Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-13
THE PARK BILL
Finally Fired Up for Presentation to the
Legislature.

Inc DOdru VI Irduo anu Cudu1DoI VI COAa-
MERGE, appointed for the purpose,
yesterday morning, the park bill was
finally amended, and placed in readiness
to be presented to the state Legislature.
The matter of issuing bonds was salts
factorily adjusted. Only $150,O00 is to
be raised, and that must come within the
per cent. of valuation section in the city
charter, and besides the whole is to be sub
mitted to the approval of the people at
popular vote.
The bill as amended is far
from being satisfactory to the
real estate men who instigated the orig
inal bill, and they feel considerably piqued
in consequence.
The following is a synopsis of the
bill:
Section1 provides for board of twelve
members, besides the mayor, chairman of
the common council committee on public
grounds, chairman of the council commit
tee on roads and bridges, who are ex-ofi-
clio members; gives them power to or
game and elect officers; constitutes them
department of the city government to
be known as the board of park commits
sioners of the city of Minneapolis. The
board shall meet when it pleases, shall
/ have seal, make rules for
the governance of its employees and
for the government and regula
tion of parks and parkways. A majority
OF It's members shall constitute a quorum,
but in selecting parks and filing vacancies
the vote of ten members shall be required;
provides for the publication of an annual
report; provides that the twelve persons
named in the first bill shall serve for the
first year, and until their successors are
elected in the spring of 1884, when four
shall be elected for one year, four for two
years and four for three years; the COM
missioners shall receive no compensation,
but may have their actual expenses incur
red in performing official duties paid, when
audited by the board; all bills allowed shall
go before the comptroller, the same as bills
audited by the board of education. No
commissioner shall be interested in lands
to be acquired by the board, provided, if
he is interested, he may be paid therefor,
but shall not act in regard thereto.
Sec. 3 gives the board authority to de-
wise system of parks and parkways, to
select the ground, to improve the same and
to hold and govern them.
Sec. provides that the board may &C
by gift, devise, purchase or lease.
Sec. provides for the customary con-
donation proceedings, and for appeal
therefrom.
Sec. provides for the appointment by
the district court of three park assessors,
and provides for giving of notice of the
so that interested parties may appear. The
npI~ ho11 hn
interested in any land to be as
sessed. The commissioners shall
determine what, if any, per cent. of the
cost of tract of land selected for a park
shall be levied upon the lands benefited,
and the park assessors shall thereupon
assess the same upon the lands which they
may deem to be benefited, whether the
lands are about the parks or parkways or
not. In purchasing property, the commits
sioners may agree with the seller upon
price which may include exemption from
the taxation of benefits; the assessors shall
give notice of hearing and may administer
oaths; they shall file their reports with the
clerk of the district court. The commits
sioners shall then give ten days
notice of the hearing of the assess
nent roll, etc. The court has
power to revise the roll, when application
is made, and may order a new assessment.
When the rsll is confirmed, the amount as
sessed shall be collected the same as other
| taxes. one-tenth each year for ten years,
without interest, but a person assessed
may pay The tax at one time, when a re-
bate of 7 per cent. interest per annum on
| the tax for the remainder of the ten years,
shall be made.
Sec. gives the commission au-
thority to borrow sum of money,
for a period not exceeding fifty
years, the annual interest on
which at AZ per cent. shall not exceed
$4,000 per annun, and shall issue bonds
therefor, and the parks shall be pledged as
a first lien thereon and the city shall be
bound for their redemption Bonds shall
be sold of AZ per cent. which shall equal
or exceed the annual interest on the bonds
sold.
Sec provides for an annual tax of not
to exceed one mill on taxable property of
the city. The money so raised shall be
placed in the city treasury, to the credit
of the board, and shall be drawn by war
rants signed by the president and secretary
of the board, and by the city comptroller.
This money may be used for purchase, i'm
provement or maintenance of parkways.
Sec. s gives the board power to close up
highways Except railroads) through lands
selected for parks, and gives them per-
mission or power to prevent the opening
of any highway whatever through a park.
Sec. 9 gives power to build viaducts,
bridges and water ways in the parks.
Sec. 10 provides how commissioners may
be removed for malfeasance in Office.
Sec. II provides for the removal of COM
missionerS who shall neglect to attend
meetings after due notice.
Sec. - restricts the city council or other
body from Issuing any amount of bonds
which, under the 5 per cent. limitation,
would not allow the park to have $4,000
remaining for its use.
Sec. Is provides that OF the benefits as
sessed, half the money, at least. shall be
used in improving the park on account of
which the assessments were made.
The money not SO expended goes
into the general park fund,
Sec. II provides that the lands designat-
ed for parks and parkways shall forever re-
main as such, but the parks shall be sub
| jected to the lien of the bonds, which lien
in case of non-payment of the bonds at
| rot, Nv ha