Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-02-04
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.

COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.
The Finance Committee Find Error.
In the Treasurer's Accounts
Amounting to $4o1. SO.
At the stated meeting of City Council
last Tuesday evening. President Watkins
was in the chair,and Messrs. Riehl, Burkett
Henderson, Best, Bibo and Laid, present.
The minutes of the previous meeting
were read and approved.
Mr.. Ladd, of the Finance Committee, re-
ported back the report of the Deptford
Trust, corrected
Mr.. Ladd also presented report of the
Treasurer, designated statement No.
showing collections on warrant of 1895 o.
$212.09, and on warrant of 1896, amounting
to $3.50 3S. Further he reported that the
Committee, acting under instructions of 8
resolution of previous meeting, had to re-
port that the Committee found three
properties that did not appear on the
duplicate Of those years, nor did the Col
lector's books show that amounts collected
had been accounted for by the Collector.
The Committee have had no consultation
with the Treasurer, he said, because they
had been given no power to adjust the
differences, or errors should such be found
In closing he said that as Mr., Henderson
was the author of the resolution, he had
the written report of the Committee and
would make the presentment.
Mr.. Henderson then read the report, al
follows -
/ WOODBURY.. N J., Feb 2. 1897.
4 To the President and Members of the C0anci
of The City of Woodbury., NJ j.
GENTLEMEN Pursuant to instructions
given to the Finance Committee by Coun.
Gill; they have examined the accounts al
the Treasurer, George Evans Reading, for
the years of 1891 and 1895 aud found
errors in the account for 1894 that induced
the Committee to examine the tax warrant
of 1893, and fnd in 1898 that Assessor
Cattell failed to assess the estate of the late
Daniel r Gardiner. A tax bill was rendered
by the said Reading, to the executors Of
that estate for $3.50 SO, which was paid to
him October H. 1898; and your Committee
after thorough examination of the books
in our possession, fail to find that the said
Reading did then OF at any other time pay
the said $15088 so collected into the Treas.
ury of the City of Woodbury.
We also find that Assessor Cattell failed
| to assess the estate of Daniel R. Gardiner
in the year 1894; the Collector, George
Evans Reading furnished a tax bill against
the estate for that year of $l65 so, which
was paid October IS 1894 and your Com
mlttee fail to find this amount placed in
the Treasury OF the City of Woodbury..
| We also find that Assessor Cattell in the
year 1894 failed to assess one Peter Zell;the
Collector furnished him with a tax bill fol-
SS4 80 which was paid by Peter Zell on
October II, 1891, to George Evans Reading
Collector. This amount your Committee
also find has not been paid over to the city
of Woodbury. so far as we are able to ascer-
tain from the books in our possession.
| The members of Council will understand
how difficult it has been to discover errors
OF the above character, and it can hardly be
possible that the Committee in their hurried
view of the taxable property of the City OF
| Woodbury. have discovered all the ommis-
sions of the Assessor that may have &C.
CURED; rs it is, they amount to $401 q, and
| it would seem that from this showing the
Council of the City of Woodbury. would be
justified in expanding reasonable amount
of money in employing an expert accoun-
tant to examine the tax books of the last
three years, and compare them with all the
taxable property in the city. AS it cannot
be expected that Finance Committee can
afford to give the time necessary to make a
| thorough and complete examination and
comparison of books and taxable property
of the City of Woodbury., without compen-
sation. The Committee believe that the
assessment would be less complicated il
each property was assessed on the street on
which it is located
SAMUEL FL. LADD,
JOHN M. HENDERSON,
JOSEPH B. BEST,
Committee on Finance.
After the above had been read, Mr..
Henderson intr oduced the following reso-
luton, which was unanimously adopted -
WOODBURY., N. j.. Feb. 2, 1897.
ResOlUed, That the report of the Finance
Committee be received and recorded, and
the City Clerk he instructed to notify
George Evans Reading, Collector and
Treasurer of the City of Woodbury., that he
is charged by the Finance Committee OF
Council, after an examination of all books
and vouchers in their possession with errors
amounting to $401 % in the years 1893 and
1894, and that he show cause at the next
meeting of Council why he should not he
charged with the above amount
Mr.. Moore, Solicitor, being given the
privilege of the floor, said that in looking
over the return of the city, he found what
he considered serious errors in the returns
of the Assessor in that while assessments
were made separately, deductions were
made in bulk, hence making it impossible
to place exact amounts against each delin.
quent property.
Mr.. Henderson said that he supposed the
Assessor made deductions in that way, and
if he did not, moved that the Assessor
make deductions specifically, and that as
sessments be made by streets. Carried.
BILLS PAID.
Mary L. Whitall, January salary, ........ SIS 90
8. R. Budd, burial of VIVA. Evans............ Is 90
Mary R. Burkett, relief so
O. Stokes "a .................... eli
A bill of So in favor of Henry Sharp, fees
as Overseer and Justices fees was presented
without the approval of the Committee.
Mr.. Bibo, of the Committee on Accounts,
stated that the reason the bill was not ap-
proved, was because the amount was voted
the Overseer with the understanding that
it was to be expended without Intervention
Of the Justice. Now this amount was
heavily tolled by the very officer that
Council had sought to avoid. Mr.. Sharp
explained that he did not understand the
subject in that light, and the bill was paid.
BILLS PAID.
A. Marcus scraping streets. 5 SO
O. Stokes, oil and chimneys. 20
s. R. Budd, horses for fire service......... Is 90
Mr.. Best reported the fire system in ele-
CANT shape.
Water Superintendent Brown reported
collections for January $1273.49.
BILLS PAID.
E. s. Wilmer January salary............... $50 90
Ben. G. Brown, - - 100 On
W. J. r. R. Co, freight on coal............. AZ O3
@. Walton. freight on same................. % %
B. @. Brown, sundries.. % 88
DoIs