Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-05-17
NEE TING ORDERS new CITY CHARTER DRAWN
WarrenEIeads Committee on
Commission-Manager Bill

honorable board these items have
been included in the city's Ii
abilities, but further steps should be
taken to secure the proper approvals
upon these items before they are
youehered for payment.
Il call your attention to the fact
to show that those accounts were
outstanding when the 1918 audit was
made. The auditor at that time
audited only vouchered accounts and
did not go out and collect others.
''ln the 1918 audit you will find
the current deficit at that time list
ed as $93, 3,081.75. If to this is add
ed $4,000 charged in the new audit
but actually debts contracted previ-
ously to old audit, the deficit in 1918
would be more than $4,000, and
the $4,000 rightly would have to be
deducted from the 1-2 years in
creased deficit shown by the new
audit.
Quotes Audit Again.
"There are three other items /
want to call your attention to. I'm
der the head of general comments in
the new audit report we find the fol-
lowing: BY reference to Exhibit b
statement of revenue and expenses)
it will be noted that the total
deficit on general government trans
actions for the 3 IL years ending
Dec. 81, 1921, amount to $29, ,475.13.
OF this amount $15,770 was incur
red for additions to public property
and $13,791.86 for street improve
ments, both of which should have
/ been financed by bond issues. Now
| say, to understand this audit must
be taken into consideration perma-
nent Improvement which have been
made to the city. In the public
property item are included $1,000
spent for the Playground and $4,770
for tractor, | believe. But these
were charged by which, with others,
the deficit of $51, ,006.58 for the 8
1-2 year period was created. Dur
ing that period we also had a float
ing debt interest charge totalling
S22,9S6.03. We had a certain fixed
revenue to spend. And yet we had
$4,000 in old accounts, ,S15,7 ITO per-
manent Improvement, $13,791.86 for
street improvements, $19,151.02 for
new equipment and extension Of wa
ter system, and more than $4,000
IN interest that was obliged to be
paid on the outstanding debt before
the period began. And now, before
you can say we spent more money
than We had to spend you must de-
duet these fixed expenses.
"As for the Playground, YOU all
know the conditions under which it
was bought. 1t was an emergency.
The card by Mr.. Cargill in this after
Moons paper recalls all that. And
you have it today as an asset which
could be sold today for much more
than it cost. You remember the
time when it was bought. The civic
clubs got behind the movement and
citizens lined up for it and urged
that 1t be purchased. We had no
time to issue bonds. But we got the
Playground. And you remember not
long ago we brought Ty Cobb here.
1t was the biggest crowd | think
ever saw here and was the biggest
advertisement our city ever had -
and the kind of advertising our city
needs Without the Playground this
would have been impossible
Tho Water Works.
And what about the waterworks?
You all know when the improvements
were made. You know we had a big
investment there. The people had to
have an adequate. and sure water
supply The plant had become in
capacitated and we had to have #
replenished. The money we spent
there was a permanent investment.
Why should the council be criticized
Tor spending money when it was an
absolute necessity?
when we take into account tho
items ! have mentioned, which did
not 80 for general government pur-
poses, but went for permanent i'm
provements and investments, and the
payment OF interest charges on the
previous floating indebtedness. we
really have surplus for the three
and half years of 39,692.33.
We knew about the condition of
the city at the time the expenditures
were made; we knew we hadn't the
money But we believed the thines
we did ought to have been done and
that you would have done them.
"And while we are CONSIDERING the
cost Of government, have you consid-
cred what period we have lust lived
through? Have any of you bought
feed for mules or hired labor? n
will read SOME items of cost from tho
street department. For the year end
ing June 80, 1919, the street DEPART
ment spent s24,755.97, for the next
year $34,412.40, for the next six
months when the fiscal year was
changed, $16,35o.2O, and for the
year 1921, $57, ,357.31. And take the
fire department.. For the same pe-
4 L.H