REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL: 311 Austin, Texas, January 11, 1934. The Council was called to order by the Mayor. Roll call showed the following members present: Councilmen Alford, Bartholomew, 01111s, Mayor Miller, and Councilman Wolf, 5; absent, none. The Minutes of the last regular meeting were read and upon motion of Councilman Alford were adopted as read by the following vote: Ayes, Councilmen Alford, Bartholomew, Gillis, Mayor Miller, and Councilman Wolf, 5; nays, none. The Mayor laid before the Council the following: "Austin, Texas January 11,1934. Honorable Mayor and City Council City of Austin Austin Texas. Gentlemen: During the past several months calculations have been made to balance the expenditures of the City with respect to reduced income in order to determine the possible amount that light costs to consumers might be reduced. The Council, in December, reduced the assessed valuations on property improvements fifteen per cent, which, together with reduced assessments of personal property, mercantile stooks, etc., has lowered the assessed valuations by approximately $4,858,000.00 for the year 1933, being the taxes payable in 1934. This amounts to a reduction of $96,000 in revenue to the City, which amount is retained by the tax-paying public for use in other lines of business and industry. The following proposal is now submitted for your consideration and recommended for your approval, to become effective February 1, 1934. 1. That a cash discount of ten per cent (10%) on all light and power bills under rates A, B, C, and D be allowed where the bills are paid within fifteen (15) days after the billing date. This discount will apply to all domestic and commercial consumers, totaling 12,000 in round numbers, and will amount to $64,000. 2. With respect to industrial consumers billed under rates E and F, it is recommended that no discount be allowed, due to the fact that these two rates are lower than the four previously noted, but that a revision be made in the power demand charges now applied, This is estimated to be a reduction of $15,000 additional. Summarizing the foregoing amounts, the City will lose $96,000 in General Fund revenue and $79,000 in Water and Light Fund revenue per year and the citizens of Austin will retain a total of $175,000, representing that amount of decreased payments to the City Government which will be available for diversion into commercial and other activities. Considering this $175,000 reduction in revenue, it is believed that with the cооретаtion of the citizens of Austin, the City Government and its many departments and services can be maintained and operated satisfactorily, efficiently, and on a cash basis without & deficit. Substantiating this statement is the fact that, while final figures are not available as the City's audit is not complete, the Oity during 1933 created no new debts, borrowed no money, met all interest and bond payments when due, paid all bills promptly, on most of which a discount was received for payment within ten days, and completed the fiscal year ending December 31st with a substantial cash balance. Respectfully submitted, (Signed) Guiton Morgan, City Manager • Councilman Alford moved "that the proposal of the City Manager, viz., that beginning February 1st next a reduction of 10 per cent on all light and power consumed under Classes A, B, C, and D be allowed where bills are paid within fifteen days after the billing date and that no reduction be allowed under Industrial Rates E and F, but that a revision be made in the power demand charges now applied, be approved; and that the City Attorney be instructed to prepare the necessary resolution covering the matter for adoption at the next regular meeting." The motion was adopted by the following vote: Ayes, Councilmen i 312 Alford, Bartholomew, Gillis, Mayor Miller, and Councilman Wolf, 5; naye, none. Dr. C. A. Duval appeared before the Council and asked that a reduction be made in the rates charged for electric refrigerators. The matter was referred to the City Manager and Superintendent of the Electric Division for consideration. Mr. Rector Allen, representing E. M. Soarbrough & Sons, came before the Council and asked for the privilege of reserving a parking space in front of their store on Congress Avenue for the use of their customers. After considerable discussion, the Council took the matter under advisement. Mr. Jake Frank submitted a request for remission of the penalty on taxes owing by the Frank Estate for the years 1931 and 1932. The matter was referred to the City Manager for investigation. Mesars. A. W. and Chas. E. Smith came before the Council and asked that a certain street, designated on the map as Cole Street, lying between Blocks 44, 45, 46, and 47, Christian and Fellman Addition, be quitclaimed to the Smith Estate by reason of the fact that same has never been dedicated as a street, having been under fence for many years. The matter was referred to the City Manager and City Engineer for attention. Mr. J. Bascom Giles presented a petition, signed by a majority of the resident qualified voters of the territory out of the Pecan Springs Common School District No. 61 describ- ed in said petition, asking that same be taken into the City of Austin for school purposes only; and a resolution from the Board of Trustees of the Austin Public Schools, recommending that the corporate limits of the City of Austin be extended for school purровев to include said territory. Action on the matter was deferred until the next regular meeting in order to afford all interested citizens an opportunity to be heard. Mrs. H. B. Odell appeared before the Council relative to grazing privileges on the Sand Beach Reserve. The matter was referred to the City Manager. The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution: BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: THAT Blocks Nos. Five (5) and Six (6) and the strip of land 160x700 feet east of said Blocks, and the intersecting street, in Rosedale B, in the City of Austin, be and the same is hereby set apart and dedicated as a public park; and WHEREAS, F. T. Ramsey, now deceased, during his lifetime served with distinction as a member of the Austin School Board and in other public capacities, and gave without charge his information and advice in the planning of the public landscaping of numerous areas in the City, and gave to the City large quantities of trees and plants for public planting, and through such generosity, both of service and gifts, the City has received great benefits, therefore, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: THAT said area of land hereinabove set apart and dedicated as a public park be denominated and known hereafter as "Ramsey Park". The resolution was adopted by the following vote: Ayes, Councilmen Alford, Bartholomew, Gillis, Mayor Miller, and Councilman Wolf, 5; nays, none. The Mayor laid before the Council the following resolution: WHEREAS, The Southwestern Bell Telephone Company has presented to the City Council tentative maps and plans showing the proposed construction of its pole lines in the street in the City of Austin hereafter named, and said maps or plans have been considered by the City Engineer; therefore,