CHAPTER XXIX LOCAL GOVERNMENT 217. The New England Town Meeting THE government of the New England town is still controlled by an open meeting of the voters who convene at stated periods and on a special call of the selectmen, issued in the following form: TOWN WARRANT COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS MIDDLESEX, ss. To Garritt Barry, a Constable of the Town of Arlington, in said County, GREETING: In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Arlington, who are qualified to vote in elections and town affairs, to assemble in the Town Hall, on Wednesday, the twenty-ninth day of April, current, at 8.00 o'clock, P.M., then and there to act on the following articles, viz: ARTICLE I. To choose a Moderator to preside at said meeting. ART. 2. To hear and act on the reports of any Town officers or committees heretofore appointed. ART. 3. To see if the Town will erect an addition to the Locke School building substantially in accordance with the plans submitted by the Committee appointed March 16, 1908, make an appropriation for the purpose and determine in what manner the same shall be raised and expended. (Inserted at request of Committee on New School House.) ART. 4. To see if the Town will vote to enlarge the Locke School House lot by purchasing land on the northerly side of the present building and between Park Avenue and the present playground, make an appropriation therefor and determine the manner in which the same shall be raised and expended, or take any other action thereon. (Inserted at request of Committee on New School House.) ART. 5. To see if the Town will appropriate forty-four dollars and three cents to meet an unpaid bill contracted in 1906 for drain pipe laid on Town House Site, or take any action thereon. ART. 6. To see if the Town will appropriate nine dollars and twenty-five cents to meet an unpaid bill contracted in 1907 for plants and labor in the care of Town House Lot, or take any action thereon. ART. 7. To see if the Town will vote to carry liability insurance covering the work of any departments of the Town, and make an appropriation therefor, the same to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen, or take any action thereon. ART. 8. To appropriate and raise by borrowing or otherwise such sum or sums of money as may be necessary for all or any of the purposes mentioned in the foregoing articles. Hereof fail not, and make due return of this Warrant, [Seal] with your doings thereon, to the Selectmen, on or before said day and hour of meeting. Given under our hands at said Arlington, this fourteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eight. FREDERICK S. MEAD, SELECTMEN OF THE WALTER B. DOUGLASS, TOWN OF ARLINGTON. J. HOWELL CROSBY, A true copy, Attest: GARRITT BARRY, Constable of Arlington. The erection of a new school building. A large portion of the business of the town meeting is prepared by committees which submit reports with recommendations. This practice is illustrated by these extracts from the town documents of Arlington, Massachusetts: The Committee of Twenty-one appointed at the Town Meeting held March 16, 1908, has considered the articles in the warrant calling for appropriations and herewith submits its report. ART. 3. To see if the Town will erect an addition to the Locke School building substantially in accordance with the plans submitted by the Committee appointed March 16, 1908, make an appropriation for the purpose and determine in what manner the same shall be raised and expended. The Committee has very carefully considered the plans and estimates as presented by the Committee appointed March 16, 1908, and after consultation with them and other town officers and citizens, The Committee recommends the passage of the following vote: That the sum of $48,000 be appropriated for the erection and furnishing of an addition to the Locke School building, substantially in accordance with the plans of the Committee appointed by the Town, March 16, 1908, and that the Town borrow $45,000 of said sum, and in payment therefor issue eighteen negotiable notes or bonds, for the sum of $2,500 each, one payable in the year 1909, and one in each of the seventeen succeeding years, said notes or bonds to be signed by the Treasurer, and countersigned by the Selectmen, and to be designated on the face thereof, "Locke School Addition Loan," and to bear interest semi-annually at a rate not exceeding four per centum per annum; also that the remaining $3,000 be raised by general tax; and that the Committee appointed March 16, 1908, be authorized and empowered to supervise and direct the work of the erection and furnishing of said building and the expenditure of the sum hereby appropriated. ART. 4. present building and between Park Avenue and the present playground, make an appropriation therefor and determine the manner in which the same shall be raised and expended, or take any other action thereon. The Committee thinks that the Town should purchase additional land adjoining the Locke school, for playground purposes, as it is proposed to erect the new building on part of the present playground. . . . ... ART. 5. To see if the Town will appropriate forty-four dollars and three cents to meet an unpaid bill contracted in 1906 for drain pipe laid on Town House Site, or take any action thereon. . . The Committee learns that no appropriation was made which would cover the bills designated in Articles 5 and 6. The Committee recommends the passage of the following vote: That the sum of $44.03 be appropriated to meet an unpaid bill contracted in 1906 for drain pipe laid on Town House site, and that said sum be raised by general tax in 1908. ART. 6. To see if the Town will appropriate nine dollars and twenty-five cents to meet an unpaid bill contracted in 1907 for plants and labor in the care of Town House Lot, or take any action thereon. The Committee recommends the passage of the following vote:That the sum of $9.25 be appropriated to meet an unpaid bill contracted in 1907 for plants and labor in the care of Town House Lot and that said sum be raised by general tax in 1908. . . . Respectfully submitted, GEORGE A. KIMBALL, Chairman. Drain pipe and care of plants. The advisory board. The ad visory board and finances. 218. The Indiana Township* In the Western states it is the general practice to vest township government in the hands of elective officials. Indiana has sought by recent statutes to secure more effective popular con trol in the township government by the following provisions. At the time of electing township trustees the voters of the several townships shall elect an Advisory Board, consisting of three resident freeholders and qualified voters of the township. The members of such Board shall subscribe and file with the Trustee an oath to faithfully and honestly discharge their duties as prescribed by law. Their terms of office shall be for two years from the day following their first election and until their successors are elected and qualified, and the terms of office shall thereafter be for the term of four years from the day following their election and until their successors are elected and qualified. If a vacancy occurs in said Board it shall be filled by the remaining members of the Board for the unexpired term. They shall meet annually on the first Tuesday of September, at a convenient place in the township, notice of which shall be given as hereinafter provided. At such annual meeting the members of such Board shall elect one of their members chairman for that year. Two members shall constitute a quorum. At such meeting the Board shall consider the various estimates of township expenditures proposed by the Township Trustee, and shall have power to concur in such estimates, or in any part thereof, or to reject any proposed item, in whole or in part. When they shall have determined upon the estimates and amounts for which taxes should be levied upon the property and polls within said township for the ensuing year, they shall then determine and fix the rates of taxation upon such property and polls as to the estimated purposes severally. The rates so determined by such Board, they shall then certify to the County Auditor, who shall place the same upon the tax duplicate, and the same shall be collected and enforced as prescribed by law. The rates so prescribed |