The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-20
POSTERITY PAY II
Council Committee So Decides
About Water Plant.
Accordingly No Sinking Fund
viii Be Established.
NO HYDRANT RENTAL.
City Won't Tax ItseIf-That Is,
Not Directly.
First Commissioners to Serve 8.
Is and "a Months.

NO sinking fund for u.s. this is the
statement which the waterN orks CON-
mlttee makes with reference to the wsI-
terworks ordinance Last night the
members of the committee in session de-
clded unanimously that every item
which had reference to the establish
ment of fund to retire the bonded in
debtedness before it came due should
be cut out and that the future and
coming generations should take care
of the matter of a refund. We've done
enough. We have bought this plant,
now let the future generation help pay
for it and assume some of the burden"
SO says Councilman Green of the COM
mittee.
There's a chance for fight on this,
however, when it comes before the coun-
Gil. Several of the councilmen are not
| welded to the idea that it is a safe busi-
ness proposition not to make a provis-
ion from the first for a waterworks
sinking fund. I'VE can always estab-
| lish a sinking fund.- said Councilman
S. 7. Howe last night.
The committee also decided that it
was the part of wisdom not to try to
collect a hydranI rental tax. The last
time the committee met one member of
the committee said, Wen Just let this
slide through and take our chances on
some one raising trouble" This decis-
ion "just to let it slide.' seems to have
| been radically revised because there
was not the least suspicion of a whis-
per about hydrant rental. 1t is prOba-
| BILE that the city would have run up
| against legal proceedings, injunction
proceedings, to enjoin them from collect
| ing a tax of this kind. The status of a
| tax which the city collects against itself
| is considerably in doubt
| Not to lose this amount which repre-
sents $4,000 annually, the amount of
| the hydrant rental levy will be still con-
tinued but it will be designated as an
! interest fund levy and the amount ap-
piled to the odd $4,000 yearly interest
charges on the bonded Indebtedness of
| $500. 600.
To make it impossible, if SO desired,
for one administration to appoint the
! ma jority TneKnbers on the board of
commissioners it is designated that no
appointment of commissioner for an
expired term shall be made with 80
days of the time of that expiration.
This makes it possible for a mayor
in one administration to keep the
mayor succeeding him from appointing
/ the majority of the members of the
board, provided the city council deems
lit wise and backs him to the extent of
making the confirmation. AS under
the city ordinances no appointment by
the mayor can be made for a longer
term of years than two, the term of
lGdCn IneHlDGT OIL the OOdIQ VI COIll1llS-
Isioners expires at the end of two years
and under this ordinance it would be
Impossible to prevent each adminlstra-
ton from appointing majority on
the board. The only way to get
around this is to make an appointment
in advance of the expiration and hav-
ing the right lineup in the council. the
confirmation of the office later. This
may lead to the claim that by this
device there are really four incum-
| hentS for three places.
| The appointment for the first three
! commissioners is to be made for a
term of eight months. sixteen months
! and tWenty-four months; this keeps
expiring at the same time. After thai
the appointment is made for two years
Economy in the use of water is an
other thing which the committee in
of the department who under the
management of the Topeka Water
company were furnished with free
water will have to pay for the use of ii
are city officers, they will have to pay
fer it. If free water were furnished
them the mayor should be furnished
and there would be no reason why the
other departments should not be treat
ed the same way. No, we can't dc
THAT said William Green.
About two-fifths of the water supply
is used by free users. This includes
the various city departments anu Liz
school buildings. To place meters II
each school building and make the
school board pay in excess of certain
designated amount is the intention OF
the water works committee. The
!. members of the school board vii
probably appear before the council
J meeting Monday night to object to thi:
section when the ordinance comes VI
: for passage.
They recommend to the council tina
; the following additional salaries b'
| raised in the water works departm ent
Assistant engineer from $40 to $85
foreman from $40 to $50.