The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1948-09-16

opened Friday, and September 2!
is the last day for candidates t.
file.
! If our present and future are t
be served properly, there mus
come from somewhere men t.
contend for the offices of mayor
Land councilmen. One candidate
for mayor, Herb Henne, of tn,
Twin City airport, has alread,
filed his candidacy.
Mayor j. c. Pratt and council
man Paul Richmond are not 60.
ing to seek reelection. Council
men ]. H. Cox and Arthur Camp
bell, whose terms also expire, have
not yet declared themselves. New
councilman-at-large Vernon Beal
has indicated that he will seel
election to the position to which
he was recently appointed, follow.
ing the resignation of Richard Rec.
tor to become city superintendent
These men only receive SIS 70,
each regular meeting, and thai
means only $40 a month, ever
though the council may meet sew.
eral times in addition. Thus, the,
must have the desire to serve the
public. The work demands much
OF their time, talnts and energy.
It is greatly to be hoped that
the appointment of Richard Rec
tor as city superintendent will
enable the council to again hold
only two short meetings a month.
II the work of our public officials
can be reduced to such a point. it
may be possible to interest more
OF our citizens in serving.
There are also two salaried Of
llces to be filled at the city cleo.
ton On December 2. One is the
office of city clerk. Mrs. Wini.
red Campbell has served the CITY |
ably and well for "a years. Now |
shes going to retire to stake .
wea-earned rest" Her present
;alary is $215 a month. If the pro-
'osed 1949 budget is approved
without change, the salary viii
'e increased to $3.50 a month.
The remaining office - that of
lty attorney - is now held bv
kenneth E. Serier, who is again
candidate. The present pay is
1000 year. under the proposed
'udget, it would be raised tol
800.
The office of city treasurer, held
y Miss Margaret Reymore. will
OF be filled in the forthcomInel
lection, since her term does not
xpire.
It's a plain and unpalatable fact
lat the very circumstances that
lake vital the finest osrt of leder-
nip for our community also con-
oire to dissuade citizens from en-
ering public service.
Business is good and our busi-
ess people are so busy with their
wn affairs that they do not eee
ow they can engage in public
ervice in addition to their manyl
responsibilities.
But, because business is good,
because the future GEMS bright,
because Kennewick is commun-
ty upon which the eyes Of bust
les men all over the state are
liked, we need the best city Of
icers we can possibly secure.
What we do and what we fail
0 do in the next several years will
fleet the living of us all.
We cannot be critical of the
men who are stepping down from
,ffice. They have served us long
md they have served us capably.
They are busy too, and it isn't
light for us to ask them to carry
he load all the time.
believe that this is time
When we should all interest our
selves in our city administration.
Somehow we must find men to
houlder the work.
The time to act is short. The
time in which we will rue the
consequences of failure to elect
bile officials, however, will be
ong.
If the history of America and
can be relied upon,
nen will come foreward to fill
he need. But it will help if we
Ill take an active interest in see
ng that they do.