The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1904-04-28
MAYORS ADDRESS
A Review of Years Progress
City in Good Shape.

| Nr-N LtAtN VI me NllN JUNGLE
In performance of duty devolving
upon me as mayor, | respectfully re-
quest your attention to a brief state
ment OF what has been accomplished
in municipal affairs during the past
year, OF the present condition of such
affairs, and to a few recommendation
concerning matters requiring your
immediate attention.
AS pointed out in my last annual
statement to the city council, the city's
financial affairs We're then in a very
unsatisfactory condition, and the
necessity for thorough reformation
in the method of keeping, auditing
and collecting of accounts was obvious
to all. Following the recommended
ton then made, you undertook such
reformation and adopted a system of
keeping, auditing and collecting of
accounts which is working smoothly,
accurately and effectively, and the
financial affairs have been placed upon
a firm and businesslike basis.
After great amount of research and
in the construction and equipment of
each of the municipal plants up to
February /, last, has been definitely
ascertained, and with a statement OF
the income and expenditures connect
ed with each of the plants from April
/, 1908, to February /, 1904, has been
reported and published for the infor-
nation of the public. For the first
time in its history, the city is now
able to tell whether the municipal
plants are paying or losing invest
ments. 1t is unnecessary for me to
cite the facts contained in this report,
as you are all familiar with them,
suffice it to say, that between Febru
airy !, 1901, and April /, 1904, over
$1,000 additional was expended in in
creasing the efficiency of the plants,
and the amount of Indebtedness repre-
sented by outstanding registered war;
rants was decreased nearly 81, 600, and
the value Of the property owned by the
city is greater than the amount of the
city's Indebtedness.
The report shows that all of the
municipal enterprises are financially
successful, with the exception of the
| heating plant. On account of the
lateness of the installation of this
plant. and the unusual severity of the
past winter, its earning capacity under
normal conditions cannot at the pres
ent time be determined as it has not
| received fair test. Its efficiency
however, as a heating plant and its
capability of giving complete satisfac-
ton to the consumer has been proven
| beyond controversy.
The principal loss in operating this
plant is due to the fact that the price
| for heating the school building has
| been too low. Had the school board
paid for heat at the same rate as pri-
vate consumers, but little if any loss
would have occurred. As the contract
for heating was made for one year only
| this error can be easily rectified
At the election just held, the propo-
sition to issue bonds for the purpose
of raising sufficient funds to complete
the system of waterworks, was carried,
and it now becomes your duty to un-
dertake the completion of the system
in accordance with the wishes of the
people. | would therefore recommend,
that this matter be taken up imme-
diately so that the system can be fully |
completed during the present season.
1t was the general understanding of
the people at the last election, that if
the waterworks bonds carried, sewer
system would also be installed as
speedily as possible. In my opinion,
system OF sewerage for the more
thickly settled portions Of the city is |
prime necessity to the health and well |
being OF the community. The numer- |
Gus cesspools and vaults have so con-
taminated the water in the shallow
wells as to become a public nuisance
and they should be condemned imme-
diately upon the installation of the
sewer system. As the law provides |
that the total cost of sewer system |
may he assessed against the owners Of !