26 P.D. 123 



Organization of the Board 

 (Chap. 393, Sec. 2 of the General Laws) 



The Department of Agriculture is represented on the State Reclamation Board 

 by Mr. L. B. Boston, the Department of Public Health by Mr. Edward Wright, 

 and the third member, Gen. Richard K. Hale, is associate commissioner of Public 

 Works. 



Mr. Wright was appointed by Commissioner Bigelow of the Department of 

 Public Health on January 16, 1930, to fill the vacancy of Mr. Gordon Hutchins, 

 resigned, and was elected by the Board as chairman. Mr. Boston resigned as 

 secretary of the Board on October '■20, 1930, and Mr. George R. Stratton was ap- 

 pointed full-time duty to this office. 



The Board have held thirty-eight regular and three special meetings during the 

 year. They have endeavored to meet every Monday, but rush of work meant 

 many extra sessions. In addition to regular Board meetings, eight public hearings 

 have been held by the Board in various parts of the state as a result of petitions 

 for mosquito control work. 



The budget for administration of the work called for $10,000, but due to extra 

 demands and increased activity, particularly from Barnstable and Nantucket 

 counties, this amount was increased to $17,o00. In addition, the Board has had 

 the approval of expenditures of local funds in mosquito projects considerably in 

 excess of $100,000 more. 



The Board employed Mr. Percival M. Churchill as its consulting engineer. Mr. 

 Robert W. Wales its entomologist, and Mr. George L. Tulloch and Mr. Robert L. 

 Armstrong assistant entomologists. 



Review of Existing Districts 

 There has been relatively little change in the progress of existing reclamation 

 districts during the year. Salisbury has completed and published their assessment 

 roll. Assabet is endeavoring to straighten out their problems of collecting assess- 

 ments which have been held up pending a ruling on the legality of collections by 

 the Commissioner of Taxation. The remaining organized districts are inactive. 



Mosquito Control Activities 



Enacted Legislation. — The authority for municipalities to vote money for mos- 

 quito control was extended by Chapter 96, Acts of 1930, to permit the expenditure 

 of such funds by the boards of health of cities and towns not included in a control 

 project defined and designated by the Board. 



By Chapter 379, Acts of 1930, the entire area of Barnstable County was con- 

 stituted and named Cape Cod Mosquito Control project. The act required all 

 towns in the county to raise and appropriate twenty-five cents for each one thou- 

 sand dollars of their valuation to finance the work for each of the years 1930 and 

 1931 and also authorized the receipt of additional contributions for this purpose. 

 This project was to serve as a demonstration of methods to be applied elsewhere in 

 the state. The Board was instructed to report on this work and to suggest methods 

 of financing such projects in the future as well as any other changes in the reclama- 

 tion law which might appear to be needed to accomplish proper control measures. 



The Department of Public Works, consulting with this Board, was instructed 

 by Chapter 300, Acts of 1930, to construct a dike across Race Run, Provincetown, 

 for mosquito control and was authorized to expend a sum not exceeding $20,000 

 for that purpose. 



Petitions to the Board. — Primarily due to aggressive activities of the Massachu- 

 setts Mosquito Control Association as well as that of local organizations in the 

 interest of mosquito control work, the Board received petitions asking for a pre- 

 liminary survey and report from more than one hundred cities and towns within 

 the commonwealth. As a result of these petitions, eight hearings were held where 

 the petitioners were heard and promptly advised as to methods of procedure. 



Projects Formed. — During the year two organized mosquito control projects have 

 been organized, namely: Nantucket and Cape Cod and a Belmont. Cambridge 

 and Watertown project is under consideration. Several other municipalities are 

 working independently on mosquito control measures as well as isolated groups 



