USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1951-1955 > Part 11
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The meeting was called to order by Moderator Frank Auchter at 10.05 a. m.
ARTICLE 1. Minor town officers elected by unanimous vote were:
Pound Keeper Jerry Donohue
Measurers of Wood and Charcoal Walter Clark Harlan Wheeler
Surveyors of Lumber
Walter Clark J. Wilbur Rice
Field Drivers
Jerry Donohue Norman Thurlow
Ernest L. Bacon Weighers of Grain Walter Nietupski Harlan Wheeler
ARTICLE 2. Voted to accept the reports of the Selectmen, Board of Public Welfare, Treasurer, School Committee and other officers as presented in the Town Report.
ARTICLE 3. Voted unanimously that compensation for elected town officers remain the same as for past year, namely: Town Clerk, $400.00 per year and fees; Town Treasurer, $950.00; Moderator, $50.00 Annual Town Meet- ings, $15.00 for Special Town Meetings; Town Collector, $1,300.00; Tree Warden, $1.50 per hour (includes use of car) ; Selectmen, two members, $500.00 per year, Chair- man, $550.00; Assessors, $1.25 per hour for office work and $1.50 per hour for field service (includes use of car) ; Constables, $1.25 per hour when called on duty by Select- men, plus fees; Auditor, $100.00 per year; School Com-
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mittee, $150.00 per year each; Cemetery Commissioners, no salary, $1.25 per hour for time spent at work; Water Com- missioners, $150.00 per year each; Library Trustees, no salary; Planning Board members, no salary; Playground Commissioners, no salary; Poundkeeper, Field Drivers, Surveyors of Lumber, Weighers of Grain, Measurers of Wood and Charcoal (all town officers elected otherwise than by official ballot) fees only as fixed by General Laws.
ARTICLE 4. Voted unanimously 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 financial year beginning January 1, 1952, 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 pe- riod of less than one year in accordance with Section 17, Chapter 44, General Laws.
ARTICLE 5. Voted the following appropriations: (total $306,443.34) Aid to Agriculture, $50.00; Aid to Dependent Children, $5,000.00 ; Assessors' Expense Account, $2,500.00; Board of Health, $750.00; Building Inspector's Expense, $100.00; Cemeteries, $1,800.00; Civil Defense, $1,250.00; Dental Clinic, $1,000.00; Elections Expense, $1,800.00; Fire Department, $6,200.00; Forest Fire Warden, $500.00; General Relief and Aid to Disabled, $10,000.00; Gypsy Moth and Elm Tree Disease Control, $1,475.00; Gypsy Moth, Destroying Dead Wood in Elm Trees, $1,000.00; Highways, Miscellaneous, $10,000.00; Highways, Safety Committee Expense, $50.00; Highways, Safety Committee (Protection of Children), $600.00; Insurance and Bonding, $2,500.00; Interest, $50.00; Legal, $2,000.00; Library Ex- pense (Dog Tax estimated at $919.12), $2,600.00; Liquor Law Enforcement, $100.00; Memorial Day, $200.00; Old Age Assistance, $22,000.00; Parks, $900.00; Planning Board Expense, $325.00; Playground Expense, $2,250.00; Police, $250.00; Printing Town Reports, $1,200.00; Regis- trars' Expense, $400.00; Road Machinery Operating Ac- count, $3,000.00; Schools, $175,481.00 ; Schools - Commu- nity Program, Memorial School, $1,800.00; Selectmen's Contingent, $750.00; Street Lights, $3,500.00; Town Clerk's Expense, $800.00; Town Collector's Expense, $800.00; Town Officers' and Employees' Salaries, $12,750.00; Town Offices, Maintenance, $2,300.00; Town Treasurer's Expense, $800.00; Tree Warden's Expense, $950.00; Veterans' Bene- fits, $2,500.00; Water Bonds and Interest, $3,600.00; Water Notes and Interest, $3,669.68; Water Department Pur- chase of Water and Maintenance, $12,000.00; Water De- partment Taxes for Town of Ludlow, $800.00; Well Child Clinic, $600.00; Wilbraham Contributory Retirement Fund - County, $1,492.66.
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ARTICLE 6. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $7,200.00 for the maintenance of Chapter 81 roads, provided the State contribute toward the same, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 81, General Laws.
ARTICLE 7. Voted unanimously to appropriate and trans- fer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of $7,200.00 for the maintenance of Chapter 81 Roads (an amount equal and in addition to the amount appropriated under Article 6), to meet the State's share of the cost of the work, the reimbursement from the State to be restored upon receipt to unappropriated funds in the treasury.
ARTICLE 8. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,000.00 for the maintenance of Chapter 90 Roads, provided the State and County contribute toward the same, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 90, General Laws.
ARTICLE 9. Voted unanimously to appropriate and trans- fer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of $2,000.00 for the maintenance of Chapter 90 Roads (in an amount which will be double and be in addition to the amount appropriated under Article 8) to meet the State and County shares of the cost of the work, the reimburse- ment from the State and County to be restored upon re- ceipt to unappropriated available funds in the treasury.
ARTICLE 10. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $3,000.00 for the improvement or rebuilding of Chapter 90 Roads, provided the State and County contribute toward the same, in accordance with the provisions of Chap- ter 90, General Laws.
ARTICLE 11. Voted unanimously to appropriate and trans- fer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of $9,000.00 for the improvement or rebuilding of Chapter 90 Roads (an amount which will be triple and in addition to the amount appropriated under Article 10) to meet the State and County shares of the cost of work, the reimbursement from the State and County to be re- stored upon receipt to unappropriated available funds in the treasury.
ARTICLE 12. Voted unanimously to accept as a public way the street now known as Opal Street, as shown on Plan of Land known as "The Pines" as surveyed by William Hennessey, Land Surveyor, April 1950, beginning at Stony Hill Road and running westerly for a distance of approxi- mately 750 feet more or less to the private way now known
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as Walter Street, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $750.00 to defray the expense thereof.
ARTICLE 13. Voted unanimously to accept as a public way the street now known as Walter Street, as shown on Plan of Land known as "The Pines" as surveyed by Wil- liam Hennessey, Land Surveyor, April 1950, beginning at Severyn Street and running southerly for a distance of approximately 480 feet more or less to the Boston & Albany right of way, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $500.00 to defray the expense thereof.
ARTICLE 14. Voted unanimously to accept as a public way the street now known as Colonial Road as shown on a plan of land in Wilbraham entitled "Colonial Acres" as surveyed for Harry R. Whyte and Mark Wadsworth by Merrill & Sears, Civil Engineers, dated August 24, 1946, beginning at Springfield Street and running southwesterly for a distance of approximately 800 feet more or less, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $900.00 to defray the expense thereof.
ARTICLE 15. Voted unanimously to accept as a public way the street now known as Brookside Drive as shown on a plan of land in Wilbraham entitled "Colonial Acres" as surveyed for Harry R. Whyte and Mark Wadsworth by Merrill & Sears, Civil Engineers, dated August 24, 1946, beginning at Colonial Road and running easterly for a dis- tance of approximately 400 feet more or less, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $400.00 to defray the expense thereof.
ARTICLE 16. Voted unanimously to accept as a public way the street now known as Magnolia Street, as shown on a plan entitled "Mountain View Park" as surveyed by Durkee, White and Towne, Engineers, April 1916, begin- ning at Boston Road and running southerly for a distance of approximately 600 feet more or less, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $650.00 to defray the expense there- of.
ARTICLE 17. Voted unanimously to accept as a public way the street now known as Edgewood Road as shown on a plan of lots in Wilbraham, Mass., as surveyed by Cobb, Beesley and Miles, Engineers, for J. Daniele & Sons, begin- ning at the intersection of Springfield Street and running southerly for a distance of approximately 540 feet more or less, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $700.00 to defray the expense thereof.
ARTICLE 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. Voted unani- mously to postpone action on these articles until next an- nual Town Meeting.
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ARTICLE 27. Voted unanimously to appropriate and trans- fer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of $11,000.00 to be spent by the Water Department for additional household and business installations for water service, the cost of which is collected by the Town from the individuals or concerns requesting the installa- tions, and which is returned to surplus funds.
ARTICLE 28. Voted unanimously that the Town shall in- struct the Selectmen to install one street light on Walter Street.
ARTICLE 29. Voted unanimously that the Town shall in- struct the Selectmen to install two street lights on Opal Street.
ARTICLE 30. Voted unanimously that the Town shall in- struct the Selectmen to install one street light at the inter- section of Stony Hill Road and Severyn Street.
ARTICLE 31. Voted to postpone indefinitely any action on this article.
ARTICLE 32. Voted unanimously that the Town 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 14 days at least before the 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.
ARTICLE 33. Voted unanimously to authorize the Select- men to institute or defend suits and employ counsel for the purpose of protecting the interests of the Town.
ARTICLE 34. Voted unanimously that the Town's share of the Dog Tax of 1951 be appropriated to the Library Fund.
ARTICLE 35. Voted unanimously to appropriate the sum of $6,500.00 for a Reserve Fund be transferred from the Overlay Surplus Account.
ARTICLE 36. Voted unanimously to appropriate and trans- fer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of $2,500.00 to pay to the garbage collection con- tractor.
ARTICLE 37. Voted unanimously to accept Chapter 781 of the Acts of 1951 which provides for an additional $100.00 a year retirement allowance to former employees of the Town who retired before November 1, 1949, have had fif- teen years of creditable service, and are receiving less than $2,000.00 a year.
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ARTICLE 38. Voted to withdraw from School Superin- tendency Union No. 15, as provided for under Section 61 of Chapter 71 of the General Laws of Mass. as amended by Chapter 643 of the Acts of 1951.
After much discussion, a standing vote was taken with the following results : 224 in favor, 17 opposed.
ARTICLE 39. Voted unanimously to erect and equip a new fire station on land owned by the Town in North Wilbra- ham, and appropriate and transfer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of $30,000.00 to defray the cost of same.
ARTICLE 40. Voted unanimously that the Town authorize the Selectmen to settle by compromise any claim or claims against the Town for damages sustained by any person or persons and pay thereof, and raise and appropriate the sum of $1,000.00 therefor.
ARTICLE 41. Voted unanimously to authorize the Select- men to purchase equipment and furniture for the town offices, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,200.00 for same.
ARTICLE 42. Voted unanimously to appropriate the sum of $23,145.00 to pay interest and amortization of the Wilbraham Memorial School Building Loan, and to trans- fer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of $9,426.25 toward such appropriation, being the amount to be received toward such bond amortization from the State, with such payment from the State to be restored upon receipt to unappropriated available funds in the treasury, and to raise $13,718.75 or the balance of such appropriation.
ARTICLE 43. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $2,500.00 for surfacing the parking area at the town office.
ARTICLE 44. Voted unanimously to postpone any action on this article until the next special town meeting.
ARTICLE 45. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $4,000.00 to be expended by the Library Trustees to renovate and re-equip the Library Building.
ARTICLE 46. Voted unanimously to authorize the Board of Selectmen in their discretion to enter into an agreement with the Department of Public Works of the Common- wealth of Massachusetts, respecting the drainage of Nine Mile Pond, containing terms satisfactory to the Selectmen, and to appropriate the sum of $30,000.00 to defray the cost of the project, said sum to be made up by the transfer of $30,000.00 from unappropriated available funds in the
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treasury, of which amount $20,000.00 is to be returned to the Town from the Waterways Repair and Maintenance Fund of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and to be restored to unappropriated available funds in the treasury when received from the Commonwealth.
ARTICLE 47. Voted unanimously to authorize the Board of Assessors to review the real estate valuations of the Town in order to correct any existing inequities, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $2,400.00 therefor.
ARTICLE 48. Voted unanimously to accept the report of the School Survey Committee appointed by the Board of Selectmen to study the possibility of additional school rooms to accommodate the large increase in the school population, and to further direct the committee to continue its study and to have a further report available at the expected spe- cial town meeting to be held as soon after this meeting as practicable.
ARTICLE 49. Voted unanimously to accept the report of the Committee appointed by the Selectmen under Article 50 of the Annual Town Meeting of March 17, 1951, to study the general extension of the water mains, and to further direct the committee to continue until its study has been completed.
ARTICLE 50. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,228.00 to continue the process of top dressing and seeding the area in front of the Pines School.
ARTICLE 51. Voted unanimously to authorize the Select- men to petition the Legislature for the enactment of legis- lation which will authorize the Town to borrow money for school building purposes in excess of the statutory limitations.
ARTICLE 52. Voted unanimously to appropriate and transfer from unappropriated available funds in the treas- ury the sum of $5,000.00 for architect's services in pre- paring preliminary plans for an addition to the Wilbraham Memorial School.
Voted unanimously that all appropriations made at this meeting, unless otherwise provided for, be raised by assess- ment against the polls, personal properties and real estate of the Town.
A motion was made and seconded at this time extending thanks to Mr. George E. Murphy, Jr., Chairman of the Financial Committee and his committee for their help and guidance through the entire Town Meeting.
It was unanimously voted that the polls remain open until 7.30 p. m.
Meeting adjourned at 4.30 p. m.
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Special Town Meeting JUNE 24, 1952
In accordance with the warrant, as posted, this meeting was declared open at 8 p. m. by Mr. Frank Auchter, Mod- erator, at Wilbraham Memorial School.
Mr. George E. Murphy, Chairman of the Finance Com- mittee moved that the business of this meeting be adjourned until July 8, 1952 at the same time. This motion was sec- onded and it was so voted.
Mr. J. Loring Brooks, Jr., member of the Board of Selectmen, explained to those present that the reason for this adjournment was the inability of the Emergency Fi- nance Board of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to meet and clear the request of the Town of Wilbraham to borrow beyond its debt limit by this date, namely June 24, 1952.
It was unanimously voted to adjourn.
There were 30 residents present - 20 is a quorum.
Special Town Meeting JULY 8, 1952
In accordance with the vote taken June 24, 1952 to ad- journ to this date voters and residents of the Town assem- bled at Memorial School, Wilbraham, Mass. at 8 o'clock p. m. on July 8, 1952. Approximately 350 people present.
Mr. Frank Auchter, Town Moderator, read the warrant and conducted the meeting.
ARTICLE 1. Voted unanimously to accept the report of the School Survey Committee as submitted to this meeting, said Committee having been appointed by the Board of Selectmen on December 17, 1951. Mr. J. Loring Brooks, Jr., member of the Board of Selectmen publicly thanked the Committee for their efforts and splendid report. The mo- tion was made and seconded that Articles 2 and 3 be con- sidered together.
ARTICLE 2 and 3. Voted unanimously that the sum of $383,000.00 be raised and appropriated for the purpose of constructing additions to the Memorial and the Pines Schools, and for originally equipping and furnishing such
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additions and to meet said appropriation that the sum of $17,000.00 be appropriated from available funds in the treasury, and that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow the sum of $366,000.00 under authority of Chapter 44 of the Gen- eral Laws and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor payable in accordance with the provisions of said Chapter 44 so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than twenty years from the date of issue of the first bond or note.
A second motion was made by Mr. J. Loring Brooks, Jr., and seconded by Mr. George E. Murphy, Jr. and voted as follows :
Voted unanimously that the Board of Selectmen be authorized to appoint a building committee to include at least one member of the School Committee.
ARTICLE 4. Voted unanimously that the Town amend the Zoning By-Law and the zoning map by changing the classi- fication of the property below described from Residence A1 District to Residence A2 District, namely; the unoccupied land owned by Lewis E. and Mabel F. Banta, located on the west side of Chapel Street in the village of North Wilbra- ham and bounded on the North one hundred (100) feet by the property known as the Post Office Block, owned now or formerly by one Logan; bounded on the West about one hundred five (105) feet by other property of said Lewis E. and Mabel F. Banta; bounded on the South one hundred two (102) feet by the property owned by one Berry; and bounded on the East about one hundred eleven (111) feet by Chapel Street.
ARTICLE 5. Voted unanimously that the Town accept as a public way a parcel of land approximately 93 feet long and approximately 511/3 feet wide now belonging to the City of Springfield, Mass. and lying between the southerly end of Dalton Street and Severyn Street, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $300.00 for land cost and/or im- provement thereto.
ARTICLE 6. Voted unanimously that the Town appropri- ate the sum of $5,000 to purchase 500 feet of 16" Johns- Manville pipe, to be laid on Miller Street along the 500 feet of highway taken by the Commonwealth of Mass. for the proposed new State Highway, $3,136.87 of this amount to be taken from the balance in the treasury known as Construction of Trunk Water Mains, and $1,863.13 from unappropriated available funds in the treasury.
ARTICLE 7. Voted unanimously to accept from Wilbraham Grange No. 153 the sum of $3,100.00 (this amount being an increase of $50.00 over original $3,050.00 as shown on warrant) being the total of contributions received by the
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Grange from friends or citizens of the Town for the pur- chase of an emergency vehicle and to draw said $3,100.00 from unappropriated available funds in the treasury to purchase a Dodge chassis equipped with a deluxe Oren body suitable for life saving and/or emergency ambulance use, such vehicle to be assigned to the custody and use of the Wilbraham Fire Department under such operating rules and regulations as may from time to time be determined by the Board of Selectmen.
ARTICLE 8. Voted unanimously that the Town transfer from Aid to Dependent Children appropriation to the Board of Health Appropriation, the sum of $2,000.00.
ARTICLE 9. Voted unanimously that the Town authorize the Selectmen on behalf of, and in the name of the Town of Wilbraham, to take by eminent domain in the general area of Nine Mile Pond and Manchonis Road, such ease- ments as may be necessary in connection with the installa- tion of a drainage pipe and cleaning out of an existing un- named brook in general, as shown on a set of plans pre- pared by the Mass. Dept. of Public Works marked acc/ 02977-A through acc. 02977-# dated June 1952, and raise and appropriate the sum of $25.00 therefor.
Meeting adjourned at 10.30 p. m.
Town Calendar - 1953-1954
Annual Town Meeting
March 7, 1953
Selectmen's Meeting Every Monday Evening - 8 p. m. Water Board Meeting First Tuesday of month - 7.30 p. m. Planning Board Meeting Third Tuesday of month - 8 p. m. Fire Commissioners Meeting Tuesday Evening School Board Meeting Second Thursday of month
Tax Collector's Hours
Daily, 9 to 5; Monday Evenings, 7 p. m. to 9 p. m.
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Town Warrant FOR ANNUAL TOWN MEETING ON MARCH 7, 1953
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Hampden, ss.
To any 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 Wilbraham Memorial School in said Town on Saturday, the seventh day of March next at 8.30 a. m. to bring in their votes for Town Officers and act on the fol- lowing articles. The polls will open at 8.30 a. m. and may be closed at 6.30 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 re- quired to be elected or determined by ballot shall be con- sidered after 10 o'clock a. m.
ARTICLE 1. To choose a Moderator, a Town Clerk, a Town Treasurer, a Tree Warden for the ensuing year, one Selectman for three years who shall be a member of the Board of Public Welfare and Board of Health; one Assessor for three years; five Constables for the ensuing year; one Auditor for the ensuing year; one School Committee mem- ber for three years; Town Collector for the ensuing year; one Cemetery Commissioner for three years; one Water Commissioner for three years; one Library Trustee for three years; one member of the Planning Board for five years; all on one ballot. Also all other Town Officers.
ARTICLE 2. To hear and act on reports of the Selectmen, Board of Public Welfare, Treasurer, School Committee and other officers.
ARTICLE 3. To fix the compensation of all elected Town Officers for the ensuing year, and to see if the Town will vote that any changes in compensation for all Town officials or employees whose compensation is not fixed hereunder shall be submitted and approved in advance by the Finan- cial Committee.
Bold face type appearing after some articles are the recommenda- tions of the Financial Committee.
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ARTICLE 3. Recommend that compensation for elected Town Offi- cers be fixed as follows: Town Clerk, $600 per year and fees; Town Treasurer, $1,250; Moderator, $50 Annual Town Meetings, $15 Special Town Meetings; Town Collector, $1,600; Tree Warden, $1.50 per hour (includes use of car) ; Selectmen, two members $500 per year, Chair- man, $550; Assessors, $1.50 per hour (includes use of car when needed) ; Constables, $1.35 per hour when called on duty by Selectmen, plus fees; Auditor, $150 per year; School Committee, no salary; Ceme- tery Commissioners, no salary, $1.35 per hour for time spent at work; Water Commissioners, $150 per year each; Library Trustees, no sal- ary; Planning Board members, no salary; Playground Commissioners, no salary; Poundkeeper, Field Drivers, Weighers of Grain, Surveyors of Lumber, Measurers of Wood and Charcoal (all town officers elected otherwise than official ballot) fees only as fixed by General Laws, and that any changes in compensation for all Town officials or employees whose compensation is not fixed hereunder shall be submitted and ap- proved in advance by the Financial Committee.
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 financial year beginning January 1, 1953, 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 5. To raise such sums of money as may be deemed necessary for defraying the expenses of the Town for the ensuing year and appropriate the same and vote how the same shall be raised.
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