Morning journal and courier., 1883-01-10
Board of selectmen.

The Improvements on Blake Street. Town Clerk Shuster's Fees-Objections Raised-Bills Approved.
 regular meeting of the Board of Select men was held last evening. Present, Select men Reynolds (presiding), Cooper, Hugo, Beecher, Feldman, Forbes and Crawford.
 President Reynolds submitted a statement of Charles R. Ingersol's concerning the ina the statute gave the Board of Selectmen the requisite power to make and execute such an order for grading and curbing sidewalks. The power was expressly given to the Board, but the mandate was qualified so that when- ever twenty persons, residents upon street, petition as aforesaid the Board may order such work. The intent of the act was that ths order should be made by 1 the Selectmen if 8 majority Of the persons on the street to the number ] of twenty petition for it, but it was not in tended by the proviso of the section to quail l fy the plenary discretionary powers given to | the Board by the first section of the act ID l cases where no petition is presented to them. l The report was ordered on file. ] Eli Mix was appointed examiner or lana | records for the year 1883.
 1 The bonds of Michael R. Enseoe and David 1 K Andrews were read and ordered on hle. Selectman Feldman reported as commit I tee that the Town Clerk could not be pald extra compensation for indexing voters. Town Clerk Shuster stated that his prede- cessors had been paid for this work and he thought he also should be paid. He said that in Hartford the Town Clerk was allowed l $1O per day during the time of making vot- CTS. He thought there was discrimination made between him and previous town clerks 1 SeIectman Feldman said that in the opln, ! ion of& &ha Sl.OO paid for the services specified.
 l Selectman Crawford inquired regarding the duties of the Town Clerk.
 Mir. Shuster replied that he had taken le gal advice and found that it was to record papers of town meetings, to sit with the board when voters were made and to keeE the office open for business etc. He sale the charges were no larger than they were l two years ago.
 President Reynolds said the salary of ths clerk was formerly $1oO, and later 1t wal fixed at $500 and then increased to $1 900. Selectman Crawford said that it had beer stated to him that there was system ol robbery in the Town Clerks office.
 Selectman Hugo said there were hxec prices for recording and parties making sucf statements should be required to prove them 1 MT. Feldman said that the committee hae consulted the best legal authorities and they
 were unit in their finding.
 President Reynolds said he believed tha no discrimination had been made against hin (Shuster). He said Mr. Shuster had secured the passage of bill in the Legislature tt suit himself and the Selectmen should cer tainly be allowed to report as they saw fit.
 Town Clerk Shuster said he did not objec to the committee having time, but they hae only called upon him yesterday concerning the matter.
 President Reynolds said the Board had nc intention of putting any hardshlps on MT Shuster, and he thought it unnecessary fol him to put matters in the light he had.
 The committee further reported that the. were not ready to report on the rewriting and deciphering of the town records.
 Bills were approved as follows Genera account, $a25.66; construction, $s1s 50 outside poor, $1, 1,007. 10 :; roads and bridges $199 S3; new farm, $26.3o; almahouse $4, ,635.O5.
 The Town Agent was authorized to hire | physician to take charge of the pest house a a salary of $1OO per year.
 It was voted that Mir. Bollman be con tinued as coroner of the town until other wise ordered, at the former salary-$200 { year. Adjourned.