Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-12-27
OUR NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE.
What onr Mayor VIII Have to do When
We Become a City.

We Become a City.
There will be three general city officers
to be elected by the people, a Mayor,
Treasurer, and Controller. The Solic-.
itor is to be chosen by the Select and
Common Councils in joint session. Some
of the principal duties of the Mayor are
herewith given as found in Article
seventh relating 10 cities of the third
class.
The Mayor of city of the third class
shall be at least twenty-five years of age,
and shall have been citizen and inhab-
liant of the State four years and an inhab-
liant of the city for one year next before
his election. He shall be chosen at the
municipal election to serve for the term
of three years, and until his successor is
dnly elected and qualified, and shall not
lie eligible to reelection for the next sue
ceeding term. He shall be the chief ex-
ecutive magistrate of the city, and it shall
be his duty to be vigilant and active in
causing the ordinances and the laws of
the Commonwealth relating to the govern
ment of the city to be executed and en-
forced therein, and in order to enable him
effectually to preserve the public peace
within the city, all powers which are
devolved by the laws of this State upon
sheriffs to prevent and suppress mobs,
riots and tumutuous assemblies are CON
ferred upon him and he shall have author
itY upon occasions of threatened public
disorder to require and enforce the closing
of bars, or any establishments in which
liquors were sold during the continuance
thereof. He shall have power on such
occasions to appoint supernumery police
men to serve for such period as he may
designate, not exceeding ten days, whose
compensation will ne fixed by ordinance
of Council.
The Mayor is empowered to supervise
the conduct of all city officers, and shall
examine the grounds of all reasonable
complaints against them for violation or
neglect of duty. He shall have authority
at all times to call upon any of the city
officials or heads of departments tor such
information as to the affairs under their
codtrol and management as he may re-
quire, and may call special meetings of
Councils to consider matters he thinks
proper to lay before them. He is to com
municate to Councils at their first stated
meeting in January of each year, and at
other times when he thinks eXpedient,
statement of the condition OF the affairs
of the city, and may make such recon-
mendations as he may think best for the
interests of tie city.
The Mayor shall have the criminal jur-
isdiction of an alderman within the city,
and shall have no civil jurisdiction except
in relation to actions for fines, penalties
or forfeitures imposed by virtue of the
ordinances of the city, or the laws of the
Commonwealth relating thereto. He
shall have the power of committing mag
istrate in regard to trdmps and vagrants,
and shall have power to commit disso-
lutte or disordery persons, in default of
fines, payment of fines or penalties, to any
city oil county prison not exceeding thirty
days. He is empowered TO administer
oaths, and must keep a docket of the pro.
ceedlngs before HIM. He shall receive a
fixed annual salary to be provided by
ordinance.
The Councils fix the number, rank and
compensation of policemen. The Mayor
shall nominate, and by and with
the advice and consent of the
Select Council appoint, suspend or
dismiss any or all policemen and
fill vacancies In the police force. He
shall designate member of the force to
be chief of police, who shall be the prin,
cipal executive officer of the department
subject to his direction.
In case of a vacancy iA the office of
Mayor an election is held, and until that
election can be held, some person duly
qualified is elected by Councils to fill the
office.