The Minneapolis journal., 1906-11-27
CITY BOOKKEEPING i ! J I
\ WILL Be REVISED.
COUNCIL CoMNITTEE ACTS I ON
KERsT's REPORT.
System Of Paying Double Salaries Will
Be Abolished, and Also Custom Of
Making Advance Payments Council
Will Designate Depositories for Pub
lie Funds-Official Pay Will Be
EuualiZed. 4:.f< &5. ~

Serious attention was given to Pub
lie Examiner Kerst 8 report on the
city's bookkeeping by the council com
mittee on ways and means yesterday,
with the result that several reforms
will be introduced at once. The most
notable are the following:
Adjustment of, double salaries to
street commissioners, deputy assessors,
and the sealer OF weights and measures.
Designation Of repositories for muni-
cipal funds by the5 city council.
Abolishment of Ethe practice of max
ing advances: on Salaries and the inaug-
uration of q system of paying salaries
by checks so as to avoid taking re-
Adjustment of the practice of al
lowing claims for extra pay for en-
ployees on regular salary.
Against Double Salaries.
All the members Of the committee
expressed their disapproval Of the Gus
tom of certain city officials of draw
ing two salaries, and it was decided
to recommend that the council fix the
salary of each official sufficiently high
to compensate him for all the work.
This is aimed at, the deputy assessor,
who draws an extra salary as clerk Of
the board Of equalization, the sealer Of
weights adm measures, who is
also clerk Of the, board
city ct es1 ~ha ,4f TX ot ss ssissat st4set
opening commission, ana " the ~ street Street
commissioners, who draw extra Com.
pensation for experimenting the work
Of the street sprinklers. While it was
not considered that any of the men
named are overpaid, the double salary
system as such was subject to criticism
It was thought that the salary OF
5000 year for street commissioner
was fixed in the charter, but City At
torney Frank Healy surprised the alder
mon by stating that the council .coult
fix the salaries of the street commits
sioners. This will enable the aldermen
to adopt schedule Of salaries allow
ing for forage, the supervision Of
sprinklers and other features for which
the commissioners obtain extra compen
sation. ">~ 49, -.
Question OF Interest. !
One of the npoints in Mr.. Kerst 4
report is. the insecurity Of the city
funds, owing to the, failure of the city
council to designate public depositorie
and the insuficiency Of the bonds givel
| by the city treasurer, The city. for {
score OF years mas Ia1lGd TO 0eS1QnaC(
dePositories< because. the charter pro
vides that such banks shall pay pc
cent interest on deposits. None Of then
will pay that rate and the city treas
urer has: been allowed to place tn
| money wherever hespleased.
| Alderman Platt B. Walker: chairman
| Of the council committee on legislation
| has; had prepared bill for a.. 1egisla
tice tavt,' whieh will correct the sobjec
! 5tionable@ charter sProVisiea., It will au
| thorize the council tosdesignate certail
Repositories and asespt Whatever rat
Of interest may be agreed upon. r hes
banks must furnish fbonds in double th
amount Of the limit of the sum whicl
may be deposited. with the bank.
! -. No Drawing Ahead. 4 +
It was decided TO- call the city treas
,urer's attention to the public exami
ner s criticism of the practice Of max
I ing advances on salaries before the ent
of the month. It, was also decided t.
amend the ordinances SO as to provid
that all salaries and wages should b.
| paid by check. r. ,H. e.. '..@s';
+ The practice Of drawing compensa
tion for extra work was condemned an
1 heads of departments will be notife'
that such claims in the future will no
be approved. Tt. was decided to motif,
! the heads Of departments and the var]
Gus boards eof certain criticisms in tn
conduct Of their offices by the publ
-