USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of the officers and committees of the town of Scituate 1958-1960 > Part 22
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Please be careful of fires.
Respectfully submitted,
TOWN FOREST COMMITTEE.
125
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES REPORT
REPORT OF THE SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
To the Board of Selectmen
Scituate, Mass.
Gentlemen:
A summary of the work performed by me for the year 1959 is as follows:
Devices tested and sealed
Scales and balances
82
Weights 176
Meters, Gasoline, Oil and Grease 80
Meters, Vehicle Tank 21
Other Devices
15
Sealing Fees Collected
$232.00
Pedlar's License Fees 30.00
Respectfully submitted,
ALLEN W. BATES,
Sealer of Weights and Measures.
126
NORTH SCITUATE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION REPORT
REPORT OF THE PEIRCE MEMORIAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
Office of Selectmen, Scituate, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
During the year 1959 the Reference Room has been a busy section of the library - more patrons taking advantage of the ref- erence material - the Children, particularly High School and Col- lege Students use it constantly.
Once each month, January thru May, the library has held a Reading Hour for children on Saturday mornings, with a very good attendance.
The Trustees wish to thank the Garden Club and Mrs. Duke Rowat for the beautiful floral displays - always very attractive.
Also Mr. Duke Rowat and the two boys, Darrell Ford and Dana Schultz for putting in many hours to keep the grounds at the library in good condition.
The library hours are from 2 P.M. to 9 P.M. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; and from 10 A.M. to 6:30 P.M. Wednesday and Saturday.
The number of books circulated in 1959 was 23,336, of which 8,990 were Juvenile; 2,934 magazines circulated. 1044 new books purchased and 11 received as gifts, making a total of 1055 new books.
Membership in the Peirce Memorial Library Association is open to all Scituate residents and may be obtained by payment of Annual Dues of One ($1) Dollar at the desk.
We are grateful for the continued interest and support of the Townspeople.
Respectfully submitted,
HOWARD F. PEIRCE, President.
127
ALLEN MEMORIAL LIBRARY REPORT
REPORT OF THE ALLEN MEMORIAL LIBRARY
Board of Selectmen Scituate, Mass.
Gentlemen:
During the fall of 1959, the renovation of the library was com- pleted. By the removal of the stage and the conversion of the kitchen, every inch of available space was put to use. We still need more room, but this can be gained only by an addition to the present building. A building committee has been appointed and may have plans to present before the 1960 town meeting.
As the school libraries are not open afternoons and evenings, students are forced to come to our library. Many evenings every available chair is in use by students consulting the library's ref- erence books. It is obvious that as our population increases, we will need a larger study room.
We also have a greater number of adults using the library. To satisfy their diverse literary tastes, more space for more stacks must be provided.
Our total circulation of books and periodicals for the year 1959 was 78,000, an increase of about 10,000 over 1958. To provide stu- dents with books from their required reading lists, it is often nec- essary to purchase as many as five copies of a single book. A larger appropriation will be required to cover the increase in the cost of books.
The trustees wish to thank the library staff for its gracious co- operation during the hectic days of reorganization. Although a professional cleaning service was engaged, much of the work neces- sarily devolved upon the staff.
During the year, Mrs. Irving K. Hall, a former resident of Scituate, presented the library with three portraits done in oil by the late Miss Josephine Lewis. One is a self-portrait by this most beloved of Scituate artists. We are very grateful to Mrs. Hall for entrusting these beautiful pictures to our care.
128
FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT
We are also indebted to the many friends of the library who have donated books and to all those residents, old and new, who by their show of concern and interest, have pressed for an ever-growing, ever-improving library.
The library is open to everyone. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9 A.M. to 8:30 P.M. and Saturday from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.
Respectfully submitted, ROBERT H. TILDEN, President.
REPORT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
Board of Selectmen Town Hall, Scituate, Mass.
Gentlemen:
The report of the Fire Department for the year 1959 is sub- mitted herewith for your approval.
The department responded to six hundred and fifty-three emergency calls during the year. Relatively few of these calls were of serious proportions. The most dangerous was, of course, the Welch Co. fire, which endangered the entire business district. I take this opportunity to extend the thanks of this department to the surrounding towns, the Scituate Police Department, and to the many citizens who so ably worked with us to control and extinguish that potential conflagration.
The first aid work continues to increase year by year and is, I think, a valuable service to the townspeople.
As always, we have enjoyed cordial relations with all other departments of the town, and extend our thanks to them and to all of the citizens of the town for their most helpful co-operation.
Respectfully submitted, BARTHOLOMEW A. CURRAN, Chief.
129
FOREST FIRE WARDEN'S REPORT
REPORT OF THE FOREST FIRE WARDEN
Board of Selectmen
Town Hall, Scituate, Mass.
Gentlemen:
The report of the Forest Fire Department for the year 1959 follows:
The incidence of grass and brush fires was comparatively small, and few had attained dangerous proportions before being con- trolled.
As I have mentioned in past reports, the controlled burning of grass lands and meadows, together with the continued co-operation of the townspeople, contributes greatly to this agreeable condition.
At this writing, the new forest fire truck is nearing completion and will be delivered to the town in the very near future.
The various other departments and the citizens of the town have, as always, given this department their full co-operation; for which we are truly thankful.
Respectfully submitted,
BARTHOLOMEW A. CURRAN,
Forest Warden.
130
BUILDING COMMISSIONER'S REPORT
REPORT OF THE BUILDING COMMISSIONER
Honorable Board of Selectmen Scituate, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
Two hundred sixty (260) Building Permits were issued during the year 1959, of these one hundred twenty-seven (127) were for new homes.
The estimated value of all Permits was three million three hundred fifteen thousand eight hundred ninety dollars ($3,315,890.00) .
All buildings have been inspected as required by the Town By-Laws, and laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
All Zoning Board of Appeals meetings were attended.
Numerous alleged violations of the Zoning By-Laws were in- vestigated, most of which were satisfactorily disposed of.
At this time I wish to thank the various Departments for their co-operation and assistance that has been given me in the perform- ance of these duties.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWARD M. SEXTON,
Building Inspector.
131
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BUILDING BOARD OF APPEALS REPORT
REPORT OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
Board of Selectmen
Town of Scituate, Mass.
Gentlemen:
During 1959 the Zoning Board of Appeals received 40 appli- cations for zoning variances or special exceptions under the Zoning By-Laws. Fees totaling $764.00 were received with these applications.
Nine public hearings were held and the following decisions rendered:
28 variances or special exceptions were granted (some with restrictions)
9 variances or special exceptions were denied
2 applications were withdrawn before public hearing
1 application was withdrawn before decision was rendered
Copies of all decisions are on file in the office of the Town Clerk.
In addition to these 40 applications, the Board held prelim- inary hearings after the regular hearings, interpreting the Zoning By-Laws to persons interested in obtaining information.
In all cases before a decision was rendered the Board viewed the premises.
There have been two legal appeals from decisions of the Board during 1959. In one appeal the court confirmed the finding of the Board. The second appeal is still pending.
The Board was represented at the Regional Conference of the Massachusetts Federation of Planning Boards held at Boston.
The fees received were sufficient to pay all costs of the Board such as advertising, mailing, reproduction, conferences and secre- tarial - the total income being $764.00 and expenses $593.63.
Respectfully submitted,
ROBERT C. HAUFLER, Chairman
ROBERT M. ALEXANDER DWIGHT L. AGNEW, SR. WILLIAM J. LEAHY, Alternate
132
TOWN COUNSEL'S REPORT
REPORT OF THE TOWN COUNSEL
To the Board of Selectmen:
The work of the Town Counsel has increased in volume in proportion to the increasing business and responsibilities of the Town boards and officers. I have regularly attended Selectmen's meetings, and other meetings as the occasion warranted. I have been in regular consultation with the building inspector with ref- erence to the many zoning questions he has been called upon to decide. Welfare cases have also presented difficult legal problems. Legal questions which have attracted more public attention con- cerned the powers and rights of the Housing Authority, and the zoning case involving the Housing Authority, the Maxwell marina case, and the Gilley Boatyard zoning case. Other court cases have involved alleged street defects and land damages. A schedule of litigated cases is appended hereto.
I have undertaken a departure from past practice by instituting a legal file at the Town Hall. This file contains all disposed of legal matters and opinions for 1957 and 1958 and will be developed as a permanent repository for the legal history of the Town. In the past, in accordance with the wide-spread practice, town counsels have considered their files their own property. In my opinion, however, preserving some continuity of legal opinions as well as preserving the Town's legal history is a matter of public importance outweigh- ing other considerations.
Several events which have occurred in the past year have prompted me to suggest various amendments to the statutes of the Commonwealth and to the Town by-laws. In the marina case, the Department of Public Works had declined jurisdiction over floating marinas and the Supreme Court denied the right of the Harbor Master to assert any control over them. This left a gap in our law, whereby a floating marina may apparently be placed in public waters without the permission of any public authority. I have there- fore drawn a bill for the Selectmen amending the statute to place these marinas under the control of the Department, which has been filed by Representative Perry, and has had one hearing before the Committee on Harbors and Public Lands.
133
TOWN COUNSEL'S REPORT
Another suggested amendment would change the date for the taxation of pleasure boats from January 1 to the summer season, so that boats would be taxed in the town which provides the services for yachtsmen rather than in the Town where the boats are merely stored for the winter. In this way it is hoped that the Town will realize some revenue from its harbor. This statute was drawn at the request of the Harbor Advisory Committee, with the approval of the Selectmen and Assessors.
One of the zoning problems has been created by the existence of grossly sub-standard building lots which were created before lot size requirements were put in our by-laws. These lots create badly over-crowded and unsanitary conditions. Taking advantage of a recent statute, I have drawn for the planning board a new by-law limiting the use of sub-standard building lots.
The Gilley case dramatized the confusing and inadequate en- forcement provisions of present Section 11 of the Zoning By-Law. This section insofar as it purports to give enforcement rights to private individuals does not conform to the applicable enabling statute. After much consideration, it seemed that some means of private enforcement should be adopted and I have suggested a method to the Planning Board.
Town government in this Commonwealth, while complex and diffuse, remains a remarkable exercise in civil administration, and an unparalleled laboratory for the study of first principles of gov- ernment, which study I recommend to the voters as one of the most fascinating privileges of citizenship.
Respectfully submitted, WATER JAY SKINNER
APPENDIX
Litigated cases:
Town of Scituate v. Maxwell
Maxwell v. Shields et al Supreme Judicial Court
Appeal of the Town from adverse ruling denied.
Floats held not "vessels" with meaning of C. 102
Gallagher News Agency v. Town Second District Court Judgment for the Town. (Highway defect)
134
WIRE INSPECTOR'S REPORT
Walsh et al v. Haufler et al Superior Court Zoning exception upheld (Housing Authority)
Kindland et al v. Haufler et al Superior Court Gilley Boatyard alleged zoning violation. Reported without decision to the Supreme Judicial Court by the judge of the Superior Court.
Killgore v. Inhabs. of Scituate Superior Court Land damages - Beaver Dam Road. Settled.
Olaf Johnson et al v. Town of Scituate et al Superior Court Petition by sub-contractor to enforce security of payment bond. (Town is merely formal party: liability is that of bonding company.) Pending.
Claims are pending for street defects upon which suit has not yet been brought.
REPORT OF THE WIRE INSPECTOR
Board of Selectmen Scituate, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
Permits issued during 1959 were as follows:
Electrical wiring - 588; approval certificates to the Brockton Edison Company - 310; to the Plymouth County Electric Company -21.
Fees collected and credited to the Town amounted to $1,001.00.
New Electrical Code Requirements will be in effect during 1960. The exact date depends on time of legal acceptance of the Code by the State of Massachusetts.
My thanks to the Electrical Contractors and Builders who have all co-operated to maintain safe and adequate wiring.
135
WIRE INSPECTOR'S REPORT
Electrical Permits as issued during 1959 are classified as follows:
New Houses (Domestic)
127
New Buildings (Commercial)
3
Additional wiring
135
Services remodeled
85
Service change from 2 to 3 wire
31
Houses rewired
14
Electric Ranges
118
Electric water heaters
43
Oil Burners
143
Refrigerators
119
Electric Dryers
107
Clothes Washers
80
Dish Washers
33
Disposals
0
Motors Total HP
117
Temporary Services
49
Relocate appliances
1
Air conditioning
7
Gas Burner Controls
23
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN H. REMICK,
Wire Inspector.
136
TOWN TREASURER'S REPORT
REPORT OF THE TOWN TREASURER
Cash on hand January 1, 1959
$ 504,692.06
Total receipts for 1959
6,477,207.16
$6,981,899.22
Expenditures
Expenditures as per warrants of Selectmen
$5,493,765.27
Balance on hand December 31, 1959
1,488,133.95
$6,981,899.22
Respectfully submitted,
PAUL A. REYNOLDS,
Treasurer.
137
PLANNING BOARD REPORT
REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD
During the past year the Planning Board has formally ap- proved subdivisions creating fifty new house lots, and has noted the creation of a number of additional new lots not requiring approval.
Two of the new subdivisions will include sidewalks furnished by the developer under the new regulations made effective in January, 1959, by the Board. At the same time the Board is con- tinuing the Master Plan program relative to sidewalks on existing heavily travelled roads. The Country Way sidewalk was constructed this year from Branch Street to First Parish Road. The next projects in order are a section of Branch Street serving the Central School and a section of Tilden Road serving the Wampatuck School.
This year, also, an application for a substantial subdivision was denied by the Board on the grounds of inadequate access roads and consequent inability of the Fire Department to serve the area.
The 1959 Town Meeting authorized an engineering study of Stage I of the Master Plan for the Harbor business district consisting principally of a new street paralled to and westerly from Front Street. This study was completed and showed an estimated cost of $325,000 for the project. The Board in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce is continuing to work on the economic justification.
Continuing the practice of recent years, the Board has met frequently with the Selectmen and with the various Board and Departments.
With the Water Commissioners the capital budget program was amended to include a new storage tank and appurtenances in 1962 amounting to about $150,000.
With the Park Commissioners and other affected departments, areas of responsibility for the Park Department were defined in order to resolve a long standing problem.
With the Selectmen a priority plan for street improvement was developed, based on the Master Plan.
138
PLANNING BOARD REPORT
Considerable time was devoted with the Selectmen, Advisory Committee, and Personnel Board to the more effective use of the clerical employees of the Town with a view to working out some- thing to the advantage both of the employees and of the depart- ments. It was agreed that the Selectmen would assume the sched- uling of the use of the tax-billing machine, and it was agreed to explore the possibilities in a clerical pool as well as an outside survey of the methods of the Town Hall departments.
The Planning Board wishes to express its appreciation to the other Town officials and Committees all of whom have been most cooperative throughout the year.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN D. McPHERSON MARK W. MURRILL ARTHUR F. O'DAY EDWARD S. RAND, Chairman THOMAS F. WHITE
139
CIVIL DEFENSE AGENCY REPORT
REPORT OF THE CIVIL DEFENSE AGENCY
Board of Selectmen
Scituate, Mass.
Gentlemen:
Since assuming the position of Director of Civil Defense for the Town of Scituate in May 1959, the following duties have been performed:
1. A complete study of Civil Defense Administration files of the Town.
2. An inventory made of all equipment and material.
3. Participation in May OPAL-1959 (National Operation Alert)
4. Meeting with Civil Defense personnel of other towns.
5. Participation in meetings in our Sector.
6. Attendance at various courses and demonstrations as pro- vided by State Headquarters.
7. Reactivating communications personnel and operating com- munications not between Sector 2 B and Scituate.
8. Submitting 1960 Budget to Board of Selectmen and Ad- visory Board.
In summation, the CD Agency has done all that was possible with the funds allotted.
Our communications network is one of the best in the State and full staffed with personnel and equipment.
Our volunteer personnel comprised mostly of men attached to the Police, Fire and Highway Departments stands ready to help out in all emergencies as evidenced by their great work during the flooding in December.
With the establishment of the Civil Defense Headquarters in the new Municipal Building, we hope to attract more volunteer personnel and train them for the protection and property of our citizens in the event of a major disaster.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN L. SCHULTZ,
Director.
140
REPORT OF THE PERSONNEL BOARD
REPORT OF THE PERSONNEL BOARD
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen Scituate, Massachusetts
In accordance with its policy of reviewing periodically all classifications and salaries under its jurisdiction, the Personnel Board studied the wage and salary position of town employees and discussed these matters with department heads and representatives of affected town employees. This study revealed that the cost of living in this area had increased slightly more than 2% since the previous wage and salary increase, and that pay scales were some- what lower than those of other towns of comparable population, geography and economy. Therefore, this Board sponsored and sup- ported an Article in the Warrant for the Town Meeting of March 4, 1959, calling for a wage and salary increase of 21/2%, with a minimum increase of $100 per year, or $2.00 per week for all em- ployees in Schedules I, II and III of the Salary Plan. The Article was passed by a 2 to 1 vote by the Town Meeting.
New positions of Bookkeeping Machine Operator and Town Hall Custodian were established and on the basis of job descrip- tions and other evaluation data, the Personnel Board established new classifications and pay rates for these positions.
Interpretations were made, from time to time, of the Classifi- cation and Salary Plan with respect to holiday pay, overtime pay, work schedules, and other matters, at the request of department heads, employees and other interested parties. Cooperative meet- ings and studis involving personnel matters were held with the- Board of Selectmen, the Planning Board, and the Advisory Com- mittee, or their respective representatives.
As of November 1, 1959, the resignation of Mrs. Barbara L. Beck as a member of the Personnel Board was submitted and Mr. Richard Claybourne was appointed by the Moderator to fill the vacancy.
The regular review of all classifications and salaries was con- tinued throughout 1959. Hearings and meetings were held during
141
REPORT OF THE PERSONNEL BOARD
the latter part of the year with a view to possible action to be recommended at the 1960 Town Meeting.
The Personnel Board held 24 meetings during 1959.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN N. PHILIPS, Chairman W. STURGIS EVANS, Secretary ARTHUR W. ANDERSON RICHARD CLAYBOURNE ELLIOT C. LAIDLAW
REPORT OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY
Honorable Board of Selectmen Scituate, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
At the 1958 Town Meeting in Scituate, it was voted to establish a Housing Authority under Article 51, Section 26 K, Chapter 121 of the General Laws. In accordance with that vote, the Selectmen appointed Louis MacDonald, Merrill Merritt, John Schultz and Thomas White as members of the Authority and the State Housing Board appointed Henry Silk. The Authority was legally incor- porated on June 24, 1958.
The Authority with Mr. Silk as chairman followed the standard procedures set up by the State Board and after much consideration, selected as their first choice a site on Beaver Dam Road near Scituate Harbor. Options for the purchase of the land involved were secured from the owners. Since the site was in a residential zone, application was made to, and an exception was granted by the Scituate Zoning Board of Appeals authorizing construction on that site. The State Housing Board authorized the construction of forty dwelling units at that location.
142
REPORT OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY
A group of residents in the Beaver Dam area, objecting to the location of Housing for the Elderly at that site, appealed from the decision of the Scituate Zoning Board of Appeals to the Superior Court for the County of Plymouth. A trial was had before Judge Paquet in June of 1959 whose decision upheld the action of the Scituate Zoning Board of Appeals and approved the choice of that location by the Housing Authority as a site for the Housing for the . Elderly. Those residence opposed to the location expressed their intention to appeal the decision of Judge Paquet to the Mas- sachusetts Supreme Court.
To avoid further controversy and expense and in view of the pressing need for this housing, we applied for, and secured from the State Housing Board, approval of an alternate site, originally considered located on Country Way in the Business Zone of North Scituate. Options for the purchase of this land have been secured from the owners and preliminary plans have been submitted to the State Housing Board and have been approved.
As required by law, all of the members of the Authority with the exception of the member appointed by the State Housing Board, were elected at the 1959 Town Meeting. The Scituate Hous- ing Authority now has as its members Merrill Merritt Chairman, Thomas White Vice-Chairman, Henry Silk Secretary, Louis Mac- Donald Treasurer, and Robert Francis Assistant Treasurer. We have engaged Paul J. Sullivan, Esq. of Scituate as our Attorney, Mr. Harold Cooney of Scituate as our certified public accountant and Mr. Arthur Manaselian of Boston as the Architect.
At the close of this year, the Authority feels that progress is as rapid as the numerous technical and non-technical circumstances will permit. We go forward with confidence in the function of our labors and the knowledge that the completed project will meet with the approval of all concerned.
Respectfully submitted,
MERRILL A. MERRITT, Chairman
143
REPORT OF THE HARBOR MASTER
REPORT OF THE HARBOR MASTER
Board of Selectmen Scituate, Mass.
I hereby submit my report of activities for the year 1959.
The Harbor Masters duties were reorganized by the Board of Selectmen in 1959. Due to the rapid increase in boating the Board felt that the Harbor Master should establish an office on the Town Pier where he would be available to the boating public for informa- tion and advice.
In addition to setting up and renovating the office where I was on duty in uniform, as required, it was necessary for me to accom- plish the following activities :-
1. Patrolled the harbor, for ninety-eight hours, during the height of the season in my power boat. This resulted in issuance of thirty warnings to speeders; nineteen arrests for operating outboard craft to endanger; and one arrest for water skiing.
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