessments
13.41
Cash Paid on Water Liens
6,488.11
Cash Paid on Committed Interest
507.36
Cash Paid on Personal Property
144,215.90
Cash Paid on Poll Tax
6,226.00
Cash Paid on Excise
338,696.49
Cash Paid on Water Rates
117,181.75
Cash Paid on Water Rent
1,375.00
Cash Paid on Unapportioned Sidewalk Assessment
556.57
Cash Paid on Unapportioned Sewer Assessment
355.32
Cash Paid on Dept. Accounts Receivable
3,382.24
Cash Paid on Apportioned Sewers in Advance
106.30
Cash Paid on Collectors' Cost
1,224.35
Cash Paid on Estates of Deceased Persons
1,560.87
Cash Paid on Interest, Est. of Dec'd. Persons
62.43
Abatements on Real Estate
51,728.25
Abatements on Personal Property
4,074.55
Abatements on Poll
1,306.00
Abatements on Excise
24,396.80
Abatements on Water Rates
199.80
Abatements Refunded
15,838.26
Uncollected Real Estate
115,368.80
Uncollected Sewer Assessments
254.84
Uncollected Sidewalk Assessments
303.33
Uncollected Water Liens
1,396.08
Uncollected Committed Interest
51.05
Uncollected Personal Property
10,907.75
Uncollected Poll
730.00
Uncollected Excise
35,168.52
Uncollected Rates
19,507.55
Uncollected Water Service
2,229.22
Uncollected Dept. Accounts Receivable
532.99
Uncollected Estates of Deceased Persons
138.00
Uncollected Unapportioned Sidewalks
123.72
$3,050.654.74
.
89
19,716.26
Cash Paid
on Water Service
3,915.23
TREASURER'S REPORT ROBERT G. BYRNE, Treasurer
In account with the Town of Swampscott for year ending December 31, 1962:
Balance on Hand, January 1, 1962 $ 849,069.28
Receipts and Income from all sources during 1962
5,686,250.42
Less Warrants Paid
$ 6,535,319.70 5,235,469.57
Balance on Hand, December 31, 1962
$ 1,299,850.13
STATEMENT
Indicating Borrowing Capacity as of December 31, 1962:
Valuation, 1960, less abatements
$ 38,974,941.00
Valuation, 1961, less abatements
41,095,801.00
Valuation, 1962, less abatements
42,545,300.00
Total Valuation
$122,616,042.00
Average Valuation
40,872,014.00
Five Per Cent (5%) of Average Valuation
2,043,600.70
Less Outstanding Debt Issued Inside Debt Limit
719,000.00
Borrowing Capacity as of December 31, 1962
$ 1,324,600.70
TRUST FUNDS
The following is a list of Trust Funds held by the Town Treasurer as Custodian of all Funds and Securities of the Town as provided for in Chapter 282 of the General Acts of 1915, indicating balances as of December 31, 1962:
Phillips Medal Fund $ 2,568.48
Joanna Morse Library Fund
5,196.00
Ellen R. Whittle Library Fund
2,000.00
Mary L. Thomson Library Fund
1,000.00
Cemetery Gifts and Bequests Fund
8,127.28
Emma Y. Stocker Cemetery Fund
517.90
Hattie F. Sherman Cemetery Fund
500.00
Manuel Ross Scholarship Fund
20.95
Perpetual Care of Cemetery Fund
6,388.47
Clara F. Ingalls Fund
1,706.00
Benjamin G. Ingalls Fund
1,706.00
Grace T. Peterson Cemetery Fund
1,979.66
High School Alumni Fund*
5,010.31
*This is not a Trust Fund as defined by law but is held by the Town Treasurer in behalf of the Alumni Fund Committee.
BOARD OF ASSESSORS
ANTHONY F. PIERRE, Chairman THOMAS F. COLLINS, Secretary
ERNEST MANCHIN
The Board of Assessors submit all figures used to determine the Tax Rate for 1962 at $70.00 per thousand:
VALUATIONS
Real Estate Personal Property 2,274,260.00
$ 32,709,635.00
Total
$ 34,983,895.00
90
APPROPRIATIONS AND ASSESSMENTS
State
County
$ 76,643.94 164,984.15
Town
3,461,348.08
Total
$
3,702,976.17
ESTIMATED RECEIPTS AND AVAILABLE FUNDS
Taxation on Property and Polls
$ 2,457,152.65
Taxation on Motor Vehicles
383,064.16
Receipts from State
293,891.99
Receipts from Town
327,939.64
Available Funds
240,927.73
Total
$
3,702,976.17
TABLE OF AGGREGATES
Number of Persons, Partnerships, Corporations
3840
Number of Polls
4148
Number of Dwellings
3505
Value of Land
$ 7,805,835.00
Value of Buildings
24,903,800.00
MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAILERS ASSESSED
(not figured in the Tax Rate)
Number of Cars Assessed 7916
Valuation of Cars Assessed
8,540,320.00 $
Excise Tax on Cars Assessed
449.284.38
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
ROGER A. WILLIAMS, JR., Chairman
ALFRED N. FRAZIER
GEORGE J. BURKE
PAUL A. POLISSON, Superintendent
AUSTIN D. Mosco, Administrative Assistant and Secretary
GEORGE H. MELCHER, Town Engineer
TIMOTHY J. RYAN, Highway Supt.
EDWARD F. BURKE, Sewer Supt.
CHESTER E. BRADLEY, Water Supt.
ARTHUR E. HARDY, Cemetery Supt.
FREDERICK C. BURK, Park Supt.
The Board of Public Works herewith submits its Seventh Annual Report to the citizens of the Town of Swampscott for the year 1962.
Mr. Roger A. Williams, Jr., was unani- mously elected Chairman for 1962 at the Meeting of the Board held after Town Meeting.
The Department of Public Works for administrative purposes is divided into six service divisions. A general report of each Division's activity follows with a
summary of accomplishments completes the 1962 Report.
CEMETERY DIVISION
There are four assigned employees and with additional employees, the Cemetery is maintained in an excellent manner.
There were 144 interments from Jan.
91
1, 1962 to Dec. 27, 1962, as compared to 74 interments for 1961.
All receipts for interments, lot sales, liners, foundations, etc., amounting to $23,364.59 were paid to Town Treasurer.
We still get many complimentary re- marks about the improvements we have made in the Cemetery, the rocky garden, new flowering shrubs, yews, etc., signs will be installed on all streets, avenues and paths in 1963.
The Park Division removed some old dead trees and the stumps.
The old office building in Sec. A will be repaired, painted and rest room will be available for the public.
A new garage and workshop was started this Fall and should be completed in 1963.
ENGINEERING DIVISION
Engineering services furnished by this Division through 1962 included land sur- veying, preparation of record plans, writ- ing descriptions of properties and ease- ments, correcting maps for the Board of Assessors in accordance with land trans- fers as received from the Registry of Deeds, computation of assessment quan- tities, cost estimating, designing of vari- ous works and structures, preparation of contracts including specifications and drawings, laying out and supervising the work on various construction projects, and the furnishing of engineering data to private engineers, surveyors, attorneys, and the general public. The apportion- ment of these services is shown in the following table:
Department or Division
Man- Hours
Per
Cent
Water Division
3138
26.49
Highway Division
2481
20.94
School Department
1601
13.51
Sewer Division
1357
11.46
Selectmen
987
8.33
Board of Assessors
891
7.52
*Engineering Division
413
3.49
Cemetery Division
331
2.79
Private Citizens
281
2.37
Park Division
145
1.22
Finance Committee
96
0.81
Planning Board
62
0.52
Town Counsel
19
0.16
Board of Public Welfare
18
0.15
Board of Health
16
0.14
Housing Authority
4
0.03
Beach Committee
3
0.03
Election Commissioners
2
0.02
Fire Department
1
0.01
Building Inspector
1
0.01
11847
100.00
*Includes administration and work not chargeable to a particular division or department.
Because projects requiring engineering services are usually described in the an- nual reports of the various divisions and departments concerned, no listing of such projects is repeated here.
PARK DIVISION
A total of twenty-three (23) days were realized for skating at the larger hockey rink, the small pond area at Jackson Park and Abbott Park. Proper supervision was responsible for keeping accidents at a minimum. The conversion of the tennis courts to an asphalt sur- face, a better small children's skating area will be possible.
During the snow season, the majority of the employees worked with the High- way Division on snow removal. A group of men worked to strip, clean, grind, rebuild, and repaint all small power equipment used on parks, playgrounds and cemetery.
Narcissus, jonquils and hyacinths were used more abundantly at the Monument Parkway. Cooperation was shown the Girl Scouts on their 50th Anniversary by planting the Girl Scout trefoil in Nar- cissus and paper whites, and later in flowers.
t 51
92
The baseball season saw the service of fields for Little League, Babe Ruth League, Junior High and High School, sandwiching in a spring football program. Later in the season girls' softball and independent teams of both baseball and softball were added.
The Summer Recreation Project pro- ceeded to expand, and tennis was added under the direction of Coach Stanley Bondelevitch.
The employment of pre-college and college students allows a larger work load to be carried. This division uses these youths in recreation, beach maintenance, lifeguards, labor and spray crews.
Through the fine cooperation of the athletic director, the turf on the stadium stayed right up through the last game. Practice fields are something again. It seems impossible to maintain turf on such heavily used areas. Somehow a larger rotating area is needed.
The Pop Warner practice sessions were transferred to Abbott Park and two floodlights were added to allow later hours.
The Dutch Elm disease continues to whittle away at our fine large trees. We are combatting it by sanitation, spraying, and removal of affirmed suspects.
The oak-leaf skeletonizer was preva- lent in the early summer but an applica- tion of "Sevin" applied by helicopter stopped the second brood.
The replacement of elms and trees re- moved when necessary are being replaced with sugar maples, flowering and tailored trees. These small trees should help the sidewalk problem as well as a smaller maintenance problem on trees.
The fall work consisted of assisting on sidewalk construction, planting trees, winterizing recreational areas and build- ings, preparing to make ice and getting ready for winter work.
SEWER DIVISION
This Division has four employees and is assisted by other divisions whenever extra manpower is needed.
In accordance with the vote of the Town Meeting of March, 1962, Main Sewer extensions were completed in Windsor Avenue and Glen Road.
The sewer extension in Tidd Street will be completed in the early part of 1963.
The damaged portion of the Claremont Terrace Sewer was excavated and re- placed with a new eight inch line. This was accomplished by the personnel of the combined Public Works Divisions, and resulted in a substantial savings to the Town.
The men of this Division maintain the operation and up-keep of the motorized equipment at the Pumping Station, and are responsible for the maintenance and repairs of all Main Sewer Lines. They also assist in the construction of new Drain lines, manholes and catch basins. Repairs were completed to Public Works Build- ings and Town fences. New salt-treated plankings were installed on the walk and roadbed of the Essex Street bridge. The wooden sides were repaired and painted, and new guard rails and chain link fences were installed, replacing the old wooden fences.
At the Pumping Station new cutting knives were installed to the two Com- minutors and new motor bearings in- stalled to the 25 h.p. motor. This was completed by the Public Works me- chanics and resulted in a savings to the Town.
An Article is being inserted in the 1963 Town Warrant to see if the Town will vote to purchase a new Gasoline Auxiliary Motor to replace a 1941 En- gine. Maintenance and replacement parts are becoming irreplaceable. This Auxili- ary Engine is used for emergency and in case of power failure during storms.
93
C
.
The continued operation of the Diver- sion Chamber and Chlorinator during the summer months alleviated the pollution in Stacey Brook. The cost of operating the Chlorinator for treating the effluent in Stacey Brook is assumed on a co- operative basis by the Town and the City of Lynn.
A twenty-four hour surveillance must be maintained in the Pumping Station, and a standby operation is in effect dur- ing week-ends and holidays. This must be carried on to operate the pumping equipment especially during excessive rain storms.
The following work was completed in 1962:
(a) Particular Sewers inspected. ... 26 house connections
(b) Main Sewers rodded, cleaned and flushed 215 streets
(c) Loose manhole covers sealed 26
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