The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1922-05-03
The Annual Report Of
City Mayor N. F. Nelson
To The Honorable City Council
of the Citv Of Miihank.

IL lllC 11OllCl dOlC SIIy NOCllSll
of the City Of Milbank:
In compliance with custom and
the laws OF South Dakota, | here
with submit to your Honorable
Body and to the citizens OF Mil
bank my first Annual Report as
Mayor for the year ending May l,
1922, together with such lnfor-
nation as | possess relative to
the affairs Of the city during the
past year, and my recommended
atlons for the future, which, in
my opinion, are for the welfare
of all our people, and for the
development Of our city.
Taxation and Finances
| believe that the City Council
has expended the municipal
funds IN as conservative a man
ner as has been consistent with
the requirements and natural
growth Of our city, and it is a
fact that our taxes for city pur-
poses are lower than the taxes OF
surrounding towns Of the same
size.
An enactment of the last ses-
sion of the Legislature of our
state has changed the time when
the auditor snail make his an
nual report required tnat has
report be made on July first.
When his report is made, it viii
contain a detailed statement Of
how the city funds have been
expended during the past year.
Refunding bonds of the city
Were sold last fall to take up the
outstanding registered warrants,
all of VIII ch were given for ex-
tra-ordinary expenses Of the city
| ter some years past, an account
of which has been heretofore
Published. 1t is my opinion that
the City Council exercised GOOD
business Judgment in causing
these Donos to be issued ana solo
! as the bonds draw a rate OF in
terest one percent less than the
registered outstanding warrants.
During the past month, the
city has paid 100000 of the old
refunding bonds. being the bal
ance of the old debt of the city.
A part of these Don.s which have
just been paid were originally is
sued in 1881 more than forty
! years ago.
One of the most important
duties of the City Council is to
equitably assess property Tor
taxation. Due to the unusual fl
nancjal condit ons which have
existed the past two years, the
taxpayers have taken more of
an interest in the matter of the
taxes. An examination OF the
records of the county auditor
shows the tax levies for the city
taxes for the year 1921 to be:
School tax ---------S36, ,32O 90
Civil tax for city pur-
poses ---- rs, 10000
County tax -- 1887 90
making a total of taxes levied
for all purposes in the city for
the year 1921 of $69,181.OO
Of this total tax, it is interest
ing to note that $36,O00.0O, be-
ing more than one-half of the
total taxes levied in Mllbank,
will be paid by the people own
ing the property used for busi-
ness purposes. including the
stocks of merchandise, fixtures
and equipment, and the railroad
company, elevators, lumber
yards and banks. nearly all of
which is included within the
four blocks on Main street. No
special assessments for paving or
otherwise are included in these
figures, nor does it include any
residential property.
In addition to the regular tax,
those owning property abutting
on the streets and avenues paw
ed, have been assessed about $685.
| 10000 Tor pavement.
Streets
The streets have been improv-
ed and kept in fairly good condi-
tion by dragging them after
heavy rains. The use of the road
drag IS Of temporary value only.
The continual increase in motor
traffic wears the streets down in
la short time. The dust is a
nuisance to the residents, especi-
ally those living on the main
Travelled thoroughfares. Sprink.
ling with either water or oil is
too expensive. / would recon-.
mend applying a good coat OF
gravel where needed. This viii