USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1947 > Part 5
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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 seventy-eight members and ten members-at-large attended the meeting.
The Moderator, Mr. Ernest W. Davis, called the meeting to order at 8:15 P.M.
The Moderator asked if there were members not already sworn, but none reported.
On motion of Chairman Adams, duly seconded, it was unani- mously
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, March 17, 1947, at 8 o'clock.
Article 20 taken up. (Appropriation-Architectural and En- gineering Advice Re Future School Construction.)
The Finance Committee recommended the following:
That the sum of five thousand (5,000.00) dollars be and here- by is appropriated for the purpose of procuring plans, specifica- tions and other architectural and engineering advice relative to future school construction; said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the School Committee.
Mr. Ames moved to amend, and it was seconded, by striking out "raised by general tax" and inserting "taken from available funds now in the treasury," and on being put to a vote the Moderator declared the amendment carried.
Thereupon it was unanimously
Voted: That the sum of five thousand (5,000.00) dollars be and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of procuring plans, specifications and other architectural and engineering advice rela- tive to future school construction; said sum to be taken from avail- able funds now in the treasury and expended under the direction of the School Committee.
There being no further business under Article 20, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
.
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TOWN RECORDS
Article 21 taken up. (Acquisition of Land for Public Playground Purposes.)
On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously
Voted: That the Board of Park Commissioners be, and it hereby is authorized and empowered on behalf of the Town; to purchase or take in fee by eminent domain or otherwise acquire for the purposes of a playground or recreation center, the parcel of land hereinafter described, any interests or easements therein and any rights of easements of way or otherwise as appurtenant thereto and subject to or with any reservations of any rights or easements therein.
This parcel of land is bounded and described as follows:
Beginning at a point on the southwesterly side line of Margaret Street, said point being 153.74 feet from a point of intersection of the southerly side line of Margaret Street and the southwesterly side line of Margaret Street; thence southwesterly along the south- easterly property line of Lot "B" a distance of 448.94 feet to a point on the northeasterly property line of land belonging to Thos. J. and Delia M. Lee; thence southeasterly along said northeasterly property line of Thos. J. and Delia M. Lee a distance of 75 feet to a point on said northeasterly property line of Thos. J. and Delia M. Lee; thence northeasterly along northwesterly property line of land belonging to the Town of Arlington a distance of 464.94 feet to a point on the southwesterly side line of Margaret Street; thence northwesterly along said southwesterly side line of Margaret Street a distance of 100 feet more or less to the point of beginning, and containing 39,136 sq. ft. area, as shown on Block Plan No. 14 on file in the office of the Town Engineer.
that for the purpose of such purchase, taking or acquisition the sum of Nine Hundred Thirty-Seven Dollars and 50/100 ($937.50) be and hereby is appropriated; 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 21, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 22 taken up. (Transfer of Tax Title Land for Public Playground Purposes.)
The Finance Committee recommended the following :- and it was voted (rising vote 157 YES 3 NO, more than two-thirds of those present and voting)
That the right, title and interest in the land within the Town, hereinafter described, now held by the Town by tax title, be and hereby is transferred to the jurisdiction of the Board of Park Com- missioners, for the purpose of a public playground or recreation center.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
This parcel of land is bounded and described as follows:
Beginning at a point on the southwesterly property line of the Boston & Maine R. R., said point being 98.56 feet from a stone bound of the intersection of the northerly side line of Margaret Street and said southwesterly property line of the Boston & Maine R. R., thence southwesterly along the southerly property line of Lot "A" a distance of 477.6 feet to a point in the northeasterly property line of land belonging to Thos. J. and Delia M. Lee; thence southeasterly along said northeasterly property line of Thos. J. and Delia M. Lee a distance of 91 feet to a point on said northeasterly property line of Thos. J. and Delia M. Lee; thence northeasterly along northwesterly property line of Lot "C" a distance of 489.98 feet to a point in the southwesterly property line of the Boston & Maine R. R., thence northwesterly along said southwesterly property line of the Boston & Maine R. R., a dis- tance of 92.97 feet to the point of beginning and containing 43,835 sq. ft. as shown on Block Plan No. 14 on file in the office of the Town Engineer.
There being no further business under Article 22, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Mr. Harris presented the following Resolution:
WHEREAS the Special Town Meeting of December 2, 1946, specifically voted the sum of One Hundred Thirty-Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Forty-Five (134,645.00) dollars for the purpose of a bonus to Town employees for 1946, and
WHEREAS the vote specifically stated that said sum be taken from available funds in the treasury, and,
WHEREAS the said sum was neither a regular appropriation nor a recurring expense, and
WHEREAS it has been intimated that this sum will be charged against the 1947 tax rate, contrary to the vote of the special Town meeting of December 2, 1946;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Meeting of March, 1947, hereby goes on record as insisting that the Town officials responsible for taking the above stated sum under their jurisdiction, be instructed by this Town Meeting to take said sum from available cash in the treasury pursuant to the vote as re- corded in the Special Town Meeting of December 2, 1946, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it is the intent of the March, 1947, Town Meeting to eliminate the above stated sum from the 1947 tax rate.
There was lengthy discussion; finally the previous question was moved and seconded and being put to a vote it was carried.
67
TOWN RECORDS
Thereupon on motion duly made and seconded a vote was taken and the Resolution adopted.
Article 23 taken up. (Improvements-Florence Avenue Play- ground.)
On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously
Voted: That the sum of one thousand four hundred fifty-one and 26/100 (1,451.26) dollars be and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of grading, loaming, seeding and other improvements to the area known as the Florence Avenue Playground; that for this purpose the said sum be and hereby is transferred from the unexpended balance of the appropriation made for Improvements -Florence Avenue Playground by vote passed under Article (33) of the warrant for the annual meeting of 1943; and that said ap- propriation hereby made be expended under the direction of the Board of Park Commissioners.
There being no further business under Article 23, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 24 taken up. (Acceptance of Gift-Uniforms and Equip- ment from the Arlington Auxiliary Police Association, Inc.)
On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously
Voted: That no action be taken under Article 24 of the Warrant.
There being no further business under Article 24, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 25 taken up. (Removal of Robbins Homestead and Im- provements-Robbins Farm Playground.)
The Finance Committee recommended the following:
Voted: That the sum of one thousand (1,000.00) dollars be and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of removing the structure known as the Robbins Homestead on the area known as the Rob- bins Farm Playground; and to grade, loam and seed a portion of the land, and other improvements thereon; said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Park Commissioners.
Chairman Henderson, on motion duly made and seconded, pre- sented the following substitute motion:
That the sum of fifteen thousand ($15,000.00) dollars be and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of removing the structure known as the Robbins Homestead on the area known as the Rob- bins Farm Playground; and to grade, loam, and seed a portion of the land, and other improvements thereon; said sum to be taken from available funds now in the treasury and to be expended under the direction of the Board of Park Commissioners.
and a vote being taken the Moderator declared it carried.
Thereupon it was
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Voted: That the sum of fifteen thousand (15,000.00) dollars be and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of removing the structure known as the Robbins Homestead on the area known as the Robbins Farm Playground; and to grade, loam, and seed a portion of the land, and other improvements thereon; said sum to be taken from available funds now in the treasury and to be ex- pended under the direction of the Board of Park Commissioners.
There being no further business under Article 25, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 26 taken up. (Improvements-Thorndike Street Play- ground.)
On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously
Voted: That the sum of five thousand (5,000.00) dollars be and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of grading, loaming, seeding and other improvements to a portion of the area known as the Thorndike Street Playground; said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Park Com- missioners.
There being no further business under Article 26, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 27 taken up. (Improvements-Summer Street Play- ground.)
On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously
Voted: That the sum of nine thousand (9,000.00) dollars be and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of grading, loaming, seeding and other improvements to a portion of the area known as the Summer Street Playground; said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Park Com- missioners.
There being no further business under Article 27, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 28 taken up. (Emergency Expenses-Board of Health.) On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously
Voted: That the sum of three hundred (300.00) dollars be and hereby is appropriated to indemnify Carl E. Barstow for services rendered to the Town during an emergency, from January 1, 1946, to September 11, 1946; said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Health.
There being no further business under Article 28, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 29 taken up. (Emergency Expenses-Board of Health.) On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously
Voted: That the sum of eight hundred (800.00) dollars be and hereby is appropriated to indemnify Ernest R. Brooks for services
69
TOWN RECORDS
rendered to the Town during an emergency, from September 14, 1942, to March 15, 1943; said sum to be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Health.
There being no further business under Article 29, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 30 taken up. (Acquisition of Land for Cemetery Pur- poses.)
On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously
Voted: That the Board of Cemetery Commissioners, be and it is hereby authorized, on behalf of the Town, to take by eminent domain or to acquire by purchase or otherwise for the extension of Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, that parcel of land within the Town containing 14,368 square feet, more or less, with the buildings thereon, bounded and described as follows:
Beginning at a point on the division of line between premises now numbered 95-97 Mystic Street and lot 44 Mystic Street, said point being 105.2 feet southeasterly of the easterly side line of Mystic Street, thence southeasterly by said premises numbered 95-97 Mystic Street, a distance of 151.01 feet to an angle point, thence southwesterly by said premises a distance of 133.7 feet to a stone bound at the southeasterly corner of said premises, thence northeasterly by said premises numbered 95-97 Mystic Street and by a right of way a distance of 90.53 feet to a point on said northeasterly side line of said right of way, thence northerly through said premises numbered 95-97 Mystic Street a distance of 117.0 feet more or less to the point of beginning and containing 14,368 square feet more or less;
together with any interest or easements therein and any rights or easements of way or otherwise as appurtenant thereto and subject to or with reservations of any rights or easements therein not con- sistent with the use of said land for cemetery purposes. To meet the cost of such acquisition, the sum of three thousand two hun- dred dollars ($3,200.00), is hereby transferred from the Sale of Lots and Graves Fund, and appropriated therefor.
There being no further business under Article 30, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 31 taken up. (Transfer of Funds-Cemetery Commis- sioners.)
On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously
Voted: That the sum of fifteen thousand (15,000) dollars be and hereby is transferred from (Mount Pleasant Cemetery) sale of graves and lots fund to the Cemetery Commissioners for the improvement of the Town Cemetery.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
There being no further business under Article 31, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 32 taken up. (Amendment of Zoning By-Laws-Pleasant Street.)
Chairman Abbott presented the Report of the Planning Board, and on motion duly made and seconded, it was
Voted: That the report be received.
Thereupon, on motion duly made and seconded, it was
Voted: (156 voting YES and 3 NO-more than two-thirds of those present and voting) That the Town amend its Zoning Map and its Zoning By-Law by creating an additional District to be known as Residence "D" District so as to include in the Residence "D" District the area now included in the Residence "A" or Resi- dence "B" Districts, as described in Article No. 32 of the Warrant for the Town Meeting, Monday, March 3rd, 1947.
There being no further business under Article 32, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 33 taken up. (Appointment of Committee-Re Adopting Another Form of Municipal Government.)
On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously
Voted: That the Moderator be and hereby is instructed to ap- point a committee of nine persons to investigate, study, consider, and make recommendations as to the advisability of adopting an- other form of municipal government, or of making any reorganiza- tion of Town departments that would afford a more unified, in- tegrated, efficient and economical administration of executive func- tions and public services, said committee to report its recommenda- tions to the Town at the next special Town meeting, if any, but not later than the Annual Town Meeting of 1948; and that the sum of one thousand five hundred (1,500.00) dollars be and here- by is appropriated for the necessary expenses to be incurred by said committee; said sum to be raised by general tax.
There being no further business under Article 33, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 34 taken up. (Acceptance of General Laws-Seventy- Hour Week for Firemen.)
On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously
Voted: That Section 58A of Chapter 48 of the General Laws as inserted by Chapter 638 of the Acts of 1941, be and hereby is accepted.
There being no further business under Article 34, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 35 taken up. (Annual Rental for Arlington Post 1775, V. F. W.)
71
TOWN RECORDS
The Finance Committee recommended the following:
That in accordance with Chapter 40, Section 9 under the Gen- eral Laws of Massachusetts, the sum of six hundred (600.00) dol- lars 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 raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
Chairman Adams, on motion duly made and seconded, moved that no action be taken, and a vote being taken the Moderator declared it lost.
Thereupon it was unanimously
Voted: That in accordance with Chapter 40, Section 9 under the General Laws of Massachusetts, the sum of six hundred (600.00) 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 raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
There being no further business under Article 35, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
Article 36 taken up. (Headquarters for Lt. Stanley G. Benner Detachment, Marine Corps League of Arlington.)
On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously
Voted: That in accordance with Chapter 40, Section 9, under the General Laws of Massachusetts, as amended by Chapter 409 of the Acts of 1946, the sum of five hundred (500.00) dollars be and hereby is appropriated for the purpose of providing head- quarters for the Lt. Stanley G. Benner Detachment, Marine Corps League of Arlington; 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 36, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
At this point Chairman Hayes asked for reconsideration of Article 6, and following his statement bearing on the Article, and the Moderator's ruling that Mr. Hayes' request was in order, Mr. Harris, on motion duly made and seconded, moved that Mr. Hayes' request be laid on the table, and a rising vote being taken 85 voted YES and 82 NO, and the Moderator declared it carried.
Article 3 taken from the table.
On motion duly made and seconded, it was
Voted: To discharge the Committee appointed March 19, 1941, to consider a Plan to Generate Electricity.
Voted: To discharge the War Memorial Committee.
Voted: To discharge the Committee Appointed to Choose a School Site in Precinct Nine.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
There being no further business under Article 3, the Moderator declared it disposed of.
On motion duly made and seconded, it was
Voted: To adjourn.
The meeting adjourned at 9:55 P.M.
A true record. Attest:
EARL A. RYDER, Town Clerk.
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TOWN RECORDS
RECOUNT
Arlington, March 19, 1947.
In accordance with petitions received from David A. Wilcox, seeking re-election to the Board of Assessors, and from Walter S. Cooledge, Jr., seeking the office of Assessor, and from Leon V. O'Brien, Jr., for the office of Town Meeting Member in Precinct One, a recount of the votes cast at the election, March 3, 1947, was held March 19, 1947, in the Robbins Memorial Town Hall.
The meeting was called to order by Timothy J. Buckley, Chair- man of the Board of Registrars, at seven P.M., who stated the Board had received petitions as above.
Seven tables were used in the recount.
The, persons appointed to assist the Registrars in the recount were sworn to the faithful performance of their duties by the Town Clerk and were as follows:
Marion B. Keefe, 11 Teel Street Harry O. Austin, 15 Bartlett Avenue Bernard F. Queeney, 40 Egerton Road
Adrian H. Robinson, 91 Westminster Avenue William H. FitzGerald, 165 Brooks Avenue Esther M. Gaddis, 221 Wachusett Avenue William P. O'Connor, 15 River Street Vivian E. Wood, 58 Foster Street Patrick F. Brosnahan, 19 Linwood Street Brewster Ames, 181 Mystic Street Edward J. Connor, 46 Franklin Street Guy W. Beddeos, 136 Scituate Street Edna E. Farley, 210 Mountain Avenue William J. Bailey, 6 Appleton Place
The boxes containing the ballots which had been kept in the Police Station since the election of March 3, 1947, were brought to the Town Hall by the Police Officers and distributed to the seven tables, the seals broken and the boxes unlocked.
The result of the recount was as follows:
ASSESSOR
Precinct 1
2 3
Walter S. Cooledge, Jr .. 182 169 156 163 182 369 250 David A. Wilcox 200 215 144 153 174 238 311 32 13 5 46 6 7 19 61 Blanks 27 17 4
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Precinct 8
9 10 11 12
13 14 Total
Walter S. Cooledge, Jr .. . 259 275 243 318 282 181 267
3296
David A. Wilcox.
321 181 289 231 356 239 193
3245
Blanks 20 24 26 29 33 31 37 415
The vote as recorded March 3, 1947, was
ASSESSOR
Walter S. Cooledge, Jr. 3280
David A. Wilcox
3273
Blanks
403
TOWN MEETING MEMBER-PRECINCT ONE-THREE YEARS
Recount
March 3, 1947
*Edwin A. Barnard, 61 Cleveland St
251
252
*William H. Dunn, 9 Windsor St.
243
244
* Harry A. Earle, 48 Cleveland St. 220
220 **
Laurence E. Kiely, 11 Oxford St .. .
219 **
220 **
P. Joseph McManus, 35 Winter St.
219 **
222
Leon V. O'Brien, Jr., 147 Mass. Ave
218
218
*Warren D. Pierce, 43 Winter St ..
242
243
Blanks
433
426
Tie. The sealed ballots were again returned to the Police Station. A true record. Attest:
EARL A. RYDER, Town Clerk.
Mr. P. J. McManus passed away April 2, 1947, and Mr. Lau- rence E. Kiely was elected Town Meeting Member.
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TOWN RECORDS
WARRANT FOR REFERENDUM TOWN MEETING, MONDAY, APRIL 14, 1947 THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
MIDDLESEX, SS.
To 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 inhabitants of the Town of Arlington, qualified to vote in elections, to meet at the polling places designated for the several precincts in said Town on Mon- day, the fourteenth day of April, 1947, at two o'clock, in the afternoon to determine by ballot the following question involved in a certain vote passed at the Annual Town Meeting held on the twelfth day of March, 1947, to wit:
1. Shall the Town vote to approve the action of the repre- sentative Town meeting whereby it was Voted: That effective Jan- uary 1, 1947, the sum of $140,000.00 to be raised by general tax, be and is hereby appropriated to increase the base pay of ap- pointed officers and regular employees of the Town whose principal source of income is salary or wages, paid by the Town, and who were regularly employed by the Town on January 1, 1947, and elected officers of the Town who devote all their time exclusively to the service of the Town, provided, that no money shall be ex- pended under this article to increase the pay of school teachers. The increases authorized hereby shall be allocated and expended under the direction of the various Town Boards and Department Heads and shall be such percentage of the regular base pay, exclu- sive of overtime, in effect on January 1, 1947, as is set forth in the following schedule:
Base Pay, Jan. 1, 1947
Percentage of Increase
$1,000.00 to $2,100.00
17%
$2,101.00 to $2,200.00
16%
$2,201.00 to $2,300.00
15%
$2,301.00 to $2,400.00
14%
$2,401.00 to $2,500.00
13%
$2,501.00 to $2,600.00
12%
$2,601.00 to $2,700.00
11%
$2,701.00 to $2,800.00
10%
$2,801.00 to $2,900.00
9%
$2,901.00 to $3,000.00
8%
$3,001.00 to $3,500.00
7%
$3,501.00 to $4,000.00
6%
$4,001.00 and upwards
5%
For this purpose, the polls will be opened at two o'clock P.M. and remain open until nine o'clock P.M., at each of the polling
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
places designated, viz .: Precinct One, in the Crosby School Build- ing, entrance on Winter Street; Precincts Two and Four, in the Hardy School Building, entrance on Lake Street; Precincts Three and Five, in the Junior High School Building East, entrance on Tufts Street; Precincts Six and Eight, in the Town Hall; Precincts Seven and Nine, in the Russell School Building; Precinct Seven, entrance on Medford Street; Precinct Nine, entrance on Mystic Street; Precincts Ten and Twelve, in the Cutter School Building, entrance on Robbins Road; Precinct Eleven, in the Highland Hose House, entrance on Massachusetts Avenue; Precinct Thirteen, in the Peirce School Building, entrance on Park Avenue North, Heights; Precinct Fourteen, in the Locke School Building, en- trance on Park Avenue, Heights.
And you will notify and warn the voters of the Town of Arling- ton to meet at the times and places herein specified by leaving at every dwelling house in the Town a printed copy of this Warrant, and also by posting a copy of the same at the doors of the Town Hall, and in a conspicuous place in each of the fourteen precincts of the Town, seven days at least before the day of said meeting.
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