The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-04-21
SCHOOL BOARD
LOSES FIGHT
Action of Somers Point Council
in Refusing to Raise Funds
Has Been Sustained.
STREETS need REPAIRING

In its fight against City Council, for
refusal to raise the amount of money
asked for by the Board of School
Estimates of Somers Point, the Board
of Education has lost in it's appeal
made to the State Board of Educa-
ton. When the Board appealed, an
answer was filed by City Council.
On Tuesday night Council was advised
that the Assistant Commissioner of
Education had ruled that the amount
of money asked for by the Board of
Education was excessive and could
not legally be raised. The reason be-
ing that the. amount asked for, $13,-
AIS, was far above the three-fourths
of one per cent.
Council has agreed to raise for the
Board of Education this veal the sum
of 81 ,475, and the Assistant Commits
sioner of Education says the Board
must be satisfied with that amount.
This will necessitate a reduction in
the Boards budget. Council suggest
ed a cut in the appropriations for
Manual Training, which was $500 for
this year, and in Incidental Expenses,
for which the Board had provided the
sum of 81, 800. This latter item to be
cut to $500. All that could legally be
raised without consent Of Council
would be about $4,000 or $1,000, ac-
cording to toal valuation of taxable
property. The Board of Education
will probably have to be satisfied with
the amount Council is willing to raise.
It is understood that there was a bal
ance to the credit of Manual Training
left from last year, so that branch
will not suffer materially in the cut of
the appropriation for this year.
The report of the Road Committee
showed that there are several streets
in the city that need attention. On
some of the streets work of scraping
has been done, but on others scraping
is of no use because of the soft sand
with which the streets were construc-
ted. 1t will be necessary to re-gravel
these streets. Other streets are OBJ
structed by brush and, in some cases,
trees, which will have to be grubbed
out to make the streets passable.
Chairman Booye stated that he would
put the streets in good condition as
RAPIDLY a possible and SO far as the
appropriated money would go.
There was a discussion over the
building of sidewalks on Bay avenue.
Mayor Steelman made it quite plain
to Council that there was a way to
have good sidewalks. He stated that
on Main street the city ordered the
work done and where property owners
did not comply with the orders, the
work was done by the city and short
term notes issued to meet the expen-
ses. Council decided to get the opin-
ion of the City Solicitor on this mat
ter before taking summary action.
The proposition came before Council
in a petition, numerously signed by
taxpayers, demanding action because
sidewalks are now almost impossible
after each rain.
There was also a complaint made
because of neglect of the rubbish col
lector to collect the rubbish in the
vicinity of Sixth street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue. Property owners were
informed to place their rubbish in
some receptacle and that it would be
collected in future. On any complaint
made in the future against persons
dumping rubbish on other persons
property, there will be prosecutions
under the city ordinance.
Councilman Miller demanded that a
light be placed on Launch avenue.
An opinion from the City Solicitor
will be obtained as to whether or
not the placing of such a light will be
an acceptance of the street by the
city. Action on the light was deferr-
ed until after the opinion is rendered.