Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-05-04
mayor BANKS VI.
TOES ORDINANCE
City Council Passes Ordinance Over
Veto-Motion Ruled Out
of Order.

There was special meeting of the
city council Friday night called by
the mayor for the purpose of pre-
senting his veto on ordinance 1884
pertaining to the adjustment of the
Office of superintendent Of light and
water in this city. After the read
ing of the veto a motion was made
and seconded to read and pass the
ordinance which had just been veto
ed over the objections of the mayor.
Upon roll call, this motion received
five ayes and two nays. The mayor
then ruled the motion was lost, up
on which the motion was made and
seconded that the clerk be directed
to certify on ordinance 1884, that the
same was passed over the mayors
veto by two-thirds vote Of the
council, to sign it as clerk, and to
publish said ordinance as provided
by law.
The mayor ruled that this motion
was out of order, but it was put to
a vote and upon roll call received
five ayes and two nays-Bossert and
Jacobson voting against it,
The council then adjourned until
Monday evening, May 3rd, at eight
O clock.
Mayor Banks veto is as follows:
To the City Council of Webster
City, Iowa:
I herewith return ordinance No.
3s4, without my approval.
In so doing I feel it incumbent
upon me to give my reasons there
for. To begin with we have an cleo
trio light and water plant owned by
III city, which is reasonably worth
$3.50, 100000 that is producing pro-
ducts which sell from $4,000 to
$4,000 per year; which is at least
more than double the amount Of
business done by these plants at the
time the council enacted the ordi-
nance proposed to be repealed. If
the electric light and water commit
tee at that time found that the work
of looking after these plants was
more than they could do, it follows
that the same result, only to great
er extent, must follow if this ordin-
ance is to prevail. I do not believe
that any member of this council, If
he had a private business of the
same magnitude, would be willing to
leave it in the hands of committee
not under bonds.
l have watched with pride and
satisfaction the growth of these
utilities, and have been pleased
with the success they have attained.
I had hoped during my administra-
ton as mayor to see their efficiency
increase and have selected super
intendent that believe would bring
about such results; and If a mistake
has been made in the selection Of an
incumbent, none will be more ready
than myself to rectify that mistake
as soon as the fact has been estab-
lished; but the appointee is entitled
to a chance to demonstrate his eff
ficiency.
If anything more were needed to
convince me that this ordinance
creating a superintendent Of electric
light and water works was for the
best interests of the city, l would
find ample proof in the high char
acter and business ability Of the
gentlemen who composed the coun-
Gil who enacted it. And also in the
almost unanimous vote Of the peo-
pie after the same had been tried,
in voting the money necessary to in
crease the plants, when asked by
the council.
Believing as / do, and as proceed
intendent of electric light and wat
er works who gives bonds is an alb
solute necessity for the protection of
the peoples property, would be re-
miss in my duty to the people who
elected me if 1 did otherwise. That
this ordinance was hastily passed
without due consideration as to its
far reaching results, firmly believe.
1T was for the purpose of stopping
hasty legislation that the veto pow
er was given the mayor. And in We
toing ordinance No. 1884, do so in
the firm belief that I am serving
Webster City's best interests.
P. M. Banks,
Mayor Of Webster City, Iowa
Dated at Webster City, Iowa, this
on&I, dow of Anil n 1Q1E