The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1921-03-04
MIR. COOKE DOES
AND HE DOESN'T
Passes Bill Raising Salary and
Then Writes That He Can't
Do 1t. What Next?

"A Dill lIIIOduCeQ by KepreSen-
tative Cooke, which bill became
a law on Feb. Fl, 1921, increases
the salary of the City. Manager
of Elizabeth City to $1,000 eff
fective after June l, 1920. The
bill is of record as n. B. 478, S. B.
481. After having passed this
bill Representative Cooke writes
long-winded letter to the May
or and Board of Aldermen of
this city declaring that he refus-
es to raise the City Managers
salary, declaring he "does not
think it proper time to raise
salaries" Isn't that pretty
Howdy-do?
Mr.. Cooke probably didn't even
know that he had raised the City
Managers salary. The truth probably
is that he doesn't know what's in the
bills he introduces. 1t is not at all i'm
bills for him and Cooke drops them in
the Legislative hopper without knowing
what he is doing.
The Board of Aldermen employed the
present City Manager, J. G.. Commander
with the understanding that his salary
would be $1,000 a year. The Aldermen
asked Mr.. Cooke to pass bill enabling
TO &hai,
Commander the stipulated sum from the
time he entered Office in Feb. 1920 up
until the present time. Instead of do
ing that Mr.. Cooke passed a bill raising
the City Managers salary effective af-
ter June 1, 1921. He also stipulated ia
the bill that the family of the City
Manager must reside in Elizabeth City. |
This disqualifies the present City Man
ager whose family lives in Virginia. 1t
might also operate to prevent the AL
dermen from hiring a man who had no |
family at all. But after passing this !
bill Cooke writes down to Elizabeth
City that he can not raise the City
Managers salary. Here is his letter, a
copy of which he sent to this news
paper:
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
RALEIGH, n. c.
TO THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND B0SR6
OF ALDERMEN OF ELIZABETH CITY.
NORTH CAROLINA:
Dear Sirs:-
Your letter of a day or SO ago. relative to
aising the present City Managers salary from
wenty-four hundred dollars per year to thirty |
ix hundred dollars per year. dating back from |
:eoruary lst or provide for your paying him
months that he has served, received
must say that exceedingly regret nv in
olhty to comply with your most urgent re-
luest In doing this 1 realize that I am yio1at
ng the wishes of some of my warmest ner
onaI friends and patrons and men whom l
ave ave great respect for their honesty of pur-
nrough which the people of every phase of
ne IN our town and community have passed
uains a1an she past SIX months cannot raise the
aary OF officers, where in my opinion they are
citing fair remuneration for the services rem |
Ulcers were evident. |
For your benefit I might sav that ,ro. 49, +
the County officers have asked me to raise | ,
heir salaries. compelled to do bv them |
ec1ine t u1ne oS our City Manager. respectfully
ere those of the Sheriff and Register of Deads |
ne former 1 raised from three thousand dollars &
'r himself. auto expenses and Deputy to thirty |
We hundred dollars and that of the Register If {
eeds from twentyfour hundred dollars for him :
N ndt. ana ofhce help to twentyeight hundred and
'enty dollars which is the same amount that | I
lie office of the Superior Court now paws =
s@ufed @ that the other Court House officers were ,
ettlng for ther services over and above their ;
'pense OF helpers eighteen hundred dollars | =
ear and therefore raised the salaries of the |
ner1n and Register of Deeds in keeping with v
e Others The City Manager having ALREADY | 8
zen receiving considerably greater salary thar |
~ OF the above mentioned 1 could not in I a
ese s depressed times raise his salary, or pro- r
de Tor the extra pay of one hundred dollars |
+ month for the past fifteen months that | K
has already served q
+ or your consideration I will say further that -
III one lone exception have voted against =
e raise of every officer who has applied for |
Use In the State of North Carolina Including | l.
Dill TO pay us members of the General Assem- Ii
Two hundred dollars expenses. The ones | tt
IN OF paying the expenses of the members | -
Cne House came early in the session and "
TAXED and voted against it. Day before YES L
ruay Bill for the same purpose came before "
committee and I talked and voted against !
again The Bill was. however reported favor.
ly against my protest, and 1 and the Chair n
III sent IN minority report, hoping in that ~
y 70 defeat the favorably reported bill on the | p,
or of the House. VII JIG
In short. in all due respect to you eentle u
IN opinions. do not think this a proner | E
ne to raise salaries where the amount of | m
ary now received is in keeping with the "a
vices rendered. VIC | M
Yours most sincerely, ~