Monroe County NyArchives History - Books .....Modern Civic Affairs 1957 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.org/ny/nyfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 23, 2007, 9:37 pm Book Title: Irondequoit Story MODERN CIVIC AFFAIRS The Town Hall Irondequoit's beautiful colonial-type Town Hall, situated at the corner of Titus Avenue and Kings Highway, the geographical center of the town, was dedicated May 29 and 30, 1951. It is a fire-proof building, 60 by 121 feet, with two stories and a basement. It provides rooms with modern facilities for conducting the business of the town's many departments. It was built at a cost of $500,000 without added burden to the taxpayers, for the reason that the late Supervisor, Thomas E. Broderick, and the Town Councilmen had quietly set aside funds, over a period of years, with which to provide the new structure. The first spadeful of earth was turned by Supervisor Broderick on April 4, 1949 and two hundred people attended that ceremony. However, Mr. Broderick did not live to see the completion of the building. He passed away October 1, 1949, but the building is really a memorial to his foresight and sound planning. The cornerstone was laid March 28, 1950 by the present Supervisor, Walter E. Lauterbach. The dedication in 1951 was planned by a 25 member non-political committee. Clubs, school organizations, firemen, veterans organizations, fraternal groups and garden clubs all participated. May 29 was Young Peoples's Day, The school organizations held programs in the afternoon and the firemen staged a demonstration in the evening. On May 30, Memorial Day, a parade, a tradition in Irondequoit, was held early in the afternoon and converged at the Town Hall. A feature of the ceremonies was the dedication of the Thomas E. Broderick Memorial Hall where meetings of the Town Board and other civic organizations are held. Also dedicated and hung in the Hall was a painting of the former supervisor by the artist John Menihan. This was a gift of a former Town Attorney, John Van Voorhis, who was elected Judge of the Court of Appeals in January 1937. When the new Town Hall was built and dedicated, the memorial marker formerly standing on Ridge Road East across the street from the Old Town Hall, was removed and a bronze memorial plaque placed in the main lobby of the new Town Hall. Records are not available to indicate the exact numbers of our residents who have served their country in various wars. Town Government ELECTED OFFICERS Supervisor Tax Collector Four Councilmen Two Justices of the Peace APPOINTED BY TOWN BOARD Town Clerk Recreation Commission Town Attorney Planning and Zoning Boards Assessor and Deputy Recreation Director Highway Superintendent Recreation Supervisor Health Officer Building Inspector Health Nurses Superintendent of Sewers Commissioner of Public Works Town Historian Police and other employees appointed under the rules and regulations of the Monroe County Civil Service Commission. Supervisor and Town Board (Town Council ) SUPERVISOR The Supervisor is elected every two years and is the chief administrative officer of the town. Theoretically, all the employees of the town are responsible to the Supervisor but, in Irondequoit, each department head assumes responsibility for those in his department. The Supervisor is by law the fiscal officer of the town. All taxes, monies and special district funds, except school funds, are deposited in the bank by the receiver of taxes, to the Supervisor's credit. He appoints his own bookkeeper, whose duties also include these of pay roll clerk, typist, accountant, general information bureau, expert on retirement system and budget director. The Supervisor is a member of the County Board of Supervisors and must attend the county meetings and the meetings of any committee to which he is appointed. It is his responsibility to see that the town gets value for monies paid in county taxes. In addition, he must always be ready to listen to the problems of the taxpayers. TOWN COUNCIL The Town Council (Town Board) is composed of the councilmen and the Supervisor, who is the presiding officer. Four councilmen are elected for terms of four years each, two members being selected at each town election. The Town Council is the governing body of the town, actually its board of directors, and it carries out the powers and duties conferred upon it. It must hold monthly meetings, but special meetings may also be held at any time. Such special meetings may be called by the Supervisor and must be called by him on the written request of two members of the Council. The Supervisor has a vote on all matters coming before the Council. Should he be absent from any Town Council meeting, the members present designate a temporary chairman. A majority of the entire board constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business, but any number may adjourn a meeting. The votes are taken by "ayes" and "nays' and the vote of each is recorded in the Minutes. Following are a few of the duties that the Town Council,, under town law, is directed to perform: general control of town finances; management, custody and control of town property; fixing salaries of officers and employees; auditing claims against the town; filling vacancies in town offices; awarding contracts for town purposes; constructing certain drainage and flood control facilities; contracting for certain highway lighting; calling special town elections; enacting ordinances; zoning and makng [sic] building regulations; establishing improvement districts; establishing reserve funds. Some of these functions may be carried out only when 51 percent of those affected so petition the Council. TAX COLLECTOR The receiver of taxes is elected for a four-year term. In Irondequoit, a town of first class, the title of this office is "Receiver of Taxes and Assessments." the difference between this and the title of Tax Collector, as it is termed in smaller towns, is that the receiver must collect all taxes levied by the school districts, all assessments levied by special districts, and all water rents. He is assisted by one full-time bookkeeper and one clerk whose main work is billing water rents and posting receipts. At tax-collecting time, two extra part-time helpers are employed. Collecting taxes and accounting for monies collected in Irondequoit is a big job. The school year 1956-57 had a tax roll of two and a quarter million dollars, the town and country tax roll was one and one half million dollars and more than one hundred thousand dollars was collected in water rents over the year just past. Many a large business does not handle nearly four million dollars a year. The tax office has more than 13,000 accounts which require strict accuracy. According to law, the tax books are audited annually by independent auditors and, every two years, the books are reviewed by auditors from the State Bureau of Audit and Control. The tax department works closely with the Assessor's office in keeping an up-to-date address for every piece of property in the town. It does the billing for town-operated water districts, for which there are currently nearly 4,000 accounts, and this number is increasing each year. One can readily see that the tax office is one of the busiest and most important of town departments. Town Attorney and Peace Justices TOWN ATTORNEY The Town Attorney is appointed by the Town Board and is paid a stipulated annual salary regardless of the amount of work required of him during the year. He does not maintain an office in the Town Hall, but works out of his own office where he conducts a private practice. He acts as legal advisor to all town departments, attends all meetings of the Town Board and advises the Board on points of law. All resolutions passed by the Board are written by him and it is his duty to see that the phraseology is such that is can be interpreted only as the Board meant it to be. The Attorney must defend the town in all legal actions brought against it. He draws up all petitions regarding special districts requested by taxpayers and writes the description of these districts. He attends all meetings of the Zoning and Planning Board to interpret the existing ordinances and the possibility of enforcement. When a new subdivision is granted, he assures the town's protection by legal bonds and when roads are accepted, he must have them dedicated and recorded. Working behind the scenes without fanfare, a good town attorney has a powerful influence on town affairs and progress. PEACE JUSTICES Irondequoit has two Justices of the Peace. They are elected for four-year terms, one at each town election. With the exception of traffic violations, those who are arrested are taken at once to the home of the peace justice for arraignment. A great majority are released on bail until the following court session. Cases brought before justices include such things as family troubles, robbery, assault, disorderly conduct, neighborhood disagreements and public intoxication. Court is held every Monday night and cases are heard at that time. Under the statewide universal ticket system, the justice hasn't much choice in traffic cases, except in the size of the fines imposed. These are usually based on the seriousness of the charge. In all cases brought before him, the justice points out at the beginning that the accused is entitled to legal counsel and trial by jury if desired. Justices are empowered by law to perform marriages. Town Clerk The Town Clerk is appointed by the Town Council for a two-year term. He must be a citizen of the United States, a qualified voter and a resident taxpayer of the town wherein he serves. This is a position of high importance since the clerk's office is the hub around which the wheels of town government revolve. The duties of the Town Clerk of Irondequoit have been so greatly increased by the growth of the town that two deputies and a secretary have been appointed to assist him. He has custody of all records, books and papers of the town, not only his own records but those of every department of the town government. He files all certificates, oaths and other papers required by law, issues marriage licenses, dog, hunting and fishing licenses, and records conditional and chattel mortgages. The Town Clerk attends all meetings of the Town Council and acts as clerk of the board. He keeps complete minutes of each meeting and records the vote of each member on all acts, ordinances and resolutions. He is responsible for the rental of polling places for elections and primaries, for delivery of supplies, the payment of inspectors, return of books and supplies after election, and securing the sworn affidavits of candidates as to their expenses. Irondequoit Cemetery is under the jurisdiction of the Town Clerk. He has charge of the sale of lots, the maintenance of the cemetery, burials, vaults and all records. The Town Clerk has charge of preparing all legal matters pertaining to subdivisions. In the establishment of light, sewer or water districts, he prepares petitions for the people who request them. After petitions are returned, he advertises public hearings for the Town Council. All towns now operate under the budget system and another duty of the Town Clerk relates to this area. The Town Council is the budget-making body, but all officers and department heads must file with the Town Clerk estimates of revenue and disbursements for their respective offices for the coming year. The clerk then presents these estimates to the Town Council for its consideration and action This must all be done before October 5 of each year. On order of the Council, the clerk then gives legal notice of a public hearing of the preliminary budget, which is held not later than the Thursday following election. The Town Clerk's responsibility for the budget is then ended but the Town Council must meet within five days after the hearing and adopt the budget, either in its original form or as amended after the hearing. The work of the office of Town Clerk is heavy and must be manned by efficient and dedicated public servants. Our present clerk, Mr. Fred Hussey, has served Irondequoit since 1934. Town Assessor The Assessor is appointed by the Town Board and has a deputy, a stenographer and a clerk to assist him. His is also a most important office in the town government. The Assessor's office receives a photostatic copy of every deed to property in Irondequoit that is recorded in the County Clerk's office. These deeds amount to more than 150 a month. From them, the Assessor gets the new owner's name, the price paid for the property, and the mortgage. This information is then transferred to the field book so that it is kept up-to-date at all times. All veterans' exemptions are also handled by the Assessor. Many veterans have bought homes in Ironaequoit in recent years and thus greatly increased the work of this office. The keeping of maps comprises the major part of the Assessor's work. All new subdivisions are located on maps, lots are plotted to scale, house numbers are set up for each lot, and account numbers assigned to each piece of property. The account number system is the best yet devised for property identification: regardless of the names that appear on the tax roll or tax bill, all payments, liens, etc are credited or charged to a specific account number. Maps for special districts such as light, hydrant, water, etc. are also made. Each building permit is copied from the building inspector's office but, as a special check, each new building or addition is also measured before putting an assessed valuation on the property. The sum total of individual assessments must agree with the total assessed valuation of the town. Veterans' exemption totals and franchise assessments (telephone, railway, water, etc.) must be computed. With over 18,000 accounts and a total assessed valuation of $72,000,000, it is a big job to prepare the rolls and to balance them in time for preparing the tax bills. A little-known duty of the Assessor's office is the investigation of domestic animals killed by dogs. Such animals are checked, a fair price determined, forms made out and mailed to the County Board of Supervisors. Finally, a check is sent to the owner of the animals killed to compensate their loss, the money for these claims being derived from dog license fees. When any petitions, prepared by the Town Clerk and circulated by the interested parties are returned, they are turned over to the Assessor's office and he must check each name for its validity. Names not valid are stricken from the list and the Assessor must certify that 51 percent of the people involved have signed in favor and that 51 percent of the assessed valuation of the proposed district is represented on the favorable petition. One other duty of the Assessor's office is to send the State Board of Equalization and the County Board of Supervisors a complete list of all changes of ownership in the town. Police Department Police work, prior to 1919 was conducted primarily by elected constables throughout Irondequoit. No police officers, as we know them today, were engaged by the Town Council until around 1920. In the first part of the 1920's, the Town Council chose to appoint police officers known as Specials. These special officers, politically appointed, were required to purchase their own uniforms and equipment, and were paid on the fee system. This system, in brief, consisted of allocating a portion of the fines paid to the Justice of the Peace by violators of the law and giving this part of the fine to the special officer who made the arrest. The special officers were also sworn in as Deputy Sheriffs by the Monroe County Sheriff and were subject to his orders. All special officers purchased and rode motorcycles as a means of transportation. With the hiring of special officers, who handled all of the criminal work, the constables then were left with handling mostly civil matters, and assisted the special officers only when necessary. About 1922, Irondequoit had six special officers and the Town Council established a Captain of Police to head the group. This was the first titled officer to hold any rank in the police forces. In 1927, following the establishment of a police headquarters in the Cooper Road Fire House, a Chief of Police was established and the rank of Captain discontinued. To handle the burden of summer traffic along the beaches and resort areas of Summerville and Sea Breeze, extra personnel was engaged for about a three month period. These men also were responsible to the Captain, and later to the Chief of Police. This practice is still being followed today. In 1924, the police force of special officers underwent a reorganization and became known as the Irondequoit Police Department, with Headquarters located in the Fire House on Cooper Road. This gave the police office a listed telephone number. Prior to this time, it was necessary to call a Justice of the Peace or an officer at his home to obtain his services. The newly-reorganized police force was placed on a regular annual salary paid by the Town Council, and the fee system went out of effect. The new force consisted of four motorcycle officers, regularly appointed, and the special officers for summer details. All served at the pleasure of the political party in control of the Town Council. In the later part of the 1930's, police vehicles were equipped with a radio receiver and were in contact with the Rochester Police Transmitter. This system helped to some degree in reaching mobile vehicles on the road. It wasn't until 1950 that each police vehicle was equipped with a radio receiver and transmitter to allow two-way conversation. The Town Council, in 1942, accepted the newly organized Monroe County Civil Service for employees in Irondequoit. This took the police department out of politics, to a great degree, and all appointments and promotions were based on proficiency shown in examinations conducted by the Civil Service Commission. Appointments to the department are made from a certified Civil Service list furnished the Town Council. Thus positions are now on a competitive basis, as are promotions. In 1946 the Town Council, adopted the policy of purchasing the police uniforms, and the familiar forest green became the accepted color for the Irondequoit Police Officers. The pattern for the uniform was taken from the New York State Police Uniform. With the growth in population from about 10,000 in the mid-1920's to the present estimated 51,000 people in Irondequoit, the numbers of police officers also grew. The early twenties found some four to six special officers engaged in police work, where today a specially trained force of 31 men constitute our organization, all having been appointed following a qualification by Civil Service ratings and training in police procedure. Today's force also has added supervision with the appointment in 1947, of a police sergeant, followed in succession with four more sergeants, and in 1954 a police Lieutenant to complete the chain of command from the Chief of Police to the patrolmen. This system has given direct supervision and responsibility to titled officers and men around the clock, throughout the year. Permanent records and files have been maintained since the early thirties along with accident maps, bicycle registrations and other methods necessary to conduct efficient police organization. With the growth of the community and the ever-increasing vehicle registration, traffic on our highways has become a mounting problem. Recognizing this problem, the police department, prior to World War II, established a traffic group to study the Three Es-* Engineering, Enforcement, and Education, as they pertain to traffic control. With the cooperation of various Town Departments, interested civic groups and school authorities, a constant study is made to keep abreast of these problems varying from street lighting, highway engineering, and sidewalks to pedestrian crossings. The familiar yellow paint designating pedestraian [sic] crossings originated in Irondequoit through the insistence of the traffic group. The rapid growth in school population to its present 13,000 enrolled students in the 27 public and parochial schools throughout Irondequoit brought about the necessity of engaging school-crossing guards. These adult guards, hired and supervised by the police department are ever alert and dedicated to the safe crossings of the children around these many schools. Some eighteen men and women are presently engaged in this important duty. Today's trained and equipped police officers, appointed from a Civil Service list, furnished with up-to-date vehicular equipment and radio communications, stand guard over the community twenty four hours a day, seven days a week^-always ready to do their best to preserve the peace, arrest the guilty, and protect the life, limb and property of its residents. These men, all citizens and residents of the Town of Irondequoit, know the Town, know its people and are well-qualified to serve its people. New Public Works Department In 1953, the Town Board of Irondequoit, seeing the need for coordination of various public works on a modern efficient basis, established a Department of Public Works, headed by civil engineer, Joseph Bevacqua, as Commissioner. This became effective on January 1, 1954 and the new department included the sewer, water and highway departments. Previous to this time, each of these departments had operated separately. The Department of Public Works, with modern equipment valued in excess of a quarter of a million dollars, has eliminated many man-hours of hand labor and thus effected efficient and economical operations. Through the office of the Department of Public Works, the town has modernized subdivision specifications and other related matters to a point where the average pavement in new subdivisions is expected to last twelve to fifteen years, compared to the three-to-five-year life expectancy of those built under old requirements. Scientific water surveys are being conducted in the Town Water Districts to determine present and future needs. Steps have been taken to abate shortages in certain sections. However, before expending large amounts for improvements in these districts, the possibility of future ties and connections are thoroughly studied and made part of proposed subdivisions. Calls from residents of the town, requesting maintenance work of one kind or another, are received, recorded, investigated and acted upon. As many trips as are necessary are made to remove snow from highways during storms and salt and abrasives are applied to all thoroughfares to reduce skidding. This is also done on side streets when excessive icing warrants the expenditure. A road-sweeping program with modern equipment has also been initiated. Construction of street drains is required before final paving operations are undertaken. This is for the purpose of protecting the final pavements from frost action and periodic destruction. Each year, a certain mileage of old, obsolete roads is scheduled to be rebuilt and others to be re-surfaced. Approximately seven miles of town roads were recently surfaced for the first time, with three inches of black-top. Trees along the street that are considered hazardous to traffic or pedestrians, are felled and other trees trimmed during the winter months. The town sprays elm trees along the streets in accordance with the latest methods and recommended chemicals. A cost-accounting system has been established in the Sewer, Water and Highway Departments, under which cost records are maintained of labor, materials, equipment and all operations of the respective departments. Maintenance of equipment is handled by the Public Works Department crew during slow periods and on rainy days, at a considerable saving in outside labor costs. A merit system for the personnel of these departments has been instituted. Each month, a written report is received from the foremen of the departments covering the attitude of each man toward the job, the quality of his work, the quantity of output, and his dependability, capacity, alertness, judgment, attendance, punctuality, cooperativeness, tact and self-control. This record is charted on an annual master chart and, from it, eligibility for advancement of any one employee can be quickly and fairly evaluated. Gasoline, tires and other materials are purchased at State prices, resulting in considerable economy for the town. This is accomplished by furnishing the New York State Division of Standards and Purchases an estimate of period-needs for Irondequoit. They, in turn, pool these requirements and obtain prices. Some savings are as much as 50% of retail costs. Consolidation of these departments has resulted in savings in operation, mainly through efficient and effective handling of manpower and equipment. For example, employees from the Sewer Department can now be shifted to the Highway Department for emergency work, or Highway Department personnel may be shifted to the Water or Sewer Departments in emergencies, or when needed. Using all equipment for all operations eliminates duplication and reduces the cost per unit of work. Building and Planning Department At a meeting of the Town Board on November 16, 1922, an ordinance covering some phases of building and zoning in Irondequoit was adopted and its enforcement assigned to the Town Board and Town Clerk. The following year, a Zoning Commission was appointed to advise the Town Board and, although this group held no public hearings and rendered no decisions, it did meet with the Town Board, on invitation, in a consulting capacity. On May 22, 1928, the Town Board authorized the English firm of Hevenor and Weller to draw up a new and separate Zoning Ordinance and Building Code and prepare a map of the Town. After several public hearings, the Town Board, on May 24, 1929, adopted a workable Zoning Ordinance and, on July 22nd of that year, created a Zoning Board of Appeals. This Board held hearings and granted exceptions to the Zoning Ordinance. On January 5, 1932, a Building Inspector was appointed and given the additional duty of acting as Secretary to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The latter group also served as the Town Planning Board. In April of 1933, a regular Building Code was adopted and remained in force until the Town Board adopted the State Building Construction Code on the 3rd of January, 1956. The Zoning Ordinance was revised and re-adopted on October 5, 1945 and again in November 1954. Today, the Building Department consists of three men and a stenographer and is charged with enforcement of the Building Construction Code which provides regulations for all new construction and alterations. They examine all plans and, if approved, issue a building permit. Inspections are made systematically throughout the different stages of construction to assure the people moving in of a soundly built house. The Building Inspector also serves as Secretary of the Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals. This Board works in unison with the Building Department to plan, discuss and improve growth and development of the Town in a manner beneficial to its residents. The Building Department is constantly on the alert for violations of the Town Zoning Ordinance and pursues complaints of violation of same. The Multiple Residence Law as it pertains to old buildings and dwellings is also enforced by the Building Inspector as to required fire area and safe egress from the building. In addition to the above duties, the Building Department is also charged with enforcement of the New York State Labor Law as it pertains to places of public assembly, the safety of employees, inspections following fires, and special inspection assignments. Finally, the Superintendent of Buildings must be constantly on the alert for new methods and materials used or to be used in the construction field. Water Supply The early settlers were dependent upon the streams for their water supply. Later, wells were dug and, at first, lined with stone; since this proved unsanitary, tile, when available, was used. Windmills were erected to pump water into storage tanks and most houses had a cistern in the cellar for this storage of rainwater. From there, it was pumped into the kitchen by wooden pumps attached to the end of the sink; later, these wooden pumps were replaced by iron ones. This rain water was used for washing dishes, the family wash, and for general bathing. The family wash tub was the bath tub: before 1900, a very few houses could boast of plumbing. In 1902, a pumping station was built at the Lake and in 1910, a petition was presented to the Town Board of Irondequoit, by the people of Summerville, for a water district. In the winter of 1911-12, the Lake Ontario Water Company made application to the Town Board for the right to lay an 8-inch main all the way from Cobbs Hill, where they had purchased several acres of land just northeast of the City Reservoir. The line was to run down Culver to the Ridge, along the Ridge to Hudson Avenue, down Hudson to Titus Avenue, across Titus to Cooper Road, thence to St. Paul Boulevard and on to Summerville. With this supply, the people of Summerville were to be assured of a sufficient water Supply, but it was not obtained without a struggle. The Town Board was divided on the question of granting a permit; finally, however, all members of the Board did sign and the work was accomplished. Later, water mains were laid to Sea Breeze, Point Pleasant. Laurelton, Titus Avenue, Winona Boulevard, Cole Road and other sections. In 1927-28, a 20-inch main was laid from the pumping station west of Charlotte, across the river, forty feet below water level. For crossing the river there, a distance of 500 feet, the main had flexible joints. On the east side of the river, the conduit was laid up Thomas Avenue to St. Paul Boulevard, up Cooper Road to Titus Avenue, east on Titus to Doris Road, then south along Doris and Walzer Roads to the Ridge, across Ridge to Perrin Road, south on Perrin to Heberton Road, then east to Culver, south to Norton Street, east to Pardee Road, south to Empire Boulevard, and finally along Empire to Shelford Road and the city line. This main was planned to serve 40,000 people. It has a pressure of 190 pounds at Stutson Street and 85 pounds at the south end of Shelford Road. Water is forced into it by the pumping station at the Lake for its entire length. Should the pump need repair at any time, there would be no water in the main during the time of repair; however, the storage tanks at Cobbs Hill would still supply some water by gravity. Today, Irondequoit's water is supplied by the New York Water Service Corporation, which uses Lake Ontario as a source and pumps water from the Charlotte station to reserve storage tanks at Cobbs Hill, distributing to the town enroute. Health Committee Through the years, Irondequoit has been developing a Health Service for the community commensurate with its population increases. The first work in this field was in connection with special help for families in distress. This was during World War I years, when Dr. Willis Bradstreet became Health Officer in 1918. Later the work of the Irondequoit Relief Committee was taken over by the Irondequoit Welfare Department. In the meantime, need arose for pre-natal consultation. A Pre-Natal Clinic was organized and began functioning May 20, 1929. Clinics were held monthly at the Town Office on Ridge Road and were free of charge. A Motor Corps was established to assist in bringing patients to the Clinic and manned by volunteers until June 1936, when a part-time driver was secured. Later, it was necessary to hire a full-time driver. The Town Board gave financial support to this Clinic in 1930. As time went on, more doctors began to give pre- and postnatal care to their patients. With the work of the Pre-Natal Clinic thus diminished, the name of the group was changed to the Irondequoit Health Committee in 1942, and pre-natal care by the separate clinic was finally abandoned in 1944. A Loan Closet, established in 1926, increased its service in February of 1935. In two years, this service had grown to considerable proportions. Previously located in the home of Dr. and Mrs. Willis Bradstreet, as it expanded it was moved to the Town Offices on Ridge Road and, as these quarters were outgrown, a room was rented in the home of Mrs. Backus, on the Ridge between Hudson and Seneca Avenues, Mrs. Backus rendered a worthwhile service for several years by taking care of the distribution of articles and managing the laundry necessary to keep the linens in sanitary condition. When the new Town Hall was completed in 1951, the Health Office was installed in its permanent quarters and the Loan Closet was moved there. Still larger quarters are now allocated for the ever-increasing supply of hospital beds, wheel chairs, crutches, walkers, and other medical equipment and supplies which are still available on a loan basis to residents of the town. In 1947, aid was granted the Health Office by the Community Chest. Irondequoit's annual allotment depends on the amount raised by the town for the Chest. Also in 1947, a blood donor's unit was started and, on February 9, 1948, this unit was consolidated with the Irondequoit Branch of the Rochester Chapter of the American Red Cross. For many years, Dr. Bradstreet provided quarters in his home for personnel and records of the Health Department, offering telephone, heat, rent and light free of charge. When the new Town Hall was completed, the Health Office was set up there. In order to secure furniture for the new offices, a card party was held and this has been an annual feature ever since. Money raised through this undertaking is used for miscellaneous expenses, and also to send a delegate each year to the annual state convention on Health Services. In March 1946, the Health Committee gave a testimonial dinner to honor Dr. Alexander Walker who retired after 35 years' service to Irondequoit. In April 1948, Dr. Bradstreet completed thirty years as Health Officer and a celebration was held at the Colonial Inn on Empire Boulevard. Dr. Bradstreet was featured as "Citizen of the Day" on radio station WHEC and this was re-broadcast by record to guests of the party. In 1950, a nurse was added to the staff of the Department, Miss Glenna Smith, and on January 29, 1953, Laura Reynolds was honored on her 25th anniversary as Town Nurse. In addition to operating the Loan Closet, members of the Health Committee also send out cheer baskets to the needy at Christmas through the nurses, sponsor sewing meetings to keep articles in repair, and give many hours to clinical work, such as pre-school examinations, fluoride treatment for school children, polio innoculations, blood bank, etc. Civil Defense Program 1941-45 Following the declaration of war in December 1941, a need for the protection of persons and property arose and both federal and state law provided that communities should organize to meet such need. The nineteen towns of Monroe County were divided into zones and Irondequoit was a zone by itself. The Town Supervisor was named Director of Civil Defense for Irondequoit. The purpose of Civil Defense was the protection of the community from enemy attack and provision for the welfare of citizens from other communities who might be forced to evacuate their areas for another location. All of the established departments of local government were expanded by volunteers to better serve any need. The various fire districts recruited auxiliary men, as did the Police, Highway, Health and Welfare Departments. In addition an Air Raid Warden Group was organized. In general, the town was divided into sections according to fire district boundaries, with the exception of St. Paul Boulevard District which had two divisions, one south of Pinegrove and Seneca Park Avenues, and the other north of the same streets. Protection of the residents of Irondequoit was undertaken by the Fire Departments, Police, Air Raid Wardens, Rescue Squads, Medical Teams, Public Works and Public Utilities Squads. 135 Since it was anticipated that some metropolitan areas might be bombed in total warfare, it was necessary to have a survey of all available space for the housing and feeding of people transported to this area. This called for the establishment of Housing and Canteen Groups under the Welfare Department. In order to properly train all personnel, classes in First Aid and Fire Defense were set up in all areas of the town. Surveys were made to determine what residents would require special attention, such as invalids and elderly people. A system of communications was established that included the Boy Scouts as messengers and "ham" radio operators to function in the event of failure of the telephones. This organization required the services of hundreds of volunteers and the residents of Irondequoit responded to their responsibilities in a grand manner. Days and nights were spent in training classes and in response to drills. 1954-57 Following a dormant period in the history of Civil Defense as it applied to our town, a renewed interest took place in 1954. Perhaps the disturbing news of world events was responsible for this. In any case, the feeling of need for protection of the town's citizens became predominant in the mind of the Town Supervisor, Walter Lauterbach, and the Town Council. It was felt that a strong Civil Defense organization would be invaluable not only in case of warfare, but also for any catastrophes, natural or otherwise, which might strike this town. Mr. Gordon Perry was appointed to the position of administrator under the direction of Supervisor Lauterbach. Because of the pressure of other town duties, Mr. Perry was later relieved. Many other appointments and changes were made as personnel moved up in the ranks of available positions until a period of leveling off came in about 1955 by the appointment of Mr. George Anderson as administrator for 2one 5. This zone is much the same as in former years, boundary-wise, except that a portion of the eastern section of Rochester was included. Mr. Anderson took advantage of all available existing protective organizations such as fire departments, police, medical teams, public works, public utilities, air raid wardens, rescue squads, etc.; and, with the cooperation of these organizations, there were many volunteer workers from the town's citizenry. Many new services were added, including a much improved system of communications which can be operated in cases of telephone or power failure. The usual house-to-house census has been made and recorded, notation being made for the benefit of those who might need special attention. Shelters and first aid stations have been established and arrangements for evacuation worked out. A substantial administration was also formed as follows: CIVIL DEFENSE ADMINISTRATION Name Position Walter Lauterbach Town Supervisor George Anderson Administrator Carl Hoffman Administrative Assistant John L. Rex, Sr. Administrative Assistant Leonard Pawley Operations Chief (Public Information) John L. Rex, Jr. Operations Chief (Personnel) Henry Drury Operations Chief (Protective Service) Maurice Brodsky Operations Chief (Aids Service) Larry McConnell Operations Chief (Civil Service) The coordination of the above administration is commendable and has included numerous projects, such as obtaining the use of Sea Breeze Park for a Civil Defense Rally, at which valuable equipment was made available for public showing and top echelon personnel from Monroe County Civil Defense Headquarters participated. In the fall of 1956, a forty-page book was printed, titled "Irondequoit Civil Defense Guide," which was financed by approximately $1,200 worth of advertising. In this book can be found Civil Defense news, instructions for emergency, names of administrative personnel, and related information. It had a circulation of 10,000 and was so well-received that it gained national recognition. Irondequoit Civil Defense is a part of and works in harmony with the federal, state and county civil defense organizations; it participates in all trial alerts and activities ordered by same. Through the generosity of the town fathers, headquarters are maintained in the Town Hall where a room has been made available along with operational equipment, including a short-wave radio and transmitter. The Red Cross On Nov. 16, 1917, the Irondequoit Branch of the Red Cross was organized and authority was granted a temporary committee the jurisdiction of the Town of Irondequoit. At a general meeting, called for the election of officers, the following were chosen: Chairman-Mrs. George Hunt Vice Chairman-Mr. William Titus Treasurer-Mr. William Hallauer Secretary-Mrs. W. W. Bradstreet In December 1917, Mr. Stephen A. Warren was appointed Chairman of the Relief Committee. All officers continued to function until the beginning of World War II in 1941. The Town was divided into sections and leaders appointed for each section. Much sewing and knitting was done, and members made and packed 24 trench kits for service men. These kits contained a flannel shirt, a towel and washcloth, toothbrush and paste, buttons, pins, needles and thread, paper and envelopes, gum, chocolate, pencil, comb, checkerboard, two post cards, and a tiny American Flag. The cost of each kit was $1.60 and was paid for by individuals. One of the outstanding achievements of this branch was its pioneer work in health nursing. After the experience of the influenza epidemic in 1918, it was deemed wise to prepare for other emergencies and a Town nurse was employed. Miss Bessie Masseth was chosen and a plan was formulated whereby the health work in the town collaborated with the work for better health in the schools. Miss Masseth's untiring, unselfish efforts convinced the town authorities that a school nurse was a necessity and she served from 1919 to 1931, when her untimely death was mourned by all who knew her. In 1926, with the aid of the health nurse, a loan closet was established and is still in existence today. (See section on Irondequoit Health Committee.) In accordance with Red Cross tradition, the Irondequoit Branch of this organization has frequently sent financial and material aid to disaster and emergency areas in many parts of both the United States and the world. For example: In 1927, it met its quota of $750 for the Mississippi Flood sufferers. This was made possible by gifts from the churches and other town organizations. In 1928, we helped to aid the Florida and Puerto Rican hurricane victims by forwarding a large box of clothing and a check for $175. In the spring of 1931, when the drought in the western states caused thousands to be dependent on the Red Cross, Irondequoit sent $242.50 to aid them. Also in 1931, assistance was given the school nurse in procuring cod liver oil and having dental work and tonsillectomies taken care of. The year 1932 brought the great depression and the Irondequoit Branch of the Red Cross helped generously, especially in the Italian settlement. In 1938, funds were raised for the Chinese sufferers and considerable help sent the stricken people of New England in the hurricane disaster of that year. In November 1940, a new slate of officers was elected at a general meeting called for the purpose. From 1917, the Branch had been directed by faithful and untiring officers. Special appreciation was expressed for the long service of Mrs. George Hunt as Chairman. The new officers were as follows: Mrs. W. W. Bradstreet-Chairman Mrs. Philip Goodwin-Vice Chairman Mrs. F. O. Whitmore-Secretary Mrs. Daniel DeLelys—Treasurer Again the town was divided into districts with a chairman in each and the workers enrolled numbered 1536. In 1941, the Branch gave $100 for additional equipment for the Loan Closet. First aid and water safety groups were organized. After "Pearl Harbor," the work and responsibilities of the Branch were expanded rapidly. Many executive and staff meetings were held and the corps of volunteers grew daily: 1790 answered the roll call. Mr. H. C. Townsend, Vice President of the Rochester Chapter, wrote that the response of the Irondequoit Branch "made it possible for Monroe County to over-subscribe its quota." During this time, many workers attended classes in Rochester to perfect their skills in special services. At the annual meeting in January 1945, the several chairmen of committees gave very heartening reports on work accomplished. One very fine piece of work was the establishment of Junior Red Cross groups in each of the schools in town. Mrs. Laura Reynolds, Public Health Nurse, reported that the Irondequoit Branch led all county towns in the number of women taking the home nursing courses. The School War Fund for 1943 and 1944 amounted to $3112.88 and the Junior Red Cross made a gift of over 5000 articles. The Bloodmobile Unit was organized in 1948. Irondequoit residents have given 8,263 pints of blood during the 56 visits of the Bloodmobile to various sections of the town since that date. A full complement of Service Chairmen stand ready to bring the various Red Cross services into Irondequoit. These services include service to the Armed Forces and Veterans, Disaster Relief, Blood Units, Food and Nutrition, and First Aid and Water Safety Classes. Publicity and volunteer service opportunities are also handled by members of the Irondequoit Red Cross organization. Irondequoit Library From the historical point of view, the Irondequoit Library is an infant, but as an infant grows rapidly into childhood, so the Library has grown from 535 borrowers in the summer of 1947 to over 5,000 in 1956. Its collection has grown from 4500 to over 20,000 volumes and its circulation from 3000 that first summer to over 100,000 in 1956. Before television became almost standard equipment in our homes, parents in Irondequoit were concerned about the lack of readily available reading material for their children and for themselves. Of course, you could dress everyone and hurry them to a bus or into the family car for a trip to the Rochester Public Library, which many did on Saturdays. But how much easier it would be if the children could be left at a library where they could listen to stories being told and be helped in choosing books to take home, while their parents did the weekly shopping. Perhaps the young people would read more, if books and reference materials were near at hand and could be used evenings and Saturdays. Some of you will remember the old High School building at the corner of Cooper Road and Titus Ave. and the two so-called portable wooden buildings attached to the rear of it. One of these housed the School Library. In the summer of 1947, the School Board of the old District No. 3 agreed to permit a group of citizens to keep that Library open during the summer vacation. Books for children were borrowed from Seneca, Dake and Rogers Schools and another collection was borrowed from the Traveling Library in Albany. Many interested people in the community gave books so that all who wished it might have reading material. The Library was so busy that an area was fenced off and play pens set up to take care of babies and toddlers. High School girls volunteered their services to look after them. In the meantime, an association had been formed and a search for a location for a permanent library started. The Lincoln Rochester Trust Company came to the rescue and offered its basement on Titus Ave. In addition, the Bank built shelves and supplied heat and light. People who lived in the Sea Breeze area decided that they would like a library nearby and space was offered them in the Water Commission Office. Later, the Laurelton Presbyterian Church on Empire Blvd. told the Library Trustees that a room in their building could be used for a library in that section of the Town. During this time, about two hundred volunteer workers were busy collecting books and preparing them for the shelves. They established an organization to run the Libraries and helped to tell the community about the plans. There were talks on the radio and many newspaper articles were written. The Cub Scouts offered their services in collecting books and one group presented the Library with some books purchased with money earned from the sale or papers. Young people from the High School made many good suggestions. They helped set up a teen-age shelf and worked in various branches Saturdays and during vacations. Under the Adult Education System, courses in Library Science were given for the volunteers and taught by members of the Library School of Geneseo State Teachers College. The University of Rochester established courses for librarians. Two of the volunteers were certified as librarians by the Library Division of the University of New York State. By January of 1948, a provisional charter had been granted by the Board of Regents of the State. In a relatively short time, all the branches were registered, indicating that they met standards set up by the State Library in Albany. All this was financed, first, by interested people in the community and later, three of the school districts included the Library in their annual appropriations. Then, in 1955, the Town included the library in its budget. Even with the popularity of radio and television-or perhaps because of it-more and more people were finding their way to the Library and more and more books were being read. Summer Book Clubs were started and many of the children read twenty to thirty books during the vacation. If you stop in the Library on Cooper Road any Saturday afternoon, you will find many young people using the reference materials and other services offered there. With the establishment of the Monroe County Library in 1952, books in all the libraries in the County became available to all county residents. Thus, a book from the Rundel Library or one from Scottsville, for example, may be obtained through the Irondequoit Library. All of this has been made possible because a devoted and dedicated group of people have given of their time and money over a period of nearly ten years. It is hoped that in the future, the town may have a library building of which it can be justly proud and that a staff of paid librarians will take over and carry on this splendid work. Recreation Program In 1947, a group of interested citizens formed committees and decided that something should be done to provide recreational activities on a year-round basis for the children of the Town of Irondequoit. The first governing body was called the Irondequoit Recreation Committee and was composed of five delegates, one from each of the five school districts. Mr. George McAvoy of District 2 was the first Chairman. The other members of the committee were Mr. G. Theodore Gunkler, District 4; Mr. Theron Bastian, District 3; Mr. Randolph E. Haller, District 5 and Mr. Elmer Jones, District 1. The Town of Irondequoit, the School Districts and the New York State Youth Commission entered into an agreement whereby the schools would provide facilities and personnel and the Youth Commission would pay part of the expense of the program. Mr. Albert Negretti, a former "Royal" basketball player, was engaged as the first Director of Recreation and conducted the program during its first years. The program was well accepted and in 1948 when Mr. Negretti decided to return to Brockport State Teachers College to further his education, Mr. Gordon H. Perry, a former Irondequoit Police Officer and leader in Youth and Scouting circles, was appointed by the committee to direct the program. Mr. Perry was director under this system up to January 1st, 1955, when the Town Government assumed full responsibility for the program and appointed a Commission known as the Recreation Commission of the Town of Irondequoit. Mr. Perry was then appointed Superintendent of Recreation by the new Commission. The Commission, composed of five members, each appointed by the Town Board, are Mr. George B. McAvoy, Chairman; Mr. G. Theodore Gunkler, Mr. Randolph E. Haller, Mr. James A. Noble and Mr. Donald Hayden. The Recreation Department of the town has offices in the Irondequoit Town Hall and conducts all kinds of recreational activities, among which are the summer playgrounds at Laurelton, Pardee, Ridgewood, Lincoln and Durand schools on the east side of town and Rogers, Parkside, Dake, Iroquois and Seneca schools on the west side. A new playground is planned at Pinegrove School and will probably open in 1957. Dances, movies, clubs; sports such as skiing, sailing, archery, and bowling; and such other activities as field trips, sewing, arts & crafts and roller skating are included among the many recreational pursuits available to the young people of Irondequoit today. Some of the carry-over skills to be enjoyed in adult life are sponsored and taught by the department and a Monroe County Table Tennis Tournament is sponsored each year. The Commission has authorized and purchased many units of equipment for the enjoyment of our townspeople and are planning such facilities as a Youth Center, an artificial ice-skating rink, a swimming pool and recreation areas for baseball, Softball, picnics and activities of all kinds. The program has grown each year and now has a Recreation Supervisor, Mr. Richard C. Davies, who has been working with Mr. Perry since November of 1955. He is a graduate in recreation from Cortland State Teachers College and a former director of recreation in the Elementary School System at Brockway, Pennsylvania. He helps to plan and carry out the many activities. In addition, the department employs approximately fifty part-time workers during the summer season of 8 weeks and others to help with various seasonal programs. The department trains its personnel and conducts training courses in recreation for other unit volunteers, who are interested, each spring. The 1956 Summer Playground Program was the largest in the Recreation Commission's history. The registration for that year of 3,599 for the playgrounds and 1,331 for the swimming program was divided among the following activities: 302 in skiing, 154 in sailing, 295 in archery, 2,050 in roller skating, 1,778 in bus field trips, and 536 in sewing. Bowling Leagues for Jr. A. B. C. were also well-filled. The total summer attendance was 75,531 plus 2,965 for swimming. With plans for future facilities being made by the Commission, Irondequoit offers its townspeople one of the finest and most diversified recreational programs in the country. Town Organizations The following are listed chronologically according to date of organization or charter, within the indicated groups. Organized or Chartered Irondequoit Grange, No. 849 1898 Melba Rebekah Lodge, I.O.O.F., No. 332 1905 Irondequoit Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, No. 572 July 19, 1915 Fame Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 945 Nov. 21, 1916 Wakan Lodge, F & A. M., No. 1054 1917 Irondequoit Branch, Rochester Chapter, American Red Cross Nov. 16, 1917 Irondequoit I.O.O.F. No. 40 1922 Irondequoit Unit of the Rochester Home Bureau 1923 Woodman Rebekah Lodge, I.O.O.F., No. 642 Mar. 24, 1925 Irondequoit Post, No. 134, American Legion 1928 Culver Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, No. 816 1928 Warner Claudius Post, No. 1013, American Legion Mar. 18, 1929 Culver Post, No. 2691, of the Veterans of Foreign Wars July 22, 1932 Durand Eastman Unit of the Home Bureau Sept., 1938 Spur Club (disbanded 1954) 1940 Night Stick Club Dec, 1946 Laurelton Unit of the Home Bureau Sept., 1947 Irondequoit Lions Club June 5, 1950 Lions International 1950 Summerville Drum and Bugle Corps ("The Shoremen") 1950 Irondequoit Council, Chamber of Commerce Nov. 26. 1956 Fire Departments: (all are volunteer) Sea Breeze 1908 Point Pleasant 1915 Ridge-Culver 1921 St. Paul Boulevard 1924 Laurelton 1927 St. Paul Exempts (Social Group) 1934 Nursery Schools: Laurelton Cooperative-Laurelton Presbyterian Church 1949 Pinegrove-165 Pinegrove Avenue 1952 Boulevard-Temple Emanu-El 1954 Temple Beth David-Temple Beth David 1955 Community Cooperative-United Congregational Church 1955 Ladies' Auxiliaries: Point Pleasant 1915 Sea Breeze 1918 Ridge-Culver 1948 Laurelton 1948 St. Paul Womens Club 1950 Garden Clubs: Lake Shore 1935 Woodland 1937 Durand Eastman 1941 Old Orchard 1941 Laurel 1947 Seneca Trail 1949 Irondequoit Garden Study Club 1950 Maywood 1951 Down-to-Earth 1953 Iroquois 1954 Arbor 1956 Oakcrest 1956 Political Organizations: Irondequoit Democratic Men's Club 1928 East Side Republican Club (formerly Northeast Club) 1928 Roosevelt Women's Democratic Club 1932 Republican Womens Club 1933 West Side Republican Club (Fourth District Boosters) 1935 Additional Comments: Extracted from: IRONDEQUOIT STORY A History of the Town of Irondequoit (Suburb of Rochester, County of Monroe, State of New York) COVERING THE YEARS 1839-1957 Collected and Compiled by MAUDE I. WEST, Town Historian Published by The Town of Irondequoit File at: http://files.usgwarchives.org/ny/monroe/history/1957/irondequ/modernci15ms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/nyfiles/ File size: 60.0 Kb