The leader., 1902-12-31
THE NEW CITY GOVERNMENT.

installed on next Monday, the
9Th, and take up the administra-
ton of the city's affairs for the
next two years. All the mem
bers, except Mr.. w. H. Seavey
of the Second ward, are new men,
who have never seen service in
this capacity before, though from
their acknowledged ability and
intelligence, their probity and
their loyalty to Brookhaven and
her interests, no one who knows
them doubts their fitness for
Successfully graphing with and
discharging the duties before
them.
The new board, like it's prede-
cessors, will be called upon to
deal with the questions of santa
ton, street working and cleaning
police regulation, maintaining the
public school, the keeping up OF
the water and light plant, and the
management of the city's finances
so as not to allow the rate of tax
alton to become excessive or OPP
pressive.
The most difficult of any one
Observation-Disclosures, because
the most expensive and complex,
will be the one of so managing
the water and light plant, that it's
efficiency and proper extension
may be maintained and at the
same time the plant made self
sustaining, or even a revenue
producer, without too greatly in
creasing the rates on water and
lights. What was regarded by
the people as maladministration
of the affairs of this plant was
made the main issue in the late
municipal campaign and caused
the defeat of every member of the
old administration who was 6
candidate for reelection, except
one. 1t was shown that during
the last fiscal year, the plant had
lacked several thousand dollars
of paying running expenses
This question, therefore, will be
one whose Importance. will first
address itself of the thoughtful
consideration of the new admin
istration.
1t may be said in this connec
ton, that from the time the ques
ton of establishing a water anc
light plant in this city under
municipal ownership was first
preached it was proposed anc
contemplated that it should be
under the direct supervision ano
direction of a committee or board
of capable business men, selected
by the Mayor and Board of AL
derman for this purpose. and who
so far as the water and light plant
is concerned, should be an advis
DRY board and a part of the city
administration, The time is
certainly now ripe for putting in
to effect this idea. Such a board
or committee could be created by
an ordinance of the Mayor and
Board of Alderman and it's duties
prescribed, which would be a
matter of detail not necessary tC
discuss in an article such as this.
1t seems to us, the new Board
would act wisely to introduce
some such arrangement as this
for administering the affairs of the
water and light plant. Reason
and common sense alike support
the assumption that committee
of good, experienced business
men, with the same interest in
the city's welfare as the members
of the Mayor and Board of Alder,
men themselves, with this one
branch of administration com
mitted to their charge, could and
would discharge the trust more
efficiently than the Board itself
with the various other duties OF
administration on it's hands which
it must needs look after con
stantly.
AS the Aldermen of the city
give their own time and services
to the city without salary or pay
it would logically follow that an
advisory board for supervising
and directing the affairs of the
water works, would do the same
accept and discharge the trust
in conjunction with the Board, as
patriotic duty.