Source: https://ecode360.com/9053696
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 02:31:21+00:00

Document:
§ A302-1 List of votes.
VOTED to grant control of Town Common to the Belchertown Park Association, in concurrence with the Selectmen.
VOTED to establish elected Trustees of Calvin Bridgman Funds.
VOTED to accept a gift of $2,000 for the support of a public library from Miss Amarilla Bascom.
(April 9) VOTED $2,000 to break out the roads after the late snowstorm.
VOTED to require the County Commissioners to establish one or more truant schools as provided in Public Statutes Chapter 48, Section 14.
VOTED to pass over an article that would have established a regional school superintendent with Enfield and Granby.
VOTED that after this date the number of constables appointed by the town shall be five.
VOTED to choose hereafter annually its Surveyors of Lumber, Measures of Wood and Bark, Fence Viewers, Field Drivers, Almoners of Whiting Street Fund, Trustees of Calvin Bridgman Fund and Commissioners of Burial Grounds by nomination instead of by ballot.
VOTED to instruct Selectmen to petition the Legislature to rescind the vote (on the Australian ballot) and to return (the town) to its former manner of electing said officers.
VOTED to elect a committee of five to enforce the liquor law.
VOTED that the Chair appoint a committee to investigate what needs to be done about better fire protection.
VOTED to pass over an acceptance of Chapter 431 of the Acts of 1888, relating to the employment of a Superintendent of Schools.
VOTED to pass over an article which would have empowered Selectmen to act as Overseers of the Poor.
VOTED to dig a well on the high school ground.
(Ballot question) "Is it expedient that the municipal suffrage be granted to women?" Yes-96; No-111; Blank-50.
VOTED to adopt first major bylaw.
VOTED to pass over an article designed to provide a single, elected Highway Surveyor.
VOTED to grant a franchise to the Belchertown Water Company.
VOTED $500 for the purposes of establishing sewers.
VOTED to accept the bequest provided under Chapter 507 of the Acts of 1897.
VOTED to build a tramp house at an expense not to exceed $100.
VOTED to rescind vote of March 5, 1883, establishing a Board of Trustees of Calvin Bridgman Funds.
VOTED to appoint the Board of Selectmen and their successors in office as a Board of Trustees for the Calvin Bridgman Fund.
VOTED that the Chair of the School Committee and the Town Treasurer, and their successors in office, be designated as ex officio members of the Board of Trustees of the Calvin Bridgman Fund.
VOTED to fix a salary ($125 per annum) of the Tax Collector.
VOTED to purchase fire equipment and to build a building to store it (marks beginning of Fire Department).
VOTED to indefinitely postpone an article that would have established "a precinct district and polling place in the south part of the town."
VOTED to indefinitely postpone accepting provision of Section 72 of Chapter 423 of the Acts of 1890, relative to establishing voting precincts.
VOTED not to authorize division of the town into voting precincts.
VOTED to indefinitely postpone an article that would have established a voting precinct in the south part of town to be used only at the fall election.
VOTED to indefinitely postpone an article relating to the acceptance of Chapter 482 of the Acts of 1901, authorizing a three-year term for the Town Clerk.
VOTED to indefinitely postpone an article instructing the School Committee to form a union (with other towns) and employ a Superintendent of Schools, as required by an act of the Legislature of 1900.
VOTED the free use of hearse and town team for persons dying in Belchertown, even though they are buried in an adjoining town.
VOTED to instruct the School Committee to form a union with the School Committee of Enfield for the purpose of employing a Superintendent of Schools.
VOTED to pay the School Committee.
VOTED to close fiscal year on February 1 instead of 15.
VOTED to guarantee the payment of bonds not to exceed $30,000, to be used to defray the expenses of building a water supply system in the fire district.
VOTED to authorize the town clerk to have the doings on the town warrant printed in the town reports for all times.
VOTED $100 to aid in the suppression of the brown tail moth, as required by Chapter 381 of the Acts of 1905.
VOTED to rename three town ponds as follows: Lake Metacomet, Lake Arcadia and Holland Lake.
VOTED to change the date of the Annual Town Meeting from the first Monday in March to the first Monday in February.
(Ballot question) VOTED against an act which would have provided vacations for (town) laborers.
VOTED to indefinitely postpone an article designed to increase the term of Selectmen to three years.
VOTED to make every field driver's premises a public pound in accordance with MGL c. 33, § 28.
VOTED that the Selectmen be asked to open the polls at 7:00 a.m. for annual and state elections.
(Ballot question) A constitutional amendment relating to the granting of the suffrage to women. Yes-88; No-221; Blank-54.
VOTED to petition for an audit to prepare a correct statement of the financial condition of the town.
VOTED to instruct the Selectmen to keep a flag on the flagpole in the park.
At this time the practice developed of naming the Chairman of the Selectmen, the Chairman of the School Committee and the Superintendent of Streets as the Committee on Appropriations.
VOTED to hire a district nurse to superintend the health of the community.
VOTED to raise and appropriate $15 for work in connection with the establishment of a "public dumping ground."
VOTED to instruct town officials to itemize their accounts in each division, the same to be printed in the town report each year.
VOTED "by a large majority, to continue the use of standard time."
VOTED to rescind the vote, taken in 1919, accepting the provisions of MGL c. 11, § 336, relating to the election of the Highway Surveyor.
VOTED to petition the Legislature for a special act to authorize the town to exceed the statutory limit on indebtedness.
VOTED to create a committee on establishing a town forest.
VOTED that hereafter, one copy of warrants shall be posted on the Bridgman Brick block instead of on Community Hall.
Name of Committee on Appropriations was changed to Finance Committee, and Moderator began making appointments.
At the annual meeting several ballot questions were submitted. All dealt with the power of the Selectmen.
VOTED to empower Selectmen to act as Overseers of the Poor.
VOTED to authorize Selectmen to appoint a Chief of Police.
VOTED to authorize Selectmen to appoint a Chief of the Fire Department.
VOTED to authorize Selectmen to appoint a Tree Warden.
VOTED to authorize Selectmen to appoint a Superintendent of Streets.
VOTED to accept the report of the Selectmen regarding the division of the town into two voting precincts.
VOTED to establish a committee to draft such bylaws as may be necessary for regulating municipal affairs.
VOTED to accept a report on renaming of cemeteries.
VOTED to rescind actions taken on 1924 ballot questions (which had dealt with the appointive powers of the Board of Selectmen).
VOTED not to increase power of Appropriations (Finance) Committee.
Selectmen prepared a major report on naming of streets.
VOTED to sell to the commonwealth, for $8,000, a tract of land with buildings thereon, known as the "Poor Farm."
Town experienced first difficulties with quorum, which bylaws had established at 50.
VOTED to elect Moderator annually by ballot, as provided by MGL c. 39, § 14.
VOTED to give preference in its employment of school teachers to those applicants who are graduates of the Belchertown High School, as far as possible.
VOTED to indefinitely postpone motion that would have given Selectmen a three-year term.
VOTED "to accept with thanks the contributions made in 1933 by the teachers, bus drivers, School Committee and Superintendent to reduce the tax levy."
VOTED $75 to immunize the children of the town against diphtheria.
VOTED to indefinitely postpone a motion that would have authorized construction of toilets at Franklin School.
VOTED to accept as a gift a tract of land for recreational purposes given by Mrs. Marion P. Spencer in memory of her father, Lawrence S. Parsons.
VOTED to use Franklin School as a voting precinct.
VOTED, in accordance with general law, to adopt a system of sewerage and sewage disposal plant for the town and authorize the Selectmen to make necessary applications, agreements and contracts with the City of Springfield, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Works Program Administration and other agencies of the United States of America necessary or proper to carry into completion such system of sewerage and sewage disposal plant.
VOTED to authorize and instruct the Selectmen to take general charge of constructing, maintaining and operating the sewerage system and plant, until such time as Sewer Commissioners are elected.
VOTED two major "takings" for sewer purposes.
VOTED to appoint a committee to look into establishment of a citizens' caucus, for the purpose of nominating candidates for various town offices without regard to political affiliation.
VOTED against increasing term of Selectmen to three years.
VOTED an appropriation of $2,500 for civil defense, under the direction of the Selectmen, according to Chapter 487 of the Special Acts of 1941.
VOTED to authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell property taken under tax title procedure, providing the sale is advertised and a notice of 14 days is given. Selectmen may reject any bid they deem inadequate.
VOTED to establish a committee to revise bylaws and to recommend a code of building regulations.
VOTED to authorize one member of the Board of Selectmen to sell gravel to the town.
VOTED to elect the Tax Collector for a period of three years (beginning in 1946).
VOTED to petition Legislature to be allowed to borrow $100,000 to build a new school building.
VOTED to allow residents of the town to water trap.
VOTED to rescind the action taken under Article 3 of a Town Meeting held September 29, 1873, whereby the Belchertown Park Association was granted control of the Common in concurrence with the Selectmen.
VOTED that the town provide that the Collector of Taxes shall collect, under the title of Tax Collector, all accounts due to the town.
VOTED that the Moderator appoint a Regional School District Planning Board of three members, one of whom shall be a member of the School Committee.
VOTED to authorize Selectmen to appoint an Inspector of Wires as required under Chapter 529, Acts of 1949.
VOTED to establish a committee to investigate the desirability of a Planning Board.
VOTED to establish a public welfare district with the Town of Granby.
VOTED to establish the term of office of the Board of Selectmen at three years.
VOTED to indefinitely postpone proposed zoning.
VOTED to establish an appointed Town History Committee.
VOTED to establish a Town Government Study Committee.
Rules and regulations of Board of Health published in Sentinel.
VOTED to establish the term of office of the Town Treasurer to be a three-year elected term, under the provisions of MGL c. 41, § 1, beginning in 1958.
VOTED to accept Zoning Bylaw.
VOTED to authorize Selectmen to make bylaws designed to control boating on all waters within the limits of the town.
VOTED not to suspend operation of trapping law.
Board of Health issued rules and regulations on piggeries.
VOTED to adopt a bylaw regulating boating (STM 7-27-1959).
Initial discussion of Town Manager form of government.
VOTED a Zoning Bylaw amendment requiring building permits.
VOTED to enlarge membership of the School Committee from three to five members, all to serve for terms of three years.
VOTED to enlarge the Board of Selectmen from three to five members, and thereafter all shall be elected for a term of three years.
VOTED not to reduce Board of Selectmen to three members.
VOTED to adopt bylaw on unregistered automobiles and trucks.
VOTED to establish a committee to investigate feasibility of appointing a Town Manager or Executive Secretary.
VOTED to authorize Board of Selectmen to appoint a Parks and Recreation Committee of five members.
VOTED to appoint constables for three-year terms and abolish practice of electing them.
VOTED to extend the scope and authority of the War Memorial Committee, to include the keeping of suitable data on persons serving in combat zones since the Korean conflict.
VOTED to organize and establish the Belchertown Housing Authority under the provisions of MGL c. 121, § 26K and acts in amendments thereof and in addition thereto.
VOTED to authorize the Board of Selectmen to appoint a five-member committee to investigate the sewer and water facilities in South Belchertown.
VOTED to join the Lower Pioneer Valley Regional Planning District.
VOTED to take no action on establishment of Citizens' Caucus, as provided under MGL c. 53, § 121.
VOTED no action on MGL c. 41, § 97.
VOTED to establish nonpartisan caucus (see General Law acceptance).
VOTED to establish Police Department under strong-chief provision.
VOTED to accept bylaw on conduct of town caucuses.
VOTED to establish a Master Plan.
VOTED to establish a Master Plan Advisory Committee.
VOTED to establish a Select Committee on Goals.
VOTED to accept a moratorium bylaw on mobile home construction.
VOTED to authorize the Board of Selectmen to institute a forestry management plan in the sanitary landfill area. Sale of wood to third parties was authorized, the proceeds to go to the town treasury.
VOTED to authorize the Board of Selectmen to submit the necessary procedural documentation which will qualify the town for eligibility in the National Flood Insurance Program.
VOTED to accept Personnel Bylaw.
VOTED to authorize the Board of Health of the Town of Belchertown to join the Quaboag Valley Visiting Nurse Association, Inc., as a full-fledged member.
VOTED to authorize a survey of needs to provide more low-rent elderly housing, under Chapter 667 of the Acts of 1954.
VOTED to change the term of the Tree Warden from one year to three years, to begin in 1979.
VOTED to establish a committee of five (to review and revise the town bylaws).
VOTED that any person or firm engaging services of Tree Warden and Moth Superintendent in their official capacity to pay for such services at $6.50 an hour, in accordance with MGL c. 44, § 53C.
VOTED to establish a committee on the adequacy of the present form of town government.
VOTED to raise salary of Chairman of Board of Selectmen to $10,000 (for the ensuing year).
VOTED to exceed the levy limit established by Chapter 151 of the Acts of 1979.
VOTED to establish an Energy Resources Commission, as provided under MGL c. 40, § 81.
VOTED to adopt executive secretary bylaw.
VOTED to establish a Personnel Board.
VOTED an appropriation to institute a capital improvement and budgeting program.
VOTED to direct the Selectmen to petition for a special act "providing for the establishment and administration of rent regulations and the control of evictions in mobile home park accommodations in the Town of Belchertown."
VOTED to limit the number of flower pots and/or arrangements at each grave site to two.
VOTED to adopt mobile home bylaw.
VOTED to authorize the town to borrow moneys under the provisions of Chapter 645 of the Acts of 1948, as amended, for the construction of a new middle school and municipal swimming pool.
VOTED to adopt the aquifer protection district amendments to Zoning Bylaw.
VOTED to take no action on the five-year open-space plan, submitted by Conservation Commission.
VOTED to adopt "A Compendium of the Bylaws, Special Acts and General Law Acceptances of the Town of Belchertown," as prepared for the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Belchertown by David A. Booth Research Associates of Amherst, Massachusetts.

References: § 28
 § 336
 § 14
 § 1
 § 26
 § 121
 § 97
 § 53
 § 81