608 Minutes Regular Meeting Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the City Council Austin Tex Nov 20. 1893 Hon. John McDonald, Mayor, presiding Roll call Roll Call, present - 21 Present - 21 Alderman. Anderson. Assmann. Fischer. Glass. Hancock. Hume. Jackson. Ketchum. Linn. Miller. Nitschke. North. Platt. Pawell. Raymond. Schneider. Schuber. Shelley. Taylor. Townsend. Warmoth. Absent - 1 Absent 1. Alderman. Dawson The minutes of the meetings of the City Council Minutes adopted which were held on the 6th and 11th days of November 1893 were on motion of Alderman North adopted as printed in the Statesman. Petitions, Etc. Pet of G.M. Brass A petition from Mr. G. M. Brass was presented concerning the true lines of blocks 37 and 38 Complaint having been filed against him in the Recorders's Court. Charging him with placing obstructions in the street he having made improvements which it is claimed extend out in Sabine street. He requests the Council to instruct the recorder to defer sentence untill the matter can be investigated. Referred to St. Com Alderman Linn, moved to refer the petition to the Street Committee. Carried. Recorder to suspend. Alderman Linn then moved that the recorder be requested action to suspend action in the case until the street Committee reports to the council in regard to the matter. Adopted. By Alderman. North. Pet of Rosa Freeman A petition from Rosa Freeman. per attorney. regarding the payment of taxes and costs on one half of lot 33. out lot 41. division B Referred to Com on It was referred to the committee on claims and accounts claims & accts Reports of City Officers City Engineer estmate The City Engineer in accordance with a resolution on cost of culvert on recently adopted by the City Council presented an W Eleventh St. estimate of the cost of a Stone culvert on West Eleventh street at the intersection of Nueces street. The cost is placed at $587.65 Rept Received & Filed The report was received and filed Reports of Committee Res to grade Brazos st Alderman Hume for the committee on streets and Alleys to whom was referred a resolution providing for the grading of Brazos street, between Ninth and Eleventh streets presented a report recommending adopted the adoption of the resolution, and the report was adopted. Rept of Finance Com Alderman Linn introduced the following To Hon John McDonald Mayor and the City Council of the City of Austin, Gentlemen Your finance Committee to whom was referred the resolution of Alderman Raymond concerning the investment of the sinking fund provided for the payment of the --- Page break --- Austin Electric light and Water bonds at maturity beg leave to report as follows. First.- We find it is doubtful in law whether we have the power to invest the dam sinking fund in such of the dam bonds as may not yet have been issued and which are still in the treasury. We therefore recommend that the sinking fund be not invested in that manner. Second- We further find that there is now to the credit of the dam sinking fund the sum of $26,908.83. We also find that now and for at least the first six months of the coming year the collection of taxes will make but little progress. Third.- We further find that on Jan 1, 1894 not less than $12,025.00, will have to be paid out of said fund for interest on the dam bonds already issued and a further like sum will be due out of said fund on April 1, 1894 making not less than $24,050.00, and probably more should the balance of the dam bonds be sold. These payments in view of the slow collection of taxes at this time of the year would nearly exhaust this fund. Hence we recommend that it be held sacred for the purpose for which it was created especially as the sinking fund of next year amounting to about $99,000.00, will be needed for interest requirements of next year. Fourth.- We find that some of the 10 per cent bonds of the city will fall due Jan 1 1894 and if at that time it should be found that the sinking fund would warrant it We would recommend that so much of the sinking fund as it would be safe to use be invested in those maturing bonds but as between now and Jan 1 1894 a general election takes place in this city we recommend that no immediate action be now taken and that the matter be left to the discretion of the incoming council Fifth in connection it may not be out of place to state that all interest requirements of the city of Austin for the year 1893 have been met and provided for with out using the taxes assessed for 1893- and which will become available in 1894. And as it is vital to the good name of the city that there shall be no doubt cast upon its disposition and ability to meet all its just debts for 1894 we would deprecate any action by this council that would tend to embarrass the incoming council in caring for the finances of the city during its term of office Respectfully submitted Henry A. Linn Thomas F. Taylor William F. North Financial Committee --- Page break --- 610 Rpt-adopted & ordered to The report was adopted and ordered to be printed be printed in full in the proceedings of the City Council. Special Com Rpt- Alderman Raymond for the special committee to whom was referred the message of the mayor in regard to the rumor that the unsued water and light bonds had been hypothecated and the advisability of ordering sent back to the city the said water and light bonds presented a report thereon which states that " as to the truth or falsity of the rumor that the bonds had been hypothecated there is nothing in the correspondence submitted to your committee bearing directly upon that matter" The report sets forth in full section 87 of the city charter which names the duties of the city treasurer the last sentence of which states " He shall receive and keep all money belonging to the city and make all payments of the same upon warrants of the mayor attested by the City Clerk. The report closes as follows, Under the last sentence of this section (87) your Committee is of the opinion that the bonds should be kept in the possession of the city treasurer and we therefore recommend that the bonds be sent for atRpt read & referred to once and placed in possession of that officer. Com for correction After being read the report was referred to the committee for correction. While the correction was being made new business was taken up New Business New Business By Alderman Schneider Ord Appropriating money An ordinance appropriating the sum of $62.25 for the to reimburse Chief. A. F.D. purpose of reimbursing the chief of the Austin Fire department. Amount paid out during the recent Cotton fire for labor etc passed It was passed under suspension of the rules by the following vote. yeas - 21 Yeas- 21 Aldermen Anderson, Assmann, Fischer, Glass, Hancock, Hume, Jackson, Ketchum, Linn, Miller, Nitschke, Nurth, Platt, Powell, Raymond, Schneider, Schuer, Shelley, Taylor, Townsend, Warmuth. Alderman Dawson entered the council and ans-wered to his name. Rept- of special com The report of the special committee on the message of on Mayors Message the mayor was again laid before the council whereupon a motion was made to adopt the same. Alderman Schneider moved as a substitute that the report be received, adopted. By Alderman Linn Ord providing for An ordinance providing for the payment of payment of Estimate No 1 estimate No 1 in favor of John F Hart & Co under their contract with the City of Austin dated Oct 10, 1895 --- Page break --- 611 and making an appropriation of $3,622.02 therefor, The ordinance was read, after which motions were made to suspend the rules and place the same on its second and third readings and that it do now pass each of which were adopted by the following vote adopted yeas - 22 yeas 22 Aldermen, Anderson, Assmann, Dawson, Fischer, Glass Hancock, Hume, Jackson, Ketchum, Linn, Miller, Nitschke, North, Platt, Powell, Raymond, Schneider, Schuber Shelley, Taylor, Townsend, Warmoth. Alderman, Anderson, was excused from further attendanc on the session of the council. Res. Mayor to Telegraph for bonds Alderman Linn, introduced a resolution requesting the Mayor to telegraph to the National City Bank of New York requesting the officers of said bank to make affidavit that the 438 Austin water and electric light bonds are held subject to the order of John McDonald Mayor of the City of Austin and to certify under oath whether said bonds are held as collateral for any firm individual or corporation. After the resolution was read Alderman Linn withdrew it to allow alderman Raymond to discuss the subject of again taking up the report of the special Committee concerning the bonds. No action was taken regarding the matter. and Alderman Linn again presented the resolution above named and it was adopted Res adopted adjourned The council then adjourned. Milton Morris, City Clerk.