Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-03-08
LOCAL LEGISLATION.
Of the Board of Public Works and
Amending the City Charter.
AN ACT

AN ACT
Amending parts of the Charter of the
City of st. Paul and acts amendatory
thereof.
Be 1t enacted By the Legislature Of the State
Of Minnesota
Section 1. 1t is hereby made the duty
OF the board of public works of the city
OF st. Paul, as soon after the passage of
this act as practicable, and annually there
after, to cause proposals to be published
in the official paper of said city, in the
same manner and for the same length of
time as in the case of other public i'm
provements, for the construction, repair
and relaying of such sidewalks as may be
ordered built, repaired or relaid by the
common council during the year ending
on the first day of January next ensuing.
General plans and specifications, appli-
cable to all sidewalks that may be ordered
built, repaired or relaid during the year
by said common council, shall be made
and filed with the clerk of the board of
public works, at least ten (10) days before
the day named for the receipt of said bids
by the board of public works, and the
work shall be let and placed under con-
tract as now provided by law for the con-
struction, relaying and repair of side
walks. for which an assessment is to be
made, except that the bids for the con-
structiOn, repair and relaying of said side
walks shall be accompanied by bond to
the city of St. Paul, in the sum of five
thousand $1,000 dollars, executed by the
bidder and two responsible suretles, con-
ditional that he shall execute the work
for the price mentioned in his bid accord
ing to the plans and specifications, in case
contract shall be awarded him, and
in case of default on his part to execute
the contract and perform the work, said
bond may be sued and judgment re-
covered thereon by the said city, for the
full amount thereof, in any court having
jurisdiction of the amount, and
except further, that in determining the
question of what constitutes the lowest
reliable and responsible bidder, must be
determined by said board of public works
independent and exclusive of the bond
required by this section. The common
council of said city may cause sidewalks
to be constructed, relaid or repaired
whenever they deem that the public in
terest requires it, without reference to
the board of public works. Whenever
said council shall order the construction
of such sidewalks, a copy of such order
shall be transmitted to the board of pub.
lie works, whose duty it shall be, without
any unnecessary delay, to transmit said
order to the person OF persons having the
contract for the construction, repair or
relaying of sidewalks for the time being,
who shall within five (5) days thereafter
cause the sidewalks so ordered construct
ed, relaid or repaired by the common
council, to be built, relaid or repaired, as
the case may be, and it shall be the duty
of the city engineer within five (5) days
after having been notified by such con-
tractor of the construction, repair or re-
laying of said sidewalks, to examine the
same and if said sidewalks shall be found
accordance with the contract therefor, to
works, who shall cause an assessment to
be made as hereinafter provided. At the
first meeting in each and every month,
they shall give at least ten 10y days no.
tice by publication in the official news
paper of said city, to the effect that at a
certain time and place they will proceed
to make an assessment to tax for con-
structing, relaying or repairing said side
walks; said notice shall briefly describe
the location and nature of said improve
ments and shall be published at least
three 81 times; which period Of ten hoy
days shall commence with the first publ
cation of said notice at the time and place
specified in said notice, or such
other time and place as may
be fixed by adjournments; the said board
shall assess the amount as nearly as they
can ascertain the same which will be re-.
quired to defray the cost of such improve
ment, including the necessary expense of
making and collecting such assessment
upon the real estate or lots of land 'front.'
ing on said improvement. In making
said assessments, the said expense and
costs shall be apportioned in accordance
| with the number of lineal feet of said
real estate or lots of land fronting on
said improvements as aforesaid. When
said assessment is completed the said
board shall give six (6) days notice by one
(D publication in the official newspaper
of the city, to the effect that at time
and place therein specified, that said
assessment will be confirmed unless
cause is shown to the contrary, and that
objections must be filed one ~ day before
such time of meeting, with the clerk Of
said board. Such objections shall be
made and filed in the same manner, and
said board shall proceed in hearing the
same, and have the same power to revise,
correct, confirm or set aside such assess
ment, or proceed de novo, as provided in
section fifteen (15) Of this chapter. Said
assessment when confirmed shall be final
and conclusive, and no appeal shall be
therefrom A warrant shall issue for
the collection thereof and said assessment
shall be enforced and collected as other
assessments made under this chapter.
Whenever the said contractor shall fail
to build, repair, or relay any sidewalks
within the time designated by the board
Of public works, or in any other respect
fail to comply with the terms Of his said
contract, the said board of public works
shall have power to furnish and use men
and material to complete the work and
charge the expense to the contractor, and
the same shall be deducted from any
money due him or to become due such
contractor, or may be collected from him
in suit by said city, or said board, of
public works may re-advertise for
bids for the completion of the unexplred
term of said contract, and let q contract
in the same manner as hereinDefore pro-
vided in the original contract. In case
the said contractor shall proceed to prop
erly perform and complete his said con-