The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1932-07-07
Com.
Turn 10000
Over to City
Municipal Plant Has Made
Fine Showing, Over Per-
iOd of Years
MEANS LOWER TAXES
Rates for Electricity Below
Average in Towns Size of
Sank Centre

The efficient manner in which the
Sank Centre Water, Light and
rover Commission have operated
the municipal lighting plant ever
since the management has been
turned over to a non-political COM
mission appointed by the three
District Court Judges, is a striking
reputation of the claims made by
interested individuals that munich
pally managed lighting plants can
not be operated at profit.
When the plant and wiring sys-
tenn was purchased of the Whitney
interests about 10 years ago the
property was in poor state of re-
pair. The city was bonded for
payment and Diesel engines were
installed at heavy cost to oper-
ate. The rate paid by the consum-
er has been below the average of
that paid in other communities of
like size and Importance.
For time after the property was
taken over the plant was managed
by the City Council. With the adop,
ton of the new City Charter about
1916 the management of the water,
light and power systems were turn
ed over to a commission provided
by the Charter.
DR.. H. F. Hennemann and Geo.
O'Gara have been members of the
commission since it's inception. DR..
A. F. Moynihan, the third of the
present commission resigned as
member when he enlisted in the
World War. He was reappointed
to succeed the late George Borg
mann several years ago. Manager
John N. McGibbon is entitled to a
lions share of the credit for the
success of the local plants.
The increasing use of electricity
for light, power and cooking made
the load too heavy for the Diesel
engines to carry at the peak. Ne
gotiations were entered into by the
Whitney interests, now the North
ern States Power Co., and a con-
tract was entered into to buy the
juice wholesale from the company
and retail it to the local consumer.
With this arrangement all of the
outstanding electric light bonds
have been paid, the dam and water
rights were purchased and paid for
without a bond issue; there is
sinking fund of ample size to in
stall additional equipment should
the commission be unable to make
an advantageous renewal of the
contract at expiration time.
A year ago the commission voted
to turn $4,000 into the general
fund of the city Jan. 1, 1882. At
the July meeting of the commission
held Tuesday evening it was voted
to turn an additional $4,000 into
the general fund of the city for
1932-1933.
The turning into the general
fund of the city $4,000 Jan. l,
made a noticeable reduction of city
taxes this year, about 20 per cent.
Were it not for the inceased coun-
ty and state taxes the Sank Centre
citizens would have enjoyed very
low tax rate this year, but even 60
the total was only 50 mills.
In the meantime the Commission
have used some of the surplus
money in the water fund to retire
some of the outstanding water
works bonds before maturity when
they could be purchased at a bar
gain.
With the outstanding school
bonds reduced to low point and
the small balance on the white
way bonds being completely wiped
out within a few years, Sank Cen
ire will be able, in a few years TO
look all creditors straight in the
eve to tell them to go to
Another important action taken
at Tuesday evenings meeting was
the use of water on the lawns. IN
der the former plan the household
er has paid a heavier minimum
water rental for the six summer
months of the year than on the re-
naming six months. Tuesday even
ing it was voted to charge the
householder only for the water &C
tually passing through his meter at
all seasons of the year including
the summer months.
The reasonable light, power and
cooking rates and lower taxes will
be an inducement for people to es-
tablish manufacturing enterprises
in this city.
In spite of the depression about
which everyone is talking the mu-
nicipal affairs of Sank Centre are
in a very healthy condition.