Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-09-01
CODE
FOR MUNICIPALITIES
OF OHIO STATE
From the Toledo Rlade. |

! lfTOm the IOIelO BtaOe.
! Sandusky, O.. Aug. l6.-The really
! important and salient features Of the
| Governors much discussed and widely
advertised municipal code bill have
just been made known. It differs IN
some points quite materially from the
common belief which has prevailed. In
response 10 the growing sentiment
! both among the people and the mem-
| beTs of the Legislature. against the APP
| pOintment Of any boards by the chief
executive, the Governor has sacrificed
| his personal wishes and opinion. and
the new code will provide that all
| boards in municipalities be either elect
ed or appointed by the mayor. The
prevailing idea throughout has been
| simplicity and the abandonment of all
| cumbrous and unnecessary offices. In
all cities there will be but two boards
board Of public service and board Of
| public safety. The former will con-
sist of four members elected by the
people for terms Of three years each.
the latter is to have three members
appointed by the mayor for terms
concurrent with his own.
Board Of Public Service.
The duties Of the board of public
service. will be similar to the duties
now performed by that board in Gin
CiDnati. II will have charge OF all pub
lie work Of every character. and be. in
reality, a municipal administration
board.
Board Of Public Safety.
The board of public safety will be- In
complete control Of both the fire and
police health and charities depart
ments. and the members of these de-
partments are to be placed under civil
service, and removed only for cause.
The bill. however, contemplates no
change in existing police forces or fire
and health departments. except where
the members are unable to pass the
civil service examination. The ap-
pointees Of the board can only be re-
moved by the mayor upon cause and
after a hearing.
Council Of Nine Members.
Outside Of these boards there Is to bo
council Of nine members in all cities.
six Of which are to be elected from
wards-it being provided that no city
shall have a greater number of wards
than this-and three at large. The du-
ties of the council shall he purely
legislative as distinguished from the
duties Of the board OF public service.
which are TO be administrative. 1t will
rest with the council to determine
whether there shall be Offices created
outside Of those provided for in the
code. such as a police Judge. street
commissioner. scaler of weights and
measures. harbOr master. etc, and the
council will also have the power to
determine the salaries to he received
! by all municipal officers. and the term
of service Of such as they may create.
President OF Council.
An entirely new and radical depar-
ture from existing custom Is the provl-
sion that the president OF the council
shall be elected by the people at large
I AASN'"h VI b'ihb N'i'N''u Nl' Nohh-
ell itself. He will be but an ex-ofiicio
member Of that body, and v III serve as
mayor when the mayor Is absent from
the city or unable to attend to his du-
ties. and viii become mayor in case the
latter is removed or dies.
Elective Officers.
The bill also provides for the cleo
tion Of a mayor, auditor, treasurer and
solicitor, the terms Of which. as are the
terms of all officials, have been placed
al three years.
No City Election Boards.
Another radical departure Is the
adjustment Of all city and county
boards CT elections, and the substitu-
ton Of county boards OF three mem
bers. to be appointed by the secretary
of state, which shall have charge of all
city and county elections. It Is deter,
mined, however, that there shall b.
registration in the cities.
To BE Abolished.
All existing boards and officials not
specifically provided for in the bill ar,
TO be abolished, and there can be in nc
city more than the two boards named
the board Of public service and the
: board Of public safety.
Granting Of Franchises.
Another important matter is that o.
franchises. 1t will be provided that nj
further franchise to street railway!
shall be for a longer term than twenty
five years, but franchises now in exist
enCe granted for longer term thar
that, are net TO be abrogated Another
; important feature relating to thu
granting Of franchises will be u com
pulsoTy arbitration clause. providing
that in disputes between private cor
Porations and municipalities relating
10 the price Of any public utility. sucI
as light, heat, telephones. etc. boar,
of arbitration shall be appointed O
three members, whose decision In tn
matter shall be final. and by whlc
both sides shall abide.
10000 the Dividing Line.
The division line between cities an
villages, based upon population. I
placed at 10000, although upon this tn
Governor Is entirely willing to abid
by the decision Of the legislature an
will not oppose 1t being reduced t
5000 or any other number. Under tn
present law which places the diviso
line at 5000 there are 20 cities in IN
III