Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-09-19
ACCOUNTANTS REPORT.
Continued from 4th page.
The FIRE DEPARTMENT.

Continued from 4th page
IHE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
This branch of the City Government
is purely volunteer. No monies pass
through it's hands, except the State
Relief fund, which is Immediately
paid out for it's benefit. An inventory
was taken of all apparatus pertaining
to this department. and is included in
the statement of General Assets of the
City.
This completes the examination and
the report of the receiving and dis
bursting officers of the Village and City
of Willmar, from March 22nd, 1898,
down to and including the 18th day of
March, 1908, and before closing this re-
port beg to submit few recommend
ations and suggestions and the reasons
therefor, for the future conduct of the
City's business.
F1RsT-I would recommend the
adjustment of the four justice courts
and the establishing of a Municipal
Court similar to that enacted in the
City of Mankato, a copy of which can
be found in the Copy of the Minnesota
Laws for 1885, Chapter 1l9, and it's
subsequent amendments. This Court
would be always in session and it's jur-
1sdiction wide enough to relieve the
District Court of a large number of
cases with which that court ought not
to be burdened. The Clerk of the City
could act as the Clerk of such Court,
and his fees regulated according to
the service done.
SECOND: The abolishing of the Poll
Tax. This tax is an injustice, as it does
not seek out the persons for whom it
is intended to tax. It only reaches
the regular tax payer who is fully tax
ed for street and road purposes in the
general Tax Levy. The amount reali-
zed each year from this source was
very small and one year the assessment
was omitted entirely and special COL
lector is required to collect the tax
In the five years for which the tax
was levied the total receipts were ST.
1880, too insignificant sum for
which to devote so much time and at
tention to when you consider the great
expense of making the assessment and
collecting the same.
THIRD: The method of collecting
the special assessments for local i'm
provements, would amend the act,
so that the assessments could be COL
lected by the City treasurer, as soon as
the amount of the benefit was ascer-
tanned, and not await long and ted
ious process of certifying to the Coun-
ty Auditor and the final collection by
the County Treasurer. I would get
the money for such local improvement
at once that the work might be
promptly done, and only certify to the
County Auditor the delinquent tax
which would be very small. These
public improvements are petitioned
for by the parties owning property
along the streets where such improve
ment is desired and they stand ready
to pay the benefit Immediately. The
present act says that the City Treas
urer may receive such tax, up to De-
cember 3lst following, but it does not
say that the party taxed shall pay it,
until such return has been made to
the County Auditor and the County
Treasurer has the same in his hands
for collection the same as other taxes.
Improvements OF this kind, ordered in
the spring would not receive itsmonies
for year. II In the meantime there
was no money ii that particular fund
the Improvement would have to wait.
You will find other cities working UNI
der the amendment here proposed,
and having tried both ways, prefer the
quicker method. There are eight (8) /
columns Of printed matter in the
charter relative to the chapter on
Eminent Domain and Local Improve
8ments above referred to, which Il ~
mended % proposed could he consoli i'd