USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Hamilton > Town of Hamilton Annual Report 1914 > Part 3
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In order to make this pumping test properly, an appro- priation in addition to that now available will be required. I will, therefore, recommend to you that a pumping test be made in the locality of the spring and well last tested, because should the quantity to be obtained here be found sufficient I am of the opinion that this will furnish the best and most economical source of supply within the limits of the town of Hamilton.
When the amount available shall have been determined I shall be able to prepare a final report discussing in detail the various sources examined with recommendations and an estimate of cost for a system of water supply.
Respectfully submitted,
RAYMOND C. ALLEN.
66
TOWN REPORT.
List of Appropriations as Recommended by the Selectmen.
Highway, Oiling,
$8500 0
Street Lighting,
5000 0
Roller,
1000 0
Guard Rail,
100 0 1000 0 3500 0
Poor Department,
State Aid,
700 0
Soldiers' Relief,
600 0
Military Aid,
100 0
Town Hall,
1000 0
Fire Department,
500 0
Cemetery,
200 0
Tree Warden,
300 0
Selectmen's Department,
700 0
Printing Town Reports,
200 0 25 0
Finance Committee,
Assessors' Department,
1171 0
Treasurer's Department,
450 0
Police Department,
1600 0
Snow Removal,
2000 0
Board of Health,
600 (
Moth Department,
3600 0
Loans, Hall and School,
1980 0
Interest on Town Notes,
1200 0
Sidewalks,
67
TOWN REPORT.
Interest on Town Bonds,
400 00
Insurance, Town Hall,
375 00
Insurance, Boilers,
30 00
Schools,
15,750 00
Sealer's Department,
50 00
Election and Registration,
275 00
Moderator,
10 00
Accounting,
470 00
Collector,
450 00
Law Department,
100 00
Town Clerk,
300 00
Bonding Officers,
135 00
Cattle Inspection,
50 00
Town Clock,
125 00
Library,
575 00
Total,
$55,121 00
Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting.
Essex, ss. To either of the Constables of the Town of Hamilton,
GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachu- setts, you are hereby directed to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Hamilton, qualified to vote in elections and Town affairs, to meet in the Town Hall in said Town, on Tuesday, the ninth (9th) day of March, nineteen hundred and fifteen, at six (6) o'clock in the forenoon, then and there to act on the following articles, viz .:
ARTICLE 1. To bring in your ballots for
Moderator, for one year. Town Clerk, for one year.
Two Selectmen, for one year.
Overseers of Poor, Board of Health and Fence Viewers, three for one year.
Treasurer, for one year.
Tax Collector, for one year.
Tree Warden, for one year.
Three Constables, for one year. .
One Assessor, for three years.
(68)
69
TOWN REPORT.
One Library Trustee, for three years.
One Cemetery Commissioner, for three years.
One Park Commissioner, for three years.
One member of School Committee, for three years.
And to vote on the following :
Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxi- cating liquors for the coming year? Yes or No.
All on one ballot. The Polls will open at six (6) o'clock and close at ten (10) o'clock in the forenoon.
ART. 2. To choose or appoint all other Town Officers in such manner as the Town shall determine.
ART. 3. To hear the reports of the Town Officers and of the Finance and Advisory Committee and other Committees and act thereon.
ART. 4. To raise and appropriate money for the repairs of Highways, Townways and Bridges and all other Town expenses and determine the manner of expending the same.
ART. 5. To see if the Town will appropriate a sum of money to finish Railroad Avenue extension.
ART. 6. To see if the Town will accept Park street extension as laid out by the Selectmen and ap- propriate a sum of money for grading same.
ART. 7. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate a sum of money to resurface Union street and
70
TOWN REPORT.
provide catch basins at corner of Railroad avenue. Petition of Mr. MacDonald and others.
ART. 8. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate a sum of money to grade and resurface a por- tion of Gardner street.
ART. 9. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate a sum of money to place street lights on Bridge street from corner of School to corner of Sagamore and from corner of Sagamore to Essex street. Peti- tion of Frank M. Whipple and others.
ART. 10. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate a sum of money to grade and resurface Linden street. Petition of John P. Mc Vey and others.
ART. 11. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate a sum of money to install new hay scales on Main street, corner of Bridge. Petition of W. J. Daley and others.
ART. 12. To see if the Town will vote to establish a Reserve Fund in accordance with Chap. 645, Acts of 1913.
ART. 13. To hear the report of the Committee on Water Supply and take any action thereon.
ART. 14. To see if the Town will vote to ratify the following vote passed at the last Annual Town Meeting of said Town held on March 10th, 1914.
Voted, that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and is hereby authorized to borrow
71
TOWN REPORT.
money on or after Jan. 1st, 1915, from time to time, in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1915, to an amount not exceed- ing $30,000 in the aggregate, and to issue a note or notes therefor payable within one year, any debt or debts incurred under this vote to be paid from the taxes of said financial year, as recommended by the Finance and Advisory Committee.
ART. 15. To see if the Town will vote to ratify the following vote passed at the last Annual Town Meeting of said Town held on March 10th, 1914.
Voted, that the Selectmen be authorized and di- rected to appoint a Town accountant in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 624 of the Acts of 1910 and that an appropriation be made of $300 as salary for the office, and that the office of Town Au- ditor be abolished.
ART. 16. To see if the Town will authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow during the current financial year, begin- ning Jan. 1, 1915, in anticipation of the revenue of said financial year the sum of $10,000 in addition to the sum of $30,000 already authorized, making $40,000 in all, giving the note or notes of the Town therefor.
ART. 17. To see if the Town will authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money on or after January 1, 1916, from
72
TOWN REPORT.
time to time, in anticipation of the revenue of the finan- cial year, beginning Jan. 1, 1916, to an amount not exceeding $40,000 in the aggregate and to issue a note or notes therefor.
ART. 18. To see if the Town will vote
(a.) For the establishment of a fire commission to serve without pay.
(b.) For the purchase of an automobile chemical fire engine.
(c.) For the installation of a fire alarm system.
(d.) For the issuing of Town notes for such por- tion of the necessary cost of above equipment as may legally be covered by such an issue.
(e.) Forthe appropriation of money for such por- tion of such cost as cannot legally be borrowed and for the expense of maintaining and using said appa- ratus in the year 1915.
ART. 19. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money not to exceed $50 for the purpose of observing Decoration Day.
ART. 20. To hear the Report of the By-Law Com- mittee and take any action thereon, and to pass any vote or votes in relation thereto.
ART. 21. To see if the Town will appropriate a sum of money to repair the Hose House at South Hamilton.
73
TOWN REPORT.
ART. 22. To see if the Town will instruct the School Board to have a No school signal system put in by way of the street lighting system or any other method and appropriate money therefor.
ART. 23. To see if the Town will vote to lay a curbing on the westerly side of Main street, between Asbury street and the Railroad Crossing.
ART. 24. To see if the Town will vote to take care of the surface water on Willow street and ap- propriate money for the same.
ART. 25. To see what action the Town will take, if any, with regard to the planting of shade trees, and to appropriate at least $150 for this purpose in order that the Town may enter the Shade Tree Planting Contest conducted by the Massachusetts Forestry Association.
ART. 26. To see if the Town will pay a 35 cents per hour wage to the climbers in the Moth Depart- ment. Petition of E. A. Underhill and others.
ART. 27. To see if the Town will vote to transfer from the Excess and Deficiency account the sum of $678.04 to meet overdrafts in sundry accounts of the Town.
ART. 28. To see if the Town will authorize the Collector to use all means of collecting taxes which a Town Treasurer, when appointed Collector, may
74
TOWN REPORT.
use, agreeable to Chap. 25, Sec. 75, of the Revised Laws.
ART. 29. To determine what time tax bills shall be issued and taxes become due, and take any action thereon.
ART. 30. To act on any other matter which may legally come before said meeting.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by post- ing attested copies thereof, one at the Meeting House, one at the Town Hall and one at the South Hamilton Post Office, in said Town, seven (7) days at least before the time of holding said meeting.
Hereof fail not and make due return of this war- rant with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, at the time and place of holding said meeting.
Given under our hands this fifteenth day of Feb- ruary, A. D. 1915.
GEORGE H. GIBNEY, GEORGE W. FITZ, ARTHUR C. CUMMINGS,
Selectmen of Hamilton.
TOWN OF HAMILTON
REPORT
OF THE
Finance and Advisory Committee
ON THE
Appropriations and Articles
FOR THE
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
March 9, 1915
ALEX. HAMILTON SETTS.
INCORP. JUNE 21.1793
SALEM, MASS. : BARRY PRINTING COMPANY, 1915.
To the Citizens of the Town of Hamilton :
Your Committee have examined the financial needs for the maintenance of the various departments of the Town, and to provide for the payments of principal and interest due on bonds and notes for the fiscal year ; and have also investi- gated all requests calling for appropriations of money in the various articles of the Town Warrant; and, after careful consideration, we make the recommendations given below in this report.
ARTICLE 4.
Under Article 4, salaries and fees for each department, as well as expenses, are included in the appropriation for said department. By vote of the Town in 1914, voting on ap- propriations for salaries and fees must be by ballot. A com- plete list of salaries and fees recommended is given on the page following the list of these department appropriations. Where the proposed rate of salary for 1915 is different from that of 1914, the sum to be appropriated must be a little more or a little less than the new annual rate in order to balance the books. These differences will be explained at the meeting.
The larger appropriation recommended for Highways is not a real increase of expenditure over last year ; because the amount of the Street Railway Excise Tax was last year treated as an addition to the appropriation, but is this year included in the appropriation. By State law, the Street
(77)
78
TOWN REPORT.
Railway Franchise Tax also is applied to Highway expendi- tures, and not to general expenses as has formerly been the Town's custom. But this change in bookkeeping does not affect the total tax levy of the Town; the recommended outlay of $6000 being intended to include both of the above Street Railway taxes.
To raise and appropriate
money for :
Appropriated at two Town Meetings 1914.
Called for by Selectmen 1915.
Recommended by Finance Committee 1915.
Repairs of Highways, etc.
(Excise tax and $5000)
$6000
$6000
Street Watering or Oiling
3161
2500
2500
Street Lighting
4800
5000
5000
(Including some new lights under Article 9)
Road Roller
750
1000
1000
Guard Rail
200
100
100
Sidewalks
1000
1000
1000
Poor Department
3600
3500
3500
State Aid
700
700
700
Soldiers' Relief
225
600
600
Military Aid
150
100
100
Town Hall
1300
1000
1000
Fire Department
1050
500
500
Cemetery
250
200
200
Tree Warden
300
300
300
Selectmen
600
700
715
Assessors
900
1171
990
Treasurer
400
450
450
Collector
400
450
450
Accounting
300
470
470
79
TOWN REPORT.
Appropriated at two Town Meetings 1914.
Called for by Selectmen 1915.
Recommended by Finance Committee 1915.
Town Clerk
300
300
300
Police
1600
1600
1600
Snow Removal
2000
2000
2000
Board of Health
600
600
600
Finance Committee
25
25
25
Printing Town Reports
185
200
200
Brown-Tail and Gypsy Moth Work
3500
3600
3600
Town Hall and School
House Loans
1980
1980
1980
Interest on Bonds
475
400
400
Interest on Tax Loans
[1000]
1200
1200
Insurance on Town Hall
375
375
Boiler Insurance
30
30
Schools
14,475
15,750
15,750*
Sealer of Weights
and
Measures
50
50
50
Election and Registration
255
275
275
Moderator
10
10
10
Legal Expenses
100
100
100
Bonding Officers
130
135
135
Cattle Inspector
50
50
50
Town Clock
125
125
Public Library
400
575
575
Total under Article 4 [last year, corres- ponding items were about $53,471]
$54,955
* $750 are for bills incurred in 1914 and unpaid in that year, because expenses were for running 13 months.
80
TOWN REPORT.
MEMORANDUM OF SALARIES AND FEES, INCLUDED IN ABOVE APPROPRIA- TIONS UNDER ARTICLE 4.
Rate Recom- mended 1915
Rate since March 10 1914
Selectmen, Chairman
$275
$300
2nd Member
200
150
3rd Member
200
150
Assessors, Chairman
350
350
2nd Member
150
250
3rd Member
150
250
Treasurer
400
400
Collector
400
400
Town Clerk, salary
200
200
Allowance for expenses and fees
100
100
Town Accountant
500
300*
Board of Health, Chairman
50
50
2nd Member
25
25
3rd Member
25
25
Overseers of Poor, Chairman
50
50
2nd Member
25
25
3rd Member
25
25
Registrars
100
100
(To be divided equally between four.)
175
175
Moderator
10
10
Sealer of Weights and Measures
50
50
Allowance for Fees of Cattle Inspector
50
50
.
Election Officers and Tellers
* The incumbent of this office drew salary only from date of appointment, June 1st¡ but received $3 per day as a bookkeeper prior to that time. He also received day-pay at same rate for assisting State Auditors. He did not act as Town Auditor; the office having been abolished.
81
TOWN REPORT.
Called for by Selectmen
Recommended
ARTICLE 5.
Finishing Railroad Avenue
$200
$200
ARTICLE 6.
Continuation of Park street and curbing 250
250
ARTICLE 7.
Union street Surfacing and Catch Basins
560
560
ARTICLE 8. Gardner street Repairing 2000
2000
ARTICLE 9.
Lights on Bridge street. Recom- mended, the cost being covered in annual Lighting Appropriation.
ARTICLE 10.
Linden street 600 600
ARTICLE 11.
Hay Scales. Would cost about $700. Not recommended.
ARTICLE 12.
Creation of Reserve Fund in accor- dance with Chap. 645, Acts of 1913, for unforeseen and extra- ordinary expenses, including certain abatements of taxes ; to be controlled by Finance Com- mittee. From surplus $500 recommended.
82
TOWN REPORT.
Called for by Selectmen Recommended
ARTICLE 13.
For use of Water Committee
300
ARTICLE 14.
We recommend that the Town ratify the vote, passed at the last Annual Town Meeting, held on March 10, 1914 ; and cited in this Article of the Warrant.
ARTICLE 15.
We recommend that the Town rat- ify the vote, passed at the last Annual Town Meeting, held on March 10, 1914, and cited in this Article of the Warrant.
ARTICLE 16.
Borrowing Money in Anticipation of Taxes, 1915.
We recommend authorizing the Treasurer to borrow as set forth in this Article of the Warrant.
ARTICLE 17.
Borrowing Money in Anticipation of Taxes, 1916.
We recommend authorizing the Treasurer to borrow as set forth in this Article of the Warrant.
83
TOWN REPORT.
Called for by Selectmen Recommended
ARTICLE 18. Report of Committee on Motor Fire Apparatus. Although we think the Town should be duly grateful to this Committee for their efficiency, we regret to say that we are unanimously of opinion that the proposition recommended by them, which would involve the expenditure of about $27,750, at the rate of about $4500 a year for 6 years, is too expensive for adoption.
ARTICLE 19. Observance of Decoration Day 50 50
ARTICLE 21. No action taken.
ARTICLE 22. No-School Signal. No expense involved. Approved.
ARTICLE 23.
Curbing on West side of Main st. Moynihan Frontage only, rec- ommended one-half cost 100 :
ARTICLE 24. Taking care of Water on Willow street 200
84
TOWN REPORT.
Called for by Selectmen Recommended
ARTICLE 25.
Shade Tree Contest. Not approved.
ARTICLE 26.
Wages of certain Town Employés. We recommend that the matter be referred to the Selectmen.
ARTICLE 27.
Transfer from Surplus (Excess and Deficiency Fund) to meet over-
drafts in certain accounts, 1914.
Street Lighting $107 02 (13 months' bills)
Soldiers' Relief 122 41
Town Clock 33 94
Interest 148 74
Contingent Fund 105 53
Printing Town Reports
160 40
$678 04 total-Approved
Grand Total of Appropriations Recommended
From Taxes $59,215 00
From Surplus
1,178 04
From all Sources $60,393 04
[ Corresponding totals appro-
priated in 1914 were about
as follows : From taxes $57,696 25
From surplus 2,950 00
$60,646 25]
85
TOWN REPORT.
During the year 1914, the State system of accounting was duly installed, to the great future benefit of the Town as we believe. The Report of the State Auditor will be read at Town Meeting if the meeting so desires, as a part of this Report.
REGINALD C. ROBBINS, Chairman, CLARENCE S. KNOWLTON, Secretary, FRANK P. TRUSSELL, JESSE S. MANN, RAYMOND C. GOULD,
Finance and Advisory Committee, Town of Hamilton.
-
r Report of Committee on By-Laws.
Hamilton, Feb. 1, 1915.
We, the undersigned, committee on By-Laws appointed in accordance with a vote passed at the last Annual Town Meeting, respectfully submit the following :
ORDERS.
ARTICLE I.
TOWN MEETING WHEN HELD.
SECTION 1. The Annual Town Meeting shall be held at such time in the month of February or March as the voters may from time to time determine. The polls shall be opened at 6 o'clock A. M. and close at 10 o'clock A. M., but may be extended to, but not later than, eleven o'clock A. M., after which the remaining articles in the warrant shall be acted upon.
HOW NOTIFIED.
SECT. 2. All warrants for town meetings shall be served by posting attested copies thereof one at the Town Hall and one at each of the Post Offices in said Town, seven days at least before the time of holding said meeting. But
(86)
87
TOWN REPORT.
when in the judgment of the Selectmen the interests of the Town require a special meeting to be held without giving so long a notice, a meeting may be called by posting attested copies of the warrant in the above mentioned places at least three days before the time appointed for the meeting. Whenever a special meeting is called, the constable or person giving notice of said meeting shall mail a postal card to each voter in the Town at least three days before the time ap- pointed for said meeting which shall read as follows :
See Warrant for a Special Meeting to be held.
(Giving the date.) SPECIAL MEETINGS.
SECT. 3. The selectmen shall give at least three days' public notice of their intent to issue a warrant for a special town meeting, unless in their judgment public interests would suffer by such delay.
GOVERNMENT OF TOWN MEETINGS.
SECT. 4. Town Meetings shall be governed according to the rules of parliamentary practice in Cushing's Manual, so far as they are applicable and not inconsistent with the law.
ARTICLE II. APPROPRIATIONS.
SECT. 1. No action shall be taken at any town meet- ing appropriating or involving the expenditure of money or the creating of any town debt, unless at least thirty-five shall vote in favor of such appropriation, expenditure or incurred debt.
88
TOWN REPORT.
SECT. 2. No action shall be taken at any special town meeting appropriating or involving the expenditure of money, or the creating of any town debt exceeding the amount of one thousand dollars, unless at least fifty shall vote in favor of such appropriation, expenditure or incurred debt; if exceeding five thousand dollars, seventy-five ; and if exceed- ing ten thousand dollars, one hundred shall vote in favor of such appropriation, expenditure or incurred debt.
SECT. 3. Whenever the appropriation placed in the hands of any board or department for a specified purpose shall be exhausted, such board or department shall not pro- ceed to further expenditure without authority from the town.
Provided, however, that this shall not forbid any expen- ditures allowed by the laws of the Commonwealth.
FORM OF VOTE TO BE USED UPON MONEY MATTERS.
SECT. 4. No vote shall be passed appropriating or involving the expenditure of money at any meeting except by hand vote, or written or printed ballot, which vote shall be counted by tellers appointed by the chair, and said vote shall be recorded by the town clerk.
RECONSIDERATION OF VOTE UPON MONEY MATTERS.
SECT. 5. No vote relative to the raising, paying or appropriating any money shall be reconsidered in town meet- ing by any less number of votes than were cast in favor of the same at the former consideration.
ARTICLE III. BOOKKEEPING.
All books and accounts are to be kept in accordance with the requirements of the State Board of Statistics.
89
TOWN REPORT.
ARTICLE IV.
SECT. 1. All accounts and other claims against the town for labor done, services performed, or material furnished for the use of the town under the charge, direction or super- intendence of any board or officer, shall when presented to the selectmen bear an attestation of the approval of such board or officer, otherwise the same shall not be acted upon by the selectmen. And the selectmen shall not authorize the payment of any account or claim whatever against the town, unless such account or claim, be accompanied by a full and exact statement of the labor or services performed or the material furnished, and the selectmen shall also secure satis- factory vouchers from each of the persons to whom payment is due.
ARTICLE V.
DUTIES OF OFFICERS.
In addition to those provided by law, the Town Officers shall have the following duties :
TOWN CLERK.
SECT. 1. The town clerk shall furnish all boards and committees with a copy of all votes affecting them. All com- mittees to whom any matter which requires a public hearing is referred by the town, shall give a public notice thereof, stating time and place of such hearing.
SECT. 2. Whenever a report of any board or committee is presented to the town, and its recommendations are adopted, the town clerk shall cause to be entered upon the records of the meeting such portions of the report as may be necessary for the understanding of the action taken by the town.
90
TOWN REPORT.
MODERATOR.
SECT. 3. The Moderator elected at the Annual Town Meeting of 1916, shall, within thirty days thereafter, appoint a Finance Committee of five voters who shall hold no sal- aried Town Office, two of whom shall serve until their suc- cessors are appointed in 1917, two until their successors are appointed in 1918 and one until his successor is appointed in 1919 and each year after 1916, the Moderator elected at the Annual Town Meeting shall, within thirty days after his election, appoint one or two (as the case may be) to fill the vacancies caused by the expiring terms. The Moderator shall also fill vacancies in said Finance Committee within thirty days after being notified by said committee that a vacancy existed.
SELECTMEN.
SECT. 4. The annual reports of the town officers, boards and committees shall be prepared in form suitable for printing on or before the tenth day of February in each year. The selectmen shall cause such reports to be printed and dis- tributed to the legal voters of the town seven days at least before the annual meeting.
SECT. 5. The selectmen shall cause to be printed and bound each year with the annual reports of the town officers, boards and committees, a copy of the records of the town meetings during the preceding year; a statement of all devises, bequests and donations to the town during the pre- ceding year ; a list of all laws of the commonwealth accepted by the town during the year; all by-laws adopted by the town since the preceding annual report; copies of the laying out, alteration, locating anew or discontinuance of any
91
TOWN REPORT.
highway or townway during the preceding year; and a state- ment of all outstanding bonds, notes and obligations of the town for the payment of money, and warrant for the next annual town meeting.
SECT. 6. The selectmen shall every five years cause to be incorporated in the Annual Town Report a copy of the Town By-Laws and Amendments thereto.
SECT. 7. The selectmen may bring suit in the name of the town against the principal and sureties, or either of them, named in any bond given to the town by any officer, agent, contractor or other person, for breach of the condition of such bond.
They shall consider all claims made against the town for damages, or breaches of contract, and may settle the same before suit is brought thereon provided that in no case shall a settlement be so made by a payment of more than five hundred dollars without authority from the Town. They shall cause the appearance and answer of the town to be entered and made in all actions or suits brought against the town.
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