The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-12-30
Must Support
Town Manager

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sand the plan was not his but had
been adopted by the voters and
While he thoroughly believed in it
they could take it or leave it and
he would resign. The opposition
melted away like snow in on April
sun and the voters decided almost
unanimously to have it another
year.
at has done wonderful work
for Springfield" said Col. Woolson.
Inc employees are giving more
work than ever before and all APP
opriations are kept within
bounds. would not think of max
ing change and I am sure the
voters are satisfied when they get
results, said Mr.. Woolson, "and
shall be greatly interested in see
ing how it works out if st. Johns
bury adopts the plan" And Col
W oolson is treasurer of the largest
corporation in town as we'll as
officially connected with several
others in that town.
had very profitable interview
with Roy NJ. Wilcomb, former
Lyndon boy, who has been the
town and village treasurer and who
succeeds Manager Wright Jan. /.
He has been very successful in the
financial side of the scheme and is
enthusiastic over the whole plan.
lie told me the village ended its
fiscal year with $4,000 on hand
and all bills paid while the town
would end the year with $4,000 on
hand. The present debt of Spring
field is around 100000 and the
grand list is S81 5000. As an ex-
ample of heavy indebtness Mr..
Wilcomb cited Berlin Falls which
With a population of 10000 has All
indebtness of 100000.
Mr.. Wilcomb declares that
Springfield has the best roads in
the state of Vermont and the sal
aly of the superintendent of roads
is $1,000 a year. He has charge of
all the road work except the ac-
counting which is done in Manager
Wright'S office, and all work is
permanent In the spring the
roads that need it are scaIifed,
repaired where necessary and then
rolled. \
Treasurer WiIcomb goes into
town and village meetings and ex-
plains to the voters the exact in
e. ease in the tax of every appro-
priation proposed and before an
is made the voters
know Just how much it will add to
their tax.
Springfield has a good credit
outside as the $4,000 bond issue,
with five per cent rate, was sold
at a profit of $4,000 and the issue
is being retired at the rate of &c.
600 per year. Much of the money
needed to anticipate the taxes IS
borrowed by the treasurer in the
Boston market where the rates of
interest range from four to four
and one-half per cent. Once Mr.
Wilcomb got a big loan at trlfle
less than four per cent, which
speaks volumes for the towns
credit. Mr.. Wilcomb says no way
has vet been devised to prevent a
from borrowing mon
ev to anticipate taxes and that
every organization and individual
has to borrow money if they are IN
any kind of business.
asked one of the lawyers how
the plan worked and he said it was
a mighty good thing and it relieved
Springfield of a mighty bad situa-
ton. He has been a frequent VS.
itor to St. Johnsbury and is some
what familiar with conditions here
and said that it would be good
thing if the three boards would
back up the manager after they
engaged him. He admitted that
Springfeld's first yeara under the
system was a trying one, but that
splendid results had been achieved
in the two years that followed. He
called my attention TO the editorial
comment of the Rutland Herald
upon the fine roads in Springfield
and said the town manager with
his efficient superintendent was
for the great improve
ment. Another professional man
mentioned the Heralds
favorable comment and also added
hat many of the travelling men had
praised the highways. This gentle
man said the voters had seen re-
suits in the permanent work on
sewers, streets and sidewalks and
they realized that it was accom-
plished under the town manager
plan. He said it was real efficiency
when there was a balance left in
the treasury in every department
and results all along the line where
any work had been done through
the year.
/ happened to meet two of the
auditors on the street and after
thorough auditing of the books of
Manager Wright they only found
a mistake of 50 and this proved to
be an error in copying. They in
.imated very plainly that under the