Palisadian., 1915-01-16
EASTERN BERGEN
COUNTY IMPROVE
MEN7 ASSOCIATION.

Officials of the Borough of Closter
led by Mayor Warren Ferdon, are
earnestly trying to make the next
meeting of the Eastern Bergen
County Improvement Association an
unusual success" said Vincent B.
Kelly, of Palisade, Secretary of the
organization, yesterday. "The meet
ing will be held in the Assembly Hall
of the Closter school on the evening
of January 21st. A town which has the
enterprise and public spirit to erect
community Christmas tree, whose
women have courage to set an ex-
ample to the Erie Railroad by wash
ing its car windows, is apt to accom-
plish what it sets out to do. 1t is
confidently expected that the meeting
at Closter will be distinct success.
Special invitations have been sent
by the Cioster Mayor and Council to
Judge William M. Seufert, whose
work for the Association is one of its
biggest assets; to Sheriff Heath, who
has been helpful in the highest degree;
to Asemblyman Agnew, who has de-
voted much time in giving valuable
aid to our cause; to Senator Hen
messy, who aided last winter in the
passage through the Legislature of
measures advocated by the Associa-
ton, and to Assemblymen Johnson
and DeYoe, who have given US loyal
support. The Civic Association and
prominent women of Closter will also
be in attendance.
Among the questions to be dis
cussed is that of assessment and col
lection of taxes, especially the powers
of the County Board. The Borough
Council Of Closter and also of Har-
rington Park have taken especial in
terest in matters of taxation, and will
no doubt have on hand representatives
who can speak convincingly on these
questions. One of the leading topics
in this connection will be the methods
of the County Board of Taxation in
overruling the work of the local As
SCISSORS, reducing of increasing valua-
tions, and making other changes with
out giving the local officials hearing
on the matter. With the members of
the Legislature present there should
be a very profitable as we'll as inter-
estlng discussion on these questions,
and plan may be adopted for the
presentation to the legislature of a
scheme for tax legislation.
while we are awaiting final de-
cision on the ferry rates and the reg
ulation of the Hackensack Water
Company, the matter of 90 cent gas
is looming up into one of great in.-
portance. Already there is promise
that the Legislature will take the
matter up. At the meeting of our
Association in Fort Lee Assemblyman
Agnew was appointed to represent
Eastern Bergen at the hearings be-
fore the courts and the Public Utili-
ties Commission. He has been doing
this effectively. Meanwhile Senator
Pierce of Union County has been
studying the matter with a view to
Legislative action. He proposes a bill
that will fix the rate at 90 cents,
without waiting for the matter in its
present form to be threshed out in the
courts. He also proposes in another
bill to obviate the question as to the
value of franchises, on which point
the Court of Errors and Appeals
overruled the finding of the Public
Utilities Commission.
"The report of Assemblyman Ag-
new on the gas matter at the next
meeting should be of the highest i'm
portance.
cat the meeting in Closter officers
of the coming year will be elected.
Final steps will also be taken for the
introduction of the interlocking police
system. All but four of the Bor-
oughs have named the Peace officers
who will attend the first conference
at Hackensack on date to be named
by Sheriff Heath. With the plans so
well advanced, there can be no doubt
that the real work of securing better
police protection through the co-opera-
tion of the boroughs and the sheriff
is at last about to begin.
"The outlook for the coming year is
particularly bright 1t is probable
that one or two more boroughs will
join the Association within a very
short time, raising the number to
eighteen. There is a chance that be-
fore the year is out that all the
twenty-one Eastern Bergen commune
ties will be banded together in this
great civic organization.