Evening journal., 1898-02-01
THE CHARTER CHANGES
Suggestions Summarized BY
the Municipal Commission.
MANY OF THEM ARE IMPORTANT

IN MAKING TILE CHARTER Az
CEPTABLE TO THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY.
AT the request Of the Municipal Com
mission the following summary Of the
suggested changes in the new charter
proposed are printed:
:. To strike out the provision au- |
thorizing the city to change the bound |
aries Of wards and establish new |
wards
>. TO strike out the provision em-
powering the city to authorize private |
parties to erect works for supplying the |
city and its inhabitants with lights
3. To strike out the provision en-
powering the city to authorize or pro
hibit the locating, constructing and
| operating of railroads and street rail-
ways within the city limits and pro-
| hibiting street railways from crossing
/ the tracks Of steam railroads at grade.
f.. To alter the provision relating 20
/ granting franchises to use the public
| streets so that the grant of such fran
chises shall not be made for a longer
| period than twenty years and may be
| revoked at any time for abuse or nui
! sance.
s. To change the prescribed qualif
cations of officers 50 as to require that
the mayer shall be over thirty years of
age at the time of his election and
resident of the state for six years, this
being the qualifications prescribed by
the new constitution for the governor
of the state.
G. To insert a provision from the
new constitution that all elective oifl-
GERS shall before entering upon the
duties of their respective offices make
oath or affirmation that they have not
directly paid, offered or promised to
pay, contributed or offered to promise
to contribute, any money OF other vaiu-
able thing as a consideration or reward
for the giving or Withholding a vote at
the election at which they were chosen.
z. To require the election OF twelve
councilmen at large by the methods
= known as proportional representation;
that. by dividing the entire vote cast
for cOuncilmen by the number to be
elected and allowing each party as
many representatives as il has quotas
in the whole vote poiled.
i 8. To divide the city into five wards
each ward to comprise the territory
contained in each of the FIVE represen-
tative districts described in the new
state constitution, and to require the
: election Of three members of Council
: from each ward, making fifteen mem
bers in all, no voter to be allowed Z
! | cast his ballot for more than two can
z didates, thus insuring the election o
u one member by the majority party; tn
u official ballot of each party to contain
. the names Of at least two candidate
/ 80
Y tions to supply names when omitted b.
U the party organization.
u g.. To increase the salaries Of cOGn
cimen from $3.50 to $500 per annum
10. To require the mayor to submit
nominations for heads of department
T. to Council for confirmation by a two
u thirds vote of that body.
II. To continue the Water Depart
y ment as a separate department an
y provide for q director or head thereof
2. to be appointed by the mayor; thu
y making five executive departments Il
! all, viz: Claims and Assessments. re
ceipts and Disbursements" Publ
= Works. 4" Water" and Public Safety.
12. To provide that the mayor sha
select three of the five heads of depart
ments from the opposite political part
ut and only two from his own party, tn
u five officials so selected with th
III | mayor, to constitute the executive {
et | advisory board, and to have the pOwC
~ | to appoint all subordinate officers (
the city; no removals to be made b
p the mayor Of officers appointed by hi
AZ except with the consent Of two-thirl
of Council.
19. To create an executive board ,
six members. to be named in the bill
"a said board to have full charge and col
Ie troll over all the executive business
~ the city-vacancies in the board to
a. filled by appointments of the mayo
ue subject to the approval of the judges
VI the Superior Court of the state; az
all existing commissions to be abolisl
ed and their powers vested in the ex
cutiye board; the mayor to be a mer
ne Der ex-officio Of this board. but wit
ee out the right to vote.
'ht IA. To combine the Water COmrli
ite sion. Police Commission and Street al
ne Sewer Board, as now constituted, in Z
OK executive council, the terms Of Il
members to be extended or shorten'
49,, so that three will retire on June
'N 1899. and three every two years ther
Get after, the successors Of the retiril
ie- members to be elected at the city ele
re- tiOns; this executive council to ha
nus both executive and legislative powe
me and to approve or reject all Ordinarc
passed by the City Council, which shi
hereafter be known as the Comm
Council.
vii Is. To increase the Sinking Flu
ing Commissioners to four members to
ore nominated by the mayor and confirm
re by Council, the mayor to be exotic
De a member Of the commission.
al is. To abolish the separate office
city treasurer and combine the dut
Of treasurer with those of the city
ceiver, giving that official the title
j., city receiver and treasurer.
'es- II. To change the provisions for
as election Of the city solicitor and
flee quire either that he and his depr
the shall be nominated by the mayor a
ion confirmed by Council or that both sh
be appointed by the mayor and hel
of departments acting as an execuJ
or advisory board.
lut- 49, To insert a clause providing u
mai the appointments by the executive
ont. advisory board shall be so made Il