Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-02-09
A FORWARD STEP.

Inc common council OF Cne CITY OF
Mineral Point have taken preliminary
action for the purpose of adopting the
general charter law for the future gov
eminent of the city. The ordinance
which provides for such adoption and
re-division of the city into wards,
is printed elsewhere in this paper.
Final action on the ordinance will be
taken at the next regular meeting of
the council on Monday evening, March
5th. The action of the council, we be-
lieve, will meet with the general ap-
proval Of the people of the city. The
general charter law is an act amenda-
tory of chapter 1926 of the general laws
of 1889, entitled An act dividing
cities into classes and providing for
their incorporation and government" :"
1t is the result of the labors of the
very best legal talent Of the state di-
rected to the work Of securing a just
and general law for the government of
cities. The charter and ordinances
under which our city is now working
are at best but a patchwork of legal
provisions, which to be continued in
force would necessitate their revision,
re-enactment and publication. By
adopting the general charter law, all
this, will be avoided and legal and
equitable provisions secured for the
government of the city. Under the
law, and re-division of the city into four
wards, the officers will be a "mayor,
two aldermen and one supervisor from
each ward; a city treasurer, city clerk,
assessor, city engineer, chief of police,
comptroller, city attorney, two justices
of the peace, a city physician, street
commissioner; chief of the fire de-
partment; a board of public works; a
board of school commissioners; one or
more policemen, and such other officers
and boards as the common council
may deem necessary, provided the
common council, by a tWo-t thirds vote
may dispense with the office of street
commissioner, city engineer, comptrol-
Ter, and board of public works and
provide that the duties Of such officer
or board be performed py other officers
or boards, Of said city.i5r by the com
mon council, or by a committee there
Of" "The mayer, city treasurer,
comptroller, assessor, aldermen, justice
of the peace, and supervisors shall be
elected by the people. The other
officers may be appointed by the
mayor or elected by the council as
may be determined by ordinance, pro-
vided that in case any such officer, ex-
cept policeman, shall be appointed by
the mayor, such appointment shall be
subject to confirmation by the common
council"
Each aldermen will hold office for
two years.
The board of school commissioners
will be composed of one member from
each ward, and three members at
large; term three years; president to
be elected from their number; no sal
aries; city clerk to be clerk of the
school board; superintendent, or prin,
cipal, who examines teachers to be
elected by the board but cannot be one
of their number; all commissioners ap-
pointed by the mayor and confirmed
by the council. 1t shall be the duty
of the mayor, once in two years to
nominate regularly licensed physician
as commissioner of public health, who
shall hold his office for the term of two
years.
The duties Of the various city
officers are fully defined in the charter
law.