Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-02-18
CHARTER FOR OMAHA
Douglas Delegation Finally Gets Together
on the Amended Measure.
MAKES SOME CHANGES IN SALARIES
Chiefs of Fire and Police Departments Put
on the Same Basis of Pay.
COMPTROLLER GETS BOOST IN SALARY
Oity Attorney and Building Inspector Are
Made Elective Offices.
SUBSTITUTE FOR TERMINAL TAX BILL
New Measure Thought to Cure obJec-
tiOns to II. n. III and Homes
Are Entertained of It's
Passage.
Chiefs of Fire and Police Departments Put
on the Same Basis of Pay.
)MPTRoLLER GETS BOOST IN SALARY
oity Attorney and Building Inspector Are
Made Elective Offices
SUBSTITUTE FOR TERMINAL TAX BILL
From a Stan Correspondent

LINCOLN, Neb.. Feb. 17-(Speciai)-
The so-called Omaha charter bill. II. R 800.
was introduced in the house this morning
oy nelson OF Douglas. II merely amends
certain sections OF the present law. The
douglas delegation has been at work for
some time on this measure and IL has un-
uergone several changes even since IL was
first drawn The bill originally contem-
plated increasing the number OF wards and
councilmen in the city, but it was finally
decided TO leave the present law intact
so that there are still, so far as this bill
is concerned, nine wards and nine mem
bers of the city council I'm Omaha.
1t Will be seen from the resume Of the
bill which follows that several changes
have been made in the salaries OF city
officials. For instance, the COMPTROLLER
clerk, prosecutor and chief Of police have
been raised, while the health commissioner,
chief Of the fire department and electrician
have been reduced The chiefs of the FIRE
and police departments are placed on the
same salary, $2,500. This means cutting
of $500 from the annual salary Of the FIRE
chief and tacking 1t on to that of the
police chief
The measure, as will be seen, makes
the city attorney and building inspector
elective instead OF appointive officers and
provides that the assistant city attorney
shall be appointed by the city attorney In
stead of by the mayor. 1t raises the FIRE
fund from $125,00O TO $780, and makes
material charges in other city funds. It
omits the tax commissioner clause as that
matter is covered in the substitute bill for
H. r. III.
Police and Fire Salaries.
The scale Of salaries shows increases for
policemen and flremen. Each policeman
and fireman will receive the following COM
pensation: For the first six months SER
vice the sum OF s65 per month; for the
second six months service the sum OF $40
per month; for the third six months. SIS
per month; after two years continuous
service they shall receive the sum Of $50
per month. Each captain OF the police
and FIRE, departments shall receive not less
than $50 per month. and not more than $40
per month to be fixed by the Board Of
Fire and Police commissioners. Each Of
hcer Of the police and fire departments
and each engineer Of FIRE engines under
the rank of chief or assistant chiefs or
| captains, shall receive a sum not ex-
ceeding 800 per month, to be fixed by the
| Board OF Fire and Police commissioners.
| No policeman shall be allowed fees as a
witness in any criminal case tried in any
! court Of this city, nor shall any officer or
| employe OF the city be allowed any fees
as witnesses for the city in any civil or
criminal case
Section 13 was amended so as to provide
for the election OF city attorney and build
| ing inspector and to omit the ONCE OF po-
lice Judge, which will be provided for in
a separate bill
Section IA was amended so as to leave
the number Of councilmen TO be fixed by
section s, but no change was made in sec
tion S.
Section 20 provides that all notices shall
be printed in one Official newspaper. in
stead Of two newspapers as heretofore
The maximum rate for this printing was
not changed. The annual contract for
printing must be awarded to the lowest
bidder in July OF each year.
Section 33 provided for filing claims with
the city comptroller and permits an ap-
peal from his decision TO the district court
Section 81 omits the city attorney and
building inspector from the list OF ap-
pointve Offices. II also provides that ths
assistant city attorney shall be appointed
by the city attorney and the clerk Of irt
and police by said board Under the present
charter these officers are appointed by thc
mayor.
Changes I'm Salaries.
Section So. relative 10 salaries Of eft,
officers has been amended in several IN
aANN