Norwich bulletin., 1917-06-12
CITY TREASURER'S SALARY Sl,5OO
Mayor Recommends That Vote Reducing $500 be Re scindedAStreet Commissioners Salary Increased Twen ty-6ve Dollars Month-Common Council Organizes and Makes Various Appointments.

| lyn L. Brown, the new court of com mon council at its organization meet 1 ing in the council chamber on Mon day evening rescinded the action taken by the previous council in regard to the reduction of the city treasurer salary from s1,500 to $500. In mak- ing the recommendation the mayor said he felt that it was his duty to
 do so The question is one of judg-
 ment or opinion only and not mat ter of principle, he said. Were 1t the
 latter the majority opinion would not change my recommendation one way
 or the other
 The council also voted a s25 a month
 increase for Street Commissioner
 George F. Fellows, this making his
 salary $50 a month. Street Commis-
 sioner Fellows, Fire Marshal Howard L. Stanton and Aubrey W. Jarvis. su-
 perintendent of cemeteries, were re- appointed.
 The meeting was called to order
 shortly after o'clock by Mayor Al lyn L. Brown. The members of the council were shown to their desks by Sheriff W. J. Fitzgerald and after they had all been seated Mayor Brown swore in the new members.
 The minutes of the previous meet ing took the usual course.
 City Clerk J. A. Desmond then read the return of publication of the f. nance committees report of the esti- mated receipts and expenses and the return was accepted
 Mayor Welcomes New Members.
 Mayor Brown then addressed the council as follows:
 At this first council meeting of the city's new year, I desire to extend welcome to the newly elected mem bers. While the council for this year politically speaking, is divided and there may be differences of opinion, a is often the case, I hope neverthe less that all will seek the same end, which is to serve the c1ty's best in- terests at all times. The oath which we have all taken to faithfully dis charge the duties of our office accord ing to our best skill and judgment" binds us to this course of action. trust, therefore. that the relation in this body for the coming year will not only be friendly. but also such as to best serve the people whom we rep resent.
 The Treasurer's Salary.
 There is but one matter which I desire to specifically call to your at tention at this time. This relates to the salary of the city treasurer. As is known to all, at council meeting held shortly before the candidates for the office of city treasurer were noni- mated, prior to the last city election, recommended to the council that the salary of the treasurer be reduced for the coming year to $500, from $500, and that the sum of $15 per week be allowed for clerk hire instead of S6 per week as heretofore. the balance of the clerks former pay of s7 per week having been paid by the treasurer out of his salary. This recomm endation was not made because of any per sonal feeling upon my part, or through any desire to impose upon anyone. It was made because upon considering the work done in the treasurer's office as 1t has been done, and further the salaries paid in other cities of the ta yap 1o lii city. it seemed to me for the best in- terest of the city as a whole, and fair to any newly elected monument of this office. to reduce the salary on the common council agreeing with this view saw fit to pass a resolution to carry out the recommendation made.
 Majority Prefer No Reduction,
 From the action taken in the annual city meeting, However, in raising the estimates for salaries in such a way as to provide for the expenditure un- between the former salary and the salary of the city treasurer, and because of the sentiment which seems to have been quite generally am satisfied that a majority of the people of the city prefer to have the same salary paid to the treasurer as heretofore, and the situation to remain as previously.
 This being the fact. I feel that it is my duty to recommend that the reso- ution above referred to. reducing the salary. be rescinded. The question is one of judgment or opinion only, and Tot only a matter of principle Were 1 1t the latter the majority opinion l would not change my recommenda- 1 ton one way or the other, but since l t is the former I believe that, not | the fact the ma jority of ! he in Si Gt ner view upon this question, it would | DC unfair to do this. While we are given | some power by the office which we | lold, I am satisfied, where only a | ow so far as we may correctly ascer l ain it, the wish Of the majority of | he citizens of the city. I therefore | nope that if the council feels that the | his salary stand as heretofore, the | -ote referred to will be rescinded, and | he matter thus disposed of for the | resent year.
 Rules of Order Adopted.
 Resolutions were then adopted as o1lows:
 That the rules of order followed last 5ear be the rules Of order during the l year.
 That the mayor and treasurer be to issue notes or certif- ,ates of indebtedness to be signed by | hem for such amounts and at such 1 imes a they deem necessary to raise l money in anticipation of the collection ! f city taxes and other receipts for he payment of current and other ex- 'enses of .ile city and principal and l interest on loans.
 That the clerk be au authorized to ,rocure stationery necessary for the 1 se of the common council and have printed fifty copies of the roll of members, standing committees and i AIi ,fee-{ anne to be printed in full in the Jour ai.
 That the clerk be instructed to sub l nit to all local printers equipped for | he work, specifications for the print | ng of the Journal for the coming l ear for the purpose of securing seal d bids to be opened by the mayor on
 day designated by him the contract or the printing to go to the lowest idder
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