Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-03-04
THE TOWN MEETING.
\ New Highway Policy Adopted.
There Will BE No More "Carting Out
and Caring In"
but Permanent Roads VIII BE Built by
Approved Modern Methods.

The annual March meeting was called to
order at 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning by
Moderator Hooker, who proceeded to read
the warrant. The hall was at that time
well filled with voters. Soon after every
seat was taken and many were standing at
the rear of the hall. Under the first arti-
Gle, to act on the auditors report, G. f.
| Thompson moved its acceptance and APP
proval. Col. lIasllins said he wished to
| speak upon that motion before it was put
to vote. The annual auditors reports, hc
| said, showed a large and steady growth in
| the expenses of the town, and the question
was how they could be reduced, or kept
/ within bounds, in every wise way. The
expenses for town officers for the past year,
for instance, were put down at Sl59S, and
in the estimate for the coming year this
item is placed at $500. The sum is gross,
with no items given. There is also an eX-
pcnsc for the pay of road commissioners
aside from the pay of Mr. Perry, who is
employed as the superintendent of this
work. The report of the town of Mont
| pelicr for the last year shows that the Sc
lectmen received only S25 each for their
services, and there was no charge for their
work as road commissioners The Rutland
sclectmen received 500 each, and their
salary is paid them by a direct vote of the
town, an article being placed in the war
rant for this purpose. There is nothing in
the Rutland report to show any pay for
services as road commissioners. The only
legal way that any salary can be paid to
any town officer is 10y vote of the town.
| The seleCtmen have no authority to draw
| orders for such salaries except under such
vote. Col. Haskins therefore introduced a
resolution to regulate the manner of pay
~. Il.
ture, and moved its adoption. In speak
ing upon his motion Col Haskins said that
it was not for the past year alone that
the Brattleboro business had been done in
this loose and illegal way, but that it had
been the custom for many years past.
What is the law touching this subject?
The act of 1797 provided that the inhab-
itants of every town may make such COM
pensaton to their selectmen and other otiic-
erS, ''as upon "A particular statement of
their time and services they may judge
Just and reasonable The revision of the
statutes made in 1889 contains substantial
" the same provision. In the revision of
1850 the statute was made to read that
"townS at the annual meeting may fix the
compensation of town officers. and this
is the law today.
With regard to the auditors and Their
duties in this matter the revised laws pro
vide that
Section 2721. Town auditors shall Immediately
previous to each annual town meeting rNaInin,
and adjust the accounts of town officers and re
port the accounts, with the items thereof and al
:" the state OF the treasury, to the town at sai'
meeting.
Section 2,2S M claim for personal services eN
crpt where compensation Is fixed 10y law, or 10y
vote of the town shall he allowed; hut the audi
tors shall report such claims and the nature an'
| extent pt such services at ~}tll meeting
The theory of the law, Cob IIaskin'
said. is that the services of town officers
are gratuitous unless compensation il
voted them by the town. All that the au
ditors can do is To report the nature an,
J extent of the services rendered by tn,
. several officers. Neither the auditors no
1 the selectmen have been proceeding accord
ing 10 the law for years past. After thu
5 March meeting has been held and pay ha
: been voted to the town officers orders cal
then be drawn for such pay, but not before
2 An article may be placed in the warran
for the annual town meeting To see wha
, pay shall be voted, and this is what should
r be done.
Several supreme court decisions wer
quoted, showing that in every case this ha
} been the construction given to the law
This compensation is a matter of statutor
It8IidllOll, 10 ne lNtN Nv the LOW II III bltl
meeting. on a report to be made by the an
dtors of services rendered. His resol
ton, Col. Haskins said, was intended t,
call attention to this matter, and have it 81
fixed that i'm future these salaries shall b
| paid in a legal way on a report made by tn
auditors
Mr. Thompson conceded the CORRECTNESS
of Col. Haskins's position and said that
[ seemed strange that the town had been 60
{ ing on illegally for so many years. II
| thought the business should now be don
: according to law.
Col. Fuller had listened with approval 4
the remarks made by Col Haskins, but h
wished to call especial attention to til
: work OF the listers, and the sum paid TO
their work. He believed the compensation
50 day, was as small as competent men
such as the town wanted to do this impoT
C tant work, could be hired to do it for. ii
h thought there should be an undeTstandin
. on this point SO that the listers of the con
ing year might know what to depend upon
= Col Haskins agreed with Col Fuller tina
j. 50 a day was none too much for the listers
e and he so amended his resolution as t
stipuate that this should be their rate c
i payment. In this amended form, as her
n follows, the resolution was adopted:
I ReSolred That the seectmen he and are hereb
instructed not 10 draw orders ON the treasurer [
pay any town officer for official services hereaftt
" rendered, except where their compensation is fig
q ed 10y law, or compensation has been voted by I'll
? town, and the pay Of listers, which is hereby ii,
4 ed at So per day; and the auditors are hereby Il
y rected 10 report all such claims. and the natur
and extent of the services rendered, To the neN
annual meeting of the town for its action.
Previous to this, by consent of Col. Has
kins, the motion of Mr.. Thompson, accept
u ing and approving the auditors report, wa
+ adopted
n Under article two tax of 40 cents o
a dollar of the grand list was voted.
was explained that this would make a tota
l. tax to be raised by the tows for the yea
1892 of 81 cents, including the specia
state tax of nine cents on the grand list c
1891, the II per cent state school tax, tn
five per cent special state school tax, an
the 10 per cent highway tax.
Under article three a highway tax c
10 per cent was voted, payable in money
Col. Hooker explaining, in answer to
question from Mr.. KiTwan, that it woul
be for the policy of the present board {
r. selectmen, should they serve another yeal
to continue the construction of concret
walks.
At later stage in the proceedings Col
Hooker made the statement that, in hi
belief there is no other town in the Unite
States of the size and wealth of Brattle
boro, with so much good sidewalk. II
: had been credibly so informed. The fac
{ was noted by visitors and favOrably CON
. mented upon.
. Under article four S75 was voted fC
+ the usual Memorial day observance.
Under article five Dr. James COnland