The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-05-05

Continued on page
they should be made and that body
should check the bills monthly be-
fore they were allowed and paid.
Allowing No Advantages
The retiring mayor and council sat
thruout the session with the new
council, and explained every trans
action where it was needed, sc that
every agreement or obligation made
by the old council might be perfectly
clear to the new, and no chance left
for anyone to take advantage Of the
change.
Mr.. Thorstenberg's Address.
TO the Members OF the City
Council of Blackfoot:-
This being our last meeting and
the last opportunity THAT shall have
OF delivering message to you as a
council, want to express my appre-
citation for the faithful support you
have given me during this, our pass
ing administration.
In looking over my first address to
the Council, / find that congratu-
lated myself and the citizens Of
Blackfoot for the selection of such
an able and we'll qualified group of
business men to handle the business
affairs of the City of Blackfoot.
I am pleased to say my expecta-
tions of this council have been full
filled in all particulars and I ann sat
isfied the people who elected you are
of the same mind. You have always
been willing and ready to shoulder
any and all responsibility that has
come to you, both as .councilmen and
as members Of the various commit
tees to which you have been appoint
ed. You have sacrificed days at a
time attending to important city af-
fairs when your own business must
necessarily have been neglected. You
have sat up nights until 1880 or
IL o'clock in council discussing mat
tiers of great Importance and never
once did ! have a complaint from
any one of you. You have all had
the city affairs at heart and have
done the best for the welfare of your
community, for which certainly
thank you one and all.
l have been requested to give a
synopsis of the achievements of our
admi Illustration and will lbe as brief
as possible.
In taking over the administration
two years ago today, we found cur
rent Indebtedness of something over
$4,000, with not more than $500
in the treasury to meet the same.
This debt I understand accrued by
prior failure to levy sufficient taxes
to care for the current running ex-
pense of the city. Seemingly some
of the former councils refrained from
shouldering the burden Of raising
the taxation enough to take care OF
the actual running expense and the
accrued debt of preceding councils.
After discussing the condition at
several of our meetings, the finance
committee recommended taking the
initiative by looking THE situation
squarely in the face; that DIS to say,
meeting the emergency by paying the
|bills and recommended the issuance
of $52,000.OO' bonds drawing six per
cent interest, which were issued and
sold to take UP the outstanding seven
per cent warrants, and after this was
settled and disposed OF the question
then arose.
How were we to run this admin
istration? Should we make the US
ual levy or tax and let the next adj
ministration issue bonds to take up
outstanding warranst or should we
make levy enough to meet all obi
cations? 1t was unanimously decid-
ed to incur no obligation without
provision for payment, and further
than that a levy was made for sink
ing fund to take up outstanding
bonds. All of these business matters
being put in force at one time nee
essarily raised the taxes, but the
City of Blackfoot can congratulate
itself now on the fact that it is upon
business basis and we can turn the
city affairs oevr to the incoming
council with clean sheet and with
a business system inaugurated,
which, if followed out, will insure
the city against further deficit or
further refunding bond issues.
It has been said this administra-
tion has been extravagant. am
satisfied such rumors are utterly un-
founded and must have been circu-
lated without an Investigation of our
financial condition. Our books are
clear and we have property to show
for all expenditures made and all
such expenditures were made as in
our judgment and mind were exped-
lent and profitable to the City of
Blackfoot.
We will admit our taxes have been
higher than heretofore, but our f.
nancial standing is about $42,000.00
better today than two years ago.
We have paid off all the bonds on the
City Hail amounting to $10,500.00,
together with accrued interest. We