USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1957-1961 > Part 5
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Article 54. VOTED: in the affirmative for $2,853.14 from the Sewer Assessment Reserve Account.
VOTED: to dissolve this meeting.
A true record. Attest: Clare P. Boyer, Town Clerk.
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Town Warrant Special Town Meeting JULY 1, 1957
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Worcester, ss:
To either of the Constables of the Town of Southbridge, in the County of Worcester,
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby requested to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Southbridge aforesaid qualified to vote in Town Af- fairs to meet in the Town Hall of Southbridge on Monday, July 1, 1957 at 7:30 P.M. to act on the following articles:
Article 1. To see if the Town will vote to appoint the reg- istered voters named below to a new committee to be known as the Southbridge School Planning Committee, said committee to investigate the need and to prepare suggested plan or plans of new school structures and/or alterations to existing school structures and/or demolition of existing school structures, said committee to present plans and reports six weeks prior to the Annual Town Meeting of March, 1958, and further, to see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, borrow or transfer the sum of $5,000.00, said sum of money to be a special account known as the Southbridge School Planning Committee Expense Account, said sum of money to be used to defray the expenses of carrying out the work provided in this Article, or act any- thing thereon: Edgar Bourgeois, Lous VanDernoot, Stavri B. Yanka, Rose P. Shepard, Leslie A. Hackett, Anthony Deter- ando, Dr. Aloysius Koprowski, Mario DeAngelis, Mrs. William A. Gibson, Jr., Oswald J. Laliberte, Roland G. Hetu, Paul H. Hynes, Eugene Leblanc.
Article 2. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer $400.00 to provide an officer for school children at the West Street and Main Street intersec- tion, or act anything thereon. These funds to be allocated to the School Department.
Article 3. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer a sum of money to reconstruct Blackmer Road from Old Dudley Road, southeasterly to the Dudley Town line, a distance of approximately 2,500 feet, or act anything thereon.
Article 4. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer a sum of money to reconstruct
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Quelphwood Road from Charlton Street, easterly, to Charlton Town Line, a distance of approximately 6,000 feet, or act any- thing thereon.
Article 5. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer a sum of money for the construc- tion of a sanitary sewer from the intersection of Field and Dur- fee Streets, along Durfee Street for a distance of 1,895 feet and also from the intersection of Durfee and Hillside Roads along Hillside Road for a distance of 413 feet, a total of 2,308 feet, or act anything thereon.
Article 6. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer a sum of money for the construc- tion of a sanitary sewer from the existing terminus of the 1956 construction on Hillside Road, along Hillside Road to the inter- section with Jacobs Road, thence along Jacobs Road to a point 150 feet north of Durfee Street, a total distance of 1,097 feet, more or less, or act anything thereon.
Article 7. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer a sum of money for the construc- tion of a sanitary sewer from the existing terminus on Eastford Road, along Eastford Road to Durfee Street a distance of 635 feet, thence westerly along Durfee Street for a distance of 1,095 and also from the intersection of Durfee and Hillside Road along Hillside Road for a distance of 413 feet, a total of 2,143 feet, or act anything thereon.
Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate, bor- row or transfer the sum of One Thousand Two Hundred Dol- lars, ($1,200.00) for the purpose of breaking up the present side- walk and building a new one on Elm Street in front of the Elm Market, or act anything thereon.
Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate, bor- row or transfer the sum of One Thousand Four Hundred Dol- lars ($1,400.00) for the purpose of buying a snow plow for the new truck purchased this year, or act anything thereon.
Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer a sum of money for the construc- tion of Cole Avenue from Dresser Street to Woody Crest Ave- nue, a distance of about five hundred fifty (550) feet, or act any- thing thereon.
Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer a sum of money for the construc- tion of a storm drain from the junction of Hartwell and Spring Streets westerly along the southerly line of Hartwell Street to the intersection with an existing brook, a distance of 95 feet, more or less, or act anything thereon.
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Article 12. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer a sum of money for extensive re- pairs to Field houses and a resurfacing of tennis and basketball courts on Dresser Street Athletic Field, or act anything thereon.
Artitcle 13. To see if the Town will vote to raise or ap- propriate, borrow or transfer a sum of money to install a chain link fence on Henry Street Field, said fence acquired by the Town for Mechanic Street Bailey Bridge site, or act anything thereon.
Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to adopt the fol- lowing By-Law, to be known as Section 3 of Article IV of the Town By-Laws:
"The Selectmen to appoint an executive secretary who may be appointed by them for a term of one or three years and to re- move him at their discretion. An executive secretary appointed under the provisions of this section shall be sworn to the faith- ful performance of his duties. During the time that he holds office he shall be sworn to the faithful performance of his duties. During the time that he holds office he shall hold no elective town office, but he may be appointed by the Selectmen or, with their approval, by any other town officer, board, com- mittee or commission, to any other town office or position con- sistent with his office. He shall receive such aggregate com- pensation, not exceeding the amount appropriated therefor, as the Selectmen may determine. He shall act by and for the Se- lectmen in any matter which they may assign to him relating to the administration of the affairs of the town or of any town office or department under their supervision and control, or, with the approval of the Selectmen, may perform such other duties as may be requested of him by any other town officer, board, committee or commission."
Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer the sum of Five Thousand ($5,000.00) Dollars to a new account to be known as the Execu- tive Secretary Salary Account, or act anything thereon.
Article 16. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer the sum of One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars to a new account to be known as the Executive Secre- tary Expense Account, or act anything thereon.
Article 17. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer the sum of Eighteen Hundred and Fifty-Four ($1,854.00) Dollars to be paid to the Superintendent and Matron of the Town Infirmary, said sum to be paid as salary for the months of March, April, May, June, July and August, 1957, or act anything thereon.
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Article 18. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of $650.00 from the Parking Meter Account for the rental of the vacant land at the corner of Main and Goddard Streets for the period of one year, said land to be used for off-street parking of vehicles, the owner of record of said property to pay the taxes and provide public liability insurance in an amount not less than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), it being un- derstood that the owner of record of the Town can terminate the rental of the property upon thirty (30) days' notice, and that payment of the rental is to be made on a monthly basis, or act anything thereon.
Article 19. To see if the Town will vote to make Central Street one way southerly from Hook Street to Main Street and Foster Street one way northerly to North Street, generally in accord with th report dated June 11, 1957 of a survey made by A. Wallace Gove for the Southbridge Public Improvement Committee, and further to see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer the sum of $250.00 to cover costs of necessary signs, markings, etc. Above plan to be on a trial basis for a period of sixty (60) days, with the decision to make this plan permanent to be the responsibility of the Southbridge Public Improvement Committee in conjunction with the Se- lectmen and the Chief of Police, or act anything thereon.
Article 20. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of $5,000.00 from the General Relief Expense Account to the Board of Public Welfare Alteration and Repair Account. Said sum of money to be used by the Board of Public Welfare to repair, alter, build, decorate and purchase additional equip- ment for new quarters for said Board and said sum to cover also the expense of moving and installing the furniture and equipment of said Board of Public Welfare from its present quarters to the new location, or act anything thereon.
Article 21. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer a sum of money under SS36 of Section 5, Chapter 40, of the General Laws of the Common- wealth for the eradication of mosquitoes by the Board of Health in the Town, said eradication to be done under Chapter 252, or act anything thereon.
Article 22. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, borrow or transfer the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for the Forest Fire Department, or act anything thereon.
Article 23. To see if the Town will vote to accept the re- port of the Selectmen in regards to proposed voting precincts, which report reads as follows: "In accordance with Section 6 of Chapter 54 of the General Laws, as directed by Article 12
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of the Annual Town Meeting held March 19, 1957, the Board of Selectmen has caused the Town of Southbridge to be divided into four voting precincts as follows: Precinct #1, Mary E. Wells High School, Registered Voters, 3,390; Precinct #2, West Street School, Registered Voters, 2,143; Precinct #3, Sacred Heart School, Registered Voters, 3,228; Precinct #4, Eastford Road School, Registered Voters, 970. This report is made to you as called for in the above stated General Law of the Com- monwealth," or act anything thereon
Article 24. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of $147.50 from the Long Typewriter Account to Veterans' Services Account, or act anything thereon.
Article 25. To see if the Town will vote to rescind and make null and void all of Section 3 of Article 7 of the Town By- Laws which were adopted by the Town at the Special Town Meeting of April 30, 1956, said section 3 of Article 7, when adopted, being as follows: "No officer, board or committee having the disbursement of an appropriation shall make pur- chases of supplies or materials or contract for services to be rendered the town without issuing a written purchase order therefor on prescribed forms; provided, however, that the pro- visions of this section shall not apply to the salaries or wages of officers and persons regularly or temporarily employed by the town. Copies of all purchase orders are to be designated for and delivered to the town accountant; provided, however, that verbal orders for supplies or materials or services to be ren- dered may be issued for an amount not to exceed Twenty-Five Dollars. All verbal orders shall be confirmed in writing on the prescribed purchase order forms on the day the orders are given and transmitted immediately to the town accountant to be so certified and recorded," or act anything thereon.
You are directed to serve this warrant by posting attested copies in six (6) conspicuous places within the Town at least seven (7) days before holding said meeting.
Hereof fail not and make due return of this warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at the same time and place aforesaid.
ARMAND O. DeGRENIER RAYMOND LATAILLE PETER GRAF. Selectmen of Southbridge.
A true copy. Attest: Blaise Trudeau, Constable of Southbridge.
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Worcester, ss:
Southbridge, Mass. June 20, 1957
Pursuant to the within warrant I have notified and warned the inhabitants of the Town of Southbridge by posting up at- tested copies of the same in six conspicuous places, namely: Town Hall, Lippe's Market, Laughnane's News Room, Metro Bros., South St. Market, and Ebb Tide and now return this warrant with my doings thereon as above described this 20th day of June, 1957.
Blaise Trudeau
Constable of Southbridge.
A true copy. Attest: Clare P. Boyer, Town Clerk.
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Special Town Meeting JULY 1, 1957
Mr. Willard Stark, the Moderator, called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.
The Moderator stated: "He would consider the Finance Committee's recommendations as motions and that substitute motions could be presented from the floor." "Said Finance Committee's recommendations to be considered duly seconded."
Voted: that the reading of the warrant by the Town Clerk be dispensed with.
Article 1. VOTED: in the affirmative for $2,000.00 from the Excess and Deficiency Account.
(For reconsideration see pp. 571.)
Article 2. VOTED: in the affirmative for $400.00 from the Excess and Deficiency Account.
(For reconsideration see pp. 571.)
Article 3. VOTED: , indefinite postponement.
Article 4. VOTED: indefinite postponement.
Article 5. VOTED: indefinite postponement.
Article 6.
The following substitute motion presented, seconded and carried:
VOTED: that the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $7,100.00 for the construction of a sanitary sewer from the existing terminus of the 1956 construction on Hillside Road, along Hillside Road to the intersection with Jacobs Road, thence along Jacobs Road to a point 150 feet north of Durfee Street, a distance of 1,097 feet, more or less, and that the same be taken from the Excess and Deficiency Account.
Article 7. VOTED: indefinite postponement.
Article 8. VOTED: indefinite postponement.
Article 9. VOTED: indefinite postponement.
Article 10.
The following substitute motion presented and seconded:
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, bor- row or transfer $5,000.00 from the Excess and Deficiency Ac- count for the clearance of all trees, brush and make boundaries of proposed improvement to Cole Avenue, and make said street as wide as possible after clearance. Also to ask that street lights be installed from junction of Cole Avenue and Dresser
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Street to Woodycrest Avenue. Above highway work to be done by the Town Highway Department. Special attention should be made to widen entrance of Cole Avenue and Dresser Street.
After many pros and cons the Moderator addressed Mr. Le- clair, (he being the one that presented above substitute mo- tion) stating: "That Five Thousand Dollars would not be enough to cover all the work to be done per substitute motion. Furthermore, that the Highway Dept. could not install street lights. Therefore, I suggest that the sentence that refers to street lights be deleted from the substitute motion." Mr. Le- clair did delete said sentence.
The following substitute motion was amended was sec- onded and carried:
VOTED: in the affirmative for Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) from the Excess and Deficiency Account for the clearance of all trees, brush and make boundaries of proposed improvement to Cole Avenue, and make said street as wide as possible after clearance. Above highway work to be done by the Town Highway Department. Special attention should be made to widen entrance to Cole Avenue and Dresser Street.
** Article 11 **
At this time Chairman of the Finance Committee, Mr. Du- mas, asked for reconsideration of Article 1 and 2. Seconded and carried. It's a vote.
The Moderator asked the inhabitants present if they would vote to waiver action of the remaining articles. So done.
It's a vote.
** Article 1. Reconsideration. Seconded and carried.
VOTED: that Alfred J. Peloquin's name be added to The Southbridge School Planning Committee.
** Article 2. Reconsideration. Seconded and carried.
VOTED: Said Four Hundred Dollars ($400.00) (per vote) be allocated to Police Department.
Unanimous vote in the affirmative.
Article 11. VOTED: indefinite postponement.
Article 12.
The folowing substitute motion presented, seconded and carried:
VOTED: in the affirmative for One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) from the Excess and Deficiency Account.
Article 13. VOTED: in the affirmative for Three Hun- dred Twenty-Five Dollars ($325.00) from the Excess and De- ficiency Account. Work to be done by contract.
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Article 14.
The following substitute motion presented, seconded and carried:
VOTED: that this matter be referred to the Southbridge Public Improvement Committee for further study and recom- mendation.
Article 15. VOTED: indefinite postponement.
Article 16. VOTED: indefinite postponement.
Article 17. VOTED: Six Hundred Eighteen Dollars ($618.00) as termination payments through April 30, 1957 from the Excess and Deficiency Account.
Article 18.
During the pos and cons of this article, Mr. Arpin, Assessor, questioned the Moderator. "Can $618.00 (as per vote of Article 17) be taken from the E & D Account for this purpose?" Mr. Arpin, Assessor, stated, "that he thought it should be taken from the 1958 tax levy." The Moderator asked the Town Counsel the question. Town Counsel replied, "he couldn't answer Mr. Arpin's question immediately."
Mr. Arpin asked for reconsideration of Article 17. So sec- onded. (First he asked the Moderator if it would be legal) Moderator replied: "Yes."
Reconsideration: That Six Hundred Eighteen Dollars ($618.00) at termination payments through April 30, 1957 be taken from the 1958 tax levy.
Reconsideration defeated.
Mr. Arpin questioned the legality of the amount of money (as read by the Moderator which was $950.00). In the warrant the article #18, specified $650.00. Mr. Arpin stated, "that he doubted that the voters could legally transfer or appropriate an amount greater than that specified in the article." The Moder- ator disagreed, and he stated: "that the voters had a perfect right to decide by vote at this meeting the amount to be trans- ferred."
VOTED: in the affirmative.
Article 19.
The following substitute motion presented and seconded:
VOTED: that the Town make Central Street one way southerly from Hook Street to Main Street and Foster Street one way northerly to North Street, generally in accord with the report dated June 11, 19577 of a survey made by A. Wallace Gove for the Southbridge Public Improvement Committee, and further that the sum of $250.00 be transferred from the Parking Meter Account to cover costs of necessary signs, mark- ings, etc. This plan to be on a trial basis for a period of sixty
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days, with the decision to make this plan permanent to be the responsibility of the Southbridge Public Improvement Com- mitte, the Selectmen and the Chief of Police acting as a group.
It's not a vote.
VOTED: indefinite postponement.
Article 20. VOTED: unanimously in the affirmative.
Article 21.
The following substitute motion presented, seconded and carried.
VOTED: to transfer the sum of $830.00 from the E & D Account to an account to be known as the Mosquito Control Account for the elimination and eradication of mosquitoes by the Board of Health. Said work to be done under Chapter 252 of the General Laws.
Unanimous vote in the affirmative.
Article 22. VOTED: indefinite postponement.
Article 23.
Mr. V. Walsh asked the Moderator if he would accept his verbal motion? The Moderator stated, "Yes."
Mr. Walsh's motion seconded and carried.
VOTED: to accept the report of the Selectmen in regards to proposed voting precincts. (per article.)
Unanimous vote in the affirmative.
Article 24. VOTED: in the affirmative to transfer the sum of One Hundred Forty-Seven Dollars and Fifty Cents to the Veterans' Service Other Expense Account for the purchase of a new desk.
Article 25.
The folowing motion presented, seconded and carried: VOTED: indefinite postponement.
VOTED: to dissolve this meeting.
A true record. Attest: Clare P. Boyer, Town Clerk.
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Town Warrant
DEPTS. OF CORPS. & TAXATION BUREAU OF ACCOUNTS State House, Boston 33, July 8, 1957
Mrs. Clare P. Boyer Town Clerk
Southbridge, Mass.
Dear Madam:
Receipt is acknowledged of your letter of July 3, relative to a special meeting held July 1, 1957 and note your comments relative to Article 18 of the warrant.
Under this Article your town was warned of an appropria- of $650.00 from the Parking Meter Account for the rental of land to be used for off-street parking purposes and from your records it appears that the vote of the town called for an ap- propriation of $950.00. In view of an opinion rendered by the Attorney General a number of years ago you are advised that the appropriation as voted by the town is invalid and ineffec- tive for the reason that the voters were warned of an appro- priation of $650.00 and therefore had reason to believe that no larger appropriation than that specified in the Article would be voted.
Very truly yours, s/ Herman B. Dine Director of Accounts.
HBD/vro
A true copy of letter. Attest: Clare P. Boyer, Town Clerk.
Special Town Meeting DECEMBER 16, 1957
Worcester, ss.
To either of the Constables of the Town of Southbridge, in the County of Worcester,
In the name of the Commnowealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby requested to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Southbridge aforesaid qualified to vote in Town Af- fairs, to meet in the Town Hall of Southbridge on Monday, De- cember 16, 1957 at 7:30 P. M. to act on the following articles:
Article 1. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the bal- ances in Article #1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of November 7, 1956 Town Meeting, and the balances of Article #44 and 45 of the March,
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1957 Town Meeting to Article #12, the Land Damage Appraisal Account of the Town Meeting of October 15, 1956, as additional funds may be needed for the appraisal of land damages in curred when the various bridges in the Town were rebuilt and the various brooks cleared after the 1955 floods, or act anything thereon.
Article 2. To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 4 of Article III of the Revised By-Laws by deleting the following words: "at the annual town meeting for the election of officers, furnish a ballot of candidates, and." Also delete these two words of the same Section 4 "succeeding Monday."
Said Section 4 of Article III of the Revised By-Laws to read as follows: In addition to the notifications required by the foregoing section, the Selectmen shall at each Precinct voting place make available to the voters copies of the recommenda- tions of the Finance Committee with respect to the matters in the warrant for the adjourned Town Meeting to be held on the second Monday following the annual town meeting. At every town meeting for the transaction of business, the Se- lectmen shall furnish for all attending voters, copies of the warrant together with the recommendations of the Finance Committee.
Article 3. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to accept a release of certain reservations as more particularly set forth in a deed by the Southbridge Fin- ishing Company to the inhabitants of the Town, dated August 10, 1956, and recorded with Worcester District Registry of Deeds, Book 3796, Page 552. The aforesaid reservations are set forth in said deed as follows: "The grantor expresssly reserves to itself, its successors and assigns, as appurtenant to other land of the grantor, hereinafter called the dominant tenement, the exclusive right to draw and use water from said Quinebaug Riv- er through said gates and canal in such quantities as will ade- quately supply its requirements in or about the buildings of the grantor now standing southeasterly of said Sandersdale Road below the canal and gates, or in or about any replacements of or additions to said buildings, whether the same be con- structed southeasterly of or northwesterly and westerly of the said Sandersdale Road, including but not limited to uses for fire protection, toilet, air conditioning, boilers, manufacturing, pro- cessing, and also for storing water in the pond partially within the bounds of Tract 2 herein conveyed, together with the right to divert water from said canal by whatever means and at whatever points the grantor deems advisable and to discharge said water into the canal. Said reservation shall include the right to control the flow of water over said dam and through said gates and canal by raising or lowering the height of said
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dam, and/or by opening or closing said gates. Said reserva- tion shall also include the right to maintain, repair, replace or reconstruct said dam, gates, embankments of said canal or any parts thereof at the expense of the owner of the dominant tene- ment; and shall also include the right to enter upon said granted premises and rights of way appurtenant thereto on foot and by vehicle and other means for the purposes aforesaid, including the right to enter said canal for the purpose of cleaning out the same and the right to deposit soil and silt removed from said canal upon the banks of the same in reasonable amounts; so that the said canal may be maintaned at its present width," or act anything thereon.
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