The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-12-30
CITY CHARTERS.
The MankatO Board OF Trade, through
Senator Barr, Will Ask for
the Appointment
Of Commission to Draft a General
Law for the Government of Cities.


cred Senator Barr to present to TIT
Legislature:
WHEREAS, at the election held or
the Sth day of November, A. D., 1892
the people of the State of Minnesota
adopted an amendment to the conSti
actment of special legislation in al
cases where general legislation is ap'
plicable: and
WHEREAS, The adoption of SAID
amendment requires that general pro-
visions of law for the incorporation
and government of cities within the
state shall be enacted by the legiSla-
ture; and
WHEREAS, 1t is of the utmost inn
pOrtance, not only to the people of the
cities now Incorporated, but TO all
which may in the future become IN
corporated, and to all the inha bitants
Of the state at large, that The laws for
the government Of the cities of the
state shall be carefully considered and
shall be framed with the utmost care;
and
| WHEREAS, The varying circum-
stances consequent upon the different
cities of the state make it extremely
difficult to enact general law which
will be just to all and meet the needs
of all the cities, and
WHEREAS, 1t is therefore very de-
Sirable and necessary that the know
ledge of thvse familiar with and eX-
perienced in the practical working of
the present charters and laws govern
ing the various cities of the state,
should be brought in the conSidera
tion and framing of the new acts for
their control and government, there
fore,
BE 1t enacted By the Legislature of the
State of Minnesota
SECTION /. That a commission is
hereby constituted which shall con-
Sist Of one citizen of each of the in
corporated cities of the state to be
selected as hereinafter provided, and
to prefOrm the duties hereinafter set
forth.
SEC. 2. 1t shall be the duty of the
Mayor of each and every Incorporate
ed city of this state within ten
(10) days after the passage of this act
to select and designate citizen of
his city to act as member of the
commission created by tie first Sec
tiOn hereof.
SEC. 3. The officers designating a
commission under this act shall fur
nish to such commissioner a certifi-
cate signed by himself which GER
tificate shall state the fact of his
selection or appointment as such
commissioner. and said certificate
oh hn no tio1, NJ hnp iuir
said commissioner to act as member
of the commission created by this act.
SEC. 4. The governor of the state
shall, not earlier than ten Q0) days
nor later than fifteen days after the
passage of this act, designate day,
nOur and place for the meeting of said
commission, which day of meeting
shall not be later than twenty days
after the passage OF this act. and shall
give at least five days notice of such
time and place by causing the same to
be published in one or more of the
newspapers having general circulation
published in the capitol city of the
state.
SEC. 5 The commissioners selected
under The provisions of this act shall
meet at the time and place designated
by the governor of the state as pro-
vided by section four hereof and or
ganize under such rules and regua-
lions as they may adopt.
SEC. 6. 1t shall be the duty of the
commission Immediately upon it's or
ganizaUion to proceed as rapidly as is
practical with careful consideration
in the preparation of bill or bills for
general law or laws for the govern
ment of the cities of the State and
providing for the future incOrpora-
tiOn of cities and to submit to the
legislature of the state at the end of
sixty days from the day of the organi-
Zation of such cOmmi sion or as much
sooner as may be, a report of its DELHI
Grafton and acts together with the
bill or bills so prepared.
SEC. I. The commission shall hold
daily sessions commencing with the
meeting for organization, excepting
that no meetings shall be held on
Sunday and provided that adjourn
mentS may be taken by vote of ma
jority of quorum for not to exceed
two days in each week Sundays eX-
copied, and the members shall use
due diligence in the performance of
the duties imposed upon them by
this act.
SEC. s. A quorum shall consist of
majority of the commissioners pre-
senting credentials as provided for by
the third section hereof No bust
ness shall be transacted when less
than quorum is present.
Sec. 9. 1t shall be the duty of
every commissioner appointed under
the provisions of this act, and accept
ing such appointment, to attend each
meeting Of the commission save when
prevented by sickness of such COM
missioner or of some member of his
family unless excused by the vote of
| the commission.
SEC. 10. The failure of the proper
officers in any city or cities to select
and appoint a commissioner for their
respective city shall not act to pre-
vent the organization of the commits
sion or it's prosecution of the duties
enjoined upon it by this act, but it's or
ganization and futher work shall be
carried on by such of the commission
ers as shall assemble together for the
first meeting as herein set tn, pro
Uaded, however, that the commissioner
of any city in this state not represent
| ed at the first meeting of the COM
mission shall be admitted to any fu-
| ture meeting of the commission upon