French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1917-01-25
MAYOR BROOKS
STATEMENT
Gives the view of City Administration
over the Opera House Con-
trOyersy. 81
LET,s KEEP BROOKS"

ewes we need a school auditorium,
said Mayor C. E. Brooks to Hustler
reporter in an interview one day last
week.
.When the present city board OIL
commissioners decided TO remodel the
citv hall detail plans were sought To-
wards making new opera house
credit to the city. The curtains alone
cost in the neighborhood of $2SO ana
the finishing are. of the best oDtaln-
able for the money. AS soon as
the CITY hall was completed the mat
fer of using the opera house was
brought before the commissioners anu
an order was passed allowing the hall
FREE of charge to worthy meetings
entertainments or gatherings LOT the
benefit of the citizens. Where there
was an entrance free charged for any
local talent entertainments then
nominal rent of $40 should be col
lected. This small rent will not hardly
nav the actual cost of heating, lights,
ianitor hire and interest on the invest
ment.
1.-THE city's business is now being
conducted on a more business like
basis than ever before, in my opinion.
We have worked out system OF
charging every item spent of the peo--
pies money to the respective depart
ment for which lit was intended. For
instant the coal used for the city
prison is charged up to the prison
and the same in other departments.
At the end of month or year we have
the total of expenses and revenues
from the water, sewerage, streets and
other departments. We can tell
exactly when a department is running
at a loss or exactly the gain as the
case may be.
''The commissioners realize fully, /
think. that they are the custodians Of
the peoples property and they have no
idea of working a hardship upon any
one, especially not upon the city
schools. After all the schools and city
property are owned by one people. But
let's keep books. If the city affairs
afe not conducted on the same business
basis as private corporation, to some
extent, then things are bound to get
'fballed up" and it would be hard to
find ''heads or tails" The city school
trustee are the only ones who have
the power to borrow money for the
school The general tax fund col
Iected by the city is for certain pur-
pose and we, as your city authorities,
are compelled to stay within the law.
When the school superintendent
came before the board and asked them
for $1O0 in order that laboratory
might be equipped it could not, under
the law, grant this request. AS ind1-
ViduaI citizens know that at least
three of the commissioners and my
self made personal donations for this
cause We were in favor of it and.
willing to give our own money.
'sWhiIe the school now has small
hall in which the children can hold
1 feel that it should be
larger. I am in favor of a reasonable
increase in the school taxes in order
that our schools may be ranked as
first class high schools of North Car
DINA, but I also agree with the city
while have no vote in
the matter, unless it is a tie, that the
city opera house must be conducted
with some restrictions in order that
it may not be abused and allowed to
go to pieces as the one previous was"
said Mayor Brooks.