Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-16

we present below the results of the
work of the board of trade committee
appointed to consider the adyisability
OF certain changes in our, city charter
designed to put the municipality of Au-
gusta, If possible. upon more bust
ness like basis. The conclusions of the
committee. as drafted by Hon. H. NJ.
Heath are as follows. We commend
them to the careful consideration of the
tax payers of the city.
An Act to Amend the Charter Of the City Of
augusta.
Section 1. The city marshal of the
city OF Augusta shall be appointed
by and hold office during the pleasure
OF the mayor. The city marshal first
to be appointed hereunder shall be SO
appointed within 80 days after this
section takes effect and the tenure of
once OF the city marshal then in office
shall thereupon cease. He shall per-
form all the duties now required by the
charter and ordinances of said city, or
as the same may be hereafter amended.
Section 2. The mayor of said city
shall appoint all the police officers
thereof. Such police force shall con-
sist of such number of regular police
men and special policemen as the city
council shall from time to time deter
mine. The regular police officers shall
be under the direction of the city mar
shall and shall perform such police
duty as he may require of them. by
day or by night; and the marshal may
employ one or more of said regular
police as a night watch for such
periods of time and upon such beats as
he may appoint. Not more than
majority of said regular police officers
shall at any one time be members of
the same political party. Such regular
police officers shall hold office during
good behavior and until removed as
herein provided. The special police
officers to be first appointed hereunder
shall be appointed by the mayor within
30 days after this section takes effect
and thereafterwards annually on the
third Monday of March or as soon
thereafter as conveniently may be.
When said regular or special police
officers shall be so first appointed here
under the terms of all such police
officers then in Office shall thereupon
cease. Any such regular or special
police officer, so appointed, may be re-
moved by the mayor for such cause as
he shall deem sufficient and shall as
sign in his order of removal. and the re-
movals shall take effect upon the filing
of the order therefor in the office of the
city clerk, and the service, of a copy of
hn off
either personally or at his last or usual
place of residence. The city clerk shall
keep such order on file and subject to
inspection. Within 80 days after this
section takes effect the city council
shall fix and determine the number Of
regular and special police officers of
said city, and the mayor shall there
upon make all appointments herein re-
quired. The city council may regulate
the number of said officers from time
to time as the interests of the city may
require, and when such members shall
be reduced the mayor shall designate
the vacancies SO caused.
Section 3. The city solicitor of said
city shall be annually appointed by the
mayor. The city solicitor SO to be first
appointed hereunder shall be so ap-
pointed within 80 days after this Sec
ton shall take effect and thereafter
wards annually on the third Monday
of March or as soon thereafter as con-
veniently may be, and with such first
appointment the terms of offices of
the city solicitor then in office shall
thereupon cease. He shall perform all
the duties now required by the charter
and ordinances of said city, or as the
same may be hereafter amended.
Section 4. The mayor of said city
shall, within 80 days after this section
takes effect, appoint one overseer of
the poor who shall hold his office I'M
til the third Monday in March, in the
year nineteen hundred; and there
afterwards, except to fill vacancies,
the mayor shall, triennially, appoint
on the third Monday in March, or as
soon thereafter as conveniently may
be, such officer for a term Of three
years. Such officer, so appointed, shall
perform such duties as may be pre-
scribed by the city council, and shall in
general do and perform all the duties
and exercise all the powers incumbent
upon or vested in overseers OF the poor
by law. When such overseer shall be
so first appointed hereunder, the terms
of office of all overseers of the poor in
said city then in office shall thereupon
cease. Such overseer may be removed
by the mayor and aldermen after no.
tice and hearing by majority vote. He
shall not be directly or indirectly in
terested in any contract for or fur
nishing of any pauper. supplies and for
a violation of this provision he shall
be removed from Office and, If SO re-
moved, he shall thereafterwards be in
eligible for the same Office. The fuel.
provisions, supplies and such other ar
ticles as the nature of the case will ad-
nit, purchased for use at the city aims
house and the farm connected there
with, shall be obtained by said over
seer upon annual contracts made in
writing, and filed with the city clerk,
after notice for proposals therefor pub
lished in at least two newspapers in
said city representing different politi-
cal parties, such contracts to be
awarded to the lowest responsible bid
ders therefor, reserving, however, the
right to reject any or all bids and to
advertise anew.
Section S. The care. construction, re-
pair, and maintenance of all the