New Britain herald., 1928-10-24
Chairman Dobson Asks for
Special Survey Of Books
b Place Blauae for Con-
ditions.

CAairmaa osores r. Debsoa Of the
yuhlis works board told the eea-
mislisnsss last evening that uncol-
lectsA sewer. sidewalk and curb a.
ssalmsuts that amount to moro than
S1ee.eee. affecting hundreds Of
pieces Of local property which have
besn On the books Of the public
works for years. have become the
objset Of Mayor Paonessa's active In
vpsttsation. The chairman told the
board that the mayor had asked him
repeatedly II the books were up-to-
date and he was forced to answer
that they were not
Acting upon the Request Of the
mayor, the board unanimously voted
to employ = man or II necessary two
men to work on the books and install
= new system In tho department with
the purpose Of bringing In money
due and caripg for prompt collec-
tons in the future. It was estimated
that 1t would take three Or four
months to straighten out the books
and bring them up to date. Chairman
Dobson said that, roughly speaking.
the board would have to pay the new
man . salary from SO to SIS =
week. BY installing new system the
board would also discover the reason
why the books have been allowed to
fall behind.
Wants 70 Place Responsibility
The mayor reported some time ago
that between $4,000 and 100000 in
sewer assessments alone were out
standing. George H. johnson. clerk
of the public works board. stated
that there remain outstanding as
sessments for two years work on
sewers In answer to = query by Com
missioner George F. Atwater. Mr..
Atwater continued his questioning
and said that he was determined to
learn where the responsibility for
The condition lay, whether the trouble
was caused by lack Of help or in
efficiency in the public works de-
partment-
City Engineer Philip Merriam told
the board that the condition Is not
exactly q new one but one has been
hanging on from one year to another.
He believed that those responsible
. for the bookkeeping had been taken
away from their real duties by the
many requests for their help on
other matters pertaining to the de-
partment. Chairman Dobson read q
request that he be empowered to
secure an additional man temper
arily for work on the books and in
timated that much OF the delay in
collections was due to the system
used.
The action taken at the meeting
last evening is in line with the
mayors avowed policy OF placing a
more accurate check on the income
and outgo OF the city's finances,
through auditing where necessary
and through new systems where
their installation Is desirable.
The board was made to under
stand that the whole proposition
was but a temporary one and that
after the new system was installed
the real reason for the present ex-
listing condition would be disclosed.
Arch Street Widening
The board voted to hold a new
hearing for Arch street property
owners in regard to the widening
of the street from Main to Grand
or beyond Grand to Hart street.
The board has heard at previous
hearings that those having prop
erty from Main to Grand street are
IN favor OF the Improvement.
An opinion on the subject from
Corporation Counsel John H. Kirk
ham was read by City Engineer
Philip Merriam. Judge Krkham
wrote that after hearings granted
and liens placed on individual par
GELS Of property. the common coun-
ell voted on May 16 to rescind all
former action. Its vote was taken
because property owners beyond
Grand street said that they had not
been given hearing although the
proposed change would affect them
and they would have to bear part
Of the expense. Judge Kirkham
wrote that the public works board
should order another hearing and
consider the whole matter again.
Judge Kirkham also slater that
no understood that the property
owners from Main to Grand street
were anxious to start the project at
once and have 1t finished before
winter. Commenting on that, Judge
Kirkham said that II that part Of
the project alone is considered
there can be greater speed effected.
II all the property owners to Grand
street will sign an agreement that