vy The picture on the cover was taken by Peter Sgro. It is a panoramic shot of the Thomas Memorial Park and the new Fish Ladder on Wareham Street. Both were completed in 1997. The Middleboro-Lakeville Herring Commission is the unpaid group of Fish Wardens and Volunteer Observers from both Town’s who oversee and manage the Herring Fishery. ANNUAL REPORT of the TOWN OF MIDDLEBOROUGH MASSACHUSETTS For the Year Ending December 31, 1997 “Cranberry Capital of the World” 328 Years of Progress IN DEDICATION THIS 1997 ANNUAL TOWN REPORT IS DEDICATED TO CLINTON EDWARD CLARK Mr. Clark for many years donated photographs for the cover of the Annual Town Report. His passing on May 8, 1997 was a tremendous loss to the Town. Not only was Mr. Clark famous for his photographs but for his historical knowledge of the Town as well. IN MEMORIUM JOHN T. NICHOLS, JR. former School Committee member who served 20 years as Chairman who passed away June 23, 1997 ROGER H. PARENT, SR. former Housing Authority Director who passed away August 19, 1997 MOUSHAH C. KRIKORIAN former Selectman having served as Chairman for several years who passed away September 9, 1997 ANTHONY J. MOSCA former Water Department employee, Fish Warden C.O.A. Building Committee member and Finance Committee member who passed away September 20, 1997 JUDGE ALLAN M. HALE former Finance Committee and Housing Authority member who passed away November 1, 1997 JOHN B. ROGERS retired as Chief of Fire Department after 38 years of service who passed away December 8, 1997 MIDDLEBORO MASSACHUSETTS General Information Elevation - 100 feet above sea level Settled - 1660 Incorporated - 1669 Population - 18,906 Area - 68.1 square miles Number of Dwellings - 5,852 Municipally Owned - Water, Sewer, Gas & Electric Light Plant Fully staffed Fire and Police Departments Schools Accredited Recreation Available - Swimming, Tennis, Playgrounds Principal Industries Fire Apparatus Repair Lumber Cranberries Calendars Brass Goods Novelty Items Warehousing Diversified Products Cranberry Capital of the World Located: 38 miles from Boston 22 miles from New Bedford 30 miles from Providence, R.I. On Routes 44 to Plymouth and Routes 28 and 495 to Cape Cod On Route 79 to Fall River and Routes 18 and 105 to New Bedford On Route 44 to Taunton and Providence, Rhode Island WHERE TO CALL FOR SERVICE Aid to Dependent Children Welfare Office,Taunton 823-2571 Animal Control Officer Dog Pound 946-2455 Police Station or 947-1212 Animal Inspector Dog Pound 946-2455 Police Station or 947-1212 Bills and Accounts Town Accountant 946-2415 Birth Certificates Town Clerk 946-2415 Building Permits Building Inspector 946-2427 Burial Permits Town Clerk 946-2415 Business Certificates Town Clerk 946-2415 Business & Industrial Commission Town Manager 947-0928 Civil Defense Robert Silva, Director 946-2461 Conservation Commission Rosemarie Correia, Agent 946-2406 Death Certificates Town Clerk 946-2415 Department of Public Works Wareham Street 946-2480 Dog Licenses Town Clerk 946-2415 Elections Town Clerk 946-2415 Elderly Services Council on Aging 946-2490 Employment Town Manager 947-0928 Entertainment Licenses Town Clerk 946-2415 Fishing & Hunting Licenses Town Clerk 946-2415 Fuel Oil Storage Fire Department 946-2461 Health Health Department 946-2408 Library Public Library 946-2470 Licenses Town Clerk 946-2415 Light & Power Gas & Electric Department 947-1371 Light & Power Bills Gas & Electric Department 947-1371 Marriage Certificates Town Clerk 946-2415 Middleborough Housing Housing Authority 947-3824 Milk Inspector Health Department 946-2408 Old Age Assistance Welfare Office, Taunton 823-2571 Playground Park Department 946-2440 Plumbing Permits Plumbing Inspector 946-2426 Public Health Nurse Health Department 946-2408 Purchasing Town Manager 947-0928 Refuse & Garbage Collection Wareham Street 946-2480 Road Opening Permits Town Manager 947-0928 Schools School Department 946-2000 Selectmen Selectmen’s Office 946-2405 Sewer Permits Sewer Department 946-2485 Plumbing Inspector or 946-2426 Tax Assessments Assessors 946-2412 Tax Collections Tax Collector 946-2420 Town Planner Planner’s Office 946-2425 Veterans’ Benefits Veterans’ Agent 946-2407 Trees Tree Warden 946-2480 Voting & Registration Town Clerk 946-2415 Water Department Wareham Street 946-2482 Weights & Measures Sealer 947-8461 Welfare Welfare Office, Taunton 823-2571 Wiring Permits Wiring Inspector 946-2426 Zoning Board of Appeals 947-4095 5 PUBLIC OFFICIALS Town Manager Superintendent of Schools John F. Healey Dr. Michael S. Ippolito Assistant to Town Manager Police Chief Patricia A. Blacow Arnold Salley Town Clerk & Accountant Fire Chief Sandra L. Bernier Robert W. Silva Assistant Town Clerk Town Counsel Eileen S. Gates George C. Decas, Esq. Highway Superintendent Daniel F. Murray, Esq., Asst. Donald A. Boucher Milk Inspector Inspector of Wires Doris M. Balonis, R.N.,CHO Mellio Gazza Agent for Veteran’s Graves Alternate Inspector of Wires John Gilfoy Daniel L. Hinds Plumbing & Gas Inspector Nicholas Corsino Dennis Driscoll Derek Maksy Sealer of Weights & Measures Health Officer Charles Norvish Doris M. Balonis, R.N., C.H.O. Agent for Liquor Establishments Keeper of the Lockup Arnold Salley and all Arnold Salley Regular Police Officers Fence Viewer Trustee M.L.H.P. Luxury Fund Doris M. Balonis, R.N., C.H.O. Judy MacDonald William Gedraitis Moth Superintendent Trustees Ethel M. Delano Fund Donald A. Boucher Judy MacDonald Water Superintendent Inspector of Buildings Richard E. Tinkham William J. Gedraitis Wastewater Superintendent Public Health Nurses Joseph M. Ciaglo Ellen Hegarty, R.N. Nurse’s Aide Mary Jane Johnson, R.N. Bette J. Brown Tree Warden Pound Driver & Keeper Donald A. Boucher William R. Wyatt Health Agent Field Driver John F. Healey William R. Wyatt Manager, Gas & Electric Superintendent of Parks John W. Dunfey, retired Joseph A. Masi James Smith Veteran’s Agent Constables: Richard M. Bagdasarian John E. Howard Treasurer & Collector Karen A. Blair Judy MacDonald William L. Crossman Assistant Treasurer Pamela Cloutier Joyce Ezell 6 PUBLIC OFFICIALS Constables: (Continued) Librarian Russell Tinkham, Jr. MaijorieJudd Betty L. Crossman John S. Rose William Eve James A. Lima Raymond Tubman ELECTED OFFICIALS Board of Selectmen Steven P. Spataro Term Expires 1998 Neil D. Rosenthal Term Expires 1998 Keith Bamicoat Term Expires 1999 Pamela M. Desrosiers, Chm. Term Expires 1999 Emil A. Maksy, Sr. Term Expires 2000 r Board of Assessors Jacob Kulian, Chm. Term Expires 1998 Kathleen Zakarian Term Expires 1999 William L. Sukeforth Term Expires 2000 School Committee John T. Nichols, Jr., Chm., deceased Term Expired 1997 Michael F. Gillen, Jr., Chm. Term Expires 1998 John B. MacDonald, Jr. Term Expires 1998 Joseph A. Masi, Jr. Term Expires 1999 Edmund T. Dobrowsky Term Expires 1999 Helen E. Walker Term Expires 2000 James C. Hilton Term Expires 2000 Planning Board Attorney Sherrill Neilseh, resigned Term Expires 1998 Lincoln Andrews Term Expires 1998 William B. Garceau Term Expires 1999 Derek A. Maksy Term Expires 2000 Kathleen Easterbrooks Term Expires 2001 J. Nathaniel Hailey, Chm. Term Expires 2002 Edward J. Medeiros, Assoc. Member Ruth E. Geoffroy, Town Planner 7 PUBLIC OFFICIALS Gas & Electric Commissioners Edward W. Parks Term Expires 1998 John F. Pennini Term Expires 1998 Michael Stagliola Term Expires 1999 Charles W. Kiely, resigned Term Expires 1999 Robert J. Ventura, Chm. Term Expires 2000 James R. Butler Term Expires 2000 Housing Authority M. Victor Sylvia Term Expires 1998 Arlene R. Dickens Term Expires 1999 Charles P. Washburn Term Expires 2000 Buddy Chilcot Term Expires 2001 Linfield Thomas, State Appointee Term Expires 2001 Treasurer & Collector Judy MacDonald Term Expires 1998 Finance Committee Anthony J. Mosca, deceased Term Expired 1997 Helen E. Walker Term Expired 1997 Philip L. Wentworth Term Expired 1997 Nancy Thomas Term Expires 1998 Robert J. Flanagan Term Expires 1998 Stuart Kirsch Term Expires 1999 Leah Caperello Term Expires 1999 Laurie Flanagan, Chm. Term Expires 2000 Robert J. Orkin Term Expires 2000 Joseph Correia Term Expires 2000 Bristol Plymouth Regional School District Ellen O. Grant Term Expires 1998 Town Moderator Robert Desrosiers Term Expires 2000 Zoning Board of Appeals Dorothy Pulsifer Term Expires 1998 Diane Bassett Term Expires 1998 Bruce G. Atwood, Chm. Term Expires 1999 Dr. Edward Braun Term Expires 1999 Frederick E. Eayrs, Jr., resigned Term Expires 2000 8 PUBLIC OFFICIALS Patrick Beaulieu Term Expires 2000 Norman L. Diegoli, Alternate Term Expires 2001 Joseph F. Freitas, Jr., Alternate Term Expires 2001 Park Commissioners Harry I. Pickering, Chm. Term Expires 1998 Charles F. Benoit Term Expires 1999 Darrell J. Maxwell Term Expires 2000 Joseph A. Masi, Superintendent SRPEDD Planning & Economic Development District John F. Healey, Board of Selectmen Delegate Derek A. Maksy, Planning Board Delegate SRPEDD Joint Transportation Planning Group John F. Healey, Board of Selectmen Delegate Conservation Commission Richard Chamberlain Term Expires 1998 Gail Putvinskas Term Expires 1998 Terrence Doyle Term Expires 1998 Pamela DeLuca Term Expires 1999 Larry Wells Term Expires 1999 D. Jeffrey Erickson Term Expires 2000 David Dixon Term Expires 2000 Business & Industrial Commission Henry Humphreys Term Expires 1998 Priscilla Benoit Term Expires 1998 John L. Lucas Term Expires 1998 Jack Sperry Term Expires 1999 Joseph F. Freitas, Jr. Term Expires 1999 George Chace Term Expires 1999 Anders Martenson, Jr. Term Expires 2000 Jean Jones Term Expires 2000 Robert