The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-10-04
THE BOARD OF FINANCE.
SOME MEMBERS OBJECT TO PUB
 L1CITY TO THEIR DOTNGS.

Recent Result of Expression of Public
 Opinion Appears to be the Cause-A
 Resolution for Open Meetings De-
 feated by Messrs. Curtis. Atwood, l Frederick, and Controller Rowe-The | School Bond Issue as an Argument for | Public Meetings of the Board
 i The board of finance held a regular members apparently smarting after the
 flop which they were compelled to make appropriation for illumination and decoration of the Green during the
 Yale bi-cent ennial and the visit of Pres ident Roosevelt to New Haven voted they being the majority of the board, to attempt to regulate the giving of pub
 lcity to the doings of the board. At the last regular meeting MT.
 Dewell, who has persistently urged
 that the meetings of the board be open
 to the public, presented the following
 resolution:
 Resolved, that hereafter the meetings
 of the board of finance be open to the
 public and that table be provided for
 members of the press
 This resolution was tabled for action
 at last nights meeting and accordingly
 was taken up last night, Mayor Stud
 ley speaking upon it said that he
 thought that all the meetings of the
 board should be open to the publi, and
 that he did not favor secret meetings of any board in the city government. MT. Wright also spoke in favor of the adoption of the resolution and MT. Dewell speaking for it said that the adoption of the resolution would not prevent the board from holding exeou- tive sessions when necessary. MT. Dewell called for an aye and nay vote and upon a vote being taken MT. Cur tis, MT. Atwood, Mr. Frederick and Controller Rowe voted against the reso- lution, while Mayor Studley, MT. Dew ell and MT Wright voted for it.
 MT Curtis and MT. Atwood have been opposed to public meetings since they have been members of the board and since the issuance and sale of the school bonds which they were instrumental in securing and which 1t will be remem- bered proved such an unfortunate financial venture for the city. Con- troller Rowe, on the other hand, has until within the last few days since the change of front on the illumination ap- propriation after the strong expression of public opinion, said that he was in favor of holding open meetings and so expressed himself within two weeks.
 After the meeting last night gen. tleman commenting upon the attitude of the four gentlemen referred to the school bond issue and said that if pulp lie meetings had been held when that matter was under consideration and if more publicity had been given to Mir. Curtis resolution for the issue and sale of the bonds, the bonds would probably not have been issued when they were and the city would have been saved money.
 It will be remembered that the school bonds which had been authorized, to the amount of about $450,000, were is- sued and sold long before the money was needed. The result was that the proceeds of the bonds was deposited in the city deposit bank and drew per cent. interest there while on the bonds the city was paying 12 per cent
 After the resolution for public meet ngs had been defeated last night MT. | Curtis drew from his pocket a previous l y prepared resolution and presented it. l The resolution, which was accompanied l by preamble which recited that the l board would always hear persons who | lesired to be heard and commended the | board upon its great concession to the 1 public in this respect, provided that the | 3ity clerk, wko Is eX- offlcio clerk of the l finance board, be authorized to give to | the public any and all votes passed by | the board and that the records of the |