East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-03-15

Enthusiastically endorsing the pro-
visions incorporated in the proposed
amendments to the city charter, a
large number of citizens were pres
ent at the joint meeting of the Com
mercial association and the city
council last evening. No objections
were voiced to any of the amend
ments although a number of men
stated that they came up to the meet
ing opposed to the new street I'M
provement plan, but found that these
objections were founded on a ms
understanding.
The meeting was presided over by
President Dan P. Smythe and the
purposes of the meeting was explain
ed by Mayor E. ]. Murphy. The
amendments, six in ALL were then
read and the duty of explaining each
in detail fell upon City Attorney Roy
Raley. The following are the amend
ments as proposed:
/. Authorizing the city counct 70
issue 100000 water bonds.
2. Providing for a sinking fund
for the water bonds.
8. Authorizing the city council to
issue $4,000 sewer bonds.
4. Providing for a sinking FUND
for the sewer bonds and for the Loan
ing of the money in this fund on
real estate security.
5. Providing that these two bond
issues shall not be included in the
$4,000 floating Indebtedness which
the city is permitted.
fn, oh
method of meeting the cost of street
improvements.
The Improvement Plan.
1t was this last amendment which
aroused the most interest and caused
the most discussion and because OF
the fact that its purpose seemed 70
be more or less generally misunder-
stood, a brief resume of its provi-
sions as explained by the city attor-
ney, will be in place :.
Under the proposed plan there
will be two vital changes from the
present system. The one now N
vogue taxes the cost of improvements
to the abutting property regardless of
the fact of whether or not this prop
erty is benefited to the extent of the
quired to pay for the work on the
| intersections. Under the new sys-
tenn, the total cost of improvement
will be assessed against all of the
property in the community which Is
directly benefited, each lot paying in
proportion to the benefit derived.
This does not mean that all the prop
erty within the limits OF a certain
district will be taxed but only such
property as the council shall deter
mine TO be benefited.
BY this plan, also, the city would
be freed from paying the expenses OF
improving the intersections, which re-
quirement under the present system
has been a great obstacle to improve
ment work.
AS stated before, the council Is to
determine the extent to which prom
erty is benefited and shall publish a
notice of their apportionment of the
expenses. Following the publication
of this notice, there will be firreen
days in which any of the property
owners affected can file objections
, with the city recorder, after the ex-
piration of which time. the councr is
to sit as a court to hear and Juoge
ali complaints. The council also has
authority, in case any assessment
should be burdensome on any prop
erty, to pay any part or all OF the
assessed cost out of the city treas
ury.
The Second Change.
The second vital change over the
, present system is the authorizing OF
the council to do improvement work
itself by buying the material and en-
ploying the labor, in case all bids
should be judged too high. 1t was
+ pointed out last night that the pres
ent plan of doing all work by con-
tract has resulted many times in an
| Continued an n.~o tw.N