Evening journal., 1914-02-13
COUNCIL BALKS
ON EXTRA MONEY
FOR SECRETARY

City Council last evening received
resolution recently adopted by the
Board OF Public Utility Commission
ers. requesting that Council pay to
Herman b. Bothum, private
secretary to Mayor Howell the
sum OF IS for each days
attendance TO the meetings OF
the board. The resolution stated that
Mr.. Bothum had been serving In the
capacity Of secretary TO the board for
two years without pay and expressed
the opinion that he Is entitled 10
some remuneration for his services.
Colonel Stover first moved that the
resolution be referred TO Council as O
committee Of the whole but several Of
the members stated that they were
ready TO vote upon it at once. In or
der to bring It before the meeting, Mr..
Stover moved that the request be grant
ed
Councilman Draper referred to the law
creating the Board Of Public Utility
Commissioners TO show that Mr. Bothum
was already receiving al the remunera-
tiOn be WAS entitled 10 from the city.
lie mentioned that Mr.. Bothum was re-
ceiving siOOO from the city for his
services as the mayors secretary, and
stated that he had plenty of time on
his hands AIR. Draper said be has been
in City Hall as late as 10 o'clock I'M the
morning and the mayors secretary had
not appeared. while several persons had
been there inquiring for him. lie stated
] that he had also been there In the ai-
/ tenoon when MIR. Boihum was not in
the oilicc. Mr. Draper quoted from Che
Law TO show that when the mayors sec
rotary is not busy he is supposed 10
help the clerk OF Council. who usually
has lots of work on hand. yet he said
| Mr.. bothum, when requested 10 do
something by the clerk of Council, was
always too busy. Mr.. Draper said that
several weeks ngo Che clerk of Council
had several ordinances 10 copy, In addi'
! tion TO his regular work. so that each
member of Council could have a copy
of the ordinance, and had asked Mr.
Bothun TO help him with the work, but
the latter was too busy.
II might ask where he spends the
most of him time. but / viii refrain
from this" Alr. Draper concluded.
Councilman McGoldrick stated that
every man Is worthy OF his hire, and
that the mayors clerk Is worth his,
as he averages about three hours a
day I'm the office. Mr.. McGoldrick
said he had devoted considerable OF
his time I'm the clerk Of Councils
Office recently. and has had plenty Of
] opportunity 10 note the hours Mr..
I EOthum spends I'm his office. He de-
clared that it was his honest opinion
I that Mr.. Bothum did not spend more
/ than three hours a day IN the office.
Mr.. McGoldrick mentioned that the
mayors secretary is supposed 20 help
the clerk OF Council ami stated that DE
had frequently seen The latter rushed
with work. but received no help from
the secretary. He considered the secre.
tary well paid at $1,000 year. and
stated that ii the official was not salts.
fed with that he, Mr.. McGoldricl. would
be glad 60 take the position.
/ Councilman Hancy moved that the
matter be deferred for q couple Of week.
ont of courtesy to the Utility Board. anc
Preferred the matter 20 the committee oI
the whole. The other motion was ther
withdrawn and the matter referred e
the committee of the whole.