The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-24
FOR A PAID COUNCIL.
Amendment Giving City Legis-
lat0rs $500 a Year.
THEIR TENURE OF OFFICE.
No Election of Aldermen Mt Larpe-
Charter Commission Holds Only
One More Meeting.

At the meeting of the charter revision COM
mlttee last night the principal matter eonsid-
cred was the proposed amendment regulating
the manner of the election of the city council,
nxlng the term of Office and providing for a
salary of $50 per annum.
The provision was further amended BY strik-
Ing out the clause providing for the election at
large OF one member of the board of aldermen,
ana III case of vacancy the Office shall be
hlIed from the ward in which the vacancy oc-
ours.
Mr.. Andrews moved to strike out the clause
providing for salary of $500. This brought
forth the remark from Mr.. Korn that he did not
Intend to be a candidate at the next election and
was satisfied he would not receive the salary,
but he thought man should be paid for his
services.
z Mr. Andrews had no doubt that every men,
Der OF the council had earned $500 per year, but
the instances were rare where city had seen fit
10 reeompense its councilmen. The time was
coming. he thought, when men would measure
their services by dollars and cents, they
didn't seem to realize the difference between
giving their services to the city and to a
client: but that $500 year was not fair recon-
pense in any event, and there was something
else in this life besides dollars, and there were
times when a man should give some OF his time
to the public welfare.
The question of striking out the salary clause
t. II.
voting in the affirmative
Mr.. Hill moved to strike out the forfeit of
$3.50 for absence and insert IS. This motion
was carried and the article passed as amended.
Aessrs. ID. w. Jones and w. Z. Bailey were
present to represent the board OF park commits
sioners. and presented several amendments re-
lating to the provisions of the charter governing
the board. The same were referred to the
judiciary committee, to be reported on at the
meeting Tuesday evening. The principal
amendment proposed authorizes the commits
sioners to purchase property for future parks on
installments.
The amendment providing for an auditing
committee of three to pass upon all bills except
salaries of officers fixed by the charter, was
read. This provifion is designed to fix the man
ner in which warrants shall be authorized, and
TO prevent the comptroller IRON paying any bills
until they have first been passed upon by the
committee.
The amendment was read for the third time
and adopted.
Section IL of article was then so amended as
to make it necessary for all bills for labor done
under the direction of the board of park COM
missioners and board OF public works to pass
through the auditing committee and receive its
sanction before being paid.
The amendment TO article s, relating to the
bonds of contractors doing work for the city,
was referred back to the judiciary committee
Win INSTRUCTIONS 10 see Indt IL OOes not cOnulct
with the general statute on the same question.
The amendment fixing the time of the expira-
ton OF the term of office of appointive officers
was referred back to the judiciary committee.
Judge Jacobs thought the provisions Of the
charter as at present constituted quite suffi-
cient on the question, and said thatthe question
raised in the board of health was not so much as
to when the term expired as TO when it COM
menced, as the charter went into effect only q
short time before the beginning of the official
year, and he had given 1t as his opinion that the
members held for the full term from the begin
ming of the official year following the adoption
OF the charter.
Mr. Hill thought the wording should be
clearer, though it might be that the present pro-
vision would stand the test.
The proposed amendment providing for the
return to property owners of any excess remain
ing from any fund for the improvement of any
local improvement district was passed
The members present were Messrs. Jacobs,
Kittinger, Shipley, Korn, Hill, Hall, Miller and
Andrews.
1t was voted that the committee would ad-
iourn sine die at the next meeting.
An adjournment was taken until next Tues
day evening.