Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-01-06
REVISING THE CHARTER
Changes Proposed By the Committees
of the Two Councils
TO BE EMBODIED IN THE BILL
The Legislature Will Be Asked to Pass
It With an Emergency
Clause

ClauBe
The committees on charter revision
appointed by the Fairhaven and New
Whatcom city councils will report to
the next meeting Of their respective
councils recommending several import
ant changes in .the existing charter Of
cities Of our class. At the last meeting
of the committee substantial agreement
was arrived at upon all points withIthe
exception of that relating TO assess
ment. This subject provoked consider
able discussion. A :law modelled after
that Of Minnesota found much favor
with the committee. II provides for
city and county assessors, the city
assessor to assess city property and the
county assessor to assess everything out
side, with proviso for equalizing tn =.
work of all assessors. Some favoree'
having county assessors to act as assess
ors in the cities.
The propositions upon which the
committees agreed were embodied in
three written documents, considered
section by section. These were
|. A general law prepared by ]. II.
Critics, providing for reassessment Of
property for street Improvements in all
cases where assessments are faulty.
III. The report of progress Of the Fair
haven committee submitted last week,
endorsed without change. This report
recommended amendments giving
cities Of our class the following powers f:
l. To reassess and remedy defects in
case OF errors in assessments for street
Improvement.
2. TO revise the charter 20 that all
moneys of the city be received and dis
bursed by the city treasurer instead of
the city marshal and city attorney.
3. To restrain, impound and sell
stock found running at large.
4. To better enforce and regulate
sewer connections.
5. To make and enforce harbor reg
ulations.
8. To condemn streets, alleys,
squares, or right-of-way for pipes, wires,
or any municipal Improvement.
III. A detailed,statement of the pro.
posed changes i'm the charter perepared
. Whatcom. This contains, in addition
to the changes proposed in the preced-
ing documents, the following provis-
ions
For killing dogs not duly licensed.
For licensing the sale Of market pro-
duce from house to house.
For giving cities greater control over
the water supply.
For punishment of keepers, inmates
and lessons Of houses of i'll fame, and
gamblers and keepers Of gambling
tables.
For making complaints in police
courts in the name Of the city instead
of in the name Of the people of the
State Of Washington, as at present.
For empowering cities TO bid in land
sold at tax sale.
Defining clearly the power Of police
justices.
Giving full Jurisdiction over offenders
against ordinances.
For empowering the council TO fix
salary or fees Of the city treasurer, pro-
viding a maximum and minimum.
Defining what constitutes regular
session of the city council.
Requiring that no liquor licenses be
issued within one mile of the city limits
without the concurrent action Of the
county commissioners.
Defining a legal square in printing.
Giving cities all powers they have in
common law besides the enumerated
powers.
Defining the exact time of publishing
tax lists or abolishing the present sys-
tenn and providing for bringing tax
suits in block.
Prohibiting city officers from acting
as bondsmen.
Providing that the mayor and coun-
cilmen receive a salary of So day for
four days each month, and no more.
The committee will report proposed
amendments at the next regular meet.
ings of their respective councils, recon
mending that the city attorneys be di-
rected to draft bill embodying them,
which will then be passed upon by the
councils and forwarded TO Olympia
with the request Of the councils that
the bill be passed with an emergency
clause. II Is proposed to have all this
| a In la o. 4. alxa