Town of Arlington annual report 1940, Part 18

Author: Arlington (Mass.)
Publication date: 1940
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 750


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Article 38 taken up. (Committee on Plans for Con- struction of New Building to Replace the Russell School)


The Finance Committee recommended


That no action be taken under Article 38 of the War- rant.


Mr. Bevins offered the following substitute motion, duly seconded :


That a Committee of five be appointed by the Moder- ator to procure plans, specifications and recommend a site


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for the construction of a new twelve room building to re- place the Russell School, and estimates of the cost of such building and of the original equipment and furnishings thereof and of the grading of the grounds of such school; said Committee to report to the Town not later than the Annual Meeting of 1941; and that the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) be and hereby is appropriated for the use of said Committee and that said sum be raised by gen- eral tax.


On being put to a vote the Moderator declared the mo- tion lost.


Thereupon, it was unanimously


Voted : That no action be taken under Article 38 of the Warrant.


There being no further business under Article 38 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 39 taken up. (Purchase of Land With or With- out Buildings for School Purposes)


The Finance Committee recommended


That no action be taken under Article 39 of the War- rant.


Mr. Bevins offered the following substitute motion, duly seconded :


That the Selectmen be and hereby are authorized and empowered, on behalf of the Town, to purchase or take in fee by eminent domain or otherwise acquire, for enlarge- ment of the school lot, for school purposes, the parcel of land with the buildings thereon numbered 853 Massachu- setts Avenue, bounded and described as follows :


Southwesterly by Massachusetts Avenue, eighty-two


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(82) feet; northwesterly by land of the Town of Arlington, one hundred twenty and 48/100 (120.48) feet; northeaster- ly by land of the Town of Arlington, eighty-two (82) feet; and southeasterly by land now or formerly of Harriet L. Davis, one hundred twenty and 48/100 (120.48) feet, being land now or formerly owned by Joseph Gardella, and being parcel "1" described in Article 39 of the Warrant; that for this purpose the sum of nine thousand sixty-two dollars and fifty cents ($9,062.50) be and hereby is appropriated; and that said sum be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Selectmen.


On being put to a vote the Moderator declared the mo- tion lost. Thereupon, it was unanimously


Voted : That no action be taken under Article 39 of the Warrant.


There being no further business under Article 39 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 40 taken up. (Construction of Tennis Courts- Meadow Brook Park)


The Finance Committee recommended


That no appropriation be made under Article 40 of the Warrant.


Mr. Coffey offered the following substitute motion, duly seconded :


That the sum of three thousand three hundred forty- seven dollars ($3,347.00) be and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of constructing and fencing three hard top ten- nis courts at Meadow Brook Park on Cemetery Street, said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the di- rection of the Board of Park Commissioners.


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On being put to a vote the Moderator declared it lost.


Thereupon, it was


Voted: That no appropriation be made under Article 40 of the Warrant.


There being no further business under Article 40 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 41 taken up. (Construction of Tennis Courts- Ethel Wellington Memorial)


The Finance Committee recommended


That no appropriation be made under Article 41 of the Warrant.


Mr. Coffey offered the following substitute motion, duly seconded :


That the sum of four thousand four hundred sixty-two dollars ($4,462.00) be and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of constructing and fencing three hard top tennis courts suitable for use as an ice skating rink in winter at the Ethel Wellington Memorial on Grove Street, said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Park Commissioners.


There was considerable discussion. Mr. Homer moved the Previous Question, duly seconded, and a vote being tak- en the Moderator declared it carried. The vote was taken on the substitute motion, and the Moderator being in doubt called for a rising vote, 87 voting in the affirmative and 56 in the negative, the Moderator declared it carried.


Thereupon, it was


Voted: That the sum of four thousand four hundred


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sixty-two dollars ($4,462.00) be and hereby is appro- priated for the purpose of constructing and fencing three hard top tennis courts suitable for use as an ice skating rink in winter at the Ethel Wellington Memorial on Grove Street, said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Park Commissioners.


There being no further business under Article 41 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 42 taken up. (Erecting Fence at Reservoir Beach)


On motion, duly made and seconded, it was unanimous- ly


Voted: That the sum of nineteen hundred twenty- three ($1,923.00) dollars be and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of erecting a fence at Reservoir Beach, Arling- ton Heights; said sum to be raised by general tax and ex- pended under the direction of the Park Commissioners.


There being no further business under Article 42 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


On motion, duly made and seconded, it was


Voted : To adjourn.


The Meeting adjourned at 10:45 P. M.


A True Record, Attest :


EARL A. RYDER, Town Clerk.


ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING Arlington, April 5, 1940


Pursuant to the vote of adjournment April 3, 1940 the Town Meeting Members met in the Town Hall on Friday


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TOWN RECORDS


evening April 5, 1940 notices having been sent to the Town Meeting Members and also posted in each of the precinct boxes 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 Philip T. Robinson and James E. Sweeney.


The check lists filed with the Town Clerk at the close of the meeting showed that one hundred and sixty-seven attended the meeting.


The Moderator called the meeting to order at 8:15 P.M.


The Moderator asked if there were any Town Meeting Members present who had not been previously sworn but there were none.


On motion, duly made and seconded, it was unanimously


Voted: That if all the business of the meeting as set forth in the warrant is not disposed of at this session, when the meeting adjourns it adjourn to Monday evening April 8, 1940 at 8 o'clock.


The Moderator declared Article 43 before the meeting.


Article 43 taken up. (Erecting Benches-Backstop and Plating-Russell Park)


The Finance Committee recommended


That no appropriation be made under Article 43 of the Warrant.


Mr. Coffey offered the following substitute motion, duly seconded :


That the sum of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) be


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and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of purchasing and erecting benches and a back stop; and to change a sec- tion of the fence which now hides the Samuel Whittemore tablet in Russell Park, also to do some decorative planting around the tablet, said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Park Commis- sioners.


The Moderator called for a vote and being in doubt an- other vote was taken and he declared the motion lost. There- upon, it was


Voted: That no appropriation be made under Article 43 of the Warrant.


There being no further business under Article 43 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 44 taken up. (Vocational School Tuition)


The Finance Committee recommended


That the sum of two thousand sixty-one dollars and eighteen cents ($2,061.18) be and hereby is appropriated for the payment of Vocational School Tuition expenses in- curred prior to January 1, 1940; said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the School Committee.


Mr. Bevins offered the following substitute motion, duly seconded :


That the sum of two thousand fifty-five dollars and seventy-eight cents ($2,055.78) be and hereby is appropri- ated for the payment of Vocational School Tuition expenses incurred prior to January 1, 1940; said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the School Committee.


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TOWN RECORDS


On being put to a vote the Moderator declared it carried.


Thereupon, it was


Voted: That the sum of two thousand fifty-five dollars and seventy-eight cents ($2,055.78) be and hereby is ap- propriated for the payment of Vocational School Tuition ex- penses incurred prior to January 1, 1940; said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the School Committee.


There being no further business under Article 44 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 45 taken up. (General Laws: Reserve Police)


On motion, duly made and seconded, it was unanimously


Voted: That Section 13C of Chapter 147 of the General Laws as inserted by Chapter 419 of the Acts of 1939 be and hereby is accepted.


There being no further business under Article 45 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 46 taken up. (Survey and Appraisal of Buildings and Other Property of the Town)


On motion, duly made and seconded, it was unanimously


Voted: That the sum of fifteen hundred ($1,500) dol- lars be and hereby is appropriated for a survey and ap- praisal of buildings and other property of the Town for in- surance and other purposes ; and that said sum be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.


There being no further business under Article 46 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


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Article 47 taken up. (Conveyance of Easements in Land)


On motion, duly made and seconded, it was unanimously


Voted: That the Board of Selectmen be, and hereby is, authorized and empowered in the name and on behalf of the Town to convey to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts all the rights and easement and other interests, if any, of the Town in the parcel of land described in Article 47 of the warrant, including among others the rights and easements described in an order of taking by the Board of Public Works dated December 26, 1939 and recorded with Middle- sex So. Dist. Deeds on December 27, 1939, book 6356 page 461, and to execute, acknowledge and deliver such deed or instrument of transfer as may be necessary or proper with- out any payment of money for such conveyance.


There being no further business under Article 47 the Moderator declared Article 47 disposed of.


Article 48 taken up. (Zoning)


Chairman Knight reported for the Planning Board, recommending favorable action. Mr. Dutcher moved, and it was duly seconded, that the report be received. On being put to a vote the Moderator declared it carried. On motion of Mr. Knight, duly seconded, and on a rising vote 133 voting in the affirmative and 1 in the negative it was


Voted: That the Town amend its Zoning By-Law by altering the Zoning Map therein referred to so as to include in the Single Residence District that area now in the Gen- eral Residence District described in Article 48 of the War- rant for Town Meeting, Wednesday, March 13, 1940.


There being no further business under Article 48 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


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TOWN RECORDS


Article 49 taken up. (Zoning)


Chairman Knight reported for the Planning Board, recommending favorable action. Mr. Dutcher moved and it was duly seconded, that the report be received. On being put to a vote the Moderator declared the motion carried; and on motion, duly made and seconded, it was unanimously


Voted: That the Town amend its Zoning By-Law by altering the Zoning Map therein referred to so as to include in the General Residence District the two areas now in the Semi-Residence Zone, described in Article #49 of the Warrant for Town Meeting, Wednesday, March 13, 1940.


There being no further business under Article 49 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 50 taken up. (Zoning)


Chairman Knight reported for the Planning Board recommending favorable action. Mr. Bowker moved and it was duly seconded, that the report be received. On being put to a vote the Moderator declared the motion carried. On inotion, duly made and seconded, it was unanimously


Voted: That the Town amend its Zoning By-Law by altering the Zoning Map therein referred to so as to include in the Business District that area described in Article 50 of the Warrant for Town Meeting, Wednesday, March 13, 1940.


There being no further business under Article 50 of the warrant the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 51 taken up. (Zoning)


Chairman Knight reported for the Planning Board recommending favorable action. Mr. Bowker moved, and it was duly seconded, that the report be received. On being put to a vote the Moderator declared the motion carried. There- upon, it was unanimously


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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT


Voted: That the Town amend its Zoning By-Law by altering the Zoning Map therein referred to so as to include in the General Residence District that area described in Article 51 of the Warrant for Town Meeting, Wednesday, March 13, 1940.


There being no further business under Article 51 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 52 taken up. (National Convention of American Legion)


The Finance Committee recommended


That the sum of fifteen hundred ($1,500) dollars be and hereby is appropriated to be used for the proper reception of the National convention of the American Legion to be held in Boston and vicinity, September 23, 24, 25, and 26, 1940; said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.


On being put to a vote the Moderator declared the mo- tion lost.


There being no further business under Article 52 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 53 taken up. (Erecting Benches on Town Prop- erty-Massachusetts Avenue and Broadway)


The Finance Committee recommended


That no appropriation be made under Article 53 of the Warrant.


Mr. Harris offered the following substitute motion, duly seconded,


That the sum of one hundred ($100.00) dollars, be and


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TOWN RECORDS


hereby is appropriated to be expended under the Board of Park Commissioners for the erection of suitable benches on town property bordering Massachusetts Avenue and Broad- way, said sum to be raised by general tax.


On being put to a vote the Moderator declared the mo- tion lost. Thereupon, it was unanimously


Voted: That no appropriation be made under Article 53 of the Warrant.


There being no further business under Article 53 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 54 taken up. (Purchase of American Made Tools and Materials)


The Finance Committee recommended


That the Town purchase only American made tools and materials excepting when said tools and materials do not compete with American labor.


The Moderator called for a vote and declared the motion lost.


There being no further business under Article 54 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 55 taken up. (Annual Rental for Arlington Post 1775, V. F. W.)


On motion, duly made and seconded, it was unanimously


Voted: That the sum of four hundred ($400) dollars be and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of providing headquarters for Arlington Post 1775, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States; and that said sum be taken from the available unexpended balance of the appropriation made for the construction of ways by vote passed under Article


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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT


20 of the warrant for the annual meeting of 1935, and ex- pended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.


There being no further business under Article 55 the Moderator declared it disposed of.


Article 56 taken up. (Reclamation Plant)


The Finance Committee recommended


That the Town do not now construct or alter any build- ing upon the land of the Town known as the Town Yard at Hobbs Court; and that the Town take no action under Art- icle 56 of the warrant.


Mr. Wallace offered the following substitute motion, which was duly seconded :


That the sum of one hundred and twenty-five thousand ($125,000) dollars be and is hereby appropriated for the construction of a building to be used for the purposes of the Board of Public Works as a plant for the disposal of rubbish and waste materials and otherwise, upon the land of the Town known as the Town Yard at Hobbs Court, including the cost of original equipment and furnishings thereof, sub- stantially in accordance with plans, copies of which are con- tained in the report of the committee appointed under vote of the Town passed under Article 36 of the Warrant for the Annual Meeting of 1936, article 3 of the Warrant for the Annual Meeting of 1937, article 39 of the Warrant for the Annual Meeting of 1938, and article 57 of the Warrant of the Annual Meeting of 1939, presented at this meeting; that for said purpose the sum of twenty-five thousand ($25,000) dol- lars be raised by general tax, and for the balance, one hun- dred thousand ($100,000) dollars, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow said sum of one hundred thousand ($100,000) dol- lars and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, said bonds or notes to be payable in accordance with the pro-


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TOWN RECORDS


visions of Section 19 of Chapter 44 of the General Laws and all acts in addition thereto or in amendment thereof, so that the whole loan will be paid in not more than ten (10) years from the date of issue of the first bond or note or at such earlier date as the Treasurer and Selectmen may determine; and further, that said appropriation be expended under the direction of the said committee with the addition thereto of the present chairman of the Board of Public Works, any vacancy therein to be filled by the Moderator, said commit- tee to have full charge of said construction and full author- ity so to construct said building within the sum herein ap- propriated.


Mr. Peterson presented the report of the Committee on Methods of Disposal of Ashes, Rubbish and Offal and spoke at length thereon.


REPORT OF COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO CONSIDER METHODS OF DISPOSAL OF ASHES, RUBBISH AND OFFAL IN ARLINGTON, MASS.


Submitted March 13, 1940


Pursuant to instructions of the adjourned Town Meet- ing held on March 31, 1939, this Committee has made furth- er studies of the problem of ashes and rubbish disposal in the Town of Arlington. The conclusions contained, herein, are basically the same as incorporated in our 1939 report.


The present members of the Committee are:


F. H. Barnhill James R. Powers Loren W. Marsh Harold C. Knight H. N. Dutcher Joseph Peterson, Chairman Alfred W. Lombard, Secretary


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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT


LEE


EFFET


-


--


it


. PROPOSED . RUBBISH . INCINERATOR . TOWN. OF. ARLINGTON .


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-


-


Steking Faer7 11 ELF


As+ 0+


SECTION A-A ..... .. . ....


HALF WEST ELEVATION HALF SECTION BAB


TOWN OF ARLINGTON , MASS. COMMITTEE ON REFUSE DISPOSAL PROPOSED RUBBISH INCINERATOR SECTIONS AND ELEVATIONS SCALE AS SHOWN FEBRUARY 1939 SAMUEL M ELLSWORTH CONSULTING ZAGINIAN DO STON


Fig. 3


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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT


Meetings of the Committee were held in the Office of the Board of Public Health on May 17, 1939, May 26, 1939, June 22, 1939, September 21, 1939, October 16, 1939, No- vember 2, 1939, December 1, 1939, January 25, 1940, Febru- ary 16, 1940, February 23, 1940 and March 1, 1940.


A supplementary report with plans, as submitted by our consulting engineer, Mr. Samuel Ellsworth, are attached hereto.


Sources of information, independent of our consultant, are listed under "Bibliography" on a sheet attached to this report. This Committee has corresponded with authorities in thirty-four cities and towns; met with disposal company officials ; studied reports based on methods of disposal cover- ing two hundred forty-three cities and towns and investi- gated every suggestion offered by interested citizens. In addition, estimates of construction costs were obtained from four of the largest concerns engaged in the construction of incineration plants and these estimates have convinced this Committee that the estimated construction costs as submit- ted by Mr. Ellsworth are reasonable. Committee members have also visited seven incinerator plants and watched oper- ation procedure.


At the meeting of this Committee held on May 27, 1939, a representative of the Coleman Disposal Company was pres- ent to discuss the possibility of collection and disposal of rubbish and ashes by contract. This concern is reputable, experienced and has financial responsibility. Due to the lim- ited quantity of material to be collected and the possibility of complaints resulting from hauling refuse through neigh- boring cities to the point of disposal, he stated that his con- cern would not be interested in such a contract.


In Winchester, the collections are made by local con- tractors and individuals who are compensated by the house- holders directly. The average cost to each householder is fifteen cents per barrel. The Arlington Board of Public Works states that approximately one million barrels of ashes


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TOWN RECORDS


and rubbish were collected in Arlington during the past vear. Attention is called to the Arlington Annual Town Report for the year ending December 31, 1938, wherein it is stated, on Page 364, under Sanitary Division, that the cost of removal of ashes, paper and rubbish amounted to $42,772.37. The cost of collection and disposal by Arlington municipal forces amounts to an average of less than five cents per barrel.


This Committee does not believe that the methods of disposal as used in Winchester would be justified in Arling- ton. This conclusion is based not only on the question of economy to the householder but the probability of having to lay off the present municipal collection forces who are work- ing under Civil Service Laws. It should also be borne in mind that a municipal collection is directed and supervised by the municipality, whereas, it is more difficult to exercise the same control over a contractor. There is more efficiency, from a sanitary point of view, and a greater attempt to please the public, with a municipal collection for the collector is directly responsible to the people.


At the last Town Meeting, this Committee reported that the Appleton Street dump would soon be filled and that the Town would have to seek new dumping areas outside the Town limits if the Wright Street dump was closed by Court Order. This has now become a reality and the Town is now using a dump which is five miles from the estimated center of population or 4.1 miles from the Town Yard at Hobbs Court.


Mr. Ellsworth has made a comparison of the annual costs of using the Burlington dump versus disposal by in- cineration at a plant located at the Town Yard at Hobbs Court. This is incorporated in his supplementary report.


This Committee recommends the construction of an in- cineration plant to be located at Hobbs Court because of the uncertainty of the continuance of any prolonged dumping privileges in Burlington. The Town of Arlington is not only confronted with the possibility of closure to dumping by the


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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT


Burlington authorities but also with action from the Town of Lexington as a result of hauling rubbish over three miles of roads, located in Lexington, to the point of disposal.


The Committee again considered the possibility of locat- ing the plant near the Cambridge line in the marsh land bordering the Concord Turnpike in East Arlington. Borings made in this locality showed a strata of fine gray sand over a soft blue clay of undetermined depth. The Committee be- lieves that the cost of construction of an incineration plant with suitable foundation at this location does not warrant further consideration of this site.


The City of Cambridge recently completed the construc- tion of an incinerator. This plant is adapted to fit the needs of Cambridge only.


The Town of Lexington has no municipal collections. Householders must dispose of rubbish on their property or haul it to the Town Dump. The Lexington Superintendent of Public Works states that the dump has a longevity of fifteen to twenty years. This would dismiss any possibility of a jointly owned incineration plant.


Further check has been made by members of this Com- mittee, when visiting other incineration plants, as to pos- sible nuisances. They have been unable, from actual obser- vation of stacks while plants were in operation or in any other way, to learn that a smoke or odor nuisance was created.


This Committee recommends that the sum of $125,000 be appropriated for the purpose of erecting this Rubbish Disposal Plant with original equipment as outlined in the Consulting Engineer's report, of which sum $25,000 be raised by general tax, and the balance, $100,000 by borrowing upon Ten Serial Notes, an amount of $10,000 plus interest charges being paid yearly.


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