The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1905-1908, 1906-12-09
MUNICIPAL EXHIBIT
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING
SEPTEMBER THlRTIETH,
SHOWS CITY TO BE IN
GOOD CONDITION.
General Fund and Water and Sew
erage Fund Are Both Over
drawn, But $5.772.O9 Is
Yet i'm School Fund.

The financial exhibit of the city
for the fiscal year ending September
80, 1906, which was prepared some
time since by City Treasurer Waddell,
has just been published. and shows
the finances of the city TO be in fairly
good shape. The report shows a de-
felt of $12,602.64 in the general
fund, but as an offset TO this deficit
there is due the city from property
holders deferred payments on side
walks amounting TO about $6600.00,
thus leaving an actual shortage OF
only about $4,000. More than this
sum has been expended in permanent
! improvements new machinery at
+ in the neighborhood of $4,000. In
] addition to this there has been ex-
pended about $4,000 in building ce-
ment sewers and culverts, and an
equal amount in extending water and
sewer mains; so thus it is shown that
more than the amount of the actual
deficit has been expended in perma-
nent improvements.
The water and sewerage fund is
kept separate and apart from the
would seem proper that the money
expended for new machinery at the
waterworks and for the extension OF
water and sewerage mains should
have been taken from this fund. The
water and sewerage account was
I,~au nd
tension of the mains was imperative
there was nothing to do but take the
money from the general fund. The
waterworks, as everyone who is fam
iliar with it's finances knows, has
never been a source of revenue, and
according to the financial exhibit
just published there is a deficit of
$9659.10 in the water and sewer
age fund. This condition of affairs
at the waterworks has been discussed
time and again at both regular and
special meetings of the City Council
and repeated effort has been made
to place the waterworks on a paying
basis, or at least make the plant self
sustaining. No satisfactory agreo-
ment was ever reached, however,
there having been great diversity OF
opinion among the various members
of the council as to how the desired
end should be accomplished Under
the present system no account of any
water used by the municipality is
kept, nor is the city charged for her
fire hydrants. One or two members
of the council have always contended
that the general fund should be
charged with the fire hydrants, and
for water consumed at the city hall
and other municipal buildings at reg
ular rates, and the water and sewer
age fund credited with the amount.
The reason for this claim is that,
vate corporation, the city would be
compelled to pay for her fire hy-
drants, as well as for all water used
for domestic purposes, and as there
is a separate water and sewerage ac-
count the same should be credited
pality. Although the matter has been
SO often discussed, no definite action
has ever been taken, and the deficit
remains.
The exhibit shows a surplus OF
s5,772.O9 in the school fund, so the
not including the money due on side
walks, is only 16,4S9.65, and the
$1,000 due on sidewalks brings the
shortage down TO about $40, 900.
Mayor Gunter thinks that it will be
an easy matter to repay this money
says that in his budget for the en-
suing year he has included money
for both the fire department and the
which he does not be-
lieve will become necessary TO ex-
pend. In the recent bond issue pro-
the fire department and the water
and the mayor says that these
will obviate the eX-
Denditure of the money provided in
his budget for repairs made neces-
sary by the wear and tear of ordinary
usage. mayor buHtcT Is Vi the Opin~
ion that the citv's finances are in fine
shape - taking into consideration
the fact that with the large sum spent
On permanent improvements there is
only a small deficit in the general
fund This opinion seems to be well
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