The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-04-02
Barre Voters Abolish the
Fee System IS Com
pensa' X.
$500 DEc1y.D ON AS
PAY FOR $ 70 OFFICES
The CityA1s to Pay Wages
of Assistants in the
Office

In a lightly attended city meeting
last night, the voters of Barre decided
to abolish the long established policy of
nominal salary and fee compensation
for the city clerk and treasurer and to
substitute therefore straight salary
OF $500, the city to pay whatever cler-
icai assistance may be necessary. The
city heretofore has been paying 5000
salary and allowing an indeterminste
compensation in fees, the holder of the
office to pay his own assistants. The
action last night in reversing the pol
icy was not carried without some oh
jeciion when IT came to viva voce vote
although nothing was said in oppos
tion during the discussion.
Other actions included the voting of
80 cents an hour to the aldermen, 40
cents an hour to the auditors and S.
a day to the assessors: also $1,000 to
the Barre City hospital under the same
conditions as last year
After James Mackay had been elect
ed chairman of the meeting, William
Barclay made few remarks and then
put in a motion that the clerk and
treasurer be placed on a $500 sal
airy If he will agree to turn all the
fees heretofore allowed the official into
the city treasury. the speaker adding
that he understood the present encum-
bent, James Smart, was favorable to
the proposition. ]. S. Mcdonald second
ed the motion.
As the text of the motion was not
definite regarding the matter of hir-
ing assistants in the clerks office, Wal
dron Shield moved that the salary of
81 500 shall not include pay for the
office held; and both Messrs. Barclay
and Mcdonald accepted the amend
ment
H. L. Campbell wanted to know who
would have the authority to hire the
assistants in the clerks office, and
James Msckay responded by saying
that heretofore the heads of the depart.
ments have been in the habit of en-
gaging their own assistants Mayor
Langley said the straight salary prop
osition for the clerk and treasurer was
more or less a surprise to the city
council and. therefore, no policy regard.
ing the hiring OF assistants in the
clerks office had been considered
W. A. Drew said that the citizens
were very much in the dark as TO thu
amount of money the city clerk and
treasurer has been receiving in fees,
20 that they could not act intelligently
Is 10 the fixing Of salary and payment
% assistants,
That ended the discussion and when
he motion was put for a straight sal.
lry of $500. fees of both offices to be
urned into the city treasury and office
lelp to be paid by the city. the chair
nan was in doubt as to the majority |
md called for a second viva voce vote.
IN the second response he declared the
notion carried and was not disputed
Then, in quick succession, the alder
men were voted 80 cents an hour for
ctual time spent, the auditors 40 cents
n hour and the assessors S. a day, the
ormer two motions being made by
iayor Langley and the third by Alder
nan Shield
Speaking on the next article in the
Sarnihg, Charles n. Wishart said he
elieved the city owed an obligation to
he City hospital when that Institution
well conducted and he, therefore,
moved that the sum of $1,000 be voted
his year for the hospital, under the
anne conditions, as last year, namely
hat the hospital furnish care, board
nd nursing for such persons as may
e receiving aid from the city and
no may be designated for treatment
{ the hospital by the overseer Of the
oor or the charity committee. There
as no opposition to the motion, which
revailed on a viva voce vote, after
hich the hall was turned over to the
articipants in a local talent play, the
layers in which had been spectators of
ne meeting,