The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-03
IN nOLYOKE.
A massachu.stt. city with New Char
Ter.

A Masnachusetts City with New Char
Ter.
A few years ago the city Of Holyoke,
Mass, adopted new city charter which
IA drawn on lines radically different
from the present city charter OF Portland,
and also from the charter recently draft
ed by committee of the city council.
At this time, when the question OF the
Portland charter is under discussion, It
is interesting to see how Hoyioke affairs
are conducted. A well-known resident
of that city states that the charter has
worked we'll and that In his opinion the
large power given the Mayor has been
an Important element in its success.
The charter provides for board Of al
dermen consisting of one member from
each ward OF the city, who Is elected an
nuaIIy by the voters OF his ward, and II
members at large. The members at large
are elected for terms of two years, seven
being elected each year. The aldermen
at large are elected by the cumulative
SYSTEM. Each voter may vote for but
i've, and the seven who have the great
est number OF votes at each elsction are
chosen. The municipal year begins on
the first of January.
The charter then provides that:
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS.
There shall be the following admins
tratige officers, who shall be appointed By
the mayor who shall perform the duties
by law and hereinafter prescribed for
them respectively, ana such further du.
ties, not inconsistent with the nature OF
the respective offices, as the board OF
aldermen may from time to time pre-
scribe. Ia board OF public works,
consisting of three persons. I.-Three
fire commissioners. la city solicitor.
IVA city marshal, VA board OF
health consisting of three persons, one
OF whom shall be q doctor OF medicine.
VIA city engineer, who shall be CLERK
OF the board or public works and shall
keep the accounts of all departments I'M
der the management and control Of said
hoard. Villain inspector OF public
buildings.
1t is provided that the members of the
commission of public works and the
board of health shall serve three years,
one member of each board being APP
pointed annually. The term of the city
engineer is three years. The city SO
licitor and city marshal are appointed for
one year terms, and the inspector of
buildings is appointed for three years, all
appointees, of course, being subject to
removal in the manner provided by the
charter. The board of public works APP
points superintendent of outdoor work,
who is not permitted to hold other office
and serves for one year unless sooner re- |
moved.
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
The board of public works shall have |
cognizanoe, direction and control: (a), |
of the construction, location, repair, |
care and lighting of streets, ways and |
sidewalks; (b), of the construction, al /
teration, repair and care of public build
ings; (o) of the construction, alterations, |
repair and cara OF main drains or oom-
mon sewers; (d), OF the construction, al
teration, repair. care and maintenance of
public bridges; (e), OF the care, super
intendence and management OF the pub
lie grounds, except public parks, belong
Ing to said city, and of the shade and |
ornamental trees growing therein. The |
said board may require that no person |
or corporation authorized by the board |
of aldermen to dig up any public street |
or sidewalk in said city, shall begin such |
digging before furnishing TO such board |
of public works security satisfactory to |
them to restore such streets or sidewalks |
to their former condition. The said board |
of public works, except as herein other
wise provided, shall have exclusively the
powers and be subject to the liabilities
and penalties imposed by law upon road |
commissioners OF the towns.
ERE DEPARTMENT.
The board of aldermen shsh establish |
a fire department for said city, to consist /
OF three fire commissioners, chief. and |
of such officers and members, including |
a superintendent OF the tire alarm tele-
graph system, as the board of aldermen |
shall from time to time prescribe. And |
said fire commissioners shall have au-
thority to define the rank and duties of |
said officers and members, and in gen.
eral to make such regulations concerning |
the conduct and government OF SUCH |
departments, the management OF fires and
the conduct of persons attending fires,
as they may deem expedient, and may
nix such penalties for any violation OF
such regulations, or any OF them, as are
provided for breach OF the ordinances OF
said city. The mayor, exclusively, shall
sioners; one OF said persons to be ap-
pointed in the month of January in each
year, to hold office for the term of three
years from the first Monday of January
In the year OF his appointment. The pres
emit fire commissioners shall continue to
hold office, unless sooner removed. fer
two years from the first Monday of jan
uary next after their appointment. The
appointment of all the officers and men,
bers OF the fire department, including
SUPERINTENDENT of fire alarm telegraph
system, who shall also be inspector of
wires, shall be vested In the fire COM
missioners exclusively.
POLICE DEPARTMENT..
The board OF aldermen shall establish
by ordinance police department., con-
sisting'of a city marshal and OF such sub
ordinate officers and othsr members of
the police force as 1t may prescribe,
and may make regulations for the gov
eminent of said department.. The power
of appointment of said oity marshal, SUBJ
ordinate officers and members OF the po-
lice fierce shall be vested in the mayor
exclusively, anu ne shall have power to
remove the members or the regular police
force. after due hearing, for such cause
as he shall deem sufficient and shall ex-
press In the order of removal, and said
order of removal shall be filed In the