The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1922-01-28
WHAT THE AUDIT OF
THE CITY SHOWED
A synopsis Of the Main Points Brought
Out That wiz BE Of Future
BENEFIT.

With view to more system and
fuller knowledge of municipal house
keeping an audit has been made of tn,
books of our city.
1t has been found, first and foremos
that the revenue from all sources will
lack S125,O00 of amount necessary t.
cover Indebtedness and expenditures
that have been necessary.
This, by the way, is not taken as al
adverse criticism of the last admins
tration nor of the present; but as al
inheritance of a custom now fast be
coming obsolete and of following pre-
cedents. Along with. doing things af
ter a manner that does not reflect more
upon the peoples officers than upon the
electorate themselves has grown the
idea that city debts are paid when "the
banks have met the deficit" and the
people have only the interest to pay
And if the legislature permits our city
to issue $150,000 more bonds some OF
us are going to feel comfortable some
more on as false basis.
But-well, the auditors gave the city
pretty good shaking UP and no doubt
the men who happened to be holding
down the Offices during the period noted
the two years up to the end of the fls-
cal year. were glad when it was over
for definiteness is to be preferred to
rampant aspersions and lurking accu-
sations of anything that failed of a
desirable end.
There were some things condemned
by the auditors, Ernst and Ernst-just
the things, it would seem, necessary to
clear-cut business management. For
instance in good housekeeping the cost
of salt and pepper as we'll as of -four
and hams should be taken into the ac-
counting in every department of the
city's affairs.
There was lack of detailed reports
about this or that. some "irregulari-
ties" like careless handling of incomes
on public property; officials being "in-
terested" where they ought not, etc.,
and that expenditures exceeded the in
comes.
The power thouse showed in the au-
dit that a profit of $4,000 was made on
an income of approximately $4,000,
not counting depreciation.
Mr. Billingsley. an engineer of New
been employed to come to Brookhaven
and to take an inventory of the power
plant, make suggestions as to what is
required, ETC., and set at rest this mo-
mentous question of an overtaXed
plant, threatening our homes and our
business houses every minute of the
day and night.
Well, we've all been having a good
time" and now we're coming up to the
lick trough as everybody has to do soon
er or later, unless he is very sensible
man and in the lead where he can in
fuence others less sensible to do the
proper and reasonable thing.
Tuesday night the City School Board
was invited to meet with the City
Board. Mr.. Brady, president Of the
former, and speaking for the School
Board favored maintaining efficiency
"Retrenchment is impossible and
schools are being administered econo-
mically," eh said. The interest of the
children comes first.
A new school building has been the
demand pre-eminently here for about
six years past just the period when
expenses seemed to increase. There is
pressure on the City Schools by reason
of transfers. The Consolidated schools
will help to relieve this as the county
educational program continues. The in
crease in Public School expenses ran
up 176 per cent in six years, says the
record.
Again! 1t is estimated a school
building will cost about $150,000 at the
least and if the legislature permits oul
| floating" further on bonds, while we
dig up the interest our financial trou-
bles will not be over unless we foo
ourselves and are willing to commit tc
our children's children the burden we
have made for ourselves.
But the solution must reckon with the
Brookhaven spirit that never succumbs
under the most difficult situation. The
meeting the other night we believe
made a start toward a system of eco.
nomy.
| Our people for perhaps 20 years have
been paying tax rate too low for the
high cost of bonded indebtedness; an6
out of current expenses of the city has
come the money for interest on bonds
or their retirement The school house
bonds and power and light bonds have
both about reached "the age of ma
turity." Bonds in the sum of $4,000
have been issued the past three years
Interest along with bonds are matur
ing every year. During the period Of
some half dozen years when levies were
not as high as they should have beer
and expenses were increasing the sink
ing fund was neglected. Meantime ex
penses scared as during the war pc
riod.
We're finding out where we're at ant
when we know, we are going to follow
our New Year resolution and do bet
ter"