USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1923 > Part 3
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Article 14 taken up. (Removal of snow and ice).
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TOWN RECORDS
Voted: That the sum of $22,303.53 be and hereby is appro- priated for the removal of snow and ice from the highways for the year 1923, the same to be expended under direction of the Board of Public Works.
Article 15 taken up. (Collection of ashes, offal and rub- bish).
Voted: That the sum of $41,500 be and hereby is appropri- ated for the collection of ashes, offal and rubbish for the year 1923, the same to be expended under the direction of the Board of Public Works.
Article 16 taken up. (Street lighting).
Voted: That the sum of $18,500 be and hereby is appropri- ated for Street Lighting for the year 1923, the same to be ex- pended under the direction of the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works.
Article 17 taken up. (Engineering work).
Voted: That the sum of $4,800 be and hereby is appropri- ated for the Engineering Work of the Town, the same to be expended under the direction of the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works. Said amount to include $2,100 for Engineer's salary.
Article 18 taken up. (Suppression of gypsy and brown tail moths).
Voted: That the sum of $6,500 be and hereby is appropri- ated for suppressing the gypsy and brown tail moths under Chapter 132 of the General Laws and Amendments thereto, the same to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen.
Article 19 taken up. (Planting of trees).
Voted: That the sum of $2,625 be and hereby is appropri- ated for the planting of trees, removal of dead and dangerous trees, and for the trimming and general care of existing trees during the year 1923, the same to be expended under the di- rection of the Tree Warden.
Article 20 taken up. (Appropriation for public parks).
Voted: That the sum of $1,250 be and hereby is appropri- ated for the maintenance and improvement of the public parks of the Town, the same to be expended under the direction of the Park Commissioners.
Article 21 taken up. (Pensions).
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Voted: That the sum of $5,114 be and hereby is appropri- ated for the payment of pensions during the year 1923 under the provisions of law accepted by the Town.
Article 22 taken up. (Authority of Treasurer to borrow money).
Voted: That the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow money, from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1923, and to issue a note or notes therefor, payable within one year; any debt or debts so incurred to be paid from the revenue of said financial year.
Article 23 taken up. (Authority of Collector of Taxes).
Voted: That the Collector of Taxes be and hereby is author- ized to use all means of collecting taxes for the year 1923, which a Town Treasurer may use when appointed a Collector of Taxes.
Article 24 taken up. (Repairs of highways and bridges).
Voted: That the town ways, highways, and bridges be re- paired during the ensuing year under the direction of the Board of Public Works.
On motion of Frederick W. Hill, Chairman of the Finance Committee it was voted, That Articles 33 to 38, inclusive, of the warrant be now taken up and that the recommendations of the Finance Committee in its report be considered as now before the meeting to be voted upon without further motion separately, and in the order in which they appear in said report.
Article 33 taken up. (Fire Department - Sections 42 to 44, both inclusive of Chapter 48 General Laws).
Voted: That the Town hereby accepts the provisions of Sec- tions 42 to 44, both inclusive, of Chapter 48 of the General Laws, relating to fire departments; and does hereby establish a fire department to be under the control of an officer to be known as the chief of the fire department.
Article 34 taken up. · (Building of Fire House).
Voted: That a committee of five members be appointed by the Moderator to procure plans and estimates for the construc- tion of a fire department building and the installation therein of fire alarm apparatus on the town land bounded by Massachusetts Avenue, Broadway and Franklin Street; and that the sum of $500 be and hereby is appropriated for the same, to be spent
35
TOWN RECORDS
under the direction of said committee, said committee to report not later than the next annual meeting, and to have the power to fill vacancies.
Article 35 taken up. (Civil Service for Laborers - Chap- ter 31, General Laws).
Voted: That the Town do not accept the provisions of Chap- ter 31 of the General Laws, and the Amendments thereto relat- ing to civil service, in so far as they apply to the Labor Service of the Town, as classified in the division of civil service of the department of civil service and registration.
Article 36 taken up. (Three shift plan for Police Dept.)
Voted: That the Town do not accept the so-called Three Shift Plan for the Police Department.
Article 37 taken up. (Land bounded by Spy Pond, land of Clifford F. Perkins, Addison St. land formerly of Edith G. Walker and R. L. Hodgdon).
Voted: That the Board of Selectmen be and hereby is au- thorized and empowered to purchase, for any municipal purpose, all or any portion of the certain parcel of land as bounded and described in Article 37, and that the sum of $726.00 be and hereby is appropriated for the purchase of the same.
Article 38 taken up. (To defray town expenses, overdrafts, of 1922, interest, debt and State Aid).
Voted: That the sum of $12,850.00 be and hereby is appro- priated for the Sinking Fund; and that for this purpose $6,000 be taken from the income of the Water Department, and the balance, $6,850 be raised by general tax.
Voted: That the sum of $44,000 be and hereby is appropri- ated for payment of interest during the year 1923; and that for this purpose the sum of $7,060 be taken from receipts of the Water Department, and the balance, $36,940 be taken from available balances and receipts now in the Treasury.
Voted: That the sum of $62,500 be and hereby is appropri- ated for payment of bonds and notes maturing in 1923; and that for this purpose the sum of $81.87 be taken from funds now in the Treasury available for Town Debt, the sun of $11,000 be taken from the receipts of the Water Department, the sum of $22,962.73 be taken from available balances and receipts now in
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
the Treasury, and the balance $28,455.40, be raised by general tax.
Voted: That the sum of $56,940 be and hereby is appropri- ated from the income of the Water Department during the year 1923 for maintenance and extensions, including Metropolitan Water assessments.
Voted: That the sum of $5,152.98 be and hereby is appro- priated to provide for overdrafts, overlayings, and abatements, the same to be taken from available balances and receipts now in the Treasury.
Voted: That the sum of $218,089.00 be and hereby is ap- propriated to defray town expenses for the year 1923, to be ex- pended under the direction of the respective department heads as follows:
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Salary of the Board
$ 650.00
Maintenance of Office
1,700.00
Contingent
1,450.00
Legal Department - including salary of Town Counsel 7,000.00
Building Inspection Department :
Building Inspector - Salary and expenses
2,250.00
Plumbing Inspector - Salary and expenses
1,500.00
Sealers Weights and Measures - Salary and ex- penses
500.00
Inspector of Animals - Salary and expenses
250.00
Elections - Town Meetings - Registrars
2,200.00
Printing Town Reports
2,900.00
Outside Poor, including salary of Town Physician
23,000.00
Robbins Memorial Hall
14,832.00
Menotomy Hall
1,850.00
State and Military Aid
2,200.00
Soldiers' Relief
1,500.00
Town Insurance
3,500.00
Municipal Insurance Fund
5,000.00
Police Department:
Salaries
44,000.00
Telephones
275.00
Auto and Ambulance
1,600.00
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TOWN RECORDS
General
$1,650.00
Fire Department:
Salaries
$28,541.00
Maintenance of Buildings
1,000.00
Maintenance of Apparatus
3,046.00
General
600.00
TOWN TREASURER
Salary
$1,200.00
Incidentals
800.00
TOWN CLERK
Salary
$3,500.00
Incidentals
3,400.00
Vital Statistics
400.00
JOINT BOARD OF SELECTMEN AND PUBLIC WORKS
Wire Department:
That the appropriation for the Wire Department be di- vided as follows:
Salaries
$4,900.00
Underground Cables
1,503.00
Aerial Wires
300.00
Auto and Truck Upkeep
1,159.00
General Expenditures
638.00
Additional Fire and Police Boxes
2,750.00
BOARD OF HEALTH
Salary of the Board
$400.00
Maintenance of Office
3,080.00
Salaries of Appointive Officers and Expenses
4,485.00
Contagious diseases
3,500.00
General
1,020.00
BOARD OF ASSESSORS
Salary of the Board Incidentals 4,000.00
$3,000.00
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
TAX COLLECTOR
Salary
$3,000.00
Clerk Hire
1,375.00
Incidentals
1,625.00
BOARD OF SURVEY
Salaries and expenses
$900.00
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Salary of the Board
$650.00
TOWN AUDITOR
Salary
$1,560.00
Clerk Hire
1,400.00
General
300.00
Cemeteries and Sales
6,000.00
TREE WARDEN
Salary
$100.00
PLANNING BOARD
Incidentals
$200.00
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Salary of Chairman
100.00
Salary of Secretary
50.00
Incidentals
300.00
Reserve Fund
7,500.00
$221,589.00
Voted: That the salaries of the Town Clerk and of the Col- lector of Taxes shall be on condition that they shall respectively, upon receipt, pay into the Town Treasury for the use of the Town, all official fees received by them.
Article 38 was then laid on the table.
Article 25 taken up. (Additional Fire protection in public school buildings).
39
TOWN RECORDS
Voted: That the sum of $4,000 be and hereby is appropri- ated for the installation of additional means of fire protection in the public school buildings of the Town, the same to be ex- pended under the direction of the School Committee.
Article 26 taken up. (Gould Road from Pleasant Street to Shore Road).
Voted (unanimously), That the laying out of a Town Way from Pleasant Street to Shore Road substantially in the loca- tion of the private way known as Gould Road, as more particu- larly described in Article 26 of the warrant, under the provisions of law authorizing the assessment of betterments, as made and reported by the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works, be accepted, said way established, and said Joint Board authorized to take land for the purpose of said way; and that the sum of $6,711.00 be and hereby is appropriated for the original construction of said way, and that for this purpose $2,711.00 be raised by general tax, and for the balance, $4,000.00, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow the said sum of $4,000.00 and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, said bonds or notes to be payable in accordance with the provisions of Section 19 of Chap- ter 44 of the General Laws and all acts in alteration or amend- ment thereof, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than two years from the date of issue of the first bond or note, or at such earlier date as the Treasurer and Selectmen may de- termine.
On motion of Mr. Drouet Article 32 was taken up at this time, and after a vote of 106 to 49 it was voted that this article be laid on the table.
Article 27 taken up. (Devereaux Street Extension).
Voted (unanimously), That the laying out of a Town Way substantially in the location of the private way known as Dever- eaux Street Extension, as more particularly described in Article 27 of the warrant, under the provisions of law authorizing the assessment of betterments, as made and reported by the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works, be accepted, said way established, and said Joint Board authorized to take land for the purpose of said way; and that the sum of $3,182.75 be and hereby is appropriated for the original construction of
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
said way, including land damages, and that for this purpose $3,182.75 be raised by general tax.
Article 28 taken up. (Adams Street).
Voted (unanimously), That the laying out of a Town Way, from Massachusetts Avenue to Broadway, substantially in the location of the private way known as Adams Street, as more par- ticularly described in Article 28 of the warrant, under the pro- visions of law authorizing the assessment of betterments, as made and reported by the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works, be accepted, said way established and said Joint Board authorized to take land for the purpose of said way ; and that the sum of $9,907.62 be and hereby is appropriated for the original construction of said way; and that for this purpose $3,907.62 be raised by general tax, and for the balance, $6,000 the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and he here- by is authorized to borrow the said sum of $6,000 and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, said bonds or notes to be payable in accordance with the provisions of Section 19 of Chapter 44 of the General Laws and all Acts in alteration or amendment thereof, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than three years from the date of issue of the first bond or note, or at such earlier date as the Treasurer and Selectmen may determine.
Voted: At 10.10 that this meeting adjourn to meet Monday evening, April 16th, 1923 at 8.30 o'clock.
A true record of the meeting, attest:
E. CAROLINE PIERCE, Assistant Town Clerk.
The foregoing records of the March meetings were made by me as Assistant Town Clerk, Mr. Thomas J. Robinson having died on April 9, 1923.
E. CAROLINE PIERCE, Assistant Town Clerk.
April 10th, 1923.
I hereby certify that the following is a true copy of the notice of appointment of E. Caroline Pierce in the office of Town
·
41
TOWN RECORDS
Clerk pro tem, there being a vacancy in the office of Town Clerk caused by the death of Mr. Thomas J. Robinson :-
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS MIDDLESEX SS.
Arlington, April 9, 1923.
WHEREAS there is a vacancy in the office of Town Clerk of the Town of Arlington in said County of Middlesex,
We, the undersigned Selectmen of said Town do hereby appoint E. Caroline Pierce of said Arlington, Clerk for the performance of all duties of a Town Clerk other than those required of a Town Clerk at a Town Meeting, in accordance with the provisions of Section 14 of Chapter 41 of the General Laws.
(SIGNED)
CHARLES H. HIGGINS, NELSON B. CROSBY, CHARLES B. DEVEREAUX, Board of Selectmen of Arlington. ATTEST : E. CAROLINE PIERCE, Town Clerk, pro tem.
TOWN WARRANT
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. MIDDLESEX, SS.
To any of the Constables of the Town of Arlington, in said County GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the legal voters of the Town of Arlington, to meet in the Town Hall, in said Town on Monday, the 16th day of April, 1923, at eight o'clock, P. M., to act on the following articles, viz. :
ARTICLE 1 .. To hear and act on the report of the Commit- tee appointed under Vote of the Town passed October 26, 1922, to investigate the matter of additional school accommodations, of the Town Boards and Officers and of the Finance and other committees heretofore appointed.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
ART. 2. To see if the Town will vote to construct a school- house upon the land of the Town situated at the corner of Forest and Summer Streets, make an appropriation for such construction; determine in what manner the money shall be raised and expended or take any action relating thereto.
ART. 3. To see if the Town will vote to appoint a Com- mittee to investigate the matter of additional Fire Protection in the western section of the Town; make an appropriation for the use of such Committee; or take any action relating thereto.
(Inserted at the request of J. Howard Hayes et al.)
Hereof, fail not, and make due return of this warrant with your doings thereon, to the Selectmen, on or before said day and hour of meeting.
Given under our hands, at said Arlington, this twenty- second day of March in the year of Our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-three.
CHARLES H. HIGGINS, NELSON B. CROSBY, CHARLES B. DEVEREAUX, Selectmen of the Town of Arlington.
CONSTABLE'S RETURN
Arlington, April 12, 1923.
Middlesex County.
By virtue of this warrant I have notified and warned the legal voters of the Town of Arlington to meet at the time and place and for the purposes herein named by causing a printed attested copy of the same to be left at every dwelling house in the Town and by posting attested copies in two or more con- spicuous places in each precinct in the Town seven days at least before said day of meeting, and also by posting an attested copy at the doors of the Town Hall seven days at least before said day of meeting.
(Signed) DANIEL M. HOOLEY, Constable of Arling'on.
Arlington, April 16, 1923.
Pursuant to the foregoing warrant the Town Meeting Members, representing the seven precincts in the Town, met in
43
TOWN RECORDS
the Town Hall on Monday, April 16th, 1923, and were called to order at eight o'clock in the evening by the Moderator, John G. Brackett.
The Town Meeting Members who had not already been sworn were sworn in by the Moderator.
In accordance with the provisions of Section 14 of Chapter 41 of the General Laws ballots were cast for the election of a temporary clerk of the Meeting. The ballots were received and counted by Jacob Bitzer, Frederick C. Hortter and Clinton W. Schwamb, these three persons having been duly chosen at the meeting. They declared that all the sixty-seven votes were for E. Caroline Pierce, and declaration was made that she was unanimously elected temporary clerk.
The clerk was duly sworn by the Moderator.
The warrant and the Officer's Return thereon were read by the Clerk.
On motion of Mr. Charles H. Higgins the following Reso- lutions on the death of Thomas J. Robinson were adopted unanimously by a rising vote.
RESOLUTIONS
WHEREAS Our Almighty Father has called unto Himself our respected and esteemed townsman, Mr. Thomas J. Robinson, and .
WHEREAS Mr. Robinson for many years has served this Town faithfully and well in many exacting and important offices, and
WHEREAS his intimate knowledge of town affairs and his loyalty in its service has been of inestimable help and value not only to the Town, but to the citizens as a whole, and
WHEREAS it is right and fitting that we should show our appreciation of the man and of his work and spread upon its records our acknowledgment of esteem and respect
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
That the Town Meeting Members of the Town of Arlington in Town Meeting assembled this 16th day of April, 1923, hereby express their deep sense of loss in the death of Mr. Thomas J.
-
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Robinson and extend their sympathy to the members of his fam- ily in their bereavement, and
BE IT RESOLVED :
That the Town of Arlington has been fortunate in these years of transition in having in one of its most important offices a man of Mr. Robinson's ability and character. No man had a greater love for his Town or loyalty for its interests or its ad- vancement, and
BE IT RESOLVED:
That in Mr. Robinson's death the Town of Arlington has been deprived of a capable and conscientious official and of a citizen who will be remembered.
BE IT RESOLVED:
That a copy of these Resolutions be spread upon the records of the Town and that a copy thereof be forwarded to his family.
On motion of Mr. Higgins it was
Voted: That at 8.30 o'clock this meeting shall recess until 8.40 p.m.
On motion of Mr. Hill, Chairman of the Finance Committee it was voted that Article 1 of the warrant be taken up.
Mr. Hill presented the report of the Finance Committee in printed form and it was voted that the same be received.
Mr. Elliott R. Barker then presented the report of the Com- mittee on Additional School Accommodations, and it was voted that the same be received. Said report is as follows:
To the Moderator and Town Meeting Members:
The Committe on Additional School Accommodations authorized by the Town Meeting of October 6, 1922, was appointed by the Moderator during February, 1923, as follows: Messrs. Elliott R. Barker, William C. Scannell, Howard B. S. Prescott, Thomas J. Donnelly, Jr., and Harry C. Lear. Owing to urgent business matters Mr. Prescott resigned at our first meeting and was replaced by Mr. R. Walter Hilliard.
Your Committee has held several meetings to study the needs of the Town in the matter of school accommodations and through the hearty co-operation of the Superintendent of Schools, who submitted detailed statistics, is now able to make the following
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TOWN RECORDS
statements covering existing conditions and what we believe will be the existing conditions in the near future:
1. The recent installation of the so-called 6-3-3 plan has relieved overcrowding in the Senior High School by putting the freshman class into the Junior High Schools. Therefore, we found satisfactory housing conditions for the senior and junior high school grades.
2. Arlington has five school houses for grades below the Junior High and in all but one (namely the Russell School) there are more classes than classrooms as shown by the following schedule:
Classes
Class- rooms
Excess Vacant Classes Rooms
Parmenter School
6
5
1
0
Russell School
10
12
0
2
Crosby School
20
16
4
0
Cutter School
14
8
6
0
Locke School
20
16
4
0
The apparent overcrowding in the Parmenter School is taken care of by the platoon system in the sub-primary and first grades.
The remaining four schools can best be divided into two groups, the Russell-Crosby group serving the town East of Arlington Centre, and the Cutter-Locke group serving that part of the town above the Senior High School.
3. The Russell-Crosby group shows two vacant rooms in the Russell and four excess classes in the Crosby. A further study of the school population shows enough 5th and 6th grade pupils living between the two school houses or in localities practically as near the Russell as to the Crosby, as to fill the two vacant rooms in the Russell School. In this way, the platoon system in the Crosby School can be largely eliminated.
4. The Cutter-Locke group has ten excess classes which are now accommodated by intensive use of the " platoon system," by use of school auditoriums, hallways, basement rooms and teacher's rooms, none of which are suited for classroom work, either because of defective light or ventilation.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Your Committee has found the best solution for this problem of overcrowding in their opinion to be the construction of a new school house.
A further study of school population as of March 21, 1923, shows 275 pupils residing in school districts 30, 32, 34 and 36 who are now either in the Cutter or Locke Schools.
The Town owns a lot bought for municipal purposes at the corner of Forest and Summer Streets, almost in the geographical center of the above mentioned school districts. The removal of these 275 pupils from the Locke and Cutter Schools will re- lieve all overcrowding at both of these schools, thus eliminating the "platoon system," and reducing the size of the remaining classes sufficiently for considerable growth in nearly all grades.
5. There are ten classes living in school districts 30, 32, 34 and 36, which could be transferred to a new school immediately. Before a school house can be built we shall have many more pupils from this rapidly growing section.
We have seven grades below Junior High School, therefore, it seems most logical to recommend a fourteen room building, thus providing two rooms for each grade.
6. To determine the probable cost of such a building your Committee consulted two well known architects, who are now engaged by various towns and cities in our vicinity, design- ing and constructing school buildings. From information furnished by these architects based on buildings of about the same size your Committee believes that the Town should appro- priate $210,000 for the construction of a new school building.
SUMMARY. Your Committee, therefore, recommends that a fourteen room school house with auditorium to seat 300 be erected on land now owned by the Town at the corner of Forest and Summer Streets, that the sum of $210,000 be appropriated therefor, and that a building committee be appointed to engage an architect and supervise all details pertaining to the erection of said building.
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TOWN RECORDS
We also request that this committee on Additional School Accommodation be discharged.
Respectfully submitted, (Signed)
ELLIOTT R. BARKER, Chairman.
THOMAS J. DONNELLY, Jr.
WILLIAM C. SCANNELL,
HARRY C. LEAR,
R. WALTER HILLIARD,
It was voted that Article 1 be laid on the table.
It was voted that Article 2 be taken up. Mr. Hill moved that the recommendations of the Finance Committee be ac- cepted.
Mr. Alexander H. Rice, Chairman of the School Com- mittee offered a substitute motion: that a fourteen room school house with auditorium to seat 300 be erected on land now owned by the Town at the corner of Forest and Summer Streets, that the sum of $210,000 be appropriated therefor, and that a build- ing committee be appointed to engage an architect and super- vise all details pertaining to the erection of said building.
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