Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-10-10
FAVORSAXA1ERDOARD|
Council Endorses q X Recommendation
Of Mayor for Commission to Take
Charge Of Water System.
Iowa Legislature Will Be Asked to
Amend the Laws in This and
Other Respects.
Election Of Assessor and City at.
torney by the Council Also Fav.
ored- Council Proceedings.

Va n0o0ocoA anu OAUy az
torney by the Council Also Fav-
ored--COuncil Proceedings.
AT the monthly meeting OF the city
council Monday evening, at which all
the members were present except Mr..
Finkle, Mayor Pierce submitted spe-
cial message making recommendations
for somewhat radical departures in GER
tain methods of city government
commission outside the city council to-
control the WAFER works and electric
lighting systems, the election of a city
ell instead of the people, and the right
to divide the city into sprinkling and
garbage districts were among the rec
concentrations endorsed The mayors
message was as follows:
Gentlemen of the City council: 1t
seems to me appropriate that your rep
lresentatives to the meeting of the
League of American Municipalities
should make a report to you at this
time. The meeting was great success,
representatives being present from all
parts of the United States and Canada.
There Were so many valuable papers
read before the convention it would be
impossible to give even an idea of all
the facts presented. think it will be
more valuable to give some of the con-
clusions reached by me after talking
with the different delegates attending
the convention.
Naturally one of the most interest
ling and important questions before the
lconvention was that of municipal own
lership of public utilities The concensus
| of opinion was in favor of the munich
lpality owning and controlling all of
lthose franchises the value of which de-
lpends upon the use of the public streets.
The greatest objection to municipal
Ownership was. in the opinion of many,
1.-The fact that city councils change SO
loften that there can be no conservative
policy carried out in connection with
lplants owned by the municipality.
| With nothing but the highest regard
for the work carried out by our own
lefty councils in the past, it seems to me
THAT this is a, more or less valid objec-
tion. ] am sure that the present MEM
bers of the water works and lighting
committee will agree they can do bet
ter work for the city a present than
when they first became members of the
council. but with the ever changing
membership of our council no member
ca remain on the water works COM
inittee long enough to secure the best
results To remedy this defect in our
present system / would recommend
that this council take the necessary ac-
ton toward securing changes in the
state law that will enable us to place
our water works and lighting plants
under the absolute control of water
land light commission. In my judgment
,this commission should consist of three
members, with a small yearly salary.
/ the members to be elected by the city
council and hold office for six years,
| the term of one member expiring every
1.-TWO wears. BY all means this COM
| mission should be elected by the city
| council. and the result will undoubt-
| edly be the. election of men better fitted
to hold the position. l believe that a
change of this kind must result in great
/ good to our municipal plants.
"In the question as to whether public
4 work can be done better by contract or
Il
/ was manifested and majority of the
delegates were of the opinion that
/ municipalities should be allowed to do
public work by day labor. for the rea-
son that it would be better done at less
4 expense to the taxpayer, and if there
! was any profit it would go to the tax
! PAYERS AS you well know. all work
done in this state must be done by con-
tract Without doubt cities should
have limited right at least to do their
own work AS measure to try the adj
vantages of day labor l would suggest
that municipalities be allowed to do all
! public work where the cost does not
exceed a sum equal to the amount
raised by tax levy of one mill on the
dollar of the assessed valuation. This
would allow the city of Marshalltown
4 to do all work by day labor where the
cost does not exceed S1.5O0.
II believe that the responsibilities of
4 the city's policies should be central
4 lied in the city council, and with this in
/ view l believe the law should be
changed so as to allow the city council
4 to elect both the city solicitor and city
/ assessor The city solicitor is simply
the attorney of the city council, and
1 they should be allowed to name their
own attorney. The city assessor should
| not be under obligations to any voter
or clique in the city for his election, but
4 should feel secure in his office so long
as he does his duty. The council has
4 the right to review any or all of the
work Of the assessor. and as his work is
under their control absolutely, the
council should certainly have the Sc
Election OF the assessor This change
would secure man his position SO long
as he performs his full duty to the
| city.
IF the council approves of these
suggestions it would be good policy to
1 take some action in regard to the same
and have the facts presented to the
League of Iowa Municipalities,
which meets in Des Mones this week.
I believe that we should advocate
these changes before the state legisla-
ture this winter. and If these ideas are
enacted into law it will result in great
! good to our city.
Almost all the cities represented at
the convention expended large sums of
money for the disposal of garbage and
refuse. and our city should take some