The Public Business

New York, 1895

ECONOMY THE WATCHWORD WITH THE TOWN BOARD.

Democrats and Republicans Go In for Cutting Down Expenses — New Oyster Planting Law Indorsed — Village Affairs — Making New Roads.

The town board held a meeting at the Town Hall on Friday. In the absence of Supervisor Everitt, Justice Lester presided. Justices Wallace and Smith, of Hempstead, were present relative to the oyster bill for the towns of Hempstead and Jamaica. Printed copies of the bill were received from Assemblyman Vacheron. The bill was read by Justice Wallace, who drew it, and some changes were made. The following resolution, offered by Justice Kissam, was adopted:

Resolved, That the town board endorse Assembly bill No. 453, introduced by Assemblyman Vacheron, regulating the leasing of oyster lands in the waters of Hempstead and Jamaica, and that we request Senator Childs and Assemblyman Vacheron to use all efforts to pass the same.

The town board met at the Town Hall Tuesday and prepared resolutions to be submitted to the voters of the town at the April election. Supervisor Everitt presided. Justice Lott was absent. Justice Lester said it was a farce to be asking every year for $3,500 for the support of the poor, when the board knew that it was not enough. He believed that the overseer of the poor should square up his business at the end of each year in order that the board could know just what the town owed for the support of the poor. All the members thought so.

Overseer of the Poor Wyckoff stated that he thought $600 more would clear everything up. He has had $7,500.

On motion of Justice Lester, the appropriation for the support of the poor to be voted upon was fixed at $3,500. The balance will be made up out of the excise moneys.

The matter of printing ballots, posters, etc. for the spring election was taken up. Justice Lester said it was within the province of the town clerk to have the ballots printed, but that the town should have them printed at the lowest possible cost, and to that end he offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the town clerk solicit bids from the printers within the town for printing the official ballots and ballots containing resolutions, and also for printing the hand bills necessary to be printed, and that such bids be opened at the next meeting of the board on March 15th, at 9 A. M.

The resolution was unanimously adopted.

The matter of improving the property acquired for Town Hall purposes was informally discussed. It was the opinion that the money left after paying for the land and the money derived from the sale of the old buildings would be sufficient to make the necessary improvements.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 15, 1895, p. 1.