HomeMy WebLinkAbout1938-01-03 154
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SELECTMEN'S MEETING 'r
JAN. 3rd, 1938.
A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held
in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 7:30 P.M.
Acting Chairman Giroux, Messrs. Ross, Clark and Potter
were present at the meeting. The Clerk was also present.
Messrs. Bidwell, George Smith, Sarano, AdamsJames,
Eldridge and Hoyt representing the Executive Committee of
the Town Meeting Members ' Association were also present.
The following budgets were discussed:
Posture Clinic :- $700.00 Same as last year. No questions.
Sealer of Weights and Measures :- ;��.
,550.U0. The Clerk ex-
plained that this was an error and that this budget should
amount to $600.00 because of the fact that the Sealer's
salary was increased to 0500.00 per year last year . No
questions.
Board of Appeals :- $200.00. Same as last year. No questions.
Plumbing Inspector:- Salary, X800.00 same as last year.
Expenses, x,,85.00, an increase of $35.00 over 1937. The
Inspector is asking for a car allowance of $60.00 and has
reduced the office expenses by 025.00.
Building Inspector:- $1220.00. Practically no change.
Dental Clinic :- $1850.00. Same as last year.
Assessors :- $6631 00.
Chairman Steeves and Messrs. Cann, Shanahan and
Burnham appeared before the Board. Mr. Steeves said that
the Assistant Assessor and the Clerk were the only ones in
the Town Offices that did not have their salaries restored
and the Assessors felt that they should have been restored.
They have therefor provided for the restoration of these
salaries as of January 1st, 1938. They are asking for a
salary of $2800.00 for the Assistant Assessor, plus the sum
of $175.00 for the use of his car. The sum of 01456.00 is
requested for the salary of the Clerk, which provides for
an increase of $4.00 from 424.00 to $28.00 per week. The
item for printing and advertising was reduced from $250.00
to $175.00. The sum of 475.00 was asked for automobile
allowance for the Assessors themselves; $25.00 was asked
for gasoline and oil for use of Assistant Assessors in
listing polls; and $175.00 for car allowance for the
Assistant Assessor. The matter of salaries was not
quite clear in the minds of some of the members, so Mr.
Spencer was requested to explain it. He said that in 1932
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he was receiving 0200. for the use of his automobile and
$2800. salary. When the general cut was made, his salary
was reduced to 02400.00 but after a short time, the
Selectmen restored it to 02600.00 with no car allowance.
There being no further questions, the Assessors retired
at 8:40 P. M.
The matter of salaries was then generally discussed.
One of the Town Meeting Members expressed the opinion that
it would be better if Town employees were not Town Meeting Salaries
Members as he felt that the matter of salaries, among
other things, would then be discussed more frankly on
the Town Hall floor.
Mr. Joseph A. Ross appeared before the Board. Mr.
Ross said that he was requesting an increase in salary
for himself of 4820.00 from $2300.00 to $3120.00 per
year. He said that the salary of George Harrington had
never been restored and he therefor was recommending that
it be increased from $27.50 to $32.00 per week which was
the amount of his salary before the cut . He was asking
a $3.00 increase for Miss Harvey, the Chief Clerk, and a
x;1.00 increase for Miss Hayes, the other clerk. Mr. Ross
said that all of his stock was very low and for that
reason he was requesting practically the same amount of
money for each item this year as last year in order to bui'd
up his supply. He said that he was asking for a new truck,
a new coupe and a paving breaker The Chevrolet coupe which
he uses is too light and he thought it advisable to purchase
a new one which would be a heavier one. The 1935 Chevrolet
truck has 52,000 miles on it and he thought it was too Water
heavy for the type of work which it is now doing. He Department
would advise transferring the compressor to this truck and
purchasing a new one for odd jobs. He said that it had
been necessary to borrow a paving breaker on various
occasions and he thought it advisable to purchase a new
one to cost approximately $215.00. He said that he had
increased the item for Metropolitan Water Tax by the
amount of the increase in 1937 over 1936. The sundry
operative items in the amount of $300.00 he said, was for
small tools, blasting mats, sharpening tools, etc.
Water Maintenance Replacements - $1500.00. Same as last
year.
Water Services :- $5200.00.
Mr. Ross said that it was impossible to predict the
number of new services that would be required during the
year and he therefor was asking for this amount which was
purely an estimate.
Replacing the four inch water mains .
Mr. Ross said that in 1928, Metcalf & Eddy submitted
fifteen recommendations for replacing of four inch mains
and to date seven of these recommendations have been
completed and five have been partially completed. He
recommended that 1100 feet of eight inch main be laid in
ti
156
Percy Road in accordance with this program and that 800 20
feet of eight inch pipe be laid in Warren Street. Mr.
Ross said that the department nad had complaints on
account of poor pressure from the residents of this vicinity
and also from the Fire Department. He said that most
of the breaks they have now are in four inch mains. He
recommended that 850 feet of eight inch pipe be laid in
Cottage Street to replace a four inch main, part of which
was laid in 1896 and the balance before that date. He
said that the Highway Department was planning to construct
Percy Road as part of its 1938 program and because of
that fact, it would be necessary to lay the water main
first . He recommended that 850 feet of twelve inch main
be laid in East Street to complete a circle. He said
further, that this would eliminate the necessity of re-
placing the small main in Maple Street as recommended by
Metcalf & Eddy.
Sewer Maintenance :- $6108.67.
Mr. Ross said that this budget was considerably smaller
than last year because of the fact that the labor for the
trunk line sewer along Vine Brook was charged to this
appropriation.
Sewer Services:- $1550.00. Same as last year.
Mr. Giroux asked Mr. Ross if it had been necessary to
let men go because of lack of funds who were forced to
go on relief, and he replied in the negative. Mr . Ross
retired at 10:00 P.M.
The following budgets were then taken up:
Law Department :-
Personal Services, $2500.00; Expenses 0400.00, same
as last year.
Accounting Department :- 411425.00 without salary of Account-
ant inasmuch as this item was left to the Selectmen to
determine. Mr. Russell appeared before the Board and said
that he had one clerk receiving $13.00 per week and another
clerk who worked half time for the Retirement Board and
half time for the Accounting Department and she is paid
$12.00 per week. He said that he had provided for an
increase of $1.00 for each of these girls. The Chairman
said that Mr. Russell was granted an increase in salary
from 02775.00 to 03100.00 per year.
Animal Inspector:- $500.00. Same as last year.
Dog Officer:- 0100.00. . Same as last year.
Board of Health:- $6,000.00. Same as last year.
Elections:- 02054.00 as against 06(4.00 for last year. The
Clerk explained that this year there would be four elections
as compared with one for last year.
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' Selectmen:- $5439.32 covering expenses of Selectmen, salary
of clerks and expenses.
It was decided to meet next Monday evening at 7:30 P.M.
The meeting adjourned at 10:25 P.M.
A true record, Attest :
4F_
Clerk:
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