Putnam patriot., 1915-02-19
ANNUAL BUDGET
Prepared By Council. Appropriations
 Reduced. Also Tax Rate
Mayor Makes Recommendation And Re.
 quests Economy

A special meeting Of the Common Council was held Monday evening for the purpose of making up the annual budget, the appropriations to be voted upon at the annual meeting the first Monday in March. The recommenda- tions made as follows: Sewer npkeep s300; city clerk, S300; police, $500; city court, sl ,500; fuel and light, S250; fire department, S5,b00; city janilor, S300 street lights, $500. These amounts are all the same as last year. For city treasurer $500, an increase of S200; highway department, S3, 500, a re. duciion of S700; general expense, S6,500; :; a decrease of $500, making reduction of 5000 in the above amounts. Last year there was an appropriation of Sc 800 for paying interest and reducing the principal of the sewer debt which is not found necessary this year so that If the appropriations are voted as re- commended there will be reduction in the total money appropriated Of si0,. 800. It was recommended that a tax Of s mills be laid instead of l-2 as last year, with the same additional tax of mills for sewer debt.
 In regard to the matter of additional street lights with an all night service and the matter of more police the council do not recommend an increased expense in these departments but it will be brought before the meeting so that the taxpayers may have chance to be heard and express their wishes concerning the matter.
 It was voted to have the Captain, Sergeant and regular Patrolman of the police department appear before the council at the next regular meeting relative to police matters and especial ly to the recent burglary at the store of Miot X Williams that an iuvestiga. tion and hearing may be had.
 Mayor Macdonald, who had not pre- pared his annual message for the first annual meeting, read the following short message to the council;
 Gentlemen of the common Council.
 For the preparation of your estimates for the annual city budget for the pre- sent fiscal year, to be presented to and acted upon by the voters of the City Of Putnam, at the city meeting to be held on the first day of March of this year, | have but few recommendations to make.
 In the matter of highways the city is probably in better condition than ever before but the paving on Main street should be continued southerly to include Union square. This is un- doubtedly our greatest need in high way matters and l urge you gentle men, to make provision for this need ed improvement as soon lis it can be done conveniently 1 recommend that in the near future some action be taken towards providing water meters for our water department in order that water assessments may be more uni form and equitable.
 Of late many petitions have been presented to the common council each requiring a slight extra expense for which no appropriation has been made. These sums, while not large in them- selves, must be deducted from the re. gular appropriations. To remedy this 1 would suggest that the appropriation of a sum to an emergency fund to de- fray unusual expenses, which are not provided for by the regular appropria- lions
 Last, and what is to me most im- portant, of all, wish to urge upon you rigid economy, not with lhe idea of dispensing with anything essential in any of the city departments, but to avoid all waste.
 The taxpapers of the city have recently been under large expense for needed improvements and now, under the present conditions, we ought to be careful of our expenses.
 In conclusion gentlemen, 1 wish to take this opportunity to thank you for your loyal support during the past year. Now that the city of Putnam has it's own water system, it's own sew CT system, a municipal building and improved streets, 1t is in better posi- ton, in my opinion than ever before in it's history; and that the city of Put nam may soon enter upon such a period of prosperity as 1t is due, is my sincere wish and hope.
 Respectfully submitted,
 Archibald Macdonald, Mayor.