The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1917-05-17
Property Owners Object to Paying for
Street improvement Before
the Job is Finished

The improvement is being made up
on the immediate payment plan and
the whole assessment falls due May
26 and if not paid by that time a five
per cent penalty is attached. The
property owners didn't object to pay
ing for the Improvement but they did
not feel that they should be compelled
to dig down in their pockets and make
full payment before the work was
completed. In short they felt that the
council had balled things all up in the
manner of handling the Improvement.
In reply to the objections City At
torney F. R. Jeffrey explained that
the city officials had nothing to do
with the manner of payment, but that
they were following the method pro-
vided by state law. The statute pro-
vides that under the immediate pay
ment plan the money must be paid in
before the work is completed, and
neither is the penalty optional with
the city as the state law makes it
mandatory that minimum penalty of
five per cent be charged for non-pay-
ment. sifsss,4 Al ilDs jtpaF
Mr.. Jeffrey contended that the inn
mediate payment plan instead Of work.
ing hardship on the property owner,
in reality saved him money. The en-
tire cost Of the improvement must be
paid for by assessments against the
property. If warrants are issued to
meet demands as they arise interest
must be charged on these warrants
and this interest must be paid by the
property owners. If the contractor is
made to wait for his pay until the job
is finished then he must figure interest
on the money that he will have to ad-
vance to keep the work going and this
interest must be added to his bid and
be finally paid by the property owner.
The city's contract with w. A. Mo-
rain provides that he be paid 80 per
cent Of the amount due him as shown
by estimates Of the city engineer from
time to time as the work progresses.
The remaining 20 per cent is Withheld
until the job is completed and finally
accepted by the city. This method
OF payment is also required by state
law.
In answer to the complaint that the
contractor had suspended work on the
streets until he could finish a contract
Kahlotus, the city attorney explain
ed that the suspension of work was not
Que to the dilatory methods Of the con-
tractor but to weather conditions. The
oil cannot be applied to the streets
Until the weather warns up and there
Is but little likelihood of rain. 1t was
understood before the work started
tnat the contractor was to grade the
streets and assemble the gravel before
the high water season and that oiling
was to be delayed until hot weather.
Inc contractor has followed the plan
which the city intended to follow had
tne work been done by force account,
so the blame, if any there be, belongs
70 the weather man, the Columbia riv-
er' the city council-and not to the con-
tractor.
MIR. Morain's contract calls for COM
pletlon Of the work July 1 and mem
pers OF the council say they are op-
posed to an extension of time unless
weather conditions are such that the
0'i cannot be applied.
Inc explanatins of the city attorney
ano council cleared up many of the
property owners misgivings and the
saiiers left in a much less turbulent
state OF mind than they came.
- To Improve Front Street u Y
After the city fathers had listened