St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-08
JOHNSON HAS A BILL,
The Minneapolis Senator Has
Prepared a Municipal
Charter,
WHICH He WILL SUBMIT
At a Meeting Of the Mill
City Members in a Few
Days.
AN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Which Johnson Intends Shall
Do a Whole Lot Of
Things.
AN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Senator W. E. johnson. of Mime
apolls, has prepared with great amount
of care plan for a municipal charter
bill covering points Of interest to large
cities. His suggestions differ in many
particulars from those of bill prepared
by Senator Howard The Minneapolis
members have not had meeting for
some time, but will meet in the near
future and receive the suggestions Of
Senators johnson. Howard and others
with view of harmonizing the several
features suggested.
Senator johnson has given especial
attention to the executive features of
the city, and has as yet done nothing on
the matter relating to the legislative
scope of the municipality. The main
features of his suggestions on the ex-
ecutive branch are worthy of careful
study. The points he makes are: That
the mayor, treasurer, auditor, comp
troller, marshal, register and members
of the common council should be
the only elective officers and
should serve for terms of four
years. half of the council to
be elected every two years. The reg
lister would take the place of the city
clerk and be given more extensive
duties. He would then establish de-
partmentS with superintendent or
commissioners of single head. such as
commissioner of streets and alleys,
commissioner on sewers, superinten-
dent of water and gas, superinten-
dent Of fire department, superinten-
dent of police. and a commissioner of
parks. These executive heads he would
have appointed by the mayor subject to
the approval of an executive council.
The executive council is to be made
up of So per cent of the members of the
common council, with the mayor as
chairman and having the deciding vote
or veto power. The executive council
should be elected by the council. sub
ject to the approval of the mayor, and
should be restricted to those who have
served at least two years in the council.
This council is designed to constitute
the board of public works, w hich will
supervise all the departments in the
sense that monthly reports should be
made to it,
He7would thus require an accounting
for
Every Piece of Old Eron
and every stick of timber, and regulate
the expenditures through the executive
council by consent Of the common coun-
Gil.
This would constitute a double head.
ed council. of which the executive
branch would constitute the board of
u bile works. The common council
would consist of one alderman from
each ward and an additional member
ship Of 50 per cent of representatives at
large. That is, rs per cent of the couu-
Gil would be aldermen and 50 per cent
members at large. The executive COM
mittee would be chosen from the coun-
eli at large, and consist of 55 per cent of
its members.
The election of the executive council
or members of t.as we'll as the appoint
ment of the heads of departments would
be made at the end of two years after
any mayor should be elected to Office.
This would relieve the mayor and the
members of the council from the burden
of making pledges in times of cam
paignS. Power would be given to sus-
pend the heads of departments by the
mayor and removal by the executive
council. The heads of departments
should be appointed for terms of four
years. a provision for the putting in
operation of civil service rules is en-
bodied in the measure.
Senator johnson thinks this plan
would entirely do away with the spoiIs
system and the pressure about election
times made on candidates for office. He
would also take the police aud fire de-
partments out of politics. The provision
tor selecting members of the executive
council and heads Of departments al
the end of two years. service by the
mayor and members of the executive
council would not only result in reliev-
ing the pressure on the grounds of par
tisan politics, but would result i'll Secur-
ing experienced men.
Provision is also made for one-half of
the council retiring after two years
service, in the case of the election first
occurring after the adoption of the
charter. Senator Johnson's idea is that
those having the highest number of
votes should be selected for the exec
utive council. and in cases Of tie select
the man with the most experience in
point of service.