USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1924 > Part 5
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From an electrical standpoint this location will allow easy connection to be made with interior wires and cables to the underground cables now and later installed on Franklin Street.
This proposed second floor location of the electrical department, while under the same roof, will be separate from other parts of the building, and as far as prac- ticable, will be fire resisting, either from internal or ex- ternal causes.
The Fire Alarm System is the "heart" of the Fire Department and Fire Alarm Headquarters is the "pivotal point" of the signaling systems. All alarms are received through instruments located at this head- quarters and said alarms are retransmitted to the various circuits, bells, gongs, etc. A failure to properly transmit signal received, may mean loss of property or life. In consequence, provision must be made to safe- guard this delicate and highly expensive apparatus at the "nerve centre" of the Fire Alarm System.
The instrument and battery rooms of proposed headquarters will be of such size as to allow for install-
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
ing new apparatus as will be required at present and sufficient room will be provided for additional apparatus in future years when it becomes necessary to change from an Automatic Repeating System to a Manually Operated System, requiring operators on duty at all times.
Conduits will be provided when building to allow for installing of cables and wires as required in the future.
Manually operated Fire Alarm Systems are now in use in Cambridge, Somerville and other cities of large population and the time will come when Arlington will require a larger Fire Alarm System than now planned. In consequence, this Committee have "looked ahead" to the end, that provision shall be made for this future enlargement.
The present fire alarm headquarters in Old Town Hall Building is unsafe, has been condemned by the Fire Underwriters, is a veritable fire trap and is not suitable in space to allow for installing additional equipment which is much needed at the present time, owing to the expansion of street box system made necessary by rapid growth of the town. The above specified details are some of the conditions considered by Committee in planning for a new Fire Alarm Head- quarters as a "part" of proposed new Central Fire Station.
If the town should decide not to erect this building, some other building will have to be provided at an early date for housing the Fire Alarm apparatus.
To erect a separate building for this sole purpose is an expensive proposition and while this has been done in many nearby municipalities, such a building is not necessary under ordinary conditions when a modern type of Fire Station (centrally located) is to be built, which can include the electrical headquarters as a part of the same.
65
TOWN RECORDS
IN GENERAL
There is little need to call to your attention the rapid growth of the town for everywhere stores and houses are springing up, as it were, in the night. The building permits issued in January of this year amounted to $127,000 while in the same month last year they totaled $21,000. The first ten days of February exceed- ed the whole month of February last year by more than $15,000. Houses for nearly seven hundred families were built in 1923. There is no doubt but this growth will continue as long as a vacant lot is left in the town. Arlington has an estimated population of 24,000; 3,708 domiciles, 295 stores, a valuation of buildings alone of $21,291,985, and adding at the rate of $3,500,000 per year.
This rapid increase in population and property of the town brings with it the added responsibility of pro- tecting those lives and that property. For several years the men in control. of town affairs have realized the necessity of enlarging and increasing the facilities of the Fire Department, but on account of the heavy demand upon the town for schools, have deferred asking for an appropriation from year to year until the need has be- come vitally imperative. Arlington has built no public buildngs-schools excepted-since 1890 when the small fire station was erected at the Heights at a cost of $2,700.
The Old Central Station which was built in 1872 for hand-drawn apparatus, is outgrown, out-of-date and structurally unsafe for the apparatus it now houses, and is in direct violation of the State Rules and Regulations governing garages, which it virtually is, with its atten- dant dangers and with seven men sleeping above. It was strengthened for horses in 1895 and again reinforced in 1913 for motor apparatus, since which time only minor repairs have been made upon it.
The living quarters are unsanitary and unsuitable for the men. It must be remembered that fire stations
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
are the only public buildings in use twenty-four hours per day for three hundred and sixty-five days and that fire- men are the only public employees who spend twenty-one out of twenty-four hours on duty. If these men are to give the best possible service to the town the conditions under which they live must be attractive, cheerful and normal. At present, there are no headquarters for the Fire Department; there is no office for the Chief; there is no space to store equipment; no place for preserving records and no place for repairing apparatus.
RECOMMENDATIONS
For the reasons stated above, your Committee unan- imously recommends that the town accept the plans herewith submitted and appropriate the sum of $148,000 to build a Central Fire Station, including the purchase of new Fire Alarm Apparatus. It also recommends that the construction of the building be of stone to harmonize with the Library and Robbins Memorial Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
WALTER H. PEIRCE, Chairman, CHARLES H. HIGGINS, WALTER F. ROBINSON, REUBEN W. LeBARON, DANIEL B. TIERNEY, Secretary.
Zoning
No report.
Play Ground-Rear of High School Building
Percy A. Goodale presented the following report and the same was received.
Arlington, Mass., March 25, 1924.
The Park Commissioners and sub-committee of the School Committee, beg to report in regard to the de- velopment and plans for play ground in the rear of the High School as follows:
67
TOWN RECORDS
After considerable study, we are submitting a pos- sible lay-out for this play ground, that will include eight tennis courts, two base ball diamonds, two foot ball fields, running track, quoit court, children's play ground, grand stand, swimming pool, children's wading pool and hockey rink. We recommend that this development be done on a progressive scale, and we strongly recommend that the grading be done as far as the brook at once.
Your Commissioners have received, what we con- sider a very favorable bid of $17,500 for the rough grad- ing of this area as far as the brook line. We recommend that the grading be done under the direction of the town engineer, at. the price of $17,500, to include definite lines for grades that he would set; therefore your Commission- ers inserted Article No. 25 in the warrant, feeling that this matter should not be delayed any further.
Respectfully submitted,
PARK COMMISSIONERS, TOWN OF ARLINGTON.
Report of Finance Committee Taken Up
Egbert E. Stackpole, Chairman of the Finance Committee, moved and it was voted that the printed report of the Finance Committee, copies of which had been sent to each Town Meeting Member, be received.
Nelson B. Crosby, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, explained the attitude of the Board of Selectmen relative to the report of the Finance Com- mittee.
On motion of Egbert E. Stackpole:
Voted: That Article 3 be laid on the table.
On motion of Egbert E. Stackpole :
Voted: That the following articles be taken up in the following order :
Article 4 to 24, both inclusive, Article 39 and Article 65.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Article 4 taken up. (Appropriation for Robbins Library).
Voted : That the Dog Tax and the sum of $11,500 be and hereby is appropriated for the Robbins Library and branches for the year 1924, the same to be expended under the direction of the Trustees of the Library.
Article 5 taken up. (Appropriation for Schools).
Voted : That the sum of $353,995 be and hereby is appropriated for the Public Schools for the year 1924, the same to be expended under the direction of the School Committee as follows:
Salaries
$283,045.00
Repairs
11,000.00
Fuel
15,000.00
Spy Pond Field
3,000.00
General Expenses
37,450.00
New Boilers
4,500.00
Total
$353,995.00
Article 6 taken up. (Memorial Day Appropriation).
Voted: That the sum of $700 be and hereby is ap- propriated for the proper observance of Memorial Day, to be expended as follows :
Under the direction of Francis Gould Post 36
G. A. R. $300.00
Local Post of the United Spanish War Veterans 100.00
Arlington Post 39, American Legion 300.00
Total
$700.00
Article 7 taken up. (Water for Public Purposes).
Voted: That the sum of $7,000 be and hereby is appropriated to be credited to the Water Department for water used for fire hydrants, street watering and public buildings for the year 1924.
69
TOWN RECORDS
Article 8 taken up. (Construction of Permanent Sidewalks and Installation of Curbstones).
Voted: That the sum of $10,000 be and hereby is appropriated for the construction of permanent side- walks, and for the installing of curbstones for the year 1924.
Article 9 taken up. (Highway Division).
Voted: That the sum of $112,000 be and hereby is appropriated for the use of the Highway Division of the Board of Public Works for the year 1924: that for this purpose the sum of $7,951.08 be taken from High- way Funds now in the Treasury and the balance $104,- 048.92 be raised by general tax: said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Pub- lic Works as follows :
Maintenance of Highways
$69,000.00
Tools and Equipment
3,000.00
Town Yards and Buildings
2,500.00
Reconstruction of streets
20,000.00
Stock Account
1,000.00
General Expense
16,500.00
Total
$112,000.00
Article 10 taken up. (Sewer Maintenance).
Voted: That the sum of $7,000 be and hereby is appropriated for the maintenance of the Sewerage Sys- tem for the year 1924, the same to be expended under the direction of the Board of Public Works.
Article 11 taken up. (Extension of Sewerage Sys- tem).
Voted (Unanimously) : That the sum of $55,000 be and hereby is appropriated for the extension of the Sewerage System and for this purpose $11,859.98 be transferred from Sewer Funds now in the Treasury, $10,140.02 be raised by general tax and for the balance
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
$33,000 the Treasurer, with the approval of the Select .. men, be and hereby is authorized to borrow the said sum of $33,000, and to issue bonds or notes of the town therefor, said bonds or notes to be payable in accord- ance with Section 19 of Chapter 44 of the General Laws, and all acts in addition thereto or amendments thereof, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than eleven years from the date of issue of the first bond or note or at such earlier date as the Treasurer and the Selectmen may determine, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Public Works.
Article 12 taken up. (Extension of Water Mains).
Voted (Unanimously) : That the sum of $37,500 be and hereby is appropriated for the extension of Water Mains, and for this purpose $9,500 be raised by general tax, and for the balance $28,000, the Treasurer with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow the said sum of $28,000, and to issue bonds or notes of the town therefor, said bonds or notes to be payable in accordance with Section 19 of Chapter 44 of the General Laws and all acts in addi- tion thereto or amendment thereof, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than seven 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, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Public Works.
Article 13 taken up. (Extension of Storm Drains).
Voted: That the sum of $15,000 be and hereby is appropriated for the extension of Storm Drains for the year 1924, the same to be expended under the direc- tion of the Board of Public Works.
Article 14 taken up. (Removal of Snow and Ice).
On motion of Clarence A. Moore:
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TOWN RECORDS
Voted : That the sum of $13,000 be and hereby is appropriated for the removal of snow and ice from the highways for the year 1924, the same to be expended under the direction of the Board of Public Works.
Article 15 taken up. (Collection of Ashes, Offal, and Rubbish).
On motion of Clarence A. Moore :
Voted: That the sum of $53,000 be and hereby is appropriated for the collection of ashes, offal and rub- bish, for the year 1924, 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 appropriated for street lighting for the year 1924, the same to be expended under the direction of the Joint Board of Selectmen and the Board of Public Works.
Article 17 taken up. (Engineering Work).
Voted : That the sum of $5,000 be and hereby is appropriated for the Engineering Work of the town, the same to be expended under the direction of the Joint Board of Selectmen and the Board of Public Works as follows :
Salary Town Engineer $2,100.00
Department Expenses
2,900.00
Total
$5,000.00
Article 18 taken up. (Suppression of Gypsy and Brown Tail Moths).
On motion of Nelson B. Crosby :
Voted: That the sum of $5,000 be and hereby is appropriated for suppressing the gypsy and brown tail moths under Chapter 132 of the General Laws and
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
amendments thereto; the same to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen as follows :
Salary Superintendent
$1,950.00
Expenses
3,050.00
Total
$5,000.00
Article 19 taken up. (Planting of Trees).
Voted: That the sum of $2,600 be and hereby is appropriated for the planting of trees, removal of dead and dangerous trees, and for the trimming and general care of existing trees during the year 1924, the same to be expended under the direction of the Tree Warden, as follows :
Tree Warden's Salary $ 100 00
Expenses 2,500 00
Total
$2,600 00
Article 20 taken up. (Appropriation for Public Parks).
Voted: That the sum of $750 be and hereby is appropriated 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).
Voted: That the sum of $5,842.20 be and hereby is appropriated for the payment of Pensions, during the year 1924 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
73
TOWN RECORDS .
money, from time to time, in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1924, 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 authorized to use all means of collecting taxes for the year 1924, which a Town Treasurer may use when ap- pointed a Collector of Taxes.
Article 24 taken up. (Repairs of Highways and Bridges).
Voted: That the town ways, highways and bridges be repaired under the direction of the Board of Public Works.
Article 39 taken up. (Additional Appropriation for Zoning Committee).
Voted: That the additonal sum of $500 be and here- by is appropriated for the use of the Committee appoint- ed under vote passed July 11, 1923, to consider the amendment of the town's by-laws by the addition of a by-law or by-laws relating to the restriction or limita- tion of particular classes of buildings to specified dis- tricts or zones and the regulation thereof.
Article 65 taken up. (To Defray Town Expenses, Overdrafts of 1923, Interest, Debt and State Aid).
Voted: That the sum of $5,905 be and hereby is appropriated for the Sinking Fund; and that for this purpose $2,000 be taken from the income of the Water Department, and the balance, $3,905, be raised by general tax.
Voted: That the sum of $48,500 be and hereby is appropriated for the payment of interest during the year 1924; and that for this purpose $5,152.50 be taken from
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
the receipts of the Water Department and the balance, $43,347.50, be taken from available balances and re- ceipts now in the Treasury.
Voted: That the sum of $96,500 be and hereby is appropriated for the payment of bonds and notes matur- ing in 1924; and that for this purpose the sum of $1,724.39 be taken from funds now in the Treasury available for town debt; the sum of $15,000 be taken from the receipts of the Water Department, and the balance, $79,775.61, be raised by general tax.
Voted: That the sum of $63,847.50 be and hereby is appropriated from the income of the Water Depart- ment during the year 1924 for maintenance and exten- sions, including Metropolitan Water Assessments.
Voted : That the sum of $1,228.72 be and hereby is appropriated to provide for overdrafts, the same to be taken from available balances and receipts now in the Treasury.
Voted: That the sum of $244,217.24 be and hereby is appropriated to defray town expenses for the year 1924, to be expended as detailed under the direction of the respective department heads as follows:
Board of Selectmen
Salaries of the Board $650 00
Office Salaries
Clerk
$1,040 00
Stenographer
1,040 00
Office expenses
320 00
Total $2,400 00
Contingent Expenses, "Selectmen's" $1,000 00
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TOWN RECORDS
Legal Department
Town Counsel
$750 00
Other Legal Expenses
4,250 00
Total
$5,000 00
Building Inspection Department
Salary of Building Inspector
$2,200 00
Salary of Clerk
150 00
Maintenance of Automobile
450 00
Total $2,800 00
Salary of Plumbing and Gas In-
spector
$1,700 00
Maintenance of Automobile 200 00
Total
$1,900 00
Sealer of Weights and Measures
Salary Expenses
$250 00
370 00
Total
$620 00
Elections, Town Meetings, Registrars
$5,500 00
Printing Town Report
$2,900 00
Outside Poor
Clerk
$1,500 00
Town Physician
400 00
Other expenses
22,900 00
Total $24,800 00
.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Robbins Memorial Hall
Janitors' salaries
$3,150 00
Extra janitors, Checkers and Police 450 00
Fuel 1,400 00
Lighting
900 00
Care of grounds
1,000 00
Repairs and refinishing
1,750 00
Janitors' supplies
300 00
Total
$8,950 00
Menotomy Hall
Janitors' salaries
$400 00
Extra Janitors, Checkers
50 00
Janitors' supplies
50 00
Fuel
750 00
Lighting
200 00
Repairs
300 00
Total
$1,750 00
Inspector of Animals
$250 00
State and Military Aid
$1,500 00
Soldiers' Relief
$1,500 00
Town Insurance
$7,650 00
Municipal Insurance Fund
$5,000 00
Police Department
Salaries
$52,829 24
Telephones
275 00
Automobile and Ambulance
1,600 00
General expenses
2,000 00
Total 56,704 24
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TOWN RECORDS
Fire Department
Salaries
$36,004 50
Maintenance of buildings
1,650 00
Maintenance of apparatus
3,500 00
General expenses
600 00
Total
$41,754 50
Repairs on Town Houses
$500 00
Taxes and Tax Titles
$1,400 00
Town Treasurer
Salary
$1,500 00
Clerk
950 00
Incidentals
450 00
Total
$2,900 00
Town Clerk
Salary
$3,500 00
Clerk
1,328 00
Clerk
1,172 00
Incidentals
900 00
Total
$6,900 00
Vital Statistics
$325 00
Joint Board of Selectmen and Public Works Wire Department:
Superintendent's Salary
$2,700 00
Assistants' Salary
1,900 00
Substitute Helpers
400 00
Additional Fire and Police Boxes 1,775 00
Re-timing Fire Alarm Signals 370 00
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Aerial Wires
300 00
General Expenditures
529 00
Underground Cables
2,078 50
Automobile and Truck expense
956 00
Total
$11,008 50
Board of Health
Salaries of the Board
$400 00
Maintenance of Office
Salary
$2,340 00
Clerk Hire
$300 00
Office expenses
$500 00
Salaries and Expenses of Appointed Officers
Bacteriologist
$400 00
Physician
300 00
Nurse and Dental Clinic Assistant 1,515 00
Dentist
1,230 00
Milk Inspector Salary
400 00
Milk Inspector Expenses
300 00
Slaughtering Inspector
400 00
Total
$4,545 00
Communicable Diseases
$3,500 00
General Expenses :
Dispensary
$ 50 00
Laboratory
250 00
Dental Clinic
300 00
Janitor
120 00
Burial of Dead Animals
50 00
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TOWN RECORDS
Automobile, Purchase and Maintenance Miscellaneous Expenses
. . . . . 550 00
Total
$1,320 00
Collector of Taxes
Salary of Collector
$3,300 00
Clerk
1,300 00
Additional clerical assistance
300 00
Incidentals
1,750 00
Total
$6,650 00
Board of Survey
Salary, Clerk of the Board
$500 00
Expenses
700 00
Total
$1,200 00
Board of Public Works Salaries of the Board
$650 00
Town Auditor
Salary
$1,800 00
Clerk
1,300 00
Additional clerical assistance
100 00
Incidentals
300 00
Total
$3,500 00
Cemeteries
$6,000 00
Planning Board
Incidentals $200 00
Board of Assessors Salaries of the Board, each member $1,000 00 $3,000 00
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Chief Clerk (male, to be
chosen by the Board but
not to be one of the Board)
2,000 00
Other clerical assistance
2,000 00
Incidentals
2,000 00
Total
$9,000 00
Finance Committee
Salary of Chairman
$ 100 00
Salary of Secretary
50 00
Salary of Clerk
500 00
Expenses
300 00
Reserve Fund
7,500 00
Total
$8,450 00
Voted: That the salaries of the Town Clerk and of the Collector 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 re- ceived by them.
Voted: That the various amounts appropriated at this meeting indicated by the respective votes, and not otherwise provided for, be raised by general tax in the current financial year; and further voted, that all notes issued under the authority of any vote passed at this meeting shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of Sections 23 to 26 both inclusive, of Chapter 44 of the General Laws and amendments thereof or additions thereto.
Article 65 laid on the table. Article 28 taken up.
On motion of Egbert E. Stackpole :
Voted: (By a two-thirds vote, one hundred sixty- nine in favor, nine opposed) : That there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of one hundred and nine thou- sand ($109,000) dollars for the purpose of constructing
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TOWN RECORDS
an addition to the school house called "Cutter School" situated on land of the town on Robbins Road, increas- ing the floor space thereof including the cost of original equipment and furnishings: that for this purpose thir- teen thousand ($13,000) dollars be raised by general tax, and for the balance ninety-six thousand ($96,000) dollars the Treasurer, with the approval of the Select- men, be and hereby is authorized to borrow the said sum of ninety-six thousand ($96,000) dollars 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 addition thereto or amendment thereof, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than twenty 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; and further that a committee of five be ap- pointed by the Moderator, to consist of one member of the School Committee, one member of the Board of Selectmen and three citizens of the town with full author- ity to construct said addition, within the sum herein appropriated, substantially in accordance with plans presented at this meeting, and with power to fill any vacancy in said committee.
(The members of this committee as appointed by the Moderator were Messrs. Charles B. Devereaux, El- liott R. Barker, Charles A. Hardy, Foster P. Doane, and Thomas J. Donnelly, Jr.)
At thirty minutes after ten o'clock on motion of William C. Drouet:
Voted: That this meeting adjourn.
A True Record: Attest:
E. CAROLINE PIERCE,
Town Clerk.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
ANNUAL MEETING ADJOURNMENT
April 2, 1924.
Pursuant to the vote of adjournment of March 25, 1924 the Town Meeting Members met in the Town Hall on Wednesday evening, April 2, 1924, notices having been sent by mail by the Town Clerk to the Town Meet- ing Members at least seven days before the meeting. Notices were placed in the local papers and posted in at least two places in each precinct in the town.
Lists of the duly qualified Town Meeting Members were used at the entrances of the meeting place and were in charge of James F. Higgins and Philip T. Robinson.
The check lists filed with the Town Clerk at the close of the meeting showed that two hundred members attended the meeting.
The meeting was called to order at eight o'clock by the Moderator, John G. Brackett.
Mr. Arthur Lord, for over fifty years Moderator of the Town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, was a guest of the meeting, being introduced by Moderator Brackett.
The Town Meeting Members who had not already been sworn were sworn by the Moderator.
On motion of Nelson B. Crosby :
Voted: That at eight thirty o'clock this meeting recess until after the special meeting called for April 2, 1924 at eight thirty o'clock.
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