Arizona republican., 1910-03-04
Judge kibbey Announces His Forthcoming Resignation
WATER USERS ASSOCIATION
Important Action Taken By Its Representative Body. Other Proposed Measures Including One Radical Change Were Defeated

The special meeting of the Council of the Salt River Valley Water Users association held yesterday. resulted in d reduction of the salaries of the pres ident and legal adviser of the assOcia- tion from s2G00 to 5000 per annum; the tabling of the resolution requiring governors and councilmen to reside in the districts they represent, the de feat or an enterprise for revising the articles of incorporation of the asso- citation eliminating the council as d feature of the governing body; and the notification to the council by Judge Kibbey that at the next regular meet ing of the board of governors he would tender his resignation as legal adviser of the association.
 The meeting was called at the re- quest of certain of the councilmen made some time ago. and both morn ing and afternoon sessions were re- quired to dispose of the uestions in hand There is one vacancy in the council which should normally have thirty members. Of the twenty Rine members, twenty-one were present The chairman, l.. J. Rice. being ab- sent from the city. D. r. Jones of Mesa was chosen to preside as chair man. and Dr. J. W. Foss. the regularly elected clerk, kept the records of the meeting. The question of salaries Is q matter solely within the power of the council to regulate. while that of members of the board and council re- siding in the districts they represent as we'll as the question of doing away with the council entirely. are both questions that would have to be sub mitted to the shareholders after the action of the council, if there were any.
 resolution to reduce the salaries of the president and attorney from 5000 to 5000 per annum was intro duced and referred to the committee on bylaws. which consists of C. s. Steward. John R. Bradshaw and l.. F. Graham. The committee reported. favoring the resolution. unanimously The two offices were considered sep arately, that of the president being taken up first. A motion to reduce the salary to 5000 was passed unani- mously.
 While the bylaws committee had been deliberating before it's report the council had taken up the matter Of the qualifications of governors and councilmen. as to residence and incl dentaIy in the debate that followed. there was developed a sentiment fav- orable to q change in the charter, do- ing away with the council, which Is the representative body of the asso- ciation Some of the gentlemen thought that was a matter on which they should have the advice of Judge Kibbey, the counsel for the associa- ton, and he was accordingly sent for.
 Judge Kibbey arrived just as the reduction of the presidents salary had taken place and the question of the salary of the office he was filling was before the house. There was a dispo- sition to proceed with that order of business when Mir. Kibbey suggested that his presence might be embarrass- ing to some of the gentlemen and he would withdraw unln the council preferred first to hear his opinion in the matter which occasioned his sum- mons. It was then decided to pass the question of the salary of the legal ad- wiser for the time being and listen 10 his views concerning the elimination of the council as a feature of the gov ernment of the association.
 Tn his remarks on that question Judge Kibbey gave a resume of the history of the formation of the asso- citation. told of it's plan of government and why each feature of it had been devised. Respecting the council he said that it was designed to be the representative body of the association He said it would be impractical for all the four or five thousand share holders. or q majority of them, to get together when matters of importance are to be decided upon, and act with the proper consideration on the de tails of the business of the associa- tion. The only other way in which the business could be handled would be by the use of proxies on such oc- casions and that method of govern ment, particularly for such an asso- citation, he could not endorse. There was only one alternative and that would be the council a representa- tive. elective body, which would have a restraining influence on the board of governors, the administrative body. in the event the board did not act in harmony with the views of the share holders.
 The opinion of Judge Kibbey seem- ed to be enlightening and satisfactory and in accordance herewith the coun- cil dismissed further consideration of the subject, Judge Kibbey withdrew