Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1921-02-24
BUSINESS SENSE
ABILENE'S FINANCIAL MANAGE.
MENT is CREDITABLE
Something About the Progress Of the
City Affairs In Dollars
and Cents

and Cents
Running a city Is business pro-
position. Mayor Nichols is head of
corporation with 5000 stockhold-
ers and about six million dollars in
vested and which gives certain ser
vice to the public such as water,
lights, fire protection, police protec-
tion, sewers, etc. The success Of an
administration depends on how well
1t gives this service and develops the
property and maintains the advance
ment Of the municipality.
For the past ten years Abilene has
had business problem before 1t.
None of Its early bonds had been
paid, no. sinking fund even was
made. Finances were at low ebb
of efficiency. 1t is interesting to
see what progress has been made.
Water Bonds Payments
No water bonds had been paid Off
prior to 1911. Since then $4,000
have been paid and $4,000 more will
be paid next August, while Abilene
gets a very low rate for water. Ex-
tensions, adding new users, have been
made to the amouRt.of $4,000. The
upkeep Of the water system Is $2,-
900 year more than in, 1911 but
this is more than made up In saving
in pumping by electricity instead OF
by coal.
The water office was snap In
1911. Only SO users were on a me-
ter; all the others were on nat
rate requiring only regular pay
ment. Now 1,45O users are on a
meter, all meters must be read regu-
larly, figured up and bills made out.
But 1t pays in financial results. The
extra work more than pays for It,
self, though it means more than
double the office labor.
AS an example Of the efficiency,
City Clerk Rexroat has put in the
office, the water rentals due and un-
paid, many of them Of long-stand-
ing, when he went into the Office
were over $1,000. SO well has he
performed his duties that at the be-
ginning of 1921 less than 500 was
overdue. In one Kansas town the
size of Abilene the clerks statement
published the other day showed ST.
600 overdue water rentals. Abilene's
business is being done on business
principles.
Saved on Waste
Another thing that the public mas
not been told, for the commission Is
rather modest about its own accom-
plishments,. is the saving In waste
water. A survey was ordered made
by an expert and has been under way
for a year. 1t cost 5000 to do 1t but
was found that for years the city
had been receiving pay for only 4o
per cent of the water pumped, 52
per cent was not paid for. This
waste water flushed sewers, ran
fountains and overfowed at the Sec
ond street standpipe The survey
showed that too much water was
nassed by the sewer flush valves
and when this and other wastes were
and standpipe pressure
,qualized, the unpaid portion was cut
10 "a pct, saving 8 million gallons
, quarter, saving of 500 Tor
jumping. or $3.50 year. Just plain
,usiness sense, that's all.
Take Poll Taxes
One Of the city's revenues is the
,oll taxes. For years this was around
;11OO. The high mark was $1,soo'
hen 1t dropped back to about $l'-
100. though the population was IN
reasing. In 1920 $2,240 was col
acted and $S5 given to the sheriH
o collect. Dog taxes are not mucn
ut they help. For years 5O TO oo
ogs a year were taxed-the others
,ent free. Last year 105 were
axed.
Tax Rate Stands Steady
The city incurred paving bonds OF
100000 assessed on
,dividual properties, and $4,000 on
ne city because of intersections.
bout two thirds of both have been
aid off. Last year $4,000 OF OLD
abroad bonds running since the SOS
ere paid off-the first to be Hqua-
ated.
With all this the city tax rate has
,mained unchanged for seven years,
,hich has included war years and
,e high cost period, record for bus
less efficiency that few towns can
cost.
Mayor Nichols does not claim any
articular credit for all this;' he says
Is simply business and that his fel-
w commissioners deserve equal
edit IL any Is due. He Is poor
and to exploit himself anyhow.
But from a business view Abilene
rs reason to feel that 1t has a first
ass management and one that Is
creditable to the head OF
e corporation in which we are all