USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1959 > Part 4
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(2) By striking from said Motion the sum of Seven Hundred Twen- ty-one Thousand and Twelve and 59/100 Dollars ($721,012.59) in the two places in which said sum occurs, and substituting therefor the sum of Five Hundred Ninety-nine Thousand and Twelve and 59/100 Dollars ($599,012.59) ; so that said motion shall read as follows:
"That the sum of Five Hundred Ninety-nine Thousand and Twelve and 59/100 Dollars ($599,012.59) be raised and appropriated for the Board of Public Works as follows: each item being considered as a separate appropriation:
Salaries for Administration
$ 13,940.00
Expenses for Administration
3,110.00
Public Works Pensions
7,221.78
Salaries for Engineering Division
30,959.00
Expenses for Engineering Division
1,850.00
Salaries for Construction and Maintenance of Highways .... Expenses for Repairs, Construction and Maintenance of
7,000.00
Highways, setting curbs, purchase or otherwise acquir- ing land for sand and gravel purposes, purchase of ma-
terials, tools and equipment and other incidental ex- penses pertaining thereto
46,500.00
Salaries for Removal of Snow and Ice
25,000.00
Expenses for Removal of Snow and Ice
27,000.00
Salaries for Maintenance and Operation of the Sewer Sys- tem
10,000.00
Expenses for Maintenance and Operation of the Sewer Sys- tem and Payment of Interest on Sewer Bonds including travel outside the State
9,200.00
Salaries for Connecting Estates with the Common Sewer ....
22,000.00
Expenses for Connecting Estates with the Common Sewer
14,900.00
Salaries for Maintenance of Storm Drains
12,000.00
Expenses for Maintenance of Storm Drains
3,500.00
Drainage Construction
41,000.00
Salaries for Maintenance of Sidewalks
6,000.00
Expenses for Maintenance of Sidewalks
3,000.00
Salaries for Construction of Sidewalks
7,000.00
Expenses for Construction of Sidewalks
5,800.00
Salaries for Maintenance of Dump
7,800.00
Expenses for Maintenance of Dump
1,800.00
Salaries for Maintenance of Park Department and Com- mons and Supervised Play
18,000.00
Expenses for Maintenance of Park Department and Com- mons and Supervised Play
7,000.00
Salaries for Maintenance and Operation of Water Works
74,500.00
Expenses for Maintenance and Operation of Water Works
55,500.00
including travel outside the State, not to exceed $250.00 Salaries for Construction of Water Works
13,000.00
Expenses for Construction of Water Works
23,000.00
Expenses for the payment of Water bonds and Interest
38,431.81
$599,012.59
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ARTICLE 4. On motion of Domenick Zanni, Jr. it was voted that the sum of One Hundred Twenty-two Thousand Dollars ($122,000.00) be transferred from Surplus Revenue and appropriated for Extension and Construction of the Sewer System, and the Town Accountant be and he hereby is authorized and instructed to transfer said sum to carry out the purpose of this vote.
On motion of Lawrence Drew it was voted to place Article 4 on the table.
On motion of Lawrence Drew it was voted to take up Article 2.
The following report was read by Frank M. Stevens.
Report of the Park and Recreation Department Study Committee
After studying the methods of 18 nearby communities and those of our own town, we find 7 of the 15 towns having parks, chose a Park Department and 8 a Board of Public Works. The other 3 are served, one by the MDC for its parks, and a Playground and Recreation committee for the playgrounds, the other two towns have a Public Works Depart- ment. In 1955 Swampscott changed from a Park Department to a Board of Public Works, to take effect in 1956. Marblehead, with 7 parks, have 3 managed by a Park Department, 3 by the Selectmen and 1 by the Playground Committee. They also have 4 Playgrounds, of which 2 are managed by the Selectmen and 2 by the Playgrounds Committee. This arrangement is no doubt best suited to their own needs. It illustrates the fact that no one method fits all needs. Last year you gave us per- mission to request enabling legislation from the General Court which would allow our committee to recommend a Park Department if we found it advisable or necessary. Once this enabling legislation is granted we can use it any time during this year of 1959. This is assuming that we ask for it and you approve our plan, by a formal vote.
We plan, immediately following the completion of the present Town Meeting sessions, to hold one or more meetings with the Board of Pub- lic Works to see if a sound working plan can be arranged with that Board. We want to try out a plan whereby 3 or more members of our present committee serve as a Recreation Organization Committee to co- ordinate plans, schedules of all types of playground and athletic ac- tivities with the Board of Public Works, and see that they are alerted to the needs of these programs. We know that in the past, difficulties have arisen from insufficient planning, so that work could be done on time and with proper allowance for other planned work.
Reading has a lot of valuable town owned real estate in the form of parks, playgrounds and school and public building grass areas. The drought of 1957 caused considerable damage to these areas which has not yet been restored. Fertilization, reseeding and mulching are a few of the needs. The school has a total of 31.30 acres including Birch Meadow, our parks measure 15.25 acres and the playgrounds add an- other 29.10 for an overall total of 75.65 acres. The Board of Public Works is aware that this work is a must and they are already doing what they can.
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The Park and Recreation Department Study Committee have had a good opportunity to learn many of the needs of a Recreation Organiza- tion Committee such as we are planning to use this Spring and Sum- mer. Many of the duties are not new and are being exercised by sev- eral groups. We hope to centralize this work and find some way to make it click to everyone's advantage. We realize that school activities must come first in the use of our facilities and nothing must interfere with regular season athletic activities. To this end we hope to meet soon with the School Committee and the Recreation Committee.
We submit this as a report of progress and if there are no objectors we would like to carry out this plan as outlined.
Respectfully submitted,
FRANK M. STEVENS, Chairman RUDOLF SUSSMANN NEWELL H. MORTON WILLIAM H. WILLSON, JR . EARL W. HOBART
JACK T. TURNER WALTER M. FOWLER
On motion of Lawrence Drew it was voted that Report be accepted as a report of progress.
On motion of Lawrence Drew it was voted to place Article 2 on the table.
ARTICLE 14. On motion of Sydney M. Hodson, Jr. it was voted that the sum of Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00) be raised and appropriated for the observance of the Christmas Season of 1959 by the decoration and illumination of public buildings and public streets and the decoration of Christmas trees upon municipal land, such sum to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
ARTICLE 15. On motion of Lawrence Drew it was voted that the sum of One Thousand Dollars ($1000.00) be raised and appropriated for Civil Defense, which appropriation is to be added to the previous ap- propriation for Civil Defense.
ARTICLE 16. On motion of Rudolf Sussmann it was voted that Article 16 be indefinitely postponed.
ARTICLE 17. On motion of Rudolf Sussmann it was voted that the sum of Thirteen Hundred Dollars ($1300.00) be raised and appropriated for the purpose of grading the areas adjacent to the Police and Fire Stations and surfacing said areas with Bituminous Concrete, such sums to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
ARTICLE 18. On motion of James E. Calvin it was voted that the provisions of Section 17A of Chapter 147 of the General Laws of the Com- monwealth of Massachusetts relating to an additional day off or an additional day's pay for Police Officers who are required to work on cer- tain legal holidays, be and the same hereby are accepted.
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ARTICLE 19. On motion of James E. Calvin it was voted that the provisions of Section 57A of Chapter 48 of the General Laws of the Com- monwealth of Massachusetts relating to an additional day off or an additional day's pay for permanent members of the Fire Department who are required to work on certain legal holidays, be and the same hereby are accepted.
ARTICLE 20. On motion of Lawrence Drew it was voted that the sum of Eight Thousand Dollars ($8,000.00) be raised and appropriated for the purchase and installation of equipment for the traffic control system of the Town, such sum to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
ARTICLE 21. On motion of Lawrence Drew it was voted that Sec- tion 3 of Article X of the General By-Laws of the Town be amended by (1) adding the words, "except professional services", after the word "labor" as it first appears, and (2) by inserting before the word "labor" as it secondly appears, the word "said", so that said section 3 of Article X shall read as follows:
Section 3. The officers of the different Town departments shall call for competitive bids on all labor, except professional services or material to be furnished to the Town, and on all accounts to be given out by the Town, where the said labor or material to be so furnished, or where the estimated amount under the contract so to be given out ex- ceeds the sum of Two Thousand Dollars; said call for bids shall be ad- vertised 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.
ARTICLE 24. On motion of Carl H. Amon, Jr. it was voted that the sum of Seventeen Hundred Dollars ($1700.00) be raised and appropriated for the eradication of mosquitoes in the Town, such sum to be expended under the supervision of the Board of Health.
ARTICLE 25. On motion of M. Russell Meikle it was voted that the sum of Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00) be appropriated from the Cemetery Reserve Fund receipts from the sale of lots and graves in Laurel Hill Cemetery and Forest Glen Cemetery for maintenance, care, improvement and embellishment of said cemeteries under the provisions of Section 15 of Chapter 114 of the General Laws.
ARTICLE 26. On motion of Winfred F. Spurr it was voted that the subject matter of Article 26 be referred to the Municipal Light Board and that said Board be, and it hereby is, authorized to install such additional street lights as in its judgment are required and to make such changes in the size, type and location of existing street lights, as it may deem advisable, the expenses of same to be paid from the income of the Plant.
ARTICLE 27. On motion of Rudolf Sussmann it was voted that the sum of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) be raised and appropriated
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under the provisions of Sections 40 and 45 of Chapter 128 of the General Laws, and that the Board of Selectmen be, and they are, authorized to appoint a Director to cooperate with the Middlesex County Trustees for the Aid to Agriculture and work for the Middlesex County Extension Service and the 4-H Clubs.
ARTICLE 28. On motion of James E. Calvin it was voted that the sum of Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00) be raised and appropriated for Child Welfare Work, such sum to be expended under the direction of the Reading Visiting Nurse Association and the Board of Health.
ARTICLE 29. On motion of Paul R. Bergholtz it was voted that the School Committee be and they hereby are authorized and em- powered to sell or exchange upon such terms and conditions as they may determine, the 1955 Chevrolet Sedan used by the School Depart- ment, and the sum of One Thousand Two Hundred Dollars ($1,200.00) together with the proceeds from such sale or exchange, be raised and appropriated for the purchase of one new automobile for the School Department.
ARTICLE 30. On motion of Edward W. Batten it was voted that the Zoning By-Laws and Zoning Map of the Town of Reading, dated Febru- ary 13, 1942, as amended, be and the same hereby are amended by in- serting in Paragraph 1A of Section III of Part I thereof, after the word "Reading", the following words:
", the land upon which the said building is located and all adjacent land owned by the Town"
so that said paragraph 1A of said Section III shall read as follows:
"1A. Any building constructed or formerly used for public or municipal purposes which is owned or controlled by the Town of Read- ing, the land upon which the said building is located, and all adjacent land owned by the Town shall be excluded from the provisions of these zoning by-laws".
118 voted in the affirmative.
0 voted in the negative.
ARTICLE 31. On motion of William H. Diamond it was voted that the Zoning By-Laws and Zoning Map of the Town of Reading, dated February 13, 1942, as amended, be and the same hereby are amended by changing the area hereinafter described from Residence A-3 District to Residence A-2 District:
Beginning at a point on the center-line of Haverhill Street two hun- dred and fifty (250) feet north of the center-line of Franklin Street and running:
NORTHERLY by Haverhill Street, three hundred sixteen and 77/100 (316.77) feet; thence
EASTERLY to a point two hundred fifty (250) feet from the center- line of said Haverhill Street; thence
SOUTHERLY to the presently existing Residence A-2 boundary, three hundred (300) feet; thence
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WESTERLY along the presently existing Residence A-2 boundary to the center-line of Haverhill Street, two hundred fifty (250) feet, the point of beginning.
123 voted in the affirmative.
2 voted in the negative.
ARTICLE 32. On motion of William H. Diamond it was voted that Article 32 be indefinitely postponed.
ARTICLE 33. On motion of C. Nelson Bishop it was voted that there be and hereby is established a Special Committee to be known as the "Archives Study Committee" for the purpose of studying the ques- tion of the creation of archives for the storage and preservation of Town documents and records, said Committee to consist of three citizens of the Town appointed by the Board of Selectmen, and said Committee shall report its recommendations as to the creation of said archives to the Board of Selectmen prior to the next Annual Town Meeting.
ARTICLE 34. On motion of M. Russell Meikle it was voted that the Board of Cemetery Trustees be and they are hereby authorized for and on behalf of the Town to acquire by purchase for enlargement of Forest Glen Cemetery the following described parcel of land, and that the sum of Forty-five Hundred Dollars ($4,500.00) be appropriated for such ac- quisition by transferring said sum from the Cemetery Reserve Fund, and the Town Accountant be and he hereby is authorized and instructed to transfer said sum to carry out the purpose of this vote:
A certain parcel of land situated in the Town of Reading, Massachu- setts, comprising Lot No. 8 on Plat No. 96 and Lot No. 1a on Plat No. 98 as shown on the Assessor's Block Plans on file in the Assessor's Office of the Town of Reading, Massachusetts, containing 17.8 acres, more or less, and bounded and described as follows :-
Beginning at the most Southerly corner thereof on Charles Street at land of Leonard S. and Margaret M. West;
Thence running in a Westerly direction by land of said West and land of Clayton R. and Ruth S. Nash a distance of 463.00 feet to land of Donald E. and Maybelle L. Funk;
Thence turning and running Northerly by land of said Funk a dis- tance of 120.40 feet to a corner;
Thence turning and running Westerly by land of said Funk a dis- tance of 82.26 feet to Pearl Street;
Thence turning and running Northerly by said Pearl Street a dis- tance of 60.39 feet to land of John R. and Hazel A. Getchell;
Thence turning and running Easterly by land of said Getchell a distance of 175.00 feet to a corner;
Thence turning and running Northerly by lands of said Getchell, Frans E. and Elizabeth T. Palmunen, James A. and V. Ann Dowell, Stuart W. and Evora P. Bacon, Elliott A. and Ada M. Court, Arthur P., Jr. and Teresa M. Hosford, Eugene G. and Mary McLellan, and Albert M. and Amy P. Burley a distance of 640.00 feet to a corner of a stone wall at land of James N. and June E. Boyd;
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Thence turning and running Easterly by lands of said Boyd and Paul E. and Rae A. Bassett a distance of 725.18 feet to a corner;
Thence turning and running Northerly by land of said Bassett to a corner of a stone wall at land of Cyril B. and Eunice R. Currie a distance of 240.17 feet;
Thence turning and running Southeasterly by land of said Currie a distance of 123.10 feet to a corner of a wall at land of Herbert C. and Eleanor M. Walsh;
Thence turning and running in a more Southeasterly direction by lands of said Walsh, James H. and Katherine H. Greene, and Dorothy E. Cosenza a distance of 393.51 feet to a corner of land of Charles M. Fere- shetian;
Thence turning and running Southwesterly by lands of said Fereshe- tian and Walter C., Jr. and Virginia Glines a distance of 112.87 feet to an angle point at land of John N. and Elsie W. Klinge;
Thence turning and running in a more Southwesterly direction by lands of said Klinge, Earl L. Cragin and Katherine N. Connelly a dis- tance of 223.80 feet to an angle point in the rear lot line of land of said Connelly;
Thence turning and running in a more Southwesterly direction from said angle point in the rear lot line of said Connelly, by lands of said Connelly and Bernard and Charlotte Moxcey a distance of 96.20 feet to a corner;
Thence turning and running in a Southeasterly direction by land of said Moxcey a distance of 188.00 feet to Charles Street, said point being S. 57º 19' 40" W. a distance of 96.20 feet measured from a stone bound set on the westerly side line of Charles Street, marking the Southerly terminus of a curve having a radius of 863.42 feet;
Thence turning and running S. 57º 19' 40" W. by the Westerly side line of Charles Street a distance of 566.55 feet to the point of beginning.
The above-described premises being more fully shown on a plan entitled "Plan of Land situated in Reading, Mass. to be conveyed by Heber E. Crocker to the Inhabitants of the Town of Reading", dated January 15, 1959, by Harold F. Davis, Superintendent of Cemeteries, Town of Reading, Mass.
119 voted in the affirmative.
3 voted in the negative.
ARTICLE 35. On motion of Lloyd W. Harrison it was voted that the sum of Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) be raised and ap- propriated for the purpose of laying and relaying water mains of not less than six (6) inches but less than sixteen (16) inches in diameter, and for the development of additional well fields, including wells, pipes, and original pumping station equipment and for the acquisition of land for said purposes and to meet said appropriation the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be, and he hereby is authorized, to borrow Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) under authority of Chapter 44 of the General Laws and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefore payable in not more than fifteen (15) years from the
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date thereof or at such earlier date as the Treasurer and Selectmen may determine, and said bonds or notes shall be signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the Selectmen, and the Board of Public Works is here- by authorized to proceed with the development of additional well fields, including wells, pipes, and original pumping station equipment. and the laying and relaying of water mains of not less than six (6) inches but less than sixteen (16) inches in diameter, and for the acquisition of land for said purposes, and to enter into all contracts and agreements in respect thereto and to do all other acts and things necessary and pro- per for carrying out the provisions of this vote.
134 voted in the affirmative.
0 voted in the negative.
ARTICLE 36. On motion of Coleman J. Donahue it was voted that the sum of Twelve Thousand Dollars ($12,000.00) be transferred from the Water Available Surplus Account and be appropriated for the pur- pose of employing engineering services for the design, plans, surveys and specifications to enlarge, remodel and redesign the present Filter Plant, said sum to be expended by and under the direction of the Board of Public Works, and that the Town Accountant be and he hereby is au- thorized and instructed to transfer said sum to carry out the purpose of this vote.
ARTICLE 37. On motion of Domenick Zanni, Jr. it was voted that Article 37 be indefinitely postponed.
ARTICLE 38. On motion of Domenick Zanni, Jr. it was voted that the sum of Twenty-four Thousand Five Hundred Eighty-seven Dollars and Ninety-five Cents ($24,587.95) be raised and appropriated and the sum of Forty Thousand Four Hundred Twelve Dollars and Five Cents ($40,412.05) be transferred from the Road Machinery Fund, and that said sums aggregating Sixty-five Thousand Dollars ($65,000.00) be appropri- ated for the maintenance, repair and operation of road machinery and for the purchase by the Board of Public Works of:
One sedan automobile
Two 2-ton dump trucks
One 5-ton dump truck
One wheel type tractor with front end bucket and rear mounted backhoe and that the Board of Public Works be and they hereby are authorized and empowered to sell or exchange upon such terms and conditions as they may determine:
One 1954 Ford coupe automobile
One 1952 G.M.C. 2-ton dump truck
Two 1954 Dodge 2-ton dump trucks
One 1952 Hough tractor with front end bucket and rear mounted Wayne backhoe
and the proceeds from such sale or exchange to be appropriated, in ad- dition to the aforementioned Sixty-five Thousand Dollars ($65,000.00) for the purchase of the aforementioned equipment, and the Town Account- ant be, and he hereby is, authorized and instructed to transfer such amount to carry out the purpose of this vote.
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ARTICLE 39. On motion of Lloyd W. Harrison it was voted that the sum of Sixty-five Hundred Dollars ($6500.00) be raised and appro- priated for the purpose of improving and constructing a portion of West Street from Summer Avenue to the Wilmington-Reading town line, to- gether with such sums as may be provided by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and County of Middlesex under Section 34 of Chapter 90 of the General Laws.
ARTICLE 40. On motion of Donald E. Florence it was voted that the sum of One Thousand Two Hundred Sixty Dollars ($1,260.00) be raised and appropriated for the purpose of cleaning and maintaining the Town Parking Areas located westerly of Main Street and northerly of Haven Street; and northerly of Haven Street and easterly of Chute Street; and westerly of Lowell Street; said sum to be apportioned as follows:
One Thousand Sixty Dollars ($1,060.00) for Salaries, and
Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) for Expenses
ARTICLE 41. On motion of Domenick Zanni, Jr. it was voted that the sum of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) be raised and appropriated for the purpose of employing consulting engineering services, including field surveys and inspection of construction projects, and plans for the regular construction projects of the Board of Public Works including sewers, storm drains. water, and highways, such sum to be expended by and under the direction of the Board of Public Works.
ARTICLE 42. On motion of Donald E. Florence it was voted that the sum of Fifteen Hundred Dollars ($1500.00) be raised and appropri- ated for the purpose of maintaining, repairing and resurfacing the streets constructed under Section 34 of Chapter 90 of the General Laws together with such sums as may be provided by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the County of Middlesex.
ARTICLE 43. On motion of Donald E. Florence it was voted that the Town accept the report of the Board of Public Works on the laying out of a Private Way known as North Street and adopt the recommenda- tions contained therein, and that the sum of Three Thousand Four Hun- dred Fifty-four Dollars and Seventy-five Cents ($3,454.75) be transferred from Surplus Revenue and appropriated for the laying out and construc- tion of said Way, and that the Town Accountant be, and he hereby is authorized and instructed to transfer said sum to carry out the pur- pose of this vote.
Report of the Board of Public Works on the Laying Out of North Street
The Board of Public Works of the Town of Reading having deter- mined and adjudged that common convenience and necessity require the laying out of a town way under the provisions of law authorizing the assessment of betterments, substantially in the location hereinafter described, having complied with all requirements of law relating to notice to the 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
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there heard all persons present who desired to be heard, have laid out as a town way for the use of the town running Easterly from a town way known as Bear Hill Road, substantially as and in the location of a private way known as North (Private) Street.
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