USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Acton > Town annual reports of Acton, Massachusetts 1956-1960 > Part 47
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Three hundred thirty-five permits were issued. The sum of One thousand six hundred thirty-six dollars, ($1,636.00) was collected in fees for these permits, and turned over to the Treasurer.
Respectfully submitted,
LESLIE PARKE, Inspector of Wires.
REPORT OF THE INSURANCE COMMITTEE FOR THE TOWN OF ACTON FOR 1959
TO THE HONORABLE BOARD OF SELECTMEN: Gentlemen :
In accordance with the request of the Selectmen, we wish to submit the annual report of the Insurance Committee for the Town of Acton.
The principal change in the insurance account of the Town is the result of the completion of the new Elementary School on Charter Road. On November 27, 1959, the Builders Risk Fire Policy was cancelled and simultaneously a new building item was added to the Town Fire Schedule in the amount of $560,000, and $50,000 added to the Blanket contents coverage, which amounts equal approximately 80 per cent of the cost, making new totals for fire insurance on all Town buildings $1,478,000 and contents $242,000.
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THE TOWN OF ACTON
The inclusion of this building, which has a very low fire rate, resulted in lowering the average fire rate from 37 cents @ $100 to 29 cents @ $100 of value, so that the additional cost to the Town will not be proportionate to the increased insurance. The former schedule totalling $1,110,000 for building and contents on an annual basis cost $4,107, and the new total of $1,720,000 will cost $4,988. These are one year premiums and given only as examples since the actual policies enjoy five year term discounts, plus dividends from the two mutual companies that carry the risk.
The new school has also increased the annual cost of boiler and machinery insurance by $39.36. The heating boiler and hot water tanks and heaters and two air tanks were added to the policy.
The only other change involved the final revision of the fire and theft insurance on the Town vehicles. The policy is now written on a fleet basis with provisions for including the expensive portable equip- ment carried in vehicles of the Fire and Police Department.
A number of recommendations for additional insurance are still outstanding and have lost none of their urgency. I present them in order of their importance:
1. Extended Coverage #4, which includes the perils of windstorm, hail, explosion, riot, civil commotion, aircraft and motor vehicle damage, and smoke from sudden, faulty operation of heating or cooking units, should be added to the fire schedule totalling $1,720,000. The cost in the first year of a policy would be $1,720. This is the primary recommendation because a serious explosion or windstorm, etc. can cause a greater loss to the Town than the other uninsured perils.
2. Vandalism and Malicious Mischief is another supplementary coverage that should be added to the fire schedule of $1,720,000. The cost, $172, in the first year of a policy is extremely reason- able but can only be added if extended coverage #4 has pre- viously been added. Many Massachusetts cities and towns have since 1945 suffered very heavy vandalism losses and in a number of cases exceeding $100,000. We urge early con- sideration of this recommendation.
3. Public Liability insurance on all public buildings is strongly recommended. In case of serious accidents to members of the public, the defense costs alone can be heavy to say nothing of the judgments themselves. A policy with limits of $25/100,000 for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage liability will cost $398.70 (plus the necessary premium to include the new elementary school). To extend coverage to sidewalks would cost $47.10 additional for each mile of sidewalks. The policy is recommended principally because of 1) the possibility of a
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224th ANNUAL REPORT OF
serious loss to the town, 2) the defence cost of invalid suits, and 3) the public relations aspect should the injured person be a citizen of the Town.
The final responsibility of a municipality towards a member of the public is a very difficult legal question. We believe that there are many cases where municipalities are exempt from legal liability, but the tendencies of the courts in the last decade is definitely towards holding a municipality responsible where negligence can be shown on the part of the servants or agents of the municipality.
4. Non-Ownership Automobile Liability insurance would defend and pay judgments against the Town arising out of accidents caused by Town officials and employees being involved in accidents while using their own automobiles on Town business. A remote possibility but large potential loss. An annual premium of about $64.67 if thirteen people regularly use their personal cars on Town business and twenty-five other regular employees are on the payroll.
5. Valuable Papers insurance is desirable but not mandatory. This would be designed to cover the cost of reproducing Town records should they be destroyed by any means. A $20,000 policy covering principally the records of the Town Clerk and Treasurer would cost approximately $81 annually.
6. Boiler and Machinery policy should be endorsed so that the limit of liability reads $100,000 throughout rather than depend- ing on a schedule of varying limits per building. This would eliminate one more chance of error and the cost would be negligible.
Attached you will find our estimates for town insurance bills that will be payable in the year 1960 and it is suggested that the figure inserted as the annual insurance budget item be the single total of this schedule, plus 15 per cent to allow for rate increases that cannot be accurately anticipated. Any surplus would be returned to Surplus Revenue Account.
Each proposal for new insurance that the Selectmen and Finance Committee wish to present to the Town should be the subject of a separate article in the warrant for the annual town meeting. We will be glad to assist in the preparation of these articles, if our help is desired.
Respectfully submitted, CHESTER B. ROBBINS RAYMOND A. GALLANT CHARLES M. MACRAE THERON A. LOWDEN THOMAS MOTLEY, II, Chairman
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THE TOWN OF ACTON
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT
TO THE HONORABLE BOARD OF SELECTMEN:
I herewith submit the following report for 1959.
Board of Trustees
Mrs. Florence Durkee * Alden C. Flagg
W. W. Forbes, M.D.
Roland MacLean
Frank Garbarino, Chairman
Miss Florence Merriam
Dudley Howe
Mrs. M. P. Moore
Marvin Tolf
Library Hours
Acton Memorial West Branch
Tuesday - Saturday (incl. )
Tuesday 3 - 6 P. M.
1 -6 P. M. and 7 - 9 P. M. Thursday 6 - 8 P. M.
Librarians
Marian L. Piper
Edna R. Custance (assistant)
Clara Roth (alternate assistant)
Ina Milbery - West Branch
Custodian
Ralph Parsons, Jr.
Accession
Number of Volumes in Library January 1, 1959
20,773
Increase by purchase
728
Increase by gift
168
Withdrawn
395
Number of Volumes in Library January 1, 1960
21,274
Circulation in 1959
44,052
Fiction
22,613
Non-fiction
8,053
Juvenile
13,386
Circulation in 1958
38,416
Receipts
Fines
$598.77
Miscellaneous
24.14
$622.91
Sincere thanks are extended to all who contributed magazines and books.
Deceased
MARIAN L. PIPER,
Librarian.
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224th ANNUAL REPORT OF
REPORT OF THE MOTH SUPERINTENDENT
TO THE HONORABLE BOARD OF SELECTMEN :
I herewith submit my report for the year 1959. The Moth Depart- ment had 72 diseased Elms on town property this year. This is a large increase over 1958.
A dormant spray was applied to all Elms in the villages. The regular foliage spray was applied to all Elms on town property.
We continued our poison ivy control program around the schools and other public buildings as well as along the town roads.
Respectfully submitted, FRANKLIN H. CHARTER, Moth Superintendent.
REPORT OF PERSONNEL BOARD
TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN:
The Personnel Board held its first meeting the latter part of June and it became quite evident that Messrs. Whitehead and Gray, the only remaining members of the committee, were going to need assistance. Clyde Horne was immediately appointed to fill the vacancy. It was felt by this group that at least three more members would be needed in order to spread the work load more equitably. On the advice of the Selectmen, it was decided to solicit three additional members who would serve in a sub-committee status until the town had an opportunity to vote the six-man committee. This has now been voted and the committee has met officially at least once every week since July. The unofficial meetings and individual research undertaken are too numerous to list.
Each member was assigned specific departments and these have been as follows:
Mr. Whitehead Highway Department
Mr. Horne Cemetery Department
Mr. Leach Police Department
Mr. Parker Town Office Employees
Mr. Newell Fire, Board of Health, Library, and Tree Department
Mr. Gray
Misc. and not departmentalized employees
The first undertaking of this board was to conduct a job description survey covering all departmentalized employees of the town and with very few exceptions all of the non-departmentalized employees. The
141
THE TOWN OF ACTON
town employees were extremely cooperative with this request which materially assisted the board in completing the survey and facilitated greatly the establishment of the Table of Organization for each of these departments. With the information obtained from the Massachusetts Municipal Personnel Board, salary surveys of composite comparable towns; the job description survey; discussions with the Selectmen, Finance Committee, department supervisors and, in some cases, individual employees; we were able to establish the following personnel information and recommendations.
Wage and Salary Qualifications
1st step raise not less than 1 year nor more than 3 years
2nd step raise not less than 2 years nor more than 4 years maximum raise not less than 3 years nor more than 5 years
The above span of time would be based on the start of full time employment with the town, except in the case of the Police Department where time would start from the date of Civil Service appointment.
In the Table of Organization it is expected if an employee of lower classification is qualified for a higher classification and an opening occurs, then such employee would be considered for the job, starting in the salary range of the classification bracket for that position. This would naturally create an opening in a lower classification which would require replacement.
It is also expected in hiring for certain positions that the department head might find it necessary to use a higher starting salary than the minimum but not greater than the maximum. It would mean that the above qualifications would hold until they had been met before a con- sideration of raise is given, except in the case of hiring at maximum start- ing salary.
The above qualifications indicate a spread for a raise in salary. This is to enable the department head flexibility in recommending the raise and the Finance Board flexibility in concurring.
The Personnel Board has indicated the recommended salary for this year only. This was done to bring into line the salaries of the Acton town employees with the comparable composite towns that the board used. It would be the responsibility of the department head in future years to make this recommendation, if the qualifications mentioned above have been met and, most important, if the employee merits a raise. This would then be a decision of the Finance Board to concur or not.
Emergency Overtime for Snow Removal
When employees are called back to work over and above their regularly scheduled day to carry out immediate action for an emergency,
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224th ANNUAL REPORT OF
such as a snowstorm, the employee will be paid one and a half times his regular hourly pay; if this occurs on a paid holiday he will receive his holiday pay plus a regular days pay and if his regular hours in that day are exceeded he will then receive 11/2 times his regular pay for the number of hours in addition. The emergency will be brought to the attention of the Selectmen as soon as practical by the department head and so ruled.
Part Time Help
We note that part time help including Special Police, are hired at a fixed rate and as such are not entitled to vacation or holiday pay.
Town Office (40 hours/week)
Executive Secretarial Clerical
1 $68.00 $70.00 $73.00 $78.00
Senior Clerk
1 $58.00 $60.00 $63.00 $68.00
Junior Clerk
3 $48.00 $50.00 $53.00 $58.00
Janitor
Flat fee $40.00/week
Proposed
Executive Sect. Clerical
$78.00
Senior Clerk
*
Junior Clerk
$58.00
Junior Clerk
hold present pay
1/2 Junior Clerk
hold present pay
1/2 Junior Clerk
hold present pay
Janitor
hold present pay
* resigned
(Note second paragraph of qualifications for replacing the opening above. )
The board feels that the present arrangement of a secretarial pool is an excellent control and should be continued regardless of whether or not a clerk works for any one group her total time.
When action has been undertaken to call upon the pool for addi- tional clerical help in regards to the Highway Department and the Cemetery Department, the Personnel Board would recommend an increase in Table of Organization of one Junior Clerk.
Police Department (40 hours/week)
Chief 1 $5,000 year $5,204 year $5,408 year $5,616 year
Sergeant 2 $2.15 hour $2.25 hour $2.35 hour $2.45 hour
Patrolmen 6 $1.80 $1.95 $2.10 $2.25
Special
Patrolmen* 1/3 $1.75
1 Chief
2 Sergeants
6 Patrolmen
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THE TOWN OF ACTON
* There are seven Special Patrolmen now being used whose total time is equivalent to 1/3 of a man per year.
The Personnel Board recommends that a fourth salary step be added to the recommendations of the 1957 Personnel report and that special police be raised from $1.65 hour to $1.75 hour.
We do not concur with the transfer of the clerk from the secretarial pool to the Police Department. We recognize, but do not wish to act at this time on the Chief's revision of the present 2 week vacation plan.
The Personnel Board feels that the present organization from an administrative viewpoint is more then adequately staffed. Although we do not recommend the reduction of a sergeant, we feel that considerable investigation should be given in the future towards any expansion in this area.
We are also inclined to agree that the lack of an appreciable difference in salaries between sergeants and chief is not the basis on which raises should be considered, but rather on the basis of duties, risks, work loads, and responsibility. There is no doubt that the duties of the chief have been materially reduced with the presence of two sergeants to assist him in the administration of his department.
The Board does feel that there is a direct comparison between work load and risk encountered by Acton patrolmen and patrolmen throughout the state, but we do not concur in this comparison when used in regards to sergeants and chiefs in a small town.
It is the opinion of the Personnel Board that police duties are primarily divided into two categories, apprehension, and prevention, and that prevention for a town of limited expenditure is a luxury to be pur- chased and enlarged as it can be afforded.
Cemetery Department (40 hours/week)
Working Foreman
1 $1.85 $1.90 $1.971/2 $2.10
Assistant Working Foreman
1 $1.75 $1.80 $1.85 $1.95
Skilled Laborer
1 $1.65 $1.70 $1.75 $1.85
Part Time Help
Personnel
1 $1.40 Proposed
Working Foreman
$1.87 to $2.10
Asst. Working Foreman
$1.60 to $1.95
Skilled Laborer
$1.60 to $1.85
$1.30 to $1.40
3 Part Time Help
$1.35 to $1.40
$1.40
It is the board's opinion that the cemetery Foreman is underpaid for the job he performs, but it is also the board's opinion that he is per-
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224th ANNUAL REPORT OF
forming functions beyond those which would normally be assigned to this category. Therefore in view of the paperwork that is inherent in this department, we feel additional help should be sought from the secretarial pool and that it be directly supervised by the Cemetery Com- missioners in regards to interment records, sale of lots, money paid in and out, and the general reports of the department. This would eliminate the paper work of the Cemetery Foreman and free him to carry out the duties of a working foreman. It is the opinion of this board that it is imperative for the Cemetery Commissioners to more actively pursue their duties utilizing the secretarial pool in order to relieve the foreman of the majority of his paper work.
Highway Department (44 hours)
Superintendent
1 $2.00
$2.10
$2.15
$2.25
Working Foreman
1 $1.75
$1.80
$1.85
$1.95
Mechanic and Machine Operator
2
$1.75
$1.80
$1.85
$1.95
Heavy Equipment Operator
1
$1.75
$1.80
$1.85
$1.95
Truck Driver and Semi-Skilled Laborer
1 $1.65
$1.70
$1.75
$1.85
Semi-Skilled Laborer
2 $1.50
$1.55
$1.60
$1.70
Regular Part Time Help
$1.40
Summer Part Time Help
$1.10
Personnel
Proposed
Superintendent
$2.00 to $2.25
Working Foreman
$1.90 to $1.95
Mechanic/Machine
$1.90 to $1.95
Operator
Mechanic/Machine Operator
$1.70 to $1.75
Heavy Equipment
$1.70 to $1.75
Operator
Truck Driver/Semi- Skilled Laborer
$1.70 to $1.75
Semi-Skilled Laborer
$1.60 to $1.65
In view of the similarity throughout the town of the labor force, the tools of operation used, and the seasonal variance of the operational peaks of these departments, it is the firm belief of this board that a Department of Public Works incorporating the Cemetery, the Highway, the Tree Department, and all custodial duties including the town dump, be conceived with whatever legal means are necessary by the Board of Selectmen. The board feels that the efficiencies that would result would indicate a substantial saving in manpower, materials, and equipment.
145
THE TOWN OF ACTON
Fire Department (Volunteer)
Fire Chief
1 $5,000 year $5,204 $5,408 $5,616
Fire Alarm Operator
1 $65.00/week
Asst. Alarm Operator ( substitute part time help)
1/3 $1.10 hour
Volunteers
Deputy Chief
3 guarantee $75.00 year $2.00/hour/call
Firefighter
51 guarantee $10.00 year $1.75/hour/call
Janitor
3 $20.00/month
The Personnel Board recommends that the Fire Chief receive the maximum step indicated $5,616.
The present Table of Organization shall apply to volunteers. In the future any permanent establishment of the Fire Department personnel would require a special study by the Personnel Board.
The Board feels that the Town of Acton is indeed fortunate to have such responsible and civic-minded individuals that now comprise our volunteer Fire Department.
Board of Health (40 hours)
Health Agent
1
$1.65
$1.75
$1.80
$1.85
Nurse
1 $69.00
$72.00
$75.00
$78.00
Plumbing Inspector
1
set by fees collected
Inspector of Animals
1 flat fee $150.00/year
Dump Custodian
1 $1.35 $1.371/2 $1.40
$1.45
Part Time Help
$1.40
Board of Health Members
Chairman
$125.00
Members (2)
$75.00
Personnel
Proposed
Agent now $1.75 no raise see qualifications
Nurse now $75.00 raise $78.00
Custodian now $72.00 over Maximum recommendation
Part Time
now $1.50 over Maximum recommendation
The Personnel Board feels that the Table of Organization for the Board of Health should not indicate assistants for the Town Nurse, Health Agent, and Town Dump Custodian. When coverage is needed for these classifications during periods such as vacation, etc., the Board of Health should arrange for substitute part time help.
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224th ANNUAL REPORT OF
Tree and Moth Department (40 hours)
Tree Warden
1/4 $1.75
$1.80
$1.85
$1.95
Moth Superintendent
1/4 $1.75
$1.80
$1.85
$1.95
Tree Climber Skilled
1 $1.65
$1.70
$1.75 $1.85
Part-Time Laborer
1/4 $1.40
Personnel
Proposed
Tree Warden
now $1.85/hour raise $1.95
Moth Superintendent
Climber
$1.85
Laborer
$1.40
Library (35 hours)
Librarian
1 $1.50
$1.55
$1.65
$1.75
Asst. Librarian
1/2 $1.20 $1.25
$1.35
$1.45
Janitor
Set fee $30.00/month
Personnel
Proposed now $1.66 raise $1.75
Librarian
Asst. Librarian
now $1.25 raise $1.45
Asst. Librarian, Acton Center
$1.20
Asst. Librarian, W. Acton
now $1.25 raise $1.45
Janitor $30.00/month
Generally we were made aware of the dangers inherent in isolated departments operating for many years as entities unto themselves and the inequities which are bound to be present when they are eventually examined as a single unit, comparing like jobs one to another. It was also apparent that there was an extreme need to establish firm tables of organization (what skills and how many) for each town department and wage scale goals for each employee classification, not with the intent of eliminating any jobs presently established but to insure that future hiring for replacement be based directly on the qualification for and the openings available.
The Personnel Board feels that the ultimate aim is to create and present to the voters of the town a Personnel By-law that encompasses all phases of wages and benefits with provision for periodic review and adjustments.
We present this report as recommendations to be followed, fully realizing the choice to use it in full or part rests in the hands of the BOARD OF SELECTMEN, to be passed on by the final authority, the voters of Acton.
Respectfully submitted, PETER GRAY, WARREN NEWELL, BRADFORD LEACH, EVERETT PARKER, CHARLES WHITEHEAD, CLYDE HORNE, Secretary, Acton Personnel Board.
THE TOWN OF ACTON
147
REPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
TO THE HONORABLE BOARD OF SELECTMEN:
Acton, Massachusetts
Gentlemen :
I herewith submit my third annual report for the Police Department for the year ending December 31, 1959. This report includes all arrests and prosecutions, report on motor vehicle accidents, bicycle registrations, houses checked, parking violations, defective equipment tags, telephone calls received and other items.
Arrests and Prosecutions for the following offenses:
Allowing improper person to operate a motor vehicle
1
Assault and Battery
4
Attaching Plates
1
Drunk
19
Failing to Keep Right
1
Failure to display mud flaps
1
Fraudulent Check
3
Giving false name to Officer
1
Going away after Property Damage
5
Hunting too close to a dwelling
2
Impeded Operation
1
Improper Left Turn
1
Labor on the Lord's Day
1
Larceny
2
Law of the Road
2
License not in possession
2
Malicious injury to Property
1
No License
10
No Registration in possession
2
Non-Support
3
No Tail Light
1
Offering Contraceptives for sale
1
Operating after revocation of License
6
Operating after suspension of License
1
Operating an uninsured Motor Vehicle
4
Operating an uninspected Motor Vehicle
3
Operating an unregistered Motor Vehicle
7
Operating So As To Endanger
22
Operating under the influence of intoxicating liquor
5
Passing where view was obstructed
1
Present at Gaming
5
Refusing to give name to Police Officer
1
Red Light violation
1()
148
224th ANNUAL REPORT OF
Refusing to stop
1
School Bus violation
13
Speeding
131
Spilling on Highway
2
Stop Sign violation
37
Towing Unregistered Motor Vehicle
1
Town By-Law (Failure to report an accident)
1
Using Motor Vehicle without Authority
2
Vagrancy
1
Delinquent Child - Attempted Larceny
1
Delinquent child - Breaking and Entering to commit a
Misdemeanor
4
Delinquent Child - Failing to keep to the right
1
Delinquent Child - Indecent Exposure
2
Delinquent Child - Larceny
2
Delinquent Child - Malicious destruction of Property
1
Delinquent Child - No License
1
Delinquent Child - Operating So As To Endanger
1
Delinquent Child - Operating Uninsured Motor Vehicle
1
Delinquent Child - Operating Unregistered Motor Vehicle
1
Delinquent Child - School Offender
1
Delinquent Child - Speed Regulations
1
Delinquent Child - Using Motor Vehicle without Authority
and Operating without a License
4
343
Motor Vehicle Accident Report:
1958
1959
Total number of Accidents covered by the Department
112
104
Number of occupants injured
54
30
Number of occupants killed
1
1
Number of pedestrians injured
2
5
Bicyclists injured
2
6
Bicyclists killed
0
0
Motorcyclists injured
1
0
Horseback rider injured
0
0
Miscellaneous Statistics:
Bicycles registered
181
Complaints received and investigated
315
Cruiser ambulance trips to Acton Medical Center
6
Cruiser ambulance trips to Emerson Hospital
53
Cruiser trips to Metropolitan State Hospital
3
Defective equipment tickets given 57
Doors found unlocked in buildings and places of business
178
149
THE TOWN OF ACTON
Electric Wires down and reported to Edison
6
Emergencies answered
90
Fire Alarms Answered
79
Houses checked
197
Motorists assisted by Patrol
38
Motor Vehicles checked by night patrol
510
Nighttime Parking Tickets given
115
Parking Tickets given
32
Property check, Slips left at request of owners
3,435
Prowlers reported
7
Street lights out, reported to Edison Company 138
Summonses sent out for Service 163
Summonses Served 221
Telephone calls - Incoming 5,831
Telephone calls - Outgoing
2,472
Telephone calls received re "No School"
140
Telephone Wires down and reported to New England Tele- phone Company 4
Times Resuscitator was used 16
Total Number of Arrests made 47
Traffic lights out and reported to Department of Public Works 28
There were 867 Motor Vehicles checked by the department for Traffic or Motor Vehicle violations for which operators received verbal warning, summons to appear in Court or had the violation reported to the Registrar for action.
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