Putnam patriot., 1917-03-09
RAISES RECOMMEND APPROPRIATIONS
Annual City Meeting Increases Bud-
 get by Three Thousand Dollars
4 Better Lighting System, All Nigas Lights, and Better Police Protection Will
 Result

By appropriating 5000 more than the common council asked for to cafry on the city's business for the next fiscal year the fifty or more electors as- semoled tn annual city meeting Mon- day morning made it possible for the city to have an all night lighting sys- tenn every night in tho year, a better lighting system in the business see ton of the city until ten or eleven o'clock at night, and better police pro. lection by the addition of sn extra night patroiman.
 The extra appropriation made a tax of eight mills for general expenses neo- essary m addition to the; two mill sewer tax, ten mills in all, m increase of a mill over last year. There was little opposition and 1t was apparent that the voters deemed the expendt- lures justified in view of the present situation.
 When the appropriation of $4,l0e. recommended by the council for the police department was resehed, which was an increase of $400 over last year to take care of the To per cent. in- crease in salaries voted by the council, Byron D, Bugbee made motion that the amount be raised to $5,l00. In support of his motion MT. Bug. bee said that he thought that a police man should be kept on duty In ths business section at all times. He said that the present position of the city is "ridiculous" and a "lnughing stockn of other cities. He said that one man could not adequately patrol the whole business section and that for at least I an hour in the middle of the night tho business section Is left wholly unpre- | tected making II possible for anyone so inclined to come in here and stenl whatever might take his fancy. 1 The motion was unanimously car. ried.
 l When the matter of street lights came up MT. Bugbee again mndc me- ton increasing the amount recom- mended by the council, $5,70O, ls S7,700. In support of this motion he said that the business section of the city is "like grave yardn and that we are the "laughing stock" of people coming in here at night because the central part of the city is not properly lighted. He thought that during the early hours there should be more lights, that might be turned off at ten or eleven o'clock, and that the rest of He thought there should be moro lights from the square to Bridge street and from Cargil Falls to South Main street.
 IL was voted that the S7,7O0 be ap- propriated, $6, TOO for an all night ser vice and Si 900 for additional lights ia the business section. There was but one dissenting vote.
 Other appropriations were made in accordance with the councils recom- mendations as follows: Fire depart ment, $5 800. $500 to be used to pay in- terest and part Of the principal on the special appropriation of $l 300 made to purchase motor driven fire truck. City court, $l,600, highway depart ment, $3 300, sewer upkeep, $500, gen. eral expenses, s 900, city clerk, $30s. city treasurer, $500, interest accounts 1 8, 500, janitor, $360, fuel. and light, $250, to pay interest .and reduce prin- cipal on debt l9l5.l6 special street ap. propriation, $l 800.
 l After laying the tax, authorizing its collection on or before July lst, and authorizing the council to borrow suf- ficient money to pay expenses until the tax Is collected the meeting ad- journed.
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