The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-03-27
LOCAL BANKS WILL
LOAN SEWER FUND
City Plans to Borrow Money
Under Special Debt Levy
Provision.

Plans are being made by Street
Commissioner y. L. Lehman and
Finance Commissioner j. Walter
Barnes to borrow from local banks
the $4,000 or $4,000 which will be
needed to lay the storm sewers ana
make the sewer and water connec.
tiors before the 100000 county paw
ing job will be started in the Fair.
mont city streets.
Mayor Anthony Bowen, Mr.. Barnes
and MIR. Lehman are all satisfied that
the new charter and other laws pass.
ed by the last state Legislature give
them ample power to push the city's
share of the big street improvement
to completion without delay, copies OF
the law covering the subject having
been received from State Tax Com
missioner Fred o. Blue last evening.
Owing to the fact that there Is no
money in the city treasury to pay for
the city's share of the proposed i'm.
provement. advantage VIII he taken OF
special law passed recently which
provides for special debt levy to
cover such emergencies.
Mr.. Barnes has outlined the tenta.
tive plans of the local board of affairs
to Mr.. Blue. whose approval is neces-
sary. Mr.. Barnes and other city OFF,
cials have expressed themselves as
pleased with Mr.. Blues attitude on
the subject. and, according to state
ment by Mr.. Barnes today, the state
tax commissioner will formally ratify
tthe tentative plans as soon as they
are presented in proper legal shape.
According to MIR. Barnes and Mr.
Lehman the special debt levy" does
not cover the cost of putting in the
new curbs. which must be paid
promptly by the property owners.
The special debt levy clause in
the state law provides for levy of
not more than 20 cents on the $100 of
assessed valuation. According to the
city officials no contracts will be let
for the street work by the city, but all
the city's part of the work will be
done by workmen employed directly
by the city. Bids are being received,
for sewer pipe, water pipe and other
material. The section of the state law
providing for special debt levy" fol.
lows:
III any county or any magisteria,
district or any school district or inde-
pendent school district or any munic-
ipal corporation have outstanding un-
paid orders on the treasury thereof,
or unsatisfied Judgments, which orders
were issued or which judgments
were recorded previous to the first
Aoy VI JuiS. tue "ueTeOl
Is SO considerable that It is impracti-
cable to discharge the same out of the
proceeds of the regular levy. and the
county court or board of education or
common council, as the case may be,
deem 1t inadvisable to submit to the
voters of the county. district or mu
nicipality the question of an addi-
tional levy as provided IN section five,
such court, board OF council may lay {.
levy in addition to said regular levy
to be called special debt levy not ex-
ceeding 20 cents on each S100 of the
valuation OF the taxable property of
the county. district or municipality. as
the case may be. according to the lasc
assessment of such property, and con-
ttnue such levy for as many years as
may be necessary to pay off such
debt. but no longer.
provided. however. that before any
such special debt levy may be laid as
provided for in this section, the same
shall be submitted to and approved by
the state tax commissioner"