USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of the officers and committees of the town of Scituate 1955-1957 > Part 25
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Proposed New Rates $1.65 per hour 0.75 per hour
1.25 per hour
Ass't Librarian full time
$2,000 per year (max.)
$2,200 per year (max.)
Head Librarian .. . $2,800 per year (max.)
$3,000 per year (max.)
Building Inspector .... $3,800 per year
$4,500 per year
Harbor Master $1,600 per year $2,500 per year
Recommended $2,000
Recommended $3,800
Recommended $5,900
Highway Surveyor .$5,500 per year
$6,000 per year
Dog Officer $137.50 per year
$200.00 per year
Recommended $137.50
Water Dept .:
Servicemen $3,900 per year (max.)
$4,200 per year
Recommended $4,200
Engineer $4,300 per year
$4,600 per year
Recommended
$1,600
Ass't Supt. $4,550 per year
$4,850 per year
Recommended $4,850
Sup't
$5,500 per year
$5,800 per year
Recommended
$5,800
Engineer's Aide 2
$1.40 per hour
$1.55 per hour
Recommended $1.55 per hour
Police Matron
$1.40 per hour
$1.55 per hour
Recommended
$1.55 per hour
REPORT OF PERSONNEL BOARD
177
Action by Board Recommended Recommended
Recommended Recommended
Recommended
Recommended $4,200 (max.)
Town Treasurer $3,800 per year
$4,500 per year
REPORT OF PERSONNEL BOARD
In addition, rulings were made concerning the following:
(1) Interpretation of the term "Full Time Continuous Employ- ment" and its use in the proper administration of the Plan;
(2) The resultant status under the Plan of an employee who transfers from one department to another.
A card record was designed to be kept by and in the office of the Town Accountant. On these personnel cards is to be posted perti- nent information for each employee covered by the Plan, together with a record of vacations and sick leave, earned and taken. The Personnel Board also instructed the Town Accountant to require a certificate on each weekly payroll whereby the Department Head certifies to the amount of sick leave or vacation taken by each em- ployee during the period covered by each payroll.
In its consideration of requests for up-grading of classifications or changes in salary rates or increased vacation time, we have been mindful of the Board's responsibility and obligation to maintain good employee relations. In all cases considered where it was physically possible, the individual employee as well as the Depart- ment Head concerned were, in our opinion, given ample oppor- tunity to present information dealing with the request. In cases where the Board found it necessary to deny the request the Board notified the Department Head of its intention and offered a second hearing for presentation of additional information before rendering a final decision.
We believe that each employee of the Town now realizes that he has benefited substantially through the adoption of this Plan. Nevertheless, we feel that it is desirable to point out once again several of these benefits:
1. Provision for an increase in pay to the majority of employees covered by the Plan.
2. A standard wage or salary rate at the beginning of employment with definite step rate increases as the employee increases his value through experience on the job.
3. A pay rate of time and a half for overtime work.
4. A standard vacation plan with increasing vacation time based on length of employment.
5. A standard sick leave plan based on length of service.
6. A non-political impartial Board to which an employee may appeal in matters of personnel administration at any time during the year.
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REPORT OF PERSONNEL BOARD
As the employee benefits, so does the Town. The benefit to the Town lies in the knowledge that in personnel matters it is rep- resented by a Board whose duty it is to study personnel problems constantly and make recommendations that will be fair to the employee and to the Town as well.
The Board wishes to point out that patience on both sides is required in the area of personnel administration. As adopted by the Town the operation of the Plan will improve as employees become more familiar with it and as experience indicates the need for clarification of its provisions. The Board itself in the execution of its duties will improve with experience. We gained several impressions from our work during the past year. -
Firstly, Part 1, Section 4 of the Plan assigns to the Town Accountant the responsibility for keeping such records as the Per- sonel Board shall deem necesary. We realize that much of this information must come to him from the Department Heads. During the year 1956 instructions given by the Personnel Board to the Town Accountant did not in some instances give the results which the Board had a right to expect. Department Heads as well as the Town Accountant must understand that under the Plan the Per- sonnel Board has full authority to prescribe the information which the Town Accountant must obtain and record.
The second impression, unless Department Heads use great care in authorizing overtime work at overtime rates, the Town will lose control of its money spent for this type of work and will thereby be denied a fair return for money so spent.
To assist the Town in this matter, the Personnel Board will submit a recommendation in substantially the following form as part of an Article in the Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting:
"To see if the Town will approve the recommendations of the Personnel Board to amend the Salary & Classification Plan as follows:
Section 16 b The rates paid for overtime work shall be one and one-half times the normal rate. Work performed on a paid holiday (as stated in Section 15) occurring during the regular work week Monday through Friday, inclusive, shall be paid on the basis of time and one-half.
Section 16 h Overtime - Definition. To qualify for pay- ment at overtime rates, overtime work must be performed in accordance with all of the following conditions:
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REPORT OF PERSONNEL BOARD
1. The work must be required to be performed in addition to the regular work week.
2. The work must be of an emergency nature.
3. The necessity for the work cannot be foreseen or antici- pated.
4. The work cannot be performed during the regular work- ing period of the Department.
Work which is repetitive, which can be scheduled in ad- vance of its performance and which can be performed during the regular working period of the Department must be scheduled so that it is performed during such regular working period of the Department."
The Board was greatly disturbed in noting the practices regard- ing overtime in one or more of the Town Departments.
Another impression, - we sincerely believe that the present Board must take upon itself the adoption of a policy of more active inspection and control over salary rates actually being paid as shown on Departmental payrolls. Our experience over the next few months will show just how far in this direction the Board must go.
In our report to be submitted at Town Meeting we intend to point out to the Town in order that they may more fully under- stand just what is taking place on the broad payroll picture here in Scituate, the whole effect of action taken by them at the March 7, 1956 Town Meeting. A member of the previous Salary Com- mittee spoke briefly at that meeting on the possible serious effects of the ill-advised action taken at the time. Just how far reaching these effects can be should now be shown.
With regard to the Police, Fire, Water and Highway Depart- ments, it is the opinion of the Personnel Board that the action taken at the March 1956 Annual Town Meeting increased each annual step rate in the pertinent sections of the Salary & Classifica- tion Plan applicable to these Departments by $300 (15c per hour in the case of the Highway Department) , so that each employee in these Departments was to receive pay under the Amended Pay Schedule of the newly approved Salary & Classification Plan in accordance with his length of service.
However, acting under an opinion from the Town Counsel and the Advisory Committee, confirmed by the Division of Cor- porations & Accounts at the State House, the increase of $300 was applied to the 1955 rate, regardless of the length of service of the
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REPORT OF PERSONNEL BOARD
individual employee. Under this decision, the over-all effect was to virtually eliminate the application of step rates to a great many of the employees in these Departments. Maximums were reached in 1956 instead of 1957, 1958, or even 1959.
The financial effect on the Town is shown below.
(a) Pay increases resulting from adoption of wage scales recommended in Original Salary Plan
$10,000.
(b) Cost of $300 increases in step rates voted at Town Meeting $16,000.
(c) Additional cost in 1956 due to application of $300 raise to 1955 rates as outlined above $ 7,500.
Total cost of pay raises to Town Employees in 1956, not including overtime $33,500.
The Board recommends that so far as employees of the Police, Fire, Water and Highway Departments are concerned, it would not be desirable to reduce pay rates below those paid in 1956 even though in many cases such rates are in excess of the rate called for by the Plan. To do so would work an unnecessary hardship on the employee whose pay was reduced.
However, this situation is a perfect example of what can happen when action is taken by voters without full consideration being given to the recommendations of a Committee which has spent much time and effort in the study of the problem being acted upon.
Although this is the report called for by Section 12 (e) of the Salary and Classification Plan, the present Board intends to prepare a printed report at a later date for the information of the voters. This report will contain Amendments made by the Town at the Town Meeting.
The Salary and Classification Plan itself will be successful in proportion to the degree of trust and confidence shared by all who fall within its scope. In its dealing with employees and Department Heads the Board has tried to create such an atmosphere to the end that personnel administration in our jurisdiction has been and will be fair to the employee, fair to the Town, and fair to the tax payer.
Respectfully submitted:
Personnel Board, EDWARD G. CULLINANE ANGELO FONIRI, Secretary ELLIOT C. LAIDLAW DAVID M. MISNER PHILLIPS N. WEEKS, Chairman
181
REPORT OF THE HARBOR DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
REPORT OF THE HARBOR DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
To the Board of Selectmen and Citizens of Scituate:
The Harbor Development Committee, originally appointed by the Board of Selectmen in October 1955, was subsequently appoint- ed as a permanent committee under Article 52 by vote of the Annual Town Meeting held in March 1956. Terms of reference are to recommend and plan for the future development of the Scituate Harbor area.
During the past 15 months, the Committee held twenty meet- ings. Due to the complexity of the subject, most of these meetings were held in executive session. In addition to the main objectives of the Committee, a number of urgent collateral matters were studied by request, and recommendations thereon were submitted to the Board of Selectmen. Assistance was rendered to the Massa- chusetts Department of Public Works, Waterways Division, by preparing detailed technical specifications covering the proposed underwater repairs to the existing Town Pier. This repair work is to be undertaken by the Division, for which the Town has voted the sum of $2,000 towards the total cost estimated at $4,000. The resignation from the Committee by Mr. Fred S. Gilley on account of pressure of personal work was accepted with regret and the vacancy was filled by the Board of Selectmen with the appointment of Mr. Malcolm T. Hall.
The terms of reference contained in the above-mentioned Article 52 were interpreted by the Committee to cover the following primary factors:
The study and preparation of a Master Plan for adoption by the Town to control and promote the future growth and development of Scituate Harbor and adjacent areas, with particular reference to dredging, land reclamation, navigation and mooring areas, waterfront protection, town pier and water- front structures, highways, traffic control and automobile park- ing areas, land and water recreational facilities, fishing and boating industries, business and commerce, sources of potential revenue, aesthetic considerations of the area, and matters gen- erally pertinent to the over-all project.
In order to prepare a Master Plan, it was first necessary to obtain a base plan of the harbor area to show present conditions. Since no such plan was in existence, and since available funds did
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REPORT OF THE HARBOR DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
not permit of a complete new topographic survey being made, it was decided to prepare a base plan from available material. A dredging and sounding plan of the Waterways Division to a scale of l"=83.33' was reduced photographically to a scale of l"= 100' and plotted on tracing cloth measuring 96 inches by 42 inches. On this tracing were plotted land conditions as shown on six sheets of the old town plans (scale l" = 100'), with addi- tional topography picked up in the field, notably in the vicinity of the Edward Foster Road causeway. All this work was time- consuming and involved more than 90 hours of professional drafting alone. By October 1956 the base plan was sufficiently complete for use in superimposing on a master print the features considered desirable or necessary for the long range development of the harbor area.
Layout, drafting and color work on the master print were completed by the end of December. On January 9, 1957, the plan was submitted to a special meeting of the Board of Selectmen, with members of the Planning Board, the Advisory Committee, and the Zoning Board of Appeals in attendance. General approval of the plan was voted unanimously by those present and the Committee was authorized to complete the tracing and publish prints for con- sideration by the citizens of the Town and by the various civic organizations.
It is expected that publication of the Master Plan will be made in the near future and copies will be posted at the Town Hall and other public places. It is emphasized that the proposed Master Plan as now submitted constitutes a coordinated scheme for the orderly development of the harbor area. It is sufficiently flexible to permit modification of detail without sacrificing the objectives of the over-all plan. It is recommended that the Plan be adopted in principle and that proper organization and funds be programmed for the early implementation of its initial phases.
Respectfully submitted,
SCITUATE HARBOR DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE JOHN D. M. LUTTMAN-JOHNSON, C.E., Chairman JOHN E. BAMBER. C.E., Vice Chairman JOSEPH V. FEELEY, Secretary LOUIS BOURNAZOS MALCOLM T. HALL
THOMAS L. DWYER LEO L .. LEVENDOSKI
RUSSELL H. DYER RALPH J. MCCARTHY
RUSSELL L. FISH MARK W. MURRILL
Consultant - FREDERICK G. MCCARTHY,
Harbor Master.
183
REPORT OF THE TOWN MEETING BY-LAW COMMITTEE
REPORT OF THE TOWN MEETING BY-LAW COMMITTEE
The Town Meeting By-Law Committee, appointed by the Moderator pursuant to a resolution introduced by Frederick W. Harrington, Jr. and passed by the 1956 Town Meeting, first met May 8, 1956, and elected Nathaniel Tilden, Chairman and Mrs. Lawrence Cahoon, Secretary. The Committee examined other town by-laws, the model by-laws of the Massachusetts Taxpayers' Association and suggestions volunteered by interested citizens. The Committee decided that there was no real need to draft detailed rules of parliamentary procedure because under the present by-laws, rules of order have already been established, principally according to Cushing's Manual. If these rules were fully publicized they would be adequate for the purpose of regulating points of order. The committee feels, however, that there are basic problems of Town Meeting which are not covered by existing rules.
After considering many factors affecting these problems the Commitee has inserted in the 1957 Town Warrant four proposed by-laws, as appended hereto. In substance these proposals deal with (1) procedure for requesting a secret ballot, (2) arrangement of articles in the Warrant into logical groupings, (3) action upon articles in the order of their arrangement, and (4) limitations on reconsideration.
The reasons underlying the recommendation of these proposals are as follows:
1. The Committee members reported a strong sentiment among the voters that a secret ballot should be taken on controverted mat- ters not only when desired by the majority but also whenever requested by a serious minority. The number of voters that should be permitted to force a secret ballot presented the principal prob- lem, and was discussed at length by the Committee. Any percentage of voters present at the meeting was discarded as impractical because a count of those present would always be required. While a fixed number is subject to the weakness that the proportion to the total meeting would vary greatly from session to session of the Meeting, the number 30, or 15% of the quorum, was agreed upon as the most satisfactory for two reasons. First, thirty members will not be too difficult to obtain even when the number of voters present dwindles to several hundred. Second, the requirement that the
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REPORT OF THE TOWN MEETING BY-LAW COMMITTEE
thirty voters requesting a secret ballot stand up in the Meeting and be counted will eliminate frivolous or purely self-centered requests and dilatory tactics even when the Meeting is well attended.
Since the desirability of a secret ballot is in part dependent upon the efficiency with which one may be taken, the Committee has recommended a procedure for secret ballots at the end of this report.
2. The size and complexity of the warrant have increased to the point where it is nearly impossible to compare intelligently the various requested appropriations. The voter has no clear oppor- tunity to see and possibly choose between possible alternative ex- penditures in the same area of government. Arrange of the warrant by categories will serve to make the warrant more intelligible and the voter's decision easier to make. Appended is a model arrange- ment of the 1956 Warrant, which is offered by the Committee as an example.
3. Fixing the order of articles in the warrant, unless the Meet- ing votes to change it by a two-thirds majority, is an obvious corol- lary to the by-law arranging the warrant into categories. It also prevents unfair re-arrangement and provides some certainty in the order of business for the benefit of voters who may not be able to attend all sessions of the meeting. This is a common by-law in other towns.
4. At present, all the articles voted at a Monday night session, for example, might be reconsidered at a Friday night session of the same mecting. This violates the generally accepted principle favor- ing finality of legislative action and also may be grossly unfair to those interested in specific measures. Under the proposed rule, reconsideration may be moved only at the same session of the meeting, when those most vitally interested in the measure will presumably still be in attendance.
Your Committee specifically recommends as follows:
1. That the Town adopt the Town Meeting By-Laws proposed at the 1957 Town Meeting.
2. That Town officials and civic leaders use every possible means to acquaint the voters with the purposes, rules and proce- dures of our Town Meeting and that a concise summary of existing rules of order be presented annually in the Town Report or in the Advisory Committee Report for the guidance of the voters.
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REPORT OF THE TOWN MEETING BY-LAW COMMITTEE
3. That the Moderator cause a ballot box to be furnished at Town Meeting for each section of voters so that on a secret ballot the sections may all vote at once by the voters filing to the ballot box and receiving a standard Yes-No ballot from a teller as they approach the box, balloting to be supervised by the tellers.
Respectfully submitted,
NATHANIEL TILDEN MRS. LAWRENCE C. CAHOON NELS H. SANDBERG WALTER JAY SKINNER ROGER B. WHITMAN
PROPOSED BY-LAWS
1. If when any article is put to the meeting for a vote a member stands to request a secret ballot he shall be promptly recognized by the moderator and if on inquiry by the moderator, such member is joined by at least 29 other members standing, the moderator shall automatically order a secret ballot without debate.
2. The Selectmen shall at least thirty days prior to service or publication of the warrant for an annual Town meeting submit all articles to be inserted therein to the Advisory Committee, who shall determine under the following headings the order in which said articles shall be inserted in the warrant by the Selectmen:
1. Elections and Reports
2. Fiscal (operational general)
3. Public Safety (Police, Fire, Health, Water and Sewerage)
4. Education (Schools, libraries)
5. Public Works (Highways, Parks, Waterfront)
6. Town Planning (Zoning, Building Codes, etc.)
7. General (By-laws and articles not applicable to specific categories)
3. All articles in the warrant shall be acted upon in the order of their arrangement, except by a 23 vote.
4. No article which has once been voted upon may be recon- sidered or rescinded except by a two-thirds vote at the same session of the Town Meeting-or take any action thereon.
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REPORT OF THE TOWN MEETING BY-LAW COMMITTEE
Comment: The following rearrangement of the 1956 Warrant attempts to follow the foregoing categories in order. Note that the number to the left indicates the actual number on the Warrant. Where such numbers follow in sequence it shows that an attempt had been made to relate like items. However, where numbers bear no relationship one to another but where subject matter does, it indicates the possible need for closer correlation.
ELECTIONS AND REPORTS
Article
1. To choose all necessary Town officers other than those elected by ballot.
2. To hear report of selectmen, other Town officers, standing committees or any other committees (question-whether last two are more appropriate under later groupings if dealing with a related subject) .
FISCAL (Operational)
5. Will Town vote to establish salaries or compensation of all elected Town Officers.
6. To see if Town will raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds enough to defray estimated expenses for 1956 for departments as listed.
S. Will the Town authorize Selectmen and Treasurer to bor- row in anticipation of revenues.
9. Will Town transfer income of Water Dept. to Treasurer and use Assessors estimates in fixing tax rate.
10. Will Town raise $20,000 to the Reserve Fund or transfer all or part from available funds.
28. Will the Town transfer unused balances of former years to the E. & D. fund ($2,524.04) .
18. To see what sums Town will transfer from E. & D. fund to be used by Assessors in reducing taxes for current year.
17. To see if Town will raise $22,983 to cover expenses and disbursements of Retirement Systems and Pensions for 1956.
61. Will Town accept provisions of Chap. 670 (1955) of Gen- eral Court of Massachusetts regarding pensions, retirement allowances or annuities payable by the Town.
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REPORT OF THE TOWN MEETING BY-LAW COMMITTEE
3. To see if Town will vote to amend By-Laws by adding a Classification and Salary Plan.
4. To see if Town will amend By-Laws re: Classification and Salary Plan by adding certain schedules.
33. Will Park Commissioners appoint a Superintendent and establish a salary of $4,000 per year.
34. Will Town raise $9,600 to increase police pay by $500 each.
35. Will Town raise $13,750 to increase Fire Dept. pay by $500 each.
36. Will Town raise $3.340 to increase Water Dept. pay $500 each.
37. Will Town increase hourly pay rate for Highway Dept. employees per schedule, plus $500 increase for surveyor.
23. Will Town raise S1.250 for two lifeguards at Sandhills.
2-1. Will Town raise $700 for lifeguard at Humarock.
FISCAL (General)
7. Will Town authorize Board of Public Welfare to contract for support of the Poor.
11. Will Town raise S600 to meet foreclosure costs on tax titles.
12. Will Town raise $125 for channel markings, etc.
13. Will Town raise $70 for dues - Maritime Div. of C. of C.
16. Will Town raise $100 for county aid to Agriculture.
19. Will Town raise $700 for care of soldiers' graves.
20. Will Town raise $350 for Veterans of Foreign Wars.
21. Will Town raise $500 for band concerts.
22. Will Town raise $200 to stock ponds with fish, etc.
25. Will Town raise $900 for maintenance of Town Forests.
49. Will Town raise $1,656.52 to compensate Antonio C. Lopes as a moral obligation.
PUBLIC SAFETY (Police, Fire, Water and Sewerage, Health)
29. Will the Town raise $3,000 for two new Police cars.
44. Will the Town take land at Chief Justice Cushing High- way and First Parish Road (2.78 acres) for a Central Police Station.
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REPORT OF THE TOWN MEETING BY-LAW COMMITTEE
16. Will Town raise funds for plans to build and equip a new Police Station.
45. Will the Town raise funds to buy land at Country Way and Capt. Peirce Road (49,901 sq. ft.) for a Fire Station.
47. Will Town raise funds for plans to build and equip a new Fire Station.
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