The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-01-16
TAKE YOUR CHOICE.
SynOpses of the Changes in the
Charter Proposed by the
Council and Board OF
Trade.

City Attorney Young has about com
pleted the work of drawing up the
amendments to the city charter, which
have been proposed by the council COM
mittee. Mr.. Young's work is quite ex-
tensiye. and consists of codification OF
the charter, and its condensation into
one book. 1t is at present spread over
two or three books, and much trouble is
experienced in finding anything, as
various sections have been repealed and
amended. He has taken the charters OF
1887 and 1889 and culled from them the
best features, and made such additions
and changes as the committee suggested
The work is now being run off in type
writing,
The principal changes are in the Board
of Public Works and the mode of assess,
ing corner lots. The Board will consist
of three members. One of them is to
have charge of the general work that the
Board now has, and will receive $500
He will also attend to the water works,
issue permits, and keep regular system
of rents. The pumping station, as now,
will be under the control OF the council.
The other two members Of the Board
will receive $50 year each, and Will be
called in only to assist in levying assess
ments. making COMBINATIONS, and to
act upon petitions for new roads, etc.
The members of the Board will be ap-
pointed by the outgoing mayor and con-
firmed by the outgoing council, every
two years, and each member will hold
Office for two years.
The City Recorder shall be the clerk
of the Board, as at present, but shall re-
ceive only 500 year for his services.
This will make the total cost of the
Board ST. ,OOO-a saving of 81, 100 year.
The City Engineer shall be appointed
by the Board, following the present
plan. His salary will also be fixed by
the council, and his duties will remain
the same as at present.
Once in three months the Board shall
make an itemized report of the consum-
ers, and with the City Treasurer will
make report of every tap in the city,
and of every cent paid in and by whom
paid. This complete statement will be
published in the official paper.
In regard to the street sprinkling as
sessments, it is sought to remedy the
present unfairness in the proportion
paid by corner lots. Corner lots will
only pay for so much on the side street
as is one half of the width of the street,
in most cases being SO feet. The re-
mainder of the side will be divided
among all the lots in the block equally.
In this way the corner lot will usually
paw for about SO feet more than inside
lots. The city will continue to pay for
the sprinkling on the street crossings.
Corner lots will be assessed for water
mains only according to frontage, as
plated. This will relieve the corner
property from paying for two streets,
while having the benefit Of but one
main. AS this will not always be just,
some modification will be made to cover
cases where there are two houses on a
lot, or where the lots are plated paral-
lei with the alley.
All of the police. including the night
watcbmen and excepting special police,
must be confirmed by the council.
The wards will remain as at present,
but no two aldermen can be elected
from the same voting precinct. This will
give representation to the outer pre-
cincts.
Aldermen will receive no extra pay
for special meetings.
The assessments on property opposite
water mains will cease after twenty
years, by which time the mains will be
paid for.
Some other slight changes may be
made.
The committee is DESTROYS that the
amendments be considered by the tax
payers, and any suggestions or objec-
tons made 20 them before the amended
charter is put into Senator Barr's hands.