USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1951-1955 > Part 18
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Table of Contents of Condensed Annual Report
Pages 1 through 48. Printed on White Paper
Page
Balance Sheet
18
Committee Report - Group Insurance 13
Committee Report - Building Permit Fees 16
Comparative Annual Expenditures - Four Years 21
Facts About Wilbraham 4
Net Cost Accounts Other Than Appropriations 23
Report of the Financial Committee 10
Report of the School Survey Committee 8
Selectmen's Report 5
Town Meeting - March 7, 1953 25
Town Meeting - July 27, 1953 34
Warrant for March 13, 1954 37
APPENDIX
For appendix containing 1953 reports and expenditures of all departments (publication of which is required by vote of Town Meeting) see Pages 49 to 100 inclusive Printed on buff paper
Table of Contents for Appendix appears on page 50
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Facts about Wilbraham
Settled
1731
Incorporated
1763
Location
Eight miles east of Springfield
Population
Approximately 4800
Form of Government Town Meeting
Tax Rate
$42.00
Number of Dwellings Approximately 1365
Property Valuation
Approximately $6,640,045
Town Offices
North Main Street - Tel. WI 6-3816
Public Schools
Pines School, Wilbraham Memorial School and Springfield High Schools
Private Schools
Wilbraham Academy
Fire Protection
Stations at Wilbraham and North Wilbraham - Tel. WI 6-3111
Police
Five elected Constables and Monson Barracks, State Police - Telephone Palmer 800
Recreational Facilities
Three playgrounds
Town Highways
Approximately 50 miles
Public Library
At Boston Road, North Wilbraham- Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, 2 p. m. to 6 p. m .; 7 p. m. to 9 p. m. (Children's room, 2 p. m. to 6 p. m.)
Churches
Four - United at Wilbraham, Con- gregational at North Wilbraham, Roman Catholic at North Wilbra- ham, Methodist at Glendale
Highest Altitude
937 feet - Mt. Chapin
4
Selectmen's Report
The year 1954 and subsequent years will be challenging indeed for your Town. You have been thrifty to the point of sacrifice in order to divert every possible tax dollar toward our great increases in school enrollment, but you cannot permanently continue to do without some of the Town's other-than-school needs.
Your 1953 tax bills disclosed what you have accom- plished. With schools consuming 59% of your tax dollars, you have managed to hold all other operating expenses of the Town to only $17.20 out of the 1953 tax rate. How- ever, in the next few years we must face other major ex- penditures such as $200,000 for mandatory sewage lines and disposal, another $200,000 to insure adequate water supply and pressure, a probable $60,000 for a new fire truck, site and station for Wilbraham Center and the need for some degree of uniformed police patrol.
In July 1953 your Selectmen took the unprecedented step of requesting the Finance Committee to join with them in sponsoring a special emergency report pointing out the Town's fiscal "growing pains" and suggesting certain ameliorating courses of action. That report attracted at- tention and commendation from far beyond the limits of Wilbraham and resulted in your very favorable response and support.
At a joint meeting with the Finance Committee and the Board of Assessors on February 3, your Selectmen were advised that if you appropriate at the March meeting no more than the minimum budgets approved by the Finance Committee, it would appear that the 1954 tax rate might reach $53 or an increase of $11.00. Such a result would actually be the equivalent of a relative increase of $15.50 on 1953 valuations since the re-valuation program appears to have produced an overall average increase of 10% in assessments on properties taxed in 1953.
It is now estimated that in 1955 and thereafter, unless the Town sends more classes to Springfield or assigns more pupils to each classroom in our schools, that we will then need an average of three additional school rooms each year, with a six year total of no less than twenty additional rooms.
What would twenty more rooms mean in terms of tax rate cost? Current construction costs and the 1954 school budget (up nearly $60,000 over 1953) would indicate that twenty new classrooms, after deducting state aid, when
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financed, amortized and operated would cost $25 to $30 in each year's tax rate. Such a figure extended by the twenty years of a bond issue would of course total the tre- mendous sum of $2,250,000. The Town's present indebted- ness of three quarters of a million dollars has already reached an unheard of total for Wilbraham.
Such an increase in educational cost could obviously bring the indicated 1954 rate of possibly $53 up to as much as $83 if there were no additional state reimbursements provided. An additional $7.00 to cover "other-than-educa- tion near term musts" could conceivably attain the stag- gering total of $90.00.
While your Board is confident that the Wilbraham voters will take the necessary steps to prevent such a tax rate calamity, we believe that a considered warning at this time is a matter of good public service.
Although the severe taxation jump facing us for 1954 precludes any current consideration of appropriating pres- ent tax dollars to a stabilization fund to create further savings for future school room construction, there are per- haps school operating economies which might be consid- ered in a further effort to provide savings toward such future additional rooms.
Budgetwise, the sending of additional classes to Spring- field will in itself produce no savings in operating cost, although it will permit delay in bond issues for construc- tion. Two shift operation would, of course, postpone fur- ther construction but this could in itself save no more than 25% to 30% of the total cost of providing education for the additional pupils. The increase of students assigned to each classroom, of course, provides the maximum possible saving.
Such considerations will require the careful weighing and balancing against practical tax burdens on the part of all citizens.
As they have in past emergencies, the people of Wilbra- ham will face these new challenges resolutely and com- petently.
In conclusion, we wish to pay particular tribute to the Finance Committee and the Fire Department for espe- cially outstanding economies attained during the year 1953. Specifically we call your particular attention to the care- ful planning and the volunteer painting performed by the members of the Fire Department by which means the Town has acquired a fifty thousand dollar fire station for a total cost of $35,000.
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Your Selectmen have been confronted with a $50,000 project to rebuild the Canal Bridge on Red Bridge Road as a matter of public safety, even though it renders little service to our Townspeople. First, we were successful in establishing this as a Chapter 90 project, which would normally mean a shared cost to the Town of 25% or $12,500. Subsequently with the great cooperation of the Department of Public Works and the Hampden County Commissioners we have gained a grant of a special Chap- ter 90 formula reducing the Town's proportion of cost to $6,250 which will be submitted to the current Annual Town Meeting.
Respectfully submitted to the Citizens of Wilbraham.
CARL NELSON ROGER T. HINTZE J. LORING BROOKS, JR. Selectmen
E
JUNE, 1953 GRADUATING CLASS
Back row, left to right: Stephen Arabik, Thomas Cieplik, Robert Pease, Constantine Cioch, Jr., George Lewenczuk, Hadley Whiting, Edward Lindsay, George Bready, Jr. Third row: Miss Marilyn E. Stone, Class Adviser, Barbara Piscor, Delores Poulin, Gail Trembley, Beverly Bousquet, Janet Smart, Patricia Cutting, Jocelyn Kuehn, Gail Ryan, Lucille Lake, Sandra King, Frances Chrzanowski. Second row: Ann Shortell, Mary Louise Scafidi, Dorothy Thurlow, Jean Wells, Diana Hamilton, Helen Jachym, Dorothy Kowalski, Violet Shaw. First row: Ronald Robitaille, Robert Jablonski, Robert Payne, Anders Nygren, Fred Reidy, John Golemo, Robert Colcord. Absent when picture was taken: Jeremy Boyce, Mabel Jones, Philip Rowe.
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Report of School Survey Committee
By vote of the Town at the 1953 Annual Town Meeting, The Board of Selectmen were instructed to appoint a School Survey Committee to study and submit to the next Town Meeting its recommendations as to the town's future school needs in all grades, with particular attention to facilities that will be required in the immediate future.
Wilbraham's unprecedented growth in the eight years since the end of World War II has made our assignment a most knotty problem. During these years, it has been necessary to add 19 elementary classrooms to our school system. In 1945, we had 12 classrooms, 6 at the Pines, 3 at North Wilbraham which have since been converted into town offices, and 3 at Springfield Street, with 280 pupils enrolled in grades 1 to 8 inclusive. In 1950, the year Memo- rial School was opened, we had 18 classrooms in use with an enrollment of 456 in grades 1 to 9 inclusive. This was an increase of 176 pupils (62%) in five years. Prior to 1950, 9th grade pupils were sent to the junior high school in Springfield. In 1952, it was necessary to reopen Spring- field Street school temporarily. In 1953, 10 more rooms were added at Memorial School, and Springfield Street school was closed, leaving 28 classrooms in use with an enrollment of 781. This was an increase of 325 pupils (71%) in the last three years, and brought the total in- crease for the eight year period from 1945-1953 to 501 (179%).
The pre-school census taken in October 1953 indicates that in September 1954 we may anticipate an enrollment of 866. Based on past experience, we can expect actual enrollment to be slightly greater if the building of new homes continues at its present rate. To care for this in- creased number of pupils, it appears that it will be neces- sary to reopen the Springfield Street school, thereby mak- ing a total of 31 classrooms in use, 6 at the Pines, 22 at Memorial and 3 at Springfield Street. The School Com- mittee have informed us that they are planning to reopen the Springfield Street school in the fall of 1954.
For September 1955, the census indicates an enrollment of 921 in the first 9 grades, an increase of 55 over the cen- sus figure for 1954. Here again, if growth continues, actual enrollment may be greater. Although 1954 seems to pre- sent no problem, the additional number of students ex- pected in September 1955 seems to indicate the need for 1 or 2 additional classrooms.
From the above, we find that looking into the future we may need 1, 2 or even more classrooms sometime be-
8
tween now and 1957, but exactly when, and how many, is most difficult to forecast accurately at this time. In view of this uncertainty we recommend :
1. No additional building program be undertaken in 1954.
2. If 1955 enrollment does require 1 or 2 additional classrooms, arrangements be made with the Spring- field School system to temporarily accommodate 1 or 2 junior high classes. This possibility has been dis- cussed with the school officials in Springfield who have stated they have every expectation of being able to provide for these students if the necessity arises.
3. That the future needs for classrooms in September 1956 be given study immediately following the re- ceipt of the 1954 census so that, if classrooms are needed, ample time will be available to provide them.
4. Having in mind the abnormally rapid growth which Wilbraham has experienced in the past eight years, and believing that we may reasonably anticipate growth in the next few years, we suggest that the town accumulate surplus funds for whatever con- struction may become necessary.
IRVING J. CORDNER DORRANCE T. GREEN ALBERT H. HOWES HARRY R. JEFFREY HELEN A. REID
Committee
-
New Building - Grade 5, Shop
9
Report of the Financial Committee
In previous years it has been the custom of the Finance Committee in its annual report to make a forecast of the probable tax rate for the coming year, reserving this always interesting figure for one of the last paragraphs. This year the figure deserves top billing, so to speak, and we are confronting the townspeople with it at the very outset. On February 3rd this committee met with the Assessors and the Selectmen and it was agreed that the budgets as submitted for 1954, less estimated credits from State and Federal sources, when applied on a total valuation of $7,640,000 would result in a tax rate of approximately $53.00 per $1,000, provided the town votes at the Annual Meeting in accordance with the recommendations of the committee as indicated in the warrant. This anticipated increase of $11.00 per $1,000 over last year's rate becomes even more significant when recognition is given to the fact that our total valuation has increased about 16% over last year. Of this increase in total valuation about 1/3 can be attributed to the addition of new property values and 2/3 to the results of the equalization program carried on over the past two years and put into effect this year by our Board of Assessors. By comparison, this year's budget related to last year's valuation would have resulted in a rate of approximately $61.00 per $1,000.
The answer to this startling increase in cost can be summed up in one word - GROWTH. However, it must be pointed out that it is one aspect of growth in particular that is the greatest contributing factor to increasing costs. A new house built in Wilbraham and assessed for $5,000 with a tax rate of $53.00 would add $265.00 to the town's income. So far so good, but here is the hitch. If into that house moves a family with one school age child the present annual cost to the town of educating that child is $320.00, thus leaving the town with a net loss of $55.00 and for each additional child in that house the deficit is increased by $320.00. This net loss continues each year as long as the children remain in school. Of the possible $11.00 in- crease in rate this year, approximately $7.00 can be attrib- uted to an increase in the School Department operating budget and the major part of that increase, in turn, is directly related to the increased number of school children.
The remaining $4.00 increase in rate is roughly broken down as follows: $2.00 for amortization and interest on bonds financing the new 16" water supply line along Miller St. to the corner of Main and Maple Streets, $1.00 for Water Dept. Maintenance, i.e., labor, supplies, cost of
10
water, etc. in our growing water system, and $1.00 for the new bridge at Red Bridge the great majority of the cost of which will be borne, through the outstanding effort of our selectmen, by state and county funds.
It is apparent, with the increase in rate accounted for, that all other departments concerned with the administra- tion of the Town's business have held the line on costs. The Finance Committee has been gratified to find in the various officials and departments an earnest desire to econ- omize to the greatest extent possible and this has been done without impairing any of the Town's essential serv- ices to its people.
There is one item in the budget which this year deserves special comment and that is Civil Defense, included in Article 5. The Town has been instructed by Federal and State directives to develop a plan for the defense of civil- ians in the event of disaster, to organize a staff to carry out any necessary action, and to acquire equipment and supplies. The basic intent of the first two requirements have been met. What is needed now in the way of equip- ment is an adequate warning system. This is fundamental and indispensable to any Civil Defense program. Our pres- ent fire alarm siren is inadequate and unadaptable for the purpose. It has been found that to be effective the impend- ing disaster signal must be enough different from the fire signal so as to be easily distinguishable. On the basis of available figures it is estimated that the cost of installation and first year's operating cost of an adequate warning sys- tem would be $1,750.00. Working capital of $250.00 for the operation of the program brings the total budget to $2,000.00. Your Finance Committee recommends appro- priation of this amount, feeling that to do otherwise would make our position untenable should a sudden disaster find us unprepared. Furthermore, when equipment has been installed, this Committee urges the townspeople to read instructions furnished by the Civil Defense Committee and to take part in test alerts so that its full value can be real- ized.
Two articles in the warrant this year propose new major capital outlays. The first is $90,000 for the laying of a 12" water line paralleling the old line from Maple St. along Main St. to Springfield St. The Finance Committee con- curs with the Water Board and the Selectmen in the belief that action on this proposal should be withheld until the full effect of the new 16" main supply line can be accurately determined after work on this project is completed later this year. The other article proposes spending $74,000 for the laying of an 8" water main from the end of the present main on Maple St. to the Palmer line. It is the
11
opinion of the Finance Committee that a balancing of the pros and cons of this project still leaves a balance in favor of the latter. We believe that this expenditure by the town is not warranted in view of the existing uncertainty that adequate pressure could be made available to this area without a further outlay for a pumping station and stand- pipe.
Following the line of reasoning that the existing water system should first be brought up to maximum efficiency and the effect of the new supply measured before making any further extensions, we do not recommend approval of articles calling for water extensions this year.
This year for the first time new streets accepted by the Town are accepted on the basis of the assessment of better- ments in accordance with authority voted to the Select- men under Article 39 at the 1953 Annual Town Meeting. Provided streets qualify under the formula established in 1950, they may be accepted by vote of the Town with the expense involved being divided between the abuttors (pay- ing 2/3) and the Town (paying 1/3). Of the six street acceptances proposed this year, Woodland Road and Man- chonis Road do not have the minimum valuation required and a negative vote is therefore indicated. Acceptance of the other four streets is recommended. The total cost in- volved is $2,905 with 1/3 of this, or $968, being borne by the Town.
The Finance Committee wishes to express its apprecia- tion to the various Town officials and boards, the Assessors, and the Selectmen for the helpful information they have furnished us and for the fine spirit of cooperation prevalent in our discussions of the various items in the budget.
In conclusion, may we take this opportunity to urge all the people of the town, both individually and collectively, to stress economy in their thinking about town affairs, to create a public opinion which will foster an attitude of belt tightening all along the line, and, wherever any choice is possible, to make popular and acceptable all efforts on the side of conservatism in town spending.
RICHARD L. DANFORTH ALDO ALBERICI STANLEY J. BORYCZKA CHARLES W. BRIERLEY FREDERICK M. COHN, JR.
IRVING J. CORDNER JOHN W. GALE
ALBERT H. HOWES RUDOLPH L. SHULTS
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Committee Report - Group Insurance
December 11, 1953
On April 29, 1953, the Selectmen appointed the members of this Committee "to study the necessity for buying group life insurance for permanent employees of the Town."
This is our report :
Until 1952 Massachusetts statutes had no provision permit- ting towns or cities to appropriate funds to contribute to the cost of group insurance for their employees. Then, during the 1952 session of the Legislature, Chapter 40, Powers and Duties of Cities and Towns, was amended to permit towns and cities to appropriate money "for the purpose of paying part of the premium for group life insurance under the provisions of sections one-hundred and thirty- three through one-hundred and thirty-eight A, inclusive, of Chapter 175 ... ". It further provides that :
1. Any employee earning less than $1,000.00 a year, exclusive of overtime, may purchase a maximum of $1,000.00 group insurance.
2. Any employee earning over $1,000.00, exclusive of overtime, may purchase a maximum of $2,000.00 group insurance.
3. Fifty percent of any premium thereon shall be paid by the town. Dividends or other refunds or rate credits shall inure to the benefit of the town and shall be applied to the cost of such insurance.
A further provision in the general laws affecting group insurance is that 75% of the eligible employees must apply before the plan can be put in effect.
Activity in Massachusetts Towns Since Amending Chapter 40
Since amending Chapter 40 many towns and cities have studied group insurance. As of late summer 1953, the fol- lowing have extended it to their employees :
Population
Belmont
28,866
Danvers
14,614
Framingham
25,502
Holyoke
53,755
Natick
15,789
North Andover
7,936
Salem
42,833
Others, including Longmeadow, are interested and, like Wilbraham, are studying the advisability of recommending it to their townspeople.
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Study of Group Insurance as it might apply to Wilbraham
Recognizing that during the next few years the Town of Wilbraham will have to make extensive cash outlays for capital expenditures, one of the first steps taken by this committee was to investigate the cost of such an insurance plan, both to the employees and to the Town. As four in- surance agents asked for the opportunity to submit quota- tions and explain their programs, we prepared the neces- sary information with the assistance of Mr. Walter Berry and Mr. Irving Agard and forwarded it to them, explain- ing that this was purely exploratory and that the accept- ance of any such program will be decided by the towns- people at some future town meeting.
As of August 1, we found that Wilbraham had 52 perma- nent employees, including 41 in the school system and 11 in the other departments. Since then two have been added to the School Department, so that on December 1 the school system had 43 employees. This brings the total number of town employees to 54.
Quotations have been received from two companies : Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company through Mr. H. B. Miller, and Massachusetts Savings Bank Life Insurance Company through Mr. Earl Paine of the Spring- field Five Cents Savings Bank. You will find these quota- tions attached. Mr. Nestor P. Cokkinias and Mr. Lloyd Hoover, who also asked for information on which to quote, have not yet submitted quotations from their companies. However, we feel that two quotations give us sufficient in- formation to estimate the costs that might be involved.
There are several factors which prevent one from com- ing up with an exact cost of such a program of group life insurance. First, the monthly rate per $1,000.00 cannot be computed by the insurance company until all applications from those entering the program have been received. It is quite safe to say that all employees would not decide to purchase group insurance; yet 75% must subscribe before the program could go into effect. A larger proportion of young or old would determine whether the final rate would be higher or lower than those quoted.
We computed costs on several different combinations, which are tabulated below :
Monthly Cost Per $1,000.00 Insurance*
Total Annual Cost to Town
If all 54 employees as of December 1 purchase (Massachusetts Mutual rate)
$1.21
$726.00
* 1/2 paid by employee, 1/2 paid by Town
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Same as above, computed on Savings Bank Life rate If 25% of oldest employees decided not to participate (Massachusetts Mutual rate) If 25% of younger employees decided not to participate (Massachusetts Mutual rate)
1.18
708.00
.71
328.02
1.52
684.00
From the above figures such a program would cost the Town about $700.00 each year. This adds nearly $.11 to the tax rate. This will, of course, increase in future years as the number of Town employees increases. The clerical expenses of administering this program are hard to assess and are not included in the above figure.
Next, what are the advantages to the employees, in terms of cost and otherwise. First, let us look at costs. The following table compares the cost of group insurance with individual five-year renewable term insurance at different ages :
Age
Cost of Term Insurance
Cost of Group Insurance ($1.21 Rate)
Yearly Saving Group Insurance vs. Term Insurance
25
$15.48
$14.52
$ .96
30
17.44
14.52
2.92
35
20.38
14.52
5.86
40
24.84
14.52
10.32
45
31.60
14.52
17.08
50
41.78
14.52
27.26
55
57.20
14.52
42.68
60
80.00
14.52
65.48
Obviously, group insurance would offer little saving to employees up to the age of 45. Beyond 45, the saving be- comes increasingly greater. There are, however, other ad- vantages to a group insurance plan :
1. No medical examination is required.
2. Some employees, who cannot now obtain insurance, could be covered.
3. Older employees without adequate insurance could obtain $2,000.00 additional insurance at very low cost.
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