Probing Questions Trigger Stormy Session
Brewington, Nordby Clash
Over "Open-End" Contracts
By Coyin Mick
Sparks flew Monday night in a clash between Councilman
Darrell Brewington and City Manager Clifford Nordby.
Brewington stated that he didn’t wish to appear to be har
assing the City Manager, but he wished to know if anv additional
“open-end contracts” had been
found, such as the one that had
been discussed last week.
Brewington said that he had
learned that there had been no bid
on the contract for the purchase
of fuels and lubricants by the City
in the last two years.
Nordby stated that he had learned
of this contract and had instructed
the City purchasing agent to pre
pare a new bid.
Asks About Discounts
Brewington then pointed out
that the contract should have been
let over a year ago. He asked if
Nordby knew if City employees
were given personal discounts on
their gas and oil because of the
City’s purchase of gas and oil from
the same company.
He also demanded to know if
‘‘there are many City employees
using City purchasing power to get
a discount and avoid sales tax on
the purchase of automotive parts
for personal use."
Brewington pointed out that the
City Manager was paid $17,000 a
year to know such things and felt
he should be able to answer the
questions of the Council.
“I don’t mind answering ques
tions,” Nordby replied. He went on
to explain that most of these mat
ters are routine, and are handled,
in many instances, by competent
personnel. He went on to point out
that the City is involved in hun
dreds of transactions, and that he
was unable to answer questions on
all of them in detail.
Doubts Competence
Brewington then stated that in
some instances such routine .mea
sures had not been handled by com
petent personnel. “I would think,
Mr. Nordby, that because of that in
stance in the Finance Dept., you j
would look for other instances.”
Brewington then stated that he
had spoken to several of the oil
companies, and that he had been
advised that the City would have
saved considerable money had the
purchase of gas and oil been put out
on bid. He said he had heard that
the City Manager had been advised
of this last summer but had failed
to do anything about it.
Brewington then stated that he
felt if City employees were getting
discounts due to the City's accounts,
such discounts should be extended
to all the taxpayers. He asked
Nordby if he had been contacted
by a local garage owner in relation
to discounts City employees were
receiving.
“I don’t have any comment,” said
Nordby. Brewington then asked his
question again.
Ruled Out of Order
Mayor Joseph Ribar told Brew
ington that he was making “serious
accusations,” then ruled him out of
order, as he had already spoken
twice on the same subject.
Brewington stated he was making
no accusations, merely trying to
confirm rumors. He then appealed
the Mayor's decision to the City At
torney.
Ribar stated that he felt Brew
ington's tactics were unsportsman
like. He said he felt Nordby should
have been advised in advance of the
meeting what questions were to be
asked so he could have time to pre
pare an answer.
The City Attorney ruled Brewing
ton eoyld proceed. However, Brew
ington chose not to, stating. “Now,
Mr. City Manager, we’ll pass over
this, but I'll bring it back again.”
Rubber stamps and plastic lamin
ating are a specialty at Jessen’s.
TOTS to TEENS
—Time to Choose Your Easter Togs—
Suits
Sport Jackets
Slacks
Coats
Gloves
Slips
Dresses
Sweaters
Hats
Purses
Baby Shoes
Girl — Chubettes — Subteen
Husky Cords — Jeans — T Shirts
You will love the perfect fit and fine values
from Fairbanks
Largest Children's Store
— Mail Orders Carefully Filled —
Chena Ice Pool
Offers Big Sum
For Right Guess
From $9,000 to $10,000 is in store
| for this year’s Chena Ice Pool win
! ner, according to the Fairbanks Fire
j Department, sponsor of the classic.
Anyone who is a resident of Alas
I ka or the Yukon Territory may
purchase tickets which are now on
;sale at local business establishments
| for $1. A guess for the second,
! minute, day, and month that the
! clock on the river will stop is
1 made on each ticket that is turned
| an.
When the ice poles that are now
j set up below the new bridge on
! Cushman move 80 feet down the
river the clock is triggered off.
Since the ice is in such poor condi
tion there this year. Captain Wil
liam Neptune of the department
said that the poles might be moved
down the river a ways.
The pool was begun in 1909 and
is sponsored by the Fire Department
i for the Firemen's Benefit Associa
tion.
Last year the ice went out at 4:12
' a.m., April 23. The earliest the ice
has gone out was at 2:42 p.m.
April 17, 1957, and the latest date
was 1:56 p.m. May 16, 1945.
Deadline for turning in ticket
guests is midnight. April 10.
Arnold Nor dale
Fairbanks Visitor
Arnold Nordale, president of the
Nordale Hotel Corporation, returned
to Juneau via Pan American Air
ways last week after spending a
week in Fairbanks visiting old
friends and taking care of hotel
business.
McCOMBE FIRST CANDIDATE
BOB McCOMBE
Pioneer Alaskan “Bob" McCombe
is the first man to toss his hat in
the ring for one of seven seats in
the Alaska House of Representatives
from this District.
Legislative reapportionment has
done away with Bob’s old District
in the upper Yukon. McCombe
represented that area in the First
State Legislature and saw many of
his proposals become law.
The Legislative veteran has re
sided in Alaska for over 40 years.
He and his wife, Molly, operate the
South Fork Lodge near Chicken. In
addition, McCombe is a longtime
miner in the area.
If nominated and elected, Mc
Combe says he will continue work
ing for a vigorous mining program
for Alaska. He states “We have the
minerals here, so why not get them
ready to ship. We know we have the
customers.”
During his last term in the Legis
lature, McCombe was instrumental
in getting a program of pioneer ac
cess roads established. He also was
a prime mover in efforts to promote
mutual resource development with
Canada.
McCombe is a Democrat, and has
long been an active participant in
party affairs.
Expectant Mother
Classes Are Set
A six week’s program for ex
pectant mothers will begin at 2 p.m.
tomorrow at the Fairbanks Health
Center.
The classes which are two hours
every Thursday, will feature the
anatomy and physiology of preg
nancy, prenatal care, hygiene, nu
trition, labor and delivery, and baby
care.
RAW FUR BUYERS
BROKER-RAW FURS
JOHN SCHWEGLER
For BEST MARKET PRICES on
RAW FURS
Mr. SchweglfT will be at the Nordale Hotel from March 15 - May 1
320 National Bldg., Seattle 4, Wash. Ph. East 5-1269
CHECKS
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STEPS
A Checking Account
here keeps your money
safe, yet always readily
available. You can pay
all your bills in minutes,
by check . . . save time,
steps, trouble. Your
cancelled check is your
receipt; its stub, your
record.
jeuTiianl&l
Member Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation
Member Federal Reserve
System
FIVE CONVENIENT OFFICES TO SERVE ALL YOL’R BANKING NEEDS
MAIN OFFICE—-in the Northward Building
1
AIRPORT ROAD BRANCH
—Airport Road and Turner
EIELSON FACILITY
Baker Field House
DELTA BRANCH
—Delta Junction
MENANA BRANCH
Nenana. Alaska