The Mena weekly star., 1919-12-04
ALL BUSINESS At
/ COUNCIL SESSION
II W. CardweIl's Proposition to Sell
Sewer System, Rentals at Present
Rate to Pay for Same, 1t Is Claim
ed-Supt. DuganRe Resigns.

LHIlCC W tiAC N1NAN~A9 Va AANAet WN~'
B taken at the regular monthly meeting
Of the city council Tuesday night
First the aldermanic body accepted
& without debate the resignation Of
George Duganne as superintendent of
The water works. The resignation will
take effect December 15, and was ac-
eepted without dissenting vote.
Equally unanimous was the decis-
ion to accept H. w. Cardwell's propo-
sition for changing the ownership Of
the sanitary sewer system from pri-
yate to municipal.
Il Initial steps for taking over the
sewer system we're taken at an adj
journed session of the council held on
Wednesday morning. The matter of
securing successor to Superintend-
ent Duganne will be disposed Of be-
tween now and the 10Th 10Th.
I'd Mr.. Cardwell. who came over from
# Oklahoma City Tuesday afternoon,
submitted in person at the council
meeting, proposition which embod-
ied the following points
"After consideration Of the best in
II #terests of the city of Mena, believe
the course to pursue is to create an
Improvement district, including in
that district all that part of the city
of Mena now covered by the present
sewers, and all that part of the city
desiring sewers.
Il am submitting a plat of the city
showing the present lines and the pro-
posed lines that | think would be to
Fl the best interests Of all interested to
Z install.
"These lines that ! propose as ex-
tensions are to serve property owned
by people that in the main have re-
quested that make extensions to
reach their property. The price made
you on the plant is it now stands is
Il S28,s00. My estimate on the extern
sions as outlined is $1,000, making a
total Of $4,000.
I'm making the estimate for these
extensions have not figured anything
for my own time in doing the en-
gineering, nor have figured any pro-
fit on labor or material, but will put
these extensions in at actual cost, all
labor and invoices to be paid by some
representative of the city, and all that
! would receive would be the railroad
fare that would have to pay in
about two trips from Oklahoma City
to Mena, which expense would not ex-
ceed $50. Iwould in making these ex-
tensions send to Mena Ernest Voers-
ter, whom you all know, and who has
been in charge of my sewer construc-
tion work for more than ten years.
His salary would be $3.50 per month,
which is just what ! am paying him at
this time.
Il agree to take the So bonds of the
sanitary sewer improvement district
at par. The entire bond issue can be
retired. together with all interest, in
Is years without one cent of tax being
levied on the property in the above
mentioned district, the city to collect
sewer rental on the basis of the rates
now charged"
As the sentiment of the council was
for the acceptance Of the Cardwell
proposition, it being believed that a
majority of the property owners with
In the district desire the city to own
the sewer system, an adjournment was
taken until 11:30 o'clock Wednesday,
to accept the initial petition and pass
the first ordinance required to create
the improvement district.
Final acceptance of the entire prop
osltlon rests upon the property owners
within the district A majority in
values is required to make it valid.
The resignation of Superintendent
Duganne brought bit of dramatics to
the staid council proceedings. Oscar
Afford appeared before the city
fathers and voiced grievance he had
with Superintendent Duganne over the
location of a water meter box on the
Afford property on South Ninth street.
IL seems that the two men could or
would not agree to having the box put
IN the same place, and Superintendent
Duganne refused to turn on the city
water unless the box was placed where
ne designated.
During the debate, which was heat
ed at times, Afford stirred things up
applying what Roosevelt termed "the
short and ugly word" to Duganne. The
councilmen apparently sympathized
with Afford, and upon motion by All
derman Baker ordered the water
turned on without changing the loca-
tion OF the meter box. When he found
tne council about to decide against
MIN, the waterwork's head arose and
announced they could have his resig-
nation.
alderman Baker moved to accept it
ihstanter, but after due deliberation it
was decided to make the resignation
enective the 18th. The acceptance
was unanimous.
before the monthly session was over
tne council submitted a proposition to
". B. Caraway Of Alma, Ark, who
wants to buy some of the deer in JAMS
sen Park One lone swan was listed
- .ne park pets to be sold.
a resolution was also adopted for
eae collection Of costs from property
owners for the building Of the new
avenue.
Inc matter of declaring the Office of