Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-03-02
COMMON COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.

BELDINo, FEBRUARY 27 1870
Special meeting called TO order by Mayor
Spencer.
Roll call; Present Mayor Spencer, Aldermen
Morse, Hudson Avery. Glass Curtis, Page
Minutes OF last meeting were read and ap-
proved.
The notice OF special meeting was read
Mayor Spencer read his special message 10
the council which read as follows:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CoUNcM:-The notices
OF this special meeting set forth the reasons
why have called you together tonight II is
sought TO enjoin the city OF Bedding from per.
hitting the contract into which we have entered
from being carried out and to try 10 compel us
to undo what we have in good faith already
done II will be necessary for the city OF Bel.
ding, through It's properly constituted officers
to appear on the 4th day OF March which is Sat
| urday OF the present week, at 200 o'clock a. m,
before his honor, Judge Davis, at Ionia 10
answer 10 certain papers already served upon
the Mayor II Is much 10 be regretted that ~e
should meet with this embarrassment In our
efforts TO see carried into execution a contract
AT once so advantageous to the city as "A muni-
clpal corporation ana TO all our citizens who
have homes TO light The city on the 9Th OF
November last by vote OF $50 in favor OF the
proposition 10 ,s9 against II, authorized the
common council TO contract for the lighting OF
our streets for "a period not 10 exceed five years
al an annual expenditure not TO exceed one
thousand dollars. Immediately thereafter your
honorable body had formulated certain plans
and specifications for the lighting OF the city
with 20 two thousand candle power arc gifts,
also certain franchise granting the right To
occupy the streets and alleys OF the city for the
erection OF poles and the stringlng of wires
therein which franchise your honorable body
proposed 10 grant 10 any party or parties TO
whom the contract for lighting the city might
be awarded Such franchise would become
necessary TO enable the contractor to carry into
effect his contract and a careful examination OF
the city records failed to disclose the fact that
any such franchise had heretofore been grant
ed. In making so valuable concession AS "a
franchise OF this kind IT seemed only Just 10 our
cltlzens that they be protected against eXhorol-
tant rates for commercial and private lighting
by the liking of certain maximum rates, the
charging IN excess of which should work for.
felture OF the franchise. In fixing such maxi
mum rate your honorable body sought TO dis
over n rate that should be just and equitable
Doth 10 our citizens and TO the contractor. The
rates finally fixed upon as such are the present
prevailing rates in the neighOoring villages OF
Lowell and Portland, communities similarly
situated 10 ourselves. Alter the formulation OF
such specifications and franchise. your honora
bic body advertised for sealed bids in accord
dnce with such specifications and contingent
upon the acceptance of such franchise. In re-
spouse to-such advertisement the specifications
and franchise were submitted TO several parties
both resident and non resident. As no bids
were received in any way conforming 10 the
specifications or asserting TO the preferred fran
chise and as we had expressly reserved the
light 10 reject any or all bias the matter was
the mean time some correspondence was being
carried on with nonresident parties ana some
assurances were being received from resident
citizens OF prospective bids conforming To the
specifications and accepting the profered fran
chlse providing time granted for the per
lection OF their plans The final elimination OF
this was the submitting AT your meeting on the
10Th day OF February 1899 OF the proposition OF
The Clttzens' Light Company, 10 be incorporat
ed, composed ofMorrice > Reed John Greenop,
Frank X. Chase and others. This proposition
fully conformed 10 the specifications and &C
cepted in full the protfered franchise. There
upon your honorable body, having secured
what from the nrst you had endeavored TO bring
about and being satisfied with the price made
on the city lighting as being as cheap as you
could reasonably hope for, did then and there
eater into contract with the said company.
In this connection IL is pertinent To state that
certain proposition OF the Spencer Electric
Light Power Company which in no wise con
formed to your specifications and which ignored
IN fun your proffered franchise, was withdrawn
from the hands OF the street lighting commit
tee OF your honorable body by the makers just
prlor 10 the acceptance OF the bid OF the com
pdny 10 whom the contract was awarded. This
proposition was TO furnish 100 candle power
arc lights at n price of $3.50 per light. One OF
the principal reasons assigned for the with
drawal OF this proposition was the advance in
the price Of copper But Notwithstanding this
advanced in the price OF material we were en-
abled To secure "a contract for :, 900 candle power
arc lights for $500 per month for the fraction OF
the present year ana for f50 per year for every
year thereafter during the life Of the contract
And more Than this, by the terms OF the fran
chise granted, we have been enabled TO fix "A
maximum rate for private lighting that will en-
able every citizen OF Bedding TO light his home
with electricity nj cost little If any, In excess
OF the dingy oil lamp. Gentlemen 4 the Com
mon Council OF the City Of Belding. l thus
briefly review what you have done because IL
becomes necessary for you 10 defend II in a
court OF law. The interests at stake are so
great that deem IL proper that you be repre-
sented by able ana experienced council and
therefore ask you TO instruct your city attorney
TO associate with himself in this suit ana IN any
suit that may arise out OF this matter, III. L.
Vanbenschoten OF this city and the Hon. a. Is.
Morse OF Ionia
On motion of Aid. HUDSON, seconded by Aid
Page, the following resolution was adopted by
the following vote Yeas Morse, Hudson, Avery
Glass, Curtis Page.
ReSoioed That the Mayor be empowered TO
employ such legal az sstance TO defend the city
OF Bedding IN the case Of the Bedding Land and
improvement Co. vs.. The City OF Bedding as he
may deem necessary.
On motion council adjourned
+ p. SMITH, City Clerk