Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1941, Part 6

Author: Reading (Mass.)
Publication date: 1941
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 368


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Article 3. On motion of Carl W. Goodridge it was voted that the provisions of Section 16B of Chapter 147 of the General Laws, as in- , serted by Section 2 of Chapter 426 of the Acts of 1938, being an Act providing for one day off in every six days for police officers be and the same hereby are accepted.


Article 4. Wendell P. Davis moved that the sum of Four Hundred One and 40/100 ($401.40) Dollars be appropriated from the unexpended balance of the appropriation of $2,500.00 for study and investigation of the matter of providing suitable drainage for the low lands adjacent to Lake Quannapowitt voted at the special town meeting held March 20, 1939, by transferring said sum to the Special Drainage Committee and the Town Accountant be and he hereby is authorized to make the transfer to carry out the purpose of this vote.


Hector Xavier moved to indefinitely postpone this article. The mo- tion to postpone this article was defeated.


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The vote was then taken on Wendell P. Davis original motion and it was carried.


Article 5. On motion of Wendell P. Davis it was voted that the sum of Nine Thousand Four Hundred and Ninety Dollars and Four Cents ($9,490.04) be appropriated from the unexpended balance from the Water Department available surplus and transferred to the Main- tenance, Operation and Construction of Water Works Account, and that the Town Accountant be and he hereby is authorized and instruct- ed to transfer the said sum to the said account.


Article 6. On motion of Wendell P. Davis it was voted that the subject matter of this article be indefinitely postponed.


Article 7. On motion of Nelson Bishop it was voted that the gift of a "Secretary", made by the late Clara Pierce for the Public Library be and the same hereby is accepted and the Trustees of the Public Library are hereby authorized and empowered to sell said "Secretary", for the sum of $25.00 and said sum is hereby appropriated for the pur- chase of books for the Library, such books to be inscribed as having been purchased in memory of the late Clara Pierce, and all previous action of the Trustees in connection with the acceptance and sale of the gift of the "Secretary", is hereby ratified and confirmed.


Article 1. On motion of Carl W. Goodridge it was voted to take Article 1 from the table.


On motion of Carl W. Goodridge it was voted to indefinitely post- pone Article 1.


On motion of Carl W. Goodridge it was voted to adjourn this meet- ing at 8:07 p. m.


83 Males and 10 Females, total of 93 were checked as attending this meeting.


Sine Dei NORMAN P. CHARLES, Town Clerk. Checkers


Harriett Leuchtman, Belmont St. Sylvester S. Spellman, 82 Green St.


June 27, 1941 As authorized by the vote of the Town, I have appointed four mem- bers to serve on the committee "for the purpose of studying and in- vestigating the matter of the development of low cost housing in the Town", as authorized by Article 2 of the Warrant for Town Meeting, held June 23, 1941.


The members are as follows :


Mr. H. Raymond Johnson Banker


Architect


Mr. Willard P. Adden


Building Contractor Mr. Elias B. Currell


Mr. Leon F. Quimby Real Estate


Signed, CHARLES P. HOWARD.


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SPECIAL TOWN MEETING


September 15, 1941


Town Warrant


Seal Commonwealth of Massachusetts


To either of the Constables of the Town of Reading, Greeting :


In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are here- by required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Read- ing qualified to vote in elections and Town affairs, to meet in Security Hall, Woburn Street, in said Reading, on Monday, the Fifteenth day of September, A. D., 1941, at seven forty-five o'clock in the evening, to act on the following articles :


Article 1. To hear and act on the reports of Town Officers and special committees, and to choose all necessary committees and deter- mine what instructions, if any, shall be given Town Officers and spec- ial committees.


Article 2. To see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing or otherwise and appropriate for the enlargement of the water system by the extension of water mains and for water departmental equipment or what it will do in relation thereto.


Board of Public Works.


Article 3. To see if the Town will vote to accept the report of the Board of Public Works on relocating or altering the Easterly location line of Manning Street, from the Northerly side line of Pleasant (Pri- vate) Street Extension to the Southerly side line of Salem Street, said location lines being relocated or altered in accordance with plan duly approved by the Board of Public Works and filed in the office of the Town Clerk in accordance with the statutory requirements and to see if the Town will accept the relocation or alteration of the said location lines as shown on said plan, or what it will do in relation thereto.


Board of Public Works.


Article 4. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from avail- able funds, under the authority of Chapter 179 of the Acts of 1941, the sum of twenty-seven dollars and forty-four cents ($27.44) for the pay- ment of an unpaid 1940 bill of the School Department, or what it will do in relation thereto.


School Committee.


And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting an attested copy thereof in at least ten public places in the Town not less than seven days prior to September fifteenth, the date set for the meeting in said warrant and to publish this warrant in the Reading Chronicle one day at least prior to said date.


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Hereof fail not and make due return of this warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at or before the time appointed for said meeting.


Given under our hands this fifth day of September, A. D. 1941. CARL W. GOODRIDGE ROBERT E. FOWLE HERBERT K. MILLER


Selectmen of Reading.


Officers Return Reading, Mass., September 8, 1941


Middlesex ss.


By virtue of this warrant I have this day notified and warned the inhabitants of the Town of Reading qualified to vote in elections and Town affairs to meet in the place and at the time specified in this war- rant by posting attested copies in the following public places within the Town of Reading.


Municipal Building Reading Police Station Reading Fire Station No. 1


Masonic Building


Lyceum Hall Building Fire Station No. 2


Odd Fellows Buillding


Austin's Lunch


B. & M. R. R. Station Haven Spa M. F. Charles' Store


Danforth's Drug Store Weadick's Drug Store


The same being not less than seven days prior to September 15th, the date set for the meeting in said warrant.


I also caused the same to be published in the Reading Chronicle. date of Sept. 12th, 1941, the same being at least one day prior to said meeting.


Signed: J. W. SIAS, Constable of Reading.


Special Town Meeting


Reading, Mass., September 15, 1941 Security Hall, Woburn St.


Article 1. On motion of Carl W. Goodridge it was voted to lay Article 1 on the table.


Article 2. On motion of Wendell P. Davis it was voted that the sum of Ten Thousand ($10,000) Dollars be and the same hereby 1S raised and appropriated for the enlargement of the water system by the extension of water mains for water departmental equipment and the Town Treasurer with the approval of the Board of Selectmen be and he hereby is authorized to borrow for the above purpose the sum


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of $10,000 and to issue therefor bonds or notes of the Town in accord- ance with the provisions of Chapter 44 of the General Laws and Acts amendatory thereof and in addition thereto so that the whole of said loan shall be paid in not more than five years or at such earlier time as the Treasurer and Board of Selectmen may determine and said bonds or notes shall be signed by the Treasurer and counter-signed by the Selectmen.


This being a bond issue a two-thirds vote was necessary. 33 voted in the affirmative and none in the negative.


Article 3.


Commonwealth of Massachusetts


Middlesex, ss.


Town of Reading.


The Board of Public Works of the Town of Reading having deter- mined and adjudged that common convenience require that the Public Highway be laid out relocated or altered as and in the location herein- after described, having complied with all requirements of law relating to notice to owners of land thereof and of a hearing thereon and hav- ing met at the time and place appointed for such hearing and then and there heard all persons present, who desired to be heard, have laid out, relocated or altered as a public highway for the use of the Town and. Easterly side line of Manning Street, the boundaries and measurements. of said public highway as so laid out, relocated, or altered are as fol- lows :


Beginning at a drill hole in a Stone Bound set at the intersection of the Southerly side line of Salem Street. with the Northerly terminus of the former Easterly side line of Manning Street, said Stone Bound being 15.85° - 15' E., a distance of 33.01 feet from a Stone Bound set at the intersection of the said Southerly side line of Salem Street with the Northerly terminus of the Westerly side line of Manning Street.


Thence S. 85° - 15' E., measured along said Southerly side line of Salem Street, a distance of One (1) foot to a point;


Thence S. 3° - 01' - 30" W., through lands of the Merchants Co- operative Bank, Ethel M. Carver, Catherine B. Plummer formerly Cath- erine Burpee, Henry J. Manley and Winifred E. Manley and Henry J. Manley a distance of 447.25 feet to a point on the Northerly side line of Pleasant Street Extension.


Thence N. 85° - 15' W., along said Northerly side line of Pleasant (Private) Street Extension a distance of One (1) foot to an Iron Pipe set at the intersection of the Westerly terminus of the Northerly side line of Pleasant (Private) Street Extension with the Southerly terminus of the said Easterly side line of Manning Street;


Thence N. 3° - 01' - 30" E., by the former Easterly side line of said Manning Street, a distance of 447.25 feet to the drill hole in the Stone Bound marking the point of beginning.


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The above described lines being more fully shown on a Plan entitled "Alteration and Re-location of the Easterly line of Manning Street, Reading, Mass." dated September 1941, Board of Public Works, Philip Welch, Supt., said Plan being a part of this description.


We determine that no damages will be sustained by any person or persons in their property by reason of the taking to be made for this improvement.


No betterments are to be assessed for this improvement.


This laying out, relocation or alteration so made by us we hereby report to the Town for acceptance and recommend that when this re- port is accepted and adopted by the Town, that said public highway shall thereafter be laid out, relocated or altered in accordance with said plan.


WENDELL P. DAVIS EDWARD A. BROPHY ALEX LINDSAY GILBERT M. LOTHROP EDWARD TEER


Members of the Board of Public Works.


On motion of Wendell P. Davis it was voted that the Town accept the report of the Board of Public Works on the relocating or altering of the Easterly location line of Manning Street and adopt the recom- mendations contained therein.


Article 4. On motion of Irving Austin it was voted that the sum of Twenty-seven Dollars and Forty-four ($27.44) be appropriated under authority of Chapter 179 of the Acts of 1941 for the payment of an un- paid 1940 bill of the School Department, and to meet such appropria- tion said amount be transferred from the expended balance of the School Department Maintenance Account and the Town Accountant be and he hereby is authorized and instructed to transfer said sum to the said account.


A nine-tenths vote is required on this Article and 33 voted in the affirmative and none in the negative.


On motion of Carl W. Goodridge it was voted to take Article ! from the table.


On motion of Carl W. Goodridge it was voted to indefinitely post- pone Article 1.


On motion of Carl W. Goodridge it was voted to adjourn this meet- ing at 8:10 p. m. Sine Die.


35 Males and 3 Females, total of 38 were checked as having attended this meeting.


Attest : NORMAN P. CHARLES,


The checkers were :


Town Clerk.


Harriett Leuchtman, 18 Belmont Street.


David J. Whelton, 7 High Street.


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SPECIAL TOWN MEETING


December 1, 1941


TOWN WARRANT Seal Commonwealth of Massachusetts


To either of the Constables of the Town of Reading, Greeting :


In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are here- by required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Reading, qualified to vote in elections and town affairs, to meet in Security Hall. Woburn Street, in said Reading on


MONDAY, THE FIRST DAY OF DECEMBER, A. D. 1941 at seven forty-five in the evening, to act on the following articles :


Article 1. To hear and act on the reports of Town Officers and special committees, and to choose all necessary committees and deter- mine what instructions, if any, shall be given Town Officers and special committees.


Article 2. To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of Section 13C of Chapter 147 of the General Laws relating to the ultimate abolishment of the Reserve Police Force in the Town, or what it will do in relation thereto.


Board of Selectmen


Article 3. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from avail- able funds under the authority of Chapter 179 of the Acts of 1941 the sum of eighty dollars ($80.00) for the payment of an unpaid 1940 bill of the Police Department, or what it will do in relation thereto.


Board of Selectmen.


Article 4. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from avail- able funds and transfer to Collector's Expense Account, the sum of twenty dollars ($20.00) and authorize the payment of said sum to the Collector to reimburse her for a counterfeit bill accepted as taxes, or what it will do in relation thereto.


Board of Selectmen.


Article 5. To see what sum the Town will appropriate from avail- able funds and transfer to the Miscellaneous Expense Account for legal expenses relating to the defense of four court actions disposed of by trial during the current year, or what it will do in relation thereto.


Law Committee,


Article 6. To see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds and transfer to be expended by the Civilian Defense Committee for the purposes set forth in Chapter 487 of the Acts of 1941, or what it will do in relation thereto.


Board of Selectmen.


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Article 7. To see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds and transfer for Old Age Assistance, or what it will do in relation thereto.


Board of Public Welfare.


Article 8. To see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds and transfer to the Special Drainage Construction Ac- count, or what it will do in relation thereto.


Special Drainage Committee.


Article 9. To see if the Town will authorize the Municipal Light Board to sell upon such terms and conditions as they may determine, that portion of the real estate owned by the Town and situated at the junction of Haven, High and Green Streets, and shown as Lot B on Plan of Land in Reading, dated November, 1941, H. Kingman Abbott, Civil Engineer, and consisting of approximately 4,479 square feet of land, together with the building thereon known and designated as Nos. 1 Haven Street and 31 and 33 High Street, and to apply the proceeds of such sale to the payment of the indebtedness incurred in acquiring such real estate, and to sign, seal and acknowledge and deliver in the name and behalf of the Town the deed and such other instruments as may be necesary in conveying such property to the purchaser thereof, or what it will do in relation thereto.


Municipal Light Board.


Article 10. To see what sum the Town will appropriate from avail- able funds and transfer to be expended by the committee established by vote adopted under Article 2 of the Special Town Meeting held on June 23 of the current year, for the drafting of suitable Town by-laws necessary to carry the committees recommendations into effect and for the necessary expense in connection with the further study and investi- gation of the matter of the development of the low cost houses in the Town, or what it will do in relation thereto.


Special Committee Investigating Low Cost Houses.


Article 11. To see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds and transfer to Care of Contagious Diseases Ac- count, or what it will do in relation thereto.


Board of Health.


Article 12. To see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds and transfer to Fire Department Maintenance Account, or what it will do in relation thereto.


Board of Selectmen.


And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting an attested copy thereof in at least ten public places in the Town not less than seven days prior to December first, the date set for the meeting in said warrant and to publish this warrant in the Reading Chronicle, one day at least prior to said date.


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Hereof fail not and make due return of this warrant with your do- ings thereon to the Town Clerk, at or before the time appointed for such meeting.


Given under our hands this twenty-second day of November, A. D. 1941.


CARL W. GOODRIDGE ROBERT E. FOWLE HERBERT K. MILLER


Selectmen of Reading.


Officer's Return


Reading, November 28, 1941


Middlesex, ss.


By virtue of the within warrant, I, on November 24, 1941 notified and warned the inhabitants of the Town of Reading, qualified to vote in elections and town affairs to meet in the place and at the time speci- fied by posting attested copies of this warrant in the following places within said town: Municipal Building, Police Headquarters, Central Fire Station, Engine No. 2 House, Odd Fellows Building, Austin's Lunch Room, B. & M. R. R. Depot, Masonic Temple Building, M. F. Charles & Sons Store, Lyceum Hall Building, Rockport Fish Market, Haven Spa, Weadick's Drug Store, Keen's Neighborhood Store, Mineral St.


.


The date of posting being seven days prior to December 1, the date set for the meeting in this warrant, and I caused this warrant to be published in the Reading Chronicle in the issue of November 28th, be- ing more than one day prior to date of meeting.


LEON G. BENT,


Constable of the Town of Reading.


Special Town Meeting


December 1, 1941.


Security Hall, Woburn St., Reading, Mass.


Article 1. REPORT OF THE SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT COM- MITTEE TO SPECIAL TOWN MEETING, DECEMBER 1, 1941.


The Committee was established by a vote of the Town at a Special Town Meeting held on June 23, 1941. The Committee, by vote, was to consist of two members of the Planning Board, two members of the Board of Public Works, two members of the Finance Committee, one member of the Municipal Light Board, one member of the Board of Assessors, one member of the Welfare Board, one member of the Board of Selectmen and one member of the School Committee, such members


to be designated and appointed by their respective Boards and Com- mittees and a Builder, a Real Estate Operator, a Banker and an Archi- tect to be appointed by the Moderator.


The various Boards and Committees and the Moderator made their appointments and the Committee held its first meeting on July 14, 1941. The Committee then organized as follows :


Mr. Wendell Davis was elected chairman.


Mr. Herbert Miller was elected secretary.


The following persons constitute the committee: Mr. Philip White, Planning Board; Mr. Sherburne Watts, Planning Board; Mr. Edward Teer, Board of Public Works; Mr. Wendell Davis, Board of Public Works; Mr. Gardner Long, Finance Committee; Mr. Clinton Bancroft, Finance Committee. Mr. Louis Ellenwood, Municipal Light Board; Mr. Edgar Frost, Board of Assessors; Mr. Joseph Knight, Welfare Board; Mr. Herbert Miller, Board of Selectmen; Mr. Bernard Maxwell, School Committee; Mr. Elias Currell, Builder; Mr. Leon Quimby, Realtor ; Mr. H. Raymond Johnson, Banker; Mr. Willard Adden, Architect.


The committee as a whole was sub-divided into sub-committees, each of which studied a particular phase of the work. One sub-con- mittee investigated the Building Code, another the Zoning Laws, and a third the functions of the Board of Survey, all from the viewpoint of the overall effect on the housing problems of the Town.


Each sub-committee has held several meetings as has the full com- mittee. Each sub-committee spent much time and effort on their sub- ject.


After much investigation. each sub-committee made written reports to the full committee. The sub-committees investigating Board of Sur- vey and Zoning Laws have completed their work except for some minor details. The sub-committee investigating the Building Code requires more time because of the necessary great amount of detail involved. These reports contain many recommendations which the committee be- lieves contain much merit. These recommendations have been care- fully considered by the committee as a whole.


The Committee feels that much has been accomplished to date but that many details still remain to be worked out. This will require fur- ther study and investigation and will entail the expenditure of monies for necessary detail work which the Committee feels they will not per- sonally be able to do.


The General Committee hereby approves and endorses a recom- mendation and request that funds be alloted for further study and in- vestigation with special attention being given to a thorough study of the Building Codes.


With this allotment of funds the Committee will be able to prepare


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for submission to the Town a detailed report covering all phases of the committee work.


The Committee hopes to have this report in such a form that the Town will be able to approve or disapprove of any or all details as they see fit.


The Committee makes this report to the Town as a preliminary re- port, and feels they will be able to submit a final report to the Town early in 1942.


On motion of Wendell P. Davis it was voted that the report of the Special Committee investigating the development of Low Cost Houses be and the same hereby is accepted and that the recommendations therein contained be and the same are hereby adopted, and that the Committee be continued in office until such time as the Town shall by vote at the Town Meeting assembled otherwise determine.


On motion of Carl W. Goodridge it was voted to lay Article 1 on the table.


Article 2. On motion of Carl W. Goodridge it was voted that the provisions of Section C of Chapter 147 of the General Laws relating to the ultimate abolition of the reserve police force in the Town, be and the same hereby are accepted.


Article 3. Carl W. Goodridge moved that the sum of Eighty ($80) Dollars be appropriated from the unexpended balance in the Police De- partment Maintenance Account and transfer said sum for the payment of an unpaid 1940 bill of the Police Department, and the Town Account- ant be and he hereby is authorized to make the transfer to carry out the purposes of this vote.


John L. Devaney moved to amend the motion and make the amount five ($5.00) dollars.


Carl W. Goodridge's motion being the larger amount it was put to the meeting first. The motion required a 9-tenths vote to pass. 28 voted in the affirmative and 19 in the negative. The motion was lost.


Vote was then taken on John L. Devaney's motion. 40 voted in the affirmative and 6 in the negative, this motion was also lost, not being a 9-tenths vote.


Article 4. On motion of Carl W. Goodridge it was voted that the sum of Twenty ($20) Dollars be appropriated by transferring from the unexpended balance in the Insurance Account to the Tax Collector's Expense Account, for the reimbursement of the Collector for a counter- feit bill accepted as taxes, and the Town Accountant be and he hereby is authorized to make the transfer to carry out the purpose of this vote.


Article 5. On motion of Carl W. Goodridge it was voted that the sum of Four Hundred ($400) Dollars be appropriated by transferring


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said sum from the unexpended balance in the Insurance Account to the Miscellaneous Expense Account, for legal expenses relating to the defense of four court jury actions tried during the current year, and the Town Accountant be and hereby is authorized to make the transfer to carry out the purpose of this vote.


Article 6. On motion of Carl W. Goodridge it was voted that the sum of Four Hundred ($400) Dollars be appropriated by transferring said sum from the unexpended balance in the Insurance Account to be expended by the Civilian Defense Committee for the purposes set forth in Chapter 487 of the Acts of 1941, and the Town Accountant be and hereby is authorized to make the transfer to carry out the purposes of this vote.


Article 7. On motion of Joseph W. Knight it was voted that the sum of Three Thousand ($3,000) Dollars be appropriated from the un- expended balance in the Aid to Dependent Children Account and Five Hundred ($500) Dollars from the unexpended balance in the General Aid Accountant and transfer said sums to the Old Age Assistance Ac- count, and the Town Accountant be and he hereby is instructed to make the necessary transfers to carry out the purposes of this vote.


Article 8. On motion of Wendell P. Davis it was voted that the sum of Six Thousand ($6,000) Dollars be appropriated from the unex- pended balance of the W. P. A. Account and transfer to the Special Drainage Construction Account such sum to be expended under the direction of the Special Drainage Committee for any and all expenses in connection with the construction of the drainage system, and that the Town Accountant be and he hereby is authorized to make the trans- fer to carry out the purposes of this vote.




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