Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-05-14
MAYORS MESSAGE
TEXT OF ADDRESS or MAYOR
FRANCE TO COUNCIL.
The Mayor, in His MESSAGE TO the
City COuICiI Last Night, Makes
Some Recommendations. Econ.
OmY to be the wafChword This
Year.
Gentlemen of the Council:


In order that the new council ma,
nave thorough understanding of the
different municipal departments,
herewith submit a report of the treas
urer and clerk for the year 1907
And also their report for four months
OF the year of 1908.
The treasurer'S report ending Jan.
y, 1908, shows that amount of war;
rants outstanding against the general
or current expense fund to be STA
OS7. SO; of this deficit $76,1S9.31
came to the present administration,
a heritage OF debts made in previous
years contracted principally in the
building of the city hall and the Che
halls river bridge, both of which
seemed to have been considered nee
essary public utilities. Last year the
city made a deficit of $3S,OOO Thir-
ty thousand dollars of this was in
Cured by the building of the city
part of what is known as the Mon
tesano road and $4,000 was used in
the purchase of the Thompson ranch,
to secure water rights for the Charley
creek water extension. Besides the
above named purchase the city bought
other real estate viz: The lot ad-
joining the one on which the city
hall is located and the other twenty
acre tract out on the Wishkah road
for a city hospital. These two pur-
chases cost the city the sum of $5,-
250. All the various expenditures
herein enumerated seem to have been
demanded for the public good. But l
believe that nothing outside of the
lfty ht,t1 RI ty,rr I'd
stock can be figured as a debt paying
asset and these only for the purpose
of limiting our debt in case of bond
issue. In view of the amount of out
standing warrants drawn against the
general or current expense fund it
will be necessary to suppliment our
taxes with additional revenue.
During the present year the various
city departments should be operated
in the most economical manner possi-
BILE that will be consistent with eff
cheney, for city's revenues from fines
and licenses have been greatly de-
creased for the later half of last year
and probably will be lessened to some
extent during the present year, so
would suggest that the ways and
means, finance. and license commit
tee devise some plan for supplement-
ing the loss of revenue herein refer
red to.
The council had an ordinance be-
fore it last year that would have
probably have accomplished this pur-
pose but it failed to pass.
The treasurer'S report on the oper-
alton of the water department makes
a very good showing as it's obligations
were reduced something over S 1000.
But the treasurer's report for the
last four months will show an in
crease of Indebtedness because of the
Charley creek waterwOrks construct
tion on the south side, together with
other extensions that have been made
in other parts of the city. AS soon
as the various extensions to our water
system are completed | would rec
Ommend to the council the rebOnding
of our water system for sum sutfi-
lent to retire the outstanding bonds
and warrants, thereby saving per
cent interest on the warrants at least
and enabling the City to put in a
much-needed improvement, that is, a
reservoir for the north side and aslo
devise some method whereby the eX-
penses of operating this department
may be reduced
The ire department, which is one
of great Importance, is not in cOndi-
ton to afford the best protection, ow-
ing to lack of men and l would ask
the council, acting within the limits
of reasonable expense. to strengthen
this department so that it may be
able to promptly meet any emergent
demand made upon it.
During the last year notable re-
duction was made in the expense of
street department and l hope and be-
lieve a still better showing will be
made during the current year.
The police department has been ana
is being conducted in a satisfactory
manner and is obtaining good results.
Reverting again to our financial
condition the treasurer's report for
the last four months will show that
he has called $4,000 of general fund
warrants, besides taking care OF all
the operating expenses OF the diner
ent departments that are paid by the
current expense fund warrants
which will reduce our deficit to $9I,-
OS9.93. While we can't expect TO
keep up the payments OF our dept at
this rate, we may reasonably hope TO
still reduce our deficit considerably
more during the present year and 1t
is due to the taxpayers that the may
or and council make earnest efforts
to this end.
note very worthy effort on the
part Of the property owners on Heron
street who recently held meeting In
the chamber of commerce in the in
terest of permanent improvements for
this street and l have no doubt the
council will do everything in its
power to cooperate with this move
ment as it is a step in the right di-
rection.
EUGENE FRANCE. Mayor.