City of Bangor Mayor's Address the Annual Reports of the Several Departments and the Receipts and Expenditures for the Municipal Year 1915-1916 Bangor (Me.)
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The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Maine Town Documents Maine Government Documents 1916 City of Bangor Mayor's Address The Annual Reports of the Several Departments and the Receipts and Expenditures for the Municipal Year 1915-1916 Bangor (Me.) Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/towndocs Repository Citation Bangor (Me.), "City of Bangor Mayor's Address The Annual Reports of the Several Departments and the Receipts and Expenditures for the Municipal Year 1915-1916" (1916). Maine Town Documents. 6069. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/towndocs/6069 This Report is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Maine Town Documents by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CITY OF BANGOR MAYOR’S ADDRESS THE ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS AND THE RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES FOR THE MUNICIPAL YEAR 1915-1916 003 I 5 Bangor City Government 1915-1916 ♦Mayor, FRANK ROBINSON ALDERMEN Ward 1. Edward R. Hickson Ward 4. Fred C. Ridley Ward 2. James E. Rogers Ward 5. Eben W. Blunt Ward 3. Chas. H. Hubbard Ward 6. Frank 0. Youngs Ward 7. William J. Largay City Clerk and Clerk of Board, VICTOR BRETT COMMON COUNCILMEN President, Harry E. Farnham Ward 1 Charles A. Quimby Walter T. Burns William P. Flanigan Ward 2 Cornelius J. O’Leary John E. Loftus Thomas W. Kelley Ward 3 John M. Grant Joel W. Judkins Frank S. Morse Ward 4 Ralph V. Morrison Benjamin W. Mayo Frank MacLennan Ward 5 Harry E. Farn ham Charles F. Winchester James M. Gillin Ward 6 Charles E. Black Elmer E. Barker Henry B. Thoms Ward 7 William F. White Edward J. Conley James A. Gallagher Clerk of Board, Thomas G. Donovan ♦Died Nov. 13, 1915. John F. Woodman elected to fill vacancy. 0 9 ~ 3 ' 1 Mayor’ s Address Gentlemen of the City Council: Ever since the incorporation of our city it has been customary for the mayor, at the inauguration ceremonies, to deliver a message to the city council, reviewing the work of the preceding municipal year in the several departments, and offering sug gestions and recommendations relating to the transaction of official business for the year to follow. I shall not do so. In fact I have but few words to say. My time has been too fully occupied since election, to allow me to look over the record of the different departments, or to block out or define any administrative policy. In assuming the duties devolving upon us, and which we have each and all of us sworn to faithfully perform, let us bear constantly in mind the fact, that we are alone responsible to the people and the taxpayers, and that above all, and over all in conducting the business affairs of the city, the city council is supreme. It is responsible for the disbursement of every dollar of the people’s money, under the charter of our city and the laws of the State. No money can be paid out of the city treasury without your authority. Administrations in the past have failed to practice proper economy, but at the same time had no intention whatever of indulging in extravagencc. It was due to lack of foresight. It is bad plan to spend money before you earn it. It is just as bad for a city council to pass order after order requiring the expenditure of money for special work in departments, before G m a y o r ’ s a d d r e s s [1916 it has determined how much it can afford to appropriate. Very early attention should be given to the subject matter of the annual budget, and constant care exercised in the passing of orders calling for expenditures. The ordinary, absolutely necessary operating expenses of the several departments, like salaries, wages and supplies, must go on, and it is here where the special care of the standing committees should be exercised. The joint standing committees have duties, and on some of the more important ones, arduous labors to perform. The manage ment of a department depends largely for success upon the attention given to it by its standing committee. I would suggest that some plan be adopted as early as possi ble, by which committees and members of the city council can have always available, exact information as to contemplated expenditures, and full knowledge from day to day, of what, and for what, expenditures have been made. It can be done, and by some simple method. In making up the appropriations for the current year, let us fix them at an amount large enough to pay the bills without borrowing, spend them carefully, and keep religiously within the limit of each one. Since I assumed the duties of this office in December last, a bond issue has been made, and from the proceeds of the sale thereof, practically all outstanding accounts and temporary loans have been paid. We have only to provide during the current year, for the restoration to the Sinking Fund, of the sum of $30,000.00 and maturing bonds amounting to the sum of $20,000.00. Last year it was contemplated to carry over to this municipal year by temporary loan, the sum of $9,0,000.00, of that amount $60,000.00 had been passed along by the two previous administrations. It was taken care of however by the bond issue. 1916] m a y o r ’ s a d d r e s s 7 We start with nearly a clean slate; so far as outstanding accounts are concerned, but bear in mind always, that if you spend more this year than you appropriate, you cannot pay it because you cannot borrow. The city is not bankrupt, by any means, and its credit is, and always has been, of the highest. We can so conduct this administration that the people will not feel to be overburdened when bills for taxes are rendered. In the election of subordinate officers, have a care for the fitness and responsibility of the man for each office. It is of the greatest importance for the standing committee of department to have the co-operation of a competent official. For the rest— for the future— for success— for this municipal year, it is up to us. Let us get busy, and work together in harmony, and ever for the common good. JOHN F. WOODMAN, Mayor. « Report of the City Auditor 10 REPORT OF THE CITY AUDITOR [1916 City Auditor’ s Report August 1, 1916. To the Honorable, the Mayor and City Council of the City of B any or, Bangor, Maine. Sirs: I submit herewith the annual report of the receipts and expenditures of the City of Bangor for the fiscal year ended February 29, 1916, and the financial condition of the city as at that date. Exhibit “ A” shows an Excess of General Revenue Assets in amount of $32,554.27, at the end of the fiscal year. This excess balance was partially due to the fact that the city sold $195,000.00 in bonds, and in so doing, used up nearly all the borrowing capacity of the city as allowed by the statute of the State of Maine limiting the borrowing capacity of cities and towns. During the year the following notes were paid: the New bury Street School note in amount of $10,000.00; the note given for the “ Gibbs Property” amounting to $10,000.00; $60,000.00 in notes which were brought over from prior adminis trations and the Highway Note for the Unemployed amounting to $10,000.00 making a total of $90,000.00 in notes retired during the year. 1916] CITY OF BANGOR 11 Exhibit “ D” shows the results of operations which resulted in a revenue deficit of 1190,902.69 for the year. It will be noted on schedules 2 and 3 that a number of the departments exceeded their appropriations. During the month of August, 1915, I notified, in writing, his Honor, the Mayor, and all heads of committees of those departments where appro priations were being expended too liberally, and submitted tentative figures showing that if the departments were not limited in their expenditures, the operations for the year would result in a large deficit. I frequently consulted the City Solicitor on various bills sub mitted by the Highway Department for work done in that department, and was informed by him that when the liability had been incurred and was accepted by the Committee of that department, the city was obliged to make payment therefor. I was informed that, under the State law, the Highway Com missioner has unlimited authority to contract bills for the city and there is no authority to prevent him outside the City Government. The cash on hand in the Treasurer’s office was verified by actual count as at February 29, 1916, and the cash in banks was verified by statements submitted by the various banks. The results of this verification indicated a shortage in the cash as is shown by the following: Cash on hand and in banks as at February 29, 1916: Cash in banks......................................................... $31,262 62 Cash on hand (to be deposited)............................ 918 13 Petty cash in Treasurer’s Office.......................... 1,303 28 Total cash on hand and in banks as at February 29, 1916............................... $33,484 03 \ 12 REPORT OF THE CITY AUDITOR [1916 Cash on hand and in banks as per books: Cash on hand February 28, 1915..........................$ 39,440 57 Cash received during year...................................