The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-07-15
ADJOURNED MEETING OF
THE CITY COUNCIL


the electric light situation and water
works bonds.
There were present Chairman
Hunter and Councilmen Robinson,
Roess, Fausett, Carmichael. knight,
TOlar, Bennett and Smith, full
council
The chair stated the object Of the
session and asked if any citizens
present wished to address the coun-
Gil. None responded, and he asked
for written communications. The
clerk then read the caption OF the
petition, part Of which was printed
in the Star yesterday, OF citizens pro-
testing against the city council buy
ing current from outside parties at
any price, and stated that the petit
ton contained the names Of a num-
Der of citizens of the city. The pc
tition was filed for information.
The resignation of Mr.. Joseph
Bell as assistant city recorder was
read and accepted.
Mr.. Robinson moved that the re-
port Of the light and water COM
mittee be read again. The clerk read
the report
Mr.. Knight moved that the rules
be waived and citizens invited TO
address the council, there being a
good many present Only two re-
sponded, Mr.. Meffert, who stated
that his views on the city buying
current from outside sources were
we'll known, and he was much oppos-
ed to the city buying current at all.
Mr.. d. w. Tompkins said he was
strongly opposed to the city leasing
current and wanted the people to
keep and operate their plant.
Mr.. Roess made a brief talk and
stated that the citizens seemed OPP
posed to the city buying current
and wanted to continue the operation
of their own plant, but he did not
think a petition was an absolutely
correct expression of the sentiment
of the people, as many persons sign
petitions without giving due thought
of the question at issue, and would
sign most any kind of a petition;
yet he wanted the people to have
the say in the matter and decide the
question for themselves, therefore
he would offer a motion that the
question be submitted to the people
in the form of voting for bonds to
rebuild the electric light plant or
vote to buy current outside. The
motion was seconded
Mr.. Knight offered an amendment
that the matter of buying current or
not be settled at once The motion
was seconded and the roll called, the
vote standing as follows: Ayes,
Knight, Tolar. Fausett, Carmichael;
nays, Hunter, Roess, Bennett, Robin
son, and the amendment was lost.
City Attorney F. R. Hooker drew
for Mr.. Roess the following resolu-
ton, which was read, and on roll
call adopted, all members voting for
the resolution except Mr.. Robinson,
who did not vote. Mr.. Smith, coun-
Gilman from the third ward, arrived
just before the resolution was read.
The resolution is as follows:
Whereas, 1t has become neces-
sary to either build new electric
plant or to purchase power from pri-
vate parties; and,
Whereas, The council feels that
it is proper to submit to the voters
whether the city shall build a new
plant or shall contract for supply
of power; therefore be it
Resolved by the city council of
the city of Ocala, that the mayor of
the said city is hereby requested to
call an election of the registered vot-
ers of the city of Ocala, residing in
the said city, who own real estate or
personal property of the value of not
less than two hundred dollars, locat-
ed within the corporate limits Of the
said city; said election to be held on
the 18th day of September, A d.
1914, to determine whether or not
the city of Ocala shall issue bonds
for the purpose of erecting and
equipping new electric light plant
The amount of said issue of bonds
to be SIS 900, or such an amount
thereof as may be determined to be
necessary by the council That at
the said election the said voters shall
also determien whether the city of
Ocala shall purchase electric cur
rent from private parties or not"
Mr.. Roess stated that the meeting
had been partially called to take up
the matter of water works bonds and
improving the plant, and stated that
the city was losing money on every
gallon of water it pumped at pres
ent prices with the present facilities
/