USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1956-1962 > Part 7
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 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72
During the past year we have worked closely with the Selectmen and the various department heads in attempting to carry out our responsibil- ities as outlined above. It can be safely said that the Finance Committee is not completely satisfied with all the aspects of Town administration. However, we do believe that good government is the responsibility of the Town officers and department heads and we hope that by continuing our present policy of discussing problems regularly with the various Town officials we can together work out solutions and perhaps avoid some of the pitfalls of the past.
We feel very strongly that it is not the duty of the Finance Commit- tee to fight appropriation requests on the floor at Town Meetings. In line with this thought, we have met with each of the Town departments in the past two months in an attempt to iron out our differences before Town Meeting. As a result, agreement on requested appropriations was reached in most instances before final budget figures were submitted to the Town Accountant. For this reason, amounts recommended by the Finance Com- mittee coincide with the amounts requested in nearly all cases. (See Schedule C-Finance Committee Recommendations).
Here are the highlights of this year's budget:
1. There are salary raises recommended for several appointed and/or elected officials. We are in favor of these increases which are due to an increased work load or increased responsibilities. We have at- tempted to keep the increases in line with one another and have suc- ceeded in convincing certain department heads that their original re- quests should be reduced.
2. There is a large salary increase recommended for the Town Counsel. We believe this increase is justified for the following reasons:
a) We now have a resident of Westford in the position.
b) This work load has increased greatly.
113
c) Comparison with other towns shows Westford to be very laggard in this respect.
3. Highway and public welfare budget requests are about in line with last year's as are most of the other departments except schools.
4. The school budget shows an increase of 29% over last year, most of which is due to increases in teachers' salaries. Also there is an amount in excess of $18,000 included for the anticipated expense of reopening the old Academy building for elementary pupils. We realize that it may be necessary to open the Academy for this purpose and until a new school can be built it seems the only reasonable solution to a very difficult problem.
Our teachers' salary schedule is now competitive with those of sur- rounding towns, and the Finance Committee believes that we can now hope to employ and hold excellent teachers.
5. The Civilian Defense Director requests funds to continue in operation the teletypewriter in the police office. Since this office is not open full-time and since a teletype is dependent for its usefulness on constant supervision, we cannot recommend the appropriation of funds to retain the machine.
Except for Article 48, we have no particular comment on the re- maining articles in the Warrant. Those which request appropriations are covered in Schedule C below. With regard to Article 48, which calls for setting up a Stabilization Fund for a Town Garage, we agree in principle that such a fund is desirable but it should be set up for the purpose of erecting any needed public building. We also feel that such a fund should be started from surplus funds. Since our surplus revenue account is practically depleted at this time, we cannot recommend using tax money to start the Stabilization Fund this year.
In conclusion, the Finance Committee wishes to commend the Select- men, the School Committee and the various other Departments and Com- mittees for their promptness in submitting budgets and their willingness to meet with us and modify their requests.
Schedules attached are as follows:
Schedule A-Estimated Tax Rate for 1957
Schedule B-Transfers from Reserve Fund during 1956
Schedule C-Finance Committee Recommendations.
Respectfully submitted,
FINANCE COMMITTEE LAWRENCE S. JOHNSTON, Chairman LESLIE N. ATHORN JOHN L. BARRETTO ALBERT G. FORTY
ARTHUR L. HEALY
EDWARD F. HARRINGTON
114
SCHEDULE A ESTIMATED TAX RATE FOR 1957
Total Expenditures Recommended
$670,029.00
State, County and Other Charges
21,617.00
Debt and Interest Charges
73,466.00
$765,112.00
Less-Estimated Receipts for 1957
$255,646.00
Transfers from Surplus Accounts
for Debt and Interest Charges 73,466.00
329,112.00
Net Amount to be Raised by Taxation
$436,000.00
Estimated Tax Rate based on $5,450,000 assessed valuation
$80.00
SCHEDULE B TRANSFERS FROM RESERVE FUND DURING 1956
Insurance-Fire and Compensation
$ 691.00
Forest Fire Department
413.03
Interest on Revenue Loans
537.50
Police Department
164.28
Assessors
288.00
Registration and Election
150.43
Town Roads Account
750.17
Land Damage
180.00
Street Lights
104.82
Hydrants
50.00
Fire Department
621.48
Special Fire Department Appropriation
for Miscellaneous Equipment
20.54
$ 3,971.25
Unexpended Balance
1,028.75
Fund appropriated at Annual Meeting $ 5,000.00
115
SCHEDULE C-FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
GENERAL GOVERNMENT-4.10%
Article No.
Department
1956 Expenses
1957 Request
1957 Recom- mendations
3- 1
Selectmen
$ 2,549.00
$ 3,030.00
$ 3,030.00
3- 1
Town Accountant
1,412.00
1,748.00
1,748.00
3- 1
Town Treasurer
3,197.00
3,572.00
3,572.00
3- 1
Tax Collector
3,121.00
3,500.00
3,500.00
3- :
Assessors
4,260.00
4,474.00
4,474.00
3- :
Town Clerk
1,112.00
1,390.00
1,390.00
3- :
Registration and Election
3,356.00
1,674.00
1,674.00
3- 1 1
License Expense
113.00
150.00
150.00
3- :
Town Counsel
400.00
1,000.00
1,000.00
3- 1
Tax Title Expense
1,744.00
1,500.00
1,500.00
3- 1
Finance Committee
160.00
200.00
200.00
5
Planning Board
59.00
50.00
50.00
31
4-H Club
75.00
75.00
75.00
21
Town Possession Committee
84.00
200.00
200.00
3- 1
New Checkwriter
524.00
524.00
3- 2
Town Hall
3,814.00
4,011.00
4,011.00
3- 2
New Floor Waxer-Town Hall
400.00
400.00
TOTAL-GENERAL GOVERNMENT
$ 25,456.00
$ 27,498.00
$ 27,498.00
PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY-7.47%
3- 3 Police Department
$ 16,264.00
$ 16,895.00
$ 16,895.00
41 Dog Officer
248.00 11,978.00 500.00
300.00 12,150.00
300.00 12,150.00
3- 4
Fire Department
3- 4
Switchboard Operator
700.00
700.00
11 Move Nabnasset Siren
300.00
300.00
14
Rent for Fire Truck-Nabnasset
600.00
600.00
600.00
13
New Fire Hose
2,363.00
1,700.00
1,700.00
15
New Truck Tires-Fire Department
400.00
400.00
12
Smoke Ejectors, Gloves, etc.
1,521.00
750.00
750.00
16
Base Radio Station
1,150.00
1,150.00
3- 6
Hydrant Service
5,850.00
5,850.00
5,850.00
3- 8
Forest Fire Department
2,228.00
2,400.00
2,400.00
3- 8
New Forestry Hose
495.00
900.00
900.00
17
New Pump-Forest Fire Department
350.00
350.00
3- 7
Sealer of Weights and Measures
125.00
125.00
125.00
3-10
Tree Department
1,722.00
3,000.00
3,000.00
3-11
Moth Department
1,569.00
2,500.00
2,500.00
TOTAL-PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY
$ 45,463.00
$ 50,070.00
$ 50,070.00
HEALTH DEPARTMENT-1.40%
3-12
Health Department
$ 5,769.00
$ 4,400.00
$ 4,400.00
3-13
Cattle Inspector
200.00
200.00
200.00
50
Nashoba Boards of Health
4,030.00
4,603.00
4,603.00
TOTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT
$ 9,999.00
$ 9,203.00
$ 9,203.00
---
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT-10.04%
Article No.
Department
1956 Expenses $ 8,455.00
1957 Request
1957 Recom- mendations
3-26
Street Lights
$ 8,454.00
$ 8,454.00 54.00
3-14
Snow and Ice Removal
36,000.00
15,000.00
15,000.00
3-14
Town Roads Account
25,514.00
15,000.00
15,000.00
3-14
Drainage of Town Roads
5,000.00
5,000.00
7
Chapter 81 Roads
10,250,00
10,250.00
10,250.00
8
Chapter 90 Maintenance
1,500.00
1,500.00
1,500.00
9
Highway Equipment Account
2,818.00
3,259.00
3,259.00
10
Chapter 90 Construction
7,000.00
7,000.00
7,000.00
23
Sidewalk Repairs
270.00
500.00
500.00
19
Paint Traffic Lines
590.00
600.00
600.00
18
Traffic and Road Signs
460.00
750.00
750.00
TOTAL-HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
$ 92,857.00
$ 67,380.00
$ 67,367.00
WELFARE DEPARTMENT-10.74%
3-15
$ 19,713.00
$ 20,000.00
$ 20,000.00
3-15
Temporary Aid and Infirmary Old Age Assistance, Aid to Dependent Children Disability Allowance
52,200.00
52,000.00
52,000.00
TOTAL-WELFARE DEPARTMENT
$ 71,913.00
$ 72,000.00
$ 72,000.00
--
54-58
New Street Lights
67.00
--
VETERANS' BENEFITS-0.73% 3-16 Veterans' Benefits
$ 3,631.00
$ 4,900.00
$ 4,900.00
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT-54.20%
3-17 School Department
$271,283.00
$352,853.00
$352,853.00
3-18 Vocational Tuition
6,696.00
8,560.00
8,560.00
6
School Athletics
1,500.00
1,725.00
1,725.00
TOTAL-SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
$279,479.00
$363,138.00
$363,138.00
TOWN LIBRARY -. 69% 3-19 J. V. Fletcher Library Expense (net)
$ 4,700.00
$ 4,600.00
$ 4,600.00
CEMETERIES -. 72% 3-25
Cemeteries
$ 5,006.00
$ 4,830.00
$ 4,830.00
WATER DEPARTMENT-5.28%
Article No. 3-5
Department Water Department-General Budget Principal and Interest on Loan -- ----
1956 Expenses $ 26,365.00
1957 Request $ 30,840.00 4,587.00
Recom- mendations $ 30,840.00 4,587.00
TOTAL-WATER DEPARTMENT
$ 26,365.00
$ 35,427.00
$ 35,427.00
RECREATIONAL AND UNCLASSIFIED-4.63%
1956 Expenses
1957 Request
1957 Recom- mendations
Article No.
Department
20
Whitney Playground
$ 995.00
$ 1,700.00
$ 1,700.00
3-20
Town Common
634.00
1,000.00
1,000.00
3-23
Insurance-Compensation and Fire
7,909.00
6,804.00
6,804.00
25
County Retirement System
3,308.00
4,441.00
4,441.00
39
Recreation Commission
200.00
200.00
43
School Investigating Committee
200.00
200.00
3-21
Memorial Day
398.00
400.00
400.00
3-22
Publish Town Reports
1,537.00
1,550.00
1,550.00
42
Veterans' Quarters
900.00
900.00
900.00
22
Band Concerts
700.00
700.00
700.00
3-28
Unpaid Bills of Previous Years
772.00
1,337.00
1,337.00
34
Land Damages
180.00
5,789.00
5,789.00
40
Development and Industrial Commission
29.00
200.00
200.00
48
Stabilization Fund for New Garage
3,000.00
3-9
Town Forest
150.00
150.00
3-24
Interest on Revenue Loans
563.00
25.00
25.00
3-27
Finance Committee Reserve Fund
*
5,000.00
5,000.00
51
Civilian Defense
2,118.00
1,050.00
600.00
TOTAL-RECREATIONAL AND UNCLASSIFIED
$ 20,043.00
$ 34,446.00
$ 30,996.00
*As expenditures are made against the Reserve Fund, they are charged to the Expense Account incurred. See Schedule B.
GRAND TOTAL-ALL DEPARTMENTS
$584,912.00
$673,492.00
$670.029.00
FINANCING
49 Interest and Principal-School Loan
$ 57,280.00
$ 56,320.00
$ 56,320.00
Interest and Principal-Water Department Bonds
$ 3,653.00
$ 17,146.00
$ 17,146.00
TOWN OF WESTFORD WARRANT
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Middlesex, ss.
To the Constable of the Town of Westford, in said County,
GREETINGS:
You are hereby required, in the name of the Commonwealth, afore- said, to notify and warn all the inhabitants of said Town qualified to vote in elections, and also in Town affairs, to meet at their several polling places, viz .:
PRECINCT 1. Town Hall, Westford Center
PRECINCT 2. Legion Hall, Graniteville
PRECINCT 3. Nabnasset School, Brookside
PRECINCT 4. Abbot Hall, Forge Village
MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1957
being the first Monday in said month, at 12:00 o'clock noon for the fol- lowing purposes:
To bring in their votes for the following officers:
FOR FIVE YEARS
One Member of the Planning Board.
FOR THREE YEARS
One Selectman
One Member of the Board of Public Welfare
One Assessor
Two Members of the School Committee
One Trustee of the J. V. Fletcher Library
One Member of the Board of Cemetery Commissioners
One Member of the Board of Public Health
One Member of the Board of Water Commissioners
One Moderator
One Town Clerk
123
FOR ONE YEAR
One Tree Warden
One Trustee of the J. V. Fletcher Library (to fill vacancy) All on one ballot.
The polls will be open from 12:00 o'clock noon to 8:00 P.M., and to meet in the Westford Academy at Westford Center on the following
SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 1957
at 1:00 o'clock in the afternoon, then and there to act upon the following Articles, viz:
ARTICLE 1. To hear the reports of Town Officers and Commit- tees; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 2. To determine the salary and compensation of elected officers and officials as provided by law.
ARTICLE 3. To appropriate money to meet the costs and expenses of the following departments, officers and purposes:
1. General Government
2. Town Hall
3. Police Department
4. Fire Department
5. Water Department
6. Hydrants
7. Sealer of Weights and Measures
8. Forest Fires
9. Town Forest
10. Tree Warden
11. Moth Department
12. Health Department
13. Cattle Inspector
14. Highway Purposes
15. Department of Public Welfare
16. Soldiers' Benefits
17. School Department
18. Vocational tuition
19. Public Library
20. Care of Common
21. Commemoration of Memorial Day
22. Publishing of Town Reports
23. Fire and other insurance
24. Interest on Revenue Loans
124
25. Cemeteries
26. Street Lights
27. Finance Committee Reserve Fund
28. Unpaid bills of previous years.
ARTICLE 4. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the current financial year and to issue a note or notes therefor payable within one year, and to renew any note or notes as may be given for a period of less than one year, in accordance with Section 17 of Chapter 44 of the General Laws; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 5. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Fifty ($50.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Planning Board; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 6. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Seventeen Hundred Twenty-Five ($1,725.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the athletic program in the Westford Schools; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 7. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from unappropriated available funds in the Treasury, a sum of money for Chapter 81 Highways; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 8. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, or transfer from unappropriated available funds in the Treasury, a sum of money for Chapter 90 Highway Maintenance; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 9. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Thirty-One Hundred Eight and 75/100 ($3108.75) Dollars, or some other sum, to the Highway Machinery Fund, and to transfer the sum of Thirty-Eight Hundred Nine- ty-One and 25/100 ($3891.25) Dollars, or some other sum, from said Machinery Fund to the Highway Equipment Account; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 10. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Seven Thousand ($7,000.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of continuing the recon- struction of Graniteville and Groton Roads, contingent upon the State and County contributing towards the cost of said reconstruction; or act in relation thereto.
125
ARTICLE 11. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, the sum of Three Hundred ($300.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of moving the siren in Nabnasset, said sum to be expended under the supervision of the Board of Fire Engineers; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 12. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Seven Hundred Fifty ($750.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of purchasing lights, generator, cord, helmets, hand- lights, nozzles, hooks, stretchers, gloves, blanket, chimney brushes, as- bestos gloves and other equipment, all for use by the Fire Department, said purchases to be made under the supervision of the Board of Fire Engineers; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 13. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Seventeen Hundred ($1700.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of purchasing new fire hose for the Fire Department; said purchase to be made under the supervision of the Board of Fire Engineers; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 14. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Fire Engineers to renew the lease of quarters at Nabnasset in which one of the fire trucks is stationed, and raise and appropriate the sum of Six Hundred ($600.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for rent of said quarters; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 15. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Four Hundred ($400.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of purchasing new tires for the use of the Fire Department, said purchase to be made under the supervision of the Board of Fire Engineers; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 16. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Eleven Hundred Fifty ($1150.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of purchasing a radio base set to be used by the Fire Department, to be installed at the Fire Cottage in Westford Center, and to be purchased under the supervision of the Board of Fire Engineers; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 17. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Three Hundred Fifty ($350.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purchase of a portable pump for the Forest Fire Department, said purchase to be made under the supervision of the Forest Fire Warden; or act in relation thereto.
126
ARTICLE 18. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Seven Hundred Fifty ($750.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of purchasing new road signs, traffic lights, and-or signs to be used for the protection of children, said sum to be expended under the supervision of the Board of Selectmen; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 19. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Six Hundred ($600.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of painting traffic lines and signals on the public ways of the Town, said sum to be expended under the supervision of the Board of Selectmen; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 20. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of One Thousand ($1,000.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the care of the Whitney Playground, and in addition, to raise and appro- priate a certain sum of money for the purchase of a new lawn mower, said purchase to be made under the supervision of the Committee in charge of Whitney Playground; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 21. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Two Hundred ($200.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Tax Possession Sale Commit- tee; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 22. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Seven Hundred ($700.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for Band Concerts during the current year; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 23. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of constructing new public sidewalks and for the purpose of re- pairing and maintaining existing public sidewalks, and said sum to be expended under the supervision of the Board of Selectmen; or act in re- lation thereto.
ARTICLE 24. To see if the Town will vote to accept from Hub- bard and Company a gift of a parcel of land containing approximately three and one-half acres situated in Forge Village southwesterly of but not adjoining Pleasant Street; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 25. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Forty-Four Hundred Forty and 85/100 ($4440.85) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of paying to the Treasurer of Middlesex
127
County Retirement System the amounts allocated to the Town of West- ford by the County Commissioners in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 32 of the General Laws, as amended; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 26. To see if the Town will vote to accept a gift made to it during the year 1956 by the Isabel F. Hyams Fund, Inc., formerly known as the Solomon Hyams Fund, Inc .; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 27. To see if the Town will vote to accept as and for a town way Connell Drive, so called, as laid out by the Selectmen as shown by their report and plan duly filed at the Office of the Town Clerk, said way to be known as Connell Drive; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 28. To see if the Town will vote to accept as and for a town way Hawthorne Avenue, so called, running southwesterly from Oak Hill Road to a private way known as Williams Avenue, as laid out by the Selectmen as shown by their report and plan duly filed at the of- fice of the Town Clerk, said way to be known as Hawthorne Avenue; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 29. To see if the Town will vote to accept as and for a town way Laurel Avenue, so called, running northwesterly from Plain Road to a private way known as Hawthorne Avenue, as laid out by the Selectmen as shown by their report and plan duly filed at the office of the Town Clerk, said way to be known as Laurel Avenue; or act in re- lation thereto.
ARTICLE 30. In the event of affirmative action under both Ar- ticles 28 and 29, to see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a certain sum of money for the purpose of procuring an expert opinion, cost-estimate and/or survey and all other necessary data, specifications and information in connection with the improvement and drainage of Hawthorne Avenue and Laurel Avenue, said project to be under the supervision of the Board of Selectmen; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 31. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Seventy-Five ($75.00) Dollars to promote the work of the Westford 4-H Clubs, this amount to be expended with the approval of the Town Director; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 32. To see if the Town will vote to adopt the following amendments to the Town By-Laws (new language indicated in italics) :
(1) Section 3 of ARTICLE I shall be amended to read as follows: "Notice of every Town Meeting shall be given by posting an at-
128
tested copy of the Warrant at the Town Hall and each Post Office in Westford at least seven (7) days before such Meeting. In addition to the above requirements notice of every Special Town Meet- ing shall be given by publishing the time and place of such Meeting and a summary of the business to come before such Meeting in a newspaper of general circulation at least (7) days before such Special Meeting."
(2) Section 4 of ARTICLE I shall be amended by adding the fol- lowing at the end of such Section:
"A quorum of two percent (2%) of the registered voters shall be required for the transaction of business at any Special Town Meeting; provided that a number less than a quorum may from time to time adjourn any such Meeting."
(3) Section 5 of ARTICLE I shall be amended to read as follows: "The proceedings of Town Meetings shall be governed by the rules of practice contained in Roberts' Rules of Order (1956 Ed.) except as modified by law or by the By-Laws, and except as the Moderator determines is not appropriate for a Town Meeting."
(4) Section 6 (first sentence) of ARTICLE I shall be amended to read as follows:
"At any Town Meeting held for the transaction of Town busi- ness, no person whose name is not on the list of voters shall be permitted to address the Meeting or shall be admitted to the floor of the Hall except those who may be invited by a two-thirds vote of the Meeting assembled."
(5) Section 7 (first sentence) of ARTICLE I shall be amended to read as follows:
"Committees and vacancies on such Committees shall be appointed by the Moderator unless otherwise especially directed by the Meeting, and all Committees so appointed shall be directed to report within a definite time."
(6) Section 8 of ARTICLE I shall be amended to read as follows: "All motions concerned with the appropriation of money shall be pre- sented by the Finance Committee. No motion shall be subject to more than two amendments. A motion and amendments to a motion shall be voted upon in inverse order ; provided, that in any case in which two or more amounts of money have been presented for appropriation by mo- tion and amendments thereto, the largest amount shall be voted upon first. All motions and amendments to motions shall be presented in writing, if the Moderator so requests."
129
(7) A new section 9 shall be added to ARTICLE I and shall read as follows:
"Upon any Motion or amendment to a Motion, the Moderator, at the request of any ten voters attending the Meeting, shall direct that the vote be by secret written ballot. Such ballots may be collected by hand by tellers and ballot boxes need not be used."
(8) A new section 10 shall be added to ARTICLE I and shall read as follows:
"The Selectmen shall not be required to accept any article for inclusion in the warrant for the Annual Meeting unless received by them on or before the second Tuesday after the first Monday of January."
(9) Section 1 (first sentence) of ARTICLE II shall be amended to read as follows:
"There shall be a Finance Committee of nine (9) voters of the Town, no one of whom shall hold an elective or appointive Town office having to do with the expenditure of Town money."
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.