Omaha daily bee., 1891-01-18
CHARTER AMEND MENTs.
The Work of the Committee Con
sidered by the Council.

S1uereu by the council.
Eleven members Of the city council met in
the council chamber at 2o'clock yesterday
afternoon to hear and consider the report of
the committee appointed to prepare and sub
NIT amendments to tie city charter.
Upon motion Of Mr. Bechel the report was
received and read by Secretary Burnham Of
the committee.
Amendment were su omitted to compel the
attendance of witnesses in certain cases ;
second, to create the Office of assessor for
cities of the metropolitan class, fix his official
term of Office ando regulate mis- duties: third
to provide for the appointment of registrars
of election, when vacancies occur, by the
mayor; fourth to provide that notaries
public may swear in voters on election day;
fifth, providing for property qualifications Of
parties who desire to run for the Office of city
councilman; fifth, enlarglng the powers Of
the mayor and city councll sixth, regulating
the board of health, providing penalties for
violations of garbage regulations, and defin-
| ing the duties of the board of health and city
council with reference to the health regu-
latonS.
Section 81 Of the present charter will be
| changed but very little, few alterations
being made in the provisions which regulate
fire escapes and the putting on of fire proof
blinds, also with regard to the use Of soft or
imperfectly burned brick. The amended sec
tion will place the strict regulation of the use
or delivery for use in any building of brick
that are soft or imperfectly burned and unfit
for use in the main or outside walls.
In section 66 the limit of percentage to
which special bonds may be issued has been
| changed from 10 per cent to 123 per cent of
the valuation. This is exclusive of paving,
grading and park bonds.
Section SO is changed so that upon the Pc
tition of three-ffths of the property owners
| on any street for grading or paving the coun-
| Gil may proceed with the work.
In section 49, which relates to the levying
of tax Tor current expenses, the amend
mentss provide for special levy il necessary
for the purpose Of providing light for the
city. There is also a clause providing that
when the valuation of the city shall have
reached S?5, 100000 then the rate of taxation
shall decrease in the same relative proportion
as the valuation shall have increased.
With regard to the compensation of the
city treasurer section so has been changed so
! as to provide for the payment of salary of
5000 per annum, instead of the fee system
now in vogue. This change will take effect
| in 1892.
Section 81 provides that rs per cent of all
road and bridge taxes collected from city
property shall be paid over to the city.
Section 9S provides that all bonds when
due shall be advertised and no interest shall
be allowed after maturity. In sec
ant provision which will regulate the
| depositing of all city funds with the banks or
| loaning institutions The council is author
| lied to advertise for bids from such institu-
| tions as wish TO take the funds on deposit,
| and no funds shall be deposited with any
| bank having less than $50, 900 paid up CAPT
| tai stock.
In section 104 a change was made to pro-
vide for the supervision of public buildings
| by the board Of public works, and q majority
| OF the board of pu olic works which majority
shall include the chairman-shall have au-
| thority to transact business of the board.
In section lO7 there are but few changes
| The superintendent of buildings will be called
! inspector of buildings and his salary has
been changed from 81, 900 to g., 400.
Section los relates to park commissioners.
| 1t has been changed so tnat the commission
/ ers will have control Of all park property
within six miles of the city, and in conjunc-
tion with the city council the commission
| may issue bonds and purchase lands for park
| purposes to the amount Of $500, 900 within the
| next three years.
| In section ll0 a change Is made providing
for the appointment of deputy comptroller,
| who snail be authorize in the absence or the
inability of the comptroller TO transact the
business of the Office.
| Section Ill relates to the city attorney, and
simply makes the authority Of the mayor tc
| appoint city attorney more specific.
| Section liz provides for the assistant city
| attorney and city rosecutor, who shall bt
| III constant attendance at the police court
secuon liz provides that the council shall