The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-05-06

lie leN CITY COUNCIL is uldue up as
follows: First ward, A. Hoover, s.
A. McElmurry; Second ward. j. G.
Oyloe and Z. J. Ray; Third ward, w.
H. Conklin, Henry Swering; Fourth
ward, E. F. Bagley and Frank Sher-
win.
Mayor Leighty's opening address
outlining his policy is so good that We
have reproduced it in full:
Members of the City Council of the
City of Brookings:
I'm assuming the duties of executive
officer of the city of Brookings, l feel
grave responsibility rests upon us
in many ways. First: 1t is incumbent
upon us to in no way lower the high
standard that has been maintained by
my predecessor in this office and the
men who have contributed as officers
and employees to make his administra-
ton a success Second: In doing our
duty to the people of the city We must
realize that whatever is right must
prevail without fear or favor. Third:
sponsible for all the good or bad that
may bless or befall this city during the
next two years, and that successful
administration of municipal affairs can
only be accomplished by the harmon
ious cooperation of all of the elected
officials and appointed officers of the
city government.
THE laws of the state give to the
city council certain powers to pass
legislation for the government and reg
ulation of the city, its finances, prop
erty and safety
ITO the mayor the law entrusts the
duty of enforcing these regulations,
as we'll as the observance of the gen
eral laws of the state.
"And from the employees of the city
the law demands an honest discharge
of their duties, wi hout omission or
misconduct.
many municipal utilities, the well be-
ing of the taxpayers and citizens can
best be promoted by the concurrent
action on the part of all officials, both
elective and appointive, for the progress
sive development of these utilities in
safe and business like manner.
From the outgoing administration
we have received the city in highly
satisfactory condition. The floating
debt has been wiped out, goodly
amount of bonds have been paid and
the plants are in state Of efficiency.
1T has been demonstrated in the
past few years that certain utilities
can be maintained by the city govern
ment with great advantage to the tax
payer, and if the past is promise
of the future, that they can be made
a source of income, at least sufficient
in part, for the payment of municipal
expenses and improvements. These
utilities are business propositions for
the supply of certain commodities
which the people demand and buy, and
if we as city are in the market to
supply these demands then We must
use the best and latest business meth
DDS in delivering the goods and meet
ing competition. The city is selling
electricity for lighting and we have
an insistent competitor in the gaso-
line plants that have been installed
in several of our business places.
These stores are wired for electricity
and though the owner may be using
gasoline most of the time or in part
the expense of maintaining a plant
sufficient to supply the light any time
these persons demand it, whether it
be when their gas plants are out Of
repair or during the summer months.
Instead of being in a position to sup
ply this energy when demanded we
should be actually supplying it right
along and the electric plant should be
doing it's full share of the burden, in
other words, running it's full capacity.
Therefore l deem it my duty to rec
commend to the city council that they
endeavor to present some plan where
by the merchants may be induced to
use the energy which our plant is ready
to supply and deliver.
II would further recommend that the
city council take an invoice of all
city property, more particularly the
stock used in electric light and tele-
phone extensions and repairs. And
that a system of purchasing supplies
and issuing them on requisition, charg-
able to the work on which they are
to be used, be adopted and installed.
l advise that this be done, not on ac-
count of any possible shortage or mis-
conduct of any employe, but in the
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