Omaha daily bee., 1884-12-17
CITY AFFAIRS

IL NANi1gAo HhNNAAhk Ia ItEhtu u
the proposed charter amendments def.
nitely settled several Important matters.
1t was the almost unanimous sentimen
of the meeting that there should be but
one city assessor; also hat the payments
for pavements should be extended over q
period of ten years instead of FIVE; that
the curbing and guttering, wherever
paving is to be done Immediately in
connection with IT., should be regarded
as part of the pavement, and the pay
ments for the same should be extended
In the same manner, and where the curb
ing and guttering precedos paving for any
length of time the payments therefor
should be extended for FIVE years.
1t was also the general sense
OF the meeting that the
salaries of the city officers should be ma.
terially increased, notably the salaries of
the mayor and marshal, and that the Of
flee of city controller should be created.
This officer will fill a long-felt want, and
will exercise an important power in city
affairs. 1t will be his duty to take charge
OF the city warrant business, to audit and
account for all city business matters, and
to keep a check on the city treasury and
all the expenditures made under the
charter.
The n In which city business is
now conducted causes a great deal
OF looseness in our affairs, but
it csnnot very well be helped.
The city clerk is overburdensd with bust.
ness, as he Is compelled to do In addition
to his duties as clerk of the council what
properly belongs TO the office Of control.
Ter or auditor. The clerk should only be
required to act as the clerk of tho coun-
ell, to keep its records and to transact
such other business as it may direct.
That wal all this officer was really intend
ed for, but everything has been crowded
upon him owing to deficiency in the
official force, which will be supplied by
the creation of a controller. While the
city clerk is doing his best, under the pre-
sent circumstances no cannot possibly
do justice to all the business that is
forced upon him. These are only q few
of the important measures that are
needed by this city. Additional citizens |
meetings should be held between now
and the opening of the legislature, or
until the most needed charter amend /
ments are thoroughly discussed and
agreed upon. At the next meeting the
subject of Justices of the peace will be
taken up. Omaha has too many cost
mills that are conducted by conscienceless
shystera, and the only waZ to remedy
this growing evil is to reduce
the number gof Justices of the
peace to two or three. This would make
the offices more important, rsmunerative
and desirable, and hence the PROBABLE.
ties are that we would have honest and
men as justices. At the same
the jurisdiction should be extended.
Another subject that needs legislation is
the twe.mile prohibition limit that en-
the city. Under the Stocumb law
no liquor license can be issued either by
the city or county within that belt, and
consequently there are numerous saloons
and road houses dcing business within
that circle without paying. any license
whatever.
The injustice of this is illustrated by
the iact that in the south part of the
city there are saloons just within the city
line that are paying 81, OCo a year license, |
while just across the limo, not 200 feet
away, are saloons that aze doing Just az
much business and yet do not pay any
license.
Some improved method of appointing;
policemen should be adopted. Undsr
the present system, the police force ia
largely made up of She political fasoriteh
of the mayor ana coun,ilmen ard
other officials. The Policemen are
appointed more pa account of their sup.
posed political inauence than for their
capability for the position. 1t has been
suggested that some plan be devised by
which they shall appointed BY a board
of commissioners, or by some state ofici,
al, and that they ahall hold their position
during their good behavior, and until
they reach q certain age. This will do
away with all local wrangling, and the
constant change of the force. We shall
never have an efficient police force until
some such plan is adopted, and the
sooner it Is done the better.
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