USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1951-1955 > Part 3
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ARTICLE 10. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,000.00 for the improvement or rebuilding of Chapter 90 Roads, provided the State and County contrib- ute toward the same, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 90, General Laws.
ARTICLE 11. Voted unanimously to appropriate and transfer from unappropriated available funds in the treas- ury the sum of $15,000.00 for the improvement or rebuild- ing of Chapter 90 Roads, (an amount which is 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 authorize the Board of Selectmen to take over from the School Committee the building now known as No. 8 school, and make the neces- sary repairs and alterations to equip the building to be used for Town offices, and erect a vault, and to appropriate the sum of $13,000.00; $600.00 of this amount to be trans-
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ferred from the Community House Building Fund, and $12,400.00 to be transferred from unappropriated avail- able funds in the treasury.
ARTICLE 13. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,700.00 to top dress and seed the area in front of the Pines School and erect a fence at that school.
ARTICLE 14. Voted unanimously to appropriate and transfer from unappropriated available funds in the treas- ury the sum of $4,700.00 to purchase and install about 1100 feet of 6-inch water pipe with appropriate hydrants on Nokomis Road from Boston Road toward Main Street.
ARTICLE 15. Voted unanimously to appropriate and trans- fer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of $5,000.00 to purchase and install about 1260 feet of 6-inch water pipe with appropriate hydrants on Forest Street.
ARTICLE 16. Voted unanimously to appropriate and trans- fer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of $2,000.00 to purchase and install about 500 feet of 6-inch water pipe with appropriate hydrants on Hillcrest Drive.
ARTICLE 17. Voted unanimously to appropriate and trans- fer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of $1,900.00 to purchase and install about 475 feet of 6-inch water pipe on Lake Drive from Boston Road to Hill- crest Drive, with easements to be secured from all property owners, said road being a private way.
ARTICLE 18. Voted unanimously to rescind the vote taken under Article 28 of the annual town meeting of March 25, 1950, "Voted unanimously to accept as a public way the right of way running easterly from the southerly end of Hillcrest Drive to Lake Drive for a distance of approxi- mately 150 feet more or less, said way being 50 feet in width throughout said length, which 50 feet is made up of the 15 feet width shown as right of way on said plan plus additional land on both the northerly and southerly sides of said way as shown on plan filed with the Town Clerk on February 15, 1949, with all of said additional land to be deeded to the Town by each abutter for the consideration of $1.00."
ARTICLE 19. Voted unanimously to accept as a public way the right of way running easterly from the southerly end of Hillcrest Drive to Lake Drive for a distance of ap- proximately 150 feet more or less, said way being 40 feet in width throughout said length, which 40 feet is made up of the 15 feet width shown as right of way on said plan
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plus additional 20 feet more or less on southerly side and 5 feet more or less on northerly side of said way, as shown on plan filed with the Town Clerk on Feb. 15, 1949, with all of said additional land to be deeded to the Town by each abuttor for the consideration of $1.00.
ARTICLE 20. Voted unanimously to accept as a public way the private way now known as Severyn Street as shown on Plan of Lots, Stony Hill Road, Frank and Louise Severyn, August 1941, William R. Hennessey, Surveyor, for a distance of 800 feet more or less, running in a westerly direction from the west side of Stony Hill Road to the Wilbraham-Springfield line, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $850.00 to defray the expense of same.
ARTICLE 21. Voted unanimously to instruct the Select- men to provide 2 street lights on Severyn Street, the cost of said lights to be taken from the Street Lights appropria- tion under Article 5.
ARTICLE 22. Voted unanimously to accept as a public way that portion of Dalton Street now a private way as shown on plan of land surveyed by William Hennessey, Land Surveyor, May 1947, beginning at the southerly end of that portion now accepted as a public way, and running southerly for a distance of approximately 365 feet more or less, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $400.00 to defray the expense of same.
ARTICLE 23. Voted unanimously to instruct the Select- men to provide 2 street lights on Dalton Street, the cost of said lights to be taken from the Street Lights appropria- tion under Article 5.
ARTICLE 24. Voted unanimously to accept as a public way the private way now known as Bruuer Avenue, as shown on a plan of Norman Thurlow surveyed by Merrill & Sears, Civil Engineers, January 21, 1948, running in an easterly direction from Ripley Street for a distance of about 625 feet more or less, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $800.00 to defray the expense of same.
ARTICLE 25. Voted unanimously to accept that portion of Ripley Street now a private way, as shown on plan of Norman Thurlow, surveyed by Merrill & Sears, Civil Engi- neers, January 21, 1948, being the extension of Ripley Street, running in a southerly direction for a distance of 170 feet more or less to Bruuer Avenue, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $250.00 to defray the expense of same.
ARTICLE 26. Voted unanimously to accept that portion of Weston Street now a private way, being the extension
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of Weston Street, running in a southerly direction for a distance of about 125 feet more or less to Severyn Street, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $200.00 to defray the expense of same.
ARTICLE 27. Voted not 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 Hen- nessey, 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 as Walter Street, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $750.00 to defray the expense thereof.
ARTICLE 28. Voted to consider this article at the next annual town meeting, 1952.
ARTICLE 29. Voted by a standing vote of 23 for and 66 against not to accept this article.
ARTICLE 30. Voted unanimously to defer this article until the 1952 annual town meeting.
ARTICLE 31. Voted to postpone action on this article until 1952.
ARTICLE 32. Voted unanimously to postpone action on this article until 1952.
ARTICLE 33. Voted unanimously to instruct the Select- men to provide 7 electric lights along Boston Road from, at, or near the Construction Service Corporation westerly to, at or near the property now of Walter and Doris Koscial at No. 2339 Boston Road, a distance of approximately 2900 feet.
ARTICLE 34. 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 to defray the expense of same, and to further authorize the assessors to be paid for same at the rate established for their com- pensation under Article 3 of this warrant.
ARTICLE 35. Voted unanimously that the Town relocate a portion of Soule Road, and for that purpose accept from Y. M. H. A. Day Camp, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation, a grant of an easement of way for street purposes, the same to be a town way, over the land of said corporation on Soule Road, the portion of land to be subject to said easement being as below described, and accept also the pay- ment by said corporation of the sum of Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars to defray in whole or in part the relocation costs, and in consideration of which grant and payment the Town shall grant to said corporation its title to that portion of Soule Road, which will be rendered unnecessary
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being as below described; the said relocation to be in ac- cordance with an offer made to the Selectmen by said cor- poration; and further that the Town appropriate the sum of One Thousand ($1,000.00) Dollars for the expense of relocating said Soule Road and the carrying out of the terms of said offer, the payment of said corporation of said sum of Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars to be a part of said sum of One Thousand ($1,000.00) Dollars and the balance of Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars to be raised by taxation; and the Selectmen are hereby authorized and directed in behalf of the Town to carry out the provisions of this vote including the acceptance of a deed of grant from said corporation and the execution and delivery of a deed of grant in behalf of the Town, and generally to carry out the terms of said offer; that portion of the new location of Soule Road being described as follows :
Beginning at a stone bound in the land of YMHA Day Camp, Inc., Southerly of the existing Soule Road and from thence running N. 14° 43' W. crossing the exist- ing Soule Road, seven hundred twenty-seven and 45/100 (727.45) feet to a stone bound; thence running N. 51° 38' W. one hundred fourteen and 50/100 (114.50) feet to a stone bound; thence running N. 62° W. recrossing the existing Soule Road five hundred thirty-eight and 27/100 (538.27) feet to a stone bound; thence running N. 19° E. again crossing the existing Soule Road fifty and 62/100 (50.62) feet to a stone bound; thence run- ning S. 62° E. five hundred fifty and 73/100 (550.73) feet to a stone bound ; thence running S. 51° 38' E. one hundred thirty-five and 61/100 (135.61) feet to a stone bound; thence running S. 14° 43' E. six hundred sixty- five and 21/100 (665.21) feet to a stone bound; thence running S. 17° 39' W. again re-crossing the existing Soule Road ninety-three and 40/100 (93.40) feet to the stone bound at the place of beginning ;
and that portion of the existing Soule Road to be deeded to said corporation being described as follows :
Beginning at the point of intersection of the South- westerly line of the existing Soule Road and the South- westerly line of the new Soule Road as relocated, and from thence running N. 32° W. along the Southerly line of the existing Soule Road one hundred sixteen (116) feet to an angle; thence running N. 36° 30' W. along said Southwesterly line of the existing Soule Road seven hundred ten and 94/100 (710.94) feet to an angle; thence running N. 28° W. along said South- westerly line of the existing Soule Road two hundred sixty (260) feet to the point of intersection of said
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Southwesterly line of the existing Soule Road and the Southwesterly line of the new Soule Road; thence run- ning S. 62° E. Along said Southwesterly line of the new Soule Road fifty-nine (59) feet; thence running S. 28° E. along the Northeasterly line of the existing Soule Road two hundred nine and 7/10 (209.7) feet to an angle; thence running S. 36° 30' E. Along the North- easterly line of said Soule Road seven hundred nine and 94/100 (709.94) feet; and thence running S. 14° 43' E. along the Southwesterly line of the new Soule Road one hundred twenty and 5/10 (120.5) feet to the point of beginning ;
both portions being shown on a plan dated March 7, 1951, made by W. R. Hennessey, Ludlow, Mass., to be recorded in Hampden County Registry of Deeds.
ARTICLE 36. Voted unanimously to appropriate and trans- fer from the Road Machinery Fund the sum of $4,500.00 to purchase a 2-ton dump truck and sand body, for use of the highway department.
ARTICLE 37. Voted unanimously to postpone indefinitely action on this article.
ARTICLE 38. Voted unanimously to accept the sum of $325.00 from Wilbraham Grange No. 153 as a gift toward the expense of the flag pole at the Wilbraham Memorial School.
ARTICLE 39. Voted unanimously to accept Chapter 820 of the Acts of 1950 to increase the pensions of former em- ployees of the Town who have had fifteen years of service and who retired prior to November 1, 1949 by $100.00 a year.
ARTICLE 40. Voted unanimously to authorize the Select- men 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 whom- soever they authorize to hold such public auction, may reject any bid which they deem inadequate.
ARTICLE 41. 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 42. Voted unanimously to appropriate the Town's share of the 1950 dog tax to the Library fund.
ARTICLE 43. Voted unanimously to appropriate the sum of $5,500.00 for a Reserve Fund to be transferred from the Overlay Surplus Account.
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ARTICLE 44. Voted unanimously (as authorized by Gen- eral Laws, Chapter 45, Section 14) to have the Playground Commission appointed by the Selectmen instead of having them elected by the voters, and thereby amend the provi- sions of the Town Meeting vote of February 5, 1945, under Article 20 of the Warrant.
ARTICLE 45. Voted unanimously to appropriate and trans- fer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of $12,000.00 to be spent by the Water Depart- ment for additional household and business installations of 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 46. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $250.00 to be expended for civilian protection and defense by the local committee of Civil Defense, under the direction of the Board of Selectmen.
ARTICLE 47. Voted unanimously to instruct the Select- men to appoint a committee with authority to arrange a suitable program at Wilbraham Memorial School Building on Memorial Day, at which time plaques will be unveiled dedicating the building to the memory of the men of Wil- braham who have given their lives to their country, dedi- cating the flag pole presented by the Grange to the soldier dead from that organization and dedicating the health room to the memory of Dr. Arthur L. Damon, with the expenses incurred therefor to be met from the Memorial Day appro- priation under Article 5.
ARTICLE 48. Voted unanimously to appropriate and trans- fer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury the sum of $1,500.00 and to raise and appropriate the sum of $500.00 to pay to the garbage collection contractor, the amounts received by the Town Collector from garbage col- lection subscribers, said receipts to be restored as received by the Town Collector to unappropriated available funds in the treasury.
ARTICLE 49. Voted unanimously to rescind that part of the vote taken under Article 16 of the annual town meeting of March 25, 1950 "voted to accept as a public way the drive running from Main Street, to the Wilbraham Memo- rial School Building."
ARTICLE 50. Voted unanimously that all appropriations made at this meeting, unless otherwise provided for, be raised by assessment against the polls, personal properties and real estate of the Town.
Voted unanimously that the Selectmen appoint a commit- tee of five to study the general extension of the water mains,
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and to bring in a report to the Selectmen no later than December 1, 1951.
The meeting adjourned at 5.30, and the polls were de- clared closed at 6.30.
The total ballot was as follows:
Precinct A, 199 Precinct B, 112 Precinct C, 80
Total votes cast, 391
Report of Special Town Meeting JULY 25, 1951
In accordance with the warrant, as posted, the voters of the town assembled in Wilbraham Memorial School, Wilbraham, Mass., at eight o'clock p. m., July 25, 1951. There were forty-three registered voters in attendance.
Mr. Frank Auchter, Town Moderator, read the warrant and conducted the meeting.
ARTICLE 1. Voted unanimously that the Town assume liability in the manner provided by Section 29 of Chapter 91 of the General Laws, as amended by Chapters 516 and 524, Acts of 1950 for all damage that may be incurred by work to be performed by the Department of Public Works of Massachusetts for the installation, improvement and maintenance of a drainage channel from Nine Mile Pond as shown on a plan entitled "Property owners along pro- posed drainage channel from Nine Mile Pond, Wilbraham" prepared by the Department of Public Works Division of Waterways dated July 1951 and numbered ACC 02873 in accordance with Section 11 of Chapter 91 of the General Laws, and the Selectmen are authorized to execute and deliver a bond of indemnity therefor to the Commonwealth.
ARTICLE 2. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $3,600.00 to meet the new cost of tuition for our students in the Springfield schools for the balance of the 1951 school year.
ARTICLE 3. Voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,600.00 to purchase equipment for a Hot Lunch Program at the Pines School.
This article was amended to read $1,600.00, a raise of $300.00 over the original article.
Meeting adjourned at 9.45.
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Preliminary Report of the Committee to Survey the Water System of Wilbraham
The water system of Wilbraham consists of a delivery main from the Quabbin water system extending from Lud- low Center to Main and Maple Streets, a loop extending West on Boston Road to Stony Hill Road, thence South on Stony Hill Road to Springfield Street, thence East on Springfield Street to Main Street and then back to Main and Maple Streets. On Main Street the line extends South of Springfield Street to a point some distance beyond Tink- ham Road. On Stony Hill Road the line extends South to a point some distance short of Tinkham Road. The line on Springfield Street extends West to the Springfield city line where it is connected through a check valve and meter to the Springfield city water supply. There is a similar connection on Boston Road at Stony Hill Road. From this system short dead end lines extend at several points and to certain areas such as the Ripley Street development, the Decorie development, Colonial Acres, etc.
The size and condition of the water mains vary from place to place with many of the mains being too small under the present conditions although they were more than ade- quate when laid.
There are several sections of Wilbraham which are not served by the town water system. At the current rate of home building most of these sections will require water in the not too distant future.
The problem is to develop a plan for the development of the system which will provide plenty of water for the sec- tions not now having it without taking water away from those already served and to provide for the increasing development of the town.
There are several phases of the problem to be considered :
1. The insurance of an adequate volume of water at the end of the service main at Main and Maple Streets.
2. The laying of mains to each of the sections now with- out water.
3. The elimination of bottlenecks in the existing system.
After due consideration, the committee believes that the first step in the development of the water system should be the provision of a greater volume of water at the de- livery end of the service main at Main and Chapel Streets. This can be attained by installing a new 12" or 16" service main parallel to the existing main from the Quabbin line at Ludlow Center to the corner of Main and Maple Streets.
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We have come to this decision for the following reasons:
1. A survey prepared by engineers well-versed in the mechanics of water systems has indicated that the present line is not delivering the volume it is theoretically capable of delivering.
2. A later survey by the same firm indicated that even at full capacity, the volume from the existing main would not be sufficient to permit extension of the system to the higher elevations without the installation of pumping sta- tions and standpipes.
3. The later survey indicated that a new 12" main paral- lel to the present main and tied into it at four places would provide sufficient water to serve the higher elevations by gravity feed.
4. Further extension of the mains without increasing the volume of flow at Main and Maple Streets would lower the efficiency of the entire system.
5. A parallel service main would lessen the necessity of using water from the Springfield system at the present high cost of Springfield water.
The cost of a new 12" service main was estimated at $98,990 in 1950 by the engineering firm. This amount is probably too low today. The cost of a 16" main would be $100,000 greater than a 12" main but would insure the maximum volume of water obtainable from the Quabbin system.
The committee is not in any position at the present time to recommend how the money is to be raised or whether the installation is to be done all at once or over a period of three years. It is felt that with a continued upward price spiral, it would be advisable to do the job as soon as pos- sible. On the other hand it should be possible to install the main in separate sections over a period of years. Such a step might well cost somewhat more than doing it in one year but it would spread the cost over a period of years.
The committee is not prepared to make any further recommendations without more time for a detailed study of the problem. An extension of one year is requested to enable the committee to undertake a complete investiga- tion of the physical assets of the water system as presently constituted, the financial structure and procedure of the Water Department in comparison with other Massachusetts towns of equal size and financial condition, and to deter- mine as nearly as possible the future needs of the town as influenced by the probable rate and direction of growth
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of town. To this end, the committee respectfully requests an appropriation of $200 to defray any engineering and incidental expenses that it may incur.
ROBERT M. DICKEY, Chairman
RAYMOND O. BABINEAU
CHARLES I. BOWMAN
DAVID W. GORDON
HAROLD R. PORTER
Town Warrant
FOR ANNUAL TOWN MEETING ON MARCH 15, 1952 Commonwealth of Massachusetts Hampden, ss.
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 Wilbraham Memorial School in said Town on Sat- urday, the fifteenth day of March next at 8.30 a. m. to bring in their votes for Town Officers and act on the follow- ing 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 elec- tion 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, 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.
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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.
ARTICLE 4. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Town Treasurer with the approval of the Selectmen to bor- row 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 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.
ARTICLE 6. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $7,200.00 or any sum for the main- tenance of Chapter 81 roads, provided the State contribute toward the same, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 81, General Laws, or take any action relative thereto.
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