The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-03-21

nllnlStfatiVe ana executive functions; SAID
mayor, administrators and couDciImen shall
be appointed or elected as hereinafter pro-
vided, and shall form the council of the city
of Baton Rouge. The Governor shall, by
and with the advice and consent of the
Senate, appoint the mayor, three admins
traitors and three councilmen, who shall
hold their offices until the first Monday III
April; 1874, or until their successors are
elected and qualified. The council shall APP
point annually two appraisers, who shall
exercise executive functions only as herein
after provided. On the first Monday in
April, 1874, there shall be an election for
administrators of finance, police, correction
and charities and one councilman at large
and every two years thereafter, and on the
first Monday IN April, 1875, there shall be
an election for mayor administrator of i'm
proYementS and commerce and two council
men, and every two years thereafter said
mayor, administrators and one councilman,
when elective, shall be elected at large and
two councilmen by their respective wards
by the qualified voters of the city of Baton
Rouge, in accordance with the election laws
of the State.
Sec. g. Be it further enacted, ETC., That
on the second Monday following the day of
their election or appointment the council
shall hold its first meeting in the City Hall,
at which the mayor, administrators of de-
partments and councilnen having presented
and filed their certificates of election or APP
pointment and qualifications as herein pro-
yided, shall enter upon the discharge of
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
Baton Rouge in the manner hereinafter
prescribed,
Sec 4. Be it further enacted, etc, That
the qualifications of the mayor and of the
administrators of departments and council
men shall be as follows: They shall be
qualified electors in accordance with the
laws of the State, and residents of the city
of Baton Rouge one year prior to an election
or appointment; they shall. before entering
upon the duties of their office, respectively
take and subscribe, before any court having
Jurisdiction in the parish OF East Baton
Rouge, or before the judge thereof in cham
bers, the oath prescribed by article 100 of
the constitution of the State; also, that they
possess the qualifications above required,
and will faithfully perform the duties and
discharge the obligations imposed upon
them by this act.
See 5. BE it further enacted, ETC., That
should u vacancy occur, at any time after
the first day OF January, 1874, IN the office
of MAYOR or administrator of departments
or eouncilmen, by death, resignation or
otherwise, more than six months preceding
the expiration of his term of office, the
council shall, at their first meeting after the
occurrence of said vacancy, order an cleo
ton for a successor to fill the same for the
unexpired term for which said mayor, ad-
niinistrator or councilman was elected, OF
which notice shall be given in the official
journal ten days prior to said election; pro-
vided, that all vacancies occurring by death,
resignation or failure to qualify prior to the
first day of January, 1874, shall be filled by
appointment by the Governor, us provided
in section three of this act. In case of
vacancy in the office of mayor, or III case of
his illness or temporary absence, the adj
mnistrator of the department. OF finance
shall act as mayor pro tempore until a sue
cessor is duly appointed or elected and
qualified; or during said sickness or absence,
in case OF Il vacancy or similar temporary
disability occurring in the office OF any adj
mnistrator, the acting mayor shall deslg-
nate another administrator to act in his
stead ad interim, and all officers herein pro-
vided for shall hold their offices until their
successors are duly elected and qualified.
Sec. 6. Belt further enacted, ETC., That
the mayor shall be chief executive officer of
the city. He shall keep his Office IN the city
hall, or such place as may be provided; he
shall affix the seal of the corporation to all
his official acts; he shall see that the laws
and ordinances OF the council be properly
and faithfully executed, and by virtue of
Ills Si1tlil 1ttSt 1u1l pow
to hear and adjudicate all otenses v1olatlYe
of said laws and ordinances, and cause to be
punished by line or imprisonment, or both,
lis hereinafter provided, the person or per-
sons so offending; he shall call extra meet
ings of the council Whenever he shall deem
the same necessary, OF whenever three
members of the same SHALL in writing
fstating the object thereof, request him to
do so; he shall at the end of the fiscal year
Law before the council a full statement OF
the affairs of the city, and publish the same
in the official journal. 1t shall be his duty
to report to the council all officers and per-
sons employed by the city who fail to per
form their duty or commit any act tor which
they should be removed from office, and
NAV in his discretion suspend any such Of
ficer or emploYe until the action of said
council to whom he shall report said sus-
pension at their first meeting thereafter; he
shall preside at the meetings of the council
but shall have no vote therein except where
there is tie, in which case he shall have
the casting vote; he shall sign and publish
in the official journal all ordinances and
resolutions passed i'll due form by the coun-
Gil and such ordinances and resolutions shall
thereupon have the force of law; he shall
have general superintendent over the de-
paftmentS OF administration, and shall lay
before the council every month the monthly
reports hereinafter required to be made to
him by said departments; his term of office,
when elected, shall be for two years; he
shall receive salary Of fifteen hundred
dollars per annum, payable monthly on his
own warrant, countersigned by the auditing
clerk, and shall not be allowed any other
fee or compensation whatever; he shall be
permitted to have clerk if the council SO
authorize, whose salary shall be fixed by the
council, and shall exercise all other powers
heretofore vesting in the mayor of the CITY
of Baton Rouge under existing laws not in
consistent or in conflict with this act.
Sec. z Be it further enacted, ETC., That
in the administration of the government and
affairs of this city there shall be, in addition
and subordinate to the executive powers OF
the mayor, three separate departments, the
heads of which shall be known as the 'ad.
ministrators of said departments, and shall
have the administration and special control
Of the same, subject to the limitations inn
nosed by this act or other laws, or the or
iinances and resolutions of the council to
wit.
First-A department of finance, which
shall have a general superintendent of all
matters relating to the finances of the city
of Baton Rouge, and the receipt and dis