The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-12-15
BUDGET BOARD SETS
TENTATIVE FIGURES

The pruning shears were applied last
Thursday wherever possible by the
Hood River County budget board, com
posed of members of the county court,
| Judge Hasbrouck and Commissioners
Blackman and Sheppard, and f. o.
Blanchar, c. II. Castner and j. II.
Ferguson. Judge Hasbrouck was
elected chairman of the board and G.
| FL. Vaughan, secretary.
Since last summer the city and coun-
! ty have maintained a Joint traffic safe
| ty department, employing two motor
cycle officers at salary of $3.50 per
month each, the city paying third
and the county the remainder. 1t was
decided by the budget board that but
one man could be retained throughout
the year, an extra officer being en-
ployed from May l to November l.
Expenses of several Offices have eX-
ceeded budget allowances of last year.
In the office of the county clerk, it was
shown, the voting of the $3.50, 600 high
way bond issue, furnishing the county
with funds to pay half of the expense
of grading and rock .surfacing the val
lev trunk of the Mount Hood Loop
road. the added expenses entaied in
carrying out numerous formalities ran
the expenses to far more than normal.
The office, however. will probably drop
back to former figures the coming
year. The unusual gist of criminal
prosecution and the necessity of hand
ingsthe proceedings of the bond issue
and suits for cOndemning rights of
way on the Loop Highway, the total of
which cases will reach about a dozen,
it is said, have left the office Of Dis
trict Attorney Baker in a sad plight.
Mr.. Bakers salary, paid from the
state fund, is only 500 per month.
Records of criminal cases in the past,
the salary being based on such data,
have been light. At the present, how
ever, Mr.. Baker is forced TO utilize
practically all of his time on county
business. The budget board provided
for an allowance in the tentative bud.
get Of 81 600, to care for part of the
expense of office rent, stenographer
and general miscellany.
Tax Assessor Wickham. when dis
cussing with the budget board expenses
connected with his office. took occasion
to score a legislative enactment that
calls for his office gathering various
horticultural and agricultural statistics
from ranchers and orchardists. The
extra work materially increases the
cost Of operating his Office, Mr.. Wick
ham stated He declared. however,
that he was unable to see any practical
benefits derived bv the county. He
characterized the law "a one secured
for the benefit of canning interests OF
fruit buying corporations.
I1b.. aes.r, of Crnntv Ertrff
Inspector Armstrong. who has been
pail at the rate of 81, 500 per annum
the past year, for an extra $500 for
mailing bulletins 10 growers, advising
them Of proper dates for the applica-
tiOn of sprays, was considered not an
emergency by the board, and was dis
allowed. Mr.. Armstrong also asked
that the county pay his expenses for
tires, gasoline and oil in the operation
Of his automobile. He showed that he
had Travelled 5000 miles in nine months
of work the past year and that mile
age, where allowed. was figured at
eight cents per mile.
The office Of County Engineer Cruik-
shank lacked more than $500 Of using
the 81 500 allowed in last years bud
get. The figure for the coming year
was cot 10 Sl.2uO.
A request Of the county library for
s., 600 was out to 81. $50. An interest
ing statement was made by A. W. On
thank, representative Of the board.
who stated that the Institution had
met with difficulty in keeping within
limits for fuel. he laid
the heavy coal expense up 10 propen-
sity Of the women 10 wear too light
garments.
They wear. during winter months,
said Mr.. Onthank. clothes that are
only suitable for TIE summer. and yet
the demand that the windows Of the
library be kept open. All Of this runs
Up the fuel bills.
The apparent economy Of citizens Of
Parkdsle. who were granted full al
lOwsnce for their branch library won
an expression Of grstifcstion from the