Dennis sets marathon record with five session meeting

Veteran town meeting personalities in Dennis, antagonists in recent years, share the microphone in characteristic dispute. Town Counsel George Armeson wears sunglasses, while Nathaniel Wixon assumes stern countenance.

Fresh Pond approved, town to go it alone on new school

"Motion to previous question," (to end debate) made by Milton Koestler Tuesday night was the first thing taken up on the second night of the Dennis Town Meeting. The Issue was regionalization. The motion needed a two-thirds vote. It was lost, 175 in favor, 94 against. Discussion continued. Robert Brigham pointed out that regionalization was at least possible with an aye vote, but not assured. With a negative vote, the possibility would be gone for years. An Ezra Baker teacher pointed out that better coordination would not necessarily come with regionalization. Roland Connors, School Committee candidate in limbo, described the issue as "confused, Defused and befuddled,'* and moved to the previous question. Benjamin Muse Jr., the other School Committee candidate in limbo, attempted to get an accurate description of what the article would actually do. It was established that grades 6, 7 and 8 would not become part of the regional district until voted by a special town meeting and that a bond issue vote would be necessary only if an objection were registered.

Regionalization doomed

Principal J. Robert Dunn stated that a new school, If regional, would be located In West Yarmouth. Nathaniel Wixon urged an end to the fighting. Kenneth Lydecker, newly elected School Committee member, asked if the Regional Committee would come in with accurate figures on costs. Mr. Dunn stated passionately that the Regional School Committee would decide "where" the school would be located and defended Ezra Baker. "It is one of the top elementary schools in the state." Someone then requested that the Selectmen be polled. All three were opposed to regionalization. The vote, taken by ballot, was 123 yes, 313 no. The hall resounded with ayes until article 30 was reached. At this point requests were made that articles 109 and 57 be taken up before the massive Planning Board proposals. The request for 109 was made by Edward A. Crowell. The question was $411.81, a bill of prior years to be paid to W. Franklyn Baldwin, Park Commissioner.

Mr. Baldwin's trouble

With a written speech in hand, Mr. Baldwin took the floor and explained his position. The story was a sad one with a few elements of humor. Here was a man, it seemed, whose wife kept the books because he was not very good at bookkeeping, and who had had several run-ins with Mr. Crowell about that matter. At one town meeting, after the funds had been voted to him and after he had left, Mr. Crowell had had the article reconsidered and had had his compensation omitted. There was little question that he had done the work he wanted to be paid for. Talking about cleaning around Scargo Tower, Mr. Baldwin hesitated, raised his eyes from his speech and added, "A lot of things go on up there I can't tell you about." When the room quieted, and when he had finished, Mr. Crowell told his side of the story. The picture he painted of Mr. Baldwin was hardly complimentary. Mr. Baldwin was always coming in with his bills just under the wire. He raked leaves in the snow. "I just want you to know what you're paying for," Mr. Crowell said. Mr. Baldwin had the sympathy of the audience. Sarah Caverly suggested that he be paid interest as well. The vote was heavily in his favor.

Fresh Pond wins

The Fresh Pond article was next. Norton Nickerson made the presentation. He gave the voters answers to questions they might not have thought of asking, even detailing the tax Increase. "It would be a one shot tax increase of $1.25." There was a great deal of criticism from a very few. Red Chase told how he had taken his plane and flown over the area. "It's swamp . . . low value . . . mud holes." Benjamin F. Weeks: "In its present condition, it's worthless." He moved indefinite postponement.

When the Job Corps was mentioned as having agreed to supply labor for work that would be done, Red Chase suggested that half of them would be lost in the mud holes. Ronald Halsall then began a series of questions. Questioning the map that was on the stage, he used the microphone as a pointer. The audience heard only parts of words and phrases. When he finished, he asked of the already laughing audience, "Does everyone understand what I mean?" G. Everett Howes took the floor. He made a plea for the article. "Every town In Dennis has a body of water and beaches excepl South Dennis," he said. "What has Dennis got?" An Immediate response was shouted. "The Dump!" Perceval Sears made another plea, but for all of Dennis. "There won't be another chance to make this purchase." E arle Schwartz asked about fishing possibilities and was told the pond would be stocked. Sarah Caverly questioned the land titles exhaustively and asked if the pond was dammed. There were a few snickers. When the discussion stopped, article 57 was voted in 320 to 19. The voters burst into applause. Norton Nickerson expressed his gratitude and that of Willard Mc-Leod. Mr. McLeod, he said, who had done most of the work regarding Fresh Pond, had resigned from the Conservation Commission because of illness. Mr. McLeod was applauded as well. The Planning Board articles were next.

No consensus on planning

Articles 30 through 33 were given negative recommendations by the Planning Board and were all quickly indefinitely postponed. Article 34 they wanted approved. This article would have living space in dwellings in residential districts limited to a minimum of 700 square leek. "It was designed," Peter Mc-Dowell, member of the Planning Board, said, "To protect other residences." Charles Crowell said that he was opposed because the article would defeat the rights of the individual. A motion to indefinitely postpone the article was made and lost. Lincoln Lynch told the story of an elderly man with not very much money who had built a small house just within his means. This article, If passed, would disallow that sort of Initiative. Peter McDowell explained that this would not apply in unzoned areas, Arthur Lohr was opposed and urged fair play. Henry Boles, architect, stated that the State limitation for housing units for the elderly was 450 square feet. William E. Crowell Sr. made an amendment based on that figure. Henry Garfield, chairman of the Planning Board, noted the trends to build larger. He described an average house with all of the rooms necessary for contemporary living. Bedrooms, kitchens. "And everybody wants a toilet today," he said. There was much agreement. Mr. Lynch moved that the article be tabled. The motion was defeated. George Armeson, Town Counsel, spoke on the legality of it. Yes, it was legal. I

A warhorse snoozed

Nathaniel Wixon then took the floor. After the groans had subsided, he began to say why he was opposed. There was some confusion. He seemed to have missed i the point. He was then told by Mr. Armeson that he was discussing the wrong article. i "Guess I must have been i asleep," Mr. Wixon said. "It's my bed time anyway." He was more amused than anyone else. i He wasn't the only one who was tired. It was near the quitting hour and it was the second night. Not quite a third of the warrant had been acted upon.

Third night

At the beginning of the third night, Sarah Caverly asked that article 57 be reconsidered. Most thought her request was not cricket. Norton Nickerson was out of town. Willard McLeod was ill and would not be present. Her request was noted and article 34 was again discussed. The amendment to have the square footage cut from 700 to 450 was voted down. Most who spoke were In opposition to the article. There were several oral floor plans given by different voters, all under 700 square feet. Mr. Wixon Invented a plan to get around the by-law. A foundation that met the requirements with a 10 by 10 room atop it. Norman Hallett asked that the old 24 by 24 Cape Cod cottages be remembered. "That's - what people come down here for." After more discussion, amotion to return the article to the Planning Board for further study passed. Henry Garfield spoke for the next article, which would strengthen the language of the by-law concerning abandonment and discontinued use by substituting the last seven words with "inactive during thirty-six consecutive calendar months, which, for the purposes of this by-law shall constitute discontinuance and abandonment of such use", but he neglected to make the primary motion. When he was asked to, he moved that George Armeson explain what the article was all about.

I The oddest of all

The chair understood. "I've been to 18 ... 19 annual odd town meetings," George Armeson said prefacing his remarks, "but this is the oddest." Lincoln Lynch pointed out some technicality. Suddenly no one understood what was happening. Sarah Caverly, trying to get to the bottom of it, asked Armeson what the last seven words were. "Don't tempt me on that onel" he responded.

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The last seven words referred, however, to three years. Peter McDowell explained that three years could be construed as 13 months, late December of one year, all of the next and the first part of January of the next. The issue was somehow broadened to discuss all of the actions of the Planning Board, the relationship between the Planning Board and Atwood and Blackwell, the consulting firm that drew some of the articles, the attendance of the members and so forth. Henry Garfield took the floor In defense of the Board. Sarah Caverly asked if he had been at the meeting when that particular article was drawn.

Under C, in Webster's

Mr. Garfield knew that some mistakes had been made, but the Planning Board with too little support had done the best it could. At the height of anger and distress, he uttered, "I will not castrate anybody In regards to these articles!" There was a magnificent hush, then laughter began and swelled. Even the moderator, Dean Sears, had wet eyes. When the laughter subsided, Henry Garfield again approached the microphone. "I've got to look that word up." The articles to article 40 were then defeated. Selectman David Lane labeled most of the discussion "a waste of time." Others described the zoning attempts as "patchwork zoning" and "a big mess of garbage." Zoning was forgotten briefly when the motion to reconsider the Fresh Pond article was considered. Eight voted for reconsideration, 257 against. The next Planning Board article was a request for money to continue work on a Master Plan Study. Discussion was as lengthy and as confusing on that one as it had been on the others. But the money was voted. The remaining Planning Board articles were Indefinitely postponed.

Sign code approved

The sign code went through with very little argument (relatively) but was amended to eliminate a five year limit on nonconforming use. The sign most responsible , for that amendment was that of 1 the Cape Playhouse. Articles were quickly passed for a short period of time. Article 48, a new school on Route 134, was next - and was continued until the 4th night.

Fourth night

Dean Sears opened the meeting by reporting that there had been a run on dictionaries In the town libraries. Article 48 Frank Carleton, member of the School Building Needs Committee, made an initial request of $1,-118,500.00 for a new school. The question was quickly asked, "What school?" Walter M. Gaffney Associates, architects, had supplied the figures.

"Incredible!" Clark Potter said. "Gaffney, Gaffney, Gaffney, Gaffney! That's all we hear?" Others asked If anyone else had been consulted. Carleton stated that there was no commitment to Walter M. Gaffney Associates. It was soon established that no decision had been reached as to whether the new school would be for kindergarten through fifth grade or for the sixth through eighth grades. Ezra Baker was discussed. Would it be better for K-5 or 6, 7, 8? It seemed to be a toss-up. Even the size of a new school was uncertain. A diagram of a proposed floor plan was shown. If it helped, it helped the negative. Soon an amendment was offered by Selectman Klrkwood Brown that would give the committee $5,000 to have a study and preliminary plans drawn. The amendment was quickly changed. The figure was raised to $25,000 and Mr. Brown asked Henry C. Boles, architect, to outline the architectural procedures necessary for a study of this type. Mr. Boles read a list of various kinds of information and data that should be furnished to an architect before any plan should be drawn. There was more discussion. Mr. Dunn argued for the amendment reasoning that the contractors should not be shown how much the town would be willing to spend.

What school?

An amendment to the amendment was made limiting the scope of the article to grades 6-8. An amendment to the amendment to the amendment to the article was made that a reportal date of three months be asked. And the article was passed. Article 49, the appointment of a Building Committee, was amended to have 3 of the 5 members, members of the School Board. It was passed. Things did not move swiftly thereafter, but they did move. There was an emotion akin to that one feels when coming slowly out of a massive traffic jam. Articles 59 and 60 were taken as one. They dealt with appointment of a study group regarding historical districts in Dennis and East Dennis.

Historic districts

Dean Sears, leaving the lectern and asking William Ernest Crowell Jr. to assume his post, presented the article. He gave a brief history of historical districting, discussed the good and bad points of various plans and modestly asserted what he would like to see done. The articles were unanimously approved. Article 61, to allow purchase of the New Haven Railroad bed, was amended. When available, a special town meeting will be held. The deal will be handled, for the most part, by the county. The next excitement came at article 68, conflict of interest in the offices of Building Inspector, Gas Inspector, Wire Inspector and Plumbing Inspector. Nathaniel Wixon was responsible for the article and argued for it. Others did also. Many felt that the present Inspectors, holding more than one town office and acting as the other's deputy, were being paid too much for too little service. "Why, you can only see them one hour a day," someone said, "and there's a sign that says if you want to see them after that hour there'll be a fifty cent charge."

Conflict over conflict

David Lane came to the defense. "You can't hold that sign against anyone," he said, "It's just a little humor. The other day. I was in the office trying on one of the girl's skirts, and someone came in. It was just a joke, ha ha." He came close to receiving the laugh that Henry Garfield had received the previous night. Others wanted to know whether or not the Building inspector would get the job of sign inspector, which would make his total salary $6,-000 a year. That was a moot

• point. . George Armeson movedfqr indefinite postponement . His motion was lost, but a battle between Armeson and Wixon developed when the latter hinted strongly that the stance of the former on the issue of conflict of interest was not what It should be. Dean Sears refereed the battle and after a few solid blows had been thrown by each side, called the round to an end. Wixon argued in favor a while longer. The retired men In those trades could fill the positions. When the arguments on both sides became ragged, he reversed his position. The article was lost. The 4th night came to an end.

Fifth night

A floor fight on the first article of the 5th night was expected. Article 69 would allow the different town departments to hire lawyers of their own choosing. Dean Sears read a precedent court case. The article, if approved, would be Illegal. Article 69 was passed over. There were skirmishes on other articles. Article 79, to keep anyone from having more than one unregistered motor vehicle or trailer ungaraged on his premises called Nathaniel Wixon to action again. He questioned the word, 'vehicle' and managed to reduce It to a spare tire. The article was amended to allow vehicles which do not require registration and agricultural vehicles and it was passed, 120 to 14. The evening was far from being over. Thirty-three articles remained. One by one they were voted. At ten o'clock, the Dennis Town Meeting, after five nights, came to a close. Many marveled at the endurance and composure of the Moderator. He had stood in one spot, scarcely moving, for five nights in succession, Those sitting had ended squirming on the metal chairs. The exquisite agony that democracy can be had produced results. Committees: School Building, Dennis and East Dennis Historical Districting, Architectural Standards on malor. town roads, for the taking of ancient ways. By-laws: Sign Code. Other articles approve: $15,000 to be matched by Yarmouth for dredging a part of Bass River. $10,000 for improvements at Sesult Harbor. $20,000 for a new facility at Corporation and Howes Street Beach. $28,000 for a new 1,000 gallon pumper for the fire department. But for many, the amount of time spent in relation to what had been accomplished was excessive. In private conversations, the idea of representative town meeting arose again.