Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-08

his service and the other commission
ers shall serve without pay. They
shall appoint superintendent al
streets who shall be practical road
builder and who. under the direction
OF said board, shall perform all the du-
ties incumbent upon the present street
commissioners Of said city, which Of
fees are hereby abolished, and fix his
compensation. which shall not exceed,
the sum now paid to the two street
commissioners of said city.ss The said
board shall have sole charge OF the
maintenance and repair. according to
law. of all streets and public ways in
said city of Augusta. including side,
walks and bridges, and of all public
sewers and drains. and of the construc-
ton, maintenance and repair of all
cuiverts and catch basins hereafter au-
thorized by the city councils: shall have
sole charge of the methods of construc-
ton and Of the construction of all new
sewers. streets, sidewalks or bridges
hereafter laid out and ordered to be
constructed by the city council; shall
regulate and control the erection and
maintenance Of all posts and wires for
purposes of electricity; shall establish
regulations, and enforce the same, to
see that the use of said streets by pub
lie corporations shall not injure the
ravementS, grades or construction
thereof. or Of any municipal structure
therein. and shall take general care of
all property belonging to the city
which pertains to their duties. They
are authorized to purchase everything
necessary or convenient to conduct the
business of their department, to EN-
ploy all assistants. foremen and lobor-
ers. necessary therefore, provided
however, that no Indebtedness by con-
tract or otherwise shall be incurred in
excess of the appropriations first voted
by the city council and for any viola
ton of this provision they shall be re-
moved from office and thereafter be
Ineligible to the same. Whenever they
shall find il to be more economical to
cause any part of their work. for fur
nishlnS labor or materials, to be done
by private contract, they may make
such contracts as hereinafter author
lied. All purchases of material ex-
ceeding one hundred dollars in amount.
shall be made in writing. after notice
for proposals therefor published in at
least two newspapers in said city rep
resenting different political parties,
such contracts to be awarded to the
lowest responsible bidder, and all pri-
vate contracts above authorized shall
he so made. They may reserve the
right to reject any and all bids and to
advertise anew. The city council
shall annually appropriate such sums
of money as they deem necessary and
sufficient for the purposes of said COM
missioners, not less than three mills
upon the valuation of the city as fixed
by the assessors thereof for such year.
Such appropriations shall be credited
by the city treasurer to said highway
commission and he shall pay there
from all orders thereon drawn BIZ 1he |
secretary, and countersigned by The |
chairman. specifying the appropriation
out of which payment is to be made. |
Annually at the organization of 1.-THE |
city council Of said city, or as .seen |
thereafter as. may be. the mayor shall
two members of the board of |
aldermen, both of whom shall nor be |
members of the same political party. |
il more than one party is represented |
in said board. and the president of the |
council shall appoint two |
of the common council under |
like restrictions. who shall with the |
mayor. eX- OfiiciO who shall be chair |
man of said committee, constitute a |
committee to be called the committee |
on public works. Said committee shall |
at the end of every month audit all |
accounts of said commissioners and /
make monthly reports to the city cOun-
ell of the progress of the work and of |
the accounts audited.
The city council may from time to
time subject to the provisions of this /
section. and in accordance with the
general laws delegate to said commits |
sioners such additional administrative
powers and duties. consistent with the
purposes hereof. as the city council |
may hs ordinance determine. No num-
tie: = such commission shall be direct
or indirectly interested in the ex-
penditure of any moneys in said de-
partment: any such contract shall be
null and void and the offending MEM
Der shall be summarly removed and |
be thereafter ineligible to such office.
Section s. The said city is authorized |
to take and hold real and personal .es-
tate, necessary or proper for municipal
not exceeding in aggregate
at any one time one hundred and fifty
thousand dollars. 1
Section Z. Sections one, two, three
four and five of this act shall not be
binding upon said city until accepted |
by vote of the legal voters thereof as
herein provided. Said sections shall be
submitted to the qualified voters of |
the city of Augusta for their accept
ance at their annual municipal election
in March in the year one thousand |
eight hundred and ninetyseven, or at
an election to be specially called and
held for the purpose within 80 days
after the approval of this act. as the
city council of said city may by ma
jority vote determine. Such election,
If special one. shall be called, adver-
tised and conducted according to the
law relating to municipal elections.
The city clerk shall reduce the subject