Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-19
New Councilman From the
Sixth Springs a Surprise
In Special Meeting
DISPENSE WITH PUBLICATION
introduces a Resolution That Offers to
Dispense With Publication of counr
Gil Observation-Disclosures Objects =
Publication Not Sustained by Law
Annual Appropriations Made,

At a special meeting of the council
| Monday night Councilman Sieg, of the
Sixth ward, thru his colleague MI
Iseman, introduced his maiden resolu-
| ton. calling for dispensing with
the publication OF the min
utes of the council at the expense OF
| the city. The matter came as a sur
prise to the majority Of the members,
publication" they have been paying fol
for years was q legal procedure, and
hence demanded. Mir. Sieg had looked
up the Jaw, which does not provide for
the publication Of council proceedings.
and as a result introduced his resolu-
ton.
Councilman kreutzer, who has a
habit of opposing anything for the eN-
penditure OF money, and is one of two
members of the council who IS not III
favor of votdng the 3 per cenS
tax for the new interurban railway,
was ON his feet in an instant. He obs
jected to the council taking any such
action, and says that the people wan,
to know what the council is doing, and
nave the right to know. Mr.. Sieg an
swered him by saying that a newspaper
printed the proceedings of the council
as a matter of news, and did not want
pay for it, and that there wax no reas
son why the council should have to
pay for it. Mr.. Henry. who is benefited
financially by the official publication,
whispered to a member to move to
postpone for consideration. Mr.. Goot,
amended the motion of Mr.. Sie,g to re
fer to the committee of the whole. and
this amendment was carried, all voting
aye but Sieg.
Mr.. Abbott, after the meeting. said
that he was on the council now for the
second time. and it was the first inti-
nation he had ever had that the print
ing of the minutes was unofficial. Other
members were also of the Impression
that the action was according to
law. City Solicitor Van Law was
asked about the legality of the publ
cation. and said that there was nothing
in the law that required such "otficia.
publication" excepting in ordinances
and other similar notices that the law
does require Mr.. Van Law further
stated that the supreme court had hel;
that a party can not recover for
charges made for the publication OF
proceedings of the council other than
for those authorized by the statutes.
The city spends annually several hum
ared dollars for the official publica-
ton of it's proceedings.
Has Another Resolution.
Mr.. Sieg had another resolution be-
fore the council which was introduced
thru Mr.. Iseman. 1t authorizes the
ways and means committee to take up
the outstanding Indebtedness of the
city by means of municipal bonds. The
resolution calls for the comrnittee to
procure estimates of interest rates at
which the floating indebtedness of the
city may be liqudated by the issuance
of municipal bonds, running Ave. ten,
fifteen and twenty years. The commit
tee is to report at the next regular
meeting.
Appropriations Are Made.
Chairman PseIHcka, of the ways and
means COMMITTEES, reported on the an
nual appropriations for the different
funds for the coming year. The gem
eral fund aggregates a total OF S42,S50,
divided into the following: Books and
printing, $1,000 detention hospital.
$3.50: lighting city building. 5000:
buildings and grounds, $4,000 general
$4,000: streets and alleys. s14,-
600; street sweeping. $4,000; salaries of
officers $4,000: fire department $4,000:
police department., $4,000: street light
ing. $4,000. The expenditures in the
general fund for the year ending March
81. 1908, amounted to s5S,S1S57 and |
for the year ending March 81, 1904, the |
was S46,507.12. 1t will |
be seen by the estimates for this year
that the city expects to be run more |
than in either OF the two |
previous years. The general affairs of |
the city We're conducted on more eco
nomicai basis last year than the year |
as the report of the city |
clerk shows that the oyerdraft in the |
general fund for the year ending March |
81, 1904. was only $1,S12. as compared |
to $13,96S.0S for the year preceding.
In the water works, fire, sewer gem |
aral sinking and bond funds the monies
IN hand and what are to be raised from
ehe different tax levies are appropriat-
I'd.
D,.;n. peeeI,%;on Hoas n,...