The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-24
WOULD CONTROL
CITY'S FUNDS
Plan to Prevent Reckless Ex-
penditureS Proposed by
Special Auditors.
PLACE LIMIT ON EXPENSE
MULVEY THINKS WORK HAS
COST TOO MUCH.

A scheme TO effectually and efficiently
control the expenditures of the city was
proposed to the council last evening by
the special auditors who have been ex-
aiming the city's books for the purpose
OF installing new system, and if it is
auopted II means a most radical depart
ure nom the present Anticipated methods
- ne pan consists OF creating a board Of
eSuiiidtes ana appOrtiOnment. The board
snail consist of seven members tha
mayor, president of the council and the
1lNe members of the council finance com
hilttee: No Later than Dec. 81 of each
year II must be furnished with estimates
from the heads of various depart
Hents OF the contemplated expenditures
Tor the Following year. The auditor who
sIal De secretary of the board, shall
also furnish an estimate of the amount
OF revenue the city Will have during that
same period With these two items be-
iore It. the board viii appOrtion among
the various departments the amount
which can be expended of the estimated
lowed
Present System Confusing.
At present all the expense funds are
thrown together into a contingent fund.
me exact condition of which is hard TO
determine, and there is absolutely no linz
II TO the expense which can be incurred
during year by any ceEtain department
IN most cities of the country the system
proposed exists.
1t is provided that if there is any dis
pute during the year as to what depart
ment any expenditure is to be charged,
the board shall settle these matters. For
the next year the detailed statements of
contemplated expenditures shall be made
by the heads of departments by Jan. 81
and the estimate of revenue by the au-
fS-itOr on Feb. 2S
In this connection the recommendation
Is that the revenues should be COnserV-
atively estimated and in making the est
ar fnf
allowed for unforeseen expenses or emery
encies. The auditor viii be compelled to
furnish monthly statements as to how
each fund stands.
MulVey Says 1t Is too High.
Shortly after this report was read and
referred bill from the Westerman-
Trader company, the special auditors,
was read 1t amounted to 81, 020 for the
period between Dec. ] and Dec. 20. Null
Vey did not like this and he asked how
much the auditors had already been paid.
When informed that previous TO this bill
$500 had been expended for their serv-
ices his anger did not diminish.
4 don't like these $4,000 beauties" he
exclaimed. 4 don't doubt that they are
giving us a good system, but | don't see
why they could not have worked it up
in few months instead of spending over
year at it. We only appropriated 5000
in the first place, and ] don't see what the
additional expense has been for. Just
think of 81. 020 in twenty days, / haven't
seen these fellows do much and 1 don't
like the finish.
Councilman Ferry made an explanation
of what the auditors have done. but Null
Vey still insisted that they had done an
immense amount of unnecessary work in
order TO bleed the city, and suggested
that an end be put to their activities as
soon as possible. The matter was dropped
here and the bill allowed. q
The two ordinances concerning the du-
ties of the treasurer and auditor, sub
mitted by the auditors a week ago, were
passed unanimously last evening.
The old question of granting an eX-
tension of the time to pave alleys came
up and a motion TO give the abutting
property owners on all alleys not paved
until April ] was carried. not. however,
without some opposition. COunciimen
Muvey and Martin argued that the time
had already been extended on several Oc-
casions and the alleys should be closed
at once unless paved. Councilman O'Don-
nell said that the only way they could
be closed was by having them declared
a nuisance, and this could not be done
as late as April I, when the alleys are
comparatively dry and free from mud
He also opposed the motion.
Seek Boys Body.
The engineer recommended that a sew
er extension be created iTt the vicinity Of
the depots. and this was referred to the
engineering committee.
\ communication from J. 7. Raleigh,
street superintendent: was received, ask
7. ing if il would not be possible to divert
the water in the Jordan river for forty
eight hours in order to find the body of
little William McKitrick, who was
drowned July last. This was denied, as
it would be impossible to do it at the
present high stage of the water in the
lake The parents of the boy have been
searching the river bank every day since
the tragedy, in hope of finding the body
They reside at 40 South Ninth West
street,
A saloon license was refused to o. Z.
Branning at 3l5 South Main street be-
cause he is within fifty feet of the Lyric
hna -rn