USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Harwich > Town annual reports of the selectmen and overseers of the poor of the town of Harwich 1959 > Part 5
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The Harwich Town Government Study Committee here- with submits its annual report for the year 1959.
During the year the committee has conducted a study of the operation of the Town Highway Department and has is- sued a report, including certain recommendations for con- sideration by the department and by the voters of the town. A complete copy of that report is appended to this annual report.
The Town Government Study Committee regrets to state that the cooperation received from the office of the Board of Selectmen during the past year has left much to be desired.
In at least two instances during the year the Board of Selectmen failed to show even common courtesy in answer- ing correspondence directed to the members. In the first in- stance a letter was sent to Mr. Hall, chairman of the Board of Assessors, explaining that the Town Government Study Committee had gone on record at the last annual town meet- ing as favoring a professional revaluation of local real estate taxes.
Because Mr. Hall had made pre-election statements that such a professional revaluation was unnecessary for the rea- son that a competent job could be done by the local assessors, and because he stated publicly that he would take steps to correct, what this committee feels is a deplorable condition with respect to local real estate assessments, the committee asked the Board of Assessors if they would keep the commit- tee informed as to the steps being taken to bring about an equalization of real estate valuations. This letter to Mr. Hall was never answered. The Board of Assessors never made any attempt to inform the committee of its actions.
While the committee recognizes the right of the Select- men or Assessors to do the job as they see fit irregardless of the opinion of the Town Government Study Committee, it is felt that they were obligated to at least answer our letter.
On a second occasion the committee wrote the Select- men seeking information on the land taking at Sand Pond
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which was voted at the last annual town meeting. This taking caused considerable comment because it deviated sub- stantially from the plan that was presented to the voters and was approved.
As a result of queries made to the committee members by interested citizens, including members of the Recreation and Playground Commission, which sponsored the article, the committee wrote to the Selectmen asking them to explain why they had failed to take the land as voted, and why they had made payment in full for a substantial portion of the land before any title whatsoever was taken for the town. This letter went unanswered also.
In fairness to Selectman Milton Welt it must be stated that he wrote the committee explaining his position in op- position to the taking as it was made, explaining that he felt the land should have been taken just as approved by the voters.
It was only after the Town Government Study Committee called a meeting and invited members of the Recreation and Playground Commission and the Board of Selectmen, that plans were made to straighten the matter out. At that meet- ing the Selectmen agreed to consult with the Recreation and Playground Commission and to seek an easement from the owner of the property involved. This they failed to do and the easement was finally secured by the Recreation and Play- ground Commission for inclusion in the 1960 annual town meeting warrant.
It is hoped that in the coming year, if the voters of the Town of Harwich see fit to continue the committee's exist- ence, that a better understanding of the committee's ob- jectives can be achieved by other departments.
The committee firmly believes that a thorough study of all town departments can be beneficial to the departments and to the town as a whole. If it can bring about a better coordination of the various departments, and can increase the operating efficiency of the departments, the taxpayers of the Town of Harwich will benefit.
It it hoped, therefore, that the voters of the town will support the committee and reject the article which is in- cluded in the 1960 town meeting warrant calling for its abolition.
Three valuable members of the committee submitted their resignations during the past year. The committee wishes to
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recognize them for their service to the town. They are Robert J. Chase, West Harwich; LeRoy Long, Harwichport; Arthur I. Keefe, Pleasant Lake; and George Colbert, East Harwich.
Appended below is a copy of the report of the Harwich Town Government Study Committee relating to the Highway Department.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE N. VAGENAS, Chairman ROBERT L. R. PLACE, Secretary JOHN A. ELLIS DR. EMANUEL EAGLE
REPORT OF THE HARWICH TOWN GOVERNMENT STUDY COMMITTEE based on its study of The Harwich Highway Department
To The Citizens of the Town of Harwich:
During the past year the Harwich Town Government Study Committee has conducted a study of your Highway Department-a department which accounted for more than $100,000 of your tax dollars in 1959. As a result of that study the committee wishes to submit certain recommendations for the consideration of the department and the voters of the town.
The committee would be less than honest if it did not state frankly that the cooperation given by the Highway Sur- veyor during this study could have been better. Some mem- bers of the committee feel that the Highway Surveyor sus- pected the motives of the committee, a suspicion which was unfounded and which certainly did not prevail in the com- mittee's study of other town departments.
Several scheduled meetings with the Highway Surveyor had to be cancelled on short notice after he informed the committee that be could not attend.
At the outset of its study the committee requested and received from Herman B. Dine, director of accounts for the State Department of Corporations and Taxation, a legal rul- ing on the duties and limitation of duties of a town highway surveyor.
In summary Mr. Dine's ruling, based on the General Laws and previous court decisions, was that a town highway surveyor "shall have the exclusive control of the ordinary
68
repair of public ways in the town without being subject to the authority of the selectmen except that the surveyor would be subject to the authority of the selectmen in the construc- tion of the highways in the town. The towns may authorize their surveyors or any other person to enter into contracts for making or repairing town ways. This would indicate that the town meeting could vote to authorize the selectmen to enter into a contract for repairing highways even though the town elects a highway surveyor.
In the performance of their statutory duties, surveyors of highways are public officers and are wholly independent of towns and cannot be considered servants or agents of the town. However, in the construction or reconstruction of pub- lic ways the highway surveyor comes under the authority of the selectmen or, if the town meeting desires, such construc- tion or reconstruction could be placed entirely under the con- trol of the selectmen.
Mr. Dine stated that in his opinion the words "ordinary repairs" refers to such work on the highways as would make them safe and passable as distinguished from new con- struction or resurfacing.
Minor supplies and equipment which are expendable would be purchased by the highway surveyor from the ap- propriations voted by the town, but the purchase of major equipment should be specifically provided for by the town and the town vote should specify by whom such equipment should be purchased. The town meeting could authorize the surveyor to make such purchases of major equipment or to undertake construction
The budget item "general repairs" would not include original construction of highways or the purchase of major equipment.
It is the opinion of the study committee that the High- way Surveyor of the town of Harwich has been, as a matter of practice of many years' standing, overstepping the limits of his authority.
A case in point is the improvements made to South Street. These improvements were voted under various articles at different annual town meetings, none of which specifically authorized the Highway Surveyor to undertake them. Con- trol of the projects, therefore, rested in the hands of the selectmen and they should have advertised for bids and awarded contracts.
It was also noted that the Highway Surveyor expended from his "general repairs" account the sum of $6,718 which
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was used for the reconstruction of South Street from Sisson Road to Forest Street.
This project was authorized by voters under Article 52 of the 1956 annual town meeting warrant and $5,000 was voted for the purpose. According to the Highway Surveyor's annual report for 1958 $4,988.88 of this appropriation was spent, the balance of $11.12 being returned to the town treasury. The report gives no indication, however, that an additional $6,718 was spent on this project so that the total cost was $10,270.92 and not the $5,000.00 approved by voters.
Early in its study the committee interviewed the High- way Surveyor and examined the records of the department. (Mervyn Hall, who had been keeping the records was also on hand to explain them.) Although records are kept, the committee feels that they are insufficient and unbusiness- like. Such records as are kept are written on sheets of paper and kept in loose leaf type notebooks.
It is recommended, therefore, that adequate records of a double entry nature be kept so that they can be properly checked. Along with this recommendation the committee feels that a full-time clerk with sufficient bookkeeping ex- perience should be employed. It has been found that there is no one at the Highway Department office during a good part of the day when the Highway Surveyor is out on the job. The committee feels that there should be a responsible per- son in the office during regular office hours so that inquiries by telephone or in person can be handled quickly and ef- ficiently.
At the present time no inventory records are kept ac- cording to the Highway Surveyor. The committee feels that in a department of this type, where supplies and material are being constantly expended, a running inventory should be maintained so that the department head can immediately and accurately determine just how much of any item he has on hand. Such a procedure would eliminate possible waste- ful spending and overstocking.
It was brought out by the Highway Surveyor that all pur- chases are not made by public bid. In some instances he has written to private firms inviting them to bid on equipment or supplies. It is felt that public bids, properly advertised, will result in the town getting the lowest possible price on any purchases of $1,000 or more and that such a practice should be adhered to.
As previously noted in the example of South Street, the Highway Surveyor admitted that funds in his budget are not always used for the purposes for which they are appropriated. .
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It is felt that he should, whenever the need arises for a sub- stantial transfer of funds within his budget to be used for a purpose other than that which the voters authorized, seek the permission of the Finance Committee, and possibly, the Selectmen.
The Highway Surveyor and the Study Committee are in full agreement that the oiling of roads and the use of mix in place is wasteful in the long run. It is his opinion, shared by the committee that the town would be better served to spend its money for paving with hot mix so that once a road is surfaced, it will not have to be done over in two or three years.
In line with the above recommendation the committee feels there is a real need for long-range planning. Even most of the day-to-day work, according to the Highway Surveyor, is planned "in his head." The committee feels that only through comprehensive long-range planning can a well-organized program for road improvement and construction be achieved.
The committee also recommends a practice used in other towns-that of advertising for bids on equipment, supplies, and construction work prior to the annual town meeting. In this way an exact figure, based on a hard and fast bid, can be placed in the budget or warrant article. Chatham officials informed committee members that this was a regular practice in their town and one that, in their opinion, saves the town a considerable amount of money.
Mr. Dine also noted that the Highway Surveyor does not have the authority to advertise for bids unless he is specifi- cally authorized to do so by a vote of town meeting. It is suggested that such provision be contained in all equipment articles or that all bids be handled by the selectmen.
Lastly the committee feels there is a greater need for more efficient road engineering. This is in line with the com- mittee's recommendations with respect to planning. The commttee feels that the elimination of dangerous curves, humps, valleys, low areas where surface water collects, should be considered prior to every road improvement job. It is not enough to merely widen and resurface a road. It should be made a better road and a safer road for traffic.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE N. VAGENAS, Chairman ROBERT L. R. PLACE, Secretary JOHN A. ELLIS DR. EMANUEL EAGLE
71
Fire Department and Forest Warden's Report
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and to the Citizens of Harwich:
I hereby respectfully submit the annual report of the Fire Department and Forest Warden's Department for the year 1959.
Personnel
Rank
Name
Address
Yrs
Chief
Charles A. Hall
West Harwich
13
Dep. Chief (Fire)
Fred T. Young Jr.
Harwichport
30
Dep. Chief (Rescue)
Sheldon Thayer Sr.
South Harwich
12
Captain (Inspector)
William L. Fratus
Harwichport
12
Captain (Fire)
Brenton I. Wixon
Harwich Center
13
Captain (Fire)
Richard E. Johnson
West Harwich
5
Chaplain
Rev. Harry Meyers
Harwich Center
6
Ladder #1
Lieutenant
Samuel J. Arsenault
Harwichport 10
Ladderman
Eugene Winston
Harwichport
19
Ladderman
Robert Winston
Harwichport
5
Ladderman
Roger Bailey
West Harwich
3
Ladderman
Walter Eldredge
Harwich Center
6
Ladderman
Richard E. Chase
West Harwich
6
Ladderman
John Daluze
Pleasant Lake
13
Ladderman
John Woodruff
Harwich Center
2
Ladderman
Theron C. Holmes Jr. Harwich Center
4
Ladderman
William Court
Harwich Center
1
Ladderman
Alvin Eldredge
West Harwich
1
Engine #3
Lieutenant
Robert C. Greenough West Harwich
8
Engineman
Douglas Witherell
Harwich Center
10
Engineman
Bruce Young
Harwichport
2
Engineman
Francis Nickerson
Harwichport
32
Engineman
Emulous E. Hall Jr.
Harwich Center
13
Engineman
Raymond Thacher
Harwich Center
2
Engine #4
Lieutenant
William S. Johnson
Harwichport
5
Engineman
Sheldon Thayer Jr.
South Harwich
4
Engineman
Russell L. Ritchie
West Harwich
8
Engineman
Arthur Peavey
West Harwich
6
Engineman
Melvin Orton
West Harwich
4
Engineman
Frank Schirp
Harwichport
2
Engineman
Alfred B. Higgins
East Harwich
10
Service
72
Rescue #1
Rescueman
Clayton E. Chase Donald St. Pierre Wayne Gilmore
Harwich Center 14
Rescueman
West Harwich 2
Rescueman
Pleasant Lake 2
Members in Armed Forces Carroll B. Holmes East Harwich
3
Dispatchers
Name
Address
Yrs. Service
Mrs. Harold Eldredge
Harwichport
12
Mrs. Arthur P. Doane
Harwich Center
12
Mrs. Douglas Gardner
South Harwich
10
Mrs. Richard E. Johnson
West Harwich
5
Mrs. Walter Eldredge
Harwich Center
5
Mrs. Russell L. Ritchie
West Harwich
4
Mrs. William S. Johnson
Harwichport
2
Mrs. Bruce Young
Harwichport
2
Life Members
Mr. John Condon
Harwich Center (Ex-Fire Warden)
Mr. Arthur H. Chase
Harwich Center (Ex-Deputy Chief)
Sgt. Charles S. Pratt
Harwich Center (Ex-Fire Fighter)
Arthur P. Doane Jr.
Harwich Center (Ex-Fire Fighter)
Special Service Unit (Diving Squad)
Chief
Charles A. Hall
Lieutenant
William S. Johnson
Engineman
Sheldon Thayer Jr.
Engineman
Raymond Thacher
Engineman
Emulous E. Hall Jr.
Engineman
Arthur Peavey
Engineman
Russell L. Ritchie
Town of Harwich Insurance Rating
(1) Property subject to minimum rates:
(2) Specifically rated property:
(1) Total number of fire and rescue alarms answered:
Fire
Rescue
Total
North Harwich
13
14
27
East Harwich
6
17
23
South Harwich
2
25
27
West Harwich
31
50
81
Harwichport
24
121
145
Harwich Center
22
31
53
Pleasant Lake
11
5
16
Out of Town
2
9
11
111
272
383
(2) Total miles covered answering alarms: Fire Rescue
521.9
9,614.6
10,136.5
Grade D
7th Class
Ladderman
73
(3) Total number of alarms answered by:
Ladder No. 1
32
Engine No. 2
45
Engine No. 3
26
Engine No. 4
4
Engine No. 5
18
Rescue No. 1
27
Chiefs Car
103
Ambulance
213
DUKW
9
Boat
5
(4) Total number of fire and rescue alarms by type:
A. Building
18
B. Woods and Grass
20
C. False or Needless
3
D. Vehicle
9
E. Dump or Rubbish
5
F. Investigations
35
G. Service
13
H. Explosions
2
I. Chimney
3
J. Junkyard
1
K. Out of Town
2
111
Rescue and Ambulance:
1 Medical and Surgical
95
2 Maternity
6
3 Auto and Pedestrian 12
4 First Aid at Fire Headquarters
14
5 Suicides or attempted
3
6 Needless
7
7 Home, work and play accidents
15
8 Drownings and near drownings
2
9 Boat accidents
2
10 Heart attacks
37
1: Service
70
12 Out of Town
9
272
(5)
Trips to various hospitals in Ambulance and Chief's car:
Cape Cod Hospital
168
Barnstable County Hospital
24
Other Hospitals
12
Nursing Homes 9
213
(6) Total acres of woodland burned
2.6
(7) Total acres of grassland burned
7.4
(8) Deaths attributed to fire One
(9) Total number of Gas & Oil Inspections made 727
(10) Total number of Gas & Oil permits issued 375
(11) Open air burning permits issued
924
74
(12) Estimated value of property involved:
Buildings
$141,000.00
Contents
31,200.00
Vehicles
13,980.00
$186,180.00
(13) Estimated damage to property involved:
Buildings
$17,800.00
Contents
2,150.00
Vehicles
850.00
$20,800.00
(14) Insurance carried on property :
Buildings
$40,500.00
Contents
8,200.00
Vehicles (Insurance reports incomplete)
$48,700.00
(15) Insurance paid:
Buildings
$10,557.13
Contents
987.75
Vehicles
558.65
$12,103.53
Items 14 and 15 incomplete because of insurance reports.
(16)
Fire Department Budget and Expenditures:
Appropriation and Transfers
$31,963.50
Fire Chief's Salary
$4,600.00
Permanent Firemen's Salaries
14,400.00
Call Firemen's Salaries
4,063.50
$23,063.50
Vehicle Maintenance
$1,616.34
Gasoline
903.47
Equipment Expense
2,012.62
Ladder 1 Account
618.77
Radio Maintenance
787.37
$5,938.57
Building Expense
$311.81
Office Equipment
179.41
Travel Expense
8.00
Equipment repairs and replacements
276.43
Telephone
442.52
Electricity
381.85
Town Water
31.14
Natural Gas
97.02
Heating Fuel
691.76
$2,419.94
Repairs to building
$397.00
Returned to revenue
$31,819.01 $144.49
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(17)
Fire Station Addition Account: Appropriation Expended
$3,500.00 3,498.90
Return to revenue
$1.10
During the year 1959 the Fire Department has accom- plished many things. We have completed the addition to the fire station, reorganized our training program, and intensified our inspection program.
Addition to Fire Headquarters
The stimulation of morale is the basic objective of a sound personnel policy. Morale has been described as "a spirit which expresses itself in enthusiasm, loyalty, coopera- tion, devotion to duty, and pride in service". These qualities have been combined with the hard work, which has prevailed during the construction of the addition. I cannot express my sincere appreciation enough for the many hours devoted by men of the department who have successfully completed this project. It is my desire to have all the townspeople drop in at fire headquarters and view this accomplishment. It would give these public spirited men the feeling of a job well done. The addition has given us much needed apparatus floor space, a storage room, alarm room, bedroom and a small recreation room.
Training
The time which our firemen donate both in planning and attending their training courses are always subject to praise. Keeping themselves informed of the latest techniques of firefighting and rescue practices require a great amount of study and research. Our reorganized training program has given more individual instruction. In the past all companies were required to train on the same day, whereas we now require single company participation with some companies drilling at night, others drilling during the day. Although this program demands more time of the officers and instructors, they are more than willing because of their desire for an ef- ficient, well trained firefighting and rescue force.
Inspections
If you heat or cook with an oil stove, are you absolutely certain that your stove is in perfect working condition? You'd better be, because oil space heater fires are the biggest single home fire killers. The types of stoves which are the most dangerous if not working properly are: portable kerosene heaters, oil and kerosene kitchen ranges, and space heaters.
76
If these units are not working properly or you are uncer- tain how to operate same, call this department or your serv- iceman for instruction. Throughout the year, we are making daily inspections of oil and gas heating units, but, this alone is not enough to stop these unnecessary fires. We must have the full cooperation of all townspeople. Any recommendations made by the fire inspector are made for the protection and safety of all. If at any time you have a problem in fire pre- vention or need assistance in eliminating a hazard, feel free to call on us.
I wish to thank all the men and dispatchers of the de- partment for their cooperation and donation of time during the past year; to the members and Chiefs of other towns and to the citizens for their cooperation.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES A. HALL, Chief of Department
Report of the Board of Appeals
The Harwich Board of Appeals has held eight public hearings in 1959 and considered eleven petitions. Ten of these appeals were granted and one was denied.
The personnel of the Board has remained unchanged during the year, and the members appreciate the willingness of the associate members, Francis Gates, Wm. Chandler, Earl Chase, Amadee Mazzur, James McHugh and Biddle Thompson, Jr .- to attend meetings, sometimes on very short notice, in order that a hearing need not be postponed.
The petitions have been prepared thoughtfully and the cases presented well before the Board; and the members ap- preciate, also, the interest and co-operation shown by those townspeople who have attended the hearings.
CHARLOTTE P. SIMS, Chmn. HERBERT R. MORSE JOHN S. RANEO RALPH B. CUMMINGS WILBUR H. CROWELL CHARLES W. CHASE DONALD HALL
77
Report of the Highway Surveyor
To the Board of Selectmen and to the Citizens of the Town
I hereby submit my report of the year 1959.
In maintaining and improving of approximately 100 miles of roads and by adding and taking more new roads each year the work of the Highway Dept. consists of:
Patching, Oiling, Sealcoating, Hot Mixed and resurfac- ing.
Sweeping and removing sand.
Marking roads and erecting and maintaining street and safety signs.
Installing and cleaning catch basins, ten new catch bas- ins have been added this year with filter beds of tonage of rock.
Approximately 200 feet of pipe has been laid to take care of the drainage situation.
We now have 150 catch basins throughout the town.
The water problem is still with us but I hope that this problem will soon be corrected.
I wish to express my appreciation for the cooperation I have received during the year from the Board of Selectmen, Town Accountant, and all Department heads, and to the Highway personnel. I also want to express my appreciation to all citizens of the Town for their fine support and co- operation.
Respectfully submitted,
ALTON P. HALL,
Surveyor of Highways
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General Repairs
$47,000.00
Labor
$25,931.24
Equipment Hired
5,458.38
Materials & Supplies
11,775.23
Operating Exp. of Dept. Bldg.
781.65
Repairs & Parts
1,561.66
Advertising of Bids
71.00
Gasoline
1,383.65
Total Expense
46,961.81
Balance to Revenue
$38.19
Bridges
Appropriation
$600.00
Labor
$85.60
Material
493.76
Total Expense
579.36
Balance to Revenue
$20.64
Pick-up Truck (Art. 75)
Appropriation
$1,900.00
Amount Expended on Bid
1,664.50
Balance to Revenue
$235.50
Sand Spreader (Art. 76)
Appropriation
$2,200.00
Amount Expended (Bids)
1,839.35
Balance to Revenue
$360.05
Cab & Chassis (Art. 77)
Appropriation
$3,800.00
Amount Expended (Bids)
3,797.83
Balance to Revenue
$2.17
Chapter 90-Maintenance
Appropriation
$3,000.00
Labor
$1,889.90
Material
1,070.28
Equipment Hired
28.00
Total Expense
2,988.18
Balance to Revenue
$11.82
Appropriation
79
Repairs to Highway Building
Appropriation
$150.00
Repair Cost (Painting etc.)
$148.85
Total Expense
148.85
Balance to Revenue
$1.15
Fences & Railings
Appropriation
$600.00
Labor
$262.20
Material
329.04
Total Expense
591.24
Balance to Revenue
$8.76
Sidewalks
Appropriation
$1,500.00
Labor
$432.55
Material
1,061.10
Total Expense
1,493.65
Balance to Revenue
$6.35
Insurance
Appropriation
$900.00
Insurance Cost
$900.00
Total Cost
900.00
Balance to Revenue
0.00
Snow
Appropriation
$10,000.00
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