Evening journal., 1914-06-16
SAYS editor saw
WRONG Ordinance
Assistant Treasurer Says
June Payroll May Be
Paid in June
NOT AN ILLEGAL
ACT, HE DECLARES


day, criticizing the financial triumph
Of City Council in finishing the
present fiscal year without a deficit
stated that the editorial was based on
a law passed thirty-nine years ago, to
which an amendment has been added.
legalizing the action which the Ev-
cry Evening criticizes. According to
Mr.. Alexander, the writer of the edi-
torial did not fully investigate the
case, and, therefore, based his infor-
nation upon the law as passed thirty
nine years ago, without considering
the amendment passed by City Coun-
Gil on December %, 1910.
To substantiate his contention, Mr.
Alexander handed a reporter of THE
EVENING JOURNAL a copy of the
amendment together with the min
utes of the City Council at the time
the ordinance was passed.
The point raised by the Every
Evening is that the city payroll for
the month of June can not be legally
passed until Thursday, July 2, and
could not be paid until Tuesday, july
z. According to the Every Evening,
Colonel Stover, chairman of the fl
nance committee of the City Council.
NNAAA hR ARAAc ANA AAAN6aA a1A II nG
paid the June pay roll this month,
and thus have the city start its fiscal
year, on July /, with a clean slate.
Under the construction put on the old
law by the Every Evening, the pay
roll for June, the last month of the
fiscal year, would have to hang over
until the first month of the new fis-
cal year. Referring to the law the
Every Evening says:
IF Mr.. StOver will study the city or
dinance book, latest issue, he win find.
on pages 6l5-6l6. AN Ordinance Great
ing a Payroll System for the Govern
ment of Various Departments of the
City of Wilmington. He will learn from
this ordinance that in respect of the
June payroll which he contempates
having charged to this years cash ac-
count, the payroll of each month is not
lawfully payable until the month fol-
lowing. 1t is the duty of the clerk of
City Council, under this ordnance to
make out the payroll for city officials
on the last Thursday in each month
and refer it to the finance committee.
1t is the duty of the finance committee,
if it shall find the payroll correct, to
report with approval to the Council on
the following lhursday night, and then
it is the duty of the Council to pass it.
Also, he will see that the salaries con-
tanned therein are not payable until the
following Tuesday. Thus, this months
payroll may not be legally passed until
Thursday, July ?, or paid until Tuesday,
July T."
''Evidently the writer of the editor
ial was unaware that City Council
amended the ordinance which he cites, -
said Mr. Alexander today, "and that
this amendment was designed to permit
Just what the editor of the Every
Evening declared the Old ordinance does
not permit" Mr.. Alexander said that
under the amended ordinance the pay
roll shall be given to the financial COM
mittee of Council on the third Thursday
of the month. II can be passed on the
fourth Thursday of the month by City
Council and orders drawn in favor of
those named in the payroll can be de-
livered at the office of the city treas
urer on the first secular day of the fol
lowing MONTH
The amendment and the minutes of
City Council one the subject follow:
IAN ordinance to amend an ordin-
ance entitled, an ordinance creating
a nay roll system for the government
of various department Of the city of
Wilmington
BE It ordained by the Council.
Section l. That the ordinance pass
ed the twenty-third dty of March, A
A. 1871, being "An ordinance creating
a pay roll system for the government
of the various department of the City
of Wilmington" be amended by strik
ing out all Of Section of said ordln-
ance, and inserting in lieu theerof
new section as follows;
Section 3. The Clerk of the Council,
shall on the third Thursday of each
month, make out or cause to be made
out. a payroll containing all of the
names of all the salaried officers Of the
city government, members of the Coun-
( ell and Board of Health, and the names
of all the employees of Department OF
/ Engineering and Surveying, who shall
be paid monthly. their position and the
amount due each one named on said
/ payroll, and submit the same to the
finance committe and if said committee
endorse the said payroll as correct, the
clerk shall cause the same to be read
at the next regular meeting of the Coun-
ell. and If Council so direct. the said
clerk shall draw orders in favor of the
] luAAlfr 80 NNiiNU NH Ait 7hAN lNNA'A
said orders TO be delivered to the re.
spective parties named therein, at tho
office of the City Treasurer, on the first
secular day of the following month
provided that in the month of December
the Clerk of tho Council shall make out
a payroll as aforesaid and submit the
same TO the finance committee on tn,
second Thursday of said month, and il
said committee endorse the said payroll
as correct. the clerk shall cause the
same to be read at the next regilai
meeting of the Council. and if counci
so direct he shall draw the orders in
favor of the parties so named on sal,
payroll. which orders shall be deliyercl
to the respective parties named therein
at the said office of the City Treasurer
on the twenty-third DAY of said month
Provided Further, That in ,h'
month Of December A. ID. 1910, the
foregoing provisions as to the timl
of the presentation of the nay rol
to the finance committee. its endorse
ment thereof and its passage by th'
Council shall not apply. but orders
heretofore or hereafter drawn il
favor of the parties named IN thl
pay rolls heretofore or hereafter
PASSED by the Council in the montl
last aforesaid shall be delivered {,
, the respective parties named in sais
orders at the office of the city treas
urer on the twenty-third day Of thl
month last aforesaid.
Passed at the CITY Hall Decembel