USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1947 > Part 7
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TELLERS reported Affirmative 40
Negative 73
Forty having voted in the Affirmative and seventy-three in the Negative, the Moderator declared the motion LOST.
SELECTMAN EVERETT CALLAHAN MOVED THE FOLLOWING SUB- STITUTE MOTION:
That the Town vote to accept the provisions of Chapter 156, Section 111B of the Acts of 1945.
Vote taken. Moderator declared the substitute motion LOST.
Vote taken on the motion as offered by the Appropriation Committee. SO VOTED.
MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED:
ARTICLE 4. That a committee of three be appointed, two members by the Annual Moderator and one by the Board of Selectmen, to study the consolidation. of the personnel and duties of the Police Signal System, the Fire Alarm System and the Wire Inspection Department and report to the next Annual Town Meeting.
SO VOTED.
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MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED:
ARTICLE 5. That the matter be referred to the next Annual Town Meeting.
UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED.
Moderator declared a five minute recess.
Reconvened at 10:00 o'clock.
MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED:
ARTICLE 6. That the sum of $1,600.00 be raised and appropriated for the purpose of relocating, constructing, draining, surfacing, widening, straightening a way leading from approximately 193 Broad Street to King Avenue and known as "an extension of King Avenue to Broad Street" as laid out and accepted by the annual Town Meeting of the year 1890, and work on such street to be performed under the direction of the Superin- tendent of Streets. $1,600.00 SO VOTED.
MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED:
ARTICLE 7. No Action.
UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED.
MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED:
ARTICLE 8. That the School Committee be authorized to expend from their annual appropriation a sum sufficient to purchase two motor vehicles.
UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED.
MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED:
ARTICLE 9. That Article 76 in the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting on March 7, 1947 be reconsidered and the wording "that the sum of $2,500. be appropriated from surplus for the improvement of the Alewife Fishery provided the State will pay a sum of $5,000.00 for this project" be amended to read: "That the sum of $2,500.00 be appropriated from Surplus for the improvement of the Alewife Fishery provided the State will appropriate a sum of about $3,500.00 for such purpose."
UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED.
MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED:
ARTICLE 10. No Action.
SO VOTED
MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED:
ARTICLE 11. No Action.
MR. GIGUERE MOVED THE FOLLOWING SUBSTITUTE MOTION:
That the Water Commissioners be instructed to request an answer to the following question from the State Board of Health: "Has the State Board of Health any objection to fishing in the Weymouth Great Pond?" In the event that the answer is in the negative, the Board of Water
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Commissioners shall issue permits to local residents for fishing from the shores of the Great Pond.
Vote taken and Moderator declared the motion LOST.
Vote taken on motion offered by the Appropriation Committee of "No Action."
UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED.
MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED:
ARTICLE 12. No Action.
MR. LESLIE HEBERT MOVED THE FOLLOWING SUBSTITUTE MOTION :
That the Town vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $2,000.00 for the purchase of a blower-type sprayer for the dispensing of D.D.T. $2,000.00
Vote taken and the Moderator declared the substitute motion LOST. More than seven doubting the vote, the count was ordered.
TELLERS reported Affirmative 63
Negative 45
Sixty-three having voted in the Affirmative and forty-five in the Nega- tive, the Moderator declared the substitute motion CARRIED.
SELECTMAN EVERETT CALLAHAN MOVED:
That we reconsider Article 12.
Vote taken and Moderator declared the motion LOST.
MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED:
ARTICLE 13. No Action.
SO VOTED.
MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED:
ARTICLE 14. No Action.
SO VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED :
ARTICLE 15. That Section 626 of the Town By-Laws be amended to read as follows: Section 626: If a person is employed by the Town and receives as salary and compensation for such employment a sum in excess of two thousand dollars ($2,000.00), he shall not receive any other com- pensation or salary from the Town derived from any other office position or employment by the Town unless otherwise authorized by vote of the Town.
SELECTMAN EVERETT CALLAHAN MOVED THE FOLLOWING SUB- STITUTE MOTION:
No Action.
Vote taken and Moderator declared the substitute motion LOST.
Vote taken on motion as offered by the Appropriation Committee. SO VOTED.
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MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED:
ARTICLE 16. That the Town reconsider Article 85 of the Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting on March 5, 1947 and amend wording "Of the sums made available for construction $1,500.00 shall be for expense of the Sewerage Commissioners not to exceed $500.00 for each member" to read as follows: "Of the sums made available for construction $1,500.00 shall be for the services of the elected Sewerage Commissioners not to exceed $500.00 for each member."
UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED.
MR. GEORGE E. LANE FOR THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE MOVED:
ARTICLE 17. That the sum of $1,150.00 be raised and appropriated for proposed alterations to West Street at Main Street according to a plan of the Massachusetts Department of Public Works, dated April 27, 1947; and the sum of $200.00 be raised and appropriated for installation and maintenance of a traffic beacon; and that the Board of Lighting Commissioners be instructed to increase lighting on Main Street between Middle Street and Highland Avenue. $1,150.00
$200.00
UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED.
MR. GEORGE E. LANE MOVED : That this meeting adjourn.
UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED. Adjourned at 10:46 P.M.
A true copy attest : CHESTER L. BOYLE
Town Clerk
SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS SPECIAL TOWN MEETING May 21, 1947
Raise and Appropriate
Appropriate
Article
2. Increase salaries Women Teachers
$26,035.00
6. Extension of King Avenue
1,600.00
12. Purchase D.D.T. Sprayer 2,000.00
1,150.00
17. Alterations to West and Main Sts. Installation and Maintenance of traffic beacon at West and Main Sts.
200.00
$30,985.00
A true copy attest :
CHESTER L. BOYLE Town Clerk
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TOWN CLERK'S FINANCIAL REPORT FOR YEAR ENDING 1947 DOG LICENSES ISSUED YEAR 1947 (Up to time of Press)
1227 Males @ $2.00 each
$2,454.00
186 Females @ $5.00 each
930.00
690 Spayed Female @ $2.00 each 1,380.00
8 Kennels @ $25.00 each 200.00
2 Kennels @ $50.00 each
100.00
32 Kennels $10.00 each
320.00
30 Military - Free
None
2175
$5,384.00
Less fees retained under Gen. Laws Chap. 140
and Amendments thereto 429.00
Paid to Town Treasurer
$4,955.00
HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSES ISSUED YEAR 1947
545 Res. Citz., Fishing @ $2.00 each
$1,090.00
354 Res. Citz. Hunting @ $2.00 each 708.00
319 Res. Citz. Sporting @ $3.25 each
1,036.75
154 Res. Citz. Minor & Female Fishing @ $1.25 each
192.50
8 Res. Citz. Minor Trapping @ $2.25 each
18.00
16 Res. Citz. Trapping @ $2.25 each
84.00
1 Sp. Non-Res. Fishing @ $1.50 each
1.50
2 Non-Res. Citz. Hunting @ $10.25 each
20,50
7 Duplicate @ $.50 each
3.50
56 Res. Citz. Sporting - Free
None
43 Res. Citz. Military or Naval Sporting - Free
None
1
Citz. Fishing (Old Age Asst.) - Free
None
1506
$3,154.75
Less fees retained under Gen. Laws Chap. 131 Sec 3
349.75
Paid to Division of Fisheries & Game
$2,805.00
TOWN LICENSES ISSUED FOR YEAR 1947
113 Gasoline Renewal Permits @ $1.00 each
$113.00
3 Hawkers & Pedlars Licenses @ $10.00 each
30.00
8 Hawkers & Pedlars Licenses @ $5.00 each 40.00
11 Auctioneers Licenses @ $2.00 each
22.00
4 Pool & Bowling Licenses @ $5.00 each
20.00
8 Junk Licenses @ $25.00 each
200.00
2 Ammunition Licenses @ $1.00 each
2.00
152
$427.00
CHESTER L. BOYLE, Town Clerk
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SUMMARY OF THE TOWN CLERK'S STATISTICAL REPORT VITAL STATISTICS
BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, DEATHS FOR THE YEAR 1947
The total number of births received and recorded during the year 1947 at the time of going to press were as follows: - Total number 1476. Of this number 766 were males and 710 were females. Of this total num- ber 646 were children born to Weymouth residents.
MARRIAGES
The total number of Marriage Certificates received and recorded dur- ing the year 1947, at the time of going to press were 387.
DEATHS
The total number of Death Certificates received and recorded during the year 1947, at the time of going to press, were 461. Of this number 232 were males and 229 females.
CHESTER L. BOYLE, Town Clerk
70
REPORT OF COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO STUDY SICK LEAVE FOR TOWN EMPLOYEES
December 10, 1947
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen Weymouth, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
Under Article 3 of a special town meeting held on Wednesday, May 21, 1947, it was voted that the annual moderator appoint a committee of three to study the question of sick leave for all Town Departments and report to the Board of Selectmen by January 1, 1948. The moderator appointed John F. Condon, Edgar W. Stiles and Cedric D. Watson to the committee.
The committee has held a number of meetings at which we con- ferred with heads of the larger departments (except the school depart- ment) and several of the heads of the smaller departments. We did not consider that the School Department came within the scope of this study. (The School Department has their own sick leave plan, formerly not to exceed five days annually, recently changed to not to exceed ten days annually, non-accumulative).
We also invited the employees of the various Town Departments to attend one of our meetings and give their views, and obtained informa- tion from six towns in Greater Boston concerning their systems, and some information concerning the State and County systems.
We found that for the most part, salaried employees did not suffer loss of pay when absent due to sickness, as their duties could be tem- porarily attended to by other employees of their respective departments.
The only dissatisfaction we found was among the Street Department laborers who are paid by the hour, and who lose their pay for time absent due to sickness. There are about twenty-five to thirty men in this group.
We found that in the State Classified Service provision is made for sick leave not exceeding fifteen days annually, and that the County has similar provisions.
In the six towns from which we obtained information we found that two had no provisions, one had adopted G.L. Chap. 41, Sec. 111B (which is set forth later in this report), one had two weeks annually, non- accumulative, for all employees, one had fifteen days accumulative to one hundred fifty days for all personnel of all departments except the School Department, and one had three weeks annually for sickness incurred in line of duty and two weeks annually for sickness incurred while not in line of duty, in either case accumulative, but not to exceed ninety days, and not to be applicable if incurred from the excessive use of intoxicating liquors.
The Street Department laborers urged adoption of G.L. Chap. 41 Sec. 111B, which act as amended by Chap. 187 of the Acts of 1946 is as follows:
Any foreman, laborer, workman or mechanic regularly employed by any city or town which accepts this section shall, when entitled thereto, be granted sick leaves aggregating not more than fifteen days in any year, exclusive of Sundays and holidays, without loss of pay; provided, that sick leave allowances not used in any particular year may be accumulated, for such number of years. as may be determined by the City Council of any city or selectmen of any such town, for use in any subsequent year. (The 1946 amendment inserted, "foreman" as the second word of this section).
We do not favor adoption of this act. It does not define the terms, foreman, laborer, workman, mechanic, and consequently we cannot de-
71
termine just which employers would come within its provisions. We feel that it would favor certain employees in a department, and not apply to a department as a whole.
Also, while the street department laborers seem to be about the only group who lose pay when absent due to sickness, they are paid for over- time work, and thus probably are able to make up any losses in that way.
We do not feel that we should recommend any program that gives a comparatively small group sick leave as a right, which the other Town employees receive such leave only as a privilege, subject to the discretion of the head of their department.
We do not favor a general non-accumulative sick leave as it is our opinion, and was the opinion of most of those with whom we talked, that such a plan encourages absence for slight indispositions which otherwise would pass unnoticed.
We think that there is a growing tendency toward accumulative sick leaves of about two weeks annually, both in private and municipal cor- porations, and feel that there is considerable merit in such a plan as an incentive to good public service.
We have not been able to obtain any estimate of the probable cost of such a plan, and feel that if your Board thinks that a more com- prehensive study is warranted it should be made by a larger committee with more time and funds, or by some agency which has the equipment and experience to estimate with some degree of accuracy the probable advantages and costs.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN F. CONDON CEDRIC D. WATSON EDGAR W. STILES
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF FENCE VIEWERS
December 19, 1947
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Gentlemen:
The Board of Fence Viewers, appointed by you last April 14, report an active season. Information requested by residents of the town has been supplied and many calls have been made in all sections of the town. Each case brought before the board has been amicably settled.
It may interest you to know that the members of the Board of Fence Viewers have devoted their time to this work as a public service. At an early meeting the members elected Clarence Pratt, chairman and Mrs. Amy Hill Duncan, clerk. Other members of the Board are George J. Husband, Edward P. Hunt and William T. White. Each member shared the work and a successful year has resulted from such cooperation.
Respectfully submitted, MRS. AMY HILL DUNCAN, Clerk, Board of Fence Viewers
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF MEMORIAL DAY 1947
To the Citizens of the Town of Weymouth:
At the annual Town Meeting, held in March, 1947, it was voted under Article 1 that a Committee of 15 be appointed from the various Veteran and Hereditary Organizations, in accordance with the provisions of the
72
General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 5, Clause 12, by the Moderator, who shall also designate the Chairman.
The following Committee was appointed:
Ralph H. Provost, Commander, Weymouth Post 79, American Legion Chairman.
Cecil E. Simpkins, Senior Vice-Commander, Weymouth Post 79, American Legion.
Charles R. Heger, Commander, Wessagussett Post 1399, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
George J. McDonald, Senior Vice-Commander, Wessagussett Post 1399, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Alfred W. Cadman, Commander, Ralph Talbot Chapter 65, Disabled American Veterans.
George W. Bailey, Senior Vice-Commander, Ralph Talbot Chapter 65, Dis- abled American Veterans.
Robert A. Panora, Commander, Greater Weymouth Post, American Legion. David Paulson, Senior Vice-Commander, Greater Weymouth Post 394, American Legion.
Walter M. Smith, Commander, George R. Bean Post 401, American Legion. Charles Delorey, Senior Vice-Commander, George R. Bean Post 401, American Legion.
George F. Ferguson, Commander, South Weymouth Post 9260, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
John Sherman, Senior Vice-Commander, South Weymouth Post 9260. Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Miss Margaret J. Sullivan, Senior Vice-Commander, South Shore Post, (Women) American Legion.
Robert W. Pratt, Commander, James L. Bates Camp 36, Sons of Union Veterans.
Mrs. Harriet C. Fern, President, Dorothea L. Dix Tent 32, Daughters of Union Veterans.
Five Committee meetings were held from March 31 through May 12, 1947 with one meeting in June. At the second meeting Alfred W. Cadman was named Chief Parade Marshall. In the course of the several meetings, the question of visiting all the cemeteries in the Town was discussed; the final decision was to visit only the Old North Cemetery in North Wey- mouth where the Memorial to the Grand Army of the Republic is located.
The program was as follows:
Assembly at Hurley Square (Thomas' Corner) at 7:30 A.M. Parade to the Old North Cemetery for memorial exercises at the Grand Army Memorial Monument where a wreath was placed on the monument by Robert W. Pratt, Commander, James L. Bates Camp 36, Sons of Union Veterans. Thence the parade proceeded over North Street, up Oak Hill to the Ralph Talbot Memorial Civic Center where the following program of exercises was held:
Trooping of Colors Selections by the Band
Prayer by Rev. Father Cummings of St. Francis Xavier Church
Salute to the Flag
Selection "America"
Reading of General Logan's orders for the observance of Memorial Day, Mrs. Harriet C. Fern, President, Daughters of Union Veterans. Gettysburg Address, Mrs. May Blanchard, Past Department President, Daughters of Union Veterans.
73
Band Selection, Civil War Airs Address of Welcome, Selectman Everett E. Callahan Speaker of the Day, Daniel Donovan, Rockland Band Selections Salute to the Dead "Taps" National Anthem
The Parade re-formed and proceeded up Middle St. to Center St. where the company boarded buses and proceeded to Nevin School, South Weymouth. The Parade formed on Columbian St. and proceeded by way of Main and Pleasant Streets to Columbian Square where the parade paused while the Memorial to the dead of World War II was dedicated by George R. Bean Post 401, American Legion. The parade then pro- ceeded up Columbian St. to Nevin School where it disbanded.
A flag and a potted geranium were placed on each veteran's grave and Memorial Plaques, Monuments, World War II Honor Roll and 16 Squares in the Town named for deceased veterans were decorated with wreaths and flags. A live wreath was placed on the Ralph Talbot Plaque in the State House at 2:00 P.M. on May 28h by Alfred W. Cadman.
The Memorial Day Committee is most appreciative of the assistance of all those individuals and organizations who took part in or otherwise co-operated in the observance of Memorial Day this year.
THE MEMORIAL DAY COMMITTEE,
Ralph H. Provost, Chairman George F. Ferguson, Secretary
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON THE ADVISABILITY OF CREATING A DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS IN THE TOWN
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Gentlemen:
In accordance with the instructions given this committee by the Moderator, we have conducted a study of the advisability of creating a Department of Public Works in the Town.
Before trying to evolve any program of consolidation we decided to investigate two separate questions in this connection. First, the desires of the people and the feelings of the Departments which would be af- fected and secondly, how successful the consolidations were which had been made by other municipalities.
Among the townspeople questioned, the usual complacency was evident - as long as the roads were plowed immediately when required or the trash collected promptly, the organizational set-up of the department responsible for the services was beyond the sphere of interest of the average citizen. A few were found who thought the idea might be alright but it appears this was just a theoretical viewpoint and they had no con- crete facts to back up this opinion.
Insofar as the affected town departments were concerned, each was invited to meet with the Committee to discuss the matter. The lack of response was not surprising (only three of the twelve departments re- sponded) but proved conclusively to the Committee that if they con-
74
templated reporting in favor of the proposal there would, in all probability, be a considerable human factor to consider in the overall consideration because this lack of cooperation was taken to be indicative of opposition.
Reports of the Towns of Norwood and Dedham and the City of Quincy were obtained and studied. Each of these three municipalities had vary- ing forms of organization - no two being in any way similar except for the intent of saving money for the taxpayer and creating greater effi- ciency in the working of that portion of the town government and from the evidence the attainment of the intent was questionable.
A delegation from this Committee met with officials of the Massa- chusetts Federation of Taxpayers Association at their Boston office as this group have made a careful study of these problems over a period of years.
From factual data on hand at that office this Committee could find nothing that would indicate the towns who have created Public Works Departments are enjoying either greater efficiency or any considerable sav- ings. This verified our findings in the aforementioned study of the Norwood, Dedham and Quincy reports.
While detail data prior to the consolidations were in many cases not available, assuming these towns had operated along the same lines we do here in Weymouth at present, it did not seem, there could be any reason for the consolidations and in one case it was apparent the cost of these services to the people had increased, largely due to voluminous reports each worker was required to fill out each day and a large clerical staff necessary to handle and file this material. We were informed that at least one town is considering returning to the individual department sys- tem because of the inefficiency of the present consolidation.
As previously noted, all the cases studied had no uniform set-up; com- parisons between these towns and Weymouth was then practically an im- possibility. Trying to consider each of the various forms of organization if applied to Weymouth did not work out to the best advantage and in all cases we found certain undesirable features which could not be incorporated here. For example, one town has a regulation in its Public Works Depart- ment whereby the Town Clerk would be the keeper of the keys to the gasoline pumps and these pumps would be open only between 7:45 and 8:15 of each morning; anybody wanting gas at any other hour to make a special requisition in triplicate. We considered the Town Clerk here in Wevmouth to be removed from the function of any potential Department of Public Works.
1
Although this Committee was solely impowered to inquire into the consolidation of various departments into a Department of Public Works, it was only natural when we uncovered the lack of savings and efficiency in other towns to look into the matter of a Town Manager as a possible further expedient in effecting savings in our town government. Officials of the Association were emphatic that the T.M. form of government is not working out as well as at first anticipated because of the fact that where a Town gave complete control to a Manager there was dissatis- faction due to there being no control on this individual's activities and when a final decision remained in the hands of the Selectmen or a special board the value of such a high-priced Manager was questionable. (This also applies in the case of a Commissioner for a Public Works Department.)
It is then the unanimous conclusions of this Committee that the con- solidation of various departments of the Town into a Department of Public Works as originally petitioned would not be an advantage to the Town and that the proposal be rejected. We do, however, recommend that although the preparation of drawings and etc. incidental to the engineering work of the Town be done outside the Town Hall, that the Town Engineer maintain copies of all town surveys, layouts and etc. on
75
file for public information in the office of the Assessor and we further recommend that appropriate steps be taken to consolidate the offices of Tree Warden and Gypsy Moth Superintendent under one office.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM B. HARTY, Chairman WARREN V. BAKER MICHAEL CAVALLO DOUGLAS DONOVAN HARRY FEKKES IRVING JOHNSON CHARLES H. PRAY JAMES P. REILLY A. WESLEY SAMPSON
REPORT OF THE VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION
January 6, 1948
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Gentlemen:
The Weymouth Visiting Nurse Association has completed thirty three years of Nursing Service to the Town of Weymouth, and submits its Annual Report as follows:
Ten regular meetings and one Special Meeting were held, with an average attendance of 18 members.
The Nurses report:
8,007 Calls made. 51 Well Baby Clinics were held in Town Hall. 749 Babies were examined.
Respectfully submitted, JESSIE W. BASTEY, Secretary
REPORT OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING COMMITTEE Budget for 1948
Maintenance of existing 1888 lights $40,395.84
100 new 100 C.P. lights at $18.00 per year (6 months service) 900.00
$41,295.84
Sixty-six lights were installed during the year. Lack of twenty por- celain fixtures prevented us from completing our schedule.
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