USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1962 > Part 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17
Sharon L. Madden Marjorie P. Maher
Peter D. Mahoney
Sally Higgins June F. Hodgdon Lana K. Hodson Thomas A. Hollis
Kathleen S. Maloy Gail F. Maranhas Nancy L. March Ricardo O. Martorana
Paula M. Horan
Lorraine D. Masi
Patricia M. Horrigan Leo J. Houle, Jr.
Francis E. McCormack, Jr.
Carol E. Hoyt
Frederick L. Mckinnon
Carolyn G. Hubbard Paul Hubbard
Jane Merrill
Renzel R. Hurd
Maureen E. Monahan
Mary Patricia Isacson
Elizabeth A. Moore
Bruce W. Ives
Frederick A. Mosse, Jr.
Jane K. Jellison
John V. Muise
David V.D. Jerauld
Sharon E. Mullen
Alfred F. Johnson
Edward M. Munnis
Rita E. Johnson
Barbara L. Munro
A. Charles Kalipolis
Daniel J. Murphy
Robert B. Kean
Nancy E. Murphy
Susan H. Kean
Barbara A. Nason
Douglas R. Keene
Peter A. Nelson
Barbara J. Kellett
Cheryl Newell
Stephen J. Kelley
Arthur J. Norton
Catherine M. Kelly
Karen F. Nowell
Marilyn T. O'Day
Jane Paul
Mary Ann Paulson
Caryl A. Kidder
Elizabeth H. Peckham
Karen M. Klimas Leslie E. Kyle
Joseph E. Perry Rose M. Peters
153
Robert H. Kenney Jay W. Kenty Edwin A. Kevorkian, Jr.
Mark McSheehy
Sandra M. Hopkins
Martha M. McCarthy
John W. Peterson R. Winslow Poor Judith M. Pickerill Gloria J. Poore William E. Qualter
Walter H. Smith
Linda M. Snow
Arthur L. Spencer, Jr.
Donna J. Squibb
Douglas E. Stevens
Constance D. Stewart
Pauline M. Quinton Karin Ralston Judson S. Rawding
Robert B. Stone
Carol R. Reardon
H. Robert Sutherland
Daniel A. Richardson
Linda L. Sutliff
Steven A. Richmond
Janice M. Tammaro
Donna-Kay Roalsen
Jocelyn A. Taylor
William S. Robie
Robert W. Taylor
Sally-Jean Robinson
Anthony Tine, Jr.
Janet B. Rogers
Jean M. Torra Carol J. Vars
Karen L. Rose
Nancy I. Ruderman
Francis A. Vidito
Terry J. Ryan
Charles G. Waelde
Stratford J.M. Ryland
W. Patricia Waite
Joanne J. Santore
Cheryl Watters
Margaret Sarmanian
Judith L. Watkins
Michael Shaw
John S. Webb
Paul K. Shaw
Sarah E. Wells
Gerry Ann Sias
David J. White
Sandra G. Sias
Clyde P. Wheeler
Alison V. Smith
Joan E. Wilkinson
Carol J. Smith
Peter A. Winton
Martha L. Smith
Katherine M. Winkler
Martha W. Smith
William R. Witt
Nancy J. Smith
Donald L. Wood
Robert B. Smith
Denis C. Surette
154
95th Annual Report
Giant Step Proposed
Board of Trustees
Reading Public Library
The need for expansion at the Reading Public Library has been the central theme of the reports of the Board of Library Trustees over the past several years. Specific steps toward meeting that need have been taken and a clear picture of what we believe will be the adequate solution of the problem now is before us and about to be placed before the town for acceptance.
The town seems, in general, to recognize the gap to be filled in library facilities since it has authorized the expenditure of funds to ob- tain the consultation and drawings of a competent firm of architects. It is now only a matter of being willing to finance the work of construc- tion which contemplates the acquisition of additional land and the ex- pansion of the present building.
There probably are those who maintain that the present library is adequate. Indeed, there are hours during the day when this would seem to be so. When there are but a few patrons dropping in, every- thing seems quite calm and space is adequate. Those who come in for books during the peak hours see an entirely different picture. Those who study the table of annual statistics can understand how the peak hours spoken of come in a crescendo of activity each day and that the library finds it increasingly difficult to meet properly the demands of the adult, youth, and children's departments.
But hours of light patronage still find the Library cramped. An adequate institution must have not only space for handling a stepped- up traffic load in the public areas but also to handle the materials which are its stock in trade. A librarian's office demands space enough for conference and other administrative duties. Offices for cataloging and preparing books for the circulation shelves as well as for repair of books are essential.
It is notable that all totals and averages are up over the previous year and that the circulation stress is marked in the non-fiction classi- fications. It is clear, from these figures, that your Public Library meets educational needs throughout the community. In the juvenile and the youth-student areas much of the fiction serves educational as well as recreational ends.
155
In seeking to alleviate the crowded conditions, your Board of Library Trustees has presented a plan for an addition to the present building which is aimed at accommodating a peak load that seems likely to grow over the next 30 years. The long-term view, when providing library facilities, can be met with less cost than if attempts were made to construct a series of two or more additions over the same period of time. The net result in efficient handling of patron traffic is also more efficient.
While the projected cost of the proposals do constitute a serious consideration for the town, any substantial shortening of the plan would appear to be more expensive in the long run and not provide the library service which modern education and social advancements are demanding in communities throughout the nation.
Cost of the proposed addition has been estimated at $700,000. Post- ponement of any of the plan and an attempt to add it in some future year might be figured to stretch the total cost to more than a million dollars In planning for the maximum community service, the peak population has been figured at 30,000 to 35,000 in accordance with con- clusions set forth in the Master Plan on town development.
LIBRARIAN'S STATISTICS
Appropriation from the town
Appropriated by special town meeting
$ 69,042.69 1,002.91
Total income
$ 70,145.60
SALARIES
Appropriation from the town
$ 43,168.29
Appropriated by Special town meeting
766.03
$ 43,934.32
EXPENDED
Full-time personnel
$ 33,607.20
Part-time personnel
6,905.00
Custodian
3,422.12
Total expended
$ 43,934.32
MAINTENANCE
Appropriation from the town
$ 25,874.40
Appropriated by special town meeting ...
236.88
Total maintenance
$ 26,211.28
Expended
Books
$ 12,000.37
Periodicals
765.90
Records
360.84
Binding
1,395.86
Printing & Supplies
1,733.70
156
Expense account
248.05
Petty cash
102.03
Service contracts
642.20
Building maintenance
3,135.56
Capital expenditures
3,353.90
Telephone
531.98
Fuel
628.04
Light
1,259.08
Water & Sewer
53.65
Total expended
$ 26,211.16
Total expenditures.
$ 70,145.48
Fines & Charges turned into town treasury
$ 3,380.93
Total receipts
$ 3,380.93
CIRCULATION
Adult Department
Fiction
51,357
Non-Fiction
46,055
Phonorecords
4,106
Filmstrips
95
Films
37
Total Adult Department
101,662
Young Adults Department
Fiction
13,771
Non-Fiction
8,713
Total Young Adults Department
22,484
Children's Department
Fiction
59,774
Non-Fiction
19,043
Classroom Deposits
5,192
Total Children's Department
84,009
Inter-Library Loan
98
Total Library Circulation
208,253
Total Increase over 1961
3.15% 6,359
Average daily circulation
Adult Department
345.78
Young Adults Department
76.47
Children's Department
287.75
Total average daily circulation
710.00
Per capita reading index
10.80
Registered Borrowers
Adult
4,875
Young adult
2,835
Children
3,249
Non-Resident
36
Total registered borrowers
10,995
Per cent of townspeople having library cards
57.09%
157
Number of hours Library open Each Week
Normal Schedule:
Adult Department
63
Children's Department 48
Summer schedule:
Adult Department 55
Children's Department
40
Volumes in Library December 31, 1961 Books added Adult Department
45,603
Fiction
1,098
Non-Fiction
2,190
Total Adult Department ..
3,288
Young Adult Department
1,125
Children's Department
1,370
Total books added
Gifts (included above)
313
Books withdrawn or missing
Adult Department
764
Young Adult Department
510
Children's Department
878
Total withdrawn or missing
2,152
Volumes in Library December 31, 1961
49,248
Volumes recatalogued
3,377
Repairs to books:
Rebound
271
Repaired at Library
1,767
Total repaired
2,038
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
ROBERT E. STEWART, Chairman
C. NELSON BISHOP
HELEN E. CLARK
H. IRENE LATHAM, Secretary WILLIAM H. DIAMOND SYDNEY M. HODSON
FULL-TIME STAFF December 31, 1962 Theodore E. Johnson, Librarian
Richard E. Reed, cataloguer Nancy B. Sartwell young adults lib.
Sonja K. Beckett, circulation asst. Janice M. Carter, general assistant Georgianna C. Merrill, children lib. Gusta E. Lodi, general assistant
Jayne K. Finney, general asst. Liv S. Peterson, general assistant Peter A. Harris, general assistant
PART-TIME STAFF
Richard Coyle, Joan Foy, Eleanor R. Hardy, Edith Rennison, Doris H. Taylor, Leonard Westra.
CUSTODIAN
Louis B. Bacigalupo
158
5,783
Increase in number of volumes
3,631
REPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
Honorable Board of Selectmen
Town Hall Reading, Mass. Gentlemen:
Following is a report of your Police Department for the year 1962.
During the year two Officers resigned to go into private employ- ment. There were one permanent appointment and four provisional appointments.
Present personnel consists of twenty-eight men and four Provisional men, who are awaiting civil service certification.
In addition to the Regular Department we have a Reserve Force of nearly forty uniformed and trained men who performed on many oc- casions and they continue to be a great asset to our Town.
Our School Traffic Officers (10) continue to tend all crossings ex- cept for Route No. 28. These are mostly retired men and they have proved to be devoted to their duties.
Our Safety Officer visited all schools, including Kindergartens. This I believe helped us to keep our Town safety minded. His duties are made easier by the generosity of a local dealer who donates a car to the Town each year.
Following are arrests and other services performed.
Arrests
117
Motor Vehicles Violation
310
Juvenile cases investigated
103
Juvenile cases in Court
15
Special investigations
57
Ambulance trips
343
Auto Accidents investigated
110
Teletype messages sent
290
FEES COLLECTED
Ambulance Fees
$1,677.00
Bicycle Plates
264.00
Revolver Permits
166.00
Total
$2,107.00
MOTORIZED EQUIPMENT (Radio Equipped)
1 1956 Cadillac Ambulance
1 1957 Plymouth sedan
1 1961 Chevrolet sedan (Chief's car)
2 1962 Chevrolet sedans
1 1962 Ford sedan (Safety car)
159
In conclusion I wish to thank the Board of Selectmen for their efforts in our behalf and their co-operation which makes our duties more pleasant.
My personal thanks also to all the men of this Department for their continued support.
Thanks also to all the good citizens of Reading who have continued to support us in our efforts to make Reading a fine community in which to live in peace and security.
Respectfully submitted,
ROLAND E. ELLIS, Chief of Police
REPORT OF DOG OFFICER
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
I herewith submit my report as dog officer to December 31, 1962.
I have canvassed the town to see that all dogs have been licensed. All complaints have been investigated.
For the year ending December 31, 1962, there were 26 unlicensed dogs caught.
3 dogs were disposed for the county
3 dogs were reclaimed by the owners
20 dogs were turned over to the Harvard Medical School, in compli- ance with state laws.
112 dogs were reported lost during the year.
At this time I wish to thank the police department and all others who have helped me during this past year.
Respectfully submitted,
WIILIAM H. DEWSNAP,
Dog Officer
160
SIXTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT of
THE MUNICIPAL LIGHT BOARD
for the year ended December 31, 1962
Lynnfield Center Substation - New 7500 KVA Transformer and Switchgear at left.
Wilmington Substation on Wildwood St. New 7500 KVA Transformer at Right.
Ash St. Station - New 7500 KVA Regulating Power Transformers; Reinforcement Rods in Center are for Isolating Barrier Wall Now Under Construction.
Ash St. Station - New Metal Clad Switchgear Compartments.
-
r
Reading Center in 1931 after Installation of Ornamental Concrete Standards and Incandescent Luminaires.
REAL ESTATE
READI
Firestone
Reading Center in 1962 after Installation of Aluminum Standards and Mercury Vapor Luminaires.
Ash St. Station - Service Trucks in Uniform Finish, on New Parking Area after Chimney Removal and Erection of Steel Antenna Structure.
GENERAL STATISTICS of READING LIGHT DEPARTMENT
A TEN-YEAR COMPARISON
1962
1952
SYSTEM OUTPUT
Energy Purchased Kilowatt Hours
122,505,292
33,191,137
Cost per Kilowatt hour purchased System Peak Kilowatt Load
1.357
1.595
30,528
10,900
KILOWATT HOURS SOLD
Residence Industrial and Commercial Other
53,774,558
21,065,914
57,831,326
7,537,222
2,196,696
1,049,932
Total
113,802,580
29,653,068
NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS
Residence
13,317
9,162
Industrial and Commercial Other
66
41
Total
14,337
9,914
OPERATING REVENUE
Residence
1,541,512.78
726,504.96
Industrial and Commercial
1,194,673.19
180,730.82
Other
80,063.07
39,820.35
Total
2,816,249.04
947,056.13
AVERAGE REVENUE PER KWH
Residence
2.8666
3.4487
Industrial and Commercial
2.0658
2.3978
Other
3.6447
3.7927
Average Revenue All KWH
2.4747
3.1938
954
711
MUNICIPAL LIGHT BOARD
PHILIP O. AHLIN, Jr., Chairman Term expires 1963 WINFRED F. SPURR, Secretary Term expires 1964 EUGENE GRAF Term expires 1965
HECTOR L. GIANASCOL, Manager 25 Haven Street Reading, Mass.
MANAGER'S REPORT
To the Municipal Light Board
Gentlemen:
The Municipal Light Department's sixty-eighth year was one of unusual activity and growth. Foremost was a record increase in the system's annual peak load, exceeding the previous record load addition of 1958 by twenty-five percent. Further improvement of last year's di- versity between residential, commercial, and industrial customers, and an unparalleled mid-year spurt in sales volume resulted in operating savings that were distributed to all customers in our system, first through a general rate reduction effective last April, and again in the final billing period of the year by a special discount.
Comments on selected noteworthy items are presented below fol- lowed by financial summaries and statements. Pictures appear on other pages showing major additions, improvements to substations in Lynn- field Center, Wilmington, and Reading and two comparative views of Reading Square including the Common - one with new street lights installed before the year end, and the other a photograph taken in 1931 when the original lights were installed.
PEAK LOAD: 30,528 Kilowatts - Up 23.3 Percent
System demand rose 5760 kilowatts above the 1961 load to top the previous record of 1958 when system peak increased 4585 kilowatts over the peak of the preceding year.
PURCHASED POWER: 122,505,292 Kilowatt hours - Up 13.1 Percent
Percentage-wise this increase over 1961 was close to twice that re- ported for the New England geographical division. Average cost per unit purchased decreased from 1.42 to 1.357 cents per kilowatt hour - the lowest since 1946.
KILOWATT HOUR SALES: 113,963,194 - Up 12.4 Percent
Energy sales advanced 12.6 million kilowatt hours over a year earlier Three quarters of this increase was to industrial and commer- cial customers whose use of electricity exceeded 50 percent of total energy sales for the first time.
OPERATING REVENUES: $2,816,249.04 - Up 5.1 Percent
Revenues were reduced about $55,200 by a rate reduction effective last April, and reduced by $66,052.93 by the year-end special discount. These savings by customers together with benefits of increased use in
170
lower price brackets, were reflected in a six percent decrease in average price for each kilowatt hour used in 1962 to set an all time record low as it dropped from 2.65 to 2.46 cents.
TOTAL EXPENSE: $2,484,756.69 - Up 8.6 Percent
This is the second smallest increase percentage-wise during the present decade and is well below an average of 11.7 percent. Expenses were 88.2 percent of revenues realized after reductions totalling $121,253 below an amount sales would have yielded before consideration of the rate decrease and special year-end discount. On the basis of rates pre- vailing before the rate reduction and special year-end discount, ex- penses would have been 84.6 percent of operating revenues - de- creasing from the 85.5 percent recorded in 1961.
PAYMENT TO TOWN TREASURY: $158,125.57 - Up 9 percent
Total payment since the first cash transfer in 1934 amounts to $1,777,213.18. Another benefit derived from the Light Department is a savings of approximately $51,335 to the Town on its cost of street lighting with reference to typical charges prevailing in most munici- palities.
ADDITIONS TO PLANT AND GENERAL EQUIPMENT: $534,435.44 - Up 12.6 Percent
Last year's additions derived entirely from internally generated funds were second only to that of 1956 when the cost of plant was increased by $583,717.55 expenditures for which were met mainly with a $600,000 bond issue.
More than half of funds expended for additions to plant in 1962 were for increasing substation capability by installation of four 7500 KVA regulating power transformers at three substations. Substantial amounts were spent for extension of new distribution facilities to 383 new customers with capacity requirements ranging from typical resi- dential needs, up to a major 4160 volt feeder extension, and replacement of existing special 4160 volt industrial feeders with 13,800 volt circuits.
CONSTRUCTION HIGHLIGHTS:
In March, a second 7500 KVA tap changing transformer and unitized switch-gear facilities for three distribution feeders co-ordinated for automatic operation went into service at the Lynnfield Center sub- station with an identical substation facility previously installed.
At the Wilmington Substation on Wildwood Street, a 7500 KVA regulating power transformer was installed in October replacing a 3000 KVA unit that had been in service since 1951 when this station was first constructed.
Most noteworthy of the years accomplishments was rehabilitation of substation facilities constructed during the depression era in the middle thirties and much of what Boston Edison Company installed in 1926. In this undertaking, two 7500 KVA transformers, two transformer secondary oil circuit breakers, feeder oil circuit breakers, oil feeder regulators, current limiting reactors located in the basement, instru- ment and control slate switchboard panels, an open bus with transfer blade switches on pipe frame mountings were eliminated. These were
171
replaced by two 7500-8400 KVA automatic regulating power trans- formers, fifteen unitized metal clad compartments enclosing feeder and transformer secondary air circuit breakers with ample reserve short circuit interrupting ability and insulated bus, with integral control and instrument panels. With the new arrangement, voltage regulation is available for five feeders linked with a third power transformer in- stalled in 1951 whenever the latter requires maintenance.
The new switchgear has eliminated various hazards associated with exposed bare conductors and indoor electrical apparatus con- taining oil.
Other phases of this project included bricking up of windows ad- jacent to newly located power transformers as fire barriers and to conserve heat. Substantial heat formerly obtained from recently dis- carded feeder and street lighting regulators and from a lengthy flue pipe was made up by installation of three steam heating units.
Telemetering equipment was installed for indicating abnormal conditions in Lynnfield Center, North Reading and Wilmington sub- stations by visual and audible alarms at the attended Ash Street Station. Another telemetering arrangement was installed to transmit totalized system power demand from Boston Edison's Dragon Court Station to the Ash Street Station.
A 100 foot steel antenna structure purchased several years ago was erected near the rear of the Ash Street Station replacing a 50 foot line pole to improve radio communication with outlying areas and at dead spots.
The premises at Ash Street were surveyed and graded for chain link fence, a new parking area, and a new drainage system.
A railroad trestle extension from abutting property, used last in 1929 for hauling coal to the Department's generating plant and con- demned several years ago, was demolished and cleared from the course of the new fence. This fence enclosure was needed to safeguard power apparatus and materials in storage areas and to prevent access by unauthorized persons.
Prior to grading the parking area, an eight duct bank was con- structed from the front of the Power Station to the Ash Street property line for future re-routing of distribution feeders supplying southern areas of the Town. On its completion a new drainage system was constructed to eliminate basement flooding during heavy deluges such as the "Edna" downpour, when pumping by the Fire Department and sandbagging by the Department of Public Works crews assisted to avert a shutdown of many circuits supplying Reading. The new drainage system proved its adequacy when the area experienced a ten inch rainfall early in October.
Nearly 2000 square yards of bituminous concrete was layed in surfacing the new 36 car parking area and driveway in front of the Power Station. Other areas were loamed, seeded and landscaped with hemlock and yew shrubs.
Demolition of the one hundred and fifteen foot chimney built in 1895 to serve the Town's generating plant which last operated in De- cember 1929 was completed late last fall. Since 1929 power producing facilities were retained on a standby status under a power purchasing
172
agreement until 1947 after which this landmark was used only for the heating furnace by means of a flue pipe that spanned the width of the building. An inspection of the chimney in 1960 disclosed need of ex- pensive repairs nearly amounting to the cost of its removal.
Rear portions of the Haven Street building were altered to provide sufficient space for modern toilets, restroom facilities and the office machineroom following relocation of the meter test laboratory to the Ash Street service center. In its new expanded quarters all meter de- partment operations and supplies are in one location.
Modern efficient mercury luminaires made their appearance throughout the Town's central business area in November when work was started on replacement of 87 concrete standards that supported obsolete luminaires using 10,000 lumen incandescent lamps, originally installed in 1931.
With the new 400 watt color corrected units emitting 24,000 lumens of controlled light, mounted at a higher level on maintenance free aluminum supports, better than three times the amount of illumination is directed to travelled areas while using 18 percent less electricity.
Advantages of the new lighting system are expressed in the follow- ing comments quoted from a surprise letter sent to the Department by Mr. C. A. B. Halvorson, a nationally eminent street lighting consultant and a Fellow of the Illumination Engineering Society, who collaborated with Mr. Arthur G. Sias in 1930 on the lighting equipment recently replaced, "Reading for many years has enjoyed the distinction of a unique ornamental system of downtown lighting but the demands of modern safety and a new look seems to have been met with bright new aluminum standards and high mounted mercury luminaires giving several times the measured light on the pavement. The installation of this new type of street lighting has changed the appearance of down- town Reading to metropolitan in character ... "
By refinishing six service trucks, eleven of the Department's four- teen service vehicles now appear in a recently adopted distinctive tone of orange.
The three remaining service vehicles will be similarly colored in a few months. Use of this contrasting color facilitates recognition of our work forces and improves visibility at night.
A new underground duct bank has been constructed directly from the rear of the Ash Street Station to the rear of the Goodall-Sanford Mill property via conduits driven under the B & M Railroad main track bed. Express 4160 volt underground conduits now serving this industrial plant via Ash Street and Barrett Street will be eliminated as new 13,800 volt lines are placed in service in 1963 upon the completion of their extensive expansion program. The new route is one fifth of the old way and its use removes the heating effect of two cables from the most congested portion of the main duct bank on Ash Street.
At this time, gratitude is conveyed for the loyal efforts of our personnel in fulfillment of objectives throughout one of the Depart- ment's most active years. Acknowledgment and appreciation is ac- corded to members of the Municipal Light Board for the considerable time, concern, and guidance they contributed to the Department's in-
173
creasingly complex activities, and to the co-operation of Boards and officials of the Town Departments in Reading, Lynnfield, North Read- ing, and Wilmington.
In accordance with the provisions of Section 57, Chapter 164 of the General Laws, I submit herewith my estimate of income and expense of the plant for the year ending December 31, 1963.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.