Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1872-01-06
The Proposed Town Charter.

N the year 1885,, Ne several acts Of insorrora
ton OF Gharlcstown were consolidated INTO vne
act; since hat time three several acts Of ineorPo
ration have been passed. sad ~ ascertain the
boundaries Of the town il is necessary to 60 back
o the act Of lsa4 The old Charter is stll the law
Of the Corporation but we doubt 81 an Of its parts
can now be found, and. when found. they form
charter less eonsissrt and longer than a single
veil digested act would be. In the Code OF West
Virginia Is a general act Of Incorporation, which
nay be accepted BY any town to be hereafter es-
tablished, and any Of whose provisions can be a
dopted by the council of any town already estab-
lished. The new charter proposed BY the Town
Committee published in this issuel is simply this
general act taken from the Code, which the town
authorities could in any event adopt without the
consent OF the citizens act Of the legislature,
with a very few provisions which they deemed
ADAPTED 10 our special wants or worthy our favor
able attention. We will designate few changes
from the old charter.
The To~a BouHdGries
are enlarged, and in order 20 get natural and Wis
ible boundaries, quite a sweep has been taken in
some directions but a proviso is added that no
property shall be taxed beyond the county and
township levies until il becomes part ofthe town,
divided into streets and lots. SO that this exten-
sion is rather the power to extend With the growth
Of the town than an actual extension at present
Il imposes no additional burden upon the proper
~ included, and il adds no additional duties or
liabilities to the town itself
The Qualification for Voters.
Under the present charter, Only white male
Aousekeepers resident IN tse town, or white male
freeholders Of the town. whether resident there OF
not, can vote; under the proposed charter no one
n excluded who has paid his taxes.
Qualification for Ohce.
The Mayor, Recorder and Trustees under the
old charter we're necessarily resident freeholders
of the town. the same provision is retained in this
charter, as upon examination Of many other act
ofineorporatiou BY the Legislature Of West Nir-
GINA, this provision was found to be a very gen.
sral ore.
P0rsr 20 Coa'roc' Dot.
So much expense must be incurred in the very
beginning by the town authorities, in repairing
pumps, streets, bridges, &C, that twas thought
best 10 allow a debt to be contracted that might b
spread over may years of taxation, rather thar
impose this heavy burden upon the taxpayers in
the FIRST year or two Of our reorganization. The
debt is, however, limited TO $40 900, by the coun
ell, and to $780, 600 by tae people themselves,-thC
last amount being the maximum tAatin any event
can be incurred by the corporation.
The Mayor and Recorder,
Under the present charter, are not members o
ne Town Council, but Justices o. the Peace, with
civil and criminal Jurisdiction as such. They are
now made members OF the council, and their civil
jurisdiction is taken from them.
Lircnses.
The section as 10 licenses is taken verbatim from
the Code, and is, therefore, whether adopted OF
not, always within the power Of the town council.
The section as 20 the Powers Of the Couneil also
taken almost entirely from the Code.