Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1845-03-29
THE CHARTER
OF THE
wn Of Fayettc.
AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE INHABI-
TANTS OF THE TOWN OF FAYETTE.
BE enacted By the General Assembly Of The Stale
of Missouri as foLOps.

SEC. I. That all that district of country con-
tanned within one half mile square, of which the
Court House, in Howard County, shall be the
centre, (the sides being parallel with the sides of
the Court Housed shall be and is hereby erected
into Corporation by the name Of the town OF
Fayette, and the inhabitants thereof shall be, and
are hereby constituted body polite and corporate
by the name and style Of 1.-THE President, Trus
tees and Citizens of the Town of Fayette," and
by that name they and their successors shall be
known in Jaw; have perpetual succession; sue and
be sued; impead and be impleaded; defend and
be defended, in all courts of law and equity and
in all actions and matters whatsoever; may grant,
purchase, receive and hold property, real and per-
sonal, within the said town, and may lease, sell
and dispose Of the same, for the benefit of the
town, and may do oil other acts as natural per-
sons, and may have a common seal.
Sec. 2 That the corporate powers and duties Of
said town shall be vested in President and Board
of Trustees, who shall be chosen and appointed as
hereinafter directed.
Sec. 3. That the Board of Trustees shall consist
of five members, TO be chosen for the term of one
year, and until their successors shall be elected
and qualified by the qualified voters within said
town. they shall be at least twenty four years of
age, and citizens Of the United States, and inhabi-
tants of said town for year next preceding
their election; and whenever there shall be tie
in the election of Trustees it shall be determined
by the Judges of the election, by lot, and all va
cancies shall be filled by election, aforesaid in
such manner as shall be provided by ordinance.
Sec. a. That the board of Trustees shall appoint
their chairman, and all other officers of the board
shall Judge of the qualifications, elections and
returns Of their own members; ma jorty shall
constitute a quorum to do business, but smaller
number may djourn from day to day, and may
compel the attendance of absent members in such
manner and under such penalties as the board may
provide; they may determine the rules of proceed
i A. l..z
and by the concurrence of four members, expel a
member, but not q second time for the same cause;
they shall at the desire of any member, cause the
yeas and nays, on any question, to be entered on
the Journal.
Sec 5. That the stated meetings of the Board
of Trustees shall be on the first Wednesdays Of
April, July, October and January, in every year.
but they may be convened at other times, on ex-
traordinary occasions, by the President of the
town.
Sec 6. That the President shall be elected by
the qualified electors of the town; shall be at least
twenty four years of age; citizen of the United
States, aud shall have resided within the town
for at least two years next preceding his election
shall hold his office for the tern of one year and
until his successor shall be duly elected and quail
fed. When two more persons shall have an
equal number of votes for President, or any cleo
ton for President shall be contested, it shall be
determined by the Board of Trustees.
Sec. Z. That the President shall take care that
the law. of the State and the ordinances of the
Corporation are duly enforced, respected and OBJ
served, within said town; he may remit fines and
forfeitures, and grant reprieves and pardons in
any case arising under the ordinances of the Cor
poration.
Sec. 8. That when any vacancy shall happen
in the office of President, the Chairman of the
Board of Trustees for the time being, shall exer-
else the Office of President until such vacancy shall
be filled, which, however, shall be done immed-
ately, the chairman giving ten days notice of the
time of said election.
Sec g. That the President and Board of Trus
tees shall have power to levy and collect taxes
upon real and personal property within the town.
not exceeding at any time one eighth of one per
cent. per annum upon the assessed value thereof,
nor less than one sixteenth of one per cent. per
annum upon such assessed value except by the
unanimous concurrence Of the Board of Trustees;
they shall have power to levy and collect poll
tax upon each free white male within said town
over the age of sixteen, and upon each slave over
that age, not exceeding at any one time one dollar
per head per annum, nor less than seventy-hve
cents except by the unanimous consent of the
Board aforesaid; provided that such property shall
be taxable only, as shall for the time be subject
to taxation for State and County purposes; they
shall have power to prevent and remove nuisances;
to establish and regulate markets; to provide for
the prevention and extinguishment of fire; to pre-.
vent the introduction OF contagious diseases; to
regulate the storage of gun powder; to provide
for taxing andlicensing theatrical and other shows
and amusements; tC erect pumps in the Streets;
to regulate the police Of the town; to improve and
keep in repair the square, roads and alleys of
the town, and from time to time to pass such
ordinances to carry into effect the objects of this
act, and the powers hereby granted, as the good
of the inhabitants may require, and to impose and
appropriate fines and foreitures, for the breach of
any ordinance, and provide for the collection there
of; provided, that no tax shall at any time be
levied upon the wearing apparel, or necessary
tools or implements, of any person, used in carry
ing on his trade nor shall the same be subject to
distress, or sale, for tax, fines or forfeitures
Sec TO- That the Trustees shall be, ex-offico,
conservatOrs Of The peace throughout the town, and
shall, within the same, have all the powers and iu-
ri sdicon now vested in justices of the peace in mat
tiers of criminal nature, and shall exercise and per-
form all pow ers and duties which may be vested in or
required OF them by ordinance and from the decision
of any Trustee other officer Of the corporations ap
peals may be prosecuted to the Circuit Court, in the
same manner that appeals may be taken from usti.
ces OF the peace, for the time being.
SEC. II. That the style Of the laws of said corpo-
ration shall be: " Be it ordained by the President
and Board of Trustees of the Town OF Fayette - and
all ordinances shall be made public within one month
after their passage, by posting up true and aested
copy of the same, in legibe hand, at such public
place in said town as may be directed by the Board
of Trustees. Every bill which shall have been pass
ed by the Board of Trustees, shall, before it becomes
law, be presented to the President for his approba-
ton; if he approve it, he shall sign it; If not, he
shall return il to the Board with his objections and
they shall reconsider the same; and If after such
consideration, majority OF the whole number elect
ed shall pass the bill, it shall become a law; and in
all such cases. the yeas and nays shall be entered up
on the journals. If any bill shall not be returned 10
the Board within five days after it shall have been
delivered to the President Aforesaid, il shall be-