Town of Agawam, Massachusetts annual report 1946-1950, Part 38

Author: Agawam (Mass. : Town)
Publication date: 1946
Publisher: Agawam (Mass. : Town)
Number of Pages: 1320


USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Agawam > Town of Agawam, Massachusetts annual report 1946-1950 > Part 38


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Article 36. Voted that the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $18,000.00 for the renovation of the basement locker and shower facilities in the boys' section of the High School.


Article 37. Voted that the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $7,250.00 for payment of judgment for damages assessed by the jury for the taking of the Wood property for school purposes.


Article 38. Voted that the Town transfer to Philip Barry the parcel of land located at the rear of the former Hill property between the center line of the old Spur Track and the former fence line, averaging a width of less than ten (10) feet; Philip Barry to convey to the Town in exchange for the parcel above thirteen feet of width along the northerly end of his property, an easement for drainage. Amended to read that the Board of Selectmen, the Finance Board and the Town Treasurer execute a deed conveying said property to Philip D. Barry and amended to authorize the Town to accept the property conveyed by Philip D. Barry.


Article 39. Voted to accept the report of the com- mittee appointed for the School Survey, and the com- mittee be discharged with a vote of thanks.


Article 40. Voted to accept the report of the Aga- wam Center School Survey Committee:


The committee, appointed to investigate the need of an addition to the Center School, recommends an addition to the school.


We have had a series of committee meetings - one


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open meeting at the Center School-and a census of pre- school children taken in the Center School district.


We feel that the time was too short for us to make our final report and recommendations to you at this annual meeting and suggest that the Town continue with this committee for further study to determine the num- ber of rooms we should recommend. Our final report to be made at a special town meeting to be held no later than July, 1949.


Elizabeth M. Barry James N. Reynolds, Jr. Alvin Kellogg, Jr. Edward A. Johnson L. John Schinelli


Article 41. Voted to accept the report of the Air- port Committee as a report of progress.


Article 42. Voted 237- Yes; 14-No to adopt Article 42 and that the Board of Selectmen, the Town Treasurer and the Finance Board, be and they hereby are authorized to sell the Agawam Race Track, so-called for an amount not less than $125,000, and to execute and deliver to any such purchaser a proper deed conveying all the title which the Town of Agawam has in and to said land with the buildings theron, more particularly bounded and described as follows:


Beginning at the intersection of the northwesterly line of Silver Street as laid out on January 1, 1929, and the northeasterly line of Shoemaker Lane; thence in the northeasterly line on the Shoemaker Lane north 57 deg. 12 min. West 194.76 feet to a point; thence continuing in the Northeasterly line of Shoemaker Lane 220.10 feet to a point; thence continuing in said line North 34 deg. 14 min. 20 sec. West, 628.92 feet to a point; thence con- tinuing in said line north 25 deg. 18 min. 20 sec. West 485.89 feet to a point; thence continuing in said line North 43 deg. 34 min. 40 sec. West 182.16 feet to a point at land of the Bowles Agawam Airport Inc., hereinafter referred to as the Corporation formerly owned by the Cuba-Con- necticut Tobacco Company; thence continuing in said line North 43 deg. 34 min. 40 sec. West 204.62 feet to a point; thence continuing in said line North 39 deg. 24 min. 40 sec. West 408.59 feet to a point; thence continuing in said


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line North 36 deg. 28 min. 40 sec. West 786.34 feet to a point; thence continuing in said line 477.81 feet to a point ; thence continuing in said line 215.11 feet to a point ; thence continuing in said line North 20 deg. 35 min. 55 sec. West 710.85 feet to a point formerly marked by twin maples; thence continuing in said line North 20 deg. 35 min. 55 sec. West 239.82 feet to a point formerly marked by a stone and maple tree; thence continuing in said line North 20 deg. 33 min. 55 sec. West 213.55 feet to a point: thence continuing in said line North 21 deg. 32 min. 10 sec. West 335.63 feet to a point to land now or formerly of one Cesan; thence South 78 deg. 41 min. 30 sec. East by land now or formerly of said Cesan 988.29 feet to a point of land of the Corporation; thence North 10 deg. 56 min. 56 sec. East 465.31 feet to a point; thence South 82 deg. 38 min. 50 sec. East 426.56 feet to a point; thence South 83 deg. 50 min. 26 sec. East 540.09 feet to an iron pipe; thence South 60 deg. 23 min. 24 sec. West 314.32 feet to a point at land of the Corporation herein formerly owned by one Bava; thence South 63 deg. 27 min. 5 sec. East 114 feet to a point; thence South 76 deg. 57 min. 5 sec. West, 107 feet to a point; thence South 69 deg. 30 min. East 150.72 feet to a point of land of the Corpora- tion formerly owned by one Gentile; thence North 6 deg. 19 min. 25 sec. East 436.42 feet to a stone bound; thence South 89 deg. 7 min. 6 sec. East 55.25 feet to a point ; thence South 89 deg. 7 min. 6 sec. East 56.51 feet to a point; thence South 26 deg. 45 min. 8 sec. East 151.66 feet to a point; thence South 29 deg. 55 min. 30 sec. East 147.95 feet to an iron pipe; thence South 64 deg. 12 min. 30 sec. East 35.48 feet to an iron pipe; thence South 41 deg. 56 min. 20 sec. East 125.13 feet to an iron pipe ; thence South 14 deg. 29 min. 20 sec. East 288.76 feet to a point; thence South 29 deg. 45 min. East 325.67 feet to a stone bound; thence South 85 deg. 54 min. 46 sec. East 208.51 feet to a stone bound; thence North 8 deg. 29 min. 2 sec. East 450.30 feet to a point; thence North 58 deg. 37 min. 24 sec. West 16.42 feet to an iron pin; thence 80 deg. 11 min. 40 sec. East 459.20 feet to a dead pine tree; thence South 78 deg. 53 min. 30 sec. East 604.91 feet to an iron pin; thence South 81 deg. 36 min. 14 sec. East 757.42 feet to a stone bound; thence South 80 deg. 42 min. 44 sec. East 428.70 feet to a stone bound; thence


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South 0 deg. 32 min. 55 sec. East 608.60 feet to the north- westerly line of Silver Street as laid out on January 1, 1929, thence South 71 deg. 48 min. 5 sec. West in the northwesterly line of Silver Street as laid out on January 1, 1929 476.53 feet to a stone bound; thence South 51 deg. 39 min. 55 sec. West 40 feet to a point; thence in said northwesterly line of Silver Street South 51 deg. 39 min. 55 sec. West 288.10 feet to a point; thence in said northwesterly line of Silver Street South 51 deg. 39 min. 55 sec. West 161.95 feet to a stone bound; thence in northwesterly line of Silver Street South 40 deg. 24 min. 55 sec. West 206.65 feet to a point; thence in said north- westerly line of Silver Street. South 40 deg. 24 min. 55 sec. West 815.10 feet to a stone bound; thence in said northwesterly line of Silver Street South 32 deg. 43 min. 55 sec. West 394.33 feet to a point; thence in said north- westerly line of Silver Street South 32 deg. 43 min. 55 sec. West 351.85 feet to a point; thence in said north- westerly line of Silver Street South 32 deg. 3 min. 55 sec. West 468.78 feet to a stone bound; thence South 34 deg. 50 min. 10 sec. West 422.63 feet to an iron pin; thence in said Northwesterly line of Silver Street South 34 deg. 50 min. 10 sec. West 810.29 feet to the northeasterly line of Shoemaker Lane, the point of beginning.


Parcel 2. Beginning at an iron pin in the westerly line of Shoemaker Lane at a point 60.38 feet southwester- ly in said westerly line of said Shoemaker Lane from a stone highway bound, which stone highway bound is 787 feet southeasterly in said westerly line of said Shoemaker Lane from another stone highway bound which marks the beginning of a northerly curve in said highway, which curve has a radius of 841.70 feet; thence South 43 deg. 5 min. West 327.60 feet to an iron pin; thence North 2 deg. West 163 feet to an iron pin; thence South 12 deg. 56 min. West 210.60 feet to a point at land of one Khodiar; thence North 81 deg. 17 min. West 175 feet to an iron pin; thence South 22 deg. 12 min. 30 sec. West 306.82 feet to an iron pin at land of one Granger; thence North 79 deg. 59 sec. West 430.26 feet to an iron pin at other land of the Cuba-Connecticut Tobacco Company; thence North 21 deg. 1 min. East 1646.30 feet to an iron pin at other land of the Cuba-Connecticut Tobacco Company ; thence South 83 deg. 43 min. East 105 feet to an iron pin


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in said westerly line of said Shoemaker Lane; thence Southeasterly in said westerly line of said Shoemaker Lane by a highway curve having a radius of 841.70 feet, 450.01 feet to a stone highway bound; thence continuing in said highway line South 36 deg. 29 min. East 787 feet to another stone highway line South 36 deg. 29 min. East 787 feet to another stone highway bound; thence continu- ing in said highway line South 29 deg. 25 min. East 60.38 feet to an iron pin at the point of beginning.


Parcel 3. Beginning at a point in the southeasterly line of Silver Street as laid out January 1, 1929 at the southwest corner of the tract herein described and at the northwest corner of land now or formerly owned by one Crouse; thence in the southeasterly line of said Silver Street as laid out on January 1, 1929 north 32 deg. 43 min. 55 sec. East 729.77 feet to a point; thence continuing in the southeasterly line of said Silver Street as laid out on January 1, 1929, 172.26 feet to a point; thence south 79 deg. 44 min. 30 sec. East, 1309.02 feet to a point; thence South 8 deg. 24 min. 34 sec. West 1705.44 feet to the point of beginning.


Reserving to the Town the right to take from the premises on the westerly side of Shoemaker Lane such sand, gravel and fill as may be necessary in the construc- tion and grading of the new Feeding Hills schoolhouse and premises, and such sand, gravel and fill up to a limit of five thousand (5,000) cubic yards as may be necessary to satisfy the requirements of the Housing Authority of the Town of Agawam.


Article 43. Voted that Article 43 be adopted and that the Board of Selectmen be and they hereby are authorized to sell at a price not less than $1,000.00, and to execute and deliver a proper deed conveying all the title which the Town of Agawam has in and to the follow- ing described real estate with the buildings thereon:


Beginning at the southwesterly corner of one Taylor on the easterly side of Silver Street and running South 79 deg. rr min. 30 sec. East 1309.02 feet; thence South 8 deg. 4 min. 27 sec. West 149.04 feet to a point; thence North 79 deg. 44 min. 30 sec. West 1401.24 feet to an angle point in the easterly line of Silver Street; thence


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North 40 deg. 24 min. 55 sec. East 172.26 feet to the point of beginning, containing 4 and 5/8 acres more or less.


Amended to read "that the Board of Selectmen, Town Treasurer and Finance Board be and they hereby are authorized"


Article 44. Voted that Article 44 be adopted and that the Board of Selectmen, Town Treasurer and Finance Board be and they hereby are authorized to sell at a price not less than $2,500.00 and to execute and deliver a proper deed conveying all the title which the Town of Agawam has in and to the following described real estate with the buildings thereon :


Beginning on the easterly line of Silver Street at the northwesterly corner of the property of one King and running along the easterly line of Silver Street North 32 deg. 43 min. 55 sec. East 729.77 feet to an angle point in the highway; thence South 79 deg. 44 min. 30 sec. East 1401.24 feet to a point; thence South 8 deg. 4 min. 27 sec. West 655.30 feet to an iron pin; thence North 80 deg. 24 min. 34 sec. West 1705.44 feet to the easterly line of Silver Street to the point of beginning, containing 23 and 5/8 acres more or less.


Article 45. Voted to pass over offering the portion of the Airport required for runway purposes to the Com- monwealth; and the selling of all buildings and other land for business purposes; and the appointing of an Aviation Committee of five.


Article 46. Voted to pass over. To establish a Town Property Committee.


Article 47. Voted to pass over. To print in the Annual Town Report detailed and itemized payroll of all Town personel and detailed and itemized expense paid by each department.


Article 48. Voted to pass over. That the cost of any repairs, alterations, improvements, or additions to any public buildings or facilities be absorbed in full into the expense records for the year in which the work is contracted and/or performed.


Article 49. Voted to pass over. That all purchases


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of $300.00 and over made by any department or board of the Town, be subject to competitive bidding.


Article 50. Voted to pass over. To abolish the Board of Fire Engineers, and elect a Board of Public Safety to have jurisdiction over both Police and Fire De- partments.


Article 51. Voted to change the time of the Annual Town Election from the first Monday to the Second Mon- day in February.


Article 52. Voted unanimously to amend the Zoning By-Laws and add to Section 5a2 "and further provided that the Board of Appeals may, upon petition by any non- profiting Housing Group, allow multiple dwellings of not more than two stories."


Article 53. Voted to permit the Agawam Housing Authority to remove 5,000 cubic yards of fill from the bank on Shoemaker Lane which is part of the Race Track Property, so-called, to be used for grading purposes on the Agawam Housing Authority site on Springfield Street.


Article 54. Voted unanimously that the Collector of Taxes shall collect under the title of Town Collector all accounts due the Town, all previous votes to be repealed.


Article 55. Voted 53 yes -80 no, to establish a Town Manager.


Article 56. Voted that the Committee be continued and that the Moderator appoint two additional members, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $400.00 for the expenses of said Committee.


Article 57. Voted to pass over. Amendment to paragraph 6 of section G of the Building Laws.


Article 58. Voted to accept as read the report of the Fire Survey Committee.


Article 59. Voted to raise and appropriate the sum of twelve thousand one hundred forty-four dollars ($12,- 144.00) to pay six Volunteer Firemen that may be ad- vanced to the permanent fire force. These men shall work


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at such hours and at such stations as the Fire Engineers may direct. Any man or men so advanced shall work a six months probationary period before he may be ap- pointed as a permanent firemen. Advancements to these positions must be made from the present volunteer fire- men if possible.


Article 60. Voted that the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of $1,200.00 to purchase so called gas masks or air and oxygen breathing apparatus as required by law.


Article 61. Voted to accept the report of the Board of Selectmen that Federal Avenue remain under it's present name.


Article 62. Voted to pass over the acceptance of Charles Street as a public street.


Article 63. Voted to accept Warren Street as laid out by the Board of Selectmen, in accordance with Plans of Layout and Survey now on file with the Town Clerk of the Town of Agawam.


Article 64. Voted to pass over. Petition of Vin- cenzo Moccio to change property, at intersection of Suf- field and Cooper Street, from residence to business zone.


Article 65. Voted to spread, upon the minutes of this meeting, the following resolution; "Resolved, that the citizens of Agawam, Massachusetts assembled in Town Meeting on February 26, 1949 hereby endorse the princi- ple of World Federation and request the Government of the United States, at the earliest propitious moment, to initiate the procedure necessary to transform the United Nations, by implementing article 109 of the United Na- tions Charter. into a law-making body with power to pre- vent war and to enforce justice upon individuals."


Article 66. Voted to extend thanks to Explorer Scouts.


Voted to adjourn at 5:05 P. M.


BRANDON N. LETELLIER Town Clerk


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Special Town Meeting


MAY 5, 1949


Meeting called to order by the Moderator, George W. Porter, at 8:05 P. M. according to the call of the warrant, a quorum declared. The articles of the warrant were read by the Town Clerk, and under


Article 1. Voted to transfer the sum of $2,000.00 from the road machinery fund and the sum of $7,875.00 from the excess and deficiency fund for the purchase of a new grader, and that the Town authorize the Board of Selectmen to trade the old grader, destroyed by fire, to- wards the purchase price.


Article 2. Voted to accept the report of the Agawam Center School Survey Committee as follows :


The committee appointed to investigate the needs of an addition to the Center School has compiled the figures that you find on the chart given you at the door.


These figures were taken from the Wilson report and corrected to agree with the facts as shown by a later survey of pre-school children in the center district. This chart is to be considered a part of this report.


Taking the elementary school figures for the whole Town for 1949, of 1030, the school committee - by re- districting - can take care of this enrollment until the new Feeding Hills school is completed in January, 1950.


The September, 1950 enrollment will be approxi- mately 1,118 pupils. By then we will have 38 rooms in our system available for elementary pupils. This means approximately 29 plus pupils per room and we emphasize the fact that this is using every available classroom.


As you see, from the chart, that you have, in 1951 there will be 1,140 pupils - in 1952, 1,228 - in 1953, 1,320 or approximately 35 pupils per room for every available room.


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It must be kept in mind that it is impossible for any school system to have the exact minimum or maximum of pupils in a given room at a certain year. For example you might have 45 first grade pupils to go into one avail- able room and only 28 second grade pupils to go into an- other room in the same year.


These potential pupil figures that we were able to obtain are, in our mind, the absolute minimum as, since our survey was made and the Wilson report completed, two major housing projects in our town are a certainty : the Vadnais project on lower Main Street, of 54 houses, and the Veteran's building project in Feeding Hills.


No doubt these projects will bring at least 100 more elementary school pupils almost immediately into our sys- tem and, in weighing the need of this addition, this must be kept in mind.


From the chart that you have you can readily see that the over-crowding is going to be in the Center School district. Therefore, the committee recommends to you that an eight room addition be made to the Center School building and that the next article in the warrant, calling for a building committee to be appointed, be approved and acted upon favorably.


Edward A. Johnson, Chairman Elizabeth M .Barry Alvin Kellogg James Reynolds, Jr. L. John Schinelli


Article 3. Voted that the Moderator appoint a Building Committee of seven with the present Agawam Center School Survey Committee being continued as members of the Building Committee, with powers to em- ploy an architect to prepare plans and to secure bids, and make their report at a special Town meeting to be called not later than September 15, 1949.


Article 4. Voted 63 yes and 57 no to authorize the Board of Selectmen to have a filed with the Massachusetts General Court whereby the Town will be permitted to borrow $200,000.00 over the present debt limit for the


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purpose of financing the erection of an addition to the Agawam Center School.


Article 5. Voted to adjourn at 9:18 P. M.


BRANDON N. LETELLIER Town Clerk


COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS


Hampden ss


To either of the Constables of the Town of Agawam


Greetings :


In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachu- setts you are hereby directed to warn and notify the in- habitants of the Town of Agawam qualified to vote in Town affairs to meet in the Auditorium of the High School Building on Thursday, the fifteenth day of Septem- ber, 1949, at 8 o'clock P. M. then and there to act upon the following articles :


Article 1. To hear and act upon the report of the Building Committee appointed by the Moderator relative to the construction and equipment of an addition to the Center School, now known as the Benjamin J. Phelps School, pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.


Article 2. To see of the Town will vote to authorize the construction and to equip an addition to the Center School, now known as the Benjamin J. Phelps School, and to make necessary changes in the existing school building, substantially as shown on plans and specifica- tions prepared by Paul B. Johnson, Architect, and appro- priate therefor the sum of $10,000.00 or any other sum from available funds, and borrow, pursuant to the au- thority duly granted by a special act of the General Court, Chapter 435, Acts of 1949, the sum of $200,000.00 or any other sum, and issue bonds therefor, and to complete the construction and equipment of the said addition and to make necessary changes in the existing school building, pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.


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Article 3. To see if the Town will vote to continue in power the present Center School Building Committee until the completion of the addition, pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.


Article 4. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning By-Laws by changing from Residence A to Busi- ness, the property belonging to Marguerite F. Caldon and the Estate of John J. Caldon Sr. (Marguerite F. Caldon Executrix) and bounded and described as follows: West- erly by Main Street 1362.48 feet; Northerly by land of Thomas H. and Rose D. Stapleton, 465.35 feet, and the Agawam River 309 feet, Total 765.35 feet; Easterly by land of Thomas H. and Rose D. Stapleton 1030.65 feet; Southerly by land of Esther Cohen 615.49 feet.


Article 5. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning By-Laws by changing from Residence A to Busi- ness, the property belonging to Jerry L. and Grace B. Zerra, bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a point in the Westerly line of Main Street at the end of the present business zone located 300 feet more or less north- erly of Cooper Street and running thence northerly along the westerly line of Main Street 400 feet; thence Westerly at right angles to Main Street 200 feet; thence Southerly in a line parallel with Main Street 400 feet; thence at right angles 200 feet to the point of beginning.


Article 6. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of $2,000.00 or any other sum, from the interest on debt account to the Road Machinery Account, pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.


Article 7. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of $2,000.00 or any other sum, from the interest on debt account to the Sewer Maintenance Account, pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.


Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to appro- priate from the Excess and Deficiency Fund, the addi- tional sum of $2,500.00 for Chapter 90 Construction of Springfield Street, with the State and County cooperating, pass any vote, or take any action relative thereto.


Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to transfer any sum of money from the Fire Salaries account to the


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Fire All Other account, pass any vote, or take any action relative thereto.


Article 10. To hear and act upon the report of the Survey Committee for Salaries and Wages, Duties, and Classifications of Town Employees, pass any vote, or take any action relative thereto.


Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to place in the Annual Town Report for 1949, the Griffenhagen Report, so-called, pass any vote, or take any action relative thereto.


Article 12. To see if the Town will amend its By- Laws by changing the time of the Annual Election from the second Monday in February to the third Monday in February and by changing the time of the Annual Town Meeting from the last Saturday in February to the first Saturday in March, meeting to open at 1:00 P. M., pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.


Article 13. To see if the Town, will amend its By- Laws by providing for appointment, instead of election, by the Board of Selectmen of 10 constables to be ap- pointed for the term of one year commencing with the year 1950, pass any vote or take any action relative there- to.


Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Planning Board to retain the service of an engineer to make a survey of the proposed location for a new High School site, situated between Springfield and Suffield Streets, and being part of the Worden tract, so-called, and to appropriate therefor the sum of $300.00 or any other sum from available funds, pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.


Article 15. To transact any business that may legally come before the meeting.


And you are hereby directed to serve this warrant by posting attested copies thereof one in each of the said Post Offices of said Town and one in the Riverview Mar- ket in North Agawam, seven days at least before the day of said meeting.




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