Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-07-08
1T CALLED A HALT.
board of Public Works Protects the
Water Fund-Aldermen Too
VOraCiOun.


Hands off, we will take care OF the
water fund and expend it." Such was the
determination reached by the board of pub
lie works yesterday after 1t had examined
the condition of the fund since the first of
the fiscal year. 1t was learned yesterday
that the council had been making an indis-
criminate onslaught on the fund and each
alderman had been vying with the other
in an endeayor to get for his ward all he
could in the way of water mains. In con-
sequence the fund was slowly but surely
dwindling away until it was evident that
only a short period would elapse when 1t
would be no more.
When the board met yesterday its atten-
tlon was called to this fact and the con-
clusion at once reached that something
must be done.
That something resolved itself into a res
| olution to inform the council that the board
OF public works and no other part of the
city government would hereafter handle
the funds in the water department.
In the future the council may resolve
and it may pass ordinances, but if those res
olutions and ordinances refer in any way
to an expenditure of money in the water
department they will go for naught unless
the board of public works has placed on
them its stamp of approval.
In order to make the new order of things
ellectlve every department in any way
connected with the disbursement of water
funds was notified of the new departure
and ordered to take cogniZance of the same
and be governed accordingly. Hereafter
when any ordinance is drawn for the dis
bursement of funds in the water depart
men it must be drawn by the superin-
mt OF the water works and then by
IA submitted to the board of public works
for approval. If the board disapproves
then the ordinance dies right there In
case any alderman takes exception to the
new order of things and gets up an or
the expenditure of funds in the water de-
partment, he will run against a snag at
the inception of his measure.
Under instructions from the board of pub
lc works the superintendent of water
works will refuse to give the alderman any
| information as to estimates so that his
ordinance can be drawn intelligently.
Should he defy established rules and make
| an estimate OF his own he will meet with
| another obstacle when he goes to the city
comptroller to get the appropriation GER
tilted to. The comptroller. under orders of
the board of public works, will ask the al
derman II the board has approved of the
ordinance. If he says no, the comptroller
Will be compelled to say, 1T am sorry, but
the board has ordered me not to certify to
any such ordinances unless it, the board,
has approved of the same"
In case an alderman applies to the city
engineer to have him draw up an ordinance
appropriating money from the water funds
| alderman that he has been ordered to
draw UP no more such ordinances and that
| the applicant will have to see the superin-
| tendent of the water works.
| The new order of things means that here
after the board of public works proposes to
| have absolute control of the water fund
| and not to permit of the expenditure of a
dollar OF 1t without the boards approval.