The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-04-17
Council Proceedings
PROCEEDINGS


Section $3.50 of the Wisconsin sta
tutes.
His Honor, the Mayor, presiding.
Present at roll call Aldermen Bay
err, Beurhaus, Cebell, Glatzel, Harte
Hence, Kalina, Kerr, Klemann, Knis-
pei, Koerner, LutOvsky, Raue Rich
ards 90; absent, COZ.
The proceedings of the preceding
session were approved.
Alderman LutOvsky presented the
following resolution:
Resolved, That the rules of proceed
ing of the common council, adopted
February q, 1908, be and the same
are hereby adopted as the rules of
this common council.
The resolution was adopted.
The council then proceeded to the
election Of a president of the council.
Upon motion of Alderman Beurhaus
the clerk was directed to cast the
derman Lutovsky. Motion carried and
Alderman Lutovsky was declared
elected to the position.
MAYORS MESSAGE.
To the Common Council of the City of
Watertown, Wisconsin.
Gentlemen: Following the usual
custom | herewith submit my inaugur-
al message | will not submit a de-
tailed financial statement Of the citys
finances as the same is on record in
the clerks office and can be studied
by the aldermen or any citizen. Our
time is $170,400 as against 1922 400
when | took hold two years ago. This
is the smallest bonded Indebtedness of
any city of the same population in the
state of Wisconsin. AS 1 stated in my
message of two years ago, the greater
caused by building the new high
school, and where can you find a Wa
tertOwn man, woman or child who is
not proud of the school? 1t has made
men out of kids, ladies out of girls
and imbued a public spirit into father,
mother and children. And has almost
landed two state championships,
namely. the high school football and
basketball championships, and | trust
that next year we will annex both
championships. The school has a re-
putation for learning second to none
in the state and | consider the same
one of the city's greatest assets.
improvements: During the past
two years we have bought and paid
for fire truck $S302.30, giving us
the very best fire truck in the state of
Wisconsin and putting the best vol
unteer fire company in position to
respond promptly to all calls in the
business district and especially in
the suburbs. | trust that we may be
able to have a paid department in the
near future. Also move the fire alarm
apparatus from the west side house
to the main station at the city hall
and eventually close the west side
station entirely. | cannot refrain from
thanking the fire laddies at this time
for their services the past two years.
The new Jail and sleeping rooms for
the firemen cost $4022.97. This was
ordered by the Board of Control and |
regard the money as we'll spent al
though the Jail proper has been used
but very little We bought a new police
motorcycle that cost the city $3.50
net. The police department has been
efficient at all times almost without
exception.
The improvements for the ensuing
year are the repairing of Main street
from Montgomery street to Fifth
street, including six danger posts, at
an estimated cost of $4,000. Also the
Improvement of the Coffee road at
an estimated cost of $500 Owing to
the high cost and scarcity of oil many
streets that were oiled last year will
not be oiled this year unless condi-
lions change in the near future.
We have taken up the matter of
laying the wires underground with
both the Telephone company and Elec-
trio company Both claim after the
close of the war they will take down
the unsightly posts, using the side
streets to lay their underground
wires.
The chief of police and the police
and fire commissions gave me their
hearty support in all matters The
gas rates have been raised twenty
cents per thousand during the present
year and although a protest was made
against the raise the rate commission
decided against the city
Salary raises to the amount of $3.50
have been granted for the coming
year. The public servants Of the city
of WATERFOWL have been working at
a low wage and [ believe the raise in
each and every instance justifable
The city sealer's raise was advocated
by the Business Mems association
and his work merits the raise.
The city assessor has given me as
surance that he will abide by the
Prentiss resolution Of February 2,
1904, and keep office hours at the
city hall every day except such days
as he may be out assessing property
This will be appreciated by the peo-
pie Of WATERFOWL, especially during
tax paying time. Our assessed valua-
ton for the past year was $685., 795,
which was somewhat lower than the
previous year-a regrettable fact The
tax rate, state, county and city was
1913. Probably the lowest of any city
in the state Of over four thousand in
habitants.