USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Hamilton > Town of Hamilton Annual Report 1948 > Part 6
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Article 1. To bring your ballots for :
Moderator for one year.
Town Clerk for one year.
Three Selectmen and Board of Public Welfare for one year.
Treasurer for one year.
Tax Collector for one year.
One Assessor for three years.
One Member of the School Committee for two years.
One Member of the School Committee for three years.
One Highway Surveyor for one year.
One Tree Warden for one year.
Three Constables for one year.
One Library Trustee for three years.
One Park Commissioner for three years.
One Cemetery Commissioner for three years.
One Water Commissioner for three years.
One Member of the Planning Board for five years.
The above named officers to be voted for on one ballot on Tuesday, the fifteenth day of March, 1949 (March 15, 1949). The polls will be opened at 5 :45 o'clock A.M., and will close at 8:00 o'clock P.M.
Article 2. To choose and appoint all other Town Officers in such manner as the Town may determine.
Article 3. To hear the reports of the Town Officers and of the Finance and Advisory Committee and all other committees and take any action thereon.
Article 4. To raise and appropriate money for Schools, Highways, Essex County Retirement Board and all other Town expenses and determine the manner of expending the same.
Article 5. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the Excess and Deficiency Account a sum of money for chapter 90 Highway Construction on Essex street or take any action thereon.
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Article 6. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the Excess and Deficiency Account a sum of money for chap- ter 90 Maintenance or take any action thereon.
Article 7. To see if the Town will vote to sell at public auction or by advertising for sealed bids or at private sale, as the Board of Selectmen may deem for the best interests of the town, its parcel of land situated at 45 School street, East Hamilton, containing 7,883 square feet with the one-story building thereon, or take any action thereon.
Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the Excess and Deficiency Account a sum of money for the purpose of purchasing and installing necessary heating equipment in the Municipal Garage and Storage Building in the rear of the Town Hall or take any action thereon.
Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to continue the present Patton Memorial Committee with its present powers or take any action thereon.
Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the Excess and Deficiency Account a sum of money for the purpose of purchasing a mist sprayer for the moth department or take any action thereon.
Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the Excess and Deficiency Account a sum of money for the purpose of purchasing a one-ton truck for the moth department or take any action thereon.
Article 12. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the Excess and Deficiency Account a sum of money for the purchase of a truck for the Highway Department or take any action thereon.
Article 13. To see if the Town will vote to apply the money received from insurance against fire damage at the Lamson School the past year to recoup the cost of repairing such damage or take any action thereon.
Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of improving the grounds and driveways about the Adelaide Dodge Walsh School Building on School street, East Hamilton, now being used in part by the A. P. Gardner Post of the Amer- ican Legion for headquarters, or take any action thereon.
Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to accept chapter 588 of the Acts and Resolves of 1948, being entitled "An Act Authorizing Increases of the Amounts of Pensions Payable to Certain Former Public Employees Who Have Been Retired and to Beneficiaries of Certain Retired Public Employees," or take any action thereon.
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Article 16. To see if the Town will vote, subject to compliance by the selectmen with the provisions of section 81 I of chapter 41 of the Gen- eral Laws, to accept the proposed layouts of two public footways by the selectmen marked A and B on the plan on file in the office of the Town Clerk entitled "Footways to Pleasant Pond, Hamilton, Mass., December 14, 1948, Charles H. Morse & Son, Engineers," or take any action thereon.
Article 17. To see if the Town will vote, subject to compliance by the selectmen with the provisions of section 81 I of chapter 41 of the Gen- eral Laws, to accept the proposed layout by the selectmen as a public way of Hatfield Road, so called, as shown on a plan on file in the office of the Town Clerk, entitled "Plan of Hatfield Road, Hamilton, Mass. for Ac- ceptance Dec. 1947, Charles H. Morse, Engineer," and raise and appro- priate a sum of money for necessary repairs or take any action thereon.
Article 18. To see if the Town will vote, subject to compliance by the selectmen with the provisions of section 81 I of chapter 41 of the General Laws to accept the proposed layout by the selectmen as a public way of the extension of Lake Drive, so called, as shown on a plan on file in the office of the Town Clerk, entitled "Plan of Lake Drive for Acceptance, December 13, 1948, Charles H. Morse & Son, Engineer," or take any ac- tion thereon.
Article 19. To see if the Town will vote, subject to compliance by the selectmen with the provisions of section 81 I of chapter 41 of the Gen- eral Laws, to accept the proposed layout by the selectmen as a public way of Durham avenue, so called, as shown on a plan on file in the office of the Town Clerk, entitled "Plan of Durham Ave., Appleton, Stopford and Gibney Streets, Hamilton, Mass., for acceptance, Nov. 22, 1941, Morse, Dickinson and Goodwin, Engineers, Haverhill, Mass.," and raise and ap- propriate a sum of money for necessary repairs or take any action there- on.
Article 20. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the formation of a committee of eight, of which the chairman of the Board of Selectmen, chairman of the Finance and Advisory Committee, chairman of the Plan- ning Board, Members of the School Committee, president of the Hamilton Parent-Teachers' Association and Superintendent of Schools shall be mem- bers (and of which committee the chairman of the school committee shall be designated chairman pro tem, for organization), for the purpose of study- ing the immediate and urgent needs of additional public school facilities in the town and securing expert advice and raise and appropriate a sum of money to defray expenses or take any action thereon.
Article 21. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of extending the water mains on Essex Street from Miles River Road to Woodberry street or take any action thereon.
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Article 22. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money to purchase a power saw for the Tree Warden department or take any action thereon.
Article 23. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the Excess and Deficiency Account a sum of money to drain, grade and oil North street, the work to be done under the direction and supervision of the Highway Surveyor, or take any action thereon.
Article 24. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the Excess and Deficiency Account a sum of money to build, grade, drain and oil Naples Road from Lois street to Howard Road as shown on a plan entitled "Hamilton Heights," accepted by the Town at the annual town meeting March 3, 1941, the work to be done under the di- rection and supervision of the Highway Surveyor, or take any action threreon.
Article 25. To see if the Town will vote to build, grade, drain and oil Howard Road from the Hamilton and Wenham town line to Savoy Road, a distance of approximately 65 feet, as shown on a plan entitled "Hamilton Heights," and accepted by the Town as a public way at the annual town meeting held March 3, 1941, and raise and appropriate a sum of money therefor, the work to be done under the direction and supervision of the Highway Surveyor, or take any action thereon.
Article 26. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the unexpended balance of the thirty-three thousand ($33,000.00) dollars raised and ap- propriated under Article 3 of the special town meeting held August 29, 1947, and raise and appropriate such additional money as may be neces- sary, for the purpose of laying water mains of not less than six inches but less than sixteen inches in diameter on Essex street from Sagamore street to the Hamilton-Essex town line and to install a meter well with necessary gate valves and meters, to facilitate the purchase of water by Hamilton from the Town of Essex, provided the Town of Essex adopts an enabling vote so to sell, or take any action thereon.
Article 27. To see if the Town, for the purpose of supplying ad- ditional water to itself and its inhabitants, will vote to empower and au- thorize its board of water commissioners with full powers to purchase from the Towns of Essex or Wenham, Massachusetts, or elsewhere for a period of one year, such supply of water as the Hamilton Board of Water Com- missioners may deem necessary, enter into the necessary contracts therefor on behalf of the town, provided such municipalities adopt enabling votes so to sell, and appropriate a sum of money therefor or take any action thereon, as provided for in section 38, chapter 40, of the General Laws and Amendments thereto.
Article 28. To see if the town will vote to authorize the Moderator to appoint a committee consisting of the chairman of the Board of Select- men, the chairman of the Finance Committee, the heads of two other
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Boards or Departments of the Town, and four other citizens of the Town not holding public office in the Town, to investigate and study the services rendered to the people by the several Departments and Commissions of the town, for the purpose of determining what, if any, economies in operation or administration can be effected by consolidation or otherwise without impairing such services, to report to the Annual Town Meeting of 1950 and in its discretion to any intervening Special Town Meetings the results of its investigation and study and its recommendations, if any, together with drafts of such By-Laws, resolves, or legislation as it considers neces- sary to carry such recommendations into effect; and to raise and appro- priate the sum of $1,000.00 to be expended for necessary expert and cleri- cal services by such committee, or take any action thereon.
Article 29. To see if the town will vote to rescind the by-law adopted by the annual town meeting held March 2, 1942, providing that "No new street shall be accepted by the Town unless the owners of the land over which the street is to be laid out shall remove the turf from the entire length of the proposed street and to such width of said proposed street as shall be determined by the board of Selectmen and shall also remove the loam and replace it with gravel for such depth as the Selectmen shall deem necessary. A plan of the proposed street shall be attached to the petition for the layout. Whenever the Selectmen shall deem it necessary, the owners of the land over which the Street is to be laid out shall provide an easement to the Town for the purpose of taking care of the drainage of said street," and to adopt the following by-law in substitution therefor : "No new street shall be accepted by the Town unless the turf and loam shall have first been removed and replaced with gravel to a depth of at least one (1) foot for its entire length and to a width of not less than twenty-four (24) feet of the proposed new street as the selectmen shall determine, that all trees and tree stumps have been removed for the entire length and width of the proposed layout which shall be not less than thirty- five (35) feet in width, that a surveyor's plan of the proposed new street accompanies the petition for the layout, that the owners of the land over which the proposed street is to be laid out shall have granted easements to the Town for the purpose of taking care of drainage and installing side- walks, and that satisfactory releases from any and all liability for damages on the part of the town resulting or growing out of the taking of land for such layout have been received from all affected landowners.
Article 30. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1950, and to issue a note or notes therefor payable within one year, and to renew any note or notes as may be given for a shorter period than one year, in accordance with Section 17, Chapter 44, General Laws and Amend- ments thereto.
Article 31. To see if the Town will authorize the Collecter to use all means of collecting taxes which as Town Treasurer, when appointed Col- lector, may use agreeable to Chapter 41, Section 37, General Laws and Amendments thereto.
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Article 32. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the Excess and Deficiency Account a sum of money for the purpose of building hot-top sidewalks on Asbury, Maple, Arlington and Park streets, the work to be done under the direction and supervision of the Highway Surveyor, or take any action thereon.
Article 33. To act on any other matter that may legally come before said meeting.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting attested copies thereof, one at the Town Hall, and one at each of the three post offices in said Town, seven days at least before the time of holding said meeting.
Hereof fail not and make due return of this Warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at the time of holding said meeting.
Given under our hands this 17th day of January, A. D. 1949.
LAWRENCE R. STONE EDWARD A. DEWITT EVERETT F. HALEY Selectmen of Hamilton.
A true copy, Attest :
FRANCIS H. WHIPPLE,
Town Clerk.
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REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE FINANCE AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE
To the Voters of Hamilton :
The total appropriation recommended by the Finance Committee for the year 1949 is $307,520.75, which is 25,445.98 higher than the total appropriated for 1948. This total includes $12,300 to be taken from the revenue surplus account (Excess and Deficiency) and $4,500 required by Special Articles in the Warrant to be raised by the tax levy. This leaves a regular budget of $290,720.75, which is $33,395.98 higher than the regular budget of 1948. As a result, we may expect an increase in the tax rate of from $3 to $5, and if more money is appropriated by the Town Meeting than is recommended by the Finance Committee the tax rate will rise roughly at the rate of $1 for every $6,000 appropriated.
The Finance Committee feels that with the tax rate approaching $40, the people of the Town of Hamilton could demand economies and efficiency from all the officials of the Town and should vote to appropriate money only for those items and activities that are essential for the welfare of the Town as a whole. In the final analysis, it is the people who determine the tax rate. They determine the services they want; they appropriate the money to operate them; and they elect the officials who spend the money. It is no function of the Finance Committee to tell the people whom to elect, but it falls within its province to point out that unless the officials and de- partment heads are attuned to the idea of saving money and holding down expenses rather than to the contrary idea of continual expansion, the tax rate and the tax bills will continue to rise quite irrespective of the quality of the services provided.
a. Budget Increases
The largest increases in the Budget were caused by the following items: (1) salary increases in the School Budget; (2) salary increases for other full time employees; (3) an increase in the outlay necessary for the charitable activities of the Town.
(1) The School Budget has increased by nearly $15,000. Of this approximately $11,000 is due to salary increases for teachers and janitors. These raises are the result of the institution by the School Committee of a salary schedule, which is printed on page four of school report, and adapt- ing the salaries of the present teachers to that schedule. It is the opinion of the Finance Committee that this schedule, while generous, is not out of line with the present trend of increasing teachers' pay. The mainten- ance of a really good school system is a service that should have a priority in all communities. Further, a good school system is measured far more by the quality of its teachers than by the magnificence of its plant. An adequate pay schedule is necessary if we are to attract good teachers to our schools.
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(2) A general 10% raise in salaries of full time employees is recom- mended. No salary raises were voted last year, and with the cost of living running slightly higher than last year (even though at present the trend is down) the Finance Committee believes that these raises are merited.
(3) An increase of $4,000 in the outlay for the charitable activities of the Town is unavoidable since the outlay is governed largely by State and Federal Regulations.
b. Services and Economies
As can be seen from recent Town Reports, the cost of running the Town of Hamilton has been rising constantly, as has the cost of the State and Federal Government. This trend is due to increased costs, and ex- penses of services that would have not been considered within the scope of the Town's obligations some years ago. Such services are: the Dental Clinic; hot lunches at school; Town water; police; better roads; garbage collection ; much of the charitable activities of the Town.
The Finance Committee believes that these activities are right and proper ; and should not be curtailed or eliminated. However, it does be- lieve that all possible economies should be effected, and that in the case of auxiliary services, such as (1) the dental clinic and (2) the hot lunch program at school, those who can afford to pay the cost should do so.
Accordingly, the Finance Committee recommends reconsideration by the Department involved of the charges currently being made for school lunches, the dental clinic, and Town water.
Last year the Town received 5¢ a meal from the Federal Govern- ment, which amounted to $2,470. On top of this, it expended about $7,000 and returned about $4,900 to the Town. This represented a loss to the Town of $2,100. The Finance Committee feels that the hot lunch service at the school should be self-supporting and not cost the Town any- thing. The School Committee deserves congratulation for having run the cafeterias on this basis during September, October, November and Decem- ber of 1948. They should be particular to see that this continues and that no loss from the operation of the cafeterias accrues to the Town in 1949.
At present the dental clinic charges are 75¢ per operation, which the Committee considers notably low, especially as the cost of the clinic has been raised from $10 per hour to $12 per hour. It is recommended that no child ever be denied the facilities of the clinic because he cannot pay, but that the rates be raised with a view to reducing the deficit which approximated $2,000 in 1948.
The Water Department makes a slight profit in its operations, but the cost of servicing the outstanding bond issues causes it to operate at a loss. The Finance Committee recommends that the Water Department be put on such a basis that its revenue would provide for servicing and retiring its debt, as well as for operating its services without loss.
c. Action on Special Articles
Apart from the routine matters regularly contained in the Warrant (Articles 1 through 6 and Articles 30, 31, and 32), there are 24 articles in this year's Warrant requiring the attention and thought of the Town.
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Of these 4 are related to matters of accepting acts of the Legislature and other matters not involving the appropriation of money, and 4 are related to the acceptance of footways and streets. The Finance Committee has the following observations to make on these special articles.
Articles 7, 9, 13, and 15: Recommended
Article 7 is concerned with the proposed sale of the Town's lot on School Street, and the Finance Committee believes that it should be adopted. Article 9 relates to the continuance in office of the General George C. Patton Memorial Committee, and the Finance Committee be- lieves that this article should be adopted. Article 13 raises the question of utilizing money received from fire insurance on the Lamson School for repairing the damage done by the fire, and the Committee believes that this article should be adopted. Article 15 raises the question whether the Town will accept the provisions of Chapter 588 of the Acts of 1948. This act has the effect of raising the pension or retirement allowance of retired employees of the Town, as well as the county and commonwealth, by $200, provided retirement took place before January 1, 1946; that no increase will be given to those whose pension or allowance exceeds $1,500 per year, nor may such an increase enlarge a pension so that it will exceed $1,500 a year. The Committee sees no objection to the acceptance of this article.
Article 8 :- Heater in Town Garage. Not Recommended.
Last year the Town appropriated $15000 for a garage and workshop for three departments of the Town. This building was built and is now in use. It is now stated that it does not contain adequate heating system and Article 8 asks the Town to vote to appropriate money to provide such a system. The Finance Committee feels that this is an expenditure which is not necessary. The understanding in 1948 was that only so much of the building as was to be used for actual work on the trucks would be heated. In addition, the Committee doubts that heating the building will add substantially to the life of the equipment.
Articles 10 and 11 :- Mist Blower and Truck. Recommended.
These articles provide (Article 10) for a mist sprayer ; (Article 11) for a one-ton truck; for the Moth and Tree Warden. The Committee has reluctantly concluded that owing to the imminence of the Dutch elm dis- ease in this area it is desirable that the Moth Department be equipped to combat this pest effectively. It is informed that the only effective restraint is the application of a spray by a so-called "mist blower" three times in the space of 20 weeks in the spring and early summer. Private organizations charge $25 per hour for such spraying. The U. S. Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine feel that spraying by mist blower is far more eco- nomical than by hydraulic sprayer. The machine will cost about $2100. It appears also to be necessary, if the sprayer is to be useful, that the Moth Department be provided with another truck, the net cost of which to the Town will be in the neighborhood of $1,500. The Committee recommends the adoption of Articles 10 and 11.
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Article 22 :- Power Saw. Not Recommended.
The use of a power saw is practical and economical only when there is a large volume of large trees to be cut. It is not economical for cutting small trees, and the few large trees which must be cut in the Town can be handled more economically by hand labor.
Article 12 :- Truck for Highway Department. Not Recommended.
This article provides an appropriation to purchase an additional truck for the Highway Department. This truck is to be used primarily for plowing snow. The Highway Department has three trucks which the sur- veyor indicates are adequate for his general highway work. In view of the fact that the Town has a recently acquired large snow fighter, and because of the indication that trucks will be more easily hired in the near future, the Committee feels that this truck is unnecessary.
Article 14 :- Walsh School Grounds. Recommended.
This article requests an appropriation of $200 for improvement of the grounds of the Walsh School, now occupied in large part by the American Legion Post. The Committee recommends the adoption of this article.
Articles 16-19 :- Acceptance of Footways and Streets. Not Recommended.
These articles call for the acceptance by the Town of a footway to Pleasant Pond and of the following three streets: Hatfield Road, part of Lake Drive, and Durham Avenue. In the first place the Committee is opposed to the acceptance of undrained and ungraded and uncompleted streets. As matters stand, the question of the extent to which a street must be developed before it may be the subject of acceptance by the Town lies in the discretion of the Selectmen. It is the Committee's feeling that the By-Law so providing should impose clear standards in order that the Selectmen may be relieved of the necessity of exercising discretion and may merely establish whether or not a street proposed for acceptance meets the requirements of the By-Law. Article 29 is a proposal to amend the By- Law to this effect, and the Committee recommends against accepting any streets which do not meet the requirement of Article 29.
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