Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-06-10
Iowa's New Laws.
Continued from last week
CITIES AND TOWNS.

NSOutllucu ITOIu IdSJ WEEK.
CITIES AND TOWNS.
Towns plated and unincorporations
having a population of less than two
thousand shall be deemed towns.
Elections are to be uniformly held
on the last Monday il March in each
year.
The words aldermen" and calder
men at-large" have given away to
'councilmen" and "councilmen. at
large"
Officers in towns are elected for two
years instead of one, and the clerk who
has heretofore been known as ere
corder" is also elected for two years
instead of being chosen by the council
or trustees.
The same officers are elected in
cities of the first and second class as
under the old law; the same right of
the council, to appoint certain officers
and has been retained, except that
where there are boards of public works,
they select the street commissioner in
stead of the city council.
The mayor in cities of the first class
is the presiding officer with the right
to vote only in case of tie; in cities
of the second class and towns he is a
member of the council, with the right
to vote when the affirmative vote of
some specified proportion of the whole
council is necessary to the passage of
any measure.
There can be but one assessor elected
for the whole city or town. He can,
however appoint such number of
deputies to aesist him rs the council
shall authorize, such appointments to
be confirmed 10y the council.
No money shall be appropriated ex-
cept by ordinance.
Where cities have caused their or
dinances to be published in pomphlct
form, no, other publication is neces-
sary.
Towns have the right to macadamize,
curb, and sewer streets and pay for the
same out of general fund or assess
the costs of the improvement up to
abbutting property owners.
Many new powers have been added
to those i'm the law to all classes of
municipal corporations, permitting
them to license and regulate persons
and avocations heretofore not included
in the law.
No franchise shall be granted or re-
newal extended by any city or town
for the use of any street, highway,
avenue or alley or public place, for any
of the purposes named in the chapter.
which includes among other things
street railways, unless a majority of
the electors voting shall have voted
for the same at general or special
election. The council may order the
question of renewal or extension of
any such franchise to be submitted to
a vote at general election, or at a
special one called for that purpose, and
the mayor shall submit such question
to the voters upon the petition of
twenty-five property owners of each
ward of city or fifty property owners
In an incorporated town. The party
applying for u renewal or an extension
OF u franchise must pay the costs Of
the election.
All cities are given the same powers
In relation to street improvements,
sewers ard special assessments.
Where street car companies lay a
track upon street that is already
paved they will he required to pay into
city treasury the value OF the paving
which would have been assessed to it
had the track been placed OH the street
before the paving was made, and the
money shall be refunded to the prop
erty owners according to the number
of front feet admitting on the street.
A uniform form of bond is required
with a definite time of payment in
stead of the optional bond as hereto
fore issued.
The powers OF cities and towns as
to taxation have been carsfully re-
vised and clearly define the powers of
cities and towns us to the levying of
taxes. All cities have power to levy a
tax of three mills for a curbing fund.
A tax of 5 mills for city improve