The Helena independent., 1891-01-29
Six Members Thereof Meet and
Start the Work Under
Full Sail.
The Financial and Election Provl-
sions OF tho Present Char
ter Discussed.
The Commission AdJonrned ta
Meet Again o-DAy.

The Charter commiHafon htiu hnother
meeting yesterday afternoon In the parlors
OF tho Helena National bank and remained
In session about two hours. They adjourned
TO meet at four o'clock to day Mt the same
place. Only six Of the eleven members
responded and these we're Mayor bradford,
w. A. Cheasrnan, Aldermen Thiome, Liss-
ner and Gallagher, John I. Murphy. City
Attorney Smith was also present and proved
valuable aid to the commission.
Tho Trades and Labor assembly did not
send in any names to tho mayor and there
fore he has not yet appointed any repre-
rssentatves from that body.
The proposed new charter was discussed
in general way and the defects in the ex-
listing charter were pointed out and om-
mented upon. The principal defect seems
to be the inanoial provisions of the charter,
which prohibits the accumulation OF debt
In excess of 100000 This law has been vio-
lated over since the charter was granted by
the legislature. The principal necessity of
new charter now seems to be to devise
ways and means to wipe out the indebted
ness of the city represented by a
ine nts' for nu"s oser $4,000. 0"'1as' Tie propo
sition is to issue bonds for an amount sutii-
oient to do this and leave money in the
treasury to pay cash for current expenses
and re-e establish the citys credit with the
banks, that the warrants will not be dis
counted. Warrants now issued on the fire
fund are discounted 10 per cent. while those
on the general are shaved Is per cent. As
the charter now stands the city council is
unable to cope with the emergency It was
also the sense OF the commission that the
limit of tax levy, 81 mills, was not enough
and that 1t should be placed at 10 mills; not
that the council should levy at that rate,
but should the occasion require 1t, for some
extensive public work. they would have the
legal right to do it. This year the levy is
mills, or ~ mills less than the limit.
Alderman Lissner said that when the city
treasurer takes up all the warrants that the
funds derived from taxes can cover. there
will still be outstanding about T80,00O
worth of warrants, including interest; and
it costs an average Of $4,000 month to
conduct the city government, so that If the
city doesn't do something towards obtain
ing new charter it will be IN pretty bad
shape the coming year.
The financial questions being fully dis
cussed, 1t was the sense of the commission
that there will have to be some new pro-
visions on the bonding question, but that
in all cases it should be submitted to a vote
of the people.
The next defective point in the charter
occurred to Mr.. Murphy in the matter of
electing the council. He was of the opin-
ion that the alderman should be elected by
the people at large and not by wards as is
now the method. He said, however, that
the aldermen should be selected from each
ward. He knew OF several cities which
had adopted this SYSTEM, and the results
obtained were far better than the old way.
Mr.. Gallagher suggested that it might be
better to select two candidates from each
ward--one to be elected by the ward and
the other to be q candidate at large--a sys-
TEN now In vogue in Minneapolis. This did
not strike MIR. Murphy as good plant
was too much like compromise scheme.
While it is true;that in many large cities the
aldermen are elected the same as in Helena,
it was also true that those were not the
best governed cities. He cited Chicago and
New York for examples.
The charter of Nashville was then pro-
cured and read throughout by Mr.. Smith
probably be adopted by the commission,
but on the whole it contains MANY features
that would hardly be suited to this country.
In the first place the legislative powers are
vested in city council of ten members,
which is presided over by president. The
councilmen don't receive any pay, and the
mayor, who is ex-otficio chairman of all
committees has no vote. On the whole the
mayor is more of fgurehead; he receives
salary of $2,400a year. but has to pre-
side US police magistrate. The councilmer
meet only once month. The power of
appointing and regulating the police, let
ting contracts, regulating the fire depart
nent, street department., public schools and
in fact all the business of the city, is vested
in board of public works composed
Of three members, They receive salary
but are to devote their whole time and at
tention to city affairs. They meet weekly
and attend the council meetings. but have
no vote. The members of the board of
public works are appointed by the council
and all their actions have to be endorsed at
L,N1 4
into effect. Any work calling for an ex-
penditure exceeding $50 has to be adver-
tised and let to the lowest bidder. The
board of public works is also required to
prepare budget of the estimated expense
of CARRYING OH the public work during the
passed upon by the aldermen, and appro-
rriations made for the several funds. The
money thus appropriated is not to be used
-or any other purpose than the one for
which 1t is named.
The commission discussed briefly the
sections of the Nashville cha ter and on
the whole they were of the opinion that the
method OF having conncil and a board of
public works was good one. It gives the
council many additional powers which that
of Helena has not, and the system of MAX
ing street improvements seemed to be just
what Helena was trying to get at. Under
our present government all street work is
paid out OF the general fund.- but under the
charter granted to Tennessee cities with
population exceeding $4,000 people, of
which the Nashville charter is one, the
street improvements stand as lien against
tho abutting property and tho money ex-
pended can be collected according to certain
sections laid down in the code of that state
which are included as part of the charter.
The commission will look up the Tennessee
code to-day.
The proposition of increasing the num-
her of elective offices was also discussed
That Helena has grown to such a size that
the business requires the attention of a
city clerk and city attorney, was undis.
Iuted. Mr.. Smith said there was too much
business to attend to, to ask one man to fill
both offices. The charter will undoubtedly
provide for the appointment of n city clerk
and the election of a city attorney by the
people.
The matter of making the marshalship
an elective Office was also discussed. Some
favored it, but the impression appeared to
rule that it would not prove 80 satisfactory
for the council To give orders and dictate to
marshal who WAS elected by popular vote
the same as themselves. The office of street
commissioner. if one is provided for, may
also be made an elective office.
The commission adjourned about six
o'clock and may now be said to have got
their work started. Other charters will be
investigated to-day and full attendance
is leqnested. The gentlemen on the COM
mission are interested in the work and will