Looking Back to 1935: Council orders business owners arrested

Posted: 6:30 am, May 9, 2024 by Reporter Jackie Iddings

This look back at Paso Robles history comes from local newspapers in the Paso Robles Area Historical Society collection. News for this column is selected with the assistance of Research Director Jan Cannon. Newspaper photography by GiGi Green.

Excerpts from the Thursday, May 9, 1935, Paso Robles Advertiser:

Council orders arrest of all delinquent business firms

With an unusual amount of first-of-the-month business before it and a three weeks accumulation of city affairs to be taken care of, the Paso Robles Board of Trustees met on Monday evening for a lengthy session.

After the reading of the minutes from the previous meeting, the board heard reports from the superintendent of the waterworks, Oscar Hedgepeth, Police Judge Wm. Beihl; paid bills amounting to $1622.09, and settled various tax and license problems.

The city-owned diesel plant at the waterworks was operated 220 hours during April, at a total cost of $60.26; pumped over eight million gallons at a rate of $7.50 per million gallons, or a net of 27 and half cents per hour.

Six cases were taken care of in the local police court during April; $16 in fines collected. Only two cases of drunkenness were reported, the balance being traffic violations.

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Warrants were ordered paid in the amount of $961.92 from the general fund; $493.51 from the water fund; and $166.66 from the library account.

April receipts were shown to be $24,197.96; disbursements, $6,505.73. The treasurer’s balance as of April 30 was reported as $40,753.41.

The board moved acceptance of the contract and bond submitted by W.I. Ried, in the matter of the city’s garbage collection and street cleaning franchise, and O.K.’d the reappointment of Mrs. W.J. Stone and Mrs. Wm. Claassen to succeed themselves on the library board, positions which were to have expired this month.

License delinquents

The matter of delinquent licenses and overdue water bills merited considerable discussion, and in the case of the former, the council instructed Police Chief Claude Azbell to arrest all persons who are now operating businesses in Paso Robles without proper licenses.

It was the opinion of the board that although frequent threats had been made to “clean up” the delinquent license situation, and that although civil suits had been instituted in several cases, the matter was not much further advanced than at the beginning of the year.

A letter from Lester O. Wisler, who last year made the audit of city accounts, was presented for consideration. Mr. Wisler submitted a proposal and a two-year contract for another similar audit. Acceptance or rejection of this bid was postponed for a future meeting.

Cancel interest

City Treasurer Al Young appeared before the board, to learn their wishes with regard to the disposal of the claims now pending against two local banks for interest due on city deposits over a number of years. In the discussion that followed this request, Councilman Gates stated that “there’s no reason why we should not be able to do what other cities can do [and force collection] Wisler hasn’t shown the proper interest in Paso Robles since his system was installed.”

It was the opinion of Mr. Liddle that “unless the board decides to go any further in this matter, we are bound by the opinion of our City Attorney,” (i.e. the interest is not collectible.).

A resolution will be prepared before the next meeting, which when adopted, will clear the charges which now appear on the books against both the present treasurer, Young, and his predecessor, Robert Olden, for the amounts of the interest allegedly due the city.

Reject claims

The board received the written opinion of the City Attorney with regard to claims submitted for tax refunds by the Bank of America and R.C. Heaton. Both asked for tax exemption for those portions of their property being rented by the Midland Counties Public Service Corporation and the Santa Maria Gas Co. In the opinion, it was held that the claims were invalid because neither had complied with the necessary legal steps incident to such exemptions; that the taxes had not been paid under protest; and that according to statute, only operative property of a public service corporation was tax-exempt, and the offices referred to were not operative property. Claims were rejected.

Ramon Barba appeared to request more complete information with regard to payments of taxes which are delinquent on certain of his properties.

The board agreed to allow gas tax money due this city from the State to accrue (less about $1000 for maintenance work), until a sufficient amount had accumulated in the fund to permit resurfacing of Spring Street.

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Thank you to the sponsors of Looking Back

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