Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1901-04-11
PASSING OF THE OLD.
New Administration in Charge OF city Az
fsirs-RetIring Mayors Message.

tatrs-hetiring m"Sp' y
Monday evening marked the passing
OF the old city council and the incoming
OF the new administration, with seem
ingly very slight manifestation OF inter
est on the part of our citizens. A few
parties anxious to secure certain i'm.
provements and believing in the OLD
adage that "the early bird catches the
worm,n we're on hand with petitions
which were referred TO the usual com
mittees. The new Mayor gave his in
augural address, also announced stand
ing committees for the ensuing year,
the same being given in another col
umn OF this issue in the official proceed
ings. The retiring Mayor, Mr.. Fran
cisco also gave his ex.augural address
which was as follows
GENTLEMEN making this my
annual message TO your honorable
body intend to be as brief and concise
as possible. 1t is wisely understood
that at least once a year statement
should be made TO you and through
you to the public regarding the condi-
tions of our municipality by the Chief
Executive officer of the city govern
ment for your consideration and the
mutual advantage OF our constituents.
The city is business corporation in
which every tax payer is stakeholder
each sharing alike the privileges Of
citizenship and having a like voice IN
in directing the general management
OF affairs. Only when this broad view
is taken can any city administration
accomplish proper results and only on
this basis can all the people receive
that to which they are justly entitled.
The financial condition of our city is
first-class. The best indications OF
this is clearly shown by the activity
which bond buyers from all over the
country have displayed in bidding for
the city bonds when such have been
placed on sale. Bonds were sold draw
ing interest at the rate Of per cent
per annum at fair premium.
The bonded Indebtedness OF the city
of Belding on April lst, 1900, was
$4,000, drawing interest at the rate of
per cent. We have this year added
an increase OF $4,000 at A per cent but
this $4,000 has been loaned Of first
class security at per cent so that at
present our actual bonded obligations
remain the same as April lSt, 1900.
These figures given below are APP
proximately correct. Ia the year end
ing April lst, 1900 there was collected
the sum of S7,694 Al and liquor tax
S742 80, total of IS, 1876 81. There
was expended in the years 1899 and
1900 the sum of S2,024 for repairs and
improvements on our streets which
left the sum Sc, 4l2.9l for the necessary
expenses OF the city and | found a
floating Indebtedness of something
like l,32006 in bills unpaid. We
have collected for the year ending
April lst, 1901, the sum OF S8,207 07
and liquor tax of $742 80 or total OF
8,959.57 We have expended S2,050 on
our streets in repair and improvement,
we have built new bridge known as
the Thos. Cannon bridge which cost
the city the sum of 1867. We have ex.
tended and improved our water works
and expended for such the sum oI
$5S3.SS. We have also placed our FIRE
alarm system in first class condition
which necessitated the almost building
a new system and cost us the sum oi
$3.50. 76, making a total cost of i'm
provements including the repairs and
improvements on streets OF 81, 4,05l. "a
In excess OF the amount received fol
taxes we have received for sale OF city
house and lot 1926. We owe at the
present time about the sum OF $4,000
Including notes and unpaid bills out
star ding and to Offset this we have
cash on hand something like S537. 26
which leaves US owing about $l2l3.0O
about the same as one year ago but we
have expended for Improvement
about $1,000 more than usual.