USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1941-1945 > Part 22
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Ledger accounts were compiled and a balance sheet, which is appended to this report, was prepared showing the financial condition of the town on December 31, 1944.
The receipts from licenses issued by the selectmen were checked with the record of licenses granted, and the payments to the treasurer were verified. The surety bonds filed with the town by individuals to whom liquor licenses were granted were examined and checked with the record of licenses issued.
The surety bonds of the town clerk, treasurer, and town collector for the faithful performance of their duties were examined and found to be in proper form.
The books and accounts of the town collector were ex- amined and checked. The commitment lists of all taxes and departmental accounts receivable were added and proved with the warrants given by the board of assessors and with the record of charges in the departments committing bills for col- lection. The recorded collections were checked, the payments to the treasurer were verified, the abatements as recorded were checked with the assessors' record of abatements granted, and the outstanding accounts were listed and proved.
The outstanding tax accounts were further verified by mailing notices to a number of persons whose names appeared on the books as owing money to the town, and from the replies received it appears that the outstanding accounts, as listed, are correct.
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The books and accounts of the town treasurer were ex- amined and checked. The receipts, as recorded, were compared with the departmental records of payments to the treasurer and with the other sources from which money was paid into the town treasury, while the payments were checked with the selectmen's warrants. The cash book footings were verified, and the cash balance on December 31, 1944, was proved by actual count of the cash in the office, by reconciliation of the bank balances with statements received from the banks of deposit, and by examination of the savings bank book.
The payments on account of debt and interest were proved by comparison with the amounts falling due during the period covered by the audit and with the cancelled securities and coupons on file.
The records of payroll deductions for Federal taxes were examined and checked. The individual deductions were listed and proved, the payments to the Collector of Internal Revenue were verified, and the cash balance in the general treasury was proved.
The securities, including savings bank books, representing the investment of trust funds in the custody of the treasurer were examined and listed, the income being proved and the withdrawals being verified.
The tax title records in the custody of the treasurer were examined, listed, and checked with the accounts of the treasurer and collector and with the records in the Registry of Deeds.
The financial records of the town clerk were examined and checked. The receipts from dog and sporting licenses were checked with the record of licenses issued, and the payments to the Division of Fisheries and Game and to the town treasurer were verified.
The appropriations as voted by the town meeting were listed from the records of the town clerk, and a comparison with the aggregate amount raised in the determination of the tax rate disclosed that the amount raised by the assessors in 1944 was $5,625 less than the requirements for the year, ap- parently due to the failure of the town clerk to certify an ap- propriation in the amount of $5,625. Care should be taken that all appropriations voted by the town be included by the town clerk in the list of appropriations certified to the assessors, in accordance with the provisions of Section 15A, Chapter 41, General Laws.
The recorded receipts of the dental clinic were checked and the payments to the treasurer were verified.
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The charges for the rental of town-owned property were added, the recorded collections were checked, and the payments to the treasurer were verified.
The accounts of the sealer of weights and measures were examined. The receipts were checked with the record of work done and the payments to the treasurer were verified.
The librarians' records of receipts for fines were checked and the payments to the treasurer were verified.
The recorded receipts of the health department for licenses issued and for garbage collection service were checked and listed, and the payments to the treasurer were verified.
The records of accounts receivable of the highway, health. and public welfare departments were analyzed. The recorded collections, abatements, and disallowances were checked, the payments to the treasurer were verified, and the outstanding accounts were listed and proved.
The books and accounts of the water department were examined and checked. The charges were added, the recorded collections were compared with the payments to the treasurer, the abatements and the transfers from the water connection deposits were checked, and the outstanding accounts were listed and proved.
In addition to the balance sheet, there are appended to this report tables showing a reconciliation of the treasurer's cash, summaries of the tax and departmental accounts, as well as tables showing the condition and transactions of the trust funds.
While engaged in making the audit, cooperation was re- ceived from the several town officials, for which, in behalf of my assistants and for myself, I wish to express appreciation.
Respectfully submitted,
HERMAN B. DINE,
Assistant Director of Accounts
TOWN OF WILBRAHAM - BALANCE SHEET - DECEMBER 31, 1944
Assets
Liabilities and Reserves
Cash :
General,
$167,103.84 2,343.85
Sale of Real Estate Fund, $2,555.00
18.51
Accounts Receivable:
Road Machinery Fund,
4,213.25
Taxes:
Levy of 1943,
1,549.06
Levy of 1944,
9,654.60
11,203.66
Old Age Assistance, Administration 1.87
Motor Vehicle Excise Taxes: Levy of 1944,
32.00
32.00
Tax Titles,
3,250.02
Sewer Repairs,
500.00
Tax Possessions,
231.41
Dismantle and move building for Highway purposes,
2,300.00
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Selectmen's Licenses,
1,005.00
Reserve Fund-Overlay Surplus,
15,871.90
Health,
28.57
Old Age Assistance,
332.09
1,365.66
2,221.75
Water Department:
Rates
496.99
Revenue Reserved Until Collected: Motor Vehicle Excise Tax,
32.00
748.51
Tax Title,
3,481.43
State Aid to Highways,
1,617.55
Departmental,
1,365.66
Dog Officer's Fees,
27.00
Water
748.51
Revenue 1945, to be Raised,
3,950.00
State and County Aid to Highways,
1,617.55
Surplus Revenue,
7,245.15 152,045.99
$191.873.50
Federal Income Tax Payroll Deductions
$999.66
Surplus War Bonus Fund and Accumulations,
$2,343.85
Surplus War Bonus
$169,447.69
Tailings,
Federal Grants:
Aid to Dependent Children, Administration $7.51
9.38
Unexpended Appropriation Balance:
3,481.43
Departmentsl:
2,800.00
Overlays Reserved for Abatements: Levy of 1943, Levy of 1944,
1,549.06
3,770.81
Miscellaneous,
251.52
$191,873.50
Net Funded or Fixed Debt
DEBT ACCOUNTS $37,000.00 Water Loans $37,000.00
TRUST AND INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS
Trust and Investment Accounts, Cash and Securities,
$21,956.36
Chloe B. Stebbins Charity Fund
$192.97
Deacon Warriner School Fund,
723.06
School Lot Fund,
741.99
Chloe B. Stebbins Library Fund,
108.28
Abner Bell Library Fund,
43.28
Henry Cutler Library Fund,
1,077.49
Norton L. Day, Library Fund,
502.60
Town Community House Building Fund,
520.84
Civil War Mortar Memorial Plaque Fund,
33.35
Laura Bruuer Cemetery General Care Fund,
1,063.70
Cemetery Perpetual Care Funds,
6,698.28
Post-War Rehabilitation Fund 10,250.52
$21,956.36
$21,956.36
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Town Warrant
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Hampden, s.s.
To either of the Constables of the Town of Wilbraham in the County of Hampden:
GREETING:
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are hereby directed to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Wilbraham qualified to vote in town affairs to meet in Grace Union Parish House in said town on Monday, the fifth day of February next at 9 o'clock A.M. to bring in their votes for town officers and act on the following articles. The polls will open at 9 A.M. and may be closed at 6 o'clock P.M. All business of said meeting and election of town officers except the election of such officers and the determination of such matters as by law are required to be elected or determined by ballot shall be considered after 10 o'clock A. M.
Article 1. To choose a moderator to preside in said meet- ing
Article 2. To choose a Town Clerk, a Town Treasurer, and Tree Warden for the ensuing year, one Selectman for three years who shall be a member of the Board of Public Welfare; one Assessor for three years; five Constables for the ensuing year; one Auditor for the ensuing year, one School Committee member for three years; Town Collector for the ensuing year; one Cemetery Commissioner for three years; one member of the Water Commissioners for three years; one Library Trustee for three years; two members of the Planning Board for three years. All on one ballot. Also all other town officers.
Article 3. To hear and act on reports of the Selectmen, Board of Public Welfare, Treasurer, School Committee and other officers.
Article 4. To fix the compensation of all elected Town Officers for the ensuing year.
Article 5. To raise such sums of money as may be deemed necessary for defraying the expenses of the Town for the en- suing year and appropriate the same and vote how the same shall be raised.
Article 6. 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
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financial year beginning January 1, 1945, 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, Chapter 44, General Laws.
Article 7. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of Five thousand, six hundred twenty-five dollars ($5,625.00) or any other sum for the maintenance of Chapter 81 Roads, provided that the State contribute toward the same, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 81, General Laws, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and transfer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of five thousand six hundred twenty-five dollars ($5,625.00) or any other sum for maintenance of Chapter 81 roads, an amount equal to and in addition to the amount ap- propriated under Article 7 to meet the State's share of the cost of the work, the reimbursement from the State to be re- stored, upon receipt, to unappropriated available funds in the treasury.
Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of five hundred dollars ($500.00) or any other sum for the maintenance of Chapter 90 Roads, provided the State and County contribute toward the same, in accor- dance with the provisions of Chapter 90, General Laws, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and transfer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or any other sum for the maintenance of Chapter 90 Roads, an amount which will double, and in addition to, the amount appropriated under Article 9 to meet the State and County shares of the cost of the work, the reimbursement from the State and County to be restored, upon their receipt, to unappropriated available funds in the treasury.
Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to sell at public auction, after first giving notice of the time and place of sale by posting such notice of sale in some convenient and public place in the Town, fourteen days at least before sale, property taken by the Town under tax title procedure, provided that the Selectmen, or whomsoever they authorize to hold such public auction, may reject any bid which they deem inadequate, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 12. To see what disposition the Town will make of the Dog Tax of 1944.
Article 13. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of four thousand, five hundred dollars ($4,500.00)
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or any other sum for a Reserve Fund, this amount to be trans- ferred from the Overlay Surplus Account.
Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to transfer from available funds in the treasury the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) for the purchase of war bonds that are legal investments for savings banks, in order to establish a post-war rehabilitation fund, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 5 of the Acts of 1943.
Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to convey to Doris E. Young the following described tract of land:
A certain tract of land situate in the Town of Wilbra- ham, bounded and described as follows: Beginning at an iron pipe in the southwest corner of the land to be con- veyed and at the northeast corner of land of Nils R. Malmberg et ux., and running thence S. 87º 47' E. along land of Doris E. Young eleven and 75/100 (11.75) feet to an iron pipe; thence S. 58° 18' E. along land of said Doris E. Young thirty-nine and 09/100 (39.09) feet to an iron pipe; thence N. 32° 54' E. along land of said Doris E. Young one hundred seven (107) feet; thence N. 72º 52' W. along other land of the Town of Wilbraham twenty four (24) feet; thence Southwesterly along other land of the Town of Wilbraham about one hundred seven (107) feet to the place of beginning; meaning and intending to convey all land owned by the Town of Wilbraham between the last named one hundred seven (107) foot course and the above-named twenty-four (24) foot course and land now owned by said Doris E. Young; said premises being a portion of the premises conveyed to the Town of Wilbra- ham by deed of John F. Baldwin recorded with Hampden County Deeds, Book 1777, Page 21;
in consideration of the conveyance by said Doris E. Young to it of a certain tract of land lying between the land conveyed to the Town by said deed of John F. Baldwin and North Main Street, and next southerly of land of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield.
Article 16. To see if the Town will vote to accept from Doris E. Young a deed conveying to it the following described land: A certain tract of land situate on the westerly side of North Main Street in the Town of Wilbraham and next south- erly of land of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield, bounded and described as follows: Beginning at an iron pipe in the westerly side of said street and at the southeasterly corner of land of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield thence S. 30° 58' W. along the westerly line of said street thirty (30) feet; thence N. 72º 52' W. about one hundred eight (108) feet to a stake in line of land of the Town of Wilbraham; thence
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N. 32° 54' E. along other land of the Town of Wilbraham about thirty (30) feet to an iron pin in the southwesterly corner of said land of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield; thence S. 72º 52' E. along said land of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield one hundred eight and 1/10 (108.1) feet to the place of beginning; together with the right to erect, construct and maintain any embankments, slopes or abutments on the adjacent land owned by said Doris E. Young that may be reasonably necessary for the construction and maintenance of a road or drive way across the land above described, together with the right to enter upon said adjacent land, with servants, agents and vehicles, for the purpose of erecting, constructing and maintaining said embankments, slopes or abutments. Being a portion of the premises conveyed to said Doris E. Young by deed of David Kinghorn et ux. recorded with Hampden County Deeds, Book 1779, Page 381. Subject to the restric- tions contained in said deed.
Article 17. To see if the Town will vote to purchase from Richard J. Sackett, for the sum of one thousand dollars, ($1,000.00), a certain tract of land, comprising forty-five acres, more or less, with the buildings thereon, situate on the easterly side of the highway leading from the Village of North Wilbraham to the Village of Wilbraham, for the purpose of constructing and maintaining on said land at some future date to be determined by the town, a public school building and/or a community building and recreation field or fields, and/or for any other municipal use permitted by law; said property comprising all the land owned by said Sackett on the easterly side of said highway with the exception of a tract of land having a highway frontage of about 110 feet and a depth of about 150 feet situate in the northwest corner of said forty-five acre tract with frame two-tenement house and garage standing thereon; and raise and appropriate the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) therefor; the deed conveying said premises to the town to contain the following reservations and covenants :
(a) A reservation to said Richard J. Sackett of the right to use the land and buildings to be conveyed, free of charge, until such time as the town shall want to build on or use the property for town purposes, said Sackett to keep the buildings on said premises in such repair as he shall deem necessary or at his option to demolish, remove and retain part or all of said buildings;
(b) A covenant on the part of the town to build and maintain a suitable ornamental woven wire fence along the southerly and easterly sides of the tract of land, with the two- tenement house thereon, adjacent to the premises to be con- veyed and above referred to;
(c) A covenant that no structure shall be erected by the town within fifty (50) feet of the site of the present buildings on the premises to be conveyed, nor shall the present buildings
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or land within fifty (50) feet thereof be used for any purpose by the town without written permission of said Sackett so long as said Sackett shall own the premises known as Oak Ridge opposite the buildings on the premises to be conveyed;
(d) A provision that when a town building is constructed on said premises consideration will be given to naming said building to honor the memory of the late Dr. Arthur L. Damon;
(e) And any other provisions and agreements that may be mutually agreed upon by the selectmen and said Sackett; or take any other action in relation thereto.
Article 18. To see if the Town will authorize the Board of Selectmen to alter, repair or construct buildings or any other facilities at the town department lot from time to time under then existing miscellaneous highway appropriation, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 19. To see if the Town will rescind the vote passed at the last annual town meeting under article 29 which author- ized the Selectmen acting as a Board of Park Commissioners, under Section 2 of Chapter 45 of the General Laws to exercise the powers conferred upon the town by Section 14 of said Chap- ter 45, relative to the conducting and promoting of recreation, play, sport and physical education.
Article 20. To see if the Town will vote to have the powers conferred by Section 14 of Chapter 45 of the General Laws relative to the conducting and promoting of recreation, play, sport and physical education, exercised by a playground com- mission consisting of three members, one to be elected for one year, one to be elected for two years, and one to be elected for three years and thereafter one to be elected each year for a term of three years, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 21. To see if the Town will accept the provisions of General Laws (Tercentenary Edition) Chapter 40, Section 30A as amended by Chapter 133 of the Acts of 1938, which in brief provides that no appeal or petition to the Board of Appeals for the variance from the terms of the Zoning By- Laws with respect to a particular parcel of land and no applica- tion under Section 30 of said Chapter 40 for a special exception to the terms of the zoning by-law, which has been unfavorably acted upon by the Board of Appeals shall be considered on its merits by said Board within two (2) years after the date of such unfavorable action except with the consent of all the members of the Planning Board.
Article 22. "To see if the Town will vote to accept the following proposed zoning by-law.
ZONING BY-LAW OF THE TOWN OF WILBRAHAM Amended and Revised as of January 1, 1945
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Section 1
To promote the health, safety, convenience, morals or welfare of its inhabitants, for the prevention of fire and the preservation of life, health and morals in the town, under the provisions of the General Laws, including Chapter 40, Sections 25 to 30B, inclusive, and Chapter 143, Section 3, the Town of Wilbraham is hereby divided into zones or districts, defined and bounded on the zoning map dated January 1945, and filed in the Office of the Town Clerk, which map with its no- tations is hereby made a part of this by-law.
Section 2 Districts
For the purpose of this by-law the Town of Wilbraham is divided into six classes of districts, designated as:
1. Residence Al Districts
2. Residence A2 Districts
3. Residence A3 Districts
4. General or Class B Residence Districts
5. Business Districts
6. Industrial Districts
Section 3. Definitions
In this by-law, the following terms shall have the mean- ings as set forth herein:
1. "Family": Any number of individuals living and cooking together on the premises as a single housekeeping unit.
2. "Dwelling": Any building used in whole or in part for habitation.
3. "One-family House": A detached dwelling designed for a single family.
4. "Semi-detached House": Two one-family houses built together at the same time and separated by a fireproof division wall with no openings.
5. "Two-family House": A detached dwelling designed for two families.
6. "Apartment House": A dwelling designed for or occupied by more than two families.
7. "Two-story": Where the habitable area above the first floor, of a building, equals or exceeds seventy per cent (70 %) of the floor area of the first floor, then such building shall be deemed a two-story building.
8. "Habitable Area": Shall be the outside dimensions of that portion of a building, exclusive of the garage and porches, above grade and commonly used as living quarters by the occupant of the structure.
9. "Accessory Use or Building": A use of land or a building customarily incident to and located on the same lot with another use of land or a building.
10. "Non-conforming Use or Building": Existing use of land or a building which does not conform to the regulations for the district in which such use of land or a building exists.
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11. "Lot": A lot is that area of land described in the application for a permit to construct the building.
12. "Tent": For the purpose of this by-law, a tent will be considered a building, and is hereby subject to all regulations as to buildings.
USE REGULATIONS
Section 4. Residence A1, A2, and A3 Districts
In any residence A1, A2, or A3 District no building or other structure or part of a building shall be erected, altered or used nor may any premises be used except for one or more of the following purposes :
1. One-family houses, except that, however, the Board of Appeals may, after public hearing, and if it deems such action wise and if it appears to the Board that such action will not tend to deteriorate the standard and character of the neigh- borhood, authorize a variation in the use of an existing one- family detached house erected prior to 1920 so that such house may be altered and improved and facilities added for the use of not more than two families, provided the petitioner shall present to the Board of Appeals adequate plans setting forth the changes and improvements to be made and provided that such changes and improvements do not materially alter the exterior appearance of the existing structure. Prior to the public hearing to be held in connection with any petition under this section of these by-laws, the Board of Appeals shall send written notice of such public hearing to all abutters of the subject property together with the owner of the parcel directly across the street and owners of the parcels next on either side thereof. Such notices shall contain the date and place of such public hearing and a resume of the subject matter thereof and shall be mailed to the owners of record of the parcels indicated above at their last known mailing address. Such variation shall be granted by the Board of Appeals only when it is clear that such changes and improvements are for the best interests of the community. Each case shall be considered on its own merits and no case shall raise a presumption in favor of any other case. Nothing herein contained in this section and no variation granted by the Board of Appeals under this section shall be considered as changing or affecting the zoning of any residence "A" district.
2. The taking of boarders or the leasing of rooms by a resident family, provided there is no display visible from the street nor signboard used to advertise such use, except an announcement sign having an area of not more than one hundred forty-four (144) square inches. Any illumination provided for the above mentioned sign shall be steady, and not intermittent while in use.
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