The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-07-10
Commission Votes to Do This and Gets
Down to Business.
w. E. Young and H. L. Schmitt En-
pIoyed to Do the Work.
Changes Made in. Last Years New
Charter Are Adopted.
Question Of Changing Ward Boundaries
Proves to Be Snag.
From FridaY's Daily.

The charter commission held a meet
= ing last night, with slightly over ;
quorum present. The work of preparing
a new charter, based on the present one
was begun and some progress was made
Those present were Messrs. Currier
Schmitt, Martin, Severance, Phillips
Andrews, Young, Long and Bashaw.
DR.. Andrews presented a report foI
the committee that waited upon the
council to see whether it would submit
the new charter to a vote at a special
election, and whether it would pay the
necessary expenses of attorney hire, etc,
up to the $500 limit. The report was
favorable on both points.
DR.. Andrews moved that the commits
sion proceed to draft new charter, us
ing as much of the present one as will
be expedient for the present needs of
the people for their approval or disap-
prevail. This was carried without oppo-
sition.
DIR. Andrews said that the work should
be done by competent attorneys. Mr..
Young had had experience in preparing
two charters, and Mr.. Schmitt in pre-
pairing one. He moved that they be en-
ployed to carefully draft portions of the
charter from time to time, to be submit
ted to the commission for adoption. 1t
was his idea that they should take time
and carefully consider the charter.
Messrs. Young and Schmitt both stat
ed that they would want to be instructed
by the commission in advance as to what
was wanted in the charter. They would
then carry out these instructions and re-
port.
The question of whether it would be
wise to change the ward boundaries was
taken up in the discussion on the motion,
and Mr. Long stated that there was much
opposition to this.
DIR. Andrews declared that the only
opposition came from few politicians,
and personally he would rather that
the charter be defeated than that the
commission cater to these politicians.
Mr.. Long, reverting to the motion,
said that the commission must not al
low the people to gain the impression
that the charter is to be the work of
two men. The attorneys should simply
carry out the instructions of the full
commission, given them in advance of
their work. He thought that it would
make the new charter popular with the
people if it was to provide that the city
at large shall pay for the street intersec.
tions whenever there are permanent i'm
provements made, and also for catch
basins when sewers are laid. The legai-
ty of this would have to be looked into.
He also suggested that revolving fund
for local Improvements be provided as is
done by some cities. The council might
be authorized to levy small amount of
it, The cost of street intersections, etc.,
might be paid out of this fund.
Mr.. Young thought that people on the
back streets, who expected to get no
improvements there, might object to
helping pay for improvements on other
streets.
Mr.. Schmitt said that the present char
ter provides for revolving fund, and
that the council has provided for one in
the tax levy.
Judge Severance and DIR. Andrews
thought that the commission should con-
slider two or three subjects or chapters
of an evening, and the attorneys then do
their work and report.
The motion made by DR.. Andrews was
carried
Mr.. Long said that there is big kick
whenever $500 to $500 is spent on Front
street by the city at large, while an i'm
provement involving the same amount ON
some other street is assessed on the prop
erty owners.
ent charter it is not legal for the council
to expend more than 5000 on any one
street unless it is assessed on the prop
erty
Mr.. Schmitt SAID that three men are
employed to keep Broad street clean, but
there is no sprinkling assessment there.
Mr.. Petersen said that no more is
spent to keep Broad street clean than to
keep Front street clean.
Mr.. Currier said that he did not see
any justice in not taxing part of the cost
OF street improvements upon the city at
large.
DIR. Andrews asked whether that would
be legal.
Mr. Currier said that the city of Bos-
ton pays one-half of the cost of such
improvements on the theory that good
streets are general benefit. Other
cities also do it.
1t was decided to begin at once the
work of preparing new charter, and
Mr.. Long moved that the chapter rda-
tive to city limits be the same as in the
present charter, if correct, and this was
carried.
DIR. Andrews moved that the ward
boundaries be fixed as in the charter that