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REPORT OF TOWN CLERK 41 PROPOSED SALARY INCREASES The appropriations submitted from the Public Works, Engineering, Sewer, Water, Highway and Selectmen's De- partments contained salary increases to Superintendents and Clerks which had been approved by the Board of Select- men. The Appropriation Committee has refused to approve of any of these salary increases inasmuch as all except the salary of the Superintendent of Public Works had been in- creased during 1935. It seems to the Committee that fur- ther increases were not justified. As to the proposed increase in the salary of the Super- intendent of Public Works, the Committee feels that be- cause the present Superintendent has held his office for a few months only, that there is no justification for a raise in salary. This same argument applies in the request for an increase in salary made by the Tax Collector. COMPENSATION INSURANCE In an endeavor to charge compensation insurance to each separate department instead of carrying it in the gen- eral insurance account, each department is being charged for its compensation insurance costs. The same holds true for Public Liability Insurance. HYDRANT RENTALS The appropriation Committee has recommended that no money be appropriated for hydrant rentals. Although an amount has been appropriated for this item each year for several years, the Committee feels that it is principally a method of increasing the Water Surplus account for the purpose of water construction. In theory, the purpose is to defray the cost of water used by the Fire Department and the cost of maintenance of our fire hydrants. There is sufficient income from water rates and other receipts to pay the entire costs of maintenance of the Water Depart- ment. The Committee feels that if the Town should desire to construct water mains that the money for this purpose should be either levied and assessed or obtained through the sale of bonds. All of the Town's major water construction in the past few years has been handled in this manner. 42 TOWN OF LEXINGTON HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION - LINCOLN STREET The Committee hopes that the Town will not vote ad- ditional money for this project at this time. The present balance from the appropriation made in 1935, together with the amounts to be contributed by the State and County, makes available approximately $22,000.00, to spend on this street. The Committee recommends that the surface drain- age and street construction be done concurrently for equal distances, as far as the available funds will accomplish. MATURING DEBT For the information of the taxpayers we are listing the amount of bonded debt due for payment in the next six years: 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 $106,000.00 97,000.00 95,500.00 67,500.00 35,500.00 23,500.00 No new bonding is recommended for 1936. EXCESS & DEFICIENCY ACCOUNT This year there is approximately $20,000.00 less in our Excess and Deficiency account than there was a year ago, also there is always considerable uncertainty as to the amount of uncollected taxes and inasmuch as no funds can be used from this account until it exceeds the uncollected taxes, we do not believe that it will be possible to count on using any funds from the Excess and Deficiency account during 1936. With the possible exception of the account of Labor, Materials and Expenses on Public Works, no addi- tional amounts should be needed for Town expenses. TAX RATE For the first time in several years the funds needed for Maturing Debt and interest requirements have been ma- terially reduced. This is due in part to funds which are available for payment of maturing debt which come from Federal payments on P. W. A. projects, totalling $10,259.88.