The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-22
COUNCILS FOR COUNTIES
MAIN FEATURE OF BILL PREPARED
By REFORM COMMITTEE.
Advisory Board of Five for Each
TOwnship-Further ReVis-
ions To-Day.

The executive committee on county and
township reform last evening listened to
the report on the bill for county govern
ment, as submitted by J. E. Mccullough,
chairman of the subcommittee on that sub
ject. The bill provides for the organization
of county council, to be known by the
name of the county in which organized.
One member is to be elected from each
township, and the number elected at large
is determined by population, three in
counties of 10000 or less, six in counties of
from 10000 to 5000 and nine in counties of
more than $4,000. The salaries are, where
there are three, $40 per annum each; where
six, SIS per annum each; where nine, $40
per annum each. A man holding another
Office is Ineligible to the Office of council
man. The terms shall begin in November
1900, and the term of Office shall be four
years. The seventh section provides the
qualifications for the office and that the
proper oaths shall be taken on assuming
the duties.
Section provides that the council shall
meet in September of each year, and shall
receive at that time the estimates of the
expenditures for the year and shall fix the
tax rate. 1t further provides for the or
ganization of the council. The council shall
and shall give notice of the estimates fur
nished by posting and publication. Con-
tinuea sessions shall be held, if necessary,
and the auditor shall be the clerk. The bill
also provides that the county sheriff must
attend the sessions. In the September meet
ing a majority vote shall be required to
make the appropriations, but in all other
meetings two-tnirds vote will be required
to make appropriations The council has
the right to expel members and to adopt
rules for its own governing, and no MEM
Der of the council can be interested in any
contract with the county. the penalty pro-
vided for a violation of this section is s, 900
fine or Imprisonment for six months or
both. Nor is any member OF the council
permitted to purchase any claim against
the county. The rate of taxation shall be
fixed only by the council and the estimates
Tor all expenditures shall be required 10 pc
filed with the auditor on date yet TO be
determined. The estimates are to be sub
mItted in accordance with Section Is of the
bill, which specifies all things to be covered
by the expenditures, and which requires
that all things desired shall be explicitly
specified and itemized. The auditor is re-
approval of the board, and this must be
posted and due notice given.
The law governing townships was based
on the same principle and was submitted
by Mr. A. G. Harris. 1t provides for an adj
vlsory body of five, and the term IS four
years. In other features the principle gov
erning the county board is embodied. Both
bills provided that no member of either
council should serve over four out of any
eight years, but this stricken out unani-
mOusly. So far as the other features are
concerned, the discussion of them was in
formal, and for almost every feature of the
bills submitted a number of changes were
suggested These were not made as mo-
tions, but memorandulns were made of
Them and both bills were referred back to
the committees to embOdy the suggestions
they deemed most fitting The bills as final
ly adopted will probably differ from those
submitted last evening.
The matter of public libraries for town.
ships received a prolonged consideration,
but it appeared to be decided that If such
institutions were maintained it should be
by private subscription and not by town
ships. No formal action was taken on it,
but the members seemed to think it should
not be embodied in the bill. What the final
result will be will rest with the committee
to which was referred back the bill