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ANNUAL REPORT ^rt ' ^.t^ H^-^'-'-'-v'^-C'- r iJdlJLJJ L, 1 1 l.l/J 1991 PALMERPUBLICLIBRARY 3 8134 0010 5043 1r\ INDEX ANIMAL INSPECTOR 54 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING 99 APPEALS, BOARD OF 6 2 ASSESSORS, BOARD OF 88 AUXILIARY POLICE ASSOCIATION 36 BUILDING INSPECTOR 50 CABLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE 47 CEMETERY DEPARTMENT 60 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 46 CONSERVATION COMMISSION 61 COUNCIL ON AGING 42 ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR 51 FACTS ABOUT PALMER 6 FOREST FIRE WARDEN 39 GAS INSPECTOR 58 HAZARDOUS WASTE COORDINATOR 59 HEALTH, BOARD OF 52 MILK INSPECTOR 54 , HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT 37 HISTORICAL COMMISSION 8 2 . HOUSING AUTHORITY 40 LANDFILL STUDY COMMITTEE 57 LICENSE COMMISSION. 48 . , ., OFFICERS & COMMITTEES APPOINTED BY SELECTMEN 13 PALMER PUBLIC SCHOOL. 71 PATHFINDER REGIONAL VO,.CATIONAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 7 5 PLANNING BOARD . „ , 49 „ PLUMBING INSPECTOR 51 POLICE DEPARTMENT 31 PUBLIC LIBRARY 63 , QUABOAG VALLEY VISITING NURSES ASSOCIATION, INC 55 RECREATION COMMITTEE 45 SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE 69 SCHOOL COMMITTEE 71 SEALER OF WEIGHTS Sc MEASURES 5 8 SELECTMEN, BOARD OF 20 SPECIAL TOWN MEETINGS 91 TAX COLLECTOR 8 5 TELEPHONE NUMBERS - EMERGENCY 9 TOWN ACCOUNTANT 126 TOWN CLERK 2 2 TOWN OFFICERS 10 TOWN TREASURER ' 90 TREE WARDEN 39 VETERANS' SERVICES 41 <fc VITAL STATISTICS MARRIAGES 2 3 DEATHS 27 Digitized by the Internet Archive 2015 in https://archive.org/details/annualreportoft1991unse_1 THE THREE RIVERS GAZEBO The first gazebo was erected in Three Rivers by the Palmer Mill in 1883 and stood on the left side of the Common. This was a period of band concert appreciation which lasted more than two decades before waning. The Columbian Band was the main attraction for the gazebo. However, Pickering Hall changed the recreational focus of the village from passive to a more active participation and in so doing literally abandoned the gazebo. Mr. Upham, the mill agent, had the gazebo removed around 1913 and it was reset upon the back side of his home lot near Baptist Hill Road and the Common remained empty for another decade or more. The Upham lot is now the home site of Raymond Chudy. The second gazebo was erected in 1927 by the former Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce and was placed in the center of the Common. The Paderewski Band of Three Rivers performed weekly concerts in season for the enjoyment of the public and villagers annually, at Christmas, gathered around the gazebo to sing Christmas carols. The gazebo v/as allov/ed to fall into disrepair and the Paderewski Band gradually disbanded during the Depression and the closing of the mill. The gazebo was torn down ca 1942. The third and present gazebo occupies the site of the original (1883) and will hopefully be host to many enjoyable concerts in years to come. The present gazebo v/as built and erected by the Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce and turned over to the Town for the enjoyment of all residents of the Town of Palmer. 1 TOWN 0? PALMER IN THE YEAR ONE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY-ONE RESOLUTIONS UPON THE RETIREMENT OF GUS A. THEODORE WHEREAS GUS A. THEODORE, A LIFE-LONG RESIDENT OF THE , TOWN OF PALMER, BECAME A CALL FIREFIGHTER FOR THE PALMER FIRE DISTRICT NUMBER ONE IN 1946; AND WHEREAS, HE WAS APPOINTED AS A CALL CIVIL SERVICE FIRE CHIEF IN 19 57 FOR THE PALMER FIRE DISTRICT NUMBER ONE; AND WHEREAS, DURING HIS YEARS OF SERVICE IN THIS POSITION, HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE HAMPDEN COUNTY FIRE MUTUAL AID ASSOCIATION, MASSACHUSETTS FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION, NEW ENGLAND FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION, AND THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS; AND WHEREAS GUS ALSO PROVIDED A VALUABLE SERVICE TO THE , TOWN IN HIS CAPACITY AS FOREST FIRE WARDEN, TOWN FIRE ENGINEER, AND ASS'T CIVIL DEFENSE DIRECTOR; AND WHEREAS DURING HIS YEARS AS FIRE CHIEF FOR THE PALMER , FIRE DEPARTMENT, HE HAS SERVED THE COMMUNITY WITH DEDICATION AND PURPOSE; AND WHEREAS, ON FEBRUARY 28, 1991, GUS RETIRED FROM HIS POSITION AS FIRE CHIEF OF THE PALMER FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEREBY ENDING HIS LONG AND CREDITABLE POSITION AS A PUBLIC SERVANT PROTECTING LIFE AND PROPERTY; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN ACTING ON BEHALF , OF THE CITIZENS OF THE TOWN OF PALMER HEREBY ACKN0V7LEDGE THE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY GUS A. THEODORE DURING HIS MANY YEARS OF DEVOTED PUBLIC SERVICE AND EXTENDS TO HIM ITS BEST WISHES FOR MANY YEARS OF HEALTH AND HAPPINESS DURING HIS JUSTLY EARNED RETIREMENT; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT ALL THOSE PRESENT AND ALL THE CITIZENS OF , THE TOWN OF PALMER EXPRESS THEIR HEARTFELT ADMIRATION AND CONGRATULATIONS TO GUS A. THEODORE ON THIS VERY HAPPY OCCASION. WE HAVE HEREUNTO SET OUR HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE TOWN OF PALMER TO BE AFFIXED THIS FIFTH DAY OF MARCH, 1991. LAWRENCE M. JASAK MARK T. MAC DOUGALL MARY A FOGARTY . 2 GUS A. THEODORE PALMER FIRE CHIEF RETIRED, FEBRUARY 28, 1991 3 THIS YEAR'S TOWN REPORT IS PUBLISHED IN MEMORIUM OF A NUMBER OF CITIZENS WHO WERE ACTIVE IN TOWN GOVERMENT JAMES (JIMMY) T. DUKE July 11, 1944 - November 21, 1991 RECREATION COMMITTEE - 1979 to 1991 FINANCE COMMITTEE - 1984 to 1991 SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE - 1980 to 1991 DANIEL (DANNY) A. JANULEWICZ July 14, 1930 - July 15, 1991 PATROLMAN, PALMER POLICE DEPARTMENT - 1958 to 1991 ALFRED ZIEGLER January 6 1909 -- September 10, 1991 , PALMER SAFETY COMMITTEE MEMBER - 1908 to 1991 (Regretfully v/e were unable to obtain black and v;hite photographs of the three individuals remembered above.) 4 LEO F. ST. AMAND DECEMBER 31, 1915 - FEBRUARY 28, 1991 SELECTMEN - 1958 to 1971 PALMER LITTLE LEAGUE CHARTER MEMBER/FOUNDER DEMOCRATIC TOWN COMMITTEE MEMBER - 1958 to 1991 CHAIRMAN - 1968 to 1983 . ; FACTS ABOUT PALMER SETTLED 1716 INCORPORATED AS A DISTRICT 1752 ACCEPTED AS A TOWN 1776 LOCATION About 15 miles east of Springfield on Route 20 HIGHEST ELEVATION Mt. Pattaquattic, 1080 feet POPULATION 12,054 (Federal Census-1990) FORM OF GOVERNMENT Town Meeting TAX RATE-FY-1990 TOWN 10.55 FIRE DISTRICT TAX District #1 .95 District #2 1 44 . District #3 1.78 District #4 • 1 .45 NUMBER OF DWELLINGS Approximately 3,545 PROPERTY VALUATION 56 8, 434 734 , AREA Approxiinately Land : 20,110.0 acres; v/ater, 457.5 acres,, total 20,568.4 acres, 32.14 sc. miles. STREETS AND HIGHWAYS About 150 miles PUBLIC SCHOOLS Paln:er High School, Converse Middle School and Old Mill Pcnd Elementary FIRE PROTECTION Well equipped and established fire stations at Walnut Street, Palmer with a 43 member call force headed Alan J. Roy, Chief, Civi 1 Service ( ) Springfield Street, Three Rivers v/ith a 2G member call force headed by Evariste Coache Main Street, Bondsville with a 22 member call force headed by Chief John Sullivan. 6