USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Orange > Town annual report of the officers of Orange, Massachusetts 1932 > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10
Respectfully submitted,
BOARD OF SELECTMEN EBEN E. GRIDLEY FRANK A. HOWE R. ARTHUR LUNDGREN EARL P. STONE HOWARD P. WARREN, Chairman.
September 26, 1932
Mr. Thomas F. Haley, Chairman Retrenchment Committee Orange, Massachusetts
Dear Mr. Haley:
We have given careful consideration to the figures submitted by your Committee, and want to assure you of our appreciation of the necessity for retrenchment in town expenses.
Your recommendations are along two lines: first, further salary reduc- tions of all town employees of 30 per cent, effective as of October 1, 1932; and second, the transfer of certain unexpended balances as of October 1 to the Welfare Department.
Your suggestion to reduce all salaries 30 per cent effective October 1 and showing a saving of $2187.78 from October 1 to January 1, has had the greatest part of our time and consideration. We cannot favor this particu- lar recommendation because after a discussion of this recommendation with Mr. Waddell's office we are of the opinion that a general mandatory salary cut at this time cannot be legally enforced.
The second part of your recommendation has to do with the transfer of unexpended balances The figures you quoted were balances as of August 1, 1932. The balances given below are as of September 1, which in several instances you will notice have been diminished during the month. Those for October will in some cases be still less.
UNEXPENDED BALANCES AS OF SEPTEMBER 1,1932
Selectmen s Expense
$ 99 35
Planning Board 100 00
Moth Suppression 18 90
Tree Warden . 33 32
Drinking Fountain
23 65
51
Soldiers' Burials
$100 00
Memorial Day
60 66
Reports.
2 00
Well Appropriation
869 86
There is a possibility that some of the balances will have to be drawn against before December 31. Transfers, however, might be made as follows:
Planning Board.
$100 00
Drinking Fountain
23 65
Memorial Day.
60 66
Reports.
2 00
Well Appropriation
869 86
Total
$1056 17
If in your opinion it is justified we would be perfectly willing to call a special town meeting at which proper votes can be passed allowing the trans- fer of these balances.
If, and when, more money is required for the Welfare Department, as is quite likely to be the case before the end of the year, it would be our inten- tion of course to transfer these balances to the Welfare Department, together with any others that may be safely transferred, in order that the net further amount required for welfare purposes be as low as possible.
As regards the suggestion you made verbally at the time of our meeting with your Committee that the welfare allowance where possible be made 8c per thousand calories instead of 9c, this is something which our Board has had under consideration and we believe this can be put into practice by October 1.
We trust the above will express to you our views relative to the figures you submitted and the recommendations you made. We have considered this at all times with only the welfare of the town in view and the decisions we have reached we believe are for the best interests of Orange.
Respectfully submitted,
SELECTMEN OF ORANGE.
HPW:GVW. (signed) EBEN E. GRIDLEY FRANK A. HOWE R. ARTHUR LUNDGREN EARL P. STONE HOWARD P. WARREN, Chairman.
52
REPORT OF RETRENCHMENT COMMITTEE
To The Honorable Board of Selectmen, Orange, Massachusetts
Herewith is respectfully submitted the report of the committee chosen at the special town meeting, August 23, 1932, to find ways and means where- by the costs of operating the local town government may be curtailed to meet the exigencies of present conditions, brought about by the loss of industry and the prevailing business depression. The duty of this com- mittee, as understood, has been to point out wherein costs could be reduced without vitally affecting the operation of the government or reducing salaries to an extent greater than those shared by the majority of people engaged in private industry. The only purpose of the committee's investigation, with subsequent suggestions, has been to bring about economies sufficient to cause a reduction in the tax rate for 1933 and succeeding years.
Every responsible citizen admits, so far as Orange is concerned, that "something must be done." Preaching economy falls upon receptive ears; practicing it, unfortunately, reacts adversely. At a joint meeting with your board held Septemer 12, this committee called attention to the marked increase in salaries made in various departments in the period which has elapsed since 1922 when Orange was greater in population and conditions were more prosperous. These follow:
SALARIES
1922
1932
Accounting and Clerk.
$1100 00
$1440 00
Library .
1962 60
4181 83
Town Hall Janitor.
1000 00
1300 00
Memorial Hall Janitor
480 00
540 00
Assessors' Expenses
343 00
998 27
Police.
2278 00
4757 27
Fire Department.
3207 25
6362 20
Water Department.
2805 73
3739 90
Visiting Nurse.
700 00
1600 00
School Appropriations
$62000 00
$80000 00
We would call attention also to other conditions which are cause for concern, at least sufficient reason for the practice of the strictest economy in the future conduct of our government: There is in outstanding taxes the sum of nearly $40,000.00 a good proportion of which may have to be abated. The welfare demands for the current year will total approximately $63,000,
53
a sum almost as large as the cost of operating our school system. From the board of assessors we are informed that losses in valuation for the year total $130,771.00, divided as follows:
Live Stock . $ 4003 00
Stock in Trade 48760 00
Machinery .
45420 00
Land and Buildings
31508 00
In your possession are typewritten sheets prepared by this committee and presented to your honorable board on September 12, which contain sug- gestions for a radical reduction of salaries in all departments of our govern- ment. Savings of approximately $10,000 for a 12-months' period would be available were this schedule put into effect. These figures were submitted simply as a basis of discussion and were subject to revision as so stated to your honorable board. Your suggestion to interview heads of the various departments and to put into effect a further reduction of 10 per cent in salaries paid in these departments and an equal reduction in the salaries of those not previously affected by the voluntary cut which became effective at the annual meeting, is approved by this committee, believing it is a step in the right direction even though the saving is comparatively small.
We are in agreement and commend your recent action in putting into effect the standardized welfare order blank system which conforms to the state recommendations and which is employed in a majority of the towns and cities in the Commonwealth.
We recommend the transfer of unexpended balances to the welfare department as follows:
Planning Board.
$100 00
Drinking Fountain
23 65
Memorial Day
60 66
Reports.
2 00
Well Appropriation
869 86
$1056 17
We recommend the elimination of certain street lamps throughout the town where a reduction in light can be made without seriously affecting the safety of that district.
In certain instances we recommend the staggering of town employees in the operation of their duties until such time as business conditions im- prove.
We recommend the curtailment of expenses in the maintenance of certain public buildings.
We are aware of the fact that successful action in a curtailment program is dependent upon the co-operation of your honorable board. We also recognize the fact that legal obstructions which may arise can be overcome
54
by such action as is within your jurisdiction. This committee believes your board will meet the problem courageously and in a manner fair to all concerned, the town, the taxpayers and the employees. It is our hope that partisanship will be cast aside and that town officials and citizens will work together in the present emergency.
Most respectfully,
(signed) THOMAS F. HALEY HARTLEY R. WALKER GEORGE S. DONLEY MELVIN J. WHITNEY ROY W. FRENCH
October 10, 1932.
October 21, 1932
To Retrenchment Committee
Town of Orange
The Board of Selectmen have your report and have given it careful consideration. In the main we are in entire accord with your findings, and we certainly agree with you that the local situation is serious.
The suggestions or recommendations of your Committee which we fully and gladly accept are as follows:
1. Reduction of welfare aid base from 9c to 8c.
2. Form of welfare issue order.
3. Reduction in street lights where possible.
4. The transfer to welfare of all possible unexpired balances.
Your recommendation of further salary reductions for the balance of the year has been given our most careful consideration. We are of the opinion that the best interests of the town will be served by deferring action on this until the budget is made up for next year. At that time further retrenchment in salaries should be considered in conjunction with the dis- continuation or curtailment of certain services now offered by the town. We believe that the substantial savings in town expense, which we agree are necessary, can be and should be made by a careful cutting of various appropriations and not, almost exclusively, by a severe cut in salaries. When the budget is built up, the question of salaries can be settled quite fairly and justly.
We wish to express our appreciation of the work put in by your Com- mittee, your earnestness and sincerity and the kindly spirit in which you have met with us. We have followed as far as we think advisable the various retrenchment suggestions you have made. If we have not carried them out completely it is only because our Board has decided unanimously
55
that our position is really for the best interests of the town at this particular time. We hope you will believe we are just as sincere in the performance of our duty as we believe you have been in yours.
BOARD OF SELECTMEN (signed) H. P. WARREN, Chairman E. E. GRIDLEY E. P. STONE R. ARTHUR LUNDGREN F. A. HOWE
56
Town Manager's Report
Orange, Mass., December 31, 1932
To The Honorable Board of Selectmen
Gentlemen:
In accordance with Section VII, (e) Chapter 38 of the Acts of 1929, I am submitting herewith my fourth annual report under the Town Manager Form of Government for Orange.
HIGHWAYS
The work of the highway department has been carried on as in the three preceding years under the supervision of Hoyt U. Wakefield in the north part of the town, and under the supervision of Willie E. Tourtellott, who supervised the work in the other sections of the town.
The highway work this year, with the exception of the Chapter 90 work, has consisted wholly of maintenance and gravel resurfacing. By using welfare labor we have been able to complete a total of 31,874 linear feet (6 miles) of gravel road, eight inches in depth, with an average width of eighteen feet, 12,200 feet of this work being in the north part of the town detailed as follows :- Creamery Hill Road 5280 feet, Osgood Road 2640 feet, Conant's Hill 500 feet, North Orange-Athol road 1000 feet, Tully-North Orange Hill 1000 feet, Ward Cross Road 800 feet, and the East or Angus Road 1000 feet.
In other sections of the town we have built 19,674 feet, namely, the Ox Bow 700 feet, Pleasant street 365 feet, Gay street 1200 feet, Prentiss street 960 feet, Wendell Depot road from Holtshire road 300 feet, Grove -
street 700 feet, Hamilton Avenue 200 feet, High street 200 feet, and Mayo street 270 feet.
We have laid 1810 feet of cobble gutters; 1040 feet on Walnut Hill road, 500 feet on Carpenter street and 270 feet on Mayo street.
CHAPTER 90 WORK (TAR AND GRAVEL SURFACE)
Two sections of tar and gravel surfacing were completed this year under the regulations set forth in Chapter 90 of the General Laws. Under this Chapter the State pays two-fifths, the town two-fifths, and the county one-fifth of the cost. The two sections were 5000 feet of new tar and gravel
57
surfacing from Tully center running northerly 5000 feet at a cost of $2500 and 7900 feet on Wheeler Avenue from North Orange southerly, costing $3500.
At Tully the dam, over which the main highway is built, developed a serious leak which caused the material supporting the road to wash; this caused the surface to settle to a dangerous degree. It was necessary to close this section of the road until repairs were made.
A cut-off wall of tongued and grooved sheet piling was driven to a depth of 20 feet parallel with the center line of the road, stopping the larger part of the leaks, but further work should be done here to permanently remedy this trouble.
The tar surfaced roads in the several sections of the town were not given the light coat of tar and sand they should have received this year owing to the lack of funds, Money should be raised for this purpose during 1933. If this is not done, we must expect that many bad holes and frost blisters will develop during the cold weather.
Considerable work was done by the highway department in plowing and harrowing for the municipal gardens.
Brush has been trimmed from the sides of many of our roads during the winter months when we were not working on snow.
SNOW AND ICE
Work on snow and ice demanded most of our time from February 5 to March 9. Our most serious storm came on March 28 when fourteen inches of snow fell in ten hours. As the frost had come out of the rural roads it was impossible to plow them with the trucks and tractors, causing some in- convenience to people living on these roads We had a warm rain on March 31 which cleared up the snow but also caused many serious washouts.
SEWER AND DRAIN
All sewer lines in town were flushed twice. A new drain was laid on Pleasant street from the culvert which passes under the road at a point midway between West Myrtle and Carpenter street, and running south- erly to a new catch basin laid at the southwest corner of Spring and Pleasant streets. Twelve and fifteen inch pipe was used on this drain. The diver- sion of a considerable amount of water which has in the past caused many washouts on Carpenter street has been corrected by this work. Five new catch basins have been constructed: One on North Main street near Number 76, two on Pleasant at Congress street, and two on Pleasant at Spring street.
SIDEWALKS
With the exception of 700 feet of asphalt surfacing on the south side of
58
King street between South Main and Hayden streets, no new sidewalk work was done.
WATER DEPARTMENT
No new work was carried on in this department. All activities were confined to the usual maintenance work, pumping and meter reading, under the supervision of Charles E. Lane as superintendent and Dominic Zani as engineer at the pumping station. We were compelled to pump by steam for a few weeks after July 5 to allow the water in Lake Mattawa to remain at full pond level for the summer months.
PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS
No appropriation was made for playgrounds and only $100 was appro- priated for Parks. The only work attempted, with the exception of that done with welfare labor, was the construction and erection of the boards around the skating rink. The tennis courts were kept in order by a volun- teer committee interested in this game.
CEMETERIES
The work in our cemeteries was carried on under the competent super- vision of Leslie Wetmore, he being the only paid employee during the entire year. All other labor was furnished by the welfare department. In addition to the usual work of mowing and caring for the several cemeteries, we have pulled all the stumps and plowed up five and one-half acres at the South Cemetery in the undeveloped section.
POLICE
The police work of the town was carried on from January 1 until the time of his death, under the leadership of our efficient Chief, Henry J. Rogers.
On May 16, after a short illness caused, I believe, by injuries received in carrying out his duties as a police officer a few weeks previous to this date, the town lost a loyal and faithful official and a citizen of the highest type.
Since May 16 the work in this department has been continued under Acting Chief John W. Plunkett. The work has increased three-fold over last year and serious consideration should be given toward the appointment of a third regular patrolman. The three regular men in the police depart-
59
ment are employed under Civil Service regulations adopted at the annual town meeting held March 4, 1929, when it was voted to accept Section 37 of Chapter 19, Revised Laws, to place the police department under Civil Service regulations. The two patrolmen now working under these rules are Kenneth E. Smith, working full time, and Martin S. Wannberg as per- manent part-time man.
FIRE
This very efficient department has been carried on, as usual, under the direction of Chief Charles E. Lane with Henry A. Gale as deputy chief in North Orange and Tully.
The town had the misfortune to lose another good man, on January 21, 1932, when David M. Gale passed away after a very short illness. Up to the time of his death he was the deputy chief in the North Orange and Tully sections.
BOARD OF HEALTH
The manager is the agent and Dr. S. J. TenBroeck is the health officer for this department. During the year there has been nothing unusual to report except the heavy increase in expenditures caused by welfare patients contracting contagious diseases. When anyone who is receiving aid from the town contracts a disease which is classed as dangerous to the public health, he immediately becomes a case to be cared for by the Board of Health. We have aided twelve families which included 14 adults and 24 children under the Board of Health during the past year. Nine cases have been closed and three cases active January 1, 1933.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES REPORTED TO BOARD OF HEALTH
Chicken pox
2
Measles.
1
Scarlet Fever 25
4
Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Lobar Pneumonia
4
Total
36
BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
The town's greatest financial burden this year is, as last year, the wel- fare department. The total expenditure of all branches of town aid have increased from $38,563.28 to $74,623.49 which means, when considering
60
the tax rate, $14.00 out of the $38.00 (this year's rate) is for welfare alone. Under normal conditions about $2.27 is what we pay through our real estate tax for welfare. Taking this into consideration it is easy for a person to realize that our tax rate this year would have been about $26.27 if it had not been for this heavy welfare expense.
We have aided 221 cases during the year which includes 306 adults and 273 children. During the year 55 cases have been closed and during December we had 166 active cases. Eleven new cases were added in the month of December. This is an increase in 1932 of 160 families over that of 1930.
In addition we have aided one family under Military Aid, 13 families under Soldiers' Relief, and 11 under State Aid and 64 under Old Age Assist- ance. Eight Old Age Assistance cases were closed during the year and at present we have 56 active cases Total number of 322 cases aided under all classes.
The Old Age Assistance is apparently becoming an ever-increasing burden on all the property owners in the state unless the legislature either repeals this law or devises some means of raising a special tax to cover the cost.
WELFARE LABOR
We have been able to show some return for the money spent for welfare by requiring every able-bodied man to work out all aid given him, on the highways, cemetery department, repairs around town hall, cleaning and care of parks and various other activities. This should continue and all appropriations cut as low as possible using this method of securing help.
RED CROSS
The town should issue a vote of thanks to the Red Cross. We have received to date, 1096 bags of flour, the first shipment being received about the first of June. Since that time 688 bags have been distributed to the needy. I believe the distribution in the future should continue as it has in the past. This is a saving to the town of approximately $1,000 a year.
In addition to the flour we received over 2,000 yards of cloth, stockings, underwear, etc. In this way very little clothing has had to be purchased with the exception of shoes, overshoes and rubbers.
Many suits of underwear, sheets and pillow cases and other articles of clothing have been made from this cloth by a volunteer committee including Mrs. Melvin Whitney, Mrs. William Verney and Mrs. Stephen French assist- ed by many committees from the several churches in town who worked dili- gently to sew this cloth together and in that way aided the town to a large degree.
We have also received food orders from the First National Stores during the year amounting to $150. We wish to take this opportunity to thank them for their assistance in helping to reduce the welfare expenses.
61
MISCELLANEOUS
Rubbish was collected as usual from April 25, 1932, to October 8, 1932, all material being disposed of at the town dump south of East Main street and east of the gravel bank. One more year should fill this lot from the railroad tracks to the state highway. One man has been employed to care for the dump through the year.
Extensive alterations have been completed on the street floor of the town hall in connection with the police and water department rooms, the only cost of this work being for materials.
In closing I wish to express my appreciation to the Board of Selectmen with whom I have worked for the last three years and eight months for their hearty cooperation and guidance in carrying on the town work.
I also wish to thank the Board of Assessors, the Town Treasurer and Collector and the Town Clerk and Accountant for their cooperation and also my subordinates, who, almost to a man, worked with me toward the one end of accomplishing the greatest amount of good for the town as a whole for every dollar spent.
Respectfully submitted,
ERNEST E. LOTHROP, Town Manager.
.
62
Report of the Water Department 1932
To Mr. E. E. Lothrop, Town Manager
Dear Sir:
This year has been more favorable than last year.
We have been able to run the power pump nine months.
We have added four new services, and lost one on account of fire.
We have renewed thirty-five service pipes, and cleaned fifteen; had eleven leaks, six burst goose-necks, one cracked pipe in the new line, one joint under the lower Mill Street crossing, one on the force main from the pumping station to the reservoir, and three on service pipes between curb and meters.
One broken hydrant at the foot of Putnam street.
One new gate in front of hydrant at Wood's Filling Station.
Two hydrant drips cleaned, one at corner of West Myrtle street and South Main street, and one at Rodney Hunt's office.
Hydrant at West River and Cheney streets required a new valve rod. New drip rod put in, from main to curb.
Thirteen frozen meters.
Two hundred and twenty meters have been taken out, cleaned and tested.
Six meters have been junked and replaced with new ones. Metered water in 1932 42,568,700 gallons.
Metered water in 1931 40,556,500 gallons .
Respectfully submitted.
C. E. LANE, Superintendent.
63
Report of Cemetery Department 1932
To Ernest E. Lothrop, Town Manager
Dear Sir:
The report of this department for the year 1932 is as follows:
Besides the lawn mowing, clipping, hoeing weeds, cutting out the walks and avenues, we regraded fifteen lots, placed twenty-five foundations for monuments and opened ninety-one graves.
The fences at the Tully and Jones cemeteries, the tool houses at the Central and South cemeteries and the pump house were painted.
The avenue which runs east and west by the tool house at Central was rebuilt with twelve inches of stone and six inches of gravel. This avenue is one hundred eighty-eight feet long and fourteen feet wide. A blind stone drain from the lower end of the avenue to the brook was laid. The stones near the brook were broken and laid in the avenue and ditch. We also widened the avenue at the north end which runs east and west and is two hundred forty-seven feet long and twenty-two feet wide.
Three sets of cement steps, four steps each, were put in to replace the old wooden steps which were in an unsafe condition.
The ditch near the end of Grove street was filled in. This was one hundred eighty-six feet long and four feet wide. Sixty-four feet of tile was laid to take care of the water and we also placed one cement catch basin.
Five and one half acres of land at the South cemetery were cleared by pulling the brush, burning and plowing out the roots.
The trees at Tully and Central have been trimmed and we are planning to trim the trees at Jones and South this winter. The wood was used by the welfare department.
Respectfully submitted,
LESLIE T. WETMORE,
Superintendent of Cemeteries.
64 Report of Police Department
To Mr. Ernest E. Lothrop, Town Manager
Dear Sir:
I herewith respectfully submit the annual report of the Police Depart- ment for the year ending December 31, 1932.
Arrests taken to court. 62
Arrests for other police departments
8
Arrests by State police using lockup
18
Accidents reported and investigated .
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.