USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1962 > Part 25
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CONCLUSION
To the Members of the Board of Selectmen, to Town Manager, Edward C. Monahan, ever helpful and cooperative, I extend deepest and sincerest thanks.
To other Departments for valued assistance, I am grateful.
To my own Officers and Men for faithful and devoted performance of duty, my appreciation.
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas H. Egan Chief of Fire Department
268
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Report of the Fire and Police Signal System
January 1, 1963
Mr. Edward C. Monahan Town Manager Arlington, Massachusetts
Dear Sir:
As Superintendent of the Fire and Police Signal System, I submit my Eighth Annual Report for the year ending December 31, 1962.
This system is maintained by Assistant Superintendent Lester W. Cam- eron, together with Signal Maintainers, Nicholas J. Bucciero, and Frederick J. Manning.
FIRE ALARM AND POLICE SIGNALS
Experienced many difficulties as the result of temporary breakdowns in aerial and underground lines. Storms, high winds, rain, snow and light- ning inflicted severe damage and circuits were grounded. When found out of order, circuits were restored to immediate service.
October 5, 1962, rain from northeast storm, with hurricane conditions, caused heavy flooding in the Town. However, fire alarm circuits were not disrupted.
Made routine repairs, wound and tested fire alarm boxes and police signal boxes. Checked police signal desk, signal registers, air whistles and master clocks. Painted 310 fire alarm boxes and 82 police signal boxes throughout the Town. Installed decal "Fire" on fire pedestals. Conducted waterflow tests on signal boxes connected to sprinkler systems.
During 1962, held quarterly testing of fire alarm signal boxes as rec- ommended by the New England Insurance Rating Association. Tests were under the direction of Deputy Chief John E. Canniff and the Assistant Super- intendent of the Fire and Police Signal System, Lester W. Cameron. Faulty and defective boxes were rectified immediately upon discovery.
SIGNAL BATTERIES
To operate the Fire Alarm Signals, the Gamewell Company installed a new "Form-4 Master Battery Supply System" in Repeater Room of Fire Department Headquarters, September 13, 1962, replacing original and out- moded batteries installed in 1925 when Fire Headquarters building was con- structed. These are automatically supervised to operate our 13 fire alarm circuits (12 cells being used rather than previous total of over 150 cells).
Installing new Police Signal Boxes:
Box 342 Brattle Street-Woodside Lane
Box 32 Massachusetts Avenue-Schouler Court (Replacement)
Installing new Fire Alarm Boxes:
Box 317 Maynard Street 3141 Webcowet Road-Sherborn Street
3562 Mystic Street-Beverly Road
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REPORT OF THE FIRE AND POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM
Box 6442 St. James School-Acton Street
715 Lansdowne Road-Millett Street
7713 Lowell Street
Box 48 Massachusetts Avenue-Bartlett Avenue (Replacement)
732 Forest Street-Adams Square (Replacement)
Because of street construction, reset following signal boxes:
Police Box 36 - Relocated from Ronald Road-Pheasant Avenue to Washington Street-Overlook Road
Fire Box 53 - Massachusetts Avenue-Schouler Court
Fire Box 82 and Police Box 412 (combination) - Massachusetts Avenue- Park Avenue
CABLE CONSTRUCTION
Pulled in 6-conductor underground cable replacing old cable, cutting over to signal boxes, and rebuilding terminal boxes on:
Massachusetts Avenue-Everett Street
Massachusetts Avenue-Lancaster Road to Lexington Line
Eastern Avenue from Brackett School to Test Terminal
Replaced, reran and pulled up 2-conductor aerial cable on the following streets, removing old cross-arms:
Oakland Avenue Hathaway Circle Linden Street
Mystic Street Crosby Street Bow Street
Ran in 6-conductor aerial cable on Jason Street replacing damaged cable from Gray Street to Irving Street.
Cut over 2-conductor to 6-aerial cable on Washington Street-Overlook Road to Mohawk Road.
Reran 10 sections open aerial lines on Lowell Street because of pole relocations.
Replaced damaged overhead wires on Summer Street when Pole-82 was struck by automobile, July 13, 1962.
Made transfers of cables to new poles, rebuilding lines and pulling up slack on aerial conductors.
Throughout the Town, removed and trimmed trees and branches away from aerial lines of the Signal System, and installed wood mold where wires came in contact with trees.
RADIO SYSTEM
November 23, 1962, the new "Local Government Radio System" for use by the Town of Arlington, was placed in commission in compliance with a Directive contained in Docket 12295 of the Federal Communications Com- mission of November 1960 which necessitated that the Town of Arlington change its radio-operating equipment.
The Fire Department with the Signal System is assigned code "Number Five", operating "KBC 888", with 158.760 MC.
270
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
The work of converting began April 23, 1962 and continued until Novem- ber 23, 1962. Signal Men with assistance from Public Works Department undertook the following work to inaugurate this "Local Government Radio System":
Rodded conduit, ran in, spliced, taped and cut over underground cable, 3-pair, 12-pair, for the radio control circuits, making up terminal blocks on:
Massachusetts Avenue-
Franklin Street
Mystic Street
Water Street
Town Hall Police Station
Churchill Avenue
Schouler Court
Park Avenue to Park Circle Fire Station
Florence Avenue Wollaston Avenue Oakland Avenue
Grove Street-Prentiss Road to Highland Fire Station
Appleton Street-Lowell Street
For the Public Works Department for telephone service, ran in 6-pair under- ground cable from Grove Street to Town Hall, Massachusetts Avenue.
AIR RAID SIGNALS
Tested sirens on first and third Fridays of each month.
January 19, 1962, air raid sirens and whistles sounded at 11:55 A.M. for Alert Test.
Routine inspection was made of following air raid sirens throughout the Town:
Massachusetts Avenue-Teel Street
Massachusetts Avenue-Winter Street
Massachusetts Avenue-Tufts Street Massachusetts Avenue-Mill Street Massachusetts Avenue-Brattle Street
Massachusetts Avenue-Forest Street
Massachusetts Avenue-Park Avenue Florence Avenue-George Street Summer Street-Mill Street
Summer Street-Park Avenue Extension
Broadway-Everett Street Broadway-Silk Street Lake Street-Margaret Street Highland Avenue-Ottawa Road Mystic Street-College Avenue Medford Street-Sherborn Street Pleasant Street-Gould Road Lowell Street-Park Avenue Extension
DETAILS
Set up Public Address System on many occasions for various Town Departments.
Rendered assistance to Departments which requested use of winch and derrick on Fire Alarm Truck.
April 19th, Patriots' Day, sounded 1-7-7-5 on air whistle at Fire De- partment Headquarters.
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REPORT OF THE FIRE AND POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM
The Town Clock in church steeple, Massachusetts Avenue-Pleasant Street, wound weekly on Fridays.
Arranged Christmas lighting and decorations at the Town Hall, Library, Police Headquarters, on Tree and Crib at Monument Park and at the three Fire Stations. Set up Public Address System for the playing of Carols from tower of Fire Headquarters building.
APPROPRIATION
1962 Appropriation. $27,504.
Expended .
24,636.
Balance
$ 2,868.
RECOMMENDATIONS
For the year 1963 recommend that $24,455 be appropriated.
CONCLUSION
To the Members of the Board of Selectmen, and to Town Manager, Ed- ward C. Monahan, for close cooperation with the Signal System, my deepest appreciation.
To the Assistant Superintendent of the Fire and Police Signal System, and to the Signal Maintainers, for untiring efforts to efficiently operate this System, my sincerest thanks.
Respectfully Submitted,
Thomas H. Egan, Superintendent Fire and Police Signal System
272
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Report of the Board of Selectmen
The Board of Selectmen herewith submits its Annual Report for the year ending December 31, 1962.
The early portion of the year, although principally devoted to routine matters, was inclined to be exacting on many occasions and resulted in a demand for careful and analytical decisions.
At the Annual Town Election in March, Mr. John W. Bullock was elected to the Board for a three year term and on the following Monday met with the remaining members to organize for the following year. Mr. Horace H. Homer was elected as Chairman and Mr. Philibert L. Pellegrini was elected as Vice Chairman, both having been elected by acclamation on one ballot.
The first official act of the newly organized Board was the reappointment of Mr. Edward C. Monahan as Town Manager for a succeeding three year term. His outstanding record in this position during the past nine years is mute tribute to his talents and abilities as an Administrator and accounts for his reappointment without a dissenting vote.
In accordance with past custom the Board met weekly with the exception of the vacation season when biweekly meetings were held. Special meetings were called when conditions arose demanding such procedure.
One matter that received our attention and merited considerable discus- sion pertained to behavior problems of some of our teenage population. One of the habits that they had formed was the use of street pavements in walking to and from school despite the fact that adequate sidewalks were available for their use. Groups of these children would spread out halfway across the roadway defying motorists to interfere with their mode of travel and ex- pressed resentment and derision when asked by some adult to discontinue this practice. The Board is fully aware that these actions are heedless rather than malicious, but in the interests of personal safety, was forced to institute a safety program before a fatality occurred. The Traffic Safety Officer of the Police Department was assigned to patrol areas where these violations were known to be prevalent and after requesting the children to use the sidewalks was instructed to obtain the names and addresses of those who showed defiance and to report them to the school authorities and to their parents for punitive action. We sincerely hope that all those who are con- cerned in this campaign will cooperate fully to make certain that this danger- ous habit is permanently discontinued. It seems that as we become more urbanized our social problems tend to increase. The Arlington Youth Council composed of a group of our leading citizens has given a great deal of time and study to problems of our youth and has successfully formulated a youth code which has been accepted and is currently being used as a behavior guide by our youthful citizens. The newly created Youth Services Committee, designed to cope with juvenile delinquents, has great potential in our social scheme when its program is fully developed.
For years Arlingtonians have been striving to gain recognition to which the Town is entitled for its participation in the American Revolution and other historic events, without any great measure of success. A group of citizens composed principally of members of the Arlington Historical Society met with the Board to see what could be done to publicize the Town historically and to determine whether it would be practical and desirable to display our present points of historical interest and to provide new items of historical significance as tourist attractions. It was generally agreed that publicity in this respect would be beneficial, but that in order to realize any advantage it would be necessary to have some agency with official status to promote publicity along these lines. As a result, the Town Meeting
273
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
authorized the appointment of a Town Committee which is now in existence and is empowered to seek the historic recognition to which the Town is entitled.
Traffic continues to be of vital concern and its regulation becomes increasingly complex as more and more vehicles are added to our already congested nignways. Roving police patrols have been assigned to operate in the entire town with particular emphasis being given to areas that are considered troublesome. Violators receive warnings for minor offenses and are faced with the new no-fix tickets for major violations. This tends to at least alert motorists that the Town will not tolerate dangerous traffic infractions. Pedestrians who have been in the habit of matching wits with motorists in crossing streets indiscriminately will now, too, be regulated under legislation recently passed which prohibits jay walking. This legisla- tion provides for crossing streets at cross walks, traffic signals and other specifically assigned locations with penalties similar to those assessed against motorists for traffic violations. Acceptance of these laws is practi- cally mandatory since they are a part of the uniform traffic code adopted by the Federal Bureau of Roads and failure to adopt would disqualify a com- munity from receiving participating funds from the State and County for road improvements. We, therefore, anticipate the acceptance of this legislation at the next Annual Town Meeting.
Among other duties in our role as Selectmen, we filled routine appoint- ments, granted various permits and licenses, awarded contracts for em- ployees Medical, Surgical and Life Insurance, approved budgets, settled claims against the Town, argued with the M.T.A. for better service and conditions, selected and drew jurors, attended hearings and functions and performed the innumerable tasks connected with the office.
As a Board of Survey we also met weekly and developed a street ac- ceptance and construction program involving some eighteen streets at an expenditure of nearly a quarter of a million dollars. . The Chapter 90 projects for street improvement involving allotments from the State and County were continued and we were able to develop a program for the continued widening of Massachusetts Avenue and the construction of a portion of Spring Street, with the Town only bearing 25% of the cost.
Our Board continued its vigilance against any proposal to divide the Town by means of extending the Route 3 expressway through any portion of the Town excepting locations on its outer boundaries. A study completed by consulting engineers during the year on the widening and conversion of Route 2 as a limited access expressway, the extension of Route 3 from Route 128 to Route 2 by means of the Great Meadows in Lexington and the Central Artery, was released to the State Department of Public Works. We had an opportunity to meet with the Commissioner and to express our views on this proposal. We were not exactly jubilant over the loss of property along the Concord Highway but, in view of the fact that this proposal would cause the least harm to the Town as a whole, we gave it our approval. Under this proposal it is estimated that about sixty-five families will be faced with the loss of their homes. An agency has been set up by the State Department of Public Works to aid displaced persons in their relocation problems and the Selectmen's Office is temporarily the intermediary in this service.
Among our other duties as a Board of Survey, we held hearings on the establishment of new Board of Survey streets, granted locations and reloca- tions of utility poles and conduits for telephone and electric wires, per- mitted the installation of additional gas mains, appointed licensed contractors, issued permits for advertising signs, adopted a program for the installation of permanent sidewalks and edgestones, levied betterment assessments and granted abatements where such action was merited, ordered trees removed where they interfered with street construction and ordered new trees planted
274
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
to replace them in new locations and performed all other related duties of the office.
As a Board of Public Works, we met concurrently when we convened as Selectmen and as a Board of Survey. We were gratified to learn during the year, that due to the efforts of our Legislators, a bill was passed whereby the cost of the proposed Metropolitan relief sewer, which is to be constructed principally for the use of communities to our north, has been proportion- ately pro-rated among all the communities in the Metropolitan system rather than the communities through which such sewer mains would pass. This represents a tremendous difference in the future payments we would be obliged to assume and we express our appreciation to those who are re- sponsible.
At the beginning of last winter when bids were solicited for the renewal of the contract for the collection and disposal of garbage and offal, only one bid was received. It was considered excessive and the Town forces were obliged to assume these collections as an emergency measure. This refuse was made a part of the rubbish collection program and was deposited in the sanitary land fill reclamation area on Summer Street. Vehement objections to this practice were raised by residents in the surrounding area and by early spring this method of disposal was abandoned in favor of disposal by a private contracting firm at a more reasonable price. From all reports this function is working out satisfactorily and we are led to believe the service will improve as the contractor's employees familiarize themselves with the Town. The cost of purchasing our drinking water from the Metropolitan District Commission has been steadily increasing and in order to keep this agency solvent the Legislature passed bills authorizing a 50% increase in the cost of purchasing water for local consumption. This increase was designed to go into effect in 1963 and we were necessarily faced with the essential, although distasteful task of increasing water rates to balance the payments we will be required to make to the State. Eight different formulas were worked out and considered and ultimately one was adopted that we feel is fair and equitable to all concerned.
The functions of this office too contains many routine assignments which we perform as they arise from meeting to meeting.
As this is being written, we regret to note that our Town Manager, who was taken ill on or about the first of December, is still under a physicians immediate care. We all wish him a complete and speedy recovery and shall welcome him upon his return to duty.
Before concluding this report, we would like to congratulate our colleague Mr. Philibert L. Pellegrini, upon his election to the State Senate and to wish him the best of luck during his term of office. We are certain that his membership in the Legislature will be of great benefit to us and to the Town as a whole.
In closing we would also like to extend our appreciation to the Town Manager and to the various Boards and Commissions who have lightened our burdens through their cooperation during the year and to our Executive Secretary and to the office staff who have contributed so generously of their time and their talents in aiding us in the general performance of our duties.
Horace H. Homer Philibert L. Pellegrini Joseph P. Greeley Arthur D. Saul, Jr. John W. Bullock
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
275
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Honorable Board of Selectmen Arlington, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
The Registrars of Voters herewith submit their annual report for the year ending December 31, 1962, in accordance with Section 3 of Article 3 of the By/Laws.
Temporary Assistant Registrars designated by our Board made a com- plete canvass of the Town for the purpose of taking the annual listing of persons twenty years of age and older residing in the Town of Arlington on January 1, 1962, and in conjunction therewith a listing of owners or keepers of dogs, both as required under the law.
Our board certified the signatures of 7,315 voters appearing in nomina- tion papers filed by or in behalf of candidates seeking municipal, county and state offices and in petitions for articles to be inserted in the Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting, referendum and initiative petitions.
Twenty-nine evening sessions for the registration of voters were held during the year at various public buildings throughout the town. At these sessions, 1384 persons were qualified to vote in elections. Throughout the year, daily sessions for registration of voters were held during regular business hours in the office of the Town Clerk, at which an additional 2191 were so qualified, making a total of 3575 new registered voters in 1962.
For the three elections held in 1962, the Registrars were in session throughout the entire period during which the polls were opened, after which they assisted in the tabulation of the returns of ballots cast at each such election, as follows:
Polls Open
Tabulation Completed
Town Election (March 5)
7 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
2:30 A.M. - Mar. 6
State Primary (September 18)
10 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
8:00 A.M. - Sept. 19
State Election (November 6)
7 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
7:00 A.M. - Nov. 7
A recount of the ballots cast at the State Primary on September 18 for the office of Representative in the General Court in the twenty-fifth Middle- sex District (Democratic) was held on Thursday evening, September 27, and a recount of the ballots cast at the State Election on November 6 for the office of Governor was held on Saturday, December 1. The details thereof are included in the "Records of Elections and Town Meetings" which appears elsewhere in the printed Town Report.
Mr. Joseph H. Cormier was reappointed by your Board as a member of the Board of Registrars of Voters for a term of three years.
Mrs. Charlotte E. Emerson was named by our Board to succeed Miss Elizabeth M. Holt as an Assistant Registrar of Voters. Miss Holt retired after more than twenty years of faithful and conscientious service to the Town of Arlington in the offices of the Town Clerk and the Registrars of Voters. Miss Holt was an outstanding public servant.
276
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Upon completion of the work of revising the voting list, in accordance with the true list information that had been presented, a total of 2,267 notices were sent by first-class mail, as required by law, to persons whose names were to be removed from the voting list for the reason that they had not been reported as residing in Arlington on January 1, 1962. Of this number 565 proved residence and were reinstated.
As a result of the notices mailed, names of voters who had moved out of Arlington were removed from the voting list. In addition, names were removed because of death, change of name by marriage or court decree, failure to comply with the notice, and other changes in voting status.
The total number of registered voters upon completion of the revision of the voting list was 26,363.
The total number of registered voters at the close of registration for the biennial State Election was 28,650, and of this total 13,249 were enrolled Democrats and 7,469 were enrolled Republicans.
Precinct
Total Voters
Total Democrats
Total Republicans
1
1574
815
306
2
2079
1126
394
3
1228
607
324
4
1923
930
440
5
2435
1560
289
6
1558
504
643
7
1513
876
257
8
1740
554
757
9A
1300
543
358
9B
1099
400
330
10A
822
320
242
10B
985
445
354
11A
1434
628
355
11B
1424
712
299
12A
1451
577
458
12B
689
251
241
13
2118
987
534
14A
1386
603
397
14B
1892
811
491
28650
13249
7469
During the year the information contained in the approximately 35,000 true listing slips, covering on residents of the Town on January 1, 1962, was transferred to their individual master cards which provide for a complete official record of residence for all persons twenty years of age or older from the time they first become residents of the Town of Arlington.
Respectfully submitted,
Timothy J. Buckley, Chairman
Arthur P. Wyman
Joseph H. Cormier
Ann Mahon, Clerk
Registrars of Voters
277
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
Report of the Board of Health
Mr. Edward C. Monahan Town Manager Arlington, Massachusetts
Dear Mr. Monahan:
We herewith submit the Annual Report of the Board of Health for the year 1962.
Respectfully submitted,
Ralph L. LaValle, Chairman Paul F. Burke, D.M.D. Carl E. Barstow, M.D.
The Board of Health wishes to honor the Memory of Dr. L. Curtis Foye, who died August 2, 1962 after a long illness.
Dr. Foye served the Board in the capacity of Board Physician and Bac- teriologist after his discharge from World War II Service to the time of his death. He was truly a man dedicated to his profession and devoted to man- kind.
Ralph L. LaValle, Chairman Paul F. Burke, D.M.D. Carl E. Barstow, M.D.
1962
FINANCIAL REPORT APPROPRIATION
Personal Services . $30,966.75
General Expense 2,255.00
Communicable Diseases 5,000.00
Mosquito Control
2,500.00
Premature Baby Care
2,500.00
$43,221.75
EXPENDITURES
Personal Services $30,148.50 Mosquito Control 2,500.00
Premature Baby Care
83.30
Communicable Diseases:
Hospitalization for Tuberculosis: Middlesex County Sanatorium $ 1,770.00
Ambulance Service .
53.00
Hospitalization for Meningitis:
Boston Floating Hospital. 574.72
278
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Antirabic Clinics:
Vaccine. $277.17
Expense $385.00 $ 662.17
Sabin Oral Polio Vaccine Clinics 321.64
Miscellaneous Expense .
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