Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-04
POLICE PAID At OLD RATE
Increase Voted for December by the
Board Is Out Off.
COUNCIL WOULD NOT HAVE IT
city Attorney Advise that Agree
ment Entered Into Last July by
the Fireuren and Policemen
Cannot rs Broken.

.-aM. .# -.a
Policemen will not draw the extra B. pei
man allowed them by action Of the fire
and police board on their December salar-
When the pay roll-ordinance for the last
month of 1909 reaVhed the council Monday
morning, In adjourned meeting, Chairman
Funkhouser of the finance made
the statement that council could not pass
the ordinance as drawn. He. therefore,
move that the pay roll ordinance be
passed except as to the policemen. Coun-
Gilman Brucker seconded the motion and
It prevailed.
This action was not taken, however. until
City Attorney Burnam had been called in
TO advice council Mr.. Burnam gave It
as his opinion that to pass the police pay
roll for the increased amount would be
clearly against the spirit and letter of the
agreement entered into last July by all
members Of the fire and police departments.
Now II you allow the policemen this
extra money we will simply be inviting a
lawsuit involving 10000 to $4,000. We
have had this matter up informally with
Chief salter, and he doubts very much
II his men could be held In line to abide
by any such action as this. The whole
thing was given very careful consideration
last summer, and the agreement to forego
the raise IN pay provided by the Legislature
at its last session was entered into willingly
by all parties, in order that the full force
OF men in each department might be kept
at work the whole Year"
LegisIator Get a Rap.
Councilman Funkhouser supported :his
view strongly.
THE members Of the legislature from this
county acted like a lot Of schoolboys,'' he
said. I'm passing the law to raise the pay
Of policemen and firemen when they knew
we had no money, and could not get any,
70 pay the Increased amount"
Councilman Bridges thought the surplus
remaining in the general fund could be
divided between the two departments
equayy.
there is at present something like $1,000
in the police fund relief and pension fund;
also that the charter provides any surplus
in the department fund at the end Of the
year must be carried Into that fund, which
would thus, by operation of law, be in
creased at this time to the extent of about
$500.
From the relief fund there will be taken
5000 for, the new fire and police alarm
system, under a, resolution offered by
Commissioner W9ppich and passed at a
recent meeting Of the board. This resolu-
ton ~recites the amount of the fund, and
sets out the facts touching same, also the
need for a new alarm system, and pro
vides that 4. 600 be set aside from the fund
for the. purpose stated above.
1t is expected that when the new appor-
tionment of funds is made for 1910 the
after part OF this week, the increased
salaries for fireman and policemen will be
provided for, II such action appears feas-
ible. &
When council adjourns Tuesday evening
It will be to Thursday morning. for the
purpose Of making the apportionment Of
funds. Every head OF a department now
has his estimates In the hands OF the
mayor. and Il appears to be taken for
granted that increases will be asked for
all along the line.