Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-03-07
FLOOD OF BILLS CALLS.
FOR INVESTIGATION
Aldermen Called on to Pay Much
Money for Services Supposedly
Rendered the City-Electric
Light Departments Affairs
Discussed at Length.

OlSCuSSeO ~ AeN&tN.
The last regular meeting Of the pres
ent board Of aldermen was held last
evening and large amount Of miscel-
ieaneous business was disposed of, al.
though no big steps were taken in
view of the short time which elapses
before the new members come into Of
flee.
A discussion OF the electric light de-
partments AFFAIRS took up some time
but no definite action was taken. A
communication from the commission
ers was read in which an increase Of
salary to $4,000 was recommended for
Superintendent Bedding. Although no
recommc ndations we're made the COM
missioners spoke Of making a new con-
tract for power. The communication
stated that II a ten-year contract could
be drawn, several better arrangements
than existed now could be obtained.
committee Of three wiii be appointed
to investigate matters and report at
the next meeting. It will be requested
that the commissioners be present at
this meeting so they can be consulted.
The matter of increasing Mr.. Belongs
salary was left to the Anance commits
tee of the board.
A petition was read from Mrs. Jes-
lie Taylor asking that her assessment
for sewer on Ledge road be reduced.
The petition sets up that the sewer was
of no benelt to the petitioner. The
petition was accepted and a committee
will be appointed to investigate this
matter.
A petition was read from members
of Stannard Post. who occupy the sec
ond floor of Stannard Memorial Hall.
They complain of the present heating
| apparatus in the building and ask that
n new plant be installed or that the
building be connected with the heating
apparatus Of the city hall. which was
installed with that In view No action
was taken but the expense Of such an
| undertaking will be investigated. The
| saving in coal in Memorial hall, with
the expense of janitor service, might
be great enough to warrant such a
step as a measure of economy.
Much business of a routine character
was done. 1t was voted to authorize
the city treasurer to borrow $4,000 for
the accrued and accruing debts of the
city. It was voted to spend the thou
! sand dollars which is required to be
expended on streets in order to get aid
| from the State. Alderman Luck and
| others thought that the bills presented
for payment should be investigated thor
! oughly. The o. c. Stacy Livery company
| presented a bill for more than 500 and
1t was thought large in view Of the
| automobile and other equipment possessed
by the city. Another Dil which was out
Of the ordinary in size was that pre-
| sented for polling booths. The bill Of
]. l.. Bergeron & Sons for building the
| booths was about $500. 1t was necessary
at the last election to build many extra
booths on account Of the large number
| Of names on the list. With no intention
Of disputing the payment Of the bill,
Alderman Woodbury. inquired II an order
| for the expenditure Of a sum Of money
| larger than SIS could be issued for ma
| terials without the consent Of the board.
! 1t developed that the Bergeron concern
had been placing the booths at election
| time for many years. long before one
member of the concern was on the board,
so that there being a representative on
| the board Of aldermen had nothing to do
with placing the order The election was
| more expensive than usual in many other
| ways Many more ballots than usual
| were needed and the cost Of elections, like
everything else, has increased.
The New England Telephone and Tele-
graph company asked that authority be
given them and the Burlington Light &
Power company to charge one-half the
cost Of repairs to the other as they are
Joint owners Of the poles on Decatur and
Bay View streets. The city has the use
Of the top gain and the companies keep
the poles up. City Attorney Peck ex-
planned that the manner in which the petit
ton was made out was faulty and it
was moved that the telephone people be
told of that fact so the board could 20
ahead.
l far n1n Arso It~t.A T.
front Of 81 Bissell street was presented,
and the request will be investigated by
Aldermen Bergeron. Caisse and Bessett
BILLS PAID.
Tho principal bills ordered paid were as
follows: Electric light department, Feb
ruary statement, $6.4447l; fire department,
February statement S527.22; fire depart
ment, February payroll. Sl,s39.47; charity
department. February statement. $1.5sS73;
water department, February statement.
$3.os25s; library department, February
statement. &346S3; police department.
February statement. $oO.25: police depart
ment, February payroll. Sl,9S8.45; street
lights for February. $.767.5o; Mrs. Jennie
| Delorme. matron at rest room, SIS; J. A.
Gassett, papering and painting assessors
office. $5577; T. s. Peck Insurance agency,
$f97: F. S. Lanou a. Son. repairs, $27.49;
work at city dump. az: d. J. Ennis. health
officer. salary. SCI: Barnet Frank. health
officer. salary and expenses. $lsl.05; cleo
ton officers. s23i: Alfred Rose G. Co..
auditing $500 for services and 1894 "a for
travelling and hotel expenses. a total Of
s76i.o4: water for city hall and and Memo
rial hall. 5000: Free Press association.
supplies for city clerks Office. 1886: J. s.
Denning. constable. s25; Charles Whitney,
|
citation. printing voting lists. etc. $751;
John Hcbert, work on check list. $50: T.. II.
McCale. collecting garbage during Feb
| r,,a