USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1920 > Part 4
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In his communication the Mayor of Peabody states that whereas their tax rate for last year under town government was $22.40, the average under the city charter for the last three years has been but $16.60. He further states that in that time they had spent $800,000 on permanent roads and other public improve- ments, of which $575,000 has been paid out of the tax levy.
In the case of Methuen we find the provisions made for the transferrence of the town government to a city government were as follows :
Upon the acceptance of this act the selectmen of the town then in office shall forthwith divide the territory thereof into five wards, so that the wards will contain, as nearly as may be con- sistent with well defined limits, an equal number of voters, and they shall designate the wards by number. The wards may in any year fixed by law for a new division of wards in cities, be changed by a vote of the municipal council with the assent of the mayor; but the number of the wards shall never be less than five. The selectmen, for the purpose of the first preliminary election held according to the provisions of this act and of the first municipal election which shall take place on the third Tues- day of December next succeeding the acceptance of this act shall provide suitable polling places and give notice thereof, and shall at least ten days before said preliminary election appoint all proper election officers therefor; and they shall in general have the powers and perform the duties of the mayor and board of aldermen in cities under chapter eight hundred and thirty-five of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, and acts in amendment thereof and in addition thereto, the provisions of which, so far as they may be applicable, shall apply to said elec- tion; and the town clerk shall perform the duties therein assigned to city clerks. The registrars shall cause to be prepared and published according to law lists of qualified voters in each of the wards established by the selectmen.
Section 3. The selectmen shall notify the persons elected at the said first election, and shall provide and appoint a place for the first meeting of the mayor and council on the first Monday in January next ensuing; and shall, by written notice left at their respective places of residence at least twenty-four hours prior to such meeting, notify the mayor elect and councilmen elect, who
37
shall immediate proceed to organize and carry into effect the provisions of this act, which shall thereupon have full force and effect. The selectmen shall, in like manner, appoint a place and time for the first meeting of the school committee, and shall notify the members thereof.
BROOKLINE'S MANNER OF TOWN MEETING BY REPRESENTATION
In 1915, the Legislature passed an act entitled, "An Act to provide for precinct voting, limited town meetings, town meeting members, a referendum and an annual moderator in the town of Brookline, "to take effect upon its acceptance by the town of Brookline, as therein provided. (Ch: 250 of the Acts of 1915.)
The town of Brookline accepted the act and since its accept- ance, the business of the town meeting, other than the election of officers, has been transacted by the limited town meeting, author- ized by the act.
The act provided, in substance, that the territory of the town should be divided into precincts; that thereafter the registered male voters in each of such precincts, should elect by ballot twen- ty-seven of their number as town meeting members at large, one-third for a term of one year, one-third for a term of two years and one-third for a term of three years, and thereafter said voters of each precinct should elect nine of their number to be such town meeting members at large.
It also provided that thereafter the town meetings of Brookline should be limited to, or composed each year of, the registered voters so elected, together with the following; designated as town meeting members as at large, namely :-
1. The members from Brookline in the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
2. The Moderator.
3. Town Clerk.
4. The Selectmen.
5. The town treasurer,-the chairman of each of the follow- ing.
6. Boards of the assessors.
7. Of the school committee.
8. Of the trustees of the public library.
9. Of the trustees of the cemeteries.
10. Of the water board.
11. Of the park commissioners.
12. Of the planning board.
13. Of the committee for planting trees.
14. Of the gymnasium and baths committee, and
15. Of the registrars of voters.
It was provided that nominations of candidates for town meet- ing members to be elected should be made by nomination papers signed by not less than thirty registered male voters of the precinct in which the candidate or candidates reside and filed with the town clerk at least ten days before election.
38
It provided that the articles in the warrant for town meetings in Brookline, so far as they relate to the election of the moder- ator, town officers, town meeting members, granting licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquors, of referenda and to all matters. to be acted upon, and be determined by ballot, by the registered voters of the town in their respective precincts shall be so acted upon and be so determined.
All other articles in the warrant for any town meeting in Brook- line to be acted upon and be determined exclusively by town meeting members at the meeting to be held at such time and place as shall be set forth by the selectmen in the warrant for such meeting.
It was provided that if at any limited town meeting in Brook- line, a vote is passed that authorizes an expenditure of $25,000 or more for a special appropriation, such vote shall not become operative for a period of five days, and if within such period of five days a petition is addressed to and filed with the selectmen, signed by not less than twenty voters from each precinct, ask- ing that the question involved in such vote be submitted to the regular voters at large of the town, the selectmen and the moder- ator shall, within fourteen days after the filing of the said peti- tion, frame and present the question so involved to a special town meeting of the registered voters at large of the town, to be held for that purpose, at which meeting the ballot and the check list shall be used in the respective precincts, and such question shall be determined by the vote of a majority of such voters at large of the town voting thereon at such special town meeting. If such petition is not filed within the said period of five days, the special appropriation shall become operative upon the expiration of the said period. It is only fair to say that the operation and effect of this representative town meeting system has been satisfactory to the inhabitants of Brookline.
It is interesting to note that just 100 years before Brookline made its change, a committee had been appointed at a town meet- ing in the town of Boston to consider and recommend some form of town government that would be better adapted to the then existing conditions in Boston.
This committee was composed of 22 leading citizens and in 1815 reported a form of government similar to that adopted by Brookline in 1915.
The committee's report was rejected by a majority of only thirty-one in a total vote of 1871, For the following seven years, the question was agitated and most exciting debates took place, until in 1822, Boston was made a city, having at the time a popu- lation of 40,000 of whom 7,000 were qualified voters.
In Quincy's Municipal History of Boston, page 28, speaking of the manner in which Boston's town meetings were conducted, at about that period, is the following:
"When a town meeting was held on any exciting subject in Faneuil Hall, those only who obtained places near the mod- erator could even hear the discussion. A few busy or in- terested individuals easily obtained the management of the most important affairs in an assembly where the greater num- ber could have neither voice nor hearing."
89
"When the subject was not generally exciting, town meetings were usually composed of the selectmen, the town officers, and thirty or forty inhabitants. Those who thus came were, for the most part, drawn to it from some official duty or private interest, which when performed or attained, they generally troubled themselves but little, or not at all, about the other business of the meeting. In assemblies thus composed by- laws were passed; taxes to the amount of one hundred or one hundred and fifty thousand dollars voted, on statements often general in their nature, and on reports, as it respects the majority of voters present, taken upon trust and which no one had carefully considered, except perhaps the chair- man."
In 1915, Brookline had a population of 36,000 but did not want a city charter. It wished to avoid the introduction into its municipal affairs of state and national politics that meant a larger outlay for municipal administration, a form of municipal organ- ization (city) upon which Lord Bryce once said, "Satan has turned his heaviest batteries."
It is claimed that the Brookline plan is distinguished from city creations in that it is less expensive to operate, is non-political, and perpetuates some of the best features of town government by substituting a definite chosen representative for an indefinite chance representing attendance at its town meeting.
By Chapter 205 of the Special Acts of 1919, the town of Water- town was authorized to establish a similar limited town meeting plan, only instead of each precinct electing the arbitrary number of 27 town meeting members-it elects one-sixth of its qualified voters in the precinct.
The town meeting is constituted of members so elected-to- gether with the following who are town meeting members ex- officio:
Any member of the general court.
The Moderator.
The Town Clerk.
The Selectmen.
The Town Treasurer.
The Town Counsel.
The Town Collector of Taxes.
The Town Auditor.
The Chairman of the School Committee.
The Chairman of the Trustees of the Public Library.
The Chairman of the Board of Health.
The Chairman of the Park Commission.
The Chairman of the Water Commissioners.
The Tree Warden.
The Chairman of the Planning Board.
The Chairman of the Assessors of Taxes.
The Chairman of the Playground Commission, and the members of the Finance Committee who are not elected town. meeting members.
40
NORWOOD TOWN MANAGER PLAN
By Chapter 197 of the Acts of 1914, the town of Norwood was authorized to hold its annual town meeting on the third Monday of January and to enlarge the powers and duties of the Select- men, to abolish certain, offices and to provide for the administra- tion of town affairs.
The act provides for a Board of five Selectmen, each to serve for three years.
The Selectmen so elected are held to be and act as the overseers of the poor, and surveyors of highways of the town and exercise all the powers, rights, duties, and liabilities confirmed or imposed by law upon the water commissioners, sewer commissioners, park commissioners, municipal light board and the tree warden.
One person is elected as town treasurer and collector of taxes. The selectmen appoint the assessors each to serve for a term of three years. The selectmen appoint one person to the office of town clerk and accountant. The selectmen annually appoint a board of three persons, residents of the town but who hold no elective office in the town and are known as a board of relief. This board is subject to the supervision of the selectmen, per- forms the duties and exercises the powers of overseers of the poor of said town.
The selectmen are required to appoint a general manager to be the administrative head of all departments of the town govern- ment, the conduct of which is by law placed upon the selectmen, and said general manager is subject to the direction and super- vision and holds office at the will of the selectmen. He is ap- pointed without regard to political belief and may or may not be a resident of the town. He is responsible for the efficient ad- ministration of all the departments within the scope of his du- ties; he must be sworn to the faithful and impartial performance thereof, must file a bond in favor of the town for the faithful performance of his duties in such sum and with such surety or sureties as may be fixed or approved by the board.
The powers and duties of the general manager shall include the following :-
(a) To organize, continue or discontinue such divisions or de- partments from time to time as may be determined by vote of the selectmen, or in the absence of such vote, as may be de- termined by said general manager to be required for the efficient conduct of his office;
(b) To appoint upon merit and fitness alone, and, except as herein otherwise provided, to remove all superintendents or chiefs of departments and all subordinate officers and employees in such departments, and to fix all salaries and wages of all subordinates and employees, subject to law. The superintendents or chiefs of departments shall not be removed by the general manager, ex- cept on five days' notice in writing, which shall state the cause of such removal;
(c) To exercise control over all such departments or divisions so created, or that may hereafter be created, which shall be made subject to the supervision of said general manager;
41
(d) To attend all regular meetings of the selectmen, and to recommend to the selectmen for adoption such measures requir- ing action by them or by the town, as he may deem necessary or expedient;
(e) To keep full and complete records of the doings of his office, and to render as often as may be required by the selectmen, a full report of all operations during the period reported on; and annually, or oftener if required by the selectmen, to make a synopsis of all reports for publication ;
(f) To keep the selectmen fully advised as to the needs of the town within the scope of his duties, and to furnish the selectmen on or before the thirty-first day of December of each year a care- ful detailed estimate in writing of the appropriations required during the next ensuing fiscal year for the proper conduct of all departments of the town under his control;
(g) To keep in repair the Morrill memorial library and all school and other town buildings, and to purchase all supplies for every department of the town, and purchases of supplies for departments over which the general manager has no control shall be made only upon request of said departments and upon requisi- tion therefor by the said departments or their authorized repre- sentative;
(h) To perform such other duties, consistent with his office, as may be required of him by the by-laws of the town or by vote of the selectmen ;
(i) To have the control and supervision of the department of police of the town, subject, however, to the direction of the se- lectmen; and the appointment or removal of the chief or head of said police department shall not be subject to the civil service laws of the commonwealth, but shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this act.
The general manager may without notice cause the affairs of any division or department under his control or the conduct of any officer or employee thereof to be examined. The general manager or any person or persons appointed by him to examine the affairs of any such department or the conduct of any such officer or employee shall have the same power to compel the at- tendance of witnesses and the production of books and papers and other evidence, and to cause the witnesses to be sworn and to be punished for contempt as is conferred by law upon the selectmen. The general manager shall have access to all town books and papers for information necessary for the proper per- formance of his duties.
The general manager is subject to removal by the selectmen.
Under the Norwood plan the town government is divided into three departments, viz: the financial, represented by the Finance Committee; the educational, by the School Committee; and the operating, by the Board of Selectmen, and the salient features of the plan may be briefly summarized as follows: through consoli- dation of departments and extended control over all kindred and allied municipal activities, power and responsibility are concen- trated in one body of elected officials, who in turn, delegate the administrative or operating functions to a single appointive ex-
42
ecutive head or "manager" who is particularly qualified as an expert.
The elective officials formulate policies and the executive head carries them out. The elective officials are responsive to the people through the recall power, exercisable at any time. The adminis- trative head is not promised a definite term of service, but is re- tained in office only as long as he shows results.
Expenses are reduced through a single purchasing head. Checks on all departments are secured through an elective finance commission with broad powers, holding no other town office.
OTHER FORMS
The present legislature has before it the report of a commission appointed to revise and codify the laws relating to towns.
This report submits a proposed act relative to the consolidation of certain offices and departments in towns to become operative upon its acceptance by a town. Briefly this act, if passed, will provide for the election of a board of five selectmen for three years and practically places upon the board the duties imposed by Plan C, before mentioned, upon city councils in so far as ap- pointments of officers are concerned. The selectmen appoint a town clerk who shall also act as clerk of the board of Selectmen; a board of three assessors; and inspector of health with all the powers of a board of health; a superintendent of the poor de- partment under the supervision of the selectmen who shall act as overseers of the poor.
The water department and street are consolidated under a com- mission of public works to be appointed by the Selectmen and who shall appoint such subordinates and employ such other help as may be necessary, subject to the approval of the Selectmen.
The police department and fire department are consolidated under a commissioner of public safety and subject to the same conditions as the preceding.
The Selectmen are empowered to remove for cause and after a hearing any of the above mentioned appointees.
Upon petition of fifty registered voters of any town in which official ballots are used this act shall be submitted by the select- men to the voters at the next annual town meeting.
The Act provides that any town accepting the provisions of the Act, may, after the change has been in effect for a period of not less than three years, vote at any annual town meeting to rescind its acceptance of the Act.
The foregoing is a brief outline of the subject upon which the committee was appointed, and necessarily omits many details, to include which, would make too lengthy a report and would per- haps serve no very useful purpose.
Respectfully submitted,
BRADFORD HAWES, Secretary for the Committee.
48
The Moderator appointed as Appropriation Committee Russell H. Whiting, Robert S. Hoffman, Edward C. Barker, Francis W. Rea, J. Leonard Bicknell.
The Moderator appointed as Electric Light Committee Sidney G. Dunbar, Winslow M. Tirrell, Russell G. Worster, Matthew O'Dowd.
Voted, That the next annual meeting be held in the evening.
Voted unanimously by a rising vote, "That the thanks of the town be and hereby is extended to Hon. George L. Barnes for the able and impartial manner in which he has presided over this annual and adjourned town meeting."
Article 74. Voted, "That the Selectmen be authorized to sell any real estate of which the town may be possessed and for which it has no further use, the same to be sold at public auction, except in the case of land owned by the town as a result of unredeemed tax sale.
Voted to adjourn.
A true record.
CLAYTON B. MERCHANT,
Town Clerk.
44
ANNUAL TOWN ELECTION
A meeting of the Board of Registrars of Weymouth was held at the Town Office, Savings Bank Building, East Weymouth on Mon- day, March 8th, 1920, at 7:30 o'clock in the evening, for the pur- pose of examining the records of votes cast in the several pre- cincts for Town Officers, and found that the following persons having received the largest number of votes were duly elected to their respective offices, to wit :..
Town Clerk Clayton B. Merchant Town Treasurer John H. Stetson Selectmen'
George L. Newton Frederick Humphrey William H. Cowing Bradford Hawes Alfred W. Hastings
Overseers of the Poor
George L. Newton Frederick Humphrey William H. Cowing
Bradford Hawes Alfred W. Hastings Collector of Taxes
Harry E. Bearce Assessors for Three Years
Charles H. Clapp
Theron L. Tirrell
Water Commissioner for Three Years George E. Bicknell
Park Commissioner for Three Years Alonzo M. Newbert School Committee for Three Years
Sarah S. Howe Edwin R. Sampson
Auditors
Victor H. Hall Frank E. Loud Burgess H. Spinney
Trustees of Tufts Library for Three Years
Wallace H. Drake
Francis M. Drown
Board of Health for Three Years Frederick L. Doucet
Tree Warden Charles L. Merritt
45
Commissioner of Ward Two Schoolhouse Sinking Fund, for Three Years
Henry A. Nash Constables
Charles W. Baker
Edward F. Butler
John A. Carter
Thomas Fitzgerald
George W. Conant Elbert Ford
George W. Nash
Arthur H. Pratt
Willie F. Tirrell
George W. Bayley
On the question "Shall licenses be granted for the sale of in- toxicating liquors in this town, the result was: Yes 351; No 185.
The result of the election was as follows:
Town Clerk
Precinct
1
2
3
4
Clayton B. Merchant
69
75
114
35
78
59
430
Blanks
10
21
46
18
25
25
1.39
Total
79
96
160
54
96
84
569
Town Treasurer
John H. Stetson
67
77
109
35
82
59
429
Blanks
12
19
51
19
14
25
140
Total
79
96 160
54
96
84
569
Selectmen
William H. Cowing
68
83
142
36
75
56
460
Alfred W. Hastings
66
76
86
35
86
53
402
Bradford Hawes
68
76
91
31
67
56
389
Frederick Humphrey
65
84
91
33
74
59
406
George L. Newton
73
78
88
30
68
54
391
Joseph A. Fern
1
Blanks
55
1 83 301 105
110
142
796
Total
395
480 800 270 480 420
2845
1
Overseers of the Poor
William H. Cowing
67
78 138
32
72
53
440
Alfred W. Hastings
65
74
83
32
80
51
385
Bradford Hawes
66
74
92
29
63
53
377
Frederick Humphrey
65
80
90
30
72
59
396
George L. Newton
68
76
84
28
67
53
376
Joseph A. Fern
1
Blanks
64
98
1 312
119
126
151
870
Total
395 480 800 270 480 420 2845
Total
46
Collector of Taxes
Harry E. Bearce
63
72
102
33
71
60
401
Blanks
16
24
58
21
25
24
168
Total
79
96
160
54
96
84
569
Assessors for Three Years
Charles H. Clapp
64
75 104
21
78
47
395
Theron L, Tirrell
65
73
109
33
77
44
401
Blanks
29
44 107
48
37
77
342
Total
158 192 320 108 192 168 1138
Park Commissioner for Three Years
Alonzo M. Newbert
66
76
97
31
77
43
390
Blanks
13
20
63
23
19
41
179
Total
79
96
160
54
96
84
569
Water Commissioner for Three Years.
George E. Bicknell
68
77 102
27
69
50
393
Blanks
11
19
58
27
27
34
176
Total
79
96
160
54
96
84
569
School Committee for Three Years
Sarah S. Howe
62
72
99
30
72
49
384
Edwin R. Sampson
70
78 105
28
72
46
399
Blanks
26
42
116
50
48
75
367
Total
158 192 320 108
192 172
1140
Auditors
Victor H. Hall
66
74
99
25
73
44
381
Frank E. Loud
65
73
96
27
72
49
382
Burgess H. Spinney
61
73
90
24
73
44
365
Blanks
45
68
195
86
70
115
579
Total
237 288 480 162 288
252 1707
Board of Health for Three Years
Frederick
L. Doucet
63
74 101
28
71
53
390
Blanks
16
22
59
26
25
31
179
Total
79
96 160
54
96
84
569
Tree Warden
Charles L. Merritt
62
74
91
29
70
54
380
Blanks
17
22
69
25
26
30
189
Total
79
96
160
54
96
84
569
47
Commissioner of Ward Two Schoolhouse Sinking Fund, for Three Years
Henry A. Nash
67
73
90
23
69
44
366
Blanks
12
23
70
31
27
40
203
Total
79
96
160
54
96
84
569
Constables
Charles W. Baker
62
72
119
27
65
47
392
Edward F. Butler
61
73
97
25
65
54
378
John A. Carter
60
69
95
24
65
44
357
George W. Conant
59
69
95
25
68
50
366
Thomas Fitzgerald
59
67
121
25
68
46
386
Elbert Ford
60
66
94
25
67
44
356
George W. Nash
64
67
94
24
64
48
361
Arthur H. Pratt
61
73
96
26
65
45
366
Willie F. Tirrell
58
66
96
28
66
46
360
George B. Bayley
3
8
18
16
15
5
65
Charles Marr
2
2
Daniel Clancy
1
1
A. E. Barnes
1
1
Blanks
241 330 674 295 348 411 2299
Total
790 960 1600 540 960 840 5690
Shall Licenses be Granted for the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors in This Town?
Yes
43
62
107
38
45
56
351
No
34
28
41
12
46
24
185
Blanks
2
6
12
4
5
4
33
Total
79
96 160
54
96
84
569
A true record
CLAYTON B. MERCHANT,
Town Clerk.
South Weymouth, March 15, 1920.
C. B. Merchant, Town Clerk.
Dear Sir:
I feel obliged to decline or resign as one of the Board of Assessors. I am at present under the doctor's care and shall be for some time. I shall miss the pleasant features of the office and forget the un-
pleasant ones. Wishing you all a harmonious term.
Very truly yours, THERON L. TIRRELL.
SSET 1623
LABORARE
INCEAO
MASSACHUSETTS
.16:35 .
.0061.
WARRANT FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
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