Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1911-05-04
Message to Council is Filled
With Economical, Business
Like Suggestions
ECONOMY IS WATCHWORD
Reductions in Water and In
terest Rates. Appointments
During Good Behavior

The following is the Message of
Mayor Parks to the City Council, de-
livered last night:
GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL:-
| desire to take advantage of this
ilrst opportunity, in assuming the du-
ties OF the office of mayor, to express
the sincere hope that during the Ell
suing year, the utmost harmony and
good feeling Will prevail between the
mayor and council and among the
councilmen themselves. Without mu-
tual confidence and respect. the best
results cannot be accomplished
1t is not my intention at this time
to propose any elaborate list Of
changes in the affairs of the city.
but | wish here, to recommend to
your careful consideration the follow
ing proposals:
|. 1t is my belief that the city can
afford, within the next few months, to
reduce to some extent the water rates
for city water, especially to families.
The city water plant should be self
supporting. Charges should be Suffi-
cient for the operation and mainten-
ance of the plant and for extensions
and consumers of water should be
taxed up to this limit but not beyond
it. The water plant should not be
looked upon as source of revenue
The water debt of the city is being
rapidly reduced and will probably be
entirely wiped out in few months.
When this debt is paid up. there will
be no excuse for maintaining higher
charges for water than are necessary
for the operation and maintenance of
the plant, and the rate should be re-
duced. recommend that the pres
ent water ordinance be so amended
as to reduce the penalty for failure to
pay, TO fifty cents.
=. 1t is my belief that the police
force of the city could be materially
reduced without affecting the eff
cheney of that department. | am ad-
vised that under a recent ruling by
the attorney general he holds, that
the eight hour law does not apply to
police officers, and that being so, the
police officers of the city should be
required to work a ten hour shift. The
police committee of the council should
make a thorough investigation of that
department with a view to reducing
the expenditure for its maintenance.
3. A system should be initiated at
the earliest opportunity whereby some
special or standing committee of the
council, such as the finance commit
tee, should 90 through each depart
ment of the city government quarter
ly, checking the expenditures and
passing upon the necessity of help
employed, and so on, and embody its
findings in report to the council.
Such a system OF inspection would
tend to economy and more business
like methods in the different depart
ments.
t. | would like it distinctly under
stood at the beginning, that the ap-
pointments to office made by me and
confirmed by the council, are not nee
eSsarily made for one year or for
l any particular period of time. and
that the mayor and council will, dur
Ing the coming year, invoke the pow
er vested in them by law to remove
any appontee at any time that the
best interests OF the city require his
removal. Persons accepting office by
appointment under this administra-
tion will do so with knowledge OF that
fact.
s. 1t is costing the city of Aber-
deen annually about ten thousand dol
lars for lighting its streets, yet not
withstanding this large expenditure
the streets Of the city cannot be con
sidered as well lighted Sooner or
later, the city should own and operate
! its own lighting plant to be used eX-
clusively for the lighting of streets,
such as is done in other progressive
cities. | am informed that the cost
of such plant would not be large.
Data should be collected under the
direction of the council as to what
could be done by the city in the way
of installing its own lighting plant
for street purposes. and if found
feasible the matter of doing so,
should be submitted to the people at
a special election called for that pur-
pose.
g. Owing to the large number of
street and other improvements made
within the past few years in this city,
the burden of assessments for local
( improvement has become rather heavy
upon the people. and in view of the
fact that business conditions gener-
ally are none too good at present,
the council should refrain from ord
erng new street improvements, eX-
cept only in cases of urgent need.
T. In view of the fact, that the
city is about to take up all its cur
rent expense fund warrants and eX-
change them for funding bonds uno-
er the authorization given by the re-
rant hondipg a1actiOp the citV NAV