The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-02-01
CITY SALARY ROLL
REDUCED SLIGHTLY
ONE FIREMAN LOSES PLACE AND
FOUR MEN CUT FROM STREET
DEPARTMENT.

reduced, the revenues will not pay
the bills as the city is being CON
Quoted and a policy Of retronchmeni
will be put in force. Al a meeting
held yesterday afternoon four men
were taken from the street depart
ment and one from the fire depart.
ment. The commissioners questioned
the propriety of letting man off.
but Commissioner lkard agreed to
the program The expenses of the
city will he reduced 500 a month by
LETTING the men out
In the estimate made by the CITY
$500 month was allowed for sal
aries. the amount actually spent for
salaries amolntS to about S@.l00, ac-
cording 10 the figures of Finance
Commissioner Selvidge.
Mayor Dawson called the commits
siOnerS 10 order. He stated the OBJ
ieCt of The recess meeting was for
the purpose of reducing the expenses
OF the city to meet the revenues and
expressed the hope that the silent
slumbers Of the night before had
cleared their minds.
Mr. Brideman said some reductions
had TO be made
Mr. Eurntt asked the city attor-
ney if they had a right to cut the
salaries of the charter officers. A.
tornev Hefrer said it could be done
only by a voluntary REIMBURSEMENT
on the par of the officers.
Mr. lizard said his men in the po-
lice department worked 10 hours
a day. he had cut them down at the
beginning of his administration rs
low as they could be cut. he did not
think the insurance people would
stand for any more cut in the fire
department.
Mr. Bridsman said if the city could
not pay them it could not keep
them and suggested that the insnr-
ance companies. We're not running
the city
Mr. Hard said the street force
could be eliminated without severe
loss to the city, as a great deal
OF work has been dow .-' the
streets are in good condition.
Mr. Burnitt said such procedure
would he to make him the goat and
ne was going to fight it.
Mr. Ikard said the other aGmins-
tration kept three men at the station
and he kept onlj one.
Mr. Hurnitt said he was ready to
cut his department in proportion
with the others. The argument to
this was that other departments had
already been cut about as low as they
could be and to cut in proportion
to the street department would b.
unfair because a force of fifteen men
are on the pay rolls of that depart
ment.
Mayor Dawson said the salaries
had been running to about 100 per
month and would have to be cut to
$2,50C For the water department
and the street department nothing
was levied because each department
had revenues of its own. The police
he said was almost self sustaining
and the fire department has no rev
emile of any kind and must he SUI
ported out of The advalorem taxes.
Revenues from occupation taxes
amount to about $4,000 a year and
the police department receives about
500 month. There was due the
city in January about $4,000 ard
less than $1,000 had been received
and most of that was for improve
ment taxes and had to be paid out
for improvement purposes.
Mr. Bdrnitt said the commission
was guessing, and that definite fig
ures We're needed. He said he did
not believe it was necessary TO U'
very much in the expenses as the
revenues would sustain the depart
ments. He said his department had
been economizins and would rot he
eliminated except by Steam-roller
methods
The salary rolls for January wer"
approved, the reductions as above
stated were made and adjournment
was hhen. and in the meantime the
auditor will make m statement
of the expenditures of each depar'-
ment and at the next meeting a NOR"
intelligent conclusion can ne reached.
There Is some talk of placing the
street cleaning work out to the low
est bidder and this proposition may