USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1961-1965 > Part 25
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Lajzer, John J. S., 13 Sunnyside Ter., W. Die Caster
Lang, Glenford F., 1 Raymond Dr., W.
Financial Consultant
Lindell, Carl O., 4 Brooklawn Rd., W.
Little, Lawson, 477 Dipping Hole Rd., W. Sales Manager
Los, Stanley J., 124 River Rd., N.W. Tool Grinder
Macaulay, Frederick J., 910 Stony Hill Rd., W. Builder
MacIntire, Wesley, 24 Delmor Ave., W.
Mechanic
Macleod, George V., 9 Chapin Dr., W.
Bank Manager (Branch) Housewife
Maiocco, George W., 4 Linwood Dr., W. Manager
McCalligett, James F., 28 Brookdale Dr., W. Toolmaker
Megliola, Anthony M., 14 Rochford Dr., W.
Insurance Representative
Meregian, Andon A., 41 Brookside Dr., W.
Businessman
Merrick, Charles L., 651 Main St., W.
Farmer
Morrissette, Raymond E., Sunset Rock Road, N.W.
Tool Designer
Nickerson, David L., 27 Leemond St., W.
Optical Engineer
O'Day, Howard T., 659 Ridge Rd., W.
Insurance
O'Neil, George F., 348 Springfield St., W. Cost Accountant
Palmer, Stanley E., 503 Main St., W ..
. Engineer
Plancon, Eugene R., Chestnut Hill, N.W.
Porter, Harold E., 520 Main St., W. Insurance
Post, Frederick H., 3 Leemond St., W. Inspector
Prokop, Beatrice D., 7 Bolles Rd., W. Housewife
Riendeau, Lucien, Federal Lane, W. Welder
Salls, Russell C., 237 Monson Rd., W. Civil Engineer
Scott-Smith, Francis H., 3 Pearl Lane, W. Pilot Plant Operator Sleith, Samuel W., 17 Nokomis Rd., W. Assistant Manager
Iwasinski, Theodore, 2379 Boston Rd., N.W.
Pattern Maker
LaFreniere, Joseph L., 387 Stony Hill Rd., W. Chemical Operator
Trucker
Magruder, Doris S., 505 Mountain Rd., W.
Pincince, Raymond L., 15 Longview Dr., W. Salesman
Accountant
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Spagnoli, Salvatore J., 5 Wilbraview Dr., W. Businessman
Stagnaro, Charles W., 14 Pease St., W. Machinist
Strohman, Robert A., 655 Glendale Rd., N.W. Clerk
Strosburg, William A., Cone Trail, W. Printer
Swain, Richard C., 423 Mountain Rd., W. . Consultant Sweetman, Lawrence J., 215 Three Rivers Rd., N.W. Contractor
Swiatek, Ted M., 616 Stony Hill Road, W. Tool Engineer
Swiecanski, Stanley H., 131 Stony Hill Rd., W. Carpenter Trant, Colin A., 76 Crane Hill Rd., N.W. Salesman
Tupper, Karl F., 19 Rochford Dr., W. Electrician
Van Brocklyn, Robert R., 2 Sunset Rock Rd., N.W. Policy Assistant
Webster, David, Jr., 4 Leemond St., W. Manager
Welch, John C., Sr., 6 Wilbraview Dr., W. Manager
Willoughby, Richard, 15 Bruuer Ave., W. Salesman
Wirzbicki, Walter S., 19 Weston St., N.W. Clerk
Wilbraham Public Library Report
Each year we write in this report of the library's being over- crowded, and this year we strike the same note once more. Again ingenuity has been strained to find space for books and displays. Our troubles have been somewhat alleviated by the freeing of some upstairs rooms, where we can store books and magazines that are not in constant circulation; but because of our growing numbers of new readers, finding space is still a problem. The upper floors cannot be used by readers without expensive altera- tions which we hesitate to ask the townspeople to pay for. It does not seem sensible to put money into such an outmoded building. As it is, the building will have to be painted this next year at a cost of almost one thousand dollars. It should be noted here also that because of lack of space the library cannot take full advantage of its membership in the Western Regional Library Association, such as audio-visual aids.
While the Trustees and the library staff welcomed the appear- ance of the bookmobile in the center of town, they did not regard it as an unmixed blessing, for a staff member has to serve with the bookmobile crew, and most of the books taken out in the center are returned to the library where our staff has to process them. The visits aroused a great deal of enthusiasm among the children, but it had little to offer to many adults, especially males, because of the hours at which it appears. Undoubtedly the most significant aspect of the arrival of the machine is that it's being parked in the town's center has resulted in scores of children walking and riding their bicycles to it in complete safety.
With all these factors in mind, it is easily seen that the town
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is in need of a new library in a less hazardous location than our present one occupies. As matters stand, the town is simply not being served efficiently. Fully aware of the financial burdens of the citizens, the trustees are nevertheless of the opinion that a new library is essential. The trustees have ascertained that there are two sources of financial aid available. Because Wilbraham is a part of an area designated as "financially distressed," the Fed- eral Government has funds available to help towards architect's fees and to pay fifty per cent or more of the actual construction costs of the building. The trustees have been examining new libra- ries in other sections of the Commonwealth, have been consulting architects, and have been examining possible sites, and hope soon to be able to present a definite program for a new building.
This year, as in previous years, several beneficent townspeople and groups have offered gifts to the library, and the trustees take this opportunity to thank them. Mr. William Hutchinson has presented the Encyclopedia Britannica, which has been circulated and widely used. Wilbraham Academy has given a collection of boys' stories. Continuing its program of presenting books as individual memorials, the Grange has contributed a book in mem- ory of Evelyn Jefferson. Other gifts were donated by Mrs. David Colburn, Mrs. H. J. Murphy, Mrs. David Armstrong, and Mrs. Raymond E. Pannier.
During the Bicentennial Year, the staff has had displays in keeping with the celebration. The original library is still on ex- hibit as it is part of the permanent collection of the library. Be- cause of the ability of a well trained staff, the town is receiving very good service when we consider the lack of space in which they have to work.
MARY GERTRUDE RONK, Chairman
JAMES McGUIRE
CLIFFORD W. BURGESS
WILBRAHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS
Holdings:
Volumes in Library, January 1, 1963
15,544
Volumes purchased
1,209
Volumes donated (Gifts)
85
1,294
Less volumes discarded, lost
620
674
Volumes in Library, January 1, 1964
16,218
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Registration:
Adult
2,026 1,410
Juvenile
Total registration
3,436
(gain of 590 over 1962)
Circulation:
Adult (including periodicals)
23,359
Juvenile (including periodicals)
31,964
Total circulation
55,323
(gain of 5,539 over 1962)
Special Services:
Books borrowed on interlibrary loans
282
Books lent on interlibrary loans
24
Reserve book notices mailed to borrowers
684
Overdue notices mailed to borrowers
2,670
Fines collected in 1963
$909.30
Interim Report on the Master Plan of Wilbraham, Massachusetts
This report is a brief summary of the work done in the past eleven months on the Master Plan of Wilbraham. The research and maps showing existing conditions, which were described in our last report, have been analyzed, and many of the Town's future needs have been determined through meetings with the Planning Board and other Town Boards and groups. As a result of these meetings specific proposals have been made, studied, and in most cases revised several times to represent finally the best solutions for accomplishing long range objectives.
NATURAL FEATURES
The major natural conditions of the land particularly along the ridge and in the Glendale section, slopes exceeding 15%, indicate areas of land that will be quite difficult to develop. Low swampy areas, and land where unstable and wet soils will prob- ably be encountered, indicate areas where the long term use of septic tanks is very questionable. Some of these low areas are also existing stream beds that collect all of the storm water from the hills and plains, and drain this water through and out of town to the major rivers. It is most essential to preserve and improve this natural storm drainage system.
SUITABLE LAND
When the natural features, built up and used land are plot-
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ted on one map, the resulting open spaces are considered the most suitable land for development. This is not to say that none of the other land will be developed, or that present uses will not be changed. Suitable land does indicate those areas that appear to be the most developable, and the easiest and most economical to develop.
Of the open spaces of land approximately 6,200 acres of suit- able land are proposed for future residential use. If developed to maximum capacity according to present zoning, somewhat more than 8,200 new families can be accommodated on the suitable land. This represents some 28,000 new people in addition to the close to 10,000 population in Wilbraham in 1963. If Wilbra- ham's population reaches 25,000 in 1980, more than half of the suitable land now open will have been used up.
CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT
The second basic factor in the Residential Densities Plan is a relatively new principle of subdivision design. The new densities proposed, 26,000 sq. ft. per family in R-26 zone district, etc., apply to cluster as well as non-cluster subdivision. However, on a minimum parcel of 10 acres, the character of the soil and the availability of public water determine the extent to which indi- vidual lot sizes may be reduced. They may be reduced according to a set formula described in the proposed Zoning By-Laws amendments, which permits no more families than the district density would provide (26,000 sq. ft., etc.), and which also required that the land not in streets or in building lots shall be reserved as open space.
For example, in a R-26 zone district, there must be 435,600 sq. ft. of land for each 17 families, plus the land needed for streets. Under conventional subdivision design, each lot would require 26,000 sq. ft. and frontage of 130 feet. Under cluster design, if public water is installed, and if the lots are laid out on land with very good seepage, the same 17 families could build on lots of 20,000 sq. ft. with 100 feet frontage. The land not used for building lots, 95,600 sq. ft. in this case, would be reserved as open space. Where public water could not be installed, and the lots had the same good seepage, 17 lots of 22,000 sq. ft. and 110 feet frontage would be permitted, and the open space land in this case would be 61,100 sq. ft. Cluster design encourages the best use of the better land and makes it possible to preserve some of the marginal land as open space.
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PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACES
The third factor in the Residential Densities Plan is the pres- ervation of Wilbraham's present open character. The extent to which new development is using up the open land is obvious in several areas of the Town. In some cases, building has stopped at brooks and marginal land; in others, these natural features have been obliterated. Unless the Town is to be faced with con- siderable expense in the future, the flow of storm water in these streams must be assured.
Under cluster zoning, the low and wet land along brooks and streams is ofen part of the open spaces. It is the least desirable for building, but most valuable for storm run-off and flood reten- tion. Reserving this type of land is in the interest of the indi- vidual and the Town. More importantly, they break up the con- tinuous and repetitious pattern of streets and houses extending from one end of a built up town to the other. The whole en- vironment is improved, and the Town retains some of its country character even at full development.
THE PLAN FOR COMMERCIAL LAND
Over 90% of the land zoned for business is located along Route 20, and most of the business development is in "roadside" types rather than in types designed primarily to serve the towns- people. Route 20 is, except for the East Wilbraham area, at the extreme northern end of town, and not easily accessible from the major residential land areas. Heavy through traffic, and the danger of making left turns, further limit its desirability as a shopping area for the townspeople.
As previously noted, well situated local facilities serving Wil- braham's people are extremely limited in relation to the present and to the potential population. Residential growth has increased the quantity and cost of town government for services to the residents. There has been no appreciable increase in commercial growth to provide goods or services for the population growth, nor to provide a comparable increase in commercial taxes to help pay for the town services. The result is that home owners and land owners are paying an increasing proportion of the Wilbra- ham tax dollar. The general purpose of the Master Plan is to project the town's physical and economic needs over the long range. In the foreseeable future, Wilbraham will have a popu- lation of some 25,000. In view of the history of other towns,
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it is difficult to visualize a town of this size without a center of some sort. There is the foreseeable need for a new and larger town office building, and probably also a central library. Com- bining public buildings and private offices and shops in the same general area would appear to serve the majority of people in the most satisfactory and efficient way. The Town Center Plan recognizes these long range objectives, and provides an orderly means for their accomplishment.
LOCATION OF TOWN CENTER
A new center for Wilbraham should be located in relation to the residential land areas it is to serve, and to the major streets people will use to reach the center. Springfield Street is about centrally located in relation to the north and south town lines, and, with Mountain Road and Monson Road, covers most of the town area from east to west. Since traffic will come from north and south to Springfield Street, a new center should be located in relation to north-south streets.
The Springfield Street . Main Street area is close to the future population center of the Town. Except for the East Wilbraham neighborhood, the present road pattern gives good access to this area from the other residential neighborhoods. There appears to be sufficient suitable land, about 20 acres, for building con- struction. It is presently a center of Town, and Crane Park. The Post Office, Academy, and the Old Meeting House form a nucleus around which a new center may be planned.
TOWN CENTER PLAN
A basic requirement of a town center is good safe vehicular and pedestrian movement. About one-third of the ultimate town population will come from the west toward the Center. Burt Lane is quite inadequate, location wise as well as structurally, to give access to the interior land. Extending Springfield Street directly across Main Street will afford direct access, and with a traffic light will afford better and safer movement in all directions. Until the Center is more fully developed, it will give access from the northerly and northeasterly neighborhoods, while Wood- land Dell Road will give access from the southerly and south- easterly neighborhoods.
A new north-south road, between Springfield Street extended and Woodland Dell Road, is proposed to give a second, more
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rapid, and direct access for fire equipment to the western part of the Town.
Three different types of uses are proposed in the blocks cre- ated by the new streets. On the east side of Main Street, present uses would remain, in a new Neighborhood Office Zone described in the proposed amendments to the Zoning By-Laws. This zone would also extend from Burt Lane to Woodland Dell Road, about 161 feet deep from Main Street.
A new Neighborhood Shopping zone, described in the By- Laws amendments, is proposed east of the Office zone, extending from Woodland Dell Road to Springfield Street extended, and eventually to Mountain Road. This area would permit retail shops, one story high, with landscaped areas along the streets and at buildings. The location of buildings, street entrances, and parking areas would require approval of the Planning Board. The north side of Woodland Dell Road would require an ade- quate landscaped buffer to be planted and maintained. Off-street parking standards are proposed to assure use of the new and existing streets only for the movement of vehicles. The proposed By-Laws are designed to create an attractive well maintained shopping area, with space for people as well as for cars, in keep- ing with the character of the Town. The shopping area con- tains about 20 acres of land.
The third part of the Town Center Plan is the proposed civic center. Occupying less than 7 acres of land in the northwesterly block, it is across the streets from the shopping areas. The Post Office is in this block, and there is land area for at least a new town office and library without disturbing property now occu- pied. The enlargement of Crane Park is desirable, particularly as some park land will be lost in the extension of Springfield Street. In the long range, by using all of the open land the town buildings could be built in a greatly expanded Crane Park. An existing swamp could readily be cleared to make a small lake, helping in flood control and adding considerably to the environ- ment. If the time comes when the old meeting house, or other Main Street buildings, can be acquired by the Town, they can be readily integrated into the over all plan, as part of the park or for other uses.
ACCOMPLISHING THE CENTER PLAN
To provide for the proper development of the interior land, there is proposed an over all street pattern to assure safe and
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convenient traffic movement. The layout of Springfield Street extended as far as the Post Office crosses town land and would seem to be a function of the Town. Construction should await, and be timed with, development of the interior land.
The precise design and construction of these streets would follow the over all street plan in accordance with present proce- dures for the development of land for building construction. These streets would be constructed as the need for access to more land arises. At some point, development will reach a point where all of the streets will be required to assure proper traffic move' ment.
In the early planning stages, consideration should be given to the long range improvements needed on Springfield Street, Moun- tain Road, and Woodland Dell Road. Pavement widening and the ultimate storm drainage needs should be determined.
Appreciable widening of the southwest corner of Main and Springfield Streets is essential in the long run. This will reduce the size of an already small commercial property. On the west side of Main Street no changes are proposed in this report, and no changes in use are included in the proposed By-Law amend- ments. It would appear, however, that a reasonable increase in land area on this corner for the present use would improve a con- gested intersection, and would make it easier to accomplish the improvement needed in the future.
The Town Center Plan, like any long range plan, can only be accomplished slowly, step by step, and as specific needs become critical and have to be met. The Plan is flexible as to the timing of development of its several parts. Each part will contribute its share to the attractiveness, service, and utility of the whole. It offers an over all framework as a guide for future public, as well as private decisions and actions. It should be an important part of the Master Plan.
RICHARD H. MORGAN, Chairman LEO E. KUEHN
WILLIAM SULLIVAN, JR.
HERBERT DAUNHEIMER
WILLIAM E. LEONARD
The preparation of this report was financially aided through a Federal Grant from the Urban Renewal Administration of the Housing and Home Finance Agency, under the Urban Planning Assistance Program author- ized by Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954, as amended, under the supervision of the Massachusetts Department of Commerce.
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Personnel Study Committee Report
The Personnel Study Committee, appointed annually by the Board of Selectmen, serves as a Sub-Committee of the Finance Committee in the area of salaries, wages, fringe benefits, and conditions of employment of Town personnel, other than the School Department.
During the current year consideration was given to such mat- ters as cost of living increase, growth, responsibility, and longevity increments.
The Committee reviewed the salary and wage ranges and rec- ommended changes in the schedule, principally the addition of two steps in the ranges, based on personnel records of other Towns of comparable size throughout the Commonwealth, as well as surrounding Towns, and the cost of living increase since the inception of the schedule.
Recognition was also given to the growth and responsibility factor, particularly in connection with Department Heads, and recommendations were made to provide compensation commen- surate with added responsibility.
Recommendations were also made to provide for recognition of longevity of employment in the matter of vacations for all employees and compensation for employees at the top of the sal- ary and wage schedule based on meritorious service.
Details of the Personnel Program, including the Salary and Wage Schedule and the Schedule of Fringe Benefits, are on file in the Town Office. Records, consisting of statistics and other perti- nent data of each position and every Town employee, are assem- bled and maintained. The Personnel Program is administered by the Town Accountant.
HERMAN G. GRANDCHAMP, Chairman DARREL S. AMES ALBERT E. NEALE
JOHN BEMBEN, Secretary
Pest Control Report
During the spring of 1963 all roadside elms were sprayed for the control of elm leaf beetle and European elm bark beetle. (Dutch elm disease carrier.) The insecticide used was once again methoxy- chlor rather than D.D.T. which had been used for many years. It will require at least one more year of comparison study to deter- mine whether the less toxic methoxychlor is as effective as D.D.T.
During the year, 40 samples of suspected elms were collected
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and submitted to the Shade Tree Laboratories at the University of Massachusetts for testing. Of these samples, 38 of them con- tained the Dutch elm disease fungus. These 38 samples represented a total of 60 individual trees (clumps and groups of trees are generally sampled as one unit). There was a holdover of 19 known diseased elms from 1962 sampling programs giving a total of 79 known diseased elms tagged for removal. As of December 31, 1963, 70 of these trees had been removed and destroyed. Town crews supervised by the Pest Control Officer removed 63 of these trees along with an additional 43 dead and beetle infested elms too far gone to sample. Private tree companies were con- tracted to remove 7 of the larger tagged elm trees. On December 31, 1963 there remained 9 known diseased elms along with 36 suspected diseased elms which must be removed and destroyed before May 1, 1964 according to state law. (1) A good sanita- tion program, (2) a good sampling program, (3) the prompt removal and destruction of Dutch elm diseased trees, and (4) the dormant spraying of valued trees as a supplement to the sanita- tion program are the essentials of a good Dutch elm disease control policy as recommended by the Massachusetts Department of Natural Resources.
Two notable casualties of the Dutch elm disease in 1963 were the Hitchcock elm on Stony Hill Road and the large elm on Main Street opposite Rich Hall at Wilbraham Academy.
During 1963 no Gypsy moth egg clusters were found in Wil- braham. This remains an encouraging sign.
A mosquito control program was conducted in Wilbraham during 1963. Two sprays were applied by helicopter - the second spray giving particularly good results. The chemical used was BAYTEX, much less toxic to fish and wildlife than D.D.T. In 1962 the Massachusetts state legislature passed laws regulat- ing the application of such pesticides. A pesticide board has been created under the control of the Department of Public Health. Any individual who applies pesticides must be licensed by this board and come under their control and supervision. With this legislative control and the use of less toxic insecticides we hope to continue the aerial spray program in 1964. The application of chemicals to standing water and swamp water during mosquito breeding periods was also attempted on a limited basis. All re- quests for poison ivy control in public areas were attended to.
GORDON R. LONG
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Report of Lower Pioneer Valley Regional Planning Commission
On behalf of the Lower Pioneer Valley Regional Planning Commission, I have the honor of submitting this annual report for the year 1963 as required by the General Laws Chapter 40B.
Since 1963 is the second year of the activation of the Planning District, and the first year in which the member communities were called upon to pay an assessment, this report should be of particular interest to all concerned. In addition to sending it to member communities, it is likewise being distributed to all those communities eligible to join in the district in the confident ex- pectation that they will assume some share in the financial respon- sibilities involved. Since the work of the District must encompass all of the eligible communities in the District, failure to join the District puts a community in the position of profiting by the efforts of and at the expense of the member communities. This is somewhat counterbalanced by the lack of voice and influence the non members have but still involves a partial "free ride" at least. This problem is being gradually overcome, and the long range goals of the District can only be achieved through sub- stantially complete membership. The Commission is confident that, as the opportunities afford themselves, the merit in the basic worth of regional planning will become manifest and that non- members will vote to join in a responsible manner thus participat- ing fully in all programs and contributing greatly to the success of the District.
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