The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-01-01
the city had received honest work, and


the contractor should have honest pay.
That the City Engineer and Street Com
mittee had reported that the work had
been done in accordance with the plans
made by the City Engineer and approx
ed by the City Council, that the contract
stated that the work must be done in &C.
cordance with those plans, and that an
investigation would prove his statement
to be true, that this whole business was
matter of public record, every paper
being on file in the office of the City
Clerk, plans and drawings of the street,
showing the grade before the work was
done and after completion, the contract
with Mr.. Alden. the Engineers report,
the Street Committees report are all
there open for inspection and accessible
to every citizen of Bozeman, that so far
as the action Of this Council was concern
ed should this motion prevail, being an
indignity to the Mayor. he had this to
say, that the Mayor, in sending his COM
munication to the papers and having it
published before it was communicated to
the Council, had grossly lnsulted' the
City Council, had ignored the reports of
the City Engineer and Street Committee,
and the unanimous action of the Council
by which the bill was allowed, and who
alone had the powerto make such allow
ance for labor performed, that he had
rushed into print, brought the whole
trouble on by his own unwarranted
action, to the injury of the city credit and
inconvenience to an honest creditor, he
hoped the motion would prevail.
Mr.. Story said, tat while the action of
the Mayor was unwarranted, without
authority, either from charter or ordin-
ance, it did not amount to much, and
that he did not care particularly about it
and would like to work in perfect har-
mony at all times, that he had made his
report as member of the Street Com
mittee, and believed he had done his
duty, the bill referred to was just and the
Council in allowing it had done only JUS
tice to the contractor for honest labor
preferred, that work undone had been
carefully deducted, that he thought the
communication of the Mayor had better
be received. 1t was true it was refec-
ton on the Street Committee and City
Council-he preferred to work in har-
mony-he had the good of the city at
heart and desired its credit protected.
Mr.. Story then moved as an amendment,
seconded by Mr.. Anderson, that the COM
munication be received and placed on
file.
Mr.. Anderson laid stress on the irregu-
larity of passing on bill at special
meeting, such a course being against the
rules of the Council.
Koch replied to this that parliament
tary law was, that when thing of that
kind was done without an objection
being made at the time the effect was
the same as if the rules had been slls-
|
the vote was in this case unanimous, the
time for the Mayor to have objected was
when the bill was offered for allowance,
but he made no objection then whatever
and only asked latter the bill had been
allowed by unanimous vote) a member
of the Council, whether he thought the
contract had been completed,
The Mayor then asked Mr.. Koch
whether he had not stated at a previous
meeting, that he did not consider the
contract filled.
Koch answered that he had said so,
and believed SO yet, buthe kad based his
vote on the facts as stated at the time
that he believed the contractor had done
the best he could, that mere trife (less
than $1,000 worth of work. remained to
be done, that the contractor had done
the work cheaply, and that We were only
paying for work actually done. Vote ON
the amendment being put Ef pd Tat aha car.
RED. WV
Ayes-kock, Tracy, Cooper.
'Nays-Alderson, Story.
The following amendment to ordinance
l, article 9, was then offered:
'Be it ordained by the CITY Council of
the City of Bozeman, that the following
clause be added to Section 8, chapter II
ordinance No. l. "But if for anv cause
whatever the Mayor should refuse to
sign a warrant regularly drawn for bill
or account, or any debt due by the city
regularly passed upon and allowed nv
the Council, then it shall be the duty Of
Inc treasurer to pay the same, without
Ihe Mayors signature, if presented to
him, signed by a majority of all the
members of the City Council"
Cooper moved and Koch seconded ito
'doptlon. Mr. Anderson objected on the
round, that amendments to Ordinances
euld not be made at special meetings of
ne Council. Koch said the objection
'as not in order, as the Council could
onsider any business whatever at anv
leetlng regular or special and stated
lat an examination of the records show
.at nearly all ordinances had been pass
at special meetings. Mr.. Anderson
'pealed to the City Aattorney for legal =
onion. The City Attorney Judge Davis =
ID that the Council at a special meet
g could consider any business whatever
r. Anderson stated that he considered
e Mayor should have veto powers and
at he hoped the amendment would
t pass.
Mr. Story said he would be willing to
mt the Mayor that power with proper
trlctlons, but that the credit of the
must be protected and he hoped the =
endment would prevail. Mr.. Koch L
1 the Mayor had no such power under
charter and in his judgment should
nave this power delegated to him.
It the Council alone had the power to
nj money or anything of that charac-
That the Mayors duties were pure.
Ministerial; that he had no option in
matters and he hoped the amend.
1t would prevail and the city credit
ected. Had no objection to having
rants in such rasoe e;o,,J l.