One Hundred Years Ago at the Village Board, March-April 1919
March 3
All Treasurer?s business is to be kept and transacted at the Village Hall, by the Village Clerk if the Treasurer is absent. Salary $150 per year.
Village Clerk salary $1500 per year.
A petition with more than 25 signers was presented: That we be annexed to the City of Schenectady. To be submitted to the taxpayers at the annual election on March 18. This is not the proper way to do this, but to give taxpayers a chance to express their opinions, it will be included. The question will ask if the Scotia Board should approach the Common Council of the City of Schenectady about extending their corporate limits to include Scotia.
The Fire Department requests the following on the ballot: Can the Board appropriate $200 annually for support of Volunteer Fire Companies quarters?
Village election to be held March 18 at Village Hall, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Proposition One: Proposition relative to including the Village of Scotia within the corporate limits of the City of Schenectady.
Proposition Two: Proposition authorizing an annual appropriation for use of the volunteer fire companies.
Notice of election and propositions to be posted and published.
Discussion and lists of amounts for the following year for the village funds: Water, Sewer, Street, Drainage Sewer, Fire, Light, and Health.
Total to be raised from taxes: $46, 869.39
Reports accepted as read and placed on file: Light Committee, Board of Fire Commissioners, Finance Committee, VillageTreasurer. 1000 copies of Treasurer?s report to be printed and sent with water bills.
Street Commissioner to be paid $450 per year.
Meeting adjourned.
March 10
A document included with the minutes: a Resolution of Respect from the trustees and people they represent. Sympathy to the family of Dr. Herman V. Mynderse for his great service to the village. [He had died on March 5.]
March 17
Finance Committee report for fiscal year ending Feb. 28, 1919 accepted as read.
Payroll and bills approved.
March 24
Annual Meeting
President: Arthur B. Lawrence
Trustee: Ralph R. Barren
Trustee: Walter W. Miller
Trustee: Jacob Schuler
Trustee: William F. Sneed
Call to order
F. F. Lamboy, Supt. of Water & Sewers and Plumbing Inspector, $1500
Charles W. Matthews, Asst. to Supt. of Water & Sewers, $1300. He will pay rent for house at pumping station at $12.50 per month.
Supt. of Water and Sewers to employ 2 utility men not to exceed $85/month each plus laborers as needed not to exceed $2.75/day for ordinary work and $3.25/day for special work.
Street Commissioner to employ George Keefer as driver of village team at $80/month, plus laborers at 30 cents per hour with special work not to exceed $3/day.
Action deferred on appointment of Village Engineer until next meeting, street Committee to look up candidates.
Appointment of Fire Commissioner deferred for board to investigate.
Schenectady Trust Co. named the official depository; Schenectady Gazette official newspaper.
Village President to be empowered to provide police protection as necessary not to exceed $25/month.
Street Committee given full power to direct Village Engineer to furnish grade stakes.
Safe deposit box will be at Schenectady Trust Co. for another year.
Protect money at Village Hall with burglar insurance of $1000/year.
Board meetings were set for the year.
Street Committee authorized to purchase food for village horses not to exceed $150.
Street Committee to investigate cost of new road scraper as compared to fixing the old one.
Building Committee to have driveway from back door of Village Hall repaired.
Mr. Schuler and Mr. Barren to purchase a horse to mate the sorrel horse now owned not to exceed $250.
Petition for sanitary sewers in Fourth St. renewed by Mrs. Lottie Martin, additional house to be built.
Maurice B. Flinn to be Village Attorney for $800.
President to represent Board at all meetings and conferences connected with great western gateway [new bridge] and look after the interests of the Village.
Standing committees set for the coming year.
Meeting adjourned.
April 7
George W. Hagadorn appointed a Fire Commissioner for a 3-year term.
Schonowee & Mohawk Ave. to Ballston, 7th installment due on street improvement.
Ballston between Mohawk and Washington, 5th installment due for street improvement.
Sen. Yelverton and Assemblyman Davies had section 104-107 of the village law amended (related to assessors); they need to be thanked.
Village Clerk to interview Mr. W.W. Chadsey as Village Engineer.
Clerk to purchase 2 tons of egg coal for Village Hall and get bids for coal for the year.
Sewer Committee authorized to purchase sewer tile needed for this year?s construction [specifications are mentioned] from Higgens & Gilgore as per bid.
Each committee head allowed to spend up to $25 per month without previous Board action.
The appointed committee has purchased a horse from Henry A. Theuner for $200.
Mr. Sneed reports cost of labor to paint the water tower with one coat of graphite paint is $125, approved with cost of paint added.
Water Committee to purchase one barrel of engine oil for the Water Pumping Station.
Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones request water and sewer to be extended into Collins St. to about 200 feet north of James St. To be investigated.
C. P. Sanders and Livingston Sanders request water main extended in Cuthbert St. 50-100 feet to lot of Mr. Menine. To be investigated.
Road grader?more economical to buy new grader of heavier design.
Petition from homeowners on the north side of Second St. between Sacandaga and Root asking for cement sidewalk. Hearing set for May 5.
Payroll and bills approved.
April 21
Richard H. Ogle appointed a Fire Commissioner for 3 years.
Mr. Yelverton and Mr. Davies have been thanked.
Collins St. water main extension about $500, Cuthbert St. about $155, should be done as soon as those houses are to be built. Water Committee is authorized to purchase necessary supplies and install.
Recommendation?Number 2 pump at pumping station should be sent back to factory (Worthington Pump and Machine Corp.) for repairs. Authorized to do so.
Street Committee has road grader estimates from $170 to $600. Authorized to purchase, not to exceed $300.
Supt. of Sewers to lay sanitary sewer in Wallace, Fifth, and Fourth St. This will use most of budget, new requests will need to be private expense or delayed.
Bids for coal received from J.H. Buhrmaster, W.R. Brown, and W.E. Berning. Bid from Berning accepted for 40 tons egg coal for Village Hall, 14 tons stove and chestnut coal for Hook & Ladder building, 4 tons chestnut coal to Water Pumping Station.
W.W Chadsey appointed Village Engineer for the year. $10/day for each day actually spent on Village work. $3.50/day for assistant if necessary.
Report from Chadsey showing completion of Outfall sewer by Ellis P. Edgar, payment made.
President authorized to provide for traffic officer at intersection of Mohawk & Ballston Ave., Saturday afternoons and Sundays during August and other times as necessary at 40 cents per hour, not to exceed $100.
Appointed Village Policemen:
James R. Ransom, Chief of Police
Floyd J. Parks, Stephen A. Metala, J.C.F. DeGraff, Llewellyn Ford, Daniel Smith, John House, Nelson Consaul, Edward Consaul, John T. Snare, William H. Millard, George B. Scrafford, Ensign Reynolds, Arthur Lange, Arthur B. Smith, Harold Snyder.
President will issue certificates of appointment after each has qualified.
Street Commissioner to employ a driver for the second village team at $18/week. Paid for time lost due to weather, but not other causes.
President to purchase any supplies for Village Police officers, not to exceed $30.
Hearing May 19 about petition for sidewalks on Fourth St.
Clerk and Attorney to review Village Ordinances.
Payroll and bills approved.