USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Athol > Town annual report, town of Athol, Massachusetts 1935 > Part 2
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Article 28. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of One Hundred Twenty-Six Dollars and One Cent ($126.01) for the purpose of paying the Water Department for materials and labor furnished to the Fire Department in 1934, in connection with the in- stallation of a new hydrant at the corner of Main and Exchange streets, or act in relation thereto.
Article 29. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate any sum of money to pay Starrett's Band for band concerts during the season of 1935.
Article 30. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum not to exceed Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.) for the purchase and maintenance of a modern ambulance, same to be under the supervision of the Board of Health or act in relation thereto.
Article 31. To see what action the Town will take toward the purchase of a Tractor Snowplow for sidewalks, raise and appropriate any money for the same, or act in relation thereto.
Article 32. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate any sum of money for the sixteenth annual convention of the 104th U. S. Infantry veterans' associa- tion A. E. F. April 26th and 27th, 1935, or act in relation thereto.
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Article 33. To see if the Town will take any step toward the observance of the 200th anniversary of the settlement of the Town in September, 1935, and appro- priate any money therefor.
Article 34. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate the sum of One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150.) to pay for a Red Cross Life Guard at Lake Ellis during the summer of 1935, said employee to be under the supervis- ion of the Park Department, or act in relation thereto.
Article 35. To see if it is the sense of the Town that all or any part of the reduction in salaries and wages paid by the Town or its departments, as voted at the 1933 reg- ular Town meeting, be restored, retroactive to January 1, 1935, or act in relation thereto.
Article 36. To see if the Town of Athol will vote to raise and appropriate any sum of money as payment of Ephriam Corriveau for damages caused by construction of Lenox Street Extension.
Article 37. To see if the Town will adopt the follow- ing By-Laws:
"Section 1. The Treasurer shall have full pow- er to assign any tax titles held by the Town upon the payment of the lawful charges to the Town thereon.
Section 2. All assignments of tax titles shall be executed by the Treasurer in the name and on behalf of the Town."
Article 38. To see if the Town will vote to increase the number of Reserve Police Officers to four, or act in relation thereto.
Article 39. To see if the Town will vote to accept all cemetery trust funds received and turned over to the Treasurer during the year 1934.
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Article 40. To see if the Town will call the Athol Playgrounds, better known as the Athol Fair grounds, Mc- Gregor Park, or act in relation thereto.
Article 41. To see if the Town will vote to accept sections 21 to 25 inclusive of Chapter 136 of the General Laws (Ter. Ed.) relative to certain sports and games per- mitted on the Lord's Day.
Article 42. To see if the Town will vote to pay Al- bert A. Brouillet the sum of Three Hundred Dollars ($300) damages for land taken in widening of Wilson Avenue, as voted by said Town on February 16, 1931, raise and ap- propriate the money therefor or act in relation thereto.
Article 43. To see if the Town will vote to elect the Treasurer, Collector of Taxes, Highway Surveyor and a Tree Warden for a term of three years beginning with the annual election in 1936, or act in relation thereto.
Article 44. To see if the Town will vote to appoint a committee consisting of Carlos Tyler, John Hayden, William Plotkin, Mrs. Charles Cooke, Mrs. Joseph Wilcox, William Killay, Anthony Tamason, Dr. George Bassow and Dr. Raymond Watson, to investigate the need of a new High School Building, or act in relation thereto.
Article 45. To see if the Town will grant free use of Memorial Hall and Liberty Hall to the School Depart- ment five times a year, or act in relation thereto.
Article 46. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of Twelve Hundred Dollars ($1,200.) to install mod- ern lavatories at the Lake Park School or act in relation thereto.
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Article 47. To see if the voters will accept Sec. 32- 47 inclusive Chapter 147 of the General Laws which pro- vides for the holding of licensed boxing matches.
Article 48. To see if it be the sense of the Town that the work of grading and repaving School street from South Street to Park Avenue, or any portion thereof, be done under an E.R.A. or other Government project, work to commence as soon as such project is approved.
Article 49. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate any additional sum of money for estimated and un- determined E.RA. projects.
Article 50. To see if the Town will vote to accept Sec. 6 of Chapter 85 of the General Laws relative to the assessment of cost for the removal of snow.
Article 51. To raise by borrowing or otherwise, for all such sums of money as may be needed for all and any of the purposes mentioned in the foregoing articles, pro- vision for which has not been made.
Advisory Committee meeting will be held in Advis- ory Room, Memorial Building, Friday evening, February 8, 1935, at seven-thirty o'clock in the evening.
And you are hereby directed to serve this warrant by posting up attested copies hereof, in each of the Post Offices of said town, seven days at least before the time for holding said meeting, and by publishing a like copy in one or more of the newspapers published in said town two days at least before the time for holding said meeting.
Hereof fail not, and make due return of this warrant with your doings thereon, unto the Town Clerk, at the time and place of meeting as aforesaid.
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Given under our hands this fourth day of February, in the year one thousand nine hundred and thirty-five.
WARREN C. KARNER, GEORGE W. GRANT RALPH S. STONE, Selectmen of Athol
RETURN OF CONSTABLE HERBERT S. GODDARD IN REGULAR FORM
PROCEEDINGS
Article 1. Voted: That the Town accept the Annual Reports of the officers of the Town as printed and dis- tributed.
Article 2. Voted: That this article be passed over.
Article 3. Selectman Warren C. Karner read the following report:
Report of the Selectmen in the Matter of Employing a Purchasing Agent and Consolidating Certain Town Departments
"In accordance with the vote at the last annual meet- ing, investigation of the matters of employing a pur- chasing agent and consolidating certain of the Town De- partments has been made. We are indebted to the Mu- nicipal Administration Service, The Massachusetts Asso-
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ciation of Purchasing Agents, and the Municipal Research Bureau for most of our information on the subject of mu- nicipal purchasing, as well as to the towns of Norwood and Greenfield. From the latter Town we received also valuable information with reference to unified depart- mental control.
"In 1933, the total amount of materials purchased for the town cost, in round figures, $45,000.00. The most optimistic advocate of centralized purchasing estimates that a saving of ten percent might be effected and the same authorities state that a municipal agent should have at least two years' experience in private corporation pur- chasing and that the cost of running his office, including his salary, should be one percent of the total purchases. This is an obvious impossibility here in Athol as one per- cent of our purchases is only $450.00, and no experienced man could be hired except for a small part of his time at that price.
"Many places have a part time agent, or one whose duties include the administration of some other depart- ment but it is not generally recommended that an agent be employed whose other duties are such that his pur- chasing becomes a secondary activity.
"The Town of Norwood has an ideal set-up for tak- ing care of this whole situation. The Town Manager, who has charge of the Highway, Cemetery, Park, Play Grounds, Water, Sewer, Tree and Police Departments as well as the electric light plant, also does the purchasing for all departments and is responsible to the Selectmen for the economical management of all departments under his control. An arrangement of this kind solves both the problem of centralized purchasing for all departments and consolidation of certain departments into one Dept. of Public Works.
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"As a modification of this plan, the Town of Dan- vers recently petitioned the Legislature for permission to effect a like unification of its various departments without establishing a Town Manager form of govern- ment, which would seem to be the most logical prelimin- ary step in the direction of centralized control. This Town proposes to set up a Board of Public Works, consisting of five men whose duties will be comparable to the duties previously performed by the various department heads.
"However, inasmuch as Athol is somewhat smaller than Danvers, it would seem that a more effective or- ganization would be to establish a Department of Public Works to consist of the Highway, Park, Cemetery, Water, Sewer, Tree and Moth Departments, to be under the con- trol of a commission of three men, one of whom shall be a Selectman, and two of which would be elected at the annual town meeting each year. This commission would employ a director of public works who would be in direct charge of all operations in these departments and respon- sible to the commission for the effective performance of same. He would, of course, be responsible for the pur- chasing in all branches of his department and as this was a substantial percentage of the purchases in 1933, it will be readily seen that the purchasing situation would be well taken care of by this arrangement.
"Should it eventually prove advisable to place the purchasing for all departments in his hands, it could eas- ily be done at any time.
"The advantages of this set-up in municipal affairs are obvious. It avoids unnecessary duplication of mater- ials, of equipment and assures a minimum inventory of all needed articles. It provides a means of taking advan- tage of quantity discounts on all purchases as the same would be centralized instead of being widely scattered as
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at present. It provides means whereby equipment and men can be used to greater advantage as all would be under one general direction instead of under one half dozen directions. It provides a means whereby incom- petence can be readily eliminated at any time by order of the commission rather than once a year by vote of the town and eliminates the multiplicity of commissions and offices, with its consequent division of responsibility.
"A competent director or superintendent would save his salary in economies effected and the increase in ser- vice rendered would be worth more than passing consid- eration.
"Our investigation of the problem would seem to in- dicate that the above organization would serve the in- terests of the town to good advantage. It is therefore recommended that steps be taken to consolidate the fol- lowing departments: Highway, Park, Cemetery, Sewer, Water, Tree and Moth Departments, into a Department of Public Works to be under the control of a commission of three as above stated and to be supervised by a director appointed by the commission, at such salary as they shall from time to time determine, and whose duties shall be prescribed from time to time by said commission and who shall have as one of his principal duties the purchasing, storing and management of all tools, material and sup- plies used by the Department of Public Works aforesaid and that the Legislature be petitioned for the necessary permission to effect such consolidation.
WARREN C. KARNER, GEORGE W. GRANT Selectmen of Athol"
(The above report was rendered in pursuance of votes under Articles 38 and 39 of the warrant for Annual Town Meeting held February 19, 1934, whereby the Selectmen
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were authorized to investigate and report on the matters therein referred to.)
Voted: That the report of the Board of Selectmen on the matter of consolidating certain town departments into one Department of Public Works be and is hereby accepted as work in progress, and that the present Board of Selectmen be and are hereby authorized to petition the General Court for such legislation as they deem necessary to give effect to the establishment of said Department of Public Works in accordance with the recommendations contained in their report.
The vote on the above motion was 390 in the affirm- ative and 315 in the negative.
Philip S. Perley read the following report:
REPORT OF COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO INVESTI- GATE RATES CHARGED FOR GAS AND ELECTRICITY IN ATHOL
"Under Article No. 32 of the 1934 town warrant, a committee consisting of Philip S. Perley, Fred P. Bulman, James G. Sisson, Alfred N. Hamlet and John H. Horigan was appointed to act in conjunction with Mr. C. D. Briggs of Worcester, Massachusetts, to make a very complete study of the gas and electric rates now charged by the Athol Gas and Electric Company; to compare the rates now charged the citizens of Athol with rates charged by municipal operated plants, to study the possibility of a Federal loan to finance a municipal plant as it being done in other sections of the country. This committee to make complete reports of their progress to the voters of Athol.
"We now report that we have made a complete study of the gas and electric rates charged by the Athol Gas and
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Electric Company; that we have compared the rates charged the citizens of Athol with rates charged by municipally operated plants; that we have stud- ied the possibility of a federal loan to finance a mu- nicipal plant and as a result of our investigation, research and study, this committee unanimously reports that the best action for the citizens of Athol at this time is to ac- cept an offer made by the Athol Gas and Electric Co. to reduce and adjust the rates as of March 1, 1935.
"A complete report is in the hands of the Town Clerk. It is too lengthy to read at this time; this report includes the old and revised rate schedules and shows the benefit to the customers of the Athol Gas and Electric Co.
"I therefore move that the committee's report be accepted and that this committee be discharged.
PHILIP S. PERLEY, Chairman."
Voted, as amended: That the report of the committee appointed to investigate Gas and Electric Rates charged in Athol be accepted as work in progress, and that the committee be continued as they have valuable informa- tion for future use.
The Advisory Committee reported on each article as it was considered.
Article 4. Voted: That the Board of Selectmen act as agents to prosecute and defend law suits, compromise and adjust same.
Article 5. Voted, as amended: That the Town raise and appropriate the following sums for Town Charges for the ensuing year. Military Aid $ 300.00 75.00
Advisory Committee
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1,500.00
Selectmen
Town Accountant Department
1,950.00
For Clerk Hire
400.00
Town Hall and Offices
4,800.00
State Aid
750.00
Inspector of Animals
270.00
Street Lighting
11,500.00
Soldiers' Relief
12,000.00
Soldiers' Burial
200.00
Unclassified
2,000.00
Lyman Jennings Annuity
120.00
Sidewalk Repairs
400.00
Town Clerk
870.00
Election and Registration
800.00
Cemetery Department
8,000.00
Cemetery Veterans' Hire
500.00
Cemetery Department, for New Equipment
1,000.00
School Department
134,477.00
Vocational Training
350.00
Dog Officer
45.50
Library Trustees, the Dog Tax Fund of
$1,131.63 and
4,868.37
Tree Warden
1,170.00
Tree Veterans' Hire
500.00
Tax Collector
4,000.00
Assessors
3,500.00
Highway Department
46,500.00
Highway Department, for New Equipment
2,750.00
Highway Veterans' Hire
5,800.00
Public Welfare
60,000.00
The Assessors to be authorized to use not to
exceed $25,000.00 from available surplus in determining tax rate.
Old Age Assistance
15,000.00
Fire Department
20,000.00
Fire Department, for New Equipment
300.00
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Fire Alarm
900.00
Forest Fires
600.00
New Hydrant and Repairs
300.00
Hydrant Rentals
2,500.00
Segler of Weights and Measures Department
700.00
Town Treasurer
1,150.00
Insurance
4,000.00
Interest on Temporary Loans
4,000.00
Interest on Permanent Loans
(Including Sewer Interest $1880)
6,551.25
Retirement Bonds
(Including Sewer Bonds $4,000.00)
33,500.00
Sewer Department
2,200.00
Reserve Fund
10,000.00
School Physician
225.00
Moth Department
2,000.00
Moth Veterans' Hire
200.00
Park Department
3,000.00
Park Department Veterans' Hire
1,000.00
Police Department
12,750.00
Health Department
9,000.00
The amendment to Article 5, previously voted, was to substitute, in the item for Street Lighting, the sum of $11,500.00 for $13,437.00 as originally moved.
Successive motions to amend the motion under Arti- cle 5 by substituting in the items for: Selectmen the sum of $1,400.00; Town Accountant, total of $2,000.00 instead of total of $2,350.00; Unclassified, $1,000.00; Library Trustees, $4,468.37; Tax Collector, $3,000.00; Park De- partment Veterans' Hire, $300.00, and Health Depart- ment, $10,000.00, were each voted in the negative.
Article 6. Voted: That the town treasurer, with the approval of the selectmen, be and hereby is authorized
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to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1935, and to issue a note or notes therefor, payable within one year, and to renew any note or notes as may be given for a period of less than one year in accordance with Section 17, Chapter 44, General Laws.
Article 7. Voted: That all property taxes be due July 1st, that one-half or all can be paid then, that the balance be paid October 1st. That interest begin November 1, on unpaid taxes of October 1. That the Collector be paid 17-32 of one percent on all money collected. Poll and Auto Excise Taxes are also fixed by statute and are pay- able on receipt of tax bill.
Article 8. Voted, as amended: That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $3,500.00 to oil roads and streets, same to be expended by the Highway Surveyor.
The amendment, previously voted, was to substitute the sum of $3,500.00 for $5,000.00 as originally moved.
Article 9. Voted: That the Town raise and appropri- ate the sum of $275.00 for the observance of Memorial Day, to be expended as follows:
Sons of Veterans
$200.00
:
American Legion
25.00
Veterans of Foreign Wars
25.00
Spanish War Veterans
25.00
Article 10. Voted: That the sum of $25.00 be raised and appropriated for the repair and care of the clock on the Congregational Church in Athol.
Article 11. Voted: That this article be passed over.
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Article 12. Voted: That the sum of $50.00 be raised and appropriated for the care of Soldiers' Graves for the ensuing year.
Article 13. Voted: That this article be passed over.
Article 14. Voted: That the sum of $20,720.00 be ap- propriated from Available Water Department Surplus for bonds and interest. That $3,000.00 be appropriated from Water Department Estimated Receipts for new equip- ment, and that $37,000.00 from Water Department Esti- mated Receipts be appropriated for the general expenses of the Water Department.
Article 15. Voted: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $500.00 for the maintenance of roads constructed under the provisions of Chapter 90 G. L., it being understood that the State and County will each supply an amount equal to that appropriated by the Town.
Article 16. Voted: That this article be passed over.
Article 17. Voted: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $1,500.00 for the collection of garbage for the ensuing year.
Article 18. Voted: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $500.00 for the collection of rubbish dur- ing the ensuing year.
Article 19. Voted: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $1150.00 for expenses of the Dental Clinic for the ensuing year.
Article 20. Voted: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $2250.00 for the employment of a Dis- trict Nurse and the maintenance of an automobile for said nurse.
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Article 21. Voted: That this article be passed over.
Article 22. Voted: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $12,415.50 in compliance with the pro- visions of Chapter 111 of the General Laws and Chapter 111 Acts of 1932, to meet the assessment levied against Athol by the County Commissioners, for the care of tuber- culosis patients in the County of Worcester, during 1934. The amount asked for being divided in the following manner:
Care and Maintenance $4,972.70
Interest on Bonds $2,842.80
Construction
$4,600.00
Article 23. Voted: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $10,000.00 for E. R. A., State or Govern- ment projects, and if all of said sum is not required for said projects then any balance remaining is hereby added to the appropriation for the Welfare Department. The project amount to be expended by E. R. A. Administrator, the Board of Selectmen and the Town Advisory Commit- tee as a joint committee.
Article 24. Voted: That this article be passed over.
Article 25. Voted: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $30.00 for additional services and ex- penses of the Animal Inspector for the year 1934.
Article 26. Voted: That this article be passed over.
Article 27. A motion that the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $1,200.00 to purchase and install a trac- tor for the ladder truck at Station 2, was voted in the negative.
Voted, on substitute motion: That this article be passed over
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Article 28. Voted: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $126.01 for the purpose of paying the Water Department for materials and labor furnished to the Fire Department in 1934, in connection with the in- stallation of a new hydrant at the corner of Main and Exchange Streets.
Article 29. Voted: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $200.00 to pay Starrett's Band for band concerts during the season of 1935.
Article 30. A motion that this article be passed over was voted in the negative.
Voted, on a substitute motion: That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $3,000.00 for the purchase and maintenance of a modern ambulance; said ambulance to be under the care of the Police Department. That a com- mittee of three for the purchasing of the ambulance be appointed by the Moderator. (The committee, subsequent- ly appointed, consists of the following: Donald B. Cheet- ham, M. D., Edwin A. Clare and Joseph Wilcox.)
Article 31. Voted: That this article be passed over.
Article 32. Voted, as amended, by 43 votes in the af- firmative and 0 votes in the negative: That the Town ap- propriate the sum of $215.00 for the sixteenth annual con- vention of the 104th U. S. Infantry Veterans' Association A. E. F., to be held in Athol April 26th and 27th, 1935, and that said Association be granted free use of Memorial Hall and Liberty Hall for this convention. Said sum to be taken from Athol and Orange Transportation Area Avail- able Surplus.
The amendment, previously voted, was for the grant- ing of the free use of Memorial Hall and Liberty Hall for this convention.
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Article 33. Voted, by 31 votes in the affirmative and 0 votes in the negative: That the Town appropriate the sum of $295.89 for the observance in September 1935 of the 200th Anniversary of the settlement of the Town. The observance to be under the direction of a committee ap- pointed by the Moderator with W. G. Lord chairman. Same to be taken from the Athol and Orange Transpor- tation Area Available Surplus. (See list of committee members on page 9.)
Article 34. Voted: That the article be passed over.
Article 35. Voted: That the article be passed over.
Article 36. Voted: That the article be passed over.
Article 37. Voted: That the Town adopt the follow- ing By-Laws:
"Section 1. The Treasurer shall have full power to assign any tax titles held by the Town, upon the payment of the lawful charges to the Town thereon.
"Section 2. All assignments of tax titles shall be executed by the Treasurer in the name and on behalf of the Town."
The Selectmen to take all necessary steps to have Attorney General approve above by-laws and make same effective.
Article 38. Voted: That the Town increase the num- ber of Reserve Police Officers to four.
Article 39. Voted: That the Town accept all ceme- tery trust funds received and turned over to the Treasurer during the year 1934. (A list of these trust funds may be seen at the Town Clerk's office.)
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Article 40. Voted: That this article be referred to the following committee:
Rev. John W. Barker Joseph Wilcox John F. Hayden W. G. Lord W. H. Brock
Article 41. Voted: That this article be passed over.
Article 42. Voted: That this article be passed over.
Article 43. Voted: That this article be passed over. Article 44. Voted: That this article be passed over.
Article 45. Voted: That the Town grant free use of Memorial Hall and Liberty Hall to the School Department five times a year.
Article 46. Voted: That this article be passed over.
Article 47. Voted: That the Town accept sections 32-47 inclusive Chapter 147 of the General Laws which provides for the holding of licensed boxing matches.
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