USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1928 > Part 6
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Respectfully submitted,
WALTER F. ROBINSON, ARTHUR J. NORWOOD, GEORGE W. KENTY, EDWARD N. LACEY, F. F. LOW, Chairman. Committee on Revision of Town's By-Laws.
Voted: That the report as presented by William S. Fair- child of the Permanent Committee under vote of the Town passed March 24, 1919, on Town Yard be received:
REPORT OF TOWN YARD COMMITTEE
Your committee wishes to report that a new garage and garbage house has been built during the past year and both buildings are now in use.
As the project is but partly completed your committee wishes at this time to make a report of progress only.
Respectfully submitted,
W. S. FAIRCHILD, W. F. ROBINSON, JAMES R. SMITH.
Earl A. Ryder made an informal report of progress from the committee under vote of the Town passed April 5, 1926, to investigate and consider the matter of additional school ac- commodations.
No report was received from the committee under vote of the Town passed April 16, 1923, to draw up regulations relating
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
to land acquired by the Town in connection with unpaid taxes and assessments.
Charles B. Devereaux, of the committee under vote of the Town passed March 26, 1926, for the purpose of building a Police Station House and lockup for the use of the Police Depart- ment, said that the committee was not ready to make a report.
Elliott R. Barker, of the committee under vote of the Town passed Jan. 14, 1926, to procure plans and estimates for the construction of a school building on land of the Town on Irving Street, said that a report would be made at a future meeting.
Voted: That the report as presented by Nelson B. Crosby, of the committee under vote of the Town passed April 7, 1927, to investigate and make recommendations as to the disposition of the Old Town Hall be received.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY THE MODERATOR TO CONSIDER DISPOSITION OF THE OLD TOWN HALL
This committee was appointed by the Moderator by a vote passed at the Adjourned Town Meeting of April 7, 1927, and the vote was as follows:
"That a committee of five citizens, including a member of the Planning Board, be appointed by the Moderator to in- vestigate and make recommendations as to the disposition of the Old Town Hall, such committee to have the power to fill vacancies and to report to the Town not later than the annual Town meeting of 1928; and that the sum of $500 be and hereby is appropriated for the use of said committee."
The committee has held eight meetings and believes it has made a thorough and quite comprehensive study of conditions as they apply to both land and building. The exterior condi- tion of the building is good, while the interior will require some expenditure of money to make it presentable and suitable for
71
TOWN RECORDS
rental. There is one tenant "at will," the S. K. Ames Com- pany, who pays a monthly rental of $125. The remainder of this building is used largely by the pupils of the Junior High Center and the Boy and Girl Scouts, without charge.
The land in shape is a right-angle triangle, containing 7356 square feet, and cost the Town $4300. It was acquired in three deeds, dated May 24, May 28, and June 12, 1852. An agreement between the Lexington and West Cambridge Rail- road, now the Boston & Maine, and the Town of West Cam- bridge, now Arlington, dated June 17, 1852, set forth an ex- change in the use of certain small parcels of land owned by either party to the agreement, containing 136, 640, and 154 square feet, respectively, the two areas first mentioned being land of the Town, and the latter area that of the Railroad.
To be filed with this report are certified copies of the three deeds, also of the agreement between the Railroad and the Town, the contract for the erection of the building, and a plan of the lot by the Town Engineer dated June 7, 1927.
In view of the location of this property, the possible need of it for other municipal purposes, or the use of it in conjunction with our Town Plan, the committee is unanimous in its opinion that the Town should retain the property, and by an appropria- tion to be asked for under Article 17 of the Warrant, place the building in a rentable condition.
The committee desires, later in the meeting, to show on the screen a plan of the land, from which a much clearer under- standing may be had of the exact situation.
Respectfully submitted,
NELSON B. CROSBY, Chairman, FOSTER P. DOANE, TIMOTHY F. COLLINS, FREDERICK W. HILL, CHAS. M. MACMILLIN, Secretary.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Herbert M. Dutcher, of the committee under vote of the Town passed April 7, 1927, to investigate and report on the matter of a suitable playground at Arlington Heights, made an informal report of progress.
Nelson B. Crosby, of committee under vote of the Town passed April 14, 1927, to make a study of World War Memorial, made an informal report of progress.
Charles B. Devereaux, of the committee under vote of the Town passed Nov. 29, 1927, to procure plans and specifications for the construction of a twelve-room addition to the present Junior High School West building, estimates of the cost of the original equipment and grading grounds, said that a report would be made at the Special Town Meeting.
Voted: That the report as presented by Alfred W. Lom- bard, of the committee under vote of the Town passed January 14, 1926, to consider the condition of Spy Pond, be received.
February 4, 1928.
The Moderator and Town Meeting, Arlington, Mass. Gentlemen:
The following is a progress report of the Committee to Consider the Condition of Spy Pond.
The committee are submitting herewith as the principal part of the report, the report made to them by the engineers whom they employed, Messrs. Weston and Sampson.
The engineers' report reviews the work of the past two years which has brought the pond to its present condition.
It is with considerable pleasure that the committee reports that Spy Pond is now a normal pond. The best evidence of its present condition is that while for at least eleven years pre- viously there have been from one to a dozen complaints every day during the summer of the offensive condition of the pond, this past summer did not bring a single complaint, and some of
-
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TOWN RECORDS
the people living on the shores of the pond bathed in the pond every day.
The committee considers it best to watch the pond for another year to be sure the results obtained were not temporary and to establish such procedure as may be necessary to keep the pond normal, as we believe that it will undoubtedly require attention to keep the results which have been attained.
Respectfully, ALFRED W. LOMBARD, ROGER W. HOMER, J. HOWARD HAYES, WARREN A. PEIRCE, Committee to Consider Condition of Spy Pond.
On motion of Hollis M. Gott:
Voted: That the reports of the Selectmen and various Town Officers, as presented in the Town Report, together with the additions of the Table of Statistics of Assessors and Com- mittees heretofore appointed, be accepted.
On motion of G. Bertram Washburn:
Voted: That the report of the Finance Committee as presented in printed form be received.
On motion of G. Bertram Washburn:
Voted: That Article 3 be laid on the table.
On motion of G. Bertram Washburn:
Voted: That the remaining articles in the Warrant calling the Annual Meeting be now taken up separately in the order in which they appear in said Warrant, and that the recommenda- tions of the Finance Committee as presented in their printed report be considered as now before the meeting.
Article 4 taken up.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
INTEREST
Voted: That the sum of $75,000 be and hereby is appro- priated for the payment of interest during the year 1928, and that for this purpose the sum of $5,840 be taken from the receipts of the Water Department, and the balance, $69,160, be raised by general tax.
TOWN DEBT
Voted: That the sum of $139,500 be and hereby is appro- priated for the payment of bonds and notes maturing in 1928; and that for this purpose the sum of $15,500 be taken from the receipts of the Water Department; the sum of $5,808.32 be taken from premiums on loans now in the Treasury; the sum of $62,286.84 be taken from available balances and receipts now in the Treasury, and the balance, $55,904.84, be raised by general tax.
SINKING FUND
Voted: That the sum of $5,000 be and hereby is appro- priated for the Sinking Fund, the same to be raised by general tax.
WATER DEPARTMENT
Voted: That the sum of $73,660 be and hereby is appro- priated from the income of the Water Department during the year 1928 for Water Department Maintenance and Metropolitan Water Assessments.
TOWN OUTLAYS AND EXPENSES
Voted:
Finance Committee
Salaries . $800.00
(Chairman, $250; Secretary,
$50; Clerk, $500)
Expenses .
600.00
Reserve Fund
15,000.00
$16,400.00
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TOWN RECORDS
Voted :
Public Schools
Salaries and Wages
$489,000.00
Fuel .
16,000.00
Repairs, Remodeling, Outlay ....
40,000.00
Text Books, Supplies and General Expenses
75,000.00
Spy Pond Field
3,000.00
$623,000.00
Voted:
Robbins Library and Branches
Appropriation
$17,925.00
Dog Tax
2,398.39
Voted :
Board of Selectmen
Salaries of the Board $2,000.00
(Chairman, $800; Others, $600 each)
Other Salaries
$3,288.00
Expenses .
1,500.00
Contingent Fund
1,500.00
$8,288.00
Voted:
Town Accountant
Salaries
$4,280.00
Expenses .
250.00
Special Forms
150.00
$4,680.00
Voted :
Building, Plumbing and Gas Inspection
Salaries
$7,500.00
(Inspector of Buildings, $3,000; Plumbing and Gas Inspector, $2,500; Clerk, $2,000)
Expenses 1,150.00
$8,650.00
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Voted:
Elections and Town Meetings
Registrars' Salaries, Wages and Expenses $6,500.00
Voted:
Fire Department
Salaries and Wages . $84,365.50
Maintenance of Buildings.
3,000.00
Maintenance of Apparatus
4,500.00
Expenses .
900.00
Out of State Travel
100.00
$92,865.50
Voted:
Gypsy and Brown Tail Moth Suppression Salary of Superintendent . $1,450.00
Other Wages and Expenses
3,550.00
$5,000.00
Voted:
Inspector of Animals
Salary of Inspector
... .
$350.00
Voted:
Town Insurance $12,087.68
Voted:
Legal Department
Salary of Town Counsel . $1,320.00
Legal Expenses 60,000.00
$61,320.00
Voted:
Menotomy Hall
Maintenance and Wages.
$1,000.00
Voted:
Municipal Insurance Fund
. . . $5,000.00
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TOWN RECORDS
Voted :
Patriot's Day . $200.00
Voted :
Payment of Pensions
$7,821.08
Voted:
Police Department
Salaries
$89,594.00
Automobile and Ambulance
Maintenance
2,500.00
Maintenance of
Building
and
Expenses .
5,000.00
$97,094.00
Voted :
Printing Town Reports $1,035.35
Voted:
Public Welfare Department (formerly "Outside Poor")
Salaries
$1,400.00
(Clerk, $1,000; Physician,
$400)
Aid and Expenses
27,600.00
$29,000.00
Voted:
Repairs to Town Houses $300.00
Voted :
Robbins Memorial Town Hall
Salaries and Wages $5,030.00
Fuel and Lighting . 2,600.00
Repairs and Maintenance of Building 3,171.00
Maintenance of Grounds .
1,150.00
$11,951.00
Voted:
Sealer of Weights and Measures
Salary
$2,000.00
500.00
Expenses .
$2,500.00
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Voted :
Soldiers' Relief, Burials and Exemptions. $4,000.00
Voted:
State and Military Aid $1,000.00
Voted:
Workmen's Compensation . $4,000.00
Voted :
Board of Public Works
General Administration . $5,566.00
(Salaries of Board: Chairman, $800; Others $600 each; General Salaries, $2,702; General Expenses, $864)
Voted:
Removal of Ashes, Offal and Rub-
bish.
$75,000.00
Administration 5,099.00
$80,099.00
Voted:
Sewerage System Maintenance $4,500.00
Voted (unanimously) :
Sewerage System Extensions .
That for this purpose $19,616.82 be trans- ferred from the Sewer Assessments Receipts Account now in the Treasury; $24,951.18 be raised by general tax, and for the balance, $35,000, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow the said sum of $35,000 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 amendment thereof, so that the whole loan
$79,568.00
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TOWN RECORDS
shall be paid in not more than ten years from the date of issue of the first bond or note, or at such earlier date as the Treasurer and Select- men may determine, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Public Works.
Voted:
Storm Drains Extension
$20,000.00
Voted :
Highway Division
Maintenance of Streets
$65,000.00
Expenses . .
31,300.00
Administration
3,154.00
$99,454.00
That for the maintenance of streets $5,095.11 be transferred from the Street Railway Tax Account now in the Treasury, and the balance, $94,358.89, be raised by general tax, said appropriation to be ex- pended under the direction of the Board of Public Works.
Voted : Snow and Ice Removals
Voted (unanimously) : Water Mains Extension .
That said sum of $67,958 be and hereby is appropriated for laying and relaying water mains of not less than six inches, but less than sixteen inches in diameter, and for this purpose $17,958 be raised by general tax, and for the balance, $50,000, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow the said sum of $50,000 and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, said bonds or notes to be
$12,500.00
$67,958.00
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
payable in accordance with 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 ten years from the date of issue of the first bond or note, or at such earlier date as the Treasurer and Selectmen may determine, said appropriation to be expended under the direction of the Board of Public Works.
Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works, Voted:
Board of Survey
Salary of Clerk
$500.00
Other Wages and Expenses.
1,100.00
$1,600.00
Voted:
Engineering Work
Town Engineer's Salary
$2,100.00
Other Salaries and Expenses.
7,900.00
Administration .
720.00
$10,720.00
Voted:
Lighting of Streets and Ways
(Including Unaccepted Streets)
$31.437.00
Voted:
Construction of Permanent Sidewalks and In-
stalling Edgestones $16,000.00
Voted:
Wire Department
Salary of Superintendent $3,000.00
Other Salaries and Wages
5,640.00
Office Maintenance .
335.00
Auto and Truck Maintenance 685.00
Maintenance of System.
830.00
Additional Signal System
1,340.00
1
$11,830.00
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TOWN RECORDS
Voted:
Health Department
Salary of Board
$750.00
Other Salaries and Wages.
7,605.00
Communicable Diseases
9,800.00
Expenses
2,375.00
Out of State Travel
200.00
$20,730.00
Voted:
Town Clerk's Department
Salary of Town Clerk .
$3,500.00
Other Salaries and Wages
2,757.00
Expenses .
700.00
$6,957.00
Voted:
Vital Statistics
Wages and Expenses .
$325.00
Voted:
Assessors' Department
Salaries of Board ($1,200 each) ..
$3,600.00
Clerks' Salaries and Wages
6,500.00
Expenses
4,000.00
Equipment
1,800.00
$15,900.00
Voted :
Collector's Department
Salary of Collector
$3,500.00
Clerks' Salaries
3,660.00
Expenses .
2,065.00
$9,225.00
Voted :
Treasurer's Department Salary of Treasurer $3,000.00
Wages and Expenses
800.00
$3,800.00
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Voted :
Public Parks Department
Salary of Superintendent . $2,007.50
Other Wages and Expenses. 2,000.00
Meadow Brook Park; Labor, Ma- terial, Grading and Equip- ment 1,500.00
$5,507.50
Voted:
Tree Warden's Department
Salary of Warden .
$750.00
Other Wages and Expenses.
5,680.00
$6,430.00
Voted:
Planning Board
General Expense .
$250.00
Surveying and Engineering.
2,500.00
$2,750.00
Voted:
Cemeteries
Salaries and Expenses $12,000.00
Voted:
Memorial Day
Appropriation . $700.00 .
To be expended as follows:
Under the direction of Francis Gould Post No. 36, G.A.R .. ... $300.00
Local Post of the United Span- ish War Veterans . . 100.00
Arlington Post No. 39, American Legion 300.00
$700.00
Voted: That the salaries of the Town Clerk and of the Collector of Taxes shall be on condition that they shall respec- tively, upon receipt, pay into the Town Treasury for the use of the Town, all official fees received by them.
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TOWN RECORDS
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 author- ity of any vote passed at this meeting shall be issued in accord- ance with the provisions of Sections 23 to 26, both inclusive, of Chapter 44 of the General Laws and amendments thereof and additions thereto.
On motion of G. Bertram Washburn:
Voted: That Article 4 be laid on the table.
Article 5 taken up. (Widening of Massachusetts Avenue.)
Voted: That the Town do not now make an appropria- tion for the relocation, alteration, widening and construction of and specific repairs upon all or any part of that portion of the way called Massachusetts Avenue, more particularly described in Article 5 of the Warrant.
Article 6 taken up. (District Nurses.)
Voted: That the sum of $1,000 be and hereby is appro- priated for the employment of district or other nurses, said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
Article 7 taken up. (Insurance Fund-Workmen's Com- pensation.)
Voted (unanimously): That Section 13A of Chapter 40 of the General Laws inserted by Chapter 234 of the Acts of 1923, relating to the establishing and maintaining of an insurance fund to pay workmen's compensation, be and hereby is ac- cepted.
Article 8 taken up. (Band Concerts.)
Voted: That the Town do not make an appropriation to provide for band concerts.
Article 9 taken up. (Block System for Assessors.)
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Voted: That the Town do not authorize the Assessors to procure maps and plans as more particularly described in Article 9 of the Warrant, and that no appropriation be made under said Article.
Article 10 taken up. (Sale of Land, Florence Avenue.)
Voted (unanimously): That the Selectmen be and hereby are authorized and empowered, in the name and on behalf of the Town, to sell and convey all the right, title and interest of the Town in and to two certain parcels of land situ- ated on Florence Avenue, and more particularly described in Article 10 of the Warrant, and to execute, acknowledge and deliver any proper documents, all for the minimum amount of two hundred ($200) dollars, and upon such other terms as the Selectmen shall consider proper.
Article 11 taken up. (Claim for Damage.)
Voted: That the Town do not now make an appropriation to pay Lester N. Hayden for alleged expense and damage mentioned in Article 11 of the Warrant.
Article 12 taken up. (Hydrants on Thesda Street.)
Voted: That the Town do not install two or more hy- drants on Thesda Street.
Article 13 taken up. (Debts for Grading Junior High School West.)
On substitute motion of Elliott R. Barker:
Voted: That the sum of four hundred sixty-four and 90/00 dollars be and hereby is appropriated to pay debts and obligations incurred prior to January 1, 1928, in connection with the laying out, grading and construction of a playground at the Junior High School West, including any such debts and obligations incurred in the year 1927 in excess of the appro- priation made for such purposes; and that said sum be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the School Committee.
85
TOWN RECORDS
Article 14 taken up. (Claims-Public Welfare.)
Voted: That the sum of $768.21 be and hereby is appro- priated to pay claims in connection with the Department of Public Welfare, existing prior to January 1, 1928; said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
Article 15 taken up. (Police Signals.)
On motion of Charles B. Devereaux :
Voted: That Article 15 be laid on the table.
Article 16 taken up. (Traffic Signals.)
Voted: That the sum of $6,000 be and hereby is appro- priated for the installation and maintenance of traffic signals and appliances; said sum to be raised by general tax and ex- pended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
Article 17 taken up. (Repairs-Old Town Hall.)
The following substitute motion was offered by Nelson B. Crosby:
That the sum of $4,500 be and hereby is appropriated for any alteration or repairs of the Old Town Hall; said sum to be raised by general tax and to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
The meeting voted to consider a substitute motion.
The motion to adjourn being made at this time by Walter S. Elliett, Article 17 was not disposed of.
Meeting adjourned at 10.45 o'clock in the evening.
A True Record, Attest:
E. CAROLINE PIERCE, Town Clerk.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
ADJOURNED MEETING
Arlington, March 28, 1928.
Pursuant to the vote of adjournment on March 21, 1928, the Town Meeting Members met in the Town Hall on Wednes- day, March 28, 1928, notices having been sent by mail by the Town Clerk seven days before the meeting and posted at two places in each precinct. A notice was published in the local paper.
Lists of the duly qualified Town Meeting Members were used at the entrance of the meeting place and were in charge of James F. Higgins and Albert K. Peirce.
The Check Lists filed with the Town Clerk at the close of the meeting showed that two hundred and eleven members attended the meeting.
The meeting was called to order at eight o'clock by the Moderator, Curtis H. Waterman.
The Town Meeting Members who had not already been sworn were sworn by the Moderator.
On motion of G. Bertram Washburn:
Voted: That Article 4 be taken from the table.
On motion of Hollis M. Gott:
Voted: That if the business calling this meeting is not disposed of on this date, the meeting adjourn to Wednesday evening, April 4, 1928, at eight o'clock.
The substitute motion of William C. Drouet, receiving no second motion, the motion could not be considered by the meeting.
The Moderator declared Article 4 disposed of.
87
TOWN RECORDS
The Moderator explained that as the Clerk's records showed that the meeting of March 21 adjourned while Article 17 was before the meeting, Article 17 would be continued.
Voted: That the sum of $4,500 be and hereby is appro- priated for any alteration or repairs of the Old Town Hall; said sum to be raised by general tax and to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
Article 18 taken up. (By-Laws.)
Voted (unanimously): That the Town's By-Laws be amended by inserting after Article 7 the following new Article.
ARTICLE 7A FEES OF TOWN OFFICERS
All Town officers shall pay all fees received by them by virtue of their office into the Town Treasury.
On the substitute motion of Walter S. Elliett as amended by Paul M. White:
Voted (unanimously): That Article 8 of the Town's By-Laws be amended as follows: By inserting in Section 1 thereof, after the end of the first sentence, the words-"the selection of nominations to be submitted to the Moderator shall be by written ballot at a regular meeting of the Town Meeting Members from names chosen by a nominating com- mittee or names presented from the floor"; by inserting in Section 3 thereof, after the words "in any warrant" in the first sentence, the words "except Articles on Zoning upon which the Zoning By-Law requires a report to be made to the Town by the Planning Board"; by striking out Sections 5 and 6 thereof, and substituting therefor a new section as follows: "Section 5. The committee shall have power and authority to examine the books and records of any Town board or official, so far as the same is permitted by law, and all boards and officers shall submit to the committee, at the same time they are submitted to the Town Accountant, copies of their estimates
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
for the ensuing year in budget form"; by changing the number of Section 7 thereof to 6 and adding at the end of the first sentence the words "and may remove any member for con- tinued absence," so that the whole Article 8 of the By-Laws as amended will read:
ARTICLE 8 FINANCE COMMITTEE OF TWENTY-ONE
Section 1. The Finance Committee of Twenty-one shall be composed of twenty-one voters, three from each of the seven precincts of the Town, and shall be appointed by the Moderator from nominations submitted to him by the Town Meeting Members in the several precincts, within thirty days from the date of the annual Town Meeting.
The selection of nominations to be submitted to the Mod- erator shall be by written ballot at a regular meeting of Town Meeting Members from names chosen by a nominating com- mittee or names presented from the floor.
Of the first committee appointed under this By-Law, one- third shall be appointed for three years, one-third for two years, and one-third for one year, and annually thereafter one-third shall be appointed for three years.
Section 2. No Voter holding either elective or appointive Town office and no Town employee shall be eligible to serve on the Finance Committee.
Section 3. The committee shall consider all Articles con- tained in any Warrant, except Articles on Zoning upon which the Zoning By-Law requires a report to be made to the Town by the Planning Board, and make recommendations, in print if possible, prior to each Town Meeting. It shall also make such general suggestions, criticisms or recommendations as it may deem expedient.
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