USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1916 > Part 4
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The Finance Committee shall duly consider the same and confer with said town boards, officers, committees and citizens responsible for the insertion of warrant articles calling for the appropriation of money and shall hold at least one public meeting before each town meeting at which such items are to be considered, for the consideration and public discussion of any matters before the committee, such meeting to be held not less than ten days before said town meeting.
The Finance Committee shall investigate the income. cost of maintenance, and the expenditures of the different departments of the Town service, and on the organization
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of the town meeting shall report thereon and recommend in detail the amount to be apportioned for each department of the Town for the ensuing year and upon the method of pro- viding the sum so recommended.
Voted to lay on the table.
Section 5. The Finance Committee in making its re- port upon any subject referred to shall arrange the report in clear and compact form, and shall divide it into separate propositions whenever in its judgment such division may be desirable. The committee shall attach to each proposition its own recommendations.
Voted to adopt.
Section 6. The proposition reported by the Finance Committee shall be subject to amendment by the town meeting but such amendment if calling for a larger sum of money shall require a two-thirds affirmative vote of those present and voting. If there be a majority and a minority report of the Finance Committee the minority report shall have precedence of all other motions to amend the report of the majority and shall be voted upon before any other amendment is considered.
Voted to adopt.
Section 7. Requests by town boards, officers or com- mittees for the insertion of articles in warrants for special town meetings, which requests involve the expenditure or „appropriation of money, shall be presented in the first in- stance to the Finance Committee. The Finance Committee, after due consideration, as provided in Section 4 of this article, shall approve or disapprove, in whole or in part, the expenditure or appropriation involved, and shall so notify the board, officer or committee which submitted the request for the article, and also the Board of Selectmen, with such recommendations or suggestions as the Finance Committee shall deem advisable. When an expenditure or appropria- tion is sought by the Board of Selectmen for a department or matter under the control of said Board, any proposed article for such expenditure or appropriation must first be
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submitted to the Finance Committee for its approval or dis- approval, as herein provided.
Voted to lay this section on the table.
The following motion was voted to be made a part of the records by the adjourned town meeting of June 5, 1916. Said motion below made a part of these records, was made by Solon Bancroft, Esq., but was not voted: "That the Town raise the sum of $900 and the Selectmen be authorized to expend the same, or such portion thereof as in their judg- ment appears to be wise, in grading and constructing side- walks, completing partially constructed sidewalks and cov- ering the same with concrete, under the provisions of the laws relating to sidewalks now in force in this Town."
Voted to adjourn to meet in this hall, on Monday, June 12. 1916, at 7.45 p. M.
MILLARD F. CHARLES, Town Clerk.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING LYCEUM HALL, June 12, 1916.
A town meeting was held as per adjournment, and was called to order by the Moderator, Jesse W. Morton.
ARTICLE VII-TOWN CLERK
Section 1. The Town Clerk shall keep a true copy (in a book to be kept for such purpose alone) of all deeds and conveyances executed by the Selectmen or by any other per- son or committee authorized by the Town.
Voted to adopt.
Section 2. It shall be the duty of the Town Clerk to see that every conveyance to the Town of any interest in land, and any plan thereof, is properly recorded in the Reg- istry of Deeds.
Voted to adopt.
Section 3. The Town Clerk shall furnish all boards, committees and officers with a copy of all votes affecting them.
Voted to adopt.
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Section 4. Whenever any report of any board or com- mittee is presented to the Town, the Town Clerk shall cause to be entered upon the regular record of the meeting such portions of the report only, if any, as may be necessary for the understanding of the action taken by the Town, and he shall cause the report to be entered in full in a book pro- vided for that purpose, which shall be called the "Book of Reports." But if the report is in print a printed copy may be so entered. The "Book of Reports" shall be duly and fully indexed. The reports shall be numbered for each municipal year in the order of their presentation and a marginal reference shall be made to the date of the meet- ing at which the report was presented. And the regular record of the meeting shall also make reference to the num- ber of the report as entered in the "Book of Reports."
Voted to adopt.
Section 5. The Town Clerk shall, as soon as practicable after any election has been held by the Town, or any ap- pointment of committees or other officials has been made by the Town or by the Moderator, in addition to the notices he is directed to give to officers who are required to take oath of office, also issue a written or printed notice to all persons who have been elected to any other office or chosen to serve on any committee, stating that office to which such person has been elected, or the duties which such committee was chosen to perform.
Voted to adopt.
Section 6. The Town Clerk shall furnish the Selectmen · for publication in the annual printed report of the Town a copy of his record of all town meetings that have been held during the preceding year.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE VIII-SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS
Section 1. In addition to the duties imposed by Revised Laws, Chapter 25, and Acts in amendment thereof, the Superintendent of Streets shall keep an accurate account of all money expended and all work done upon the
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public ways of the town. and a daily record of the number of men and teams employed, and the extent and nature of the work done.
Voted to adopt as amended.
Section 2. The Superintendent of Streets shall keep a pay roll of the employees of the street department, and of the owners of teams employed thereon, and a detailed account with all parties furnishing materials therefor; the time for which payment is to be made; the rate of wages; the amount and cost of materials furnished, and the amount due in each case.
Voted to adopt.
Section 3. The Superintendent of Streets shall furnish an annual report in detail of the work performed in the street department, and of his recommendations for the ensuing year, to be printed in the annual town report. All his books and accounts shall be at all times open to the inspection of the Selectmen and Finance Committee.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE IX -- FINANCIAL AFFAIRS
Section 1. The financial year shall begin on the first day of January in each year, and end on the last day of the following December.
Voted to adopt.
Section 2. The Town Treasurer and Collector of Taxes shall give good and satisfactory bonds, in sums approved by the Selectmen, and all other officers authorized to receive money in behalf of the Town, except the Superintendent and Registrar of the Water Works and the Manager of the Municipal Light Department, in such sums as the Select- men shall require. All bonds approved by the Selectmen shall be safely kept by them. In case of the decease or removal from the Commonwealth, or other disqualification of any surety. new sureties shall be furnished.
Voted to adopt.
Section 3. The manager of the Municipal Light Depart- ment appointed as provided by statute, shall be some per-
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son not a member of the Municipal Light Board. and shall give bond to the Town satisfactory to the Municipal Light Board for the faithful performance of his duties. He shall pay over to the Town Treasurer all money received by him as often as once in each week.
Voted to adopt.
Section 4. The Board of Water Commissioners shall appoint annually a suitable person not of their own number to act as Superintendent and Water Registrar, whose powers and duties shall be defined by the Board, and who, after having given a bond to the Town satisfactory to the Water Commissioners, shall be authorized to collect the water rates and assessments and all sums due the Town in connec- tion with the Water Department. He shall pay over to the Treasurer of the Town, as often as once in each week, all sums of money collected by him.
Voted to adopt.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall be the collector of all sums of money payable to the Town not otherwise specially provided for by the statutes or by these By-Laws.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE X-CONTRACTS BY TOWN OFFICERS
Section 1. No member of the Board of Selectmen or any officer of the Town authorized to make any contract or agreement in behalf of the Town for labor, materials, goods, wares or merchandise furnished to the Town, or for a loan of money, shall be interested in a private capacity, either directly or indirectly, in such contract, agreement or loan; nor shall either directly or indirectly, for himself or for any other person, receive any commission, discount, bonus, pres- ent or reward from the person making such sale, loan, con- tract or agreement, for furnishing such materials, goods, wares or merchandise.
Voted to adopt.
Section 2. The officers of the different town depart- ments shall call for bids on all labor or material to be fur- nished to the Town, and on all accounts to be given out by
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the Town, where the labor or material to be so furnished, or where the estimated amount under the contract so to be given out exceeds the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) ; said call for bids shall be advertised by publishing the same in the local newspaper, and by posting notices of the same in three or more public places in the town, or by publishing the same in two Boston daily newspapers, which shall not have less than three insertions in each, at intervals of two days: the last publication to be at least two days before the opening of the bids.
Voted to adopt.
Section 3. The advertisement shall require each pro- posal to be sealed and properly designated, and shall announce the place, day and hour at which they will be opened. The bids as received shall be deposited in a box securely locked, and at the time and place named shall be publicly opened in the presence of a majority of the Board of Selectmen, or other officers authorized by the Town to make the contract. No bids shall be received after the time advertised for opening.
Voted to adopt.
Section 4. No contract involving the creation of an obligation against the Town exceeding the sum of two hun- dred dollars shall at any time be made, except by vote of the committee or board, or a sub-committee of said com- mittee or board thereunto duly authorized, having super- vision of the department to which the same relates. Such vote shall be recorded on the records of each department, and such records shall at all times be open to the inspection of the Finance Committee.
Voted to adopt.
Section 5. No contract for labor, or for labor and mate- rials, involving the creation of an obligation against the Town exceeding the sum of five hundred dollars, shall be binding upon the Town, unless it is in writing and is signed by at least a majority of the entire board or committee in charge of the work on the part of the Town. Every such contract shall be accompanied by a suitable bond, with sure-
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ties, for the faithful performance of the same, or by the deposit of money or security in lieu of such bond.
Voted to adopt.
Section 6. No board or officer shall make any contract in behalf of the Town, the execution of which shall neces- sarily extend beyond one year from the date thereof, unless special permission so to do has been given by vote of the Town.
Voted to adopt.
Section 7. In every contract entered into on behalf of the Town, involving the employment of mechanics of labor- ers, by a contractor, a provision shall be inserted to the effect that the board or other authority making such con- tract, may, if it deems it expedient to do so, retain for thirty-five days after the completion of the work under the contract out of any amounts due to such contractor sums sufficient to cover any unpaid claims of mechanics or labor- ers for work, labor or materials, performed, furnished or used, under such contract.
Voted to adopt.
Section 8. No town board, officer or committee, except as otherwise provided by law shall, in behalf of the Town, make any contract for labor, materials or other expendi- tures for which no appropriation shall have been made at the time of such contract.
Voted to adopt.
.Section 9. The annual report of all town boards, officers and committees shall include a list and the amounts thereof of all unpaid bills.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE XI -- BOARD OF SURVEY
Section 1. The Board of Selectmen shall constitute the Board of Survey, according to Chapter 191 of the Acts of 1907, and shall have all the duties and powers now or here- after conferred by said Chapter and all acts in amendment or addition thereto.
Voted to adopt.
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ARTICLE XII-CONSTRUCTION OF TOWN WAYS
Section 1. Requirements for Acceptance of Streets. The acceptance of no street less than forty feet in width shall be considered. In case the new street shall be an extension of a street previously accepted by the Town the extension shall be of the same width, not less than forty feet, of the accepted portion, throughout its entire length. Plans, profiles and descriptions of each street shall be filed with the Board of Survey with the petition for acceptance. The plans shall show the existing street lines and property lines as nearly as possible to scale, the locations of all buildings along said street, the proposed street line to be shown in red, giving ties from the same to permanent monuments such as old street bounds, buildings, etc., so that the street lines as established could be determined upon the ground by any competent engineer. Where damages are to be paid the plan shall show the areas of the parcels to be taken.
The profiles shall show the existing ground line on the centre and each side of the proposed street, the sills of all buildings along said street and in RED the finished grade to which the street is to be built. The chairman of the Board of Survey, of the Water Commissioners and the Sewer Com- missioners shall establish a town datum, which elevation shall be clearly referred to on all profiles.
Voted to adopt.
Section 2. The description shall be complete in all respeets so that the lines could be determined from the description alone in case the plan should be lost, mention- ing ties to permanent bounds or objects.
Voted to adopt.
Section 3. Relocations of all or portions of existing streets shall be made in accordance with the requirements for new streets where possible.
Voted to adopt.
Section 4. Before being accepted, streets must be brought to approximate sub-grade. as shown on the profile filed. The roadbed must be covered by a layer at least six
58
inches deep of good blue gravel, broken stone, or other equally good material, and a gravel sidewalk shall be built on at least one side of the street for its entire length. Sufficient provision must also be made for ordinary surface drainage.
Voted to lay Section 4 on the table.
Section 5. Stone or other permanent monuments shall be placed by the Town at each angle point and at the begin- ning and end of each curve.
Voted to adopt.
Section 6. All private parties desiring the acceptance of streets by the Town shall file with the petition an agree- ment signed by all owners of property taken to deed the property taken to the Town.
Voted to adopt.
Section 7. Whenever any way shall have been laid out or altered by the Board of Survey and accepted and allowed by the Town, no entry for the purpose of constructing any part of such laying out or alteration shall be made until all claims for damages by reason thereof shall have been finally adjusted or determined, unless such entry shall be author- ized by special vote of the Town.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE XIII-STREETS AND HIGHWAYS
Section 1. No building shall be removed over a public street without a written permit from the Selectmen. and no permit shall be given when such removal will cause the destruction or injury of any tree standing on the street. or owned by any person and projecting over the street. unless the written consent of the person on or in the front of whose premises such tree may stand shall first be obtained. If any building shall be removed over or through any public street or square, the owner of such building and the person or persons moving the same shall be jointly and severally liable to the Town for all damages, costs and expenses for which the Town may be liable, or which it may be compelled to pay in consequence of such removal, and it shall be the
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duty of the Selectmen to require from any person, permitted by them to remove any building, a sufficient bond of indem- nity to secure the Town from any loss therefrom.
Voted to adopt.
Section 2. Any person desiring to build a sidewalk on any of the streets or ways of the Town shall first obtain a written permit from the Board of Survey, who shall specify the grade, width, material and mode of construction of the same; and any person wishing to set out shade or ornamen- tal trees upon any of the public streets shall first obtain a similar permit, which permit shall specify the location where such trees may be set and the distance from the boundary line of the street.
Voted to adopt.
Section 3. No person except the Selectmen in the law- ful performance of their duties, or those acting under their orders, shall obstruct any sidewalk or street, or any part thereof, or break or dig the ground of the same, without first obtaining a written license from the Selectmen ; and all per- sons so obstructing any sidewalk or street, or any part thereof, shall put and keep up a suitable railing around the parts so obstructed, and shall place a substantial and con- venient walk around such obstructions, and keep lighted lanterns fixed at proper places through the night as the Selectmen, Sewer Commissioners or Water Commissioners shall direct.
Voted to adopt as amended.
Section 4. No person shall place or cause to be placed in any street, public place, or private way in the Town, any obstruction, or make any dumping ground for the deposit of ashes, garbage, carrion, filth, offal, or any kind of rubbish, except in such places, and in such manner as shall be directed by the Selectmen.
Voted to adopt.
Section 5. No person shall pasture any cattle or other animals upon any street or way in the Town,-except within the limits of said way adjoining his premises and in charge
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of a keeper, -nor permit any dangerous animal to go at large. or to pass through the streets unless safely secured.
Voted to adopt.
Section 6. No person shall tie or fasten any horse, cat- tle or team to any of the trees planted in any public high- way, street or public lands in this Town, nor drive into said trees any nails, spikes, hooks or staples, nor affix any signs thereto.
Voted to adopt.
Section 7. No person shall coast in any of the streets or public walks of this Town, except under such regulations as the Selectmen may establish.
Voted to adopt.
Section 8. No person shall drive, wheel or draw any vehicle upon any sidewalk in the Town, nor permit any horse, cattle, swine. sheep or goats under his or her care to go upon any sidewalk in the Town except at regular crossings.
Voted to lay Section S on the table.
Section 9. No person shall place or keep on any side- walk of the Town, in front of any building, any awning, shade or other projection, less than seven and one-half feet above the sidewalk at the lowest part of such awning. shade or projection, nor shall any such awning, shade or projection extend beyond the exterior line of said sidewalk.
Voted to adopt.
Section 10. No owner or tenant of land abutting upon brick. concrete. asphalt, stone or other curbed or finished sidewalks. shall place or suffer to remain for more than five hours between sunrise and sunset, any snow upon such side- walk. nor any ice upon such sidewalk unless such ice is made even and covered with sand, ashes, or other material to prevent slipping. Such snow or ice may be removed from the sidewalk to the street. provided, however, that the same is made even at the time of removal.
Voted to lay Section 10 on the table.
Section 11. Any person driving or controlling a vehicle in turning to the left into another street shall pass to the
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right of and beyond the center of the intersecting street be- fore turning.
Voted to adopt.
Section 12. No person, by himself, or his agents or ser- vants, shall distribute or place in or upon any street, square, park, common, lane, alley, way, or other public place, or at- tach to any tree or post in the limits of any such street, square, park, common, way, lane, alley, or other public place. any placard, handbill, flyer, poster, advertisement or paper of any description, except such notices as may be placed by order of the Board of Selectmen, or other legal authority.
Voted to adopt.
Section 13. No person shall place or maintain any sign that shall project over any street or sidewalk unless he has first procured a permit so to do from the Board of Select- men.
Voted to adopt.
Section 14. No person shall form or conduct any parade in any street, sidewalk or public way within the Town, or form or conduct for the purpose of display or demonstration, any procession or assembly of people, except a military or funeral parade or procession, within such street, sidewalk or way, without first obtaining a written permit from the Chief of Police; and no person shall take part in any such parade, procession or assembly which is not authorized by such a permit.
Voted to adopt.
Section 15. No person shall give any public address, speech or harangue in any street, public square or public park within the Town, without a written permit from the Chief of Police.
Voted to adopt.
Section 16. Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall be punished by a fine of not more than twenty dollars.
Voted to adopt.
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Solon Bancroft moved to reconsider Section 9 of Article 13. Said motion was lost.
ARTICLE XIV-PUBLIC CARRIAGES
Section 1. The Selectmen shall from time to time license. upon such terms as they shall deem expedient, proper persons to maintain hackney carriages or other vehicles for carrying passengers for hire, and may assign to such persons stands where they may remain and solicit pas- sengers, and shall fix the prices to be charged for the con- veyance of passengers and baggage. Such licenses shall not be transferable, may be revoked at any time, and shall . expire upon the first day of May next succeeding the date thereof. No person shall solicit passengers in any street or other public place without such license. No person less than eighteen years of age shall drive any licensed public vehicle.
Voted to adopt.
ARTICLE XV-POLICE REGULATIONS
Section 1. It shall be the duty of the Selectmen to appoint annually one or more police officers, who shall hold office one year, or until others are appointed, unless sooner removed by the Selectmen, and who shall receive pay as the Town shall order. It shall be the duty of these officers to notice all offences against the By-Laws of this Town and the Statutes of the Commonwealth, and to cause prosecu- tion to be commenced forthwith against all offenders, under the direction of the Selectmen.
Voted to adopt.
Section 2. It shall be the duty of the Police Officers and Constables to report in writing, annually, to the Board of Selectmen, the facts concerning all arrests made by them .
Voted to adopt.
Section 3. No person shall throw stones, snowballs, or other missiles, nor shoot with bow and arrow or other weapon, nor play at base ball, football or other games, nor fly any kites, nor unnecessarily make any tumultuous or alarming noise in the streets or public grounds of the Town to the annoyance of other persons; nor by noise otherwise
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disturb the quiet of any person, by day or night; but this section shall not be construed so as to interfere with such recreation of the pupils attending the public schools as the School Committee may sanction.
Voted to adopt.
Section 4. No person shall stand or remain on any side- walk or street, or in or about the entrance of any building used for public purposes, in such a manner as to obstruct the same, or loiter upon any premises not his own, but shall move on immediately when ordered by any of the consta- bles or police officers of the Town.
Voted to adopt.
Section 5. No person shall behave in any indecent or disorderly manner, nor use profane, indecent or insulting language, in any public place or building, or on any side- walk or street in the Town, or near any dwelling house or other building in said Town.
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