The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-23
GREAT CHARTER CHANGES
BOARD OF PUBLIC IMrROrIyr,,.
MUCH ESLdRGID.

New \ ork city System OF Pro-rc,,,
cal improvements aud Also OF tol,.''o'
Assessments Substituted for rh,,uss
First Drnu-Fivc Health tommi.,,'ns
Changes OF sweeping charar "a. v,,, -,
in the opposed city charter lbs ''c G,,',''
New York Commissioners at their ys..r,, ''
terday. Tho chapters on the BuarI o.. tot
lie I'm orovelnents aud on Borough N,,-..',
u part OF the chapter on Taxes and A.,,.'
ment were practically relraftel. pr,yi,"N
was male also for the appointmont or ,no,h..
Health Commissioner, so that thc board ,S,,
consist OF 1vo members. This adii,.unal,o,a
missioner must be physician.
As constituted In the original dra, e..
Board OF Public improvements vas con.ro,ni
OF tho Mayor, the Commissoucr of w..
Supply. tho Commissioner Of lii.hNa,. II.
Commissioner OF Street Cleaning. Tie ,o'
missioner OF Sewers, the Comm. -.Uprt :,
Public buildings. Lighting. and Sgnn,,,,
and tho Commission err OF Bridges, ,ud n.
Mayor. IL no did not care to at n. mo-,
Der of the board. might appoint man sl.,
should DO Prcsid mt thereof. The clap,et d,
nna.iy revised makes tine Mayor me;nbe, a,
the board in any event. and requires linn :,
appoint q President, who Will have "a sniaryo,
$4,000. Tho Comptroller, tLe C.rroroio,
Counsel. and tho Eve borough Prcsi tents ~.
added to tho board. The board will tl.sLa
membership Of ffteeG. but tho President o'r,
board and the six Commissioner only Will,
counted TO make up n quorum. Tho Pred.
dents of the boroughs may vote only on tnat
ters relating exclusively to their borough.
The President of the board Is 20 decide. =,
case there Is q difference between Comm.
sioners. what department shall carry On Az,
public work. Ho is also to be the arhiter il.
tween Commissioners and con.:Hot0fs n,
President and not the board is 70 appoint, h,
Secretary.
Decides all Its other powers and duties III,
board IN to have all those now dcvUl,cd on IA,
Board of Street Opening and improvements.
IL may adopt final maps and plans for any par,
OF the city where such m APPS and plans hayett
already boen adopted. This power 10 taken
fro m the Presidents OF the borouehs. ii whou
Il ssssa h hs Charter Be- so very e
to build their houses faeIag the lite Q, a SUP.
changed and the street Is at their bark do0,
or their building ia in the middle 81 u.
Without the consent Of the Munic!aal A.
ance of any public work. the estimated cost G,
which will not exceed $4,000. O'ler tsa,.
urcs of the revision which are noteworthy ar,
these:
Chief Engineers OF the various department.,
are 10 be permitted to appoint and rernuieu
pleasure their assistants. Consulting eug..
neers ana architects may appointed N a a..
partnent only when the appointment is,.
thorized by the. Board of Public IMPROVEMENT.
There In provision for two consulting eng.
neers and one con sulting architect IN the D4.
partment OF Public Buildings. Lighting AID
Suppliea-
Tho powers OF the local BOARD Of Impror.
ments within the bOrougns have been greatly
limited. They may take the lnitlatlyein all
matters OF local Improvement. but their acti0i
in every case must he passed on by lie F0a-i
of Public improvements. The right ~ q.
Board of Public Improvements or the Ngnicl.
pal Assembly 10 take the initiative IN sqch
matters without consulting the Local toafI,
"A Board OF Assessors. Eve in number. .as,
provided for. They are TO be appointed ~
the Mayor and not By the Tax Comu.ss ionefA
There 10 also provision for the Aupuintmeui Q.
IA Board for the Revision OF Assessments. Thi
board will DO COMPOSED Of the . or.ltrole',
the Corporation Counsel. and the President
the Board of Public improvements.
In fact. the work OF the Commissioners yes
terday amounted practically to an abortion .
the present New York city syste IN for the pros
ecution. Of local improvements and the cole.
,tion of assessments. Many OF tn. amend.
tments were made at the suggestion 81 Cor.
porstion Counsel Scott The Comm! s,loIe',
will consider on Monday the revised EAuca.
tionAl and Charities CHAPTERS. The chapters
on Fire Department and Docks have Teen -
ferred to former Mayor Gtlroy and Stcre.ArT
Pinney, who will put the finishing touches 10
them.
With these four chapters ont of the way To
work OF the Commission viii be complete.
with.the exception of the draughting OF the re.
port TO tho Legislature. The question Of get
which will rest with the printer, Secretary
PiOuey sayA