USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of the officers of the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts for the year ending 1944 > Part 7
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REPORT OF FIRE DUTY
Miles traveled-6,401.3; False Alarms 3; Rescue Boat, 6; E & J Resuscitator, 8; Feet of hose laid-24,350 ft. of 21/2-inch, 10,900 ft. of 11/2-inch, 114,810 ft. of 3/4-inch. Water from booster tanks 123,245 gallons; 253 gallons of Chemical; 2,843 feet of ladder used.
OUT OF TOWN CALLS
Kingston-3 Duxbury-2
Assessed value of buildings
$ 927,500.00
Value of contents
356,510.00
$1,284,010.00
Insurance on buildings
$ 735.250.00
Insurance on contents
123,700.00
$ 858,950.00
Loss on buildings
$ 8,169.00
Loss on contents
15,907.00
$ 24,076.00
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Insurance paid on buildings Insurance paid on contents
$ 11,875.00 3,850.00
$ 15,725.00
HENRY WALTON, Fire Commissioner.
REPORT OF FOREST FIRE WARDEN
Honorable Board of Selectman:
I herewith submit report for the year 1944.
APPARATUS
The Brockway Truck purchased in 1924, the tires on this truck could not be replaced and it was therefor necessary to take steps to replace it. This was approved by your Honorable Board, and a U. S. Army Dodge, 11/2 ton four wheel drive was purchased and converted into a forest fire truck, at a very nominal cost and has already proved to be an excellent truck.
Money was also transferred by the Finance Commit- tee to purchase another truck, which also was approved by your Honorable Board; unfortunately there have been none available since the money was transferred. It is hoped that when the trucks are available that it will be possible to secure not only one more 11/2 ton truck, but two 3/4 ton Weapons Carriers and a Jeep, to be used as a Chief's car for woods fires, thereby saving the regular department's Chief's car, which is not suit- able for woods work.
CONDITION OF WOODS
As previously reported the condition of the woods as to fire hazard is extremely bad and dangerous, caused by the hurricane and recent wind storms.
Should a fire get a good start it is going to be very difficult to combat with the light machines that we now have, which is one reason for requested additional apparatus with four wheel drives.
It is to be hoped that the plan for cutting all fallen
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trees from woods roads, will be carried to completion before March 1, 1945.
I might add that the Massachusetts Department of Conservation consider conditions so hazardous that if if there is no snow on the ground February 1, the Fire Towers are to be manned, this being the earliest that the towers have been operated since their use.
FIRES
We had 36 forest fires this year, and burned over 1857/8 acres. Two fires, one of 150 acres and one of 291/2 acres; all other fires being less than one acre. 30,475 feet of hose laid; gallons of water pumped 31,130; 203 gallons chemical, and miles traveled 2,566.3 which upon analysis, shows acreage per fire 5 and 1/6 acres.
BUDGET
Of the 1944 appropriations, we have the following balance:
Salaries
$2,154.12
Fire Pay Roll
183.62
Equipment Maintenance
81.60
For Truck
700.00
$3,119.34
HENRY WALTON, Forest Fire Warden.
REPORT OF THE TOWN FOREST COMMITTEE
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Not much work done in the Town Forest this year owing to lack of help. Fire lanes were plowed and roads kept passable. No fires reported in Forest this year. Hurricane damage being cleaned up by County at no ex- pense to the Town.
Respectfully submitted, ABBOTT A. RAYMOND, Chairman ARTHUR W. WESTON
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REPORT OF POLICE DEPARTMENT
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Following are the reports and activities of the Police Department for the year ending December 31, 1944. Number of arrests for the year 1944:
Males
313
Females 30
Total 343
Amount of Fines Imposed $1,870.00
Property Recovered 11,391.70
MISCELLANEOUS WORK BY DEPARTMENT
Complaints Investigated 2,000
Automobile Accidents Investigated:
Fatal 1
Pedestrian 7
Personal Injuries 33
Property Damage 81
Total automobile accidents investigated 122
Prisoners detained for other departments
20
Summonses served for other departments
35
Summonses (no-fix) issued
86
Trips guarding mail 88
Bank alarms (false) 8
Fatal accidents investigated:
Drownings
3
Suicides 1
Sudden deaths 5
Total fatal accidents investigated
9
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Street lights reported out
25
Store lights reported out
2
Doors found unlocked
33
Beacon lights reported out
6
Fire alarm lights reported out
1
Fire alarm glasses reported broken
1
Night lodgers
10
Missing persons located
5
Lost children returned
31
Dead animals reported to Board of Health
26
Dog complaints to Mr. Cadman
51
MILEAGE OF DEPARTMENT
Patrol Wagon
688
Cars
64,874
Motorcycle
2,500
Total Mileage
68,062
Respectfully submitted,
RUSSELL P. DEARBORN,
Chief of Police.
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REPORT OF BOARD OF RETIREMENT
To the Citizens of the Town of Plymouth:
The Board of Retirement presents herewith its eighth report covering the activities and condition of the Con- tributory Retirement System for the year 1944.
The law requires that every new employee of the town under 55 years of age must join the Retirement System, unless we know at the time he starts work that his employment is for less than 60 days. It also requires that every new call man and special police officer must join the System, although they cannot be retired for superannuation. These two factors are responsible in large part for the many constant changes in member- ship in the System.
We have retired three of our members for superan- nuation during the year and lost three of our former pensioners by death, the number of pensioners at the close of the year thereby remaining as it was December 31, 1943.
Investing the funds of the System is becoming in- creasingly difficult. Investments must be made from the lists legal for Savings Banks and at the present time 21/2% government bonds are about the only investment available. Since the members' contributions as well as the other funds of the System must be credited with 3% interest compounded monthly, there is little chance at the present time of eliminating the appropriation by the town for interest deficiency.
Our list of members in military service remains the same as last year:
Maynard S. Holmes George S. Bell James Leland
Gaetano Brigida
Arthur Caranci
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Call Firemen:
Harrison C. Chandler
Albert C. Hatton
Elmer T. Holman
Richard S. Keough George Mabbett William A. Strassel
I. MEMBERSHIP
1. Membership Dec. 31, 1943
160
Enrolled during 1944 21
181
Withdrawals
37
Deaths
1
Members retired
3
41
Total active members
140
2. Pensioners Dec. 31, 1943 22
Members retired during 1944
3
25
Deaths
3
Total pensioners 22
II. RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES
Balance reported Dec. 31, 1944 $54,474.49
1. Receipts:
Appropriation March 1944 $22,560.04 Deductions from members' salaries and wages 9,030.30
Income from interest 1,583.55
Increase in value of bonds 68.86
$33,242.75
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2. Expenditures:
Pensions
$15,215.51
Annuities
419.97
Accidental death benefits
2,279.62
Repayment to members of deductions
2,325.29
Clerical services
364.00
Printing and stationery
21.00
Postage, etc.
32.92
Association dues
5.00
Safety deposit box rental
9.00
Decrease in value of bonds
114.61
Loss on sale of bonds
37.32
20,824.24
Cash balance
$ 7,359.71
Balance in securities
59,533.29
$66,893.00
III. BALANCE SHEET
1. Assets:
Plymouth National Bank $7,359.71
Plymouth Savings Bank 5,807.17
Plymouth Five Cents Savings Bank 3,749.03
U. S. Treasury bonds 27/8% 1,063.03
U. S. Treasury bonds 21/2% 11,000.00
City of Boston bonds 2,552.41
Chesapeake & Ohio Rwy bonds 2,098.76
Louisiana Arkansas Rwy. bonds 3,972.36
Northern Pacific Rwy. bonds 1,572.96
Oregon Washington R. R. & Nav. bonds 2,104.16
Reading Co. Rwy. bonds 3,854.56
American Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds 2,146.65 Marion-Reserve Power Co.
bonds 3,184.60
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Pacific Gas & Elec. Co.
bonds 3's of '70
2,028.94
Pacific Gas & Elec. Co.
bonds 3's of '71 2,108.90
Public Service Co. of New Hampshire bonds 2,173.87
Southern California Edison Co. bonds 2,037.14
First National Bank of Boston stock
2,431.25
National Shawmut Bank stock 2,662.50
Brockton Nat. Bank stock 2,985.00
$66,893.00
2. Liabilities:
Annuity Savings Account $46,047.99 (Including Military Service Credit)
Annuity Reserve Fund 5,244.91
Pension Accumu-
lation Fund $15,418.49
Less Interest
Deficiency 27.22
Expense Fund
15,391.27 208.83
$66,893.00
Respectfully submitted, RUSSELL P. DEARBORN, Chairman CORA B. GRADY, Secretary HERBERT K. BARTLETT Contributory Retirement System Board of Retirement, Plymouth.
Cora B. Grady permanent member of the Board De- cember 4, 1944 by virtue of her office.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
The Board of Public Welfare presents herewith its Annual Report for the Year 1944.
The year 1944 brought a new group of responsibilities and problems to our Department of Public Welfare. Although financial aid to the needy has been the pre- dominating function, the demand for Social Services has immeasurably increased, caused by every one of the readjustments of the War-population movement, drafting of men for the Armed Services, employment of women, older workers and children. The Department has be- come considered, and naturally so, the logical place for people in trouble to turn for information, guidance and counseling advice.
The change has come gradually but is of enormous importance as we look to the "after the war" period and our anticipated job during and following the demobiliza- tion of our Service men and women and the dislocation of War workers.
It has been the aim of the Department to undertake to assure security and opportunity for effective social adjustment to people on an individual basis by meeting the needs not otherwise provided for. Such needs in- clude the provision of adequate financial assistance to the needy, protection from social exploitation for those who are unable to help themselves because of physical and mental weaknesses, and services facilitating social and family adjustment. These functions are unique and different unto themselves and are essential to a sound functioning community, not only because it is impossible for an individual to wholly control his own destiny, but also because the welfare of all depends on the protection of all. Thus the Department of Public Welfare has be-
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come associated with those functions which require the skills of social work.
As our social methods improve we are finding many ways of assuring security and of preventing need for public assistance by guiding and assisting people to be- come self-supporting, but public assistance must always be available as a last resort when other measures fail to meet the particular need of the individual.
Your Department of Public Welfare is looking forward to the post-war period with considerable interest. It is obvious that the responsibility of the Department can- not stop with the mere granting of financial assistance to the needy. The extension of our activity into the field of services which have become accelerated by the eco- nomic and wartime needs will continue into the post- war period and will be increased by the individual and family problems of the veterans during the demobiliza- tion process; the problems affecting children; (the great- est problem of juvenile delinquency of the last world war came after the fighting was over) the increasing number of desertions; the inevitable problems which will result from the many hasty war marriages are obvious; the social aspects of migration; and the prob- lems of the aged.
During the year 1944 we have had very fine cooper- ation from, and have made every effort to cooperate with, the Jordan Hospital, Community Nurse Associa- tion, Fragment Society, American Red Cross, Selective Service, Soldiers' Relief Department, and our local phy- sicians, dentists, druggists, manufacturing and business establishments.
The careful, conscientious and commendable work of our staff has been responsible for the efficient and ade- quate distribution of public assistance within our com- munity. By regular home visiting and with the present case work practices those persons and families eligible and entitled to financial assistance have been sufficiently assisted, and the Board of Public Welfare with consider-
--
.
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able satisfaction is turning back to the Town of Plym- outh $10,775.89 to the Excess and Deficiency Fund from which fund the Town of Plymouth receives further financial benefits.
One hundred and nine "outside aid" cases have been assisted by the General Assistance Department during the year 1944. The expenditures and receipts were as follows: Salaries (including Board Members) $7,400.42; other administrative expenses $643.10; "outside aid" (in- cluding aid in other cities and towns for persons having a financial settlement in Plymouth) $25,404.62; reim- bursements from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts other cities and towns and individuals were $4,853.41; income from trust funds $94.84; leaving the cost to the Town of Plymouth for "outside aid" granted $20,551.21. Total operating costs to the town $28,499.89.
INFIRMARY
The demands upon the services and facilities of the Town Infirmary have presented no unusual problems during this past year. Some of the most needed repairs have been made but much remains to be done. The hur- ricane damage has been taken care of temporarily, and the major repairs must necessarily be delayed until after the War activities have been concluded. Sixteen per- sons have been cared for this year with the expenditures amounting to :- Salaries $2,274.58; other administrative expenses $2,348.60; "inside aid" $3,422.63; amounts re- ceived from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, other cities and towns and from individuals $2,063.83; from trust funds $6.03; rentals $72.00; a cost to the Town of Plymouth for "inside aid" granted at the Infirmary for the year 1944 was $1,358.80. A net cost to the Town of Plymouth $5,903.95.
HAROLD S. DAMON, Chairman GORDON S. McCOSH, Secretary HAROLD G. ROBERTS Board of Public Welfare Plymouth, Massachusetts
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REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF OLD AGE ASSISTANCE
To the Citizens of the Town of Plymouth:
The annual report of the Bureau of Old Age Assis- tance for 1944 is presented herewith.
During 1944 aid granted amounted to $199,471.20, and other expenses amounted to $841.92, making a total of $200,313.12. Of this amount $79,246.79 was received from the Federal Government and approximately $84,164.05 from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts leaving a net cost to the Town of approximately $36,902.28. An average of 373 cases per month were aided at an average monthly cost of $43.81 each.
The cost of Old Age Assistance increased substantially in November and December of 1944 as prior to October 1, 1944 doctors were paid $1.00 for office visits and $2.00 for house visits. They were dissatisfied with this arrangement and asked that the rates for O.A.A. cases be on the same basis as those for other patients. A meeting was held with the doctors with representatives present from the State Department of Public Welfare, and an agreement was reached whereby doctors now re- ceive $2.00 for office visits and $3.00 for house visits. Rates for nursing homes have also increased over last year and we are finding it necessary to place many people in these homes.
We have now had one full year of contributions from children in accordance with the new law. It is found that approximately $750.00 per month is paid by them to their parents in cash and about $250.00 per month in kind (free shelter, insurance etc.) This amount varies as the earnings of children fluctuate. There is a bill be- fore the present legislature recommending that contrib-
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utions from children be done away with entirely which, if passed, would mean considerable increase in the cost of Old Age Assistance.
Until October 27, 1944 the Bureau was composed of three members, Harold S. Damon, Chairman; Edmund J. Priestley, and Gordon S. McCosh. Mr. James Rae, Supervisor of O.A.A. and A.D.C., transferred to the State Department of Public Welfare on October 16, 1944, and Mr. Edmund J. Priestley was appointed to take his place as of October 28, 1944. Mr. Harold Roberts was appoint- ed to the Board of Public Welfare to serve Mr. Priest- ley's unexpired term.
The total amount expended for salaries for 1944 was $6,501.43 of which $3,496.76 was contributed by the Fed- eral Government leaving a balance of $3,004.67 as the cost to the Town.
Respectfully submitted,
HAROLD S. DAMON, Chairman GORDON S. McCOSH H. G. ROBERTS
AID TO DEPENDENT CHILDREN
To the Citizens of the Town of Plymouth:
Presented herewith is the annual report of the Board of Public Welfare for Aid to Dependent Chil- dren for 1944.
During 1944 an average of forty-three cases with eighty-three children received this type of assistance at a total cost of $38,662.35, the average cost per case per month being $75.76. On January 1, 1944 the case load was forty-four. During the year a total of fourteen cases were added and seventeen closed, leaving a bal-
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ance of forty-one cases with eighty-one children on December 31, 1944.
Of the seventeen cases closed only five were closed because of receiving employment. The other cases were closed as the families left town, children finished school and were no longer eligible for A.D.C., mothers remarried, and for other reasons. No further decrease in A.D.C. is anticipated, but an increase in this cate- gory of assistance is expected. Any change in the em- ployment situation would be reflected in the A.D.C. case load as most of those who have gone to work would again be eligible for A.D.C.
The Federal Government contributed $7,486.57 in grants for this type of assistance during the year, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts reimbursed the Town approximately $12,887.45 which made the net cost to the Town approximately $18,288.33.
The same staff that handles the category of Old Age Assistance also handles the Aid to Dependent Children cases. Money received from the Federal Government for administering Aid to Dependent Children is used towards their salaries This amounted to $841.42 during 1944.
Respectfully submitted,
HAROLD S. DAMON, Chairman GORDON S. McCOSH H. G. ROBERTS
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REPORT OF THE CEMETERY COMMISSIONERS FOR THE YEAR 1944
The Board of Cemetery Commissioners present their report for 1944.
The routine work of maintenance of the various ceme- teries under the charge of the Commissioners has been carried out as usual during the past year.
No effort has been made to develop the six acre addition to the Vine Hills Cemetery that was purchased in 1940, because we felt that the project was not an essential one to undertake at this time.
We have however made an estimate of $30,000 as the cost of the complete development of this area and given this estimate to the Post War Planning Committee.
We believe this to be a very worth while project to take up some of the slack in case a serious unemploy- ment situation develops.
The hurricane of September 14, caused considerable damage in several cemeteries.
In Oak Grove and Vine Hills Cemeteries approxi- mately 150 trees of various sizes were blown down, but fortunately only slight damage was done to monuments.
On Burial Hill two large elms were uprooted causing incidental damage to the stone wall on Church Street.
Approximately 400' of the wooden fence surrounding Chiltonville Cemetery was blown down and should be renewed.
The Commissioners began at once the work of repair- ing some of the damage, and the Finance Committee
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co-operated promptly by transferring $1,000 from the Reserve Fund to our maintenance account. This per- mitted the work of clearing up to continue until Jan- uary 1, 1945.
An arrangement was made with Davison and Dennett, who operate a saw mill, to come in and saw up the mer- chantable trees into logs, cart them to the mill and pay the Town $3 a cord for the logs so removed. Forty- one cords were sold.
We believe the Town was saved a substantial sum by adopting this method of disposing of the logs.
The Department has had to incur additional expense to take care of the branches, unmerchantable logs and stumps, particularly the latter. A considerable amount of this work, as well as trimming broken trees and branches, remains to be taken care of.
We are asking for an appropriation of $1,000 from the proceeds from the sale of Cemetery lots and graves, to be expended for improvements and additions, in order that the funds may be available if opportunity offers, to continue work on the roads in Oak Grove and Vine Hills Cemeteries, or do some filling on Samoset Street.
The requested appropriations for the various ceme- teries are higher than the amounts asked for last year by the following amounts; $1,000, on Oak Grove and Vine Hills Cemeteries, $750 on Burial Hill, and $500 on the outside cemeteries. We believe the increases are necessary to complete the damage caused by the hurri- cane.
Respectfully submitted,
ARTHUR E. BLACKMER EDWARD R. BELCHER RICHARD T. ELDRIDGE
Cemetery Commissioners.
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REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD
Report of the Planning Board for 1944 Report.
The Planning Board organized for the year 1944-45 with Allen D. Russell as Chairman and Arthur E. Black- mer as Secretary.
The Board spent some further time on its financial analysis of the Town and brought its figures up to date as soon as the 1943 Town Report was issued and the ma- terial available. These new figures are printed herewith and may be copied, by those interested in this branch of town planning, onto the large sheets which were in- serted in every 1943 Town Report.
Through an oversight no lines were left for these figures in Table C., but directly above table C., are a set of lines which were not used for estimate and may be used for the table C., figures except for the total on the ex- treme right hand end. However, we would suggest that if you desire to keep these figures you use the Street Lighting column as a total column since there will prob- ably never be a capital expense for street lighting by the town.
The Planning Board found little to do during the year except to keep its studies up to date and to assist as part of the Post War Municipal Planning Committee. The Town, like every other business, was handicapped by lack of man power and inability to get materials, so that there seemed to be little profit in planning things which could not be done anyway.
With the Post War Committee above mentioned a re- serve of some fifty worthwhile projects were studied and collected. These projects if all carried out would cost in the neighborhood of half a million dollars, the greater
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part of which would be for labor, and we take it that the principal object of this committee is not to spend money nor to buy materials but rather to have ready worthwhile jobs which will provide employment for those who may not be absorbed or retained in private enterprise. Furthermore none of these projects will re- quire much in the way of maintenance once completed so that as we return to normal the town will not be bur- dened with continuing costs. And again, many of these projects will have to be undertaken some day so that if completed in the next few years the work will be com- pleted for many years ahead. As an example we would mention the replacing, in some cases with larger diam- eters, many links in our water system which should be reaching the end of their normal life.
The Planning Board requests an appropriation of Two Thousand dollars for the fiscal 1945 year of which $100.00 will be for salaries and $1,900.00 for expenses.
Respectfully submitted,
ALLEN D. RUSSELL,
Chairman.
For those who may desire to keep the figures up to date on the financial chart published by the Planning Board the following figures should be inserted on the 1943 lines in the various tables.
Table Al Taxes
Table A2 Shared Revenue
Property
$700,363.75
Corporation Taxes
$71,796.49
Motor Vehicle
18,451.16
Income Taxes 73,962.50
Poll
7,158.00
Soldier's Exemptions 1,261.89
Tax Title
7,782.01
Total
$733,754.92
Total $147,020.88
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Table A3 Departmental Receipts
General Gov't.
$1,821.03
Police
2,325.48
Health
4,330.19
Sanitation
715.60
Highways
7,850.86
Welfare
1,832.25
Education
3,259.01
Recreation
681.75
Cemetery
7,822.29
Wharf
2,963.28
Refunds
1,515.05
Sub Total
35,116.79
Water Sales
50,909.51
Total
$86,026.30
Table A4 Grants
Welfare
$110,859.88
Education
10,001.42
Highways
Dog Licenses
Old Age etc.
98,930.59
Total
$219,791.89
Table A5 Licenses etc.
Licenses, Fines
$17,114.33
Betterments
308.25
Interest
5,161.46
Sales
155.39
Bonds sold
Trust Income
7,427.40
Total
$30,166.83
Table B1 Cost of Debt
Int. Temp. Loans
$ 250.89
Int. on Bonds
3,265.00
Total $3,515.89
Highway
11,819.09
Parks
1,629.39
Prin. Water Bonds
Water 6,735.61
War Bonds Bought
20,000.00
Total
$30,500.00
Grand Total
$34,015.89
Total
$41,157.65
Summary Table Carry in totals and sub totals given
Total Income
$1,216,760.82
Total Fixed Exp.
1,073,437.20
Available for cap. exp.
$143,323.62
Actual Capital exp.
41,157.65
Balance to Treasury
$102,165.97
Table B3 Operating Expenses
General Gov't.
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