Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-07-23
CITY COUNCIL
STEAM ROLLER
NEW MEMBERS GET INITIATED
INTO REAL COUNCIL PRO.
CEEDINGS LAST NIGHT IN A
CLASH OVER REDUCTIONS.

ne new members or the council
received the steam roller" degree
last night in their efforts to effect
a further reduction in the salaries
OF city officials than had been
planned by the holdover members.
The clash was precipitated when
Councilman Salsberg offered a mo-
ton to reduce the salary of the city
engineer from $3.50 to 1925 per
month, and Councilman Wisner
moved to amend the motion by fix
ing the salary at 500 per month.
The vote resulted to 3, with May
or Heitfeld voting with the holdover
members.
In offering the motion for a re-
Salsberg stated the important work
of the engineers department had
been completed, and unless the paw
ing improvement was taken up there
would be only the routine duties OF
the ONCE to perform. The motion
also provided that the engineer be
allowed to do outside work as long
as this did not interfere with the
city's business.
Councilman Salsberg also offered
the motion providing for raise Of
SIS per month for the assistant city
clerk and IS per month for the city
treasurer Councilman Bollinger
stated he believed these advances In
salary were outrageous; that he did
not believe this the proper time to
advance salaries, and that he did
| not believe any of the city officials
we're overworked.
At the time Mr.. Salsberg offered
! the motion to reduce the salaries he
stated that such action had been
planned by the old council as soon
as the duties of the city engineer
and city attorney would warrant
such a reduction, but he had re-
Trained from taking the initiative In
the matter because the new mem
beers had been elected upon an econ
! omy platform and he had waited for
% days for them to introduce some
such motion. Councilman Bollinger
stated thu new members had not
been given a chance to suggest re-
! ductions, and he believed the old
members were endeavoring to cap
ture their glory.
| City Attorney Cox offered his
resignation, which was accepted.
but . motion prevailed to retain
him as associate city attorney at .
salary Of 800 per year. The salary
Of the city attorney was then 70
duced to $75 per month and Fred
e. Butler elected to the position.
Councilman Salsberg explained
that by his motion the city would
save $4,000 q year. The salary OF
the city attorney having bssn
placed at SIS per month with the
reduction in engineers salary, made
a saving of $4,000; less the increase
in the assistant controller ano
treasurer of $3.50 and $50, made a
net saving OF $1,000.
The discussion brought out the
fact that the running expenses OF
the city for 1906 were approximate
ly $4,000: in 1907, $56,000, and
in 1908, $58,00O. From this latter
sum, however, it was claimed that
$4,000 should be deducted for the
installation Of the fire alarm sys
tenn and $1,000 for codifying the
city ordinances.
Councilman Salsberg stated th'
city was now in better financia
condition than 1t ever was; rur
more economically and better serv
ice rendered by the various depart
ments-he was willing to 60 before
his constituents on the record.
The annual appropriation o
$1,000 per year for the mainte
nance of the band was made by thu
passage of the ordinance providin,
for an amusement director
The council adjourned to NEE
Saturday night.