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Council Proceedings

Council Proceedings image Council Proceedings image
Parent Issue
Day
6
Month
January
Year
1893
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

(OFFICIAL. CouNCir. Chamber. I Ann Arbor, Jan. 4, 1883. f Adjourned session. The'council was ealled to order by ;he President, the Ilon. Mortiiner E. Cooley. Roll ealled. Quorum present. Absent- Aid. Schairer, Herz, Fillmore, Ferguson, Renberg.- . COMMUNICATION FROM THE MA TOB. City of Arm Arbor, Mayor's Office, Jan. 4th, 1893. To the Honorable Common Council: Gentlemen : Over ten years a-g tdie chiarter and ordinances of the city of Ann Arbor were compiled and pulblisOied by the authority of the city. Since that time the city lias receivei a new cüiarter, numerous ordinances have been enacted or rcpealed ana amendments equally numerous perhaps have been made to ancient lcgislative enactments. This accumulated mass of ten years of municipal legislation reposes in the book of ordiaances in the office of the city clerk, inaccessible save to tlhose who have expert knowledge to aid their gcarch and a careful memory of the office honra of the city clerk. Surely II the maxim "ignoranee of the law excuses no one" is ever inapplicable it is douibly so in the case of the citizens of Ann Arbor who can houestly plc.ul ignorance of their own local Iaws. In these days of interest in law, wihen a peaceful and orderly people, law-abiding and selfrespecting seek only to know taie law in order to give it tilieir obedience ana their respectful devotion, it ought not to be said of out civic legislatura that it witheid fpom them that which is and ought to be "the mie of their civil conduct prescribed by their suprema municipal power commanding wint is right and prohiblting what is wrong." Professional agitators and s'hrewd attorneys might profit by this dereliction, the one ai the expense of the city's good name for law anti order, and the otlier at the expense of their uniníormed cliente ; bnt the couneü ought not to be accessory beiore the fact to either misfortune. nie rt( nrds of honorable body disclose the fact that an appropriation was made Sept. 5th, 1S92 for the purpose of revising the ordtnances of the city. I have repeatedTy urged upon tJie city attorney the necessity of expedition in the premises, but I ara informed that he has been unable as vet to secure the assistance of hie coadjutor, Aid. "Wines, the chairmau of the ordinance committee. To the end that the chaxter and ordinaiiccs may be eventually and speodily compiled and publiehed, I trust. that the council wlll exert its authority to Jnasten the work already to long delayed. WnXIAM G. DOTY, Mayor. Aid. Martin moved that the conamunication be accepted and placed on file. Aid. Wines moved as a substituto that the communication be referred back forcorrection. Which motion was lost as follows: Yeas- Aid. Wines.- 1. Nays- Aid. Martin, Suow, O'Mara, Taylor, Kitson, Frettynian, Pres. Cooley.- 7. Aid. Prettyman moved to lay communication on the table. " Which motion was lost by a yea and nay vote as follows: Yeas- Aid. Wines, Kitson, Prettyman, Pres. Cooley. - 4. Nays - Aid. Martin, Snow, O'Mara, Taylor.- 4. The yeas and nays being ealled on the original motion, it prevailed as follows: Yeas - Aid. Martin, Herz, Snow. O'Mara, Taylor -5. Nays- Aid. Wines, Kitson, Prettyman, Pres. Cooley. - i. KEl'ORTS OP STANDING COMMITTEER. To tlie Common Council: Your Committee on Lighting to whom was referred the matter of lighting the city for the next year, commenciug Jan. lst, A. D., 1893, would respectfully recommend that the proposition of the Ann Arbor T. H. Electric Company be accepted ' der the same condition as last year. Your committee would further report on petitions referred to your committee, and recommend the following: the petition for two lights on west Huron street be denied and that on light be granted and located near the west line of John M. Wheelers land. on a 60 foot pole, and the light now located at the intersection of Huron and 7th streets be moved further east as Lighting Committee may lócate, also a light be located on State street and placed on a 66 foot pole at the entrance of the niain building to the University Hall, and we further recommend the three lights, one at the intersection of Detroit and Nortk streets, one at the intersection of División and Lawrence streets, and one at the intersection of Third and West Huron, be each placed on a 60 foot pole. Respectfully submitted. William Herz, ARTnUK J. K.ITSON, Lighting Committee. Continued on fourth page. COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS. Continued from first page. Aid. O'Mara moved that the report be and the same is hereby approved and conürrned. Adopted as followsï Yeas.- Aid. Wines, Martin, Herz, Snow, O'Mara, Taylor, Kitson, Prettyman, President Cooley.- 9. Nays- None. KEPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTBES. Aid. O'Maia, Chairman of Special Committee on city Buildings, reported progress and moved that President Cooley be added to the Committee. Adopted. a.nn arbok, January i, is9;-i. To tlir Commun Council : (Jentlemen: - Your committee appointed November 21,1892, to consider and reeommend a plan for securing a system of sewers for the city of Anu Arbor, beg leave to report as follows : The committee has had three meetings at which the different features of the problum have been considered in detail, thoroughlv discussed, and voted on separately. Your committee is unanimously of the opinión that the coustruction of a system of sewers fox the city of Aun Arbor is a necessary public improvement, and that the work should be commeneed as soon as practicable. The system and plan recommended by the Board of Public Works in their report to the Council under date of January 2S, 1882 is regarded as the more desirable, all things considered, for this city. Any further enlargement of the mam or lateral sewers for the purposu of providing for surface drainage is not considered advisable. Your committee does not wish to be understood, however, as not in favor of surface drainage in certaiu portions of the city but suggests that this question ruay be more readily met and disposed of with less expense to th city by the use of separate draius laid to the nearest acceseible natural water courses. Your committee would therefore recommend the adoption by this Council of the eystem and plan as submitted by the Board of Public Works, above referred to, with the additiou of a twelve-inch branch main sewor extendine from Broadway down Wall street, crossiu tinriver. and joiniug the main sewer, if fouuel practicable, otherwise discharging into the river at the nearest suitable point; and with the further addition of such auxilliary plan of surfaee drainage as uiay be found eipedient and necessary. The different methods of raiïing the money to construct such a svstem of sewers have received much consideratiou The question naturally divides itself into two parts; first, the main.or truuk, sewer; second, the system of lateral sewers. In order to reach a conclusión likely to meet with the approval of a majority of our citizens, the opmion of experienced financiers has been sought, also the opinión of anumberof our citizens known to hold opposing views. While at first it was the vote of your committee to raise the monev for theentire system by bonding, that plan did uot, on more mature consideratiou, commeud jtseii so strougiy. A careta] measurement of the sewer map dicloses about twenty miles of sewers laid down in the original plan, which does not embrace the recent extensions of the city limit 8 At au average oost of $0,000 per mile. the lowest estimate ior the entire system would approximate $1-0.000. while it is possibie the amouut might reach 4150,000, or more. Yoiir committee is unvvilliug to recommend placing this city under so large a bonded indebteduess, when freedom from siieh debt has ahvays been a matter of pride to our citizens The construction of the entire system ivould under bonds. probably be demanded at once, so that of necessity a large proportiou of the laboring help would have to be imponed Vs abont su per cent. of the cost of a sewer system is for labor, auy plan tendiug to favor our own people and keep our money at home, it seema should meet the approval and commaud tbcsupport of our eitizens. ïbe more natiiral and econoiuical plan would be to build the main sewer at once, and put in the laterale as thcy are doinauded. or l'ouud necessary. This will admit of extendiug the major part of the work over a period of two or three years, at least, and provide work for a uumber of yeara eztensiona are made, The linal estimates for the cost of the maiu sewer snbmitted by the Board of Public Works showed that it can be built for about $22,00(1 or $2o,0uu. To próvido for street crossings, üusliiug tanks and other aceessorlea, this sum may properly be inereased to i:!0,tioo. Inasmuch as uo system of sewers is practicable in this city without the main sewer, and as it serves for all alike, with the possibie exception of the flfth ward, both for the present and the future, it seems entirely proper that the money for its constriiction sliould be raised by bonding. Vour committee would therefore recommend the raising of this sum by issuing bonds for a term of years, and that the Finalice Committee ! and City Attorneybe instructed to procure the uecessary legislation at the present. Bession of the Legislature. i As to the best metliod of raislng the moricy I for the lateral sewers. your committee do not i at present leel preparen to rraommend detinitely. The question has been discussed at length, and various plans considered. but none of tbem appear to bc total Iy free from objection. As more iuformation is deslred, and is bejng songht. your cornmittee would respeetfully ask furtbcr time before BUbniltting Ita ii aal i'eport. iíuspiíi-trnlly snljniitted. M. E. COOLEY. L. D. WIN ES. II. G. l'UKTTVMAN. W. (i. 8NOW. .1. O MA KA. ". L. TAYLOR. WII.l.IAM JililiZ. Aid. Snow moved that the report be, and the same is hereby approved and eontirmed. Adopted as follows: Yeas- Aid. Wines, Martin, Ilerz, Snow, O'Mara, lleliberg, Taylor, Kitson, Prettyrnau, Tres. Cooley.- 10. Nays- None. REPOKT8 OF CITY OIFICKKS. CITY ÏKEASUiiEIt'S KEPOKT FOB Ï1IE MONTH KNDI.VC DECKMÜKB 31. 1892. To the Comrnon C&uncü of the City of Ann Arbor: Balance overdrawn as per last report i 5,:i8.44 MORST ItKCKlVEIJ. Contingent Kuml - Miller, licenses -.öV Street Fiind - Sutherland :j6.54 Doli Fund- Poud, Unes :M ■'ireFund-Blpley, buiding pet-mits.. 2.06 Cemetery Fund- Manlj-, lot... 5.00 Total 10.01 5,)3.40 MONEY DISBCR8ED. Contingent Fund 11,139.99 Street Fund Kü.ffJ ''iremen's Fund 580.28 Pólice Fund lfió.00 'oor Fund 1455036 Wiiter Fund ll.Mj Soldiers' Belief Fund Ü8.00 iridge, Culvort and Crosswalk Fund B2.20 Total overdrawn 8,032.6} BALANCB ON HAND. Contingent Fund, over; drawD batotk Street Fund. oVêr"' t drawn tiS78UI Firemen's Fund, overr drawn 4t;s 45 Pólice Fund overdruwn (■;■' 5 PporFund 769.08 , Water Fund i (i;; - Cemetery Fund 188.67 Soldters' Relief Fuml. 850.60 Lmversity Hospital ! Aid Bond Fund . 8J0 00 , Delinquent Taz Fund ' o'""-'"" ---- 1.036.2Í . DojrTnx Fund 10 Bridge, inimi and CroBSwalkFund,.... 16.40 Total -. 8,648.05 (11,680.70 To a ! ovenira wn J 8,083.66 1 Respectf ully submitted, 8. W. Bkakes, City Treasuret. i Ann ArborCity, January 2, 1893. Ann Abbor Sa vinos Bask. ) Ans A hiiou. Mich., JaD. 4, 1894. ( To the Conunon Council: This is to certify that there was on deposit to the credit of S. W. Beakes, City Treasurer, the sum of Thiity-Six Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety-tvvo, and 42-ioo Dollars, . ($36,292.42). Yours Respectlully, Chas. E. Hiscock, Cashier. The monthly reports of the City Treasurer, City Clerk, Marshal, and Superintendent of the Poor were read and placed on Ule. By Alderman Herz: Resolved, That the Mayor and City Clerk be and they are hereby authorized to contract with the Ann Arbor T.-H. Electric Co., for the city street lighting according to terms of last years contract. Adopted as follows: Yeas - Aid. Wines, Martin, Herz, Snow, O'Mara, Rehberg, Taylor, Kitson, Prettyman, Pres. Cooley - 10. Nays- None. T?v Alderman Hfiribfirff: Resolved, That the suna of eight dollars be appropriated from the Poerrand to purchase a pair of bobs to be used for the delivering of wood for the poor of the city of Anu Arbor. Adopted as follows: Yeas - Aid. Wines, Martin, Herz, Snow, O'Mara, Rehberg, Taylor, Kitson, Prettyman, Pres. Cooley - 10. Nays - None. By Alderman Prettyman: Resolved, That a Charter Amendment Committee consisting of the Ordinance Committee and City Attoiney be requested to report necessary amendments to the city charter. Adopted. Mr. Win. Miller, City Clerk City of Ann Arbor, I Jan. 4th, 1893. f I hereby tender my resignation as chairnian of the Ordinance Committee. L. D. Wixes. Aid. O'Mara moved that the communication be )aid on the table. Adopted. On motion the Council adjourned. City Clerk.

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Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News