New Britain herald., 1924-12-30
SALARY PETITIONS UP FOR HEARINGS
Department Heads Explain Pleas
 to Council Committee


 Hearings on salary increase pct. uons were held last night by the salary committee Of the common council, and the committee decided to make no decisions until all peti- toners had been given an oppor- tmi)y to appear
 Mayor A. NJ. pdoncssa was before the committee for general discus sion Of salaries, and with reference to the petition of hts secretary for an increase from $900 to $l.500. The mayor said cities throughout the state pay salaries running as high as S3.5o0 10 the mayors socre- tary, this amount being in excess of what is paid tEc mayor here. He told the committee his secretary has made q full time position of his job.
 The mayor expressed sympathy .with thc committee. He urged that men giving good and faithful serv- ice be compensated accordingly. Those who are not should be dis missed, he said. Mayor Iaonessa argued against a council as large as at present, tavorinZ a smaller gov crnmental body that would be com pensatcd, He felt the chairman Of the hoard of finance and taxation should be paid as much as the treasurer and comptroller, and that the public works chairman should r,Cciye far more than at present.
 City Clerks Petition
 City Clerk A. L, Thompson ap- pared 10 explain his request for $l.npo increase, and requests for $:o0 raises for his deputy and two clerks. He enumerated the duties of the office which include recording of deeds, issuance of licenses, re- Cording of liens, handling vital sta tistics which include about 100 births, 4O deaths and 40 marriages q month, issuance Of dog licenses and issuance of hunting and fishing li- censcs which average about l.2o0 each. He works from about S in the morning to s in the evening. Tile clerk said his office gives d con- tnuous service and is q continuous strain upon the clerk. He also takes care Of common council business, preparing for and compiling reports on elections. His salary has been at the present figure for thre" years.
 Concerning inc request of tho d. j, clerk said she proves an efficient, carolul and attentive deputy Tho clerks in the office, he said, arc at business every day from morning until evening and work all the time, because there IS always work to be done,
 In r,rly to q question. the city clerk said the office hours for his assistants are, as the charter pro- ylIes, scvnu hours day.
 Assessors Department.
 Chairman Frank M. Zimmerman of tho hoard of assessors appeared in the interest of petitions filed by the two clerks Of that department, The first clerk seeks an increase from 2i,35Q tu sl,5o0 and the second from SLt00 to $1.25o. Increased work, more transfers and the gener- al growth Of the city has made tho work Of these emrloyes more diffi- cult, bc 3rguod. Chairman Zimmer- man pointed out that preparation of tho rate book in every other city in the state is handled ny someone ether than the board of assossors, hut that in New Britain that is a part of the task undertaken by the clerks in his office.
 The assessors are required 10 take tax lists, fix valuations on these and other properties which arc not re ported. prepare the grand list; then with tho taA rate fixed by the city, [ gure out each individual bi)l and then turn oNrr all tho material to tbc tax collector who ;h, m receives To plynoHts In otter cities tho ass *sors work elds ni'A prcpara- uou Of th, sraUi list,
 Water Dept. Pcti,pn>,
 Ttr water bourt, fh-nr.2u Chair #.n ". l.. Hatch aHt commissioner IIuo>t N. P'lton, ast. . an increase ol $-'o for Sup'. Jaues Towers, q ike iucr,ase for ClrlE |. ]. O'Drieu and d $2u0 increase for inc secrc- fary. An increase oc $5ao sought " Foreman Jams "aaor was not "ppo.ed hy the camal:slou, the Na- t'r hoard dc, sa'os sad, hlt tho lo"otfd consi3arane time 70 argu- m.n's as to why ir should not be grartcd.
 T5a rommiss;0"-rs po.-'ei OIL. -A2' Tow@rs l~ oa 7@.y ma3y inns 4ur..s inc niga' aeI on Saa !al. IlIs y}.: is excellent all lis long eH- Ie.ie0oa has n1a h,m Q ya.1aI,o Ky empioye. In r-2,v to q1yat;or-,
 TO commissioner aln,"o1 'ha'