The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-04-06

PAY AS YOU CO..
SAYS BIGELOW
Burlington Mayor Read An
nual Message To-day
--
DECLARES IT GOOD POLICY
New Aldermanic Board in Queen City
Consists Of Mine Republicans and
Three emocrats---First Meet
ing Held To-day.
DECLARES 1t GOOD POLICY

Burlington, April 6-The annual OH
ganization Of the city government took
place to-day with the meeting Of the
board Of aldermen and city council.
Committees were appointed and various
city officials selected for the work Of
the coming year. The board consists
Of nine Republicans and three Demo-
Gratis. Mayor W. J. Bigelow read his
annual message before the board Of al.
dermen, which is in part as follows:
To the Honorable Board Of Aldermen;
In accordance with custom / submit to
your honorable body some suggestions
regarding the city's business at the
opening Of another year Of public SER
vice on your part. ] aba pleased To RE-
port that the year Just closed has been
one Of progress ana that the financial
condition Of the city has been materially
improved by the payment Of many out
standing claims, the existence Of which
we're not known, or fully determined,
when the present administration took
charge Of the municipal government.
To-day / believe there Is not an out.
standing legal claim against the city
that has not been adjusted.
The policy Of the past year has been
to pay those claims, which originated
under previous administrations, as fast
as they We're proven, out Of current
funds raised by the tax levy rather than
TO postpone their payment by issuing
long term bonds. l hope this policy
will be continued SO that the citizens
will know exactly what their govern.
ment costs them. There ii no better
policy than to pay AZ you go except for
permanent improvements whose cost iii
VI large that they cannot be paid ali
once.
New Bookkeeping System.
IN addition to an audit Of all the city's
hooks NJ the close Of the fiscal wear by
certified public accountants, the board
Of finance has had new set Of books
prepared for each department Of the city
and installed by the same firm of az.
countants. Although the first cost Of
this work Is large, / am safia7ed that
il will prove to be money we'll expended
While no attempts To defraud Che city
were found in any Of the departments,
slack methods Of accounting we're fol.
lowed in some which would allow mis-
takes TO be made without any method
of detecting them. Under the now sgs-
tenn intelligent bookkeeping viii prevent
the occurrence Of such mistakes and In
this way may save the city money.
We have aimed To make the new sys-
tenn All uniform as THE character at each
department permitted, therefore, II will
iii future facilitate THE work of auditing
the books and accounts oil the city and
thereby lessen the cost of this work, pro
vidcd that the system mapped out il
kept up.
ton can speedily accomplish the follow
ing things; Give the city pure drink
ing water; push as far as possible the
litigation IN connection With securing
the site for public wharf; install an
electric pump that viii give effective
fire protection to the valuable buildings
on the Hill; complete arrangements
whereby the unpaid taxes shall be col
lceted; amend the city charter wherever
necessary, to increase the efficiency Of
the city government and to secure great
Ct uniformity in the powers Of the vari-
ous commissioners keep the current ex-
penses Of the city low enough 50 that
they can an be paid without an increase
in INC taN rate.