Smyrna times., 1918-03-27
COUNCIL SEEKS EXPENSE
BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR
FIXING OF TAX RATE TO FOL-
LOW REPORT ON TOWNS NEEDS
Tax Rate and Electric Light Meter Rate
May Have to be Raised Owing to
Greatly Increased Expenses

loA SCOoAOu SNSulIS Will resi-
dent L. M. Price and a full quorum |
present. The first thing was the an
ne ncuncement of standing committees
for the ensuing year. President
Price named the following: Light
and Water Committee-H. B. Grieves,
chairman, S. A. Fortner and John E.
Wilson; Opera Houses. A. Fortner,
chairman, Thomas Jefferson. and H.
B. Grieves. Finance Charles B.
Swain, chairman, Thomas Jefferson
and W. F. Keith Auditing-W. F.
Keith, chairman, ]. E. Wilson and
Charles 2. Swain. Street Committee
the whole Council, each member to
look after the needs of his own dis
trict. Sewer-J. E. Wilson. chair
man. S. A. Fortner, w. F. Keith.
In naming the above committees Pres
ident Price, who is a member ex-
officio of all committees, made each
Councilman the chairman of one com
mittee and member of at least two
or three committees.
Street Supervisor Turner Asks Increase
Street Supervisor Benjamin W.
Turner, appeared before Council with
the plea that the cost of keeping a
team and of labor he furnishes made
his salary inadequate to meet the de-
mands of the present high prices for
everything and asked for an increase.
In addition to Mr.. Turner, two other
town officials asked for a raise The
requests were laid on the table indef-
nitely or until the Finance Committee
made its report of the budget needed
to carry on the expenses for another
year. The subject of street work and
, hauling was, however, discussed at
length. 1t was decided to go into the
matter more systematically and to de-
fine the duties of the street supervisor
J and town hauler and to this end S.
/ A. Fortner, John E. Wilson and
Charles B. Swain were appointed a
J special committee to see what was
needed and to define the specific duties
of this important position. Some
members of Council were of the opin-
ion that after the duties were clearly
: defined, the work should be put out at
: bid. but whether it will be done in
e this case was not definitely decided.
:. Taxes May Have to be Raised
With the demand of town EN-
ployees for increases and the un
certainty of the higher prices of Goa
and other material, Council is con
fronted with a serious proposition q
the time draws near for fixing the ta1
2, rate for the ensuing year. Som,
members have already figured tina
the tax on realestate will have to b.
2, increased from 43c to so: on tn
hundred dollars and others say tina
the electric light rate will have to b
raised from SC to 10c per k. W
10 The town must have more revenue t
carry on the expenses of the year an
make improvements on streets and a
the electric light plant, necessary
One member was even in favor of tax
ing dogs but when this much moote
dog question was raised, the old mem
bers smiled, but were willing to accep
anything really tangible that wOul
solve the perplexing problem that ha
worried former town administrations
If reliable dog catcher could be sc
9. cured to impound or exterminate dog
without fear or favor. the questio
could be easily handled.
Frazier Street Residents Petition
President L. M. Price, on behalf {
the constituents of his district, sui
D. mitted a petition signed by A free
holders and residents of said distric
asking that Frazier street be grade
and widened from Delaware street I
Main. The petition contained I'll
names. of nearly every resident of IL
n. Second District and was such as
carry weight and influence with q
members of Council. On motion
/. Councilman Jefferson a committee
three composed of l.. Nj. Price,
tt. A. Fortner and John E. Wilson wei
appointed to estimate cost, asse
ter damages, and to confer with Mr.
,g- Sara T. M. Farrell, whose propert
will be most affected by the widenir
m. of said street and to report at ne,
meeting of Council.
Many Pavements in Need of Repair
4 The complaint about bad pavemen
all over town is reaching Council al
it was agreed that each Councilm,
should go over his own district no
the repairs needed and to report
next meeting when the usual sod
- notice will be authorized according
law. One bad case was ordered fixe