The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-06-17
LANDRY, LA. SATURDAY, JUNE II, 1871.

! L. ~ ~
erected, when the meeting shall be held
there, at which the MAY yor and administrs-
tors of departments elect, having presented
and filed their certificates of election and
qualification as herein provided, shall enter
upon their duties as specified in this act,
and their predecessors shall turn over to
them all books, papers, property, money
and accounts pertaining to their Offices and
to the city Of Shreveport.
SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, etc, That
should a vacancy occur at any time after the
first day of January, 1872, in the office Of
mayor Or administrator of a department by
DEATH resi- gnation or otherwise, more than
three months preceding the expiration Of
his term Of office, thc..Council shall, at their
first meeting after the occurrence of said
vacancy, order an election for successor to
fill the same of which notice shall be given
in the official journal ten days prior to said
election; provided, that all vacancies oc-
curing by DEATH resignation or failure to
qualify prior to the first day Of January,
1878, shall be filled by appointment by the
Governor, as provided in section tour Of this
act. In case Of a vacancy in the office of
mayor, or in the case of his illness or tenn
porary absence, the administrator of the
department Of finance shall act as mayor pro
tempore until a successor is duly appointed
or elected and qualified, or during said sick
ness or temporary absence. In case of a va
cancy or similar temporary disability oc-
curing in the office of any administrator
the Mayor shall designate another adminjs-
tfator to act in his stead, ad interim. And
all officers herein provided for shall held
their offices until their Successors are duly
elected and qualified.
I SEC. G. Be it further enacted, etc, That
the Mayor shall be the chief executive officer
of the city; he shall atfix the seal of the cor
poration to all Of its official acts; he shall
see that the laws and ordinances be properly
and faithfully executed; he shall be cx-otficio
justice ard conservator Of the peace; he
shall have general supervision of all matters
relating 10 the discipline and efficiency Of
the police, the protection Of the public and
the private property, the preservation Of
public order and peace, and the enforcement
of the city ordinances relative thereto, the
houses ofrefuge and correction, and lighting
the city; he shall call extra meetings of the
Council whenever he shall deem the same
necessary, or whenever three members of
the same shall in writing stating the object
thereof, request him to do so he shall from
time to time lay before the Council a full
statement Of the affairs of the city. Itshall
be his duty to report to the Council all Off
GERS and persons employed by the city who
fail to perform their daty, or commit an act
for which they should be removed from
Office, and may in his discretion suspend
any such officer or employee until the action
of said Council to whom he shall report said
. suspension at their first meeting thereafter:
he shall preside at the meetings of the Coun-
Gil, but shall have no vote therein except
when there is tie, in which case he shall
have the casting vote; he shall sign and
| publish all ordinances and resolutions passed
in due form by the Council, and such Or
dinances and resolutions shall thereupon
have the force of law he shall have general
superintendent over the departments of
administration, and shall lay before the
Council every month the monthly reports
hereinafter required to be made to him bv
said departments His term Of Office when
elected shall be for two years. He shall
receive a salary of twelve hundred dollars
| fitk tslliiuLil, pay Oh HIS OWN
warrant, countersigncd by the Administra-
tor of Public Accounts, and such perccn-
tum Of the fines assessed against offenders
against the city ordinances as the Council
! may direct He shall be permitted to an
point clerk, at such salary as the Coun-
Gil may authorize, and he shall exercise all
the powers heretofore vested in the Mayor
of the city ofShreveport under existing laws
not inconsistent or in conflict with this
charter.
SEC. 7. Be it further enacted, ETC., That
in the administration of the government and
affairs of the city there shall be, in addition
and subordinate to the executive powers of
the Mayor, four separate departments, the
heads of which shall be known as the ad-
ministrators of said departments, and shall
have the administration and especial control
of the same subject, subject to the limitations
imposed by this act or other laws or the
ordinances or resolutions of the Council,
to wit
First-A department of finance which
shall have general superintendent of all
matters relating to the finances of the city
of Shreveport and the receipt and disburse-
mss1t of the same; he shall receive and col
lect all moneys, bills receivable, dues and
assets belonging to the corporation, and
shall deposit the same daily in such bank
as the Council shall elect as the fiscal agent
of the corporation, as hereinafter provided,
keeping a separate deposit account for each
specific fund, on account of which deposit
is made; shall keep correct accounts Of all
Indebtedness Of the city, and make all dis
bursements for account of the same by
checks on said bank, but shall make no
Lavments or disbursement unless the claim.
Bill or account for the same shall have
been audited by the administrator of the
department of public accounts and be au-
thorized by ordinance or resolution cf the
| Council, and the warrant therefor shall be
duly numbered, indorsed and filed in said
| department; shall keep correct account of
| the resources, revenue and disbursements
of the corporation, which shall at all times
be open to the inspection Of the Mayor and
members of the Council; shall regulate
the collection Of all taxes, licenses and dues
which may be imposed by the Council
shall prescribe the mode and form of keep
ing the corporations books and accounts in
every department created by this act, and
shall be vested with and perform such
other functions and duties as NAV from
| time to time be prescribed by the Council.
| Sacond-A department of improvements,
which shall have general superintendent
Of I'll matters relating to the streets, side
walks pavements and wharves and the
| construction, cleansing and repairing the
same, the construction and repairing of
bridges and the drainage of the city; the