Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-13
THE COMMON COUNCIL
IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
The Discussion Last Night on the Pro.
posed Amendments TO the Charter
The Work Unfinished

The Common Council net last evening
and went into Committee Of the Whole,
Alderman Palmerlee presiding. Aldermen
Grady, Pierce. Killean, Albright and Lau-
Mere we're absent. The turnout of the
public was moderate, though there was a
sprinkling of representative men present.
Aid. Gilbert, as chairman Of the Commit
tee on Charter Amendments, submitted the
report, and il was considered seriatim. The
first section was read and il was agreed to
change the term of treasurer from one year
to two, and strike out the words IF free
holder" These latter words didn't suit the
democratic ideas of Aid. Nester and Aid.
Gilbert seconded his motion, acknowledging
it TO be relic ''hoary with age, bnrIesque,
and hoped tho same spirit would
prevail still further in remodelling the city
charter. Aid. Brenner, with Bismarkian
nestorism, didn't know where il might end
if such irrsverence was encouraged. The
chairman invited citizens present TO express
Themselves fully upon any subject under con-
siderstion. Ex-Mayor Angel doubted If the
old clause was constitutional and cited de-
cision of the Supreme Court, that any citi-
zen OF the United States had right 10 hold
any Office in the gift of the people.
Aid. DeGraaf moved to amend that the
director Of the poor be pat in the two-yesr
class, and made a conclusive argument on
the sams, and the clause was amended to
read, ''every second year thereafter, one
director of the poor"
nal A toH
AID Gilbert explained that the amendment
proposed 10 same as the old charter except that
it makes emphatic that the Council has con-
troll of the city's public money, to deposit it
and have control of it: and that neither the
Treasurer nor his bondsmen shall be respon-
sible for money when placed by the Council
in depository out of the Treasurer's hands.
Several Aldermen discussed this amend
ment pro and con, and Messrs. Silas God
frey and Major A. B. Watson made strong
addresses favoring the amendment 1t car
ried, and also an amendment TO provide an
Office, books, stationery, and necessary assist
ants to make the the Treasurer an independ-
ent Office.
Title 2, section 8. to give aldermen more
jurisdiction and the city eight more men,
bers on the Board of Supervisors, was so
amended.
Section ll2, as amended, enlarged the
duties of City Attorney, extending them TO
that of adviser of the Board of Education,
providing that his Office shall exclude other
practice, and giving him an assistant if
necessary, and the fixing of their salaries by
the Council, was carried.
Section 13 same title, enlarging powers
of City Marshal to make arrests for pur-
poses of carrying out legal effect of charter
and save much expense in damages against
the city, was carried.
Section %, to give police power to arrest
without process for acts less than felony or
breach of peace was considered necessary
in the city in the interests of good order and
il was so amended.
Section %, relative to salaries, was made
to read as follows: City Clerks salary ST.
600. Treasurer $4,000, Marshal 81, 200, Alder
men 800, Controller $1,000, City Attorney
$500, and also amended that Council can
prescribe salaries in other cases. The be-
ginning of the section, "fees and perquisites
to City Clerk as prescribed by law" was
stricken out. Alderman Nester struck the
key note of an improvement and one badly
needed by proposing to make the Board Of
Police and Fire Commissioners salareid Of
fcers, but the Council didn't strike on the
same chord, and the Aldermen will yet have
time to apply the texts that, "the servant is
worthy of his hire" and that ''the OK should
not be muzzled that treads his master 3
corn"
Title 5, Section 8, relating to changes in
matters affecting the Board of Eq ualization
and Review was then taken up, which led the
Council into deeper water than they were
prepared to wade in without further delibera-
ton and study, and so the committee rose as
a whole, reported progress to Council, the
report was adopted and Council adjourned.