The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-01-31

/
and are direct result of intelligent analysis
OF the problems involved, and Of hard ana
| diligent labor applied toward their solution.
| This year marked the inauguration OF u
new system in the health department IN tnat
matters relating to the department are nam
| died through the district health officer, m
stead of through local health officer. This
has been found to work out in very Fatis-
factory manner. indeed, much better man
we had expected when the system was iirst
started. The health committee and the local
| board of health have worked in close co-op-
Grafton with the health officer and have
succeeded in improving sanitary condiuohs
to a remarkable degree. The passage OF the
ordinance requiring all milk that is sold IN
the city to be from tuberculin tested cows
has made an advancement of which We
should be indeed proud. Commendatofy let-
tiers that have been received from healtn
officials all over the country have testihed
as to the advisability Of the action and
have proved our claim of being progressive
and up-to-dato community.
When we took up the work of 1918, 1t
was with the feeling that the war being
settled, everything would work back to nor
NAL conditions at an early date and expenses
could be cut that reduction could be
made in the tax rate, but what everyone
expected did not materiallLe. and the past
year has witnessed a steady increase IN the
price of all materials and more especially IN
the cost of labor, which had not been
keeping up with the cost OF hv-
ing By reason OF these conditions y hs.
not been possible to realize how fully the
hopes with which we began the year. Dur
ing the past year there has been retired
$4,000 of Lincoln school bonds Sbh5o0 81
refunding bonds $4,000 Of water bonds.
above the $4,000 paid yearly by the water
department; $1,000 Of paving notes ; $4,000
of notes issued in anticipation OF water
bonds and $1,000. the balance of the eerne-
terry trust funds, which the city has been
refunding yearly for q number Of yenrs.
These funds are now earning enough TO take
care Of all the expense coming under ths
trust agreements. No bonds were issued
during the year on account OF the unfavor-
able conditions of the money market Dur
ing 1920 s25 600 water bonds will have to
be paid, and $4,000 Of this will have TO be
refunded. there will only be $4,000 n
the sinking fund. III the city votes TO build
bridge on South Main. and extend the
paving TO the bridge, bonds will have to be
issued for that, also to refund or care Tor
the $4,000 note issued 1919 in anticipation
Of the issue of refunding bonds authorized.
This will entail an additional annual expense
for interest but If the projects outlined are
to be carried out, It is the only way TO
finance them, as it would be impossible to
finance them from taxation, even at the
high rate anticipated for 1920. Neither
would it be fair to fix all of the burden OF
the improvements projected on the taxpayers
Of to-day, when the benefits are TO be shared
by the generation which are To follow. We
are not alone in this matter OF high taxa
ton every city and town in the state and
throughout the eclntry is facing the same
problem. and few of them have got much
to show for what they have expended as our
own city has.
Our streets are kept up in good condition,
and we see nothing in the state to equal
them, and believe that it is true economy to
keep them that way.
Our public buildings, school system. fire
protection are all modern and kept on the
highest plane Of efficiency; we believe that
10 what the citizens want, and that nothing
less would satisfy them, and that Is what
the present council has tried TO do.
In conclusion, | desire to give due credit
to the board Of aldermen, city clerk, and
other city officials for their efforts toward
the solution of the problems confronting the
admins tration. and to assure them of my
sincere appreciation of the assistance rem
dered me in the discharge Of my official
duties. Eugene c. Glysson, mayor