94 REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL: Austin, Texas, February 15, 1923. The Council was called to order by the Mayor. Roll call showed the following members present: Mayor Yett, Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, Haynes and Sea- right, 5; absent, none, The Minutes of the last meeting were read and upon motion of Councilman Eyres were adopted by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 5; nayes, none. Councilman Copeland nominated D. H. Page as special policeman to assist in enforcing the traffic laws. Nomination was confirmed by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 4; nayes, none, Councilman Copeland present but not voting. Councilman Copeland nominated W. L. Bailey as special night watchman on East Sixth Street. Nomination was confirmed by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 4; nayes, none, Councilman Copeland present but not voting. Councilman Haynes introduced the following resolution: WHEREAS, it appears from the statement herewith attached that the assessed valuation of $1,515.00 placed by the Unit System on the improvements owned and assessed by Mrs. J. W. Gribble on Lots 21, 22 and 18 feet of Lot 20, Block 34, Hyde Park Addition #1 is excessive and should be reduced to assessed value of $1,200.00, Therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: That the Assessor and Collector be and he is hereby authorized to change said valuation on his rolls and to take credit for amount of said reduction. The above resolution was adopted by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 5; nayes, none. Councilman Haynes introduced the following resolution: WHEREAS, it appears from the statement of the Chairman of the Board of Equalization herewith attached, that the full valuation of $2,250.00 fixed by the Unit System on Lot 1, Outlot 3, Division "D", Leander Brown Addition, owned by the Estate of Mrs. M. E. Lensing is erroneous and excessive and should be corrected and reduced to a full valuation of $1,500.00, Therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: That the Assessor and Collector be and he is hereby instructed to correct the assessment on his rolls and enter the full valuation of said improvements at $1,500.00, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: , That whereas, the taxes having been paid on said erroneous assessment by Mrs. H. A. Baker, the City Clerk be and he is hereby instructed to issue a warrant in favor of said Mrs. Baker against the General Fund for $10.75, excess taxes paid. The above resolution was adopted by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 5; nayes, none. Councilman Haynes introduced the following resolution: WHEREAS, in placing the value of the improvements on the assessment of Mrs. E. J. White of Lots 1 and 2, Block 1, Outlots 72 and 73, Division "E", the Unit System experts included in said valuation the improvements on 70X128 feet south from said lots, being Lot 6, Block 1 of said outlots; and WHEREAS, Mrs. White sold said Lot 6 in March, 1922, same having no 1mprovements on it at the time of sale, the improvements having been erected by the purchaser after his purchase and after January 1st, 1922, therefore not assessable for 1922; and WHEREAS, the total of the improvements assessed against Mrs. White of $2,140.00 included above erroneous assessment, when as a matter of fact only an assessment of $945.00 on improvements should have been made against her, Therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: That the Assessor and Collector be and he is hereby instructed to correct said erroneous assessment and permit Mrs. White to pay on only the improvements owned by her and to take credit for $1195.00, value of improvements erroneously assessed to her. The above resolution was adopted by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 5; nayes, none. Councilman Haynes introduced the following resolution: WHEREAS, the records furnished the Assessor and Collector by the Unit System experts, from which the assessment rolls were compiled, placed two houses on the property assessed by H. B. Beck, valued at $3100.00, when as a matter of fact Mr. Beck has only one house on his lot, the additional value placed on the improvements being on a house on the adjoining lot, owned and assessed by C. D. Milhouse, valued for assessment at $1,200.00, thus being a double assessment, Therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: That the Assessor and Collector be and he is hereby authorized and instructed to correct the error and permit Mr. Beck to pay on a valuation of $1,900.00, the correct value of his own improvements on January 1st, 1922. The above resolution was adopted by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 5; nayes, none. Councilman Haynes introduced the following resolution: BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: That, in compliance with the petition of G. A. Kemrath and the recommendation of the Board of Equalization herewith attached, that the assessed valuation of $1,500.00, placed on said Kamrath's office fixtures for taxes of 1922, should be reduced to $1,000.00, for which same has recently been sold, the Assessor and Collector be and he is hereby instructed to make said change of valuation on his rolls and to take credit for $500.00 reduction. Said taxes on the erroneous assessment having been paid, the City Clerk is hereby instructed to issue a warrant against the General Fund in favor of said Kamrath for $10.75, excess taxes paid. The above resolution was adopted by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 5; nayes, none. 95 96 Councilman Haynes introduced the following resolution: WHEREAS, The Referee in bankruptcy, in the matter of W. T. Wroe & Sons and S. K. Wroe, Bankrupts, has tendered to the Assessor and Collector the amount of taxes due by said Bankrupts for the years 1920 and 1921, with interest thereon to date, claiming the funds in his hand are not sufficient to pay the 5% penalty fixed by ordinance, Therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: That the Assessor and Collector be and he is hereby authorized and instructed to accept said taxes with interest and omit penalty. The above resolution was adopted by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 5; nayes, none. Councilman Haynes introduced the following resolution: WHEREAS, the Unit System experts placed a valuation of $1,920.00 on the improvements on Lot 9 and west seventeen feet of Lot 8, Block 157, assessed to Miss Mary Keye; and WHEREAS, it is shown by the records of the Assessor and Collector's office that Miss Keye secured a permit for said improvements on December 19, 1921, and though said improvements were really not on the ground at the time and not taxable for 1922, she voluntarily rendered one-third of the value, or $800.00, of said improvements for taxes of 1922, which was accepted as a fair valuation on January 1st, 1922, Therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: That in order to correct the error in the assessment made by the Unit Tax experts, the Assessor and Collector be and he is hereby instructed to accept the payment of taxes on the rendition of $800.00 made by the owner as the fair valuation for 1922, and to take credit for the difference, the valuation of $1,920.00 to be placed on said improvements for 1923. The above resolution was adopted by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 5; nayes, none. Councilman Eyres introduced the following resolution: WHEREAS, the City of Austin and Burns & MoDonnell Engineering Company, a firm of Kansas City, heretofore entered into a contract whereby said firm would undertake to make preliminary plans, estimates, and report for an adequate and suitable water supply for said City, and if such preliminary plans, estimates and report be approved by the City Council of said city, and bonds be voted for said purpose, said firm would undertake to make final plans and specifications for said purpose and would supervise the construction of the work, all for a fee of five per cent of the total cost of the entire improvements, $750.00 of which fee would be paid by the City at the time of the completion of said preliminary plans, estimates, and report, provided, that if the city Council should not approve said preliminary plans, estimates and report, that said $750.00 should be the entire compensation to be paid to said firm by the City; and WHEREAS, said firm has furnished the City with a preliminary report, containing certain plans and estimates, and the City Council after considering same, finds that it is recommended therein that the construction of the filtration plant should be at the mouth of Barton Creek on the south side of the Colorado , River and that a dam should be built across sarton Greek at its junction with the Colorado River, and that the water output from the condensing equipment at the City's Water and Light Plant should not be used in the scheme of filtration; and WHEREAS, said preliminary report contains no new matter nor gives to the City any additional information than had already been furnished to the City by other parties previously employed for said purpose; therefore BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: That it is the sense of the City Council that it is impracticable, unwise and involves an unnecessary expense to situate the filtration plant as proposed by said firm, and that it would be impracticable and unwise to construct a dam across the mouth of Barton Creek as proposed by said firm, and that the water output from said condensing equipment should be employed by the City in a scheme of filtration; and for the reasons named herein, and for other reasons deemed good and sufficient to the City Council, and acting within the discretion given the City Council by the terms of said contract, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that said preliminary plans, estimates and report of said Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, as furnished to the City of Austin, be and the same are hereby not approved, and the Mayor is hereby instructed to cause to be issued the warrant of the City of Austin for the sum of $750.00, payable to the order of said Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, in full compensation to said firm for said engineering services, and to transmit same to said firm, with a copy of this resolution. The above resolution was adopted by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 5; nayes, none. The Mayor laid before the Council the following ordinance: AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE USE OF THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND PROVIDING PENALTIES, The ordinance was read the first time and Councilman Searight moved that the rule be suspended and the ordinance placed on its second reading. Motion prevailed by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 5; nayes, none,. The ordinance was read the second time and Councilman Searight moved a further suspension of the rule and the ordinance placed on its third reading and final passage. Motion prevailed by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 5; nayев, попе. The ordinance was read the third time and Councilman Searight moved that same do now finally pass. Motion prevailed by the following vote: Ayев, mayor Yett, Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, waynes and Searight, 5; nayes, none. The application of rank Joffrion and C. L. Morris to erect an iron clad extension to the building located at 104 East 5th Street was refused by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Copeland, Eyres, Haynes and Searight, 5; nayes, none. The Council then recessed. 97