Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-02-18
CITY GOVERNMENT,
A Lively Session at City Hall,
Saturday Evening.
MAYOR Lanes Veto of Proposed Re-
vision OF City Ordinances.
Humber OF Claims. Petitions. Etc, Cor.
sidered by the City Fathers

saturday evening. The meeting vas
called at 80. end most Of The members
F. We're there at that time, but there
were so many conferences between diff
fcrent members of both bodies that il
was long after before the meeting was
called 10 order. In the absence OF Mr.
EurieiSh. Joseph Williamson. Jr. was
4 appointed city clerk pro TEN.
The claim CT George Nichols FOR in
! jur!eS due 10 a defective sidewalk on
Bangor street was referred 20 the COM
, mittee on highways.
y petition from the Augusta Real
. Estate Association asking for the use
OF Il portion of the street At the north
western corner of Bridge ard Water
"tie2ts during thc time requil ed 10 re-
pair thc Luilding there was read. It
was ordered that the association have
the Use of four feet Cf the sidewalk
foi co days for the purpose Of repair
ing and altering the building there.
MI. Manley introduced the folloy, ing
order which was passed by both
branches: ordered, that the 81. cial
committee ChoSen Ivy the city council to
examine into The methods of Keeping
the city accounts for the purpose of
simplifying and improving the same
are hcIcb: authorized ana instructed
to report al the next regular meeting
of the city council as to what should
bc done - simplify and improve the
printed annual report of the various
city officers so that it should contain
only essential facts and figures ana
Ghou,d rot he encumbcred with a mass
Of unnecessary detail which gives no
information of practical benefit and
cnly adds to the city expense
! vote was passed last september
that there should De a committee Of
two aldermen and three members of
the common council who should sim
ilify the accounts and rcp0rts of tho
city auditor. bur no committec had
been appointed. The following, We're ap-
ro'n;ed: From the aldermen. purinton
and Keen; from the councilmen. Hich-
born. Harrington ana Manley.
The meeting Of the board Of alder
men was then adjourned unit! Feb. -.
At 80 r NJ
Mi. Manlcy Introduced Tho following
amendment to the city ordinances.
which was passed the common cGun-
Gil, referred To tGe committee on en-
rolled ordinances ana sent up for con
ourrenCe. but in some way it was not
bi ought back before the board of al
drrnlcn briofe they adjourned.
re it ordained by the city council
of the city Of Augusta. as follows:
Chapter of tn" revised ordinances of
said city as amended is hereby amend
"a ~ striking out the word six .ftrr
the words city auditor" in the eighth
line thereof, and Inserting in its place
the word three" and by adding after
the word dollars" the words in fun
for all services, expenses ana Ilerk
hire"
The matter Of the revision OF the city
ordinances which was passed Ill the
last meeting was then taken up in the
common council. The mayor vetoed
the ordinaCe and gave his reasons in
the following letter:
CITY of Augusta.
Mayors Office,
February -, 1871.
To the Common Council:
By authority vested in me by the city
charter, | return herewith to the Com
mon Council the branch of the City
Council in which it originated, the orai-
nance entitled AN ordinance amending
certain sections of Chapter NNIl Of the
Revised Ordinances" without my ap-
pIoVdl.
My objections to the ordinance / Will
state as DrleHl as ioSSlDit.
IL contains provisions inconsistent with
the city charter and the laws OF the State
and is therefore to that extent void
1t attempts to take from the Mayor and
Board OF Aldermen the executive author
ity conferred by the city charter and
vest the same in the committees Of Inc
City Council.
II limits and controls the powers and
duties Of the Mayor III the discharge of
duties required b. the city charter
4 is in direct conflict with the school
laws and with the Revised Statutes.
Sec. ) of the city charter provides that
the Mayor shall be the 'chief executive
and exercise 4 general supervision over
the conduct Of all subordinate officers.
See. vests the executive powers OF
| the city with all til powers of the Sc
lectmen Of the town Of Augusta in the
Mayor and Aldermen The Revised Stat
utCs of the State constitute the Mayor
and Aldermen the municipal officers
| aud a. sch confer upon them all the
powers aud duties enjoincd upcn select
men Of towns as municipal officers rms
ordinance assumes 10 confer anon the
! Joint standing committees. the cXecu-
! tive authority belonging To the Mayor
and Aldermen. without regard to the
! Mayor, and as II majority OF The Nom
| hers of these committees axe mt mbers OF
| the Common Council the cffc-t OF the
! ordinance is to confer upon the Common
Council. not "a Il coordinate bfanch oi
| the CIT Council. but upon the individuai
members constituting tn respective com
| mittee&, the executive powers, III no
manner conferred upon them by the
| charter or laws of the state, but eN-
| rrcsslv. conferred both by the charter
ana the laws upon the Mayor and Alder
| men.
The ordinance provides THAI 30 money
| shall be expended OF rald out Oh tic
| city treasury except on order o. the oitS
| Council" This places the entire eNpciur
liture for public schools in the Gontrol oi
the City Council. and under the supti
vision of the Joint standing committee o;l
4 n