Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-02-07
SEC. 90.
II Voter, In the De mocrat, Gallo
attention to Sec. 90 OF the
Howard Charter.

Howard Charter.
In a communication In the Demo-
crat "VOter" says: ITO show what
power the Howard charter gives.
we quote you Sec. 80 Of that docu-
ment." 1t is as follows:
SEC. 80. PERMANENT IMPROVE
MENr REVOLVING FUND. - There
shall be created, If necessary,
and maintained in tho city trea"
sury, if the city council shall 80 d.
rect by ordinance. a fund to, be des'g-
mated as the Permanent Improvement
Revolving fund, into which shall be
paid all accounts realized from the sale
of certificates OF indebtedness issued on
account Of such fund, and the principal
sum of all special assessments and be-
nefits assessed and levied on account Of
any local improvements, as we'll as all
taxes levied on account Of such fund,
and there shall be paid out Of such
fund that portion of all local improve
ments for which special assessments
are levied, and such amount of excess
assessment as may in any instance bs
refunded, and for no other purpose
whatever. And tho city shall maintain
such fund sufficient to meet the expen-
sss of all such improvements ~ the
same become payable, az in this act
provided. And the city council may,
from time to time, by ordinance by
three. fourth (4) veto issue, negotiate
and sell certificates of indebtedness for
the creating or maintaining OF such
fund, and such certificates shall not be
sold for less than par and accrued In
terest, and shall bear interest at \ rate
not to exceed five Isl per cont per an
mum, and shall be made payable from
said fund and at such times as the city
council may determines; provided how
aver, that the amount Of certificates so
issued shall not exceed at any one time
two-tifths (2-5) of one per cent of the to-
tai value of taxable property of such
city, according to the last preceding as
sessment for purpose of taxation; pro-
vided, however, that cities already hav-
ing created a permanent improvement
revolving fund, by the issuance Of
bonds up to the limits provided by ex-
listing laws, shall not have authority to
issue certificates of Indebtedness as per-
mitted by this section"
The object of that section is to
create, when the council deems nee
essarv, a fund whereby local i'm
prOvements may be made at once by
the city. and paid for from that fund
provided assessments have been
made against property to pay for it.
Reading the section will explain
that. Such fund would enable the
city to make the. local improvements
ordered, and pay for them with this
fund, pending the collection of the
assessment. The current expense
fund would not thus he exhausted
to pay for local improvements or
dered. secs. 26 to NO will show how
such a fund would be useful If the
city made Improvements that the
property owners paid for in INSTALL
ments. 1t is possible that this city
would not need such a fund, and If
they did but a small amount would
be needed. When sidewalks are or
dered, and the property owners fai!
to build them, the city could issue
certificates of indebtedness to pay
for building the sidewalk, then when
the assessment was paid the money
would go into this fund, and could
be used to pay off the certificates of
indebtedness. AS the total amount
of certificates can only be twO-fifths
of per cent of the valuation, which
in Little Falls could not exceed 49,
600. If any such fund was ever
created, the money could only be
used to pay for work that had been
assessed against property. 1t is a
wise provision, and such as any
charter should have.
The whole system of separate
funds, as well as pro visions for Or
dering and making improvements
and paying for them and collecting
assessments, is regarded as excellent
by those who have studied the
charter.
Everyone should give the matter a
little attention. especially if an cleo
ton is held, as now seems probable.
fridays Anoka Herald announces
the death of Niles C. Simmilkier, OF
that place, after n long and painful
illness. The funeral was held under
the auspices of the Masonic lodge.
Deceased was born in Cadiz, Spain,
and became sailor at Young age,
and entered the United States navy
at the opening of the war, and