The Owosso times., 1909-09-17
oWosso IMPROVEMENT Asso.
CATION.
Holds Very Lively but Harmonious
Meeting-chanse in Bylaws In.
oreasins Annual Dues-More
Work Hoped for During
Coming Year.

Coming Year.
When President Fred B. Woodland
, called the annual meeting of the Owos.
so Improvement Association to order
Friday evening at the city hall there
were perhaps twenty-five members
present, the number increasing up to
the time of adjournment which occurred
very suddenly during a discussion on a
motion to reconsider the vote by which
the annual dues had been increased
from fifty cents to five dollars per year.
After the routine business was dis
posed of Secretary Warren Pierpont
read his report for the year, incorporat-
ing some suggestions which if acted
upon and carried out will result in
large number of the members of the
Association becoming actively engaged
in promoting the objects of the Asso-
citation instead of leaving the work to
, the board of directors and few mem
bers as has been the case most of the
time since the organization of the AS
sociation. Especially important is the
naming of committees to have in charge
various matters of interest to the city,
looking both to the locating here of
new enterprises. the identifying of the
streets and yards, the purchasing of
one or more sites for small parks, the
setting out of more shade trees, secur-
ing of electric street railway lines, ETC.
The acceptance of the report carried
with it the suggestion as to the COM
mittees and it is presumedt he president
will shortly announce the same.
The report of Treasurer J. c. Shat
tuck showed small balance in the
treasury after the payment of bills
approved at the meeting. 1t also clear
ly showed the absolute necessity of TAX
ing some steps to secure funds if the
work of the Association to go on.
The report of committee named
some time ago to prepare changes to the
bylaws was read and adopted without
dissenting vote. The main change
was that making the membership fee
ten dollars with annual dues of five
dollars, the amounts hitherto having
been fifty cents in each case. Some
objection was latter on raised to this
change and discussion followed which
was exceedingly lively but in the main
good natured. Those who opposed such
a large increase took the position that
large membership with small dues was
better than limited membership with
the larger amount of dues, the advan
tage being that so many more would
feel interested in the plans and work
if they were really members On the
other hand it was shown that since the
organization of the Association no dues
had ever been collected, that it was not
feasible to attempt to collect 80 small
an amount as fifty cents from over three
hundred people scattered all over the
city and that even if every member paid
his dues promptly the total amount
would not begin to meet the expenses
of the Association. The suggestion
was made that the fifty cent clause be
retained and the business men be asked
to contribute from S. to $25 or $50
year each, per year. This plan will
probably be followed.
The election of three directors for
term of three years resulted in the Sc
lection of A. M. Bentley, j. Fl. Robbins
and G. S. Williams, all being chosen by
a unanimous vote
Some of the residents on Michigan
Avenue, who are opposed to the closing
of that street south of the Ann Arbor
track, were present and on their behalf
G. E. Rigley Jr., asked to have COM
mittee named to confer with them. On
motion the board of directors was ask
ed to act.
J. G. Shattuck called attention to the
work being done by the Michigan
Shippers Association looking toward
the adjustment of freight rates in the
state and on his suggestion the I'm
provement Association will join the