USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Acton > Town annual reports of Acton, Massachusetts 1921-1925 > Part 28
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 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34
The report of the Finance Committee was presented by its chairman, James B. Tuttle.
Art. 4. To see what sums of money the town will raise by taxation and appropriate to defray the necessary and usual ex- penses of the several departments of the town.
Under article 4 and other articles in the warrant for the annual meeting March 9, 1925, it was voted, to appropriate for
Roads, maintenance
$10,000.00
Removal of snow
1,200.00
Cutting brush
500.00
Removal of snow, sidewalks
200.00
Loans and interest
16,300.00
Schools
48,000.00
Memorial Library, current expenses
700.00
Memorial Library, books
200.00
Memorial Library, special repairs
600.00
Hydrant service
3,000.00
15
Forest fires
200.00
Street lighting
4,850.00
Shade trees, care of
400 00
General Government
3,500.00
Treasurer's and collector's bonds
225.00
Enforcement of liquor laws
327.54
Buildings and grounds
800.00
Cemeteries
1,000.00
Police department
800.00
Board of Health
1,000.00
Military aid
100.00
Reserve fund
1,200.00
Unclassified
500.00
Demonstration work in agriculture
300.00
Overdraft, 1924
403.68
Public records, care of
1,000.00
Poor department .
1,294.38
Fire house, Acton Center
2,500.00
Town Nurse
2,500.00
Spanish War Memorial, Art. 43
600.00
Hose, for fire department
.. 300.00
Electric lights in W. Acton, Art. 47
80.00
Central Street reappropriation
400.00
$104,980.60
Voted to raise and appropriate for Fire department maintenance
1,000.00
Moth work
1,088.65
Memorial Day
300.00
Insurance employes
300.00
Road work, special
10,000.00
Fire house, South Acton
500.00
Street signs
500.00
Town Forest
300.00
Total
$13,988.65
118,969.25
Voted to raise for town charges 75,000.00
Art. 5. To see what sum of money the town will raise for the observance of Memorial Day.
Voted : To raise and appropriate the sum of three hundred dollars.
.
.
. .
16
Voted : That the moderator be instructed to appoint a com- mittee to take in charge the expenditure of this appropriation and direct the ceremonies of the observance of Memorial Day.
The moderator appointed the following committee :
Lowell H. Cram George L. Towne
Theron A. Lowden
Charlotte Conant
George B. Parker
Art. 6. To see what action the town will take in regard to the collection of taxes.
Voted: That all taxes, other than poll, shall be payable not later than Oct. 15, 1925, and on all taxes remaining unpaid after Nov. 1, 1925 interest shall be charged at the rate of six per cent per annum from Oct. 15, 1925 until such taxes are paid.
Art. 7. To see what sum of money the town will raise and appropriate for the maintenance of the fire department or vote anything thereon.
Voted: To raise and appropriate one thousand dollars.
Art. 8. To see if the town will pay for fighting brush fires and fix the price thereon.
Voted: To appropriate two hundred dollars.
Voted: That the forest warden fix the price to be paid for fighting brush fires.
Art. 9. To see what action the town will take toward the suppression of the elm tree beetle and brown tail and gypsy moth.
Voted : To raise and appropriate $1,088.65.
Art. 10. To see if the town will authorize the treasurer, with the approval of the selectmen, to borrow money from time to time, in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year be- beginning January 1, 1925, and to issue a note or notes, therefor, payable within one year, any debt or debts incurred under this vote to be paid from the revenue of said financial year.
Voted: That the town treasurer with the approval of the selectmen be and is hereby authorized to borrow money from time to time, in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1925, and to issue a note or notes, therefor, payable within one year, any debt or debts incurred under this vote to be paid from the revenue of said financial year.
Art. 11. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate riate a sum of money to insure the employees of the town or act anything thereon.
Voted: To raise and appropriate the sum of three hundred dollars.
Art. 12. To see what amount of money the town will raise and appropriate for the payment of premiums on treasurer's and collector's bonds or act anything thereon.
PROPOSED CODE OF BY-LAWS OF THE TOWN OF ACTON
ARTICLE 1.
Section 1. The annual town meeting for the election of town officers shall be held on the first Monday of March in each year.
ARTICLE 2.
Section 1. All business of the annual meeting, except the elec- tion of such officers and the determination of such matters as by law are required to be elected or determined at such meeting, shall be considered at an adjournment thereof, which adjournment shall be held on the second Monday in March, at such hour as decided by the board of selectmen.
ARTICLE 3.
Section 1. The board of selectmen, board of health, fire depart- ment, police department, and the school committee, shall on or before February first of each year, submit to the committee on finance an estimate of the amount of money required for their various depart- ments for the ensuing year and for what purposes.
ARTICLE 4.
Section 1. All bonds, contracts, and written agreements per- taining to the several departments shall be placed for safe keeping in the custody of the town clerk, except as otherwise provided by law.
ARTICLE 5.
Section 1. All constructive work (excepting day-work) amount- ing to more than two hundred dollars ($200.00) and except on road work, shall be advertised for bids by posting in the several post- offices at least ten days before contracts are awarded.
SELECTMEN
ARTICLE 1.
Section 2. The board of selectmen shall have the general direc- tion and management of the property and affairs of the town in all matters not otherwise provided for by law, or by these by-laws.
ARTICLE 2.
Section 2. The selectmen after drawing a warrant for a town meeting shall immediately transmit a copy of such warrant to each member of the committee on finance.
ARTICLE 3.
Section 2. The board of selectmen shall cause to be posted by a constable of the town, a notice of every town meeting by attested copies, calling same, in not less than six public places in the town, to
be designated by the selectmen and at least seven days before the day appointed for the meeting.
ARTICLE 4.
Section 2. No person who is a member of the board of select- men or any board of elected officers shall hold any remunerative office by virtue of an appointment by such board or boards.
ARTICLE 5.
Section 2. No person shall throw in any manner in any public way in the town, any article, substance, or material which may prove injurious in any respect to the hoofs of animals, or the rubber tires of automobiles and other vehicles.
ARTICLE 6.
Section 2. No person shall place, or cause to be placed, in any of the public streets or sidewalks in the town, without the written license from the selectmen, any material whatever, or any rubbish of any kind and suffer same to remain for twenty-four hours.
ARTICLE 7.
Section 2. No person shall break or dig up the ground in any street for any purpose whatever, or set or place any fence, post, tree, or edgestone, or alter or change the position or direction of any fence, post, tree, or edgestone, or swing any door or gate, in, upon, or over, or change the grade or width of any public way without the written license of the selectmen, which shall prescribe the limitations or restrictions of such license.
ARTICLE 8.
Section 2. The board of selectmen will issue licenses at their discretion as follows: Gas-filling stations, roadside stands, common victuallers, all peddlers and junk dealers. All these subject to the rules and regulations of the board of selectmen.
ARTICLE 9.
Section 2. The board of selectmen shall annually appoint a chief of police and such other police officers as they deem necessary and have the general supervision over the police department.
ARTICLE 10.
Section 2. Automobiles and all other vehicles are subject to such rules as are made by the board of selectmen, which rules may be changed from time to time by the board when deemed necessary for the safety of the public.
COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
ARTICLE 1.
Section 3. There shall be appointed annually (by the moderator or by the board of selectmen) a committee on finance, consisting of five voters of the town.
ARTICLE 2.
Section 3. No member of the finance committee shall serve on any other standing committee having the expenditure of town funds. ARTICLE 3.
Section 3. The committee on finance shall, as soon as possible after February first of each year, give a hearing to the several boards which shall submit to it, an estimate of the amount needed for their departments for the ensuing year.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
ARTICLE 1.
Section 4. The chief of police shall be head of the police department and subject to the general supervision and control of the board of selectmen. He shall have control of the department, its officers and members, and special police officers when in the service of the department.
ARTICLE 2.
Section 4. The police department shall be governed by the rules and regulations and perform such duties as are prescribed by the board of selectmen, or by the by-laws of the town.
ARTICLE 3.
Section 4. No person having the charge of a vehicle in any street shall neglect or refuse to stop the same when directed by a police officer. No person shall stop his team, carriage, or other vehicle, or unnecessarily place any obstruction on any foot crossing made in or across any public ways in the town.
ARTICLE 4.
Section 4. The police department shall be subject to all the rules and regulations and perform all duties which are now or here- after prescribed by law, by the by-laws of the town, by the board of selectmen, or the rules and regulations of the police department. Any member of the department may be removed or suspended or otherwise disciplined by the board of selectmen, as provided by law.
FIRE DEPARTMENT ARTICLE 1.
Section 5. The town shall maintain a fire department and the selectmen shall annually appoint a chief engineer and three assistant engineers (one in each precinct) for the term of one year from the first day of April following. This board of engineers shall have the care and superintendence of all property appertaining to the fire department, as required by law.
ARTICLE 2.
Section 5. No person or persons shall allow combustible rub- bish to accumulate upon any premises where same would cause a fire menace to their own or other persons' property. No person shall set, maintain, or increase a fire in the open, except by written permission of the fire warden, or one of his deputies, except as otherwise provided by law.
ARTICLE 3.
Section 5. Parking of vehicles is prohibited on any public way within fifteen feet of any hydrant.
BOARD OF HEALTH
ARTICLE 1.
Section 6. The board of health shall make and publish from time to time such regulations as it deems necessary for public health and safety, and shall cause same to be printed in form for public distribution.
ARTICLE 2.
Section 6. The board of health shall annually make a report to be printed in the annual town report, showing in detail, statistics of the health and sanitary condition of the town with recommendations for its improvement, together with a full and comprehensive state- ment of its work during the previous year. Such report shall also contain a detailed statement of the amount expended by the board during the year.
ARTICLE 3.
Section 6. The board of health shall provide and maintain under their care and supervision some suitable place or places within a reasonable distance of the villages of the town for free public dumping, upon which the inhabitants of the town may dump or deposit ashes, cinders, papers or other refuse and rubbish in accord- ance with such rules and regulations as the board of health may from time to time make.
ARTICLE 4.
Section 6. No person unless having the authority so to do shall dump or deposit any ashes, rubbish, refuse, offal, or decaved animal or vegetable matter on any public or private land, contrary to the rules and regulations of the board of health.
ARTICLE 5.
Section 6. All persons keeping hogs within the limits of the town shall be subject to all rules and regulations of the board of health.
ARTICLE 6.
These by-laws may be repealed or amended at any annual town meeting, or at any other town meeting specially called for the pur- pose, an article or articles for such purpose having been inserted in the warrant for such meeting.
These by-laws shall go into effect upon their acceptance by the town and legal requirements have been complied with.
Any person violating any of these by-laws shall be punished by a fine not exceeding twenty dollars ($20) for each offence.
FRANK W. HOIT, AUGUST N. HEDERSTEDT, GEORGE A. RICHARDSON, Chairman,
By-law Committee.
17
Voted: To appropriate two hundred and twenty-five dol- lars.
Art. 13. To see if the town will vote to raise and approp- riate the sum of $350, or some other amount, and elect a director, the money to be expended by and the director to serve in co- operation with the Middlesex County trustees for county aid to agriculture in the work of the Middlesex County Extension Serv- ice under the provisions of Sec. 40 to 45, Chap. 128, General Laws of Massachusetts.
Voted: To appropriate three hundred dollars.
Chose Frank H. Holden, director.
Art. 14. To see if the town will authorize the selectmen to sell the fire shed at North Acton and the unused fire apparatus of the town.
Voted : That the selectmen be authorized to sell at auction the fire shed at North Acton and to dispose of such other un- used fire apparatus as they deem expedient.
Art. 15. To see if the town will vote to borrow the sum of $10,000. or any other amount, by the issue of notes, to continue the construction of Main street from a point opposite the res- idence of Frank E. Parsons to the State road leading to Littleton, provided a like sum is allotted the town by the State department of public works and a similar sum by the county of Middlesex or act anything thereon.
Voted: To pass over the article.
Art. 16. To see what action if any the town will take with regard to repairing that portion of School street extending from Merriam's corner to the Concord line or Harvard State road.
Voted: To take up for joint consideration all articles re- lating to highways, namely, articles 16 to 28 inclusive, excepting Article 17, 21 and 22.
Voted: To raise and appropriate $10,000. for special work on roads, the said sum of money to be expended by the selectmen in cooperation with a committee consisting of Alden C. Flagg, Frederick L. Burke and Waldo E. Whitcomb.
Art. 17. To see if the town will vote to raise and approp- riate the sum of two thousand dollars to lay new plank on the railroad bridge in South Acton and erect 2,000 feet of fencing within the town.
Art. 17. Voted to pass over the article.
Art. 18. To see if the town will vote to raise and approp- riate a sum of money to take care of the drainage on Massachu- setts avenue at Edwards square in West Acton or act anything thereon.
Action taken under Art. 16.
Art. 19. To see if the town will vote to raise and approp- riate a sum of money to repair Pearl street in West Acton or take any action thereon.
18
Action taken under Art. 16.
Art. 20. To see if the town will construct a drain along Woodbury road, by the residences of Edward C. Wood and H. M. Robbins to take care of the overflow from the fountain on the town common, or act anything thereon.
See action under Art. 16.
Art. 21. To see if the town will lay out, build and accept as a public highway, a section of land about forty feet wide lead- ing from Massachusetts avenue, West Acton and following the old location of the electric car line to a point where it enters the South Acton road near house of Sidney L. Richardson or act anything thereon.
Voted: To instruct the selectmen to lay out a public high- way forty feet wide, from Mass. Ave. in West Acton to the South Acton road near the residence of Sidney L. Richardson as stated in the article.
Art. 22. To see if the town will appropriate and raise by taxation or issuing of notes or bonds, a sum of money for the purpose of building the road as described in Art. 21 or act any- thing thereon.
Voted : To pass over the article.
Art. 23. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropri- ate a sum of money sufficient to gravel and oil Willow Street in West Acton from the residence of E. L. Hall to the Stow line.
See action under Art. 16.
Art. 24. To see if the town will vote to raise and approp- riate the sum of $3000, or any other amount, to be expended in resurfacing, oiling and draining of Arlington street in West Ac- ton from Central street to Elm street.
See action under Art. 16.
Art. 25. To see if the town will raise and appropriate a sum of money to resurface Arlington street in West Acton from Cen- tral street to Summer street, or act anything thereon.
See action under Art. 16.
Art. 26. To see if the town will vote to raise and approp- riate a sum of money sufficient to repair Red Acre Farm road, in South Acton from the house of Benjamin Ineson to a point near the residence of Philip Newell, or act anything thereon.
See action under Art. 16.
Art. 27. To see if the town will raise and appropriate $600. to gravel and oil Pope road from the state highway in East Acton to the brow of the hill, or act anything thereon.
See action under Art. 16.
Art. 28. To see if the town will vote to raise and approp- riate the sum of $5000, to macadamize Maple street in South Ac- ton or act anything thereon.
See action under Art. 16.
Art. 29. To see if the town will vote to erect a high school
19
building in the vicinity of Kelley's corner, and to raise and ap- propriate a sum, not to exceed $100,000, to defray the cost of site and building, and to act anything thereon.
Voted: That the town erect a high school building in the vicinity of Kelley's corner, and that the selectmen be and hereby are authorized and directed to petition for legislation to author- ize the town to borrow the sum of $50,000, outside the debt limit for said purpose.
Voted: That the moderator be empowered to appoint a nominating committee of three, to present the names of six, two from each precinct to act as a building committee to report at the meeting if possible.
The moderator appointed Charles T. Baxter, Frank W. Hoit, and Charles A. Durkee a nominating committee.
The committee reported as follows :-
George A. Richardson
Edgar H. Hall
William Rawitser
W. Stuart Allen Waldo E. Whitcomb Frank Toohey
The chairman to be chosen by the committee.
Voted : To accept the report of the nominating committee.
Art. 30. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of $500 for the purpose of erecting street signs or guide posts within the town.
Voted : To raise and appropriate $500.
Art. 31. To see if the town will instruct the selectmen to install a hydrant opposite the residence of Henry W. Bursaw or act anything thereon.
Voted: To instruct the selectmen to install a hydrant at or near the residence of Henry W. Bursaw.
Art. 32. To see if the town will authorize the selectmen to renew the water hydrant contract.
Voted: To authorize the selectmen to renew the contract for hydrant service on such terms as they shall deem best for the town.
Art. 33. To see what action if any the town will take in regard to the licensing of roadside stands within the town.
Voted: To pass over the article.
Art. 34. To see if the town will vote to employ a town nurse and appropriate a sum of money for the salary and ex- pense of the same.
Voted: That the town employ a town nurse to be under the supervision of a special committee to include Mrs. Eugene L. Hall, Mrs. William Rawitser, and Miss Charlotte Conant, in con- junction with the school committee and board of health and that the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars be appropriated for the salary and expense of the same.
Art. 35. To see if the town will vote to raise and approp- riate the sum of $3250, to purchase a site and erect a fire house
20
in Acton Center and appoint a committee to carry out the pro- visions of this article or act anything thereon.
Voted : To appropriate $2,500, to erect a fire house in Acton Center, on land owned by the town, at or near the location of the present fire house.
Art. 36. To see if the town will appropriate a sum, not over $500, for repairs on the South Acton fire house or act any- thing thereon.
Voted: To raise and appropriate $500.
Art. 37. To see if the town will vote to raise and approp- riate the sum of $500. to purchase a moving picture machine and install a booth in the town hall or act anything thereon.
Voted: To pass over the article.
Art. 38. To see if the town will vote to instruct the select- men to insure the fire apparatus of the town against property and liability damage and appropriate a sum of money therefor.
Voted: To pass over the article.
Art. 39. To see if the town will vote to appoint a committee to draw up a code of by-laws governing the town and to report at a subsequent meeting.
Voted: That the moderator appoint a committee of three to draw up a code of by-laws and report them at the next annual town meeting. The moderator appointed George A. Richardson, A. N. Hederstedt and Frank W. Hoit a committee.
Art. 40. To see if the town will vote to raise and approp- riate the sum of $600, to paint the interior of the Memorial library or act anything thereon.
Voted: To raise and appropriate $600.
Art. 41. To see if the town will vote to grant the selectmen the power of disposing of the old watering trough in South Acton, or act anything thereon.
Voted : To pass over the article.
Art. 42: To see if the town will vote to instruct the select- men to move the fountain in the square at South Acton over the site of the old watering trough if satisfactory agreement can be made with the water commissioners and raise and appropriate a sum of money not to exceed $150, to cover cost of same or act anything thereon.
Voted : To pass over the article.
Art. 43. To see if the town will vote to appropriate the sum of $600, the same being part of the amount returned to the town under the provisions of Chapter 480 of the Acts of 1924, (an act- providing for the return to the cities and towns of certain surplus funds, collected to provide suitable recognition of those residents of Massachusetts who served in the army and navy of the United States during the war with Germany) for the purpose of placing a suitable foundation, base, bronze plate and otherwise recondi- tioning the Spanish war memorial or act anything thereon.
21
Voted: That $600 be appropriated from said amount for the purpose stated in the article and that a committee of three be appointed by the moderator to carry out this vote.
The moderator appointed as a committee, Theron A. Lowden, Alan B. Frost and Harry B. Morse.
Art. 44. To see if the town will vote to appropriate the sum of $300, the same being part of the amount returned to the town under the provisions of Chapter 480 of the Acts of 1924, for the purpose of placing a raised triangular memorial plot in the square at South Acton, conforming with the lines of the street ; and place a metal light post with light, using underground wiring, or act anything thereon.
Voted: To pass over the article.
Art. 45. To see if the town will vote to renew the electric lighting contract with the American Woolen Company and in- struct the selectmen to sign the same or act anything thereon.
Voted: To instruct the selectmen to renew the contract with the American Woolen Company for the term of three years ..
Art. 46. To see if the town will vote to install street lights and extend its line on Parker road in South Acton from the res- idence of John E. Berglind to the Concord road or School street.
Voted : To pass over the article.
Art. 47. To see if town will instruct the selectmen to con- tract for additional street lighting in the business section of West Acton and appropriate a sum of money therefor.
Voted : . To instruct the selectmen to install additional lights in the business section of West Acton and to appropriate the sum of eighty (80) dollars therefor.
Art. 48. To see if the town will vote to extend the street lights from the residence of Alonzo Joy on Willow street in West Acton to the residence of L. W. Sylvester.
Voted: To pass over the article.
Art. 49: To see if the town will vote to extend the street lights from Crooker's corner on Massachusetts avenue to a point 1300 feet east of the corner.
Voted: To pass over the article.
Art. 50. To see if the town will extend the street lights on Arlington street in West Acton from Elm street to the residence of James N. Berry.
Voted : To pass over the article.
Art. 51. To see if the town will vote to raise and approp- riate the sum of $1000, for the purpose of installing a heating plant and making certain repairs on the fire house in West Acton or act anything thereon.
Voted : To pass over the article.
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.