USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1938 > Part 3
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The vote being retaken the tellers reported 215 voting in the af- firmative and 2 in the negative.
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ARTICLE 24 Mr. Field moved: That the Town accept the provisions of Chapter 7 of the Acts of 1938 being "An Act authorizing the Board of Public Welfare of Weymouth to appoint a Welfare Agent, and es- tablishing the powers and duties of said Agent".
At this time Mr. Sandy Roulston for the committee appointed under Item 6, of Article 1 of the warrant for the special meeting held on September 15, 1937, read their report, as follows:
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON MANAGEMENT OF ALL FORMS OF PUBLIC RELIEF IN WEYMOUTH, MARCH 7, 1938.
Pursuant to the vote of the Town Meeting Members on Article 1, Item 6 of the Special Town Meeting held September 15, 1937, the Moderator appointed a Committee to study the management of all forms of public . relief in the Town of Weymouth.
In conformity with the provisions of the vote cited above, the Com- mittee submits a report of its findings and recommendations, similar to those presented to the Appropriation Committee in December.
That the problem referred to the Committee is one of first mag- nitude can best be illustrated by pointing out that the cost of public relief in Weymouth for 1937, exclusive of the W. P. A. payroll, was over $410,000.
The Committee has from the outset been fully cognizant of the responsibility and not unmindful of the public duty developing upon it, and, with due regard for human frailty, has given the question the considera- tion and forethought commensurate with its importance.
The Committee has incorporated in this report a number of recom- mendations, which, if carried into effect, will result in a complete re- organization of the Department of Public Welfare.
The Committee entertains the opinion that the existing arrangement of appointing executives each year to conduct the business of the De- partment of Public Welfare and its related agencies is far from practical, and operates to prevent the shaping of a permanent policy of efficient business administration.
The Committee recommends that all public activities and the activity in connection with the office of the W. P. A. Certifying Agent be under the supervision of one person. It further recommends that the Chief Executive of all branches of relief have the title of Welfare Agent and hold office for a term of three years, ending December 31, excepting how- ever, that the first appointee shall take office not later than April 1, 1938 and serve until December 31, 1940.
The Committee has procured, thru the aid of Sen. Holmes and Rep. Merchant an Enabling Act by the Legislature Chapter 7, Acts of Nineteen Thirty-Eight, which, accepted by the Town, will authorize the Board of Public Welfare to appoint a Welfare Agent for a term of three years.
The Committee finds that the practice of successive Boards of Public Welfare in appointing the heads of the various relief agencies out of their own number has not reacted to the best interest of the Town. The general impression is that appointments, so made, are based on political expediency without regard to the qualifications of the appointees. Believ- ing that the Department of Public Welfare should be removed as far as possible from political influence, this Committee recommends that any person receiving compensation for services to the Town of Weymouth as an elected Town Official be disqualified from holding the office of Welfare Agent or any other office or position within the Department of Public Welfare.
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The Committee recommends that the office of W. P. A. Co-ordinator be abolished and that the Welfare Agent, when appointed, shall become by virtue of his office, Secretary of the W. P. A. Committee, and, as such, Certifying Agent of the W. P. A.
This Committee recommends that in the event the person selected to head welfare activities is not, at the time of appointment, a Weymouth resident, the said appointee shall, within ninety days after such appoint- ment become a resident of the Town.
The Committee determined that the calibre of person required for Wel- fare Agent would be difficult to obtain and hold a salary of less than $3,000. per year and it recommends a sum be voted for this purpose.
The Committee suggested to the Appropriation Committee that the recommendations herein set forth be incorporated in a motion and pre- sented, by the Appropriation Committee, to this Annual Town Meeting.
Respectively submitted
TIMOTHY G. OSBORN PAUL A. NEWSOME DAVID N. CRAWFORD FREDERICK L. ALDEN SANDY ROULSTON
Mr. George S. Peterson moved: That if the motion to accept the provisions of the Act, Chapter 7 of 1938, be adopted, that one man and one woman be appointed as investigators.
After quite a long discussion on this question Mr. Robert L. Buchan moved that the main question be now put. So voted.
The question of the acceptance of the provisions of Chapter 7 of the Acts of 1938 was put before the meeting and it was unanimously voted to accept.
Item 27 Mr. Field moved: For Public Welfare. $180,000.00
Provided that $2,000. of this sum and $1,000. of the appropriation under Item 28 aggregating $3,000. shall be for the salary and all expenses of the Welfare Agent provided the Town votes to accept the pro- visions of Chapter 7 of the Acts of 1938 establishing the Welfare Agent as the executive Agent of the Board of Public Welfare in all matters of public relief; it is further provided that no member of the Board of Selectmen elected in the current year shall be eligible for appointment as aforesaid Welfare Agent; but that the Board of Public Welfare shall appoint to this position a male citizen qualified by training and experience; provided further that of this aggregate amount $5,518. shall be for administration divided as follows: $4,404. shall be for the welfare administration and $1,114. shall be for administration of aid to dependent children. $33,000. shall be for aid to dependent children; $7,070. shall be for all expenses of the Town Infirmary; $4,000. as compensation to doctors and other medical services rendered; the balance of this appropriation shall be for relief of persons having a legal settlement in the Town or the relief of persons not having a legal settlement in the Town or the reimbursement to other cities and towns for relief provided by them to persons having
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a legal settlement in this Town; provided that any portion of the total appropriation for Public Welfare under this Item may be expended for miscellaneous Welfare Items after the Appropriation Committee has approved such expenditure.
Mr. William M. Hughes moved: That the Welfare Agent to be appointed be a citizen of the Town of Weymouth as of March 1, 1938. Not a vote.
Mr. Ernest A. Smith moved: That a committee of 5 be appointed by the Moderator to study the advisa- bility of discontinuing the Town Infirmary .. Not a vote.
The motion of the Appropriation Committee was unanimously tentatively adopted.
$102,000.00
Item 28 Mr. Field moved: For Old Age Assistance under General Laws, (Ter. Ed.) Chapter 118A as amended. Of this sum $1,000. is allocated to and appro- priated under Item 27 for salary and expenses of the Welfare Agent set up under Chapter 7 of the Acts of 1938 and who shall be the executive Agent of the Board of Public Welfare in all matters of public relief provided the Town accepts this Act; $3,529. shall be for administrative expenses; provision is hereby made for two investigators one of whom shall receive $25. a week and the other $20. a week; two clerks, one of whom shall receive $18.50 per week and the other $14. per week and $999. shall be for auto- mobile and miscellaneous expenses.
Mr. Everett E. Callahan moved to amend: To strike out that part of the motion as follows: "one of whom shall receive $25. a week and the other $20. a week". Not a vote.
The motion of the Appropriation Committee was unanimously tentatively adopted.
Item 29 Mr. Field moved: For Pensions. 3,000.00
This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
Item 30 Mr. Field moved: For Soldiers benefits, including State and Military Aid, Soldiers' Relief and the burying of Indigent Soldiers and Sailors. Of this sum not exceeding $100. is for administra- tive expenses
24,000.00
This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
Item 31 Mr. Field moved: For the Highway Department. This sum is to be used for salaries, general main- tenance, removal of snow, highway and sidewalk construction and repair, and the purchase and main- tenance of equipment. Of this aggregate amount $4,750. shall be for the purchase of new equipment and $5,700. for the collection of rubbish; provided further that a Committee of three (3) one of whom shall be the Superintendent of Streets shall be appointed by the Moderator for the purpose of pur- chasing supplies, materials and equipment and the disposal of old equipment.
115,000.00
This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
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Item 32 Mr. Field moved: For the support of the Public Schools.
Of this sum $423,570. shall be raised by taxation in' the levy of the current year and $2,729.39 being the sum received from the County by way of Statutory Distribution of the Dog Tax. is hereby appropriated for the support of the public schools.
This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
Item 33 Mr. Field moved: For the maintenance of Tufts Library and its branches and other Library pur- poses.
Of this sum $1,941. is appropriated for the Reading Room at the Fogg Library. In this amount the sum of $250. is appropriated for the supervision of the painting of the Tufts Library as a W. P. A. Project. The income from the several trusts funds of the Town are hereby made available for Library pur- poses. Not more than $50. of this appropriation may be expended for the expense of any employee in- curred in travel outside the Commonwealth securing information that may tend to improve the service of the Library.
Mr. John Griffin moved as an amendment: That the sum of $25,648. be raised and appropriated for the maintenance of the Tufts Library and its branches and that $1,950. be designated for the Fogg Reading Room from the aforementioned appro- priation. This amendment was so voted.
The motion of the Appropriation Committee as thus amended was unanimously tentatively adopted. The amount is $25,648.
As Mr. George S. Peterson under Item 27 made a motion and the Moderator never entertained his motion, the Moderator asked unanimous consent of the meeting to retake up Item 27, no objection being heard the Moderator entertained his motion, as follows: I hereby move that the investigators assisting the administrator consist of the following: one woman single, one man married. This motion was declared not a vote.
Item 34 Mr. Field moved: For the observance of Memorial Day. 800.00
To be expended under the direction of a Committee of nine (9) to be appointed by the Moderator, who shall designate the Chairman, from the several veteran and hereditary organizations in accordance with the provisions of General Laws (Ter. Ed.) Chapter 40, Section 5, Clause 12 as amended; said amount to be available only in case evidence shall be filed with the Town Accountant that the known graves of the deceased veterans of all wars have been decorated without discrimination.
Mr. Everett E. Callahan moved as an amendment: That the number of the Committee be 11 instead of 9 as recommended by the Appropriation Com- mittee. This amendment was so voted.
The motion of the Appropriation as amended was unanimously tentatively adopted.
Item 35 Mr. Field moved: For Parks and Playgrounds. Of this sum $1,400. is for the salaries of Instructors. This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
$426,300.00
23,148.00
6,500.00
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Item 36 Mr. Field moved: For Miscellaneous Expenses This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
$2,862.79
2,519.74
Item 37 Mr. Field moved: For unpaid bills. Mr. Everett E. Callahan moved as an amendment that the sum of $685. be added to the above sum for unpaid bills of the Fire Department making a total of $3,204.74. This amendment was so voted. The motion of the Appropriation Committee as amended was unanimously tentatively adopted.
Item 38 Mr. Field moved: For Overdrafts under General Laws (Ter. Ed.) Chapter 44, Section 31. This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
28,708.26
Item 39 Mr. Field moved: For necessary charges and the administration of the contributory retirement system. Of this sum $22,765.43 is appropriated to the "Pen- sion Accumulation" and $300. to the "Expense Fund", of which $200. shall be for clerical assistance. This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
23,065.43
Item 40 Mr. Field moved: For the salaries and all expenses of the Water Department. This sum is to be provided from the revenue of the Water Department; and there is further appro- priated from the General Fund of the Water Depart- ment $10,000. for carrying on work for private parties payment for such work to revert to the General Fund of the Water Department.
94,761.00
This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
Item 41 Mr. Field moved: That no action be taken under this item. This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
Item 42 Mr. Field moved: For the operation of the Alewife Fishery. This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
350.00
Item 43 Mr. Field moved: For the care of Soldiers' Graves under General Laws (Ter. Ed.) Chapter 115, Section 22, including the placing of new markers and replac- ing old ones. The care of the grave markers is hereby given to the Custodian of Soldiers' Graves. This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
1,555.00
Item 44 Mr. Field moved: For the care of Old Cemeteries under General Laws (Ter. Ed.) Chapter 114, Sections 16 and 18. 200.00
Provided that the Town instruct the Board of Selectmen to contract with Wessagusset Post No. 1399 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States for the care and maintenance of Old Cemetery off Park Avenue; Old Cemetery opposite Fairmount Cemetery and Pleasant Street, and the one located off Randolph Street, and Old Cemetery off Pleasant Street, opposite Pine Street. This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
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Item 45 Mr. Field moved: For Interest and Discount. $22,500.00
This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
Item 46 Mr. Field moved: For the Retirement of Bonds and Notes due in 1938. This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
90,000.00
Item 47 Mr. Field moved: For the Municipal Buildings In- surance Fund. This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted. 1.00
Item 48 Mr. Field moved: For Fire and other Insurance This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
125.00
Item 49 Mr. Field moved: For a Reserve Fund. 35,000.00
This motion was unanimously tentatively adopted.
RIDER
Under Article 1 Mr. Field moved: Provided that all salaries of elected officials shall remain at the same figure as last year except as hereinbefore otherwise set forth and no individual in the employ of the Town shall receive as wages, salary or compensation any greater amount or any increased rate of pay, nor shall any department spend a sum in excess of that expended in the last fiscal year for salaries or clerical hire unless as otherwise set forth herein, nor shall any of the money appropriated under this Article be expended for telephone service in private houses of any town official or employee except in the houses of the Chiefs of the Police and Fire Departments, nor shall any motor vehicles be pur- chased unless herein specified; nor shall the Board of Selectmen appoint anyone currently elected to the Board of Selectmen to any other position. except there is a mandatory statutory authority therefor; nor shall any member currently elected a member of the Board of Selectmen during the year for which he was elected receive any other remuneration, com- pensation, salary, wages or expense money directly or indirectly for ser- vices rendered the Town in any capacity except the amounts provided for him under Article 1, Item 2 of this warrant; provided further that in the event Chapter 7 of the Acts of 1938 providing for the establishment of a Welfare Agent as the executive head of the Board of Public Welfare in all matters of public relief shall be submitted to the voters of the Town at large under the provisions of Section 8 of Chapter 61 of the Acts of 1921 and said voters shall reject said Chapter 7 of the Acts of 1938; in that case and not otherwise; the sum of $2,000. under Item 27 of Article 1 of this warrant and $1,000. of the appropriation under Item 28 of Article 1 of this warrant aggregating $3,000. shall be for the salary and all ex- penses of the executive head of the Board of Public Welfare in all matters of public relief and all other provisions of the riders of said Items 27 and 28 of Article 1 of this warrant not inconsistant herewith are reaffirmed.
Under Item 31 of Article 1 it was moved: To strike out the appoint- ment of a committee of three be appointed by the Moderator, one of whom shall be the Superintendent of Streets for the purpose of pur- chasing supplies, materials and equipment and the disposal of old equip- ment. This motion was declared not a vote.
The motion of the Appropriation Committee (Rider to Article 1) was unanimously tentatively adopted.
Motion: That all motions unanimously tentatively adopted be regularly adopted, and it was unanimously so voted.
Mr. Everett E. Callahan moved: To adjourn until Wednesday evening, March 9, 1938.
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The Moderator declared it not a vote. The vote being doubted by seven members, a recount was ordered. On the recount 125 voted in favor of adjournment and 56 voting against adjournment, the motion to adjourn prevailed, adjournment was made at 11:00 P. M.
CLAYTON B. MERCHANT,
Town Clerk
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1938
The time to which the Annual Town Meeting adjourned having ar- rived the Moderator called the meeting to order at 8:53 o'clock P.M. and requested Rev. Ralph E. Seaver, Pastor of the Porter Methodist Episcopal Church at Lovell's Corner to invoke Divine Blessing.
Mr. John Griffin moved: To reconsider Article 1 for the purpose of offering a motion under Item 33. So voted. This vote was doubted by more than seven members and a recount was ordered, as two of the tellers appointed at the first meeting were not present the Moderator appointed Timothy G. Osborn and William M. Chance as such and they were sworn to the faithful performance of that duty.
On a recount 113 voted in favor of reconsidering Article 1 and 40 opposed. The motion prevailed.
Mr. Harry Dowd moved: To take up Item 33.
Prince H. Tirrell moved: To take up the rider at the end of Article 1. These motions were waived.
Kenneth L. Nash moved: That the additional $2,500. voted the Tufts Library be exempted from provisions of the rider attached to Article 1.
. This motion was unanimously voted. .
Mr. William D. Parker moved: To amend the rider for Item 33 by exempting step-raise increases adopted prior to this date.
This motion was declared not a vote.
Mr. Field moved: The adoption of Article 1 as amended. It was unanimously voted.
ARTICLE 2. Mr. Field moved: The sum of $45,000. shall be raised and appropriated for providing co-operation with the Federal Government or other agencies in unemployment relief and other projects of direct or indirect benefit to the Town or its inhabitants which sum together with the unexpended balance of the appropriation made for similar pur- poses last year, shall be expended under the direction of a Committee consisting of the executive head of the Welfare Deparement, the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, the Chairman of the Planning Board, the Chairman of the Park Commissioners, and the Superintendents of School and Street Departments and a representative of the Water Depart- ment to be appointed by the Water Board, and provided that not ex- ceeding $10,000. of this sum shall be used for permanent sidewalk con- struction and not more than the total sum of $25. per month may be used as personal expenses of the members of this Committee; and of this sum a sufficient definite amount is alloted for the payment of all outstanding accounts against similar appropriations for last year; and provided further that the executive head of the Welfare Department shall be the certifying officer of the W. P. A. or its successors.
This motion was unanimously voted.
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ARTICLE 3. Mr. Field moved: That the Town take no action as the" subject matter of this Article is provided for under Article 2.
This motion was unanimously voted.
ARTICLE 4. Under this Article the committee appointed at the An- nual Town Meeting of 1937 reported in the Annual Report of 1937 page 109 and offered a supplementary report as follows:
Mr. Moderator:
We the committee appointed by you respectfully submit our report to this town meeting: Re-the purchase of land by the town for widening of Bradford Hawes Playground. Land owned by Mr. Westcott bordering on the southerly side of Bradford Hawes Playground. 77,800 square feet assessed by the Town for $800. can be purchased by the Town for $800. and three years taxes at $20.40 per year or $861.20.
We recommend purchase by the Town.
Respectfully yours, JOHN W. THORP, Chairman RALPH COBB JOHN W. FRENCH
Voted: That the Committee appointed in 1937 on Bradford Hawes Playground be continued in office 1 year and they insert in the warrant for 1939 for this purchase.
Mr. Roy H. Rosewell for the Committee appointed at the Annual Town Meeting in 1937, in regard to the building a new Fire Station at South Weymouth, made their final report, as follows:
Report of South Weymouth Fire Station Building Committee
Town Meeting Members of Weymouth:
The Building Committee authorized to construct a fire station in South Weymouth by virtue of the motion passed at the Annual Town Meeting held on March 1, 1937, under Article 36 of the warrant of that year herein presents its final report.
The first problem that confronted the Committee was the choice of a site, and after long deliberation the site of the old fire station was chosen, because the Committee felt if it were to recommend and purchase a new piece of property, the additional expense to the Town would be somewhat over $2,000. and the only advantage that the Committee could see by choosing a new site would be for the purpose of beautification. It did not feel that the efficiency of the department or the protection of the property would be materially increased by a change in location. At the outset, we had an offer of $50. for the old building, but by shopping around we were able to sell the property for $110. which sum was turned over to the Town Treasury and is not included in the balance turned over to the Town from the original appropriation.
During the period of construction which started immediately after the contract was awarded, the Committee hired temporary headquarters for the firemen and apparatus at a rental of $12.50 per week. We had estimated $400. for temporary headquarters, but we are now pleased to report that the cost was $287.50. The architect who drew up the plans for the building was C. Francis N. Roberts. and the contractor was W. R. Jacobucci, Inc. of Quincy. The manner in which he did the work justifies the investigation that the Committee made of his qualifications and ability, and at this point the Committee is pleased to commend the co-operation and advice that both the architect and contractor rendered to it.
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The contract called for the completion of the building in four months, but due to delays and strikes at the factories where materials were being fabricated, the four months period was somewhat extended. Every mem- ber of the Committee took a personal interest in the fulfillment of the contract, and not a day passed but what some member was there to see how the operations were progressing. The Committee specified that the architect was to visit the job at least once a day, and to our knowledge, he lived up to his part of the agreement. The contract did not cover one or two unforeseen difficulties, and hence because of the water con- ditions of which we were aware, but of which severity we did not under- stand, we made one or two changes in which the original agreement, namely, increasing the thickness of the basement floor and adding more water-proofing compound to additional concrete construction. During the period that the building has been in use by the Fire Department, we may say that they have a completely dry basement.
Whereafter it was practical and feasible, the Committee saw to it that the sub-contractors were Weymouth business men and that the materials came from Weymouth firms. All the equipment and furnishings that went into the building were purchased in accordance with the statutory pro- visions governing the same.
During the two years which the Committee has been on this work, 29 meetings were held, and during those meetings changes in the pro- posed construction were made with the thought uppermost in the minds of the Committee that the building should be erected as inexpensive as possible consistent with the maximum return in efficiency and construction. Thus the Committee made a saving on the disposal of the old building, renting of temporary quarters, the awarding of the contract, the choice of the alternates and the equipment and furnishings. The Committee is more than pleased to state that although they had $40,000. to spend for a fully completed fire station, that actually $37,101.39 was expended.
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