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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1943 ADVISORY REPORTPlease preserve this Report for ttse at the Town ~Ieeting TOWN OF NORTH ANDOVER Report of the Advisory Board MARCH 13, 1943 To THE CITIZENS OF NORTH ANDOVER: Last year, we voted at. the Annngl Town ]VIeeting $383,519.43 under Article 5, commonly known as [he budget, and 834,901 for other special articles in the warrant. This year the appropriations recommended by the Finance Committee for the budget are $$94,001.8~, or Inore than $10,000 greater, and the special articles would call for more than $40,000 if all were voted favorably. Co~tinuatioa of Temporary 10% Increase Recommended Last year a special article requested a temporary 10% increase in wages and salaries for town employees, on the basis of increased costs of living and higher taxes. We are recommending the continu- ation of these increases wherever requested, assuming that the voters feel thc same way, as this year the conditions which brought about the favorable vote of last year have not changed greatly. The torrent of publicity about the wartime activities of the Federal Government tends to obscure the importance of town government's duties. Yet they remain the most pressing and the most intimately bound up with our own every-day lives in the opinion of many people. The adequate performance of these town functions allows Federal Government to carry on the war abroad. Town functions require the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of dollars by our town officials. North Andover must continue to educate its youth, protect its residents and their property, carry out health and sanitation measures, and care for thc underprivi- leged. We must provide for the needs of Civilian Defense, and our protection must meet the ImUSUM demand s of a defense area, owing to war orders and an air field in Lawrence and North Andover. The town departmeuts have shown a most commendable under- standing and moderation in their budgets. Shri~tkage ia Revenue Received from the State Financing town needs is a perplexing task this year because of thc revenue losses to thc town as a result of wa~4ime conditions. The principal loss is that which comes from the state, duc to gas- o]ine rationing, fewer cars being registered with a con~quent reduc- tion in automobile fees, huge increases in Federal taxation, etc. The national govelq~mcnt is draining millions of dollars away from states, citlcs and towns. No one can foretell how much these re- duced revenues to the town will amount to, but State Tax Commis- sioner Long has recently described them as "distressing." He even warned that cities and towns may be forced to accept a reduction, or even elimination, of certain services to which they have been accustomed in recent years. We do not anticipate the need of re- ducing important services this year in North Andover, unless due to damage being caused by an air raid. Police and Fire Department Rai.~e ~Sre are recommending an increase of one dollar a week for every regular member of the police and fire departments, which was promised each year Until wages reach $39.00 per. week. This is a contributing reason why the Advisory Board is recommending that unfavorable action be taken on a reduction in hours as pro- posed in Article ~0. It means at least one more man in the fire de- partment at a cost to the town of about 81900 per year, and the times are unfavorable. With the federal government increasing the work week due to the labor shortage, and forcing civilian.enterprise into war work, it is against national policy to reduce hours and take on more help. To summarize the various fire department proposals in the warrant: (1) the raise of a dollar a week in wages (provided in the budget and recommended by the Advisory Board); (~) reduction in working hours proposed in Article ~0 (not recommended by the Advisory Board); and (3) the proposal of a retirement system for town employees (contained on the ballot for the election held on March 1 which we are informed would cost the town anywhere from 7 to 14,000 dollars the first year and would continue there- after at a high cost) making three ways that the fire department stands to benefit, at the expense of the town, in the vote on this year's warrant. We urge the acceptance of Articles 10 and 11 by the meeting. Article 10 provides for repeal of the By-law calling for a Finance Committee. At present, the Town By-laws provide for both a "Finance Committee" and an "Advisory Committee." Evidently the by-laws were changed to add one committee, without providing for the discontinuance of the other, as should have been done~ The result is a duplication of work by the two bodies. The General Laws of Massachusetts relating to towns such as ours contain numerous references to the "Finance Committee" as a body corresponding to our "Advisory Board." Sometimes it is mentioned as "Advisory Committee." There is no other town in the state whose by-laws eMI for both and the State House, Boston, suggests the superfluous by-law be dropped. Article 11 should be voted on before Article 10 is disposed of. Zonin# B?t-Law Article The Planning Board has done a fine piece of work in preparing this by-law (printed i~ full on pages 178 to 186 in the 104~ Annual Town Report) and offers the finished project for the approval of the town meeting this year. Zoning laws are an undoubted bene- fit in ninny communities. They improve and beautify towns, lessen dangers from fire, congestion and confusion, and promote health and safety. The Advisory Board points out that administration of the by-law would be an increase in expenses of the town and recom- mends tha~t the acceptance of this proposed by-law be put to a vote. Talcing Up Car Traclc~ a~d Levelling Water Street We have been informed by the Highway Department that the street maintenance contemplated in Article ~6 is on Water Street from tim new construction on Main Street to Elm Street, and in- eludes the taking up of the old car tracks and resurfacing the road. Of course, the continuation of the construction of Main Street mid Water Street was indefinitely suspended by the war. R. W. Cobarn, chief engineer of the state, writes us under date of February 15 as follows: "If there is any state money available for Chapter 90 work this year, it will only be available for mainten- ance work and I understand that Essex County Com- missioners are not going to put up any Chapter 90 maintenance money. However, if the eouuty does not put up their share of the money, I believe the state will pay only one-third of the total cost. Therefore, it will be necessary for the town to put in not only their own share, but also the county's share/ I believe it would be in order for your town to appropriate the $~,000 that is suggested and in case the legislature gives us Chapter 90 money, we will undoubtedly allot $1,000 to the town, and if the Highway Engineer so recom- mends, I believe it wonld be possible to spend the money on the road you mention in your letter." We have rarely seen a street in such shape as Water Street at the present time, and the maintenance work should by all means be provided for. We have held many hearings and conferred with town officers, state officials and many iudividuals, and wish to extend our thanks to all who have been of assistance, particularly to the town officers and department heads for their cooperation and help. Respectfully submitted, Ro~xN~ H. Summx~, Chairman En_xrs? G. Arrow~ Hxao~n Hon~ A. Mcnna~ Howe E~wv~r A. K~o G~ot~E A. R~ Advisory Board Recommendations Article 2. To elect all other officers not required by law to be elected by ballot. Recommended that this be referred to the Selectmen for action. Article 3. To see if the town will vote to accept the report of receipts and expenditures as presented by the Selectmen and Auditor. Recommended that the Report be accepted. Article 4. To see what action the town will take as to its unexpended appropriations. Reco~nmended that all unexpended appropriations be returned to the Treasury, with the exception of $9,000.00 appropriated under Article 20 of the 1942 Warrant, and $2,485.83 appropriated under Article 47 of the 1942 Warrant. Article 5. To see what action the town will take as to the recommendations of the finance committee. Recommended that each item be considered separately. Article 6. 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 Januaxy 1, 1944, 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. Favorable action recommended. Article 7. To consider the report of all special com- mittees. Recommended that the report of all special cmnmittees be heard. Article 8. To see what action the town will take in regard to appointing a committee to take care of the public parks and triangles of the town. Petition of Board of Select- men. Recommended that the members of the Board of Public ~orks act as a committee to care for the public parks and triangles. Article 9. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate the sum of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) to be 4 expended by the North Andover Committee on Public Safety, with any unexpended balance of the appropriation from 1942, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, for the preser- vation of health and the protection of persons and property in the town; for the purchase of equipment and supplies; to provide for the training of its citizens in matters essential to civilian defense, and for any other purpose authorized by Chapter 487 of the Acts of 1941. Petition of the Committee on Public Safety. Favorable action recommended. Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to repeal Sec- tion 7 of Article IV of the Town's By-Laws. Petition of the Advisory Board. Our reco~nmendations are covered in the Foreword~ page 2. Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to strike out and repeal Section 5 of Article I of the Town's By-Laws and substitute the following Section in its place and stead: "Section 5. At said adjourned meeting the Moderator shall appoint an Advisory COmmittee of seven (7) legal voters of the Town who shall serve from the dissolution of said meet- ~ng until the di'ssolution of the Annual Meeting next follow- ing. No elective or appointive Town Officer or Town employee shall be eligible to serve on said C'ommittee. A. Said C'ommittee shall choose its own officers and serve without pay, and vacancies in the Committee during the year shall be filled by appointment of the Moderator as soon as passible after he is informed that a vacancy exists. B. The Selectmen and all boards, committees, heads of departments or other officers of the Town authorized by law to expend money, shall furnish to said Committee, not less than ten days before the end of the Town financial year, detailed estimates of the amounts necessary for the proper maintenance of the departments under their jurisdiction for the ensuing year with explanatory statements as to any changes from the amounts appropriated for the same pur- poses in the preceding year and an estimate of amounts nec- essary for outlays or permanent improvements. They shall also prepare estimates of any income likely to be received by the Town during the ensuing year in connection with the Town'.s business or property entrusted to their care. The Selectmen shall include in their estimates the salaries and expenses connected with their own office and salaries of all other Town Officers shall be included in the estimates for the office, department or branch of the public service of which they are in charge. The Treasurer shall, in addition to his estimate of the amount required for the maintenance of his own office, prel~are a separate statement indicating the amounts required for the payment of interest on the Town debt and for the payment of such portions of the Town debt as may become due during the succeeding year. C. All articles in any warrant for a town meeting shall be referred to said Committee for its consideration and said C~mmittee shall, after due consideration of the subject of such Articles, report thereon to the town meeting such rec- ommendations as it deems best for the interests of the town and its citizens. D. It shall be the duty of said Committee to consider the reports and estimates submitted to it as herein provided and the several Articles in the warrant for the Annual Meet- ing next following and any and' all other municipal questions. E. Said C'ommittee shall give at least one public hear- ing within ten days preceding the date of the adjourned Annual Meeting upon all matters to be considered by them and they shall prepare and distribute among the voters, prior to said adjourned meeting, printed copies of such finding and recommendations as they see fit to make and shall report the same to said meeting. For this purpose and for the per- formanee of other duties hereunder they may incur such reasonable expense as may be necessary. F. In its discharge of its duties hereunder said Com- mittee shall have free access to all books of record and eoun. ts, bills and vouchers on which money has been or may be paid from the Town Treasurer. Officers, boards and eom- mittees of the Town 'shall, upon request, furnish said Com- mittee with facts, figures and any other information per- taining to their several activities. Petition of the Advisory Board. Our recmnmendations are covered in the Foreword, page 2. Article 12. To see if the Town will vote to write off the balances on deposit in the closed Lawrence Trust Com- pany and the Merchants Trust Company of Lawrence, the final dividends in liquidation of these banks having been received, these balances being as follows: Lawrence Trust Company $4,864.55, Merchants Trust Company of Lawrence $1,958.00, Total $6,822.55. Petition of James J. Maker, Treasurer and others. Favorable action recommended. Article 13. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Auditor to write off the balance of $4,704.70 due the Town on account of the John J. C'ostello shortage. Petition of James W. Elliott, Auditor and others. It is recommended that this sum be written off. lO Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to accept the Zoning By-Law and the map on file at the office of the Town Clerk. The Zoning By-Law appears in the Annual Report for the year 194~, on pages !73 through 186, and the map has been inserted in the Report. It is recommended that this be put to a vote. See Page 2 of the Foreword. Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of One Hundred Dollars ($100) for the purpose of printing the Zoning By-Laws, providing the pro- posed Zoning By-Law is accepted by the Town. Petition of the Planning Board. Favorable action recomraended. Article 16. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Eight Dollars and Eighty Cents for the payment of 1942 Water Bills for the Center Playground. Petition of the Board of Selectmen. Favorable action recommended. Article 17. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Seventy-five Dollars ($75) for the payment of a bill for legal fees presented to the Board of Assessors. Petition of the Board of Assessors. Favorable action recommended. Article 18. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Five Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($550), for the painting of Stevens Hall. Petition of Board of Selectmen. Favorable action recommended. Article 19. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate the sum of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) for the purchase, from Abbot, Moses T. and Nathaniel Stevens, of 4.42 acres of land on Great Pond Road between the Pump- ing Station land and land of Fritz Ostherr and grant a right of way over the Pumping Station driveway to Lake Cochiche- . wick to the present owners of the land. Petition of Board of Public Works. Unfavorable action is recommended at this time. Article 20. To see if the Town will vote to accept Chapter 48 as amended~ by Section 58A, as pertaining to the hours of permanent firemen, and act on anything relating thereto. Petition of James Hargreaves and others. Unfavorable action recommended. See page 2 of the Foreword. Article 21. To see if the Town will vote to accept the following streets, which have been adjudicated by the Board of Selectmen and are now ready for acceptance by the Town: Harwood Street; William Street, from Railroad Avenue to Marblehead Street and Beech Avenue, from Massachusetts Avenue to Parker Street. Petition of Board of Seledtmen. Favorable action recommended. Article 22. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate the sum of Twelve Hundred Dollars ($1,200) to pur- chase a bulldozer outfit for the Town tractor. Petition of the Highway Surveyor. Unfavorable action recommended. Article 23. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate the sum of Twenty-two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($2,250) to purchase a 21~-ten dump truck, for the use of the Highway Department. Petition of the Highway Sur- veyor. It is recommended that this Article be stricken from the Warrant. See recommendation under Item 36 of the Budget. Article 24. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate the sum of Twelve Hundred Dollars ($1,200) for the purchase of a sidewalk tractor for the use of the Highway Department. The total cost of the tractor is Twenty-two Hundred Dollars ($2,200) but One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) will be paid for rental on the tractor, which will reduce the cost to Twelve Hundred Dollars ($1,200). Peti- tion of the Highway Surveyor. Favorable action recommended. Article 25. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Nine Hundred Dollars ($900) to pur- chase an automobile for the use of the Highway Surveyor. Petition of the Highway Surveyor. It is recommended lhat $600.00 be raised and appropriated for the pnrchase of a late model, used, half-ton pick-up truck; the present 1939 Chevrolet half-ton pick-up truck to be turned in as part of the purchase price. Article 26. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000), for maintenance on any street in Town under Chapter 90 of the General Laws, said money to be used in conjunction with any'money which may be allotted by the State or County, or both, for this purpose; or to take any other action in relation thereto. Petition of the Highway Surveyor. It is recommended that $2,000.00 be raised and appropri- ated for the maintenance of Water Street, under Chapter 90 of the General Laws, to be used in conjunction with any money which may be allotted by the state or county or both, but in no greater proportion than two dollars of town money to one dollar of state or county money or both. Sec page 3 of the Foreword. Article 27. To see if the Town will vote to instruct its Collector of Taxes to proceed to collect any outstanding ac- counts of the several departments of the Town which should be collected, and to employ counsel when necessary, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen. Fetition of Selectmen. Favorable action recommended. Article 28. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Nine Thousand Dollars ($9,000) to purchase a new seven hundred and fifty gallon pump and combination truck to replace the old pump and combination truck now in use, and the proceeds received from the old truck to be paid over to the Town Treasurer. Petition of Board of Fire Engineers. It is recommended that the $9,000.00 appropriated under Article 20 of lbe 1942 Town Warrant be re-appropriated for the purposes of said article. Article 29. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate the sum of Eleven IIundred Dollars ($1,100) to pur- chase 1,000 feet of 2~" hose. Petition of Board of Fire Engineers. Favorable action recommended. Article 30. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500) for a new police car. Petition of Alfred II. McKee and others. Favorable action recommended. Article 31. To see if the Town will vote to raj,se and appropriate the sum of Six Hundred Dollars ($600) to carry on the activities of the Massachusetts State Guard No. 37. Petition of Board of Selectmen. Favorable action recommended. Article 32. To see ff the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) for the expenses of the Rationing Board. Petition of the Board of Selectmen. This is taken care of by Item 66 of the Budget, and it is, therefore, recommended that it be stricken from the Warrant. Article 33. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sufficient sum of money for surface drains on Buckingham Roa.d between Herrick Road and Lyman Road and on Young Road between Herrick Road and Lyman Road, Petition of Philip Sutcliffe and others. It is recommended that $1640.00 be raised and appropri- ated for the purposes of this Article. Article 34. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sufficient sum of money to install a sewer on Camden Street. Petition of Peter Kasheta and others. It is recommended that $1,700.00 be raised and appropri- ated for the purposes of this Article. This is to take care of six houses, and covers a distance of 500 ft. There will be a sewer assessment of approximately $400.00. Article 35. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate a sufficient sum of money to extend the sewer system on Massachusetts Avenue from Walnut Street to Bay State Road. Petition of A. K. Eld~qdge and others. It is recommended that $3,600.00 be raised and appropri- ated for the purposes of this Article. This will cover a dist- ance of 982 feet. There are five houses to be connected at present, and there will be a sewer assessment of approxi- mately $1,000.00. Article 36. To see if the Town will vote to purchase the land with the building thereon situated on the easterly side of Main Street in North Andover and numbered 108 to 112 Main Street, containing 15,000 square feet, now the property of the Andover Savings Bank, bounded and de- scribed as follows :--Beginning at a point on the Northeast- erly side of Main Street three hundred fifty (350) feet South- easterly from the corner of land formerly of Town of North Andover; thence running Northeasterly at a right angle with said street and in a straight line by other land once of Eben Sutton one hundred fifty (150) feet; thence running Southeasterly in a straight line by other land once of said Sutton one hundred (100) feet; thence running Southwest- erly in a straigh,t line by other land once of said Sutton one hundred fifty (150) feet to said street; thence running Northwesterly by said street one hundred (100) feet to the point of beginning. Meaning to include the above described real estate and all appurtenance, fixtures and all contents of the above building now belonging to the said Andover Savings Bank and appropr/ate the sum of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000) to purchase the same. Petition of James B. Ewart aud others. Unfavorable action is recommended on this Article for the following reasons: First, the purpose for which the building is sought to be purchased for the town is temporary, but the purchase is permanent; secondly, we believe it inadvisable for the town to purchase as old a building as this; thirdly, the cost of upkeep of the town building is in the neighbor- hood of $5,000, and we believe the cost of maintenance of an older and larger building would exceed this; adding a neces- sary cost each year, if purchased, of approxima rely $7,000.