The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-08-26
Committee
oeala. Fla. August Is, 191

OcdIa, Gentlemen: We, your llgnl
and water committee, beg to attach
hereto a report showing the receipts
and expenditures Of the electric light
department for seven months from
January to July, 1914, inclusive.
This report does not start with an
inventory, neither does it end with
one. However, we are satisfied that
there would be little actual diffeg-
ence between the inventory of jan
uary 1st, and August LIST. We, there
fore, consider this report approx
mately correct for all purposes.
This report shows total expenses
during the seven months of sic.
2O1.5 to which should be added
$497 interest on bonds, and, from
this should be deducted $500, which
was transferred to another fund, and
$4,000 spent for extensions and i'm
proyements which are really
an investment, therefore amounts
to s13,99654 The total amount
charged for electricity to consumers
during these seven months was ST.
36S.50. This leaves an apparent
Iprofit. or book profit, Of $3,3S1.96
against which the city clerk informs
us there were unpaid bills on the 1st
of the month amounting approx
mately to $500. Your committee
considers this an exceptionally fine
| showing considering the low rates
enjoyed by the city of Ocala and we
think a great deal of praise is due to
your superintendent, Mr.. Caldwell.
AS stated above, total disburse-
Iments for the seven months was $16,-
| 69S54. The total charges for cur
rent sold was SIT ,36S.50, and accord
ing to this the electric light depart
,ment apparently financed itself, leav-
ing a balance of $1,170.28. A closer
investigation, however, will show
that although the plant made an ap-
/ parent profit and apparently financed
itself, when we take into considera-
ltion the collections, it has failed to
do this. The total collections for six
months amounted to $12, 831.69
Adding to this $4,000 estimated col
Elections for July bills, makes a tota'
Iof $14,8 3169, whereas, the disburse-
lments were SIC, 1884, which leaves
an apparent deficit between disburse
Iments and collections of 1868.
We call your attention to these
facts in order to show that although
the plant is apparently making
H lprofit our margin of profit on thu
Ipresent rate is so small that unles
all collections are made right up t.
date we are unable to finance our
selves. We beg to call your atten
tion to the fact that it is aibsolutel
necessary to buy another engine am
generator Immediately, to be install
ed in the plant We are daily receiv
ing applications for street light
from the dark parts of the city an
applications for new cut-ins fror
new customers, all of which requir
considerable investment. Our super
fntendent advises us that on accoun
of the increased demand some of tn
transformers are overloaded and thi
will necessitate placing additions
n transformers and the rebuilding {
some of our lines. All of the abov
\ will call for considerable capita
A which, in our judgment, cannot b
4 supplied by operating the plant 0
\ present rates. We recommend, there
\ fore, that all rates, rules and reguli
A tions with reference to the electr.
4 light department be repealed an
A that the following rates, rules an
II lregulations be adopted to be effectiv
j on September I, that is, GOVERN
electricity consumed during til
month Of September.
Rates, Rules and Regulations
The rate for Illuminating electri
ity for all services per month sha
be s cents per kilowatt hour
meter measurement. Minimum,
per month or fraction Of month Il
each and every service, a service
mean each cut-in. The rate for alte
mating current for power between Il