The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-01-22
HIGH COST CAUSES
Sal, AIRY RAISE FOR
SEYERAlL OFFICERS
By CITY FATHERS

The city council held length!
meeting last night. the session beinl
fratght with many features Of In
terest. .sts&5 y. /. ( Il .s >ss;s2
H Starting right OF the reel, Alder
man Smart, after the reading of tn,
minutes, moved that several salarie'
OF city employees be increased. ask
ing that the salary figures b,
changed on the minutes Of the las
previous meeting. At the previous
meeting the: salaries had been SCI
by recommendation, but the resolu
tion had not been drawn for pas.
sage. and Smart argued that so Ions
,as the salaries had not been passed
upon In the prescribed resolution
they could be changed before the ap.
pr0val Of the minutes. > 4zt
h Moberg supported Smart in his
contention. 2s
!. 81 Motion il Lost.
However, had the salaries been
changed as Smart insisted could be
done, the record would not have been
OF the business transacted at the pre-.
vious meeting In question and the
minutes would have been partly OF
the previous meeting and the meet
ing held last night. , 1:. .3,4s:.5
The motion Of Smart was put af.
ter the members of the council and
the city attorney had explained that
the change could not be made and
Smart's motion was lost, Smart, Mo.
berg and Hazen voting. for it and
the rest Of the council against It.
Smith waR absent - 5t.'' -. III
rSsy eys. ya.essy sisy oS4${t}e; 1sss ssgs1t fur
ther, partial report on the report oi
Lahr stated that records showed that
the Bemtdji Townsite company owed
the citys$48, ,000 In delinquent taxes
The committees reCCniniendets tiiAt
the city buy in property at tai
sales to protect itself, the, amount
not to exceed the sinking fund.
The committee also recommended
that three citizens be appointed e
map out 8 plan OF financing the city
for the next Is years as recommend.
ed by the public examiner, and sew.
eral other recommendations were
made. Nj ,5 ....$.. 81 IN. igS-.5--,..s
Under the head Of new business
Alderman Bagley called up the
question Of changing the salaries Of
city employees which provided for in
creases. y Z .a ~. 'l@
y The salary of the chief Of police
was recommended increased from
$50 per month to 500 per month
other members Of the police force
from $50 per month to 800; truck
drivers OF the fire department 500
per month; assessor, 5000 per year;
health officer 5000 per year; water
superintendent 1925 per month; city
clerk to remain at 800 per month.
Water Clerk Raised.
The various salaries were voted
upon individually and on the salary
Of the water superintendent at $125
per month the vote was a tie. Those
voting "aye" were Smart, Moberg,
Bagley, Hazen and Phillippi.
Those voting may" were Lahr,
Backus, Larson, Joanis and Clark.
Absent, Smith. $.ar =.
Moberg then moved that the sal.
ary be placed at 800 which had
previously been thought a more cor
rect figure and the motion carried.
~ Police Get Boost.
The vote on the increase or police
salaries was then taken and carried,
the chief to draw 500 per month
and the patrolmen $50 per month.
On the question Of raising the
drivers of the fire truck, the increase
to 800 for the man in charge OF
the truck was presented and $50 for
the other driver. This was also lost
by a to vote.
It was at this point that Alder
man Hazen created laugh. He was
urging the increase for the drivers
and thought the 800 salary all
right.
II AID. Hazen Knows.
"That isn't loo much, posltlveiy
iterated Hazen. "They know all
about car. I know for they work
ed on my car" 90.
A snicker was heard and the en-:
tire council broke into a laugh,
while the audience also Joined In.
At first Hazen seemed puzzled but
soon "tumbled" and he, too, enjoyed
the joke. ~. ...
Smart argued that the drivers
were on duty IL hours per day and
that even the janit,rs Of the schools
drew more money and didn't have
much to do. ..-., 49,. --...l.
Phillippi Comes Back. ~
Alderman Phfllippi Is one Of the
janitors Of the public schools and
he took issue. 'st& -
1.-THE janitors Of the schools get
to work at o'clock in the morning
and put in about IA hours every
day." broke in the alderman. II do
more work than any driver and get
$65 per month for IT," (
Smart-"But you don't have to go
out with the truck nights"
Saws ''Wouldnt Sleep" ;,
Phillippi-'f ] did I wouldn't sit
around and sleep" ..
It was voted to raise the chief
truck driver fo &1ll0 and ON the mo.