HomeMy WebLinkAbout08011932City Ball Palo Alto, California.
August 1, 1932
The Counci. of the City of Palo Alto met- on this date
at .B " p..m., pursuant to• adjournment of; July 25, 1932, with Maya,
Thomas presiding. Roll ;call. .as follow -s: ..
. Pre sent:
z •Berts'che„ Cathcart, Chr-istensen, Collins; Johnson
Judson., a<elly, Mosher, l.austen,: Stephens, Thoit;,'
Thomas, . Wood, t _.
Absent: - zvans. Kitchell.
Bud tG 'o 323 X33
The Mayor announced that this meeting .was for the
species purpose of considering the budget for 1;932--33 Thee
a large number of Citizens present. The Mayor. stated, that befo.
the•Counc11-_entered =upon discussion, of the budget he would be s"la
to have expressions:.and. -opinions from any citizens present.
The;;follow,ing addressed the- Council- - Mr. R. 0. Bolz
Ir.. K. '''R ¥cDoUgall, -Mr.. D. R Klncai d, Mr Vance Brown, Mr.
'Taff,, .Mrs. Arthur Grove, .Mr. Ed. Cashel Mr.
Alfred Engle,, Mrs. Wilbur, Mrs. Lenos, .Mrs Stronquist,�Mr. Lloyd
Alen, ;Mx°.s. Whittern, M': s s.., Mabel King, and - Mr.- P. L. Pettigrew.'
All; ex ressed `their".vi.ew, in general, upon the matter of city
expenditures and re'fei e e'.w'as made to ;some Of the 1te`n s of exp
en
'he :.general. thought:: exp�+c-ressed by, all speakers- was thatthese were
hard times wheri: a -rest many people are ou v' of employment 7ithout
rhea zs "ar in -come; that all others had suffered loss of income for
various'reasons such as` reduction of salaries and reduction of
- dividends from stocks and bonds; that the entire' -population or
the ' city was suffering due to these causes and that whereas inn
hdd1, been g eatly reduced it was conceded that: taxes had generally
and .large y increased The feeling was, expressed that it gas t.
d qty of `thee .. Couit it to realize these condit:i cans and to cut down
. all expenses to: the least possible minimum.. Many of the spea're:
stated they were: r.epr.ese,ntativ es of the- taxpayers t League.
At: the conclusion of the remarks. of these citizens,
the,"Mayor. asked the chairman of the budget' committee to discus.
the budget. Councilman Judson, chairman of the budget committee
then discussed the various items of expense referred to and the
items :which had been eliminated, stating that all members bers of the
C#ty ,'Co�anc11 were.. -taxpayers and were as keenly alive to the nee
of cutting, out all possible expenditures as any one else in the c
Be stated that ,all department heads had been requested by the
budget 'committee, in prepa.ri,nd their reports of the necessary
expenditures for the coming year, to keep down every pcs:sibie
expense and to include only such Item that could not be disoens
with, and. that the Boards had entered ,....nto this spirit of rigid
economy, whole-heartedly." tie also stated: that every item of.
proposed ,, expenditure was carefully examined by the budget co;nit
• and that the co z;:ittee believed that the .proposed budget as
finally. recommended ,after prolonged study and many meetings
represented the- least possible amount that . the City could get
along on. without 'injury to the City.
Mr. JT,adson then requested Mr.. Skinner, the certifie
accountant who, has .been: employed for .sev,eral years by the City,
to givei. his, opinion on the budget. M ...Skinner gave c. syno;s:s
,of the ;revenues and expenditures for the past several years.
and ` brought = -:out the fact that for the past years' the expend: two
have always : been lees than `- the amount of : the b figet. He states
referring to the proposed ?budget that he believed that the rev=
of. the `city:' would be about. 4a50000 in e cess' Of the budget est,�
.:Mr Judson -..no spoke of the Public . Library, with
reference to a comparison made that the yearly cost of the i,:tr
rea:tly exceeded. the: cost of the libraries I .3ar Mateo and
Burlingame . He
tow` and that thi
average number of
possible' 36,000- I
served a great -- zza
time to -those wa1
Twc
of- Public Works a
that the saiariel
stated be was- not
Police Department
Coi
rate was X1.20.
Assessor what the
by the budget con
that the rate wou
- Coy,
stated at the beۥ
had just spoken (+
had been council=
believed his pzay•1
unselfishly to why
more so thananyr
stating that the c
taxpayers than di.t
the councilmen we:
Palo Alto, and mu!
Cour
of the old hospitrj
Molts referring t
showed it was firta
The:
glad to hear any r
Several who had p.r
among them Mr. Bel
remarks a great ma]
The
reduction and aske
Councilman Wood mom
that the salaries
Council,, but he lal
stated that if the
unappropriated bala
a dangerous point.
also discussed th+s
salaries temain as
exception of the Pc
he was not in favor
Collins stated he 7v
iausten asked when
salaries. Ref erenc
Jae 13th had taken
necessary.
Couac.
by Committee No. 4
Selig moved that thi
salaries of all em,p.
not "cut . Mr. Jsdsc
saving . to the city 1
sztotaig..'Qf 416, 000.0(
seconded ,. and lostL,ounclma
n Thoits st
that this salary ref;
salar except
action i s
for
o� r t ak e e
. R. Ct. xm
�A
owns
�•@ice i.
a wwlsay i
Petti g .
of' cif..
tees 1"1 ,0
at 'theii;wer.
ymeyn '�iw+ t'hou
1 S.qu;��ii/'�3"�• 1 or
duction:of
ux ationt
whereas .; inc
had, g`enerall
,Lint it. --was V.
too _�ctrt
f the s eake
e. ccitii0s.
to d suss
e t co ;tte
to e
hers :ot.the
to t �„licod
else iii :tie
ne:cea
poss14e
t be . specs
itY ot1:
dget
Qeet
c out geet "
3r1 ame He brought out the `tact. that Palo Alto ,Is a University
torn and that :there, were: gxeat demands:. upon the. Uibrar , :that the
aTe a e number of= 'books taken >nut :;per month is 27,000 out of a -
possible. 36,000 that .could be withdrawn. The : Library, he stated,
served a great zs.sef n;e.as : in pr:olidd books especially at this
time to those waiting- for employment.
Two resolutions :were :then read, one from the Board
of: Public Works and one from t e Board of Public Safety, recommending
that the salaries ;:of city employees -be not c t. ' Councilman Wood
stated he was not in favor of the salary cut,, especially of, the
Police Department.
Councilman Christensen stated that the proposed tax
rate was E.e stated to the, ,Mayor he 'desired' to ask the Ci-ty-
-ssessor what the "tax:rate; wot ld :issue been had the $50,000 saving
by the budget corami.ttee:not, been made, and the Assessor replied
that the rate would have been > i.5'3
Councilman Cathcart `then:addressed the Council: and
stated at ` the be' -inning of- his. remarks that- the councilman who
'iad just spoken: Counc :lman Christensen) had daring the time -he
had been Councilman'. devoted many, ho s,,. much thought .and he
believed phis prayers ,to the` `work he. had at 'hand, devoting .hirriseif
nsrifis_hly to',,what n•e beIi ed to Abe the, •city °s good, perhaps
Wore s3 than any other cos, noilman.` He continued his remarks,
stating that the c,ouricllmen repre seated ,by ',far' a greater number of
taxpayers than :did the 'nembers 'of the Taxpayers League,because=
the councilmen were. the ."selected represer tatives of the people of
Palo Alto, and must corisicier :the best.. interests of all concerned.
Griuncilraari Christensen :discussed the added expense
of the old hhospiitai:, and' �aLso tce new. 'hospital, rind Council man
r
Tcoits` eferr.ing .to they. ho sit a : stated that the year r s record
showed it was financially d.o,in weary well.
•
The Mayor announced that the ; Council would . a ,ain be
glad to hear any .remarks from any. of the citizens present..
Several who bad -previously spoken again addressed the Council,
t -o: them Mr,. Bell, 'ors.:Stronquist and others. After these
~emarks a great many of the:citizens left the meetirxg.
' e :Mayor. now : brought' upthe question of salary -
reduction .and :asked they councilmen ;to express their views.
Councilman Wood,:. Moved that. the :recommendation of the Board :of. -,Safety
'chat the. ;salaries of. employees be ,not cut be "approved by. the
Caancil, but he Eater. withdrew' =thls'nota.on. Councilman'Judson
stated that if' the proposed' salary but was not approved the
,appropriated' balance in the general fund would be', reduced to
a da ,erous paint... Couneilmen»ii slier Bertsche and Christensen
also discussed phis sub,�ect. Colinci.l nan Wood now moved that' the
salaries rennin• as they are; in :the proposed bucket with the
exception of the Police Department. ' Counc11man Kelly announced
ce was not: .='in, favor: of the .salary: c:t for .ezployees:, and Councilman
Collins stated .he would support the salary. reduction. , Councilman
:.hasten asked wneri" the''Council ;had approved the reduction of
sa'ar es: Reference to the::minutes, showed- that the Council on.
°G l3th'had taken action .approving' the salary cut if it were
necessary.
• Co noilman Judson. moved that the budget as prepared
vF uo ittee io; 4 be approved and. adopted by the Council
seliy roved that the motion'. ,be ;amended` to the effect that the
salaries of' all employees': wha are receiving Iess than 00O be
`ot cut. Mr.: Judson' stated that. were this amendment carried the
savitg. to :the city -would be, reduced by $9,392.00 .6Ut of ,the:' proposed
vi "of 416 0Cd 0O. Councilman Kell
seconded =and' � �` � Y ' a ' proposed amendment was
i;ost on roll. call, with .4 Ayes and 9 Noes.
-FAInciiman Thoits' stated that it was to be . definitely understood
:.:at this .salary reduction" was for this year only, and that the
's la_ries, ::except for this :year, "wo;aid •retrain= as at present, unless
tiler action is taken:by tr3.e °Coxnczl.
e resoiut .on adopting the budgetwas then read,
and it was moved and seconded that the resolution be ado"ted.
Coma -61 man Cathcart• now brought: uao:'the= factthat budget .provided nr t in for ,. the
g c .the necessary -x rense�s of the Advise
Board on Commercial: Amusements, that no provision, had been made
for she purchase. of tickets from the theaters, ns.
inoidentai expe
y.,' etc There was . some dlscUssion - on this matter
and Mr Judson stated that any .:neces:s.ry- -expensescould be take-
care of from the contingent fund. Councilman Kel
motion : to the effect that the budget should include
the amo nt
nece-ssary for the expenses of the Advisory Board which
seconded �by. Collins, but because of. the recessi :. »h was
number. Of _necessity _�t o rewrite
pages.: o ,, the budget in order to make, this change, :and
in. v:iew .of the.statement of the chairman of the budget co.danitt?e
the motion was _withdrawn. y
Councilman Kelly now brought up the matter of n
1 ht, eeess.
equipment for the Community rouse : and said he would 1_k
to .hear expressions of opinion, on this matter from the Council.
The Mayor . suggested that this matter be taken up later, as it
would be .necessary for the budget committee and Committees No. 1
and No. 2 to study this matter, in order to acquaint the Council
with tee,-cOa'ditions: and ' costs.
Resolution No. 1038, adopting; the budget for the
fiscal year 1932-330 was then adopted by unanimous vote or. roll
a rt brie i - to dvi son ryy,Bo
On motion of ,Cathcart, a sum not to exceed •$150.X was appro ,aria Ve:d to. the Advisory Board on Commercial Amusements,
to be taken ..from the Contingent Pund,this by unanimous vote on
roll call.
Q.C.A -yi hoof . Pro pe rtw
A co1mnunicati.onwas received from Mr. A. C. Barker,
Superintendent . of Schools and Secretary of the Board of Educate:
relating to the -cost of paving on Dana and Forest Avenues
in front of school property, asking: if the Council could arrange
to receive payment from the Board of *Education for this paving
with the understanding that the Board of Education would pay hal`
of ; the .cost en February 1., 1933 and the balance on June 1, 1933,
the ..total: amount ;being $3,722.75. It was announced that the
Bciard of. Works., . and Committees No. 1, 2 and -4, approved of this
method of payment. On motion of Mosher duly seconded -, this
request. draw :approved, and the Board of Works was authorized to
make financial arrangements with tie School" Board and enter into
such contract, ihi:s by unanimous ' vote on . roll call.
•
ouncilman, Kelly:„ suggested that the matter of lib
the stag: at,, tne;;:Com uraty House be placed- on the docket for tie
next::meeting.. of }the C.ouneie. • .-This was ,approved, and the matte,
was ref erred to Cootmittee's .Nos . 1, 2 r and: 4.
ela `e ut lttorne r
Th.. Chairman of Conmiitee tio. 4 .snow. spoke of the
eommuniCation, rec:e .ved at a rev. :bus meeting from. Arnold un el.
pk n
deputy city, attorney; relative to his salary, stating, that the
c inmrittee' had :discussed this ,matter and =that the salary of the
depeity attorney';had been changed. from $10O- to $125 a month, subj5
to the salary cut; _ and further statedthat it was not necessary.
to, put this change .;in the budget as it would be taken care of at
so doing.
i 3 s ApDroved
The -,following bills were a11owed any ; ..„rants
of the sane: San Jose Post *49 .50
Western Loose Leaf Co. 98.00
one the Council ad j ,ur
Approve
ai;;`'..
The Cc
session on this dz
:,all call as foll<
Present: 3,:
J
a }
Absent: C�
As to e)
The s.r
ordinance approvin
*: barcadero Anne,
of said annexation
July 7, 1932. A n
opportunity was gi
Y.r. Jaffa,' represe
addressed the Conn
Commun
League and from th
question of the as
electors of Palo A
The or,
known as nrmbarcad,
ratter was discuss]
as follows:
The o:•;
The pry
City of Palo Alto 1
the natter of the
reading. On mot,:
that this ordinance
A moti. c
that this ordinanc%
date of the electic
Ordinance No. 570:,
tae annexation of r;
has then adopted as
411 councilmen pree
Charter Elmer
Council
of the proposed cha
j.ommittee in the pr
which was given f i r
discussed and the p
referred to.. A ,n
that consideratjor.
meeting. Come i
postponement. Mr.
action be taken.
this matter until t
e f ollowic . vote:
2