Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-01
ASHLAND MATTERS.
The Fire Company-A Question OF
Amending the Town Charter.

ASHLAND. January 3l.-(Special)-The
Ashland Fire Company, at meeting last
night. elected officers for the ensuing
year-Captain, J. NJ. Stone; First Assist
ant, Schooler Fox; Second Assistant, @. +.
Delarue; Secretary, w. NJ. Henry; Urea
surer, J. NJ Cox.
For several years past the Ashland
School Board have been working, tLey
claim, under great DISADVANTAGE te-
cause OF a clause In the charter OF the
town which reads: The Council shall,
out Of it's annual revenues, make such
appropriation as 1t may deem proper 10
aid in carrying on the pubic scheols
OF said town, and the trustees OF the
public schools I'm said town shall nave
no power to require said Council - make
any appropriation therefor.
The board have from time TO time
made their estimates for school purposes
and In almost every case the council
have appropriated the amounts asked for.
But the gentlemen Of the board do not
feel easy IN their positions, or, in tther
words. II ey feel they are nos on ths
same bs SIS as members OK boards CT
WISH IT OBLITERATED.
They now wish to have the Objectionable
section obllterated, and then they VIII
be on the footing of the general law or
the State, which reads: 1T shall be the
duty of the city council, and OF every
lyMU OI Over rlV NniNjl 80
been erected into a separate school dis,
trict, TO provide i'm due time. and II shall
have power to withhold, the sum or sums
reported by the city or town school
boards, and declared TO be necessary for
the proper maintenance and growth OF the
public schools of the city or town; but the
council shall not be required TO appro-
pirate a sum greater than double the
amount received from school funds or
the State during the same scholastic year.
The council may, nevertheless, in its dis
erection, appropriate a larger sum, but II
shall not have power TO impose tax
on property for school purposes exceeding
mills on dollar I'm any one year; pro-
vided. that the Council OF the city Of
Richmond shall have the discretion Of the
boards of supervisors of counties IN SINH
lar cases"
THE COUNCILS POSITION.
While friendly towards the public
schools. the members of the Council feel
that they owe their being TO the tax
payers, and as sworn officers wish their
actions to be proper and consistent. With
this in view, they have tried TO keep
taxes within bounds, and also meet all
necessary expenses. They look upon the
clause in the charter as a safeguard,
which may at some future time be wei
thought of by the taxpayers. They, at
the same time, are perfectly Wiling 10
meet the demands of the schools, and
make such appropriations as are neces-
sary. The board were present at a called
meeting of the Council recently, and
held to their wish in regard TO a change,
so the Council agreed TO proposition.
that If a majority of the taxpayers
wished the change made IL would offer
no opposition. \ committee of two
one from each body-is now canvassing
the town to learn the wishes of the tax
payers, and If the latter are willing our
representative in the General Assembly
will be requested to have the amendment
made