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Struggling with the village budget, 1939

The mayor and the village Board of Trustees are having such a tough time with the budget that they have appointed a special “advisory board” calling it a “blue ribbon” group made up of eight prominent businessmen and civic leaders to make recommendations to the village board on the budget.

The mayor called it a “grave situation in village fiscal affairs” and added, “We cannot pay for prosperity indebtedness with Depression money.”

(Townships in New York state are on a calendar year budget, but incorporated villages are on a May 1 or May 10 deadline.)

Here is the problem:

“A tentative 1939 village budget, calling for expenditures of approximately $179,000 and a tax rate of $13.20 per $1,000, was submitted at the annual budget hearing last night by Mayor Thomas P. Ward and the board of trustees. The budget, essentially the same as last year’s awaits final adoption on or before May 10.

(The village budget for 2016 was $9,240,216.)

“Mayor Ward told more than 35 taxpayers attending last night’s hearing that the ‘pay-as-you-go’ policy, strongly advocated by the Saranac Lake Taxpayers Association, would mean the addition of $91,500 to the budget, calling for an increase in the tax rate to $23.15.

“The Mayor also asserted that 10 per cent of the taxpayers were unable to pay taxes at the $13.20 rate and that $12,000 in water rentals were uncollected last year for a total of $22,000 unpaid revenue due the village. He went on to list some of the expenses as police and fire, $20,010; Publicity, $15,000; Highway, $29,000; Water fund, $10,750; Parks and Recreation, $5,550; Sanitation and Promotion of Cleanness, $15,248 and $63,368 for bonds and interest.”

“The ‘Blue Ribbon’ Commission included F. Ferris Hewitt, W. C. Leonard, John R. Freer, A. W. Callanan, John English, Dr. E. R. Baldwin, George LaPan and Fred K. Tousley.”

Lake Placid adopts budget

“Mayor George C. Owens presided over a special session on the village budget at the North Elba Town hall last night. A budget of $54,054.67 was adopted after the trustees were informed that there were no objections entered at a previous public hearing.

“In a surprise move, the trustees named James Littlejohn as village highway commissioner to succeed Orril LaDuke, who has held the post for two terms of office.

“Settling a second popular argument , the trustees voted that daylight saving time shall go into effect here April 30, continuing until September 24. The dates are same as generally adopted throughout the state.”

Some of the budget figures listed included “Fire Fund, $4,000; Police Fund, $12,218.00; General Government, $5,033.00; Street Cleaning, $1,800.00; Sewage Disposal Plant, $404.50; Highway Fund, $14,665.00; Sidewalks and Curbing, $1,240.00; Mountain View park Improvements, $1,350.00 and Recreation Fund, $3,222.00.

“Mayor Owens named Trustees Simon Volpert and Edwin Ford as auditing committee to pass on financial items.”

Saranac Lake softball league

“With four teams already entered, plans are being formulated for an organized softball league in this village. Already entered are softball teams representing Saranac Motor Service, Saranac Lake News Company, Latour’s Embalmers and Saranac Aces.

“The number of entries has been limited to 12 or 14 teams with the deadline for entries set at Wednesday, May 3.

“Organizers of the league to be known as the Saranac Lake Softball League, have requested interested individuals to contact Robert Gallup or Joseph Church.

“The organizers of the league seek to have a local merchant or club sponsor the teams with as many businessmen as possible playing on the teams.”

Foreign VIPs attend Legion meeting

“Seventy-five members and foreign visitors attended International Night last evening in the armory at a meeting for all war veterans, sponsored by the American Legion Post 447 as part of their Americanism program.

“Among the visitors who were present and spoke briefly of their army history were: Carl Rosener of the Danish Navy; James Ahern of the British Engineers Expeditionary Forces; Nicholas Mitilineos of the Heavy Artillery, 13th Division of the Greek Army; Joseph Till of the Hussars Third Regiment Hungarian Cavalry; [I believe the next three mentioned are Saranac Lake veterans] Spanish War Veteran Benjamin Fear of the Ninth U.S. Infantry in Cuba and the Philippines; Fletcher Mace of the 21st Infantry U.S. Army in Cuba and the Phillipines and E. E. Bellows of the 22nd Infantry of the New York Volunteers.

“Local visitors of the Matthews-Killeen Post were the Rev. Father Joseph Blais and William Kerr and visitors who will sign with Post 447 were Ambrose McKillip and Henry Harvey.”

Jim Griebsch, please take note

“‘The Four Seasons in the Adirondacks’, a two reel subject in color, featured the movie program presented at the meeting of the Saranac Lake Alumni Association by Frank Kawatch in the town hall last night.

“Mr. Kawatch spent much of his spare time over a period of two years in making the film. Two other films, ‘A Trip Up Whiteface’, and ‘Killing the Killer’, were also shown. The latter shows a battle between a Mongoose and a Cobra.

“Miss Rita Donnelly, chairman of the entertainment committee, was in charge of the meeting.”

Knights of Columbus host dignitaries

“State Deputy Joseph F. Lamb, New York city, Supreme Director Daniel A. Tobin, Brooklyn and State Advocate, Kevin Killeen, Buffalo will be the principal speakers at the annual communion breakfast of the Knights of Columbus Council 599 and the Holy Name Society which will be held Sunday, May 7 at the Hotel Saranac.

“The breakfast will follow the 7:30 Mass at St. Bernard’s Church. After the Mass, those who will attend the breakfast will march in a group to the Hotel. Nelson P. DeLisle is general chairman in charge of the breakfast.

“Later that day, the annual meeting of the hospital board of the Knights of Columbus units will meet at the Gabriels Sanatorium in Gabriels.”

Sisterhood honors Mrs. Altman

“Mrs. Irving Altman, former president of the Sisterhood of the Jewish Community Center, was honored at a dinner given by the Sisterhood yesterday noon in the Center rooms. (The Jewish Community Center was located in a beautiful white cottage at 13 Church St.)

“Twenty-five members were present at the dinner to show their appreciation of the work and time Mrs. Altman has given to the Center. An attractive gift was presented to Mrs. Altman.”

1939 Kentucky Derby winner

“Johnstown” won the Kentucky Derby in 1939. Here is an excerpt from this April 28 Enterprise. The Derby in 1939 was run on May 6.

“The Jockey Jury of the Kentucky Derby cast a split vote for Johnstown today. A dozen leaders among the little fellows who boot ’em home picked Johnstown and the others picked Challedon.'”

Challedon did place second.

So listen to the jockeys if you want a winner for 2017. My pick is Irish War Cry.

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