USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > West Bridgewater > Town annual reports of the selectmen, overseers of the poor, town clerk, and school committee of West Bridgewater for the year ending 1945-1949 > Part 3
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Sec. 3 No person shall address the meeting unless recognized by the moderator, nor speak more than once on the same subject to the exclusion of any other who may desire to speak.
Sec. 4 Any person who is employed as an attorney by another interested in any matter under discussion at a town meeting shall disclose the fact of his employment before speaking thereon.
Sec. 5 In case of motions to amend, or to fill blanks, the one expressing the largest sum or the longest time shall be put first, and affirmative vote thereon shall be a nega- tive vote on any smaller or shorter time.
Sec. 6 All committees shall be appointed by the moderator, unless the town otherwise directs, and shall report as directed by the town. If a committee does not report as directed, or at the next annual town meeting held there- after, it shall be deemed discharged, unless an extension of time be granted by the town.
Sec. 7 When a report of a committee is placed in the hands of the moderator, it shall be deemed to be properly before the meeting for its action thereon, and a vote to accept the same shall discharge the committee; for the adoption of the recommendations of the committee, however, a
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specific vote shall be required. No appropriation shall be made under the report of any committee of the Town until the matter has been considered and reported upon by the finance committee.
Sec. 8 No vote after being once passed at a meeting shall be reconsidered at the meeting or at an adjournment thereof, except by a two-thirds vote.
Sec. 9 No motion, the effect of which would be to dissolve the meeting, shall be in order until every article in the warrant has been duly considered and acted upon, but this shall not preclude the postponement of the con- sideration of any article to an adjournment of the meet- ing to a stated time.
Sec. 10 The duties of the moderator, not specially provided by law or by these by-laws, shall be determined by the rules of practice contained in Cushing's Manual of Parliamentary Practice, so far as the same is applicable to a town meeting.
ARTICLE III
Financial
Sec. 1 The head of every department, board or committee authorized to expend money shall, at the close of the fiscal year, furnish the town accountant, for incorpora- tion in the Annual Report, a list of all outstanding liabil- ities of such department, board or committee, showing to whom the same are due, for what due, and the amounts thereof.
Sec. 2 Funds given the town or deposited with the town in trust or otherwise, for specific purposes shall not be mingled with other funds of the town, but shall be kept
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and invested separately, and used only in accordance with the terms of the gifts.
ARTICLE IV
Finance
Sec. 1 There shall be a Finance Committee consisting of seven appointive members and the Selectmen, the latter acting ex-officio members. The appointive members shall be selected as follows: One to be appointed from each of the Five Divisions of the Town, as specified in the Town Report of 1927 of the adjourned Town Meeting, or such other five divisions as may at any time be deter- mined by vote of the Town, and two appointed at large. If a vacancy occurs during the year the Committee shall elect a new member to serve until the next Town Meeting.
Sec. 2 At the Annual Town Meeting the Moderator shall appoint a committee of five members who shall in turn appoint the appointive members of the Finance Committee for the ensuing term. In 1933, two members shall be appointed for three years, two for two years and three (including the members at large) for one year. In 1934 and each year thereafter two members for three years and one member at large for one year. No elective officer of the Town shall be eligible for appointment.
Sec. 3 The Finance Committee shall call on all officers, com- mittees, chairmen, and department heads for full infor- mation regarding recommendations, appropriations, ex- penditures and reports. The Finance Committee shall be furnished by the Assessors and Selectmen with estimates of income as well as reports of expenditures. The Fin- ance Committee shall have the power to investigate
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Books, accounts, and general financial management of any and all departments of the Town.
Sec.
4 The meetings of the Finance Committee may be called by the Chairman of the Committee or by the Selectmen.
Sec. 5 The Finance Committee shall choose its own officers and adopt such rules regarding its procedure as may from time to time be necessary. The appointive members of the Finance Committee shall constitute its executive board. The business of the Finance Committee shall be transacted by the executive board in executive session. The executive board shall examine all articles in the War- rant, make recommendations, and prepare a budget for submission to the Town Meeting. The executive board shall keep the selectmen informed as to all its actions.
Sec. 6 No sum in excess of $250.00 for any one purpose may be appropriated at any Town Meeting unless proposal for same has been specifically passed on by the executive board of the Finance Committee. No appropriation may be made at any special Town Meeting, unless same has been specifically passed on by the executive board of the Finance Committee. No appropriation refused at the regular Town Meeting may be brought before a special Town Meeting except on approval of the executive board of the Finance Committee.
Sec. 7 The Finance Committee through its executive board shall annually submit a printed report of its recommendations and findings to the voters of the Town; this report to be ready for distribution at least one week before the date of the annual town meeting.
Sec. 8 If called upon by any voter at the annual or any special Town Meeting, any member of the Finance Committee may explain their recommendation.
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ARTICLE V Accounting and Auditing
Sec. 1 The town accountant shall in an annual report, in addi- tion to such matters as are required by law, furnish a condensed statement of the financial condition of the town and financial transactions for the year covered by such report.
Sec. 2 There shall be an annual audit of the town's accounts under the supervision of the Director of Accounts in the Department of Corporations and Taxations.
ARTICLE VI Duties of Town Officers
Sec. 1 Every officer in charge of a department shall annually, on or before the fifteenth day of January, transmit to the selectmen, in writing, a report containing a statement of the acts and doings of his department for the past finan- cial year, to be printed in the Annual Report as the selectmen may deem expedient.
Sec. 2 The selectmen, assessors and water commissioners shall cause to be posted in some conspicuous place at the Town Hall a notice of the times and places of their respective regular meetings.
Sec. 3 The town clerk, the town accountant, the town treasurer, and the collector shall cause to be posted in some con- spicuous place at the Town Hall a notice of the hours during which their respective offices will be open.
ARTICLE VII
Selectmen
Sec. 1 The selectmen shall exercise a general supervision over all matters affecting the interests or welfare of the town.
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Sec. 2 The selectmen may appear in the interests of the town, either personally or by the town counsel or by special counsel, before any court, committee of the legislature, or any state or county board or commission; they shall have full authority as agents of the town, acting upon the advice of the town counsel or special counsel, to institute and prosecute any and all necessary suits and proceedings in favor of the town, and to appear and defend all suits and legal proceedings against or involving the town's interests. They may, with the advice of counsel, settle all claims contested against the town, provided that in no case shall a settlement be so made by a payment of more than five hundred dollars without authority from the town.
Sec. 3 All conveyances under seal which may hereafter be ex- ecuted by the town, pursuant to a vote of the town or 1 otherwise, shall be sealed with the town seal and sub- scribed by a majority of the board of selectmen for the time being, unless otherwise directed by the town.
Sec. 4 It shall be the duty of the selectmen to see that every conveyance to the town of any interest in land is proper- ly recorded in the Registry of Deeds.
Sec. 5 The board of Selectmen shall have supervision and auth- ority to make such regulations not embodied elsewhere in these By-laws to govern any action which, by its char- acter, they consider to be a common nuisance or Fire Hazard; and may require the discontinuance of such nuisance or Fire Hazard.
Sec. The selectmen may at their discretion appoint a Com- mission of Citizens, or a superintendent to care for Mon- ument Grounds, Park, Play Grounds, or any Town Prop- erty under the care of the Selectmen.
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Sec. 7 The Selectmen shall, in their annual report, unless such information is contained in other reports to be published in the annual Town Report, state in detail what action they have taken in the year preceding. They shall state specifically what town ways and county ways have been laid out, what damages have been assessed and paid, what claims are outstanding, and what claims are in suit against the town. They shall also state what ways that have been ordered laid out, or accepted, remain to be constructed. They shall also make a detailed statement of the repairs made upon public buildings in their charge.
Sec. 8 The selectmen shall have the printed-annual reports of the town ready for distribution not later than February 22 of each year; and shall have a copy thereof left at every dwelling house in town not later than March 1.
ARTICLE VIII
Sanitation
Sec. 1 After date of adoption of these By-Laws, flowage from any sink or sanitary equipment shall be entered into cess- pool or septic tanks.
Sec. 2 The above requirement shall apply only to construction proposed after adoption of these By-Laws.
Sec. 3 The Selectmen, as members of the Board of Health, may in their own discretion, however, require the flowage of any existing sink or sanitary arrangement to be enter- ed into cesspool or septic tank, if in their opinion the Health of the inhabitants is in danger of infection from arrangements as they exist.
Sec. 4 Violations of any of the above requirements may be pun- ishable by a fine of not less than $20.00.
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ARTICLE IX Town Clerk
Sec. 1 The town clerk shall keep a true copy of all deeds and conveyances executed by the Selectmen.
Sec. 2 The town Clerk shall furnish all boards, committees, and offices with a copy of all votes affecting them.
Sec. 3 The town clerk shall furnish the selectmen, for publica- tion in the printed Annual Report of the town, a copy of his record of all town meetings that have been held during the preceding year.
Sec. 4 The town clerk shall keep and cause to be permanently bound, one or more files of the Town Reports.
Sec. 5 He shall not allow original papers or any documents of the town in his possession to be taken from his office, ex- cept as they remain in his custody, or by authority of law.
ARTICLE X Treasurer
Sec. 1 The town treasurer shall, immediately after the first day of each month, make to the town accountant a detailed report of all receipts during the preceding month, and shall transmit a duplicate copy to the selectmen. He shall also prepare such other financial statements as may from time to time be required by the selectmen.
Sec. 2 The report of the town treasurer shall include: 1st-A list of all notes issued during the year and the purposes for which the money was borrowed, giving the dates, amounts, terms, rate of interest, time of maturity, the premium, if any, received thereon, and the names of the parties of whom the funds were borrowed. 2nd-A full'
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exhibit of all moneys, properties, and securities which have been placed in his charge by virtue of any statute or by-laws or by virtue of any gift, devise, bequest, or deposit.
Sec. 3 The treasurer shall be the custodian of all deeds, bonds, and insurance policies belonging to the town, except that the bond of the treasurer shall be in the custody of the chairman of the board of selectmen.
ARTICLE XI
Collector of Accounts
Sec. 1 The collector shall make such statements of collections and such other financial statements to the town account- ant and to the selectmen as either may reasonably re- quire.
Sec. 2 The collector shall make immediate report to the water commissioners of all water-takers whose bills remain un- paid for the period of three months. If such bills remain unpaid for the further period of two months, the collect- or shall again make immediate report of the same to the water commissioners.
Sec. 3 The collector shall furnish the selectmen for publication in the Annual Report of the town, a summarized state- ment of his collections for the fiscal year and a statement of all taxes, water-bills or other charges committed to him for collection, which at the end of the year are out- standing.
ARTICLE XII
Dog Officer
Sec. 1 It shall be the duty of the Dog Officer to collect all delin- quent payments of Dog Licenses on July 1st, of each
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year. The Town Clerk will submit to him the list of such unpaid licenses. The Dog Officer will forward a demand for all such unpaid licenses with a collection demand of $.35, granting ten days to pay same. If they are not paid within this period an additional charge to the amount of one dollar will be collected.
Sec. 2 All fees so collected shall be retained by the Dog Officer.
ARTICLE XIII
Superintendent of Streets
Sec.
1 Superintendent of Streets shall be appointed by the Selectmen.
Sec. 2 The commissioner of streets shall keep an accurate ac- count of all money expended and all work done upon the public ways of the town, and a daily record of the number of men and teams and motor vehicles employed; and the extent and nature of the work done, and when required, submit the same to the selectmen.
Sec. 3 The commissioner of streets shall keep a pay roll of the employees of the street department, and of the owners of teams and motor vehicles employed thereon, and a de- tailed account with all parties furnishing materials there- for; the time for which payment is to be made; the rate of wages, the amount and cost of materials furnished, and the amount due in each case, and when required, submit the same to the selectmen.
ARTICLE XIV Fire Department
Sec. 1 The fire chief shall keep an accurate and detailed account of the expenditures of his department, showing the dates,
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names, amounts, and objects thereof. He shall also keep a detailed list of the alarms to which the department re- sponds, the length of time on duty, and the amount of fire loss in each case.
ARTICLE XV
Water Department
Sec. 1 The board of water commissioners shall furnish the se- lectmen, for publication in the Annual Report of the Town, a full and comprehensive statement ot its acts.
ARTICLE XVI
Care of Burial Grounds and Lots
Sec. 1 The town will accept and forever hold in trust any money or securities which may hereafter be deposited with the town treasurer for perpetual preservation, care, improve- ment, or embellishment of any public or private burial place, or any lots or graves therein, agreeable to the pro- visions of the Statutes of the Commonwealth.
Sec. 2 The Selectmen are authorized to enter into agreement in behalf of the town, with the holders of burial rights in any lot in the cemeteries of the town to keep forever such lot, the structures and grass thereon and one half of the boundary Pathways in good and neat condition, so far as the same can be done by an expenditure not exceeding the income per annum of any sum of money, or equal to the income from securities, which such holder may have de- posited with the town treasurer for said purpose.
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ARTICLE XVII
Contracts by Town Officers
Sec. 1 No officer or agent of the town who has been authorized either alone or acting with other officers or agents of the town, to borrow money, or to make any contract or pur- chase in behalf of the town, shall have any pecuniary interest in any such loan, contract or purchase.
Sec. 2 No officer or authorized agent or agents, or committee, shall borrow money or make any contract on behalf of the Town in which such officer or any member of such board or committee is directly or indirectly financially interested, except competitive contracts, provided never- theless such contract may be made by an officer, board or committee, other than the selectmen, if approved in writing by the selectmen with a statement of their reasons for approval.
Sec. 3 Every board or officer when contracting for or accepting delivery of fuel, stone, gravel or sand may require that the same be weighed and inspected by a duly authorized weigher or measurer of the Town of West Bridgewater, and such requirement may be incorporated in every contract.
Sec. 4 All officers, boards and committees making or entering into any written contract shall immediately upon the execution of the same, and the bond accompanying the same, deposit said contract and bond with the town accountant.
ARTICLE XVIII
Streets and Sidewalks
Sec. 1 No person shall tie a horse or any grazing beast to any shade tree on or bordering on the public highway.
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Sec. 2 No person shall suffer horses or grazing beasts or swine to run at large in the town; or to feed within the limits of the highway in the thickly settled parts of the town as may be determined by the selectmen; or to feed within the limits of the highway in any part of the town where damage may result to shade trees.
Sec.
3 No person shall break or dig up any public sidewalk, street, or highway, or place thereon any staging or other temporary structure, without a written permit from the board of selectmen or the board having charge of the streets in such cases. Any person having such a permit shall before the expiration of the same, restore such side- walk, street or highway to its original condition or to a condition satisfactory to such board (this clause shall not apply to Town Dept. performing their usual duties). Any permit issued under the provisions of this section shall be in force for such time as the board may specify, and shall be subject to such other conditions as the board may prescribe and especially in every case upon condition that during the whole of every night from sunset to sun- rise, lighted lanterns and proper barriers shall be so placed as to secure travelers from danger. No person having ob- tained such a permit shall fail to comply with the condi- tions thereof. The board granting such permit shall have the right to revoke the same at any time, and may require a bond either before or after the commencement of work or during its progress, to secure its proper performance.
Sec. 4 No person shall coast or roller skate on or across any public sidewalk or street of the town, except at such times and in such places as may from time to time be desig- nated by the board of selectmen.
Sec. 5 No person shall fire or discharge any gun, pistol or other firearms in or across any of the streets or public places
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within the town; but this section shall not apply to the use of such weapons in the lawful defense of one's person, family or property, or in performance of any duty re- quired or authorized by law, nor upon such days as may be designated by the board of selectmen.
Sec. 6 No person shall throw or place or cause to be thrown or placed upon any public street or highway of the town, any nails, spikes, screws, glass, tin cans, or other similar articles.
Sec. 7 No person shall suffer a platform, or grate of an entrance, or opening to a cellar or basement in any public street or sidewalk, to rise above the surface of any such street or sidewalk, and every such entrance or opening shall at all times be covered by a suitable platform or grate, and in case of a coal hole, by a suitable covering. Such entrances or openings, when in use, shall be properly guarded.
Sec. 8 No person shall throw or place upon any public sidewalk or street crossing any banana skin, orange skin or other slippery substance.
Sec. 9 No owner or any person having the care of a building abutting a sidewalk which slants toward such sidewalk, shall permit such building to be without a barrier, snow- guard or other device to prevent the falling of snow or ice from such roof to the sidewalk.
ARTICLE XIX Disorderly Behavior
Sec. 1 No person shall behave himself in a rude or disorderly manner, nor use any indecent, profane or insulting lan- guage, in any public way or place in the town.
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Sec. 2 No person shall bathe in any of the waters of this town in a state of nudity, in places exposed to public view, or in immediate sight of the occupants of any dwelling.
Sec. 3 No person shall throw stones, snowballs, sticks, or other missiles, or kick at football, or play at any game in which a ball is used, or fly any kite or balloon, or shoot with or use a bow and arrow, gun, air gun, or sling, in or across any of the public ways of the town.
Sec. 4 No person shall loiter or continue to stand on any side- walk or public places in the town so as to obstruct the passage of or to impede or in any manner annoy other persons: nor shall any person in a street or way stand or loiter after being directed by a police officer to move on.
Sec. 5 No person shall extinguish any street light, or extinguish or remove any light placed to warn the public against an obstruction or a defect in any street or way, unless such person is authorized by those having charge of such lights, or of the street or way, so to do.
Sec. 6 No person shall injure, deface or destroy any street sign, guide post, lamp or lantern thereon, or any tree, building, fence or other object set, erected or made for the use or ornament of the town, nor paint or draw any work or figure upon any curbstone or sidewalk.
ARTICLE XX
Collectors of and Dealers In Second Hand Articles, Junk and Keepers of Junk Shops
Sec. 1 The selectmen may license suitable persons to be collect- ors of, dealers in, or keepers of shops for the purchase, sale or barter of junk, old metals, or second hand articles: and no such person shall be a dealer in, or keeper of, the aforesaid without such a license.
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Sec. 2 The selectmen may require that any place: vehicle or receptacle, used for the collecting or keeping of the arti- cles aforesaid, may be examined at all times by the select- men or by any person by them authorized to make such examination.
Sec.
3 -
No person licensed under this article directly or indirectly, shall either purchase or receive by way of barter or ex- change any of the articles aforesaid, except rags or bot- tles, of a minor or apprentice, knowing or having reason to believe him to be such.
ARTICLE XXI Parades and Public Gatherings
Sec. 1 No person shall form or conduct a parade in any public street, public sidewalk or public way within the town, or form or conduct for the purpose of display or demonstra- tion, any procession or assembly of people, except a mili- tary or funeral parade or procession, within such public street, sidewalk or way, without first obtaining a written permit from the chief of police; and no person shall take part in any such parade, procession or assembly which is not authorized by such permit.
Sec. 2 No person shall give any public address, speech or ha- rangue in any public square or public park within the town, without a written permit from the chief of police.
Sec. 3 Any person or society making application for any of the privileges set forth in Sec. 1 and 2 of this article may, upon refusal of the chief of police to grant permit for same, have the right to appeal from the refusal of the chief of police to the board of selectmen, who may grant such permit, or refuse to grant same. Their decision shall be final.
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ARTICLE XXII
Repeal
Sec. 1 All by-laws or parts of by-laws heretofore adopted which are inconsistent with the provisions of the foregoing by- laws are hereby repealed and annulled; but the provisions of the foregoing by-laws, so far as they are the same as the provisions of by-laws heretofore adopted shall be construed as a continuance of said by-laws, and not as new enactments.
Sec. 2 The repeal of a by-law heretofore adopted shall not affect any act done, ratified or confirmed, or any right accrued or established, nor any action, suit or proceeding com- menced or had, nor affect any punishment penalty, or forfeiture incurred under such by-laws.
ARTICLE XXIII
Sec. 1 Whoever violates any of the provisions of these by-laws, unless otherwise specifically provided therein, or other- wise provided by law, shall be punished by a fine of not more than twenty dollars.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN ACCOUNTANT
OF
WEST BRIDGEWATER Massachusetts
For the Year Ending December 31 1945
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To the Board of Selectmen:
I submit herewith my annual report in accordance with Section 61, Chapter 41, General Laws, for the year ending December 31, 1945, giving a statement of the receipts and expenditures of the town and showing the amount of each specific appropriation, with statements showing the town debt and trust funds.
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