USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Norwell > Town of Norwell annual report 1940-1949 > Part 5
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Overnight Cabins Licensed, Helen Farmer, 4 Cabins
Paid Treasurer 2.00
The sanitation arrangements and the water supply at Overnight cabins licensed were approved by the State Department of Health, and on the request of our local board, several wells belonging to private estates were examined, the water analyzed, and in some instances suggestions were made by the State Department.
Early in the summer as there were cases of rabies in the towns quite near us at the request of the State Department our Board arranged to have the dogs in Norwell innoculated with anti-rabic serum and also ar- ranged with Dr. Briggs of North Hanover to give a day for that purpose. Dog owners were notified that they could have their pets innoculated by bringing them to the Fire House near the Town Hall. A good number took advantage of the opportunity. The expense was borne by the general appropriation for the Board of Health.
Regulation adopted by Board of Health.
After January 2, 1940, no cess pool shall be built in the Town of Norwell nearer than thirty feet to a well or spring supplying water for domestic purposes.
MINOT WILLIAMSON, HORACE D. GAUDETTE, JOSEPH F. MERRITT, Board of Health.
60
TOWN OF NORWELL
NORWELL VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION, INC.
The year of 1940, the twentieth anniversary of its founding, has been a successful year for the Norwell Visiting Nurse Association.
The Association has carried on the work of the Well Child Confer- ence, the Pre-School Clinic, and the School Dental Clinic. This has been done through the generous co-operation of the townspeople. We hope you will continue your support by becoming members of this Association.
The money needed for our work is raised by a membership drive, sale of tuberculosis seals, two rummage sales, and a luncheon bridge.
The Well Child Clinic under the direction of Dr. Edmund FitzGerald has doubled its attendance. It is held on the third Thursday of each month at 10:00 a. m. The new quarters in the Town Hall are well equipped, and Miss Roe, Mrs. Dowd, and Mrs. Alan Baird are in attendance. The fee is fifty cents. All mothers of children under five years should avail themselves of this service. Transportation provided if necessary.
The supply closet has been replenished by contributions. A hospital bed is needed. A gift of a Violet Ray Sun Lamp has been received. This lamp can be rented by those needing such treatment under recommenda- tion of their physician.
This organization sponsors the Blue Cross Hospitalization Service. Information regarding the Blue Cross may be had by calling Mrs. Ernest Sparrell.
Miss Frederika Beinert, nutritionist from the State Department of Health, has conducted classes in low-cost cooking, meeting at various homes.
Make all calls to Norwell 5-M before 9:00 a. m. for morning visits of the nurse, and before 1:15 p. m. for afternoon visits. The fee per visit is fifty cents; for delivery or assisting at operations, $5.00. The nurse's hours are from 9:00 a. m. to 4:30 p. m. (Sundays and holidays excepted) ; Saturdays, from 9:00 a. m. to 12:00 p. m.
The annual meeting of the Association will be held March 12th at the Cushing Memorial Hall. All are invited.
Respectfully submitted,
MARION G. BAIRD, President.
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Mrs. C. Campbell Baird, Pres.
Mrs. Ernest Sparrell, Vice Pres.
Mrs. Ralph Coleman, Secretary
Mrs. Richard Brooks, Treasurer
Rev. Alfred J. Wilson
Mr. James Barnard Mrs. John Ringe
Mrs. Theodore Dyer
Mrs. H. D. Atwater
Mrs. Wesley Hall
Mrs. Frank Drewett
Mrs. Humphrey Turner
61
NINETY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
FINANCIAL REPORT
Norwell Visiting Nurse Association, Inc., for the year ending December 31, 1940. RECEIPTS:
Dues
$ 197.75
Fees
213.50
Refund, Nurse's personal use of car
52.50
Dental Clinic
110.85
Baby Clinic
34.50
Bank Interest
6.21
Tuberculosis Seal Sale
86.90
Town of Norwell for Nurse's Transportation
300.00
Entertainment and Sales
794.72
Total
$1,796.93
Cash on Hand January 1, 1940
413.18
Total
$2,210.11
EXPENDITURES:
Salary for Nurse
$ 400.00
Auto Expense
329.27
Insurance
58.06
Dental Clinic
148.50
Baby Clinic
224.64
Supplies, Postage, Printing
53.25
Medical Office, Telephone
26.80
Miscellaneous
14.75
Total
$1,255.27
Reserved for New Car Fund
500.00
Cash on and January 1, 1941
454.84
Total
$2,210.11
LILLIAN H. BROOKS, Treasurer.
REPORT OF VISITING NURSE
Number patients cared for
67
Number nursing visits
574
Number free nursing visits
131
Number prenatal visits Number infant welfare
217
Number tuberculosis
26
Number social service
213
Number of visits made by parents to the Well Child Conference 95
Number of visits made for Board of Health and Board of Public Welfare
307
Number of follow-up visits for hospitals and clinics
125
Conferences attended
55
Respectfully submitted,
CATHERINE A. ROE.
62
44
TOWN OF NORWELL
REPORT OF CHIEF OF POLICE
Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Town of Norwell
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit the following report of the activities of the Norwell Police.
Two Dog Officers were appointed by the Selectmen to notify the inhabitants in the Town who neglected to pay their dog tax. In past years a number of taxes were not paid, as you will notice in previous Town Reports. By appointing an officer we spent $64.00 and in so doing collected $789.00, which brought in a revenue to the Town. This was charged against the appropriation for Police and Constables.
There have been many calls into this office at different times for us to slow down the traffic. The placing of an officer at different times at the intersections and curves in the streets of the Town to slow up traffic has shown good results.
I think it is time for an officer to be placed at regular intervals at the intersections and curves and continue this practice.
A. LESTER SCOTT, Chief of Police.
REPORT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
Board of Selectmen,
Town of Norwell
In 1940 the Fire Department answered 26 alarms, of which
7 were chimney fires
9 grass fires
8 house fires
1 forest fire
1 barn fire
One of these fires, the barn, was caused by lightning.
The new tank truck put into service during the summer at Norwell Center is one of the best pieces of apparatus the Town has ever had, and in tests has proven itself. Fortunately we have not had to test it out on many fires.
For many years now we have not had a serious forest fire, and if care is taken to observe open fire laws in the Spring, we should be able to extend the record through 1941.
With the increased building program in Norwell the Board feels that a tank truck similar to the 1940 piece of apparatus should be put into service at Ridge Hill. Also the doors on both fire houses are in need of attention. We feel that the overhead type of door will best serve our purpose.
JOHN T. OSBORN, Chief. LYONAL FORKEY
JOHN A. CLARK, Secretary. ARTHUR L. MERRITT
GEORGE BEACH
REPORT OF FOREST FIRE WARDEN
During the past year we have been fortunate in not having any large fires and comparatively few small ones.
I wish to remind everyone that permits are required for open air fires, including all kinds of incinerators.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN T. OSBORN, Forest Warden.
63
NINETY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
WILLIAM J. LEONARD MEMORIAL LIBRARY
A much needed addition has been put on the library building this year, almost doubling its capacity and greatly improving its appearance. The confusion incident to building operations and moving of books somewhat affected the circulation during the summer, but since August a considerable addition to the number of readers and an increased interest among the regular patrons have shown that the improvement has been highly appreciated.
In October the State Library Division sent a trained worker to catalogue the library. Under her direction about 100 books were sent to a W. P. A. unit to be mended, nearly as many more were discarded as beyond repair and all soiled covers were washed and shellacked. The books now remaining are in excellent condition. The cataloguing was unfortunately interrupted by the unusual cold of November, but will be finished early in the spring.
2477 volumes were circulated during 1940. 120 were added by purchase and 31 by gift. Gifts of children's books, strongly bound, would be very welcome, as so many of our old ones have been worn out.
The library is open during the school year on Wednesdays from 2:30 to 4 and from 7 to 8 p. m. In the summer vacation it is open during the evening hour only. It is free to all citizens of the town.
Mrs. Pauline W. Leonard, librarian
$ 50.00
Mrs. Dorothy E. Cann, attendant
31.50
Book purchases
109.05
Cleaning
11.90
Total
$ 202.45
ALFRED H. PROUTY, WILLIAM O. PROUTY, PAULINE W. LEONARD,
Trustees.
DOG OFFICERS' REPORT
To the Board of Selectmen:
We wish to submit the following report.
After receiving a warrant issued to us by the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen it was discovered that on the neglect of the dog owners in the Town of Norwell that a thorough check-up was necessary in order to turn in a complete report, a house to house canvass was made by us of which showed there were a great many more dogs other than those listed. They are as follows:
Males 189
Females
32
Spayed
5
Kennels 2
We wish to thank all dog-owners in the Town of Norwell for the fine co-operation in the matter.
Respectfully submitted,
LLOYD B. HENDERSON,
HOWARD F. HALL,
Dog Officers.
64
TOWN OF NORWELL
REPORT OF SPECIAL WATER COMMISSION
Following the Town Meeting of March 1940, Mr. C. E. Whitney, Moderator, appointed three committees to look into the question of Water Districts in the East, South and West Wards, under the following chairmen :
Henry R. Sewell, East Ward.
Edward B. Haskins, South Ward.
Arthur L. Merritt, West Ward.
The several committees had a number of independent meetings and individually came to the conclusion that the population of the Town of Norwell is so distributed that it seemed advisable for the three committees to meet as a whole, as was suggested by the Moderator.
The Committee of the East Ward made a trip to Duxbury where the Superintendent, Mr. L. M. Peterson, most kindly provided a complete set of records of their Fire and Water District, from the time it was organized in 1914.
In making this report to the Town of Norwell, it seemed the duty of the Committee to advise the probable present day cost of providing town water.
In 1930 a very thorough survey of means for providing town water was made by a firm of engineers and reported in detail in the Norwell Town Report of 1931. That survey and report was made at considerable expense to the Town and it seemed advisable to take this previous report and bring it up-to-date by applying present day costs. Costs have materially in- creased since 1931.
Your Chairman was able to time a business trip to New York to co- incide with the annual meeting of the American Water Works Association, where all of the principal supply men are present. At this meeting and exposition present day prices of material and unit costs were obtained and applied to the previous report and are appended herewith.
PLAN A
For those not familiar with the 1931 report, Plan A covers the town as a whole, that is, it covers the principal residential areas with a minimum run of pipe on the following streets :
Street
From
To
Houses
High
Washington
Hanover Line 55
Washington
Hingham Line
Main St.
80
Oak
High
Washington
2
Main
Washington
Bridge
84
Central
Main
Summer
31
River
Main
Hanover Line
45
Stetson
River
River
19
Tiffany
10
Common
2
Church
4
Winter
3
Forest
2
337 (now 350)
65
NINETY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
SCITUATE
Summer
Central
Chut
MY DLINK
Blue
Avd
Nor mo !!
Few
Grave
Grove
Forgy
31.00
MARSHFIELD
LEGEND
Girault
HANOVER MAINS NORWELL MAINS NORWELL VALVES NORWELL HYDRANTS
HILL
Mwwyin
Green
ROCKLAND
CHURCH
HILL
HANOVER TANK Top LI 263
Broek
Silver
HANOVER
HANOVER FAUT
PEMBROKE
PROPOSED WATER SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM PLAN A
X HENRY GOODNOUCH INC · ENGINEERS 14 BEACON AT BOSTON, MASS
APPROXIMATE SCALE
-
-
JANUARY 1038
66
TOWN OF NORWELL , MASS.
Union
- NOTE- SHORT 10° CONNECTION IN WASHINGTON STREET AT ABSINIPPI WILL IN FURNISHED BY HANOVER.
DR. · FOS TM JPW CH,
HINGHAM
TOWN OF NORWELL
SCITUATE
N
Summer
JaJUM
MT BLUE
--
Central
Cross
Sr
a
.
Ave
Nor well
Central
Grove
SP
S
Grove
Lincion
Bowker
3
S
Grove
Forest
Sinndoes 25-100
MARSHFIELD
LEGEND
Circuit
ACCORO
HILL
nbshing tur
HIDGE
Standa.P
Top Elev 283
webster
CHURC
WILL
NAMMYE WILLS
Tillany
HANOVER TANK Top EI 283
Brook
Hbshington
d
Union
PROPOSED WATER SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
HANOVER I
HANOVER FOUR CORNERS .
PLAN B
- NOTE-
SHORT 10' CONNECTION IN WASHINGTON STREET AT ASSINIPPI WILL BE FURNISHED BY HANOVER
Nos personas
-0, 00 00.005 +2
APPROXIMATE SCALE
7
JANUARY 1932
NO. 216-w- 2
5
NORWELL MAINS NORWELL VALVES FUTURE MAINS NORWELL HYDRANTS
-----------
Green
-
ASSINIPPI
Pousite Supply
ROCKLAND
----
-
JACOBS
Main
-.
VAJON
HANOVER MAINS
wingham water Ca
Main
Tapfı 203-
Moin
Prospect
HINGHAM
Blue
PEMBROKE
* HENRY CODONOUGH. INC - ENGINEERS 14 BEACON 37 BOSTON. MASS
DR. · FOS TR .JPW CH ..
Neering
Mill
Silver
TOWN OF NORWELL . MASS
67
NINETY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
SCITUATE
N
Summer
Winter
Cross
MT BLUE
Blue
Norwell
Centrol
SP
Grove
.
Unclon
Bowher
Hingham Water Co
upcops
River
LEGEND
Are
ACCORD
JACOBS
MAIR
Pr
NORWELL VALVES
FUTURE
MAINS
--------
NORWELL HYDRANTS
RIDGE .
St
Shandpipe 25.85 313 000 gal Gp Elev 283
Herring
Webster
Washington
Broek
Tiffany
Main
HANDVER TANN Top EI 283
Washington
Union
SP
HANOVER
HANOVER FOUR
PLAN C
- NOTE-
SHORT IO CONNECTION IN WASHINGTON STREET AT ASSINIPPI WILL BE FURNISHED BY HANOVER.
DR. - FOS. TR. . J.P.W. CH ...
APPROXIMATE SCALE
. --
7
JANUARY 1932
NO 216-W-3
-
Grove
Grove
Main
MARSHFIELD
HANOVER MAINS
NORWELL MAINS
-
HILL
shington
Third
south
Green
De dible Supply
Mill
Wild Cat Brook
CH
-
NANOVER 3773M
Brook
Silver
TOWN OF NORWELL . MASS
PROPOSED WATER SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
PEMBROKE
BOSTON. MASS X HENRY GOODNOUCH ING - ENGINEERS 14 BEACON ST
10" 24,500 of 10'to Einoted tank
Central
HINGHAM
Prospect
ROCKLAND
ASSINIPPI
CIRCUIT
68
TOWN OF NORWELL
PLAN B
Plan B sought to somewhat reduce initial cost by leaving out some mains and with the runs of pipe as indicated in the following table:
Street
From
To
Houses
High
Washington
Hanover Line
55
Washington
Hingham Line
L. Hall's House 48
Washington
Main
M. Farrar's House
31
Main
Lincoln
Bridge
45
Central
Main
Summer
31
River
Main
Hanover Line
45
Stetson
River
River
19
Tiffany
River
Common
10
Common
Tiffany
Pine
2
Church
Tiffany
Last House
4
Winter
Main
Last House
3
Forest and Circuit
River
Tank
2
295
PLAN C Ridge Hill-Accord Section-Church Hill Section
The tabled costs are all based, as in the 1931 report, on the purchase of water from the Town of Hanover. We have communicated with Mr. William L. Morse, Supt., Hanover Water Dept., who indicates that the Town of Hanover is still in a position and willing to sell water.
The Town of Duxbury, when they originally established their Water District, had an indicated water requirement of about the same as the Town of Norwell. In the year 1914 the Town of Duxbury Water District spent $3,323.90 to dig and test their original wells. The wells are shallow and in a very favorable location. The original pumping equipment and build- ing cost $11,187.52.
On present day costs the same equipment and list would cost ap- proximately $45,000. If outside water were not purchased it would be necessary to consider this additional amount in establishing Norwell Town water.
It is interesting to note that in 1914 the average cost of cast iron pipe was $22 per ton and at present the average cost is $88 per ton delivered to nearest railway siding.
The population of the Town of Norwell is so grouped that the cost of the water system per user would be considerably more than was the case in surrounding towns and Norwell does not have a large summer population or industrial factories to help support a water system.
There is a saving on fire insurance to those situated within 1000 ft. of a fire plug. In the 1931 report this is indicated as $1.70 per $1000 of insurance carried per year. On the other hand, the increased tax rate to those who would benefit by a Town Water System to amortize and carry the Water District on an overall cost of $250,000 would mean about $8.50 per $1000 valuation in increased taxes. The above figures are based on
69
NINETY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
the assumption that the town would be taxed as a whole, whereas, under a Water District plan, only those abutting the mains would carry the overall assessment and the tax increase to them would be at even a higher rate.
This is calculated on the basis that the sale of water to users would carry the expense of operation and maintenance including the purchase of water from the Town of Hanover. Users would, of course, in addition pay for water used and this should be on a metered basis, although the use of meters was not covered in the 1931 report.
Your Committee must also point out the country is rapidly going into a war economy, where money, men and materials are all directly or in- directly being drafted for defense measures.
Your Committee can only recommend that consideration of the matter of Town Water be put over to a more favorable period of time.
Respectfully submitted by the joint Committees on Water Districts.
West Ward
South Ward
William O. Prouty
Henry J. Tolman
Arthur E. Appleford
Ralph L. Ripley
Arthur L. Merritt, Chairman
Edward B. Haskins, Chairman
East Ward
Irving R. Henderson
Alan C. Virtue
Henry R. Sewell, Chairman
Church Hill Section
The Engineers' 1931 report does not give sufficient detail to check the exact amount he named of $26,178.57. From such data as can be picked out and from present day increases in price, it is estimated that the 1940 costs for a cast iron pipe installation would be $40,500.00.
It is further estimated that using asbestos cement pipe the 1940 costs would be about $32,249.00.
Comparison of Present Day Costs With Engineer's Report Made in 1931
1931
1940
No.
10-in. Pipe (CI) $1.00 per ft.
laying $ .50 per ft.
$1.50
$2.14 and $ .75
$2.89 (57)
10-in. Asbestos Cement Pipe
1.29 and
.68
1.97
8-in. Pipe (CI) $ .70 per ft.
laying $ .50 per ft.
1.20
1.61 and
.75
2.36 (43)
8-in. Asbestos Cement Pipe
.96 and
.68
1.64
6-in. Pipe (CI) $ .50 per ft. laying $ .45 per ft.
.95
1.13 and
.70
1.83 (30.4)
6-in. Asbestos Cement Pipe
.68 and
.63
1.31
10-in. Valve Set
$48.50
60.50
8-in. Valve Set
37.50
47.00
6-in. Valve Set
26.50
33.50
5-in. Hydrant Set
68.00
82.50
Special fittings 6-in. per 1000 ft.
20.00
25.00
Special fittings 8-in. per 1000 ft.
25.00
31.50
70
TOWN OF NORWELL
Special fittings 10-in. per 1000 ft.
35.00
43.50
House connection average
25.00
31.50
Rock excavation per yard House meters
7.00
9.00
20.00
PLAN A
1931
1940
1940 Asbestos Cement Pipe
10-in. Pipe 56,542 ft.
$84,813.00
$153,306.00
$111,388.00
8-in. Pipe 16,169
19,403.00
38,159.00
26,517.00
6-in. Pipe 7,632
7,250.00
13,967.00
9,998.00
10-in. Valves 33
1,700.50
1,996.00
1,996.00
8-in. Valves 14
525.00
658.00
658.00
6-in. Valves 70
1,855.00
2,445.00
2,445.00
5-in. Hydrant 115
7,820.00
9,488.00
9,488.00
C. Y. Rock 330
2,310.00
2,970.00
2,970.00
Houses 315
7,875.00 (350)
11,025.00
11,025.00
10-in. Fittings 57
1,995.00
2,458.00
2,458.00
8-in. Fittings 16
400.00
520.00
520.00
6-in. Fittings 8
160.00
191.00
191.00
Std Pipe 25 x 85
9,900.00
12,500.00
12,500.00
Std Pipe 25 x 100
12,100.00
15,000.00
15,000.00
Foundations
5,000.00
6,250.00
6,250.00
Land
500.00
1,000.00
1,000.00
Engineering
13,921.50
20,395.00
15,930.00
$177,527.00
$292,328.00
$230,334.00
House meters not included above, now cost $20.00 each × 350 = $7,000.00.
PLAN B
1931
1940
1940 Asbestos Cement Pipe
10-in. Pipe 39,469 ft.
$59,203.00
$113,865.00
$77,754.00
8-in. Pipe 16,169
19,403.00
38,159.00
26,417.00
6-in. Pipe 7,632
7,239.00
13,966.00
9,998.00
10-in. Valves 26
1,260.00
1,573.00
1,573.00
8-in. Valves 14
525.00
658.00
658.00
6-in. Valves 56
1,484.00
1,876.00
1,876.00
5-in. Hydrant 97
6,796.00
8,002.00
8,002.00
C. Y. Rock 265
1,855.00
2,385.00
2,385.00
Houses 295
7,375.00
9,293.00
9,293.00
10-in. Fittings 40
1,200.00
1,740.00
1,740.00
8-in. Fittings 16
400.00
504.00
504.00
6-in. Fittings 8
160.00
200.00
200.00
Std. Pipe 25 x 85
9,900.00
12,500.00
12,500.00
Std. Pipe 25 x 100
12,100.00
15,000.00
15,000.00
Foundations
5,000.00
6,250.00
6,250.00
Land
500.00
1,000.00
1,000.00
Engineering
10,561.00
17,022.00
13,136.00
$144,961.00
$243,993.00
$188,286.00
House meters not included above now cost $20.00 each × 295 = $5900.00.
71
C. I. Pipe
C. I. Pipe
C. I. Pipe
C. I. Pipe
NINETY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
PLAN C Ridge Hill-Accord Section 1931
1940
1940
Asbestos Cement
C. I. Pipe
C. I. Pipe
Pipe
10-in. Pipe 1378 ft.
$2,067.00
$3,980.00
$2,715.00
8-in. Pipe 9591 ft.
11,509.00
21.635.00
15,729.00
6-in. Pipe 0
0
0
0
10-in. Valves 3
146.00
181.00
181.00
8-in. Valves 9
337.00
423.00
423.00
6-in. Valves 9
159.00
302.00
302.00
5-in. Hydrant 21
1,428.00
1,733.00
1.733.00
C. Y. Rock 25
175.00
225.00
225.00
Houses 103
2.575.00
3,244.00
3.244.00
10-in. Fittings 14
490.00
609.00
609.00
8-in. Fittings 10
250.00
315.00
315.00
6-in. Fittings 0
0
0
0
Std. Pipe 25 x 85
9.900.00
12,500.00
12,500.00
Foundation
2,300.00
2,875.00
2.875.00
Land
400.00
500.00
500.00
Engineering
1,444.00
3,639.00
3,101.00
$33,180.00
$52.161.00
$44,452.00
House meters not included above now cost $20.00 each × 103 = $2060.00.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ZONING
At the Annual Town Meeting held March 4, 1940, the Moderator, Mr. C. E. Whitney, appointed a committee of nine citizens "to bring into the next Annual Town Meeting suggestions as to building or zoning laws, and to draft by-laws thereto."
Your Committee has held a series of meetings, visited the various sections of the Town, prepared a set of maps, studied various types of zoning ordinances, both pro- posed and in force in various similar communities in the State, obtained advice from the State Planning Board, discussed the matter with various individuals in other communities, and has drafted a tentative ordinance as a basis for what we hope may be an adequate set of by-laws for the community.
At our early meetings it immediately became apparent that the subject involved is a most significant and complicated one, and that before preparing an adequate set of by-laws and suggesting the machinery by which these could be administered, the Committee would need to educate itself very materially on the subject. Examination of public opinion shows clearly that there is not a widespread and thorough-going understanding of Town planning, and that there is undoubtedly considerable opposi- tion, which is based very largely on a complete misunderstanding and lack of know- ledge of the many real benefits it will bring to all our citizens.
Norwell is a very beautiful, unspoiled residential community. A most interesting development in the Committee's deliberations is the fact that a study of the map of Norwell shows that for many years its citizens have been carrying on, without calling it such, a kind of natural Town planning, so that it becomes obvious that a suitable ordinance will furnish only the future protection of a sound process already in motion : in other words, the purpose of such a formal plan is not to change the character of the community or the direction of its growth, or to protect it from itself, but merely to prevent the wrong type of growth and to protect it from the inroads of undesirable elements or unscrupulous developments which would probably tend to destroy its beauty and to depreciate its real estate values, with the usual result-a serious advance in taxes, the burden of which will come most certainly on the present residents and will not be shared in any fair proportion by the new arrivals. It is a well-established
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fact that in any community not every citizen pays in taxes as much as he receives from the Town in services. This, of course, is proper and desirable, but it should not be overlooked as an important element in our present situation. If through lack of sound regulation we remain completely helpless in the face of what might be a large influx of people whose tax payments would be almost non-existent, but whose children would have to be supported in our schools, we shall find ourselves in a very difficult and unfortunate situation, and it will then be too late, any longer, to manage our own affairs skillfully and well and with freedom of action, as they have been managed in the past. We need that security and stabilization which are just as important for the smallest parcel of property as for the largest; and we need, above all, the oppor- tunity to preserve and maintain our own community according to our own rights and wishes.
Having these considerations in mind, your Committee respectfully requests that its report be considered a statement of progress, and suggests that it be allowed to continue its study and to hold a series of meetings and public hearings, so that before any form of zoning is put to a formal vote at a later Town Meeting, every citizen will have the fullest opportunity not only to become completely informed on the entire subject, but to voice with the utmost freedom any objections, criticisms or constructive suggestions he or she may have. These the Committee will welcome most heartily, because of our understanding that the real purpose of a planning law is to accomplish two principal ends: First, the promotion of the general welfare, by protecting the community; and, second, what is especially in these times even more important, the absolute protection of the individual rights of every citizen.
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