USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wilmington > Town of Wilmington Annual Report 1956-1957 > Part 17
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Warden Service: A complete re-organization of this service was necessary in view of recent vents noted in the first paragraph of this report. We have had new block maps of the Town made up, long with a new type registration card and have already started recruiting and training of Block and Street Vardens. To give you some idea as to the magnitude of this operation, it will require some 105 Block Vardens, and 700 to 800 Street Wardens.
Communications: It is one of our most important services, in fact it is the nerve center of our ntire operations, for through this service we are able to coordinate the activities of all units of Civil Defense in an emergency. At this time we should like to express our thanks for the splendid job done by his group during the Fire Emergency of last spring, also for the work done patrolling the streets, hydrants ind the alarm boxes on Halloween. This service should have three more 2 meter trans -receivers, and one on the fire and police frequency to complete its network.
Radiological Service: The Radiological Unit is well organized and trained in its duties, which
re too technical to mention here. It is gratifying to know that this unit is one of the best Radiological Units n the State.
Transportation:
This unit has the responsibility of keeping an inventory of all vehicles and engineering equipment listed in the Town, and to be able to dispatch trucks and equipment at a moment's otice.
Wilmington, Mass-
CIVIL DEFENSE SEARCH and RESCUE TEAM Harold Hubby and Willis LeFavour are two members of the Wilmington Civil Defense "Frogmen" Unit
41
POENG MON
Members of Civil Defense Fire Auxil. r shown with auxiliary fire truck house a J. W. Greer Company
CIVIL DEFENSE DIVISION HEADS
--
Y
Auxiliary Ambulance Corps members auxiliary ambulance now being readied 24 hour emergency standby service
42
sealer of weights & measures
Sealed
Adjusted
Condemned
Platform Scales over 10,000 lbs.
2
2
0
Platform Scales over 5,000 lbs.
1
1
0
Platform Scales 100 to 500 lbs.
9
9
0
Platform Scales under 100 lbs. counter
5
3
0
Spring Scales 100 lbs. or over
5
3
0
Spring Scales under 100 lbs.
19
19
0
Beam Scales 100 lbs. or over
2
2
0
Beam Scales under 100 lbs.
2
2
0
Computing Scales under 100 lbs.
18
17
0
Personal Weighing Scales
3
1
0
Avoidupois Scales
14
7
0
Vehicle Tanks
7
7
0
Apothecary
2
0
0
Liquid Measure
12
12
0
Meters, 1 inch inlet
33
22
0
Meters, over 1 inch inlet
7
6
0
Grease Measuring Pumps
7
7
0
Oil Measuring Pumps
5
5
0
Quantity Measuring Pumps
1
1
0
Sealing Fees collected and turned over to the Town Treasurer:
$94. 25
The following are weights of Commodities for immediate delivery:
Tested
Corrected
Under
Over
Beans
47
47
0
0
Bread
42
42
0
0
Butter
31
40
0
0
Coal, Paper Bags of
21
21
0
1
Coal in Transit
4
4
0
0
Confectionery
32
30
0
2
Fruit and Vegetables
50
50
0
3
Lard
8
8
0
0
Potatoes
47
47
0
0
Number of Licenses Inspected:
Hawkers and Peddlers Seals
11
Junk Dealers
2
Clinical Thermometers
6
Expenses of Department are as follows:
$325. 00
Appropriation Total Expenses
323. 80
Unexpended Balance
1,20
Wilmington, Mass.
43
building inspector
BUILDING INSPECTOR Ernest B. Rice
Looking over the reports for the past three years, it is interesting to note the steady increase of unit valuation on new dwellings. It shows a healthy growth for larger and better construction. It also brings to mind the fact that the larger lot sizes, as required by the Zoning Law, seem to have had very little affect on new building. The year 1955 is considered the peak year for construction. We are now starting 1958 which from all available statistics should prove to be even greater.
Following is a Building Report for the years 1956 and 1957 which will show by comparison the steady growth of building in the Town of Wilmington. As you read this report, there are two figures of valuation. One is the valuation stated by the applicant at time of application; the other is the building inspector's estimated value as figured from the plans submitted with the application.
1956
1957
Permits Issued
No.
Applicant's Est. Value
Bldg. Insp. Est. Value
No.
Applicant's Est. Value
Bldg. Insp. Est. Value
Dwellings
148
1,710,000
1,920,000
1 34
1,687,500
2,135,275
Additions
57
48,150
56,482
55
56,700
65,720
Alterations
5
4,100
4,975
Garages
20
10,750
16,000
32
28,590
32,875
Warehouses
2
22,500
30,000
Commercial Bldgs.
8
159,000
174,850
9
123,846
141,450
Tool Sheds
8
400
850
Greenhouses
2
7,000
10,000
Stable
1
500
800
Henhouse
1
4,500
5,400
Signs
3
650
1,000
Parking Lot
1
200
500
Church
1
127,000
142,000
Ind. Research Bldgs.
4
6,000,000
8,990,615
Store Building
1
13,000
30,000
Buildings Demolished
7
TOTAL
1,967,800
2,220,857
8,036,636
11,537,935
Average Unit Valuation
11,550
12,900
12,900
15,930
44
Wilmington, Mass.
The Building Inspector has issued the following permits for the year 1957:
Permits Issued
No.
Fees Collected
Inspector Received
Building
245
$ 979.00
Electric
450
1,591.50
$1,007. 50
Plumbing
141
1,189.00
533.00
TOTAL
836
$3, 759. 50
$1,540. 50
Estimated value for construction completed, or partially completed, is approximately $3, 082, 310 which, if assessed at the present rate of 50%, would establish an estimated $1, 541, 000 in taxable property for 1958.
veterans' agent
Veterans' Benefits:
During 1957, this department processed seventy-one (71) applications for monetary aid as follows:
Chapter 115 of the General Laws as amended:
12 applications were referred to other cities or towns 6 applications were rejected 53 applications were approved for aid totaling over $17, 000
This represented a slight decrease in the number of cases handled but showed about the same expenditure as in 1956. This year again saw an increase in the daily allowance paid to hospitals under the State program. Fuel allowances were increased to more realistically approach the level needed to keep the more permanent cases from incurring bills which they could never hope to pay.
Of a total of $17, 000 spent, more than $3, 000 was paid directly to hospitals, over $12, 600 was paid to veterans or their dependents who were unable to work because of illness or age limitations. In contrast, less than $1, 400 was spent on employable veterans who were temporarily out of work.
A breakdown by war service shows the following:
World War I World War II 9,887.00
$4,200. 00
Korean
3,100.00
Through the cooperation of the Welfare Agent, Mr. A. Ring, and also the people of the Wilming- ton Community Fund, this department was able to care for a number of cases who might have otherwise gone without help due to being ineligible under the Veterans' Benefits Law.
45
board of appeals
Following is the report of the Board of Appeals for the year 1957:
Case #1 February 12, 1957 - Thomas C. Daly, Andover Street - Request to remove gravel. Granted.
Case #2 February 14, 1957 - Red-E-Mix Corporation - Request to build a non-conforming garage. Request granted.
Case #3 March 7, 1957 - Bernard McDonough, Miller Road - Request to build house on lot with frontage of 55 feet. Request denied.
Case #4 March 14, 1957 - William H. Russell, Wildwood Street - Request to build house on lot having 112 foot frontage. Request granted.
Case #5 April 4, 1957 - Robert E. Anderson, Main Street - Request to manufacture wrought iron furniture in a residential area. Request denied.
Case #6 April. 4, 1957 - New England Gas Products Co. - Request to build gas manufacturing plant on lower Main Street. Request denied.
Case #7 April 9, 1957 - Winifred T. McMahon, Middlesex Avenue - Request to build house on lot having 100 foot frontage, but an area of 20, 000 square feet. Request granted.
Case #8 April 9, 1957 - Melvin J. Southmayd, Lowell Street - Request to sub-divide single lot into two non-conforming lots. Request denied.
Case #9 April 9, 1957 - Ernest J. Thibo, Lowell Street - Request to raise turkeys in a residential area. Request denied.
Case #10 April 9, 1957 - Leroy F. Ferguson, Lowell Street - Request of variance in lot frontage of one foot. Request granted.
Case #11 April 11, 1957 - Bradford Parsons, Marjorie Road - Request variance on lot frontage from 125 feet to 100 feet. Request granted.
Case #12 April 11, 1957 - Clarence Spinezola - Main Street - Request to remove gravel from Blue Hog Farm. No action taken. Request withdrawn.
Case #13 April 15, 1957 - Paul D. MacDonald, Nickerson Avenue - Request of variance from 125 feet to 100 feet. Request granted.
Case #14 April 29, 1957 - Wavie M. Drew, West Street - Request to build a house in an industrial zone, and divide one large lot into two parcels with less than the required frontage. Request granted.
Case #15 May 14, 1957 - F. A. Smith, Concord Street - Request to remove loam from path of Route 28, and sell same out of town. Request granted.
46
Wilmington, Mass.
Case #16 May 14, 1957 - Wavie M. Drew, West Street - Request to remove loam from path of Routes 28 and 129 and sell same out of town. Request granted.
Case #17 May 14, 1957 - George Vokey, Salem Street - Request to divide lot having two acres in area into two lots having 111 foot frontage each. Request granted.
Case #18 May 14, 1957 - Ervyl H. Stewart - Request of six feet in side lot distance. Request granted.
Case #19 May 14, 1957 - Paul R. Jepson, Woburn Street - Request for variance in lot frontage. Granted.
Case #20 May 16, 1957 - Catherine Strow, Burt Road - Request to build house on lot having 75 foot frontage. Referred to Planning Board for further action.
Case #21 May 20, 195 7 - Theodore Thomas, Lowell Street - Request to remove loam from path of Route 28 and sell same out of town. Request granted.
Case #22 May 20, 1957 - Douglas Palmer, West Street - Request to remove loam from path of Route 28 and sell same out of town. Request granted.
Case #23 May 20, 1957 - Phyllis Vigonito, Gowing Road - Request to add porch in variance with side lot provision. Request granted to build 24 feet from side lot line.
Case #24 May 20, 1957 - Fred Sheehan, West Street - Request to build house in an industrial area. Request granted.
Case #25 May 22, 1957 - M. Doucette, Lowell Street - Request to build house on odd shaped lot having required frontage and area. Request granted.
Case #26 May 22, 1957 - Charles M. Lennox, Main Street - Request to add to garage and filling station. Request granted.
Case #27 May 22, 1957 - Harold L. Chase, Marcus Road - Request to use a trailer as a temporary residence while building home. Request granted to September 15, 1957.
Case #28 May 28, 1957 - John R. Evans, Ballardvale Street - Request to remove loam from path of Route 28 and sell out of town. Request granted.
Case #29 June 6, 1957 - Maurice O'Neil, Middlesex Avenue - Request to erect sign within the required set-back. Request denied.
Case #30 June 6, 1957 - Thomas C. Daly, Andover Street - Request to divide large lot of land into two non-conforming lots. Request denied.
Case #31 June 17, 1957 - Church Street Hardware, Inc. - Request to erect a non-conforming sign. Denied.
Case #32 June 17, 1957 - Bessie R. Cohen, Main Street - Request to enlarge storage space. Request granted with restrictions as to screening.
Case #33 June 17, 1957 - William H. Rowding - Request to use trailer as a residence. Request denied.
Case #34 July 1, 1957 - David Brick, Eames Street - Request to use building for storage and distribution of gas. Request granted with restrictions as to landscaping and construction of building.
Case #35 July 9, 1957 - Stanley A. Delaronde, Shawsheen Avenue - Request to build on a non-conforming lot. Referred to Planning Board for further action.
47
Case #36 July 9, 1957 - Ruth Gratcyk, Grove Avenue - Request to build garage one foot from property line and eight feet from street line. Request granted for one foot from property line and twelve feet from the street.
Case #37 July 9, 1957 - Radclyffe Tulk, Arlington - Request to build house on lot having frontage of 66 feet. Request denied.
Case #38 July 11, 1957 - Albert Brewster, River Street - Request for variance in side lot distance to correct error in surveying. Request granted.
Case #39 July 11, 1957 - John R. Marshall, M. D., Lowell Street - Request to establish medical office in his residence. Request granted.
Case #40 August 28, 1957 - Stephan MacInnis, Shawsheen Avenue - Request to divide present lot into two lots having 103 foot frontage each. Request denied.
Case #41 August 28, 1957 - Roman Catholic Church, Middlesex Avenue - Request to construct addition to Church in variance with side lot provisions. Request denied.
Case #42 August 28, 1957 - Edgar L. Spinney, Lawrence Street - Request of variance of five feet in side lot distance. Request granted.
Case #43 August 28, 1957 - Ida Leiter, Salem Street - Request of variance in lot frontage. Request granted for 101 foot frontage.
Case #44 October 1, 1957 - New England Gas Products Co. - Second Request to build gas manufacturing plant on lower Main Street. Request denied.
Case #45 October 8, 1957 - F & H Realty Trust - Request for variance because side lot lines are not measured at right angles to street. Request granted.
Case #46 October 8, 1957 - Charles Mathews, Middle sex Avenue - Request to subdivide property. Request denied. Referred to Planning Board for further action.
Case #47 October 8, 1957 - Adelino Periera, McDonald Road - Request to combine a number of small lots into one large one and construct home on same. Request granted.
Case #48 October 9, 1957 - Terrell Corporation, Woburn Street - Request to construct plant to manu- facture plastic products. Request granted.
Case #49 October 9, 1957 - A. P. Rounds, Woburn Street - Request to sell loam out of town. Denied.
Case #50 October 16, 1957 - Mytron, Inc., Middlesex Avenue - Request to build a 35' x 35' addition to . present plant. Request granted.
Case #51 October 16, 1957 - Batten Bros. - Request to erect a non-conforming sign on Hills Photo Shop. Request denied.
Case #52 October 16, 1957 - Red-E-Mix Corp. - Request permission to erect a cement unloading machine at corner of Main Street and Middlesex Avenue. Request granted.
Case #53 October 21, 1957 - Nicholas Palumbo, Dunton Road - Request to build house on lot having sixty foot frontage. Request denied.
48
-
Wilmington, Mass.
Case #54 October 21, 1957 - Sabino Bimbo, Marjorie Road - Request to construct breezeway and garage thirteen feet from property line. Request granted.
Case #55 October 21, 1957 - John C. Jenson, Lawrence Street - Request a variance of five feet in side lot line to allow for erection of a garage. Request granted.
Case #56 October 29, 1957 - Carmine A. Damelio, Shady Lane Drive - Request for variance to correct error in side lot distance. Request granted.
Case #57 December 12, 1957 - Marie Mason, Liberty Street - Request to build a second house on a large single lot. Request granted with conditions.
Case #58 Decmeber 12, 1957 - Leo G. Carter, Main Street - Request to construct garage in violation of side lot provisions. Request denied.
Case #59 December 12, 1957 - Joseph Brooks, Salem Street - Request variance because side lot line is not measured at right angles to street. Request granted.
Case #60 December 12, 1957 - Gabriel DePiano, Cunningham Street - Request for variance in lot front- age. Request granted for eighty-four foot frontage.
Case #61 December 31, 1957 - Wilmington Housing Authority - Request to establish a state sponsored development to house the aged on the Huntley property off Burlington Avenue. Request granted.
Case #62 December 31, 1957 - Clarence Spinozla, Main Street - Request to establish a sanitary land fill operation on the land known as the Blue Hog Farm. Request granted, and operation to be under the strict control of the Board of Health.
Case #63 October 21, 1957 - Wilbur F. Thomas, Lowell Street - Request to move a house onto a lot having less than the required frontage. Request granted.
WELL O P.
REVIEWING A CASE is the Board of Appeals (from left to right) A. Lloyd Laffin, Roland M. Fuller, and Walter L. Hale, Jr. Chairman
49
town engineer
TOWN ENGINEER George F. Maynard
The Engineering Department of the Town of Wilmington accomplished more in the year 1957 than has ever been accomplished in previous years. The Town Engineer was assisted by two very fine prospective civil engineers, Robert Lavache and John Pierro. In November, John Pierro was replaced by Robert Godell. All these men are cooperative students at Northeastern University. Largely through their efforts, the Town has progressed in bringing records and plans up to date through drafting and re - search.
Some of the problems the Town has had in the past were the exact location of bounds, proper street layout for construction, and lack of drainage design. In 1957 we were able to start in a forward direction by designing, laying out, and bounding Chandler Road, Kelley Road, and Meadow Lane.
Streets and Roads:
In the category of streets and roads falls the task of doing preliminary surveys, designing, and estimating the cost to construct these streets. Some of the items figured for cost were clearing and grubbing, stripping, drainage, excavation, borrow, gravel, pea stone, oil, and curbing. The following streets have been surveyed and designed:
Carter Lane
Fairmeadow Road Patricia Circle
Carter Street Kiernan Avenue Shady Lane Drive
Carolyn Road
Lake Street Walker Street
Dell Drive
Marcus Road
Wing Road
Oakridge Circle
The following parcels of land have been surveyed and plans reproduced:
Barrows Well Field Town owned land by Martin's Brook Silver Lake Beach Extension Future Parking Area in North Wilmington Adams Street - Corner of Sheldon Avenue Land opposite High School
50
Wilmington, Mass.
Under the subject of drainage are these various and complex projects.
1. Williams, Jones, Faulkner, and Miller Roads drainage. These were resurveyed, redesigned, and laid out.
2. Eames Street was surveyed and plans drawn. Construction is pending approval by abuttors.
3. North Street drainage was surveyed, designed, and staked.
The following streets were staked and grades set for construction:
Chandler Road Meadow Lane
Garden Court Extension Oakdale Road Kelley Road Olson Street Intersection of Wildwood and Woburn Streets
The center line of Dunton Road was located in order to install curbing. Profiles were taken of the proposed parking lot behind Griffin's Hardware Store.
Planning Board:
The duties of the Town Engineer in coordination with the Planning Board are to maintain records and plans, inspect subdivisions for proper construction, to act as a technical advisor at the Planning Board meetings, and to coordinate between the Board and consultants. Due to the diligence and perserverence of this department, the Town was able to see its first bituminous concrete road in a residential area on Arlene Avenue. Also, Dorothy Avenue and Catherine Avenue were surfaced in the same subdivision. Wilton Park, Esquire Estates, and the Ferguson development were new subdivisions submitted and approved by the Planning Board. Wilton Park has progressed the furthest, having put in drainage, water, gravel, and utilities. Close inspection was carried on by this department to see that construction conformed to the Planning Board regulations. Esquire Estates has cleared and rough-graded Marie Drive and Thrush Road. The Ferguson development off Lowell Street has cleared and rough-graded Woodlawn Drive, and water has been laid for six hundred feet. These also were inspected for conformity with the regulations of the Planning Board.
Miscellaneous duties for the Planning Board consisted of getting the raft in and out of the lake, coordinating activities between the Recreation Department and the Planning Board, taking soundings and figuring costs for the extension of Silver Lake Beach.
Coordination with the Highway Department:
The Engineering Department has been in close contact with the Highway Department in co- ordinating each department's duties. In conjunction with the Highway Department, the following items of engineering have been accomplished for street construction.
Staking roads for construction Staking drainage for construction Locating "Right of Ways" Setting lines for curbing Setting clearing stakes Checking existing drainage Figuring final costs of betterments for each land owner on Lawrence Street and Lawrence Court
51
Close coordination has also been kept by the Engineering Department with the State and County on Chapter 90 program, and new Route 28 access roads and Town road links. We have been in close con- tact with the Reading Municipal Light Company, and the New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. for the moving of telephone poles, and the Railroad and State on removal of the Ballardvale Street bridge. ยท
Gravel Pit Inspection:
As the enforcement agency for the proper performance of regulations for gravel pits in the Town of Wilmington, the following facts are presented:
1. Gravel pits operating in Wilmington as of January 1, 1958 -
Fred Smith - Woburn Street Michael Benevento - Salem Street
2. Gravel pits closed during the year 1957:
Mercauto - Rich - Ballardvale Street
3. Gravel pits completed operating in the year 1957:
Daley's - Andover Street Esquire Estates - Salem Street
Miscellaneous Items:
All drafting changes on the original tax maps of Wilmington were made this year by the
Engineering Department, and one thousand five hundred and fifty-four (1554) copies of the maps were re- produced for various departments.
Four copies of all plans submitted to the Planning Board were reproduced and distributed to the Town Clerk, Board of Assessors, Building Inspector, and Planning Board files. A complete set of prints of every county layout is now in the files of the Engineering Department.
The future holds many intricate problems which can only be solved through proper engineering and inspection. It is our desire to carry out this program in 1958.
TREE DEPARTMENT personnel remove another victim of Dutch Elm disease
52
tree warden
TREE WARDEN John W. Babine
Tree Department:
Routine work was carried on throughout the year, such as removing trees, broken limbs, cutting away broken tops, trimming low limbs. Fifteen trees were cut down for street widening. All the brush was taken to the dump and burned. The shade trees were sprayed three times.
Elm Leaf Beetle and Dutch Elm Disease:
All elms were sprayed four times with D. D. T. The spraying was started in April and con- tinued until the last of August. This year we lost sixty-four elm trees with the Dutch Elm disease. Eighty- two samples were sent to Amherst State College to be tested, and sixty-four samples came back labeled "Dutch Elm Disease". We have cut down forty-one elms and have tried to save the rest by cleaning them up. All the brush and elm trees had to be hauled to the dump and burned. A lot of the trees had to be topped before they could be dropped, and this takes a lot of time. The State will come in to help us take down some of the big trees at no cost to the Town.
Moth Department:
This year we sprayed all the shade trees with 6% and 12% D. D. T. for gypsy moth, ten: cate : - pillars, fall web worms, aphids, pine shoot moth, oak blight, and maple leaf spot. We found a few gypsy moths in South Wilmington and parts of West Wilmington. We have painted all the egg clusters with creosote. We have sprayed all the front lawns with 6% D. D. T. for japanese beetle and milky disease. We hope to do this again in 1958 if we have the appropriation for more D. D. T.
Mosquitoes:
This year we sprayed the swamps, bog holes, and around homes as far as we could reach. We sprayed on windy days so the spray would carry across the swamps. PLEASE, clean up any old tin cans around your property as these cans hold stagnant water that breeds mosquitoes.
Town Forest:
This year we cut down a good many broken limbs and also some dead trees. The brush was cut along the Canal in front of the Park along the Main Street, at the end of the Park about 150 feet in. We cut two hundred feet more at the lower end of the canal. Next year we hope to finish the Canal. Then you can drive through from either end. This brush was also hauled to the dump and burned.
Poison Ivy:
All streets were sprayed with "Brush Killer", also stone walls when poison ivy was found.
53
board of water commissioners
Water Supply:
Although extended drought conditions prevailed during the summer of 1957, water use restrict- ions were put into effect for only one weekend and that was due to a serious forest fire. When compared to other towns and even to other years in the Town of Wilmington, the supply of water was reasonably adequate. And yet, the fact that it was necessary to enforce water use restrictions for just this one week- end points up the fact that new sources of water supply are vitally necessary to provide for the constantly increasing number of private, commercial, and industrial water services, to say nothing of the ever in- creasing per capita consumption of water.
The Department plans a series of test wells in selected areas throughout the Town during 1958 with a view to obtaining the additional necessary sources of supply. The detailed statistics set forth below clearly indicate the increase of water consumption and number of water services.
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