The Mankato free press., 1904-08-19
CHARTER IS SIGNED
The Commission Completes La
bors Begun Last Winter.
Revised Charterto be Presented
to Council Friday Night.
Provisions Regarding Improve
ment Follow State Law.
Several Minor Changes Made
at Last Nights Meeting.


From Tuesdays Daily.
The charter commission held lengthy |
meeting last night, and concluded
the consideration of the new charter,
amended it in some minor details, and
signed it. The document will be sign |
ed by the remaining members and will
be turned in to the council Friday night,
when that body will be expected to i
make good and call special election for
its submission.
The matter of making permanent |
street improvements again occupied some
time, and the commission decided to |
leave the chapter as it had previously |
adopted it, which is just as the state law |
provides, and which gives the property |
owners more rights than the present |
charter does. Mr.. Schmitt renewed his |
amendment of Saturday night, which |
would allow agitators to block the i'm
provements after the bids were opened, |
and it was voted down by a vote of !
four for to six against. He then offer |
ed an amendment making it obligatory !
that there be petition signed by twen-
ty-fve per cent of the property owners !
or the owners of twenty-five per cent
of the frontage on any street more
than one block long before an improve
ment can be inaugurated by the council. |
The same objections were raised to this |
as to the other amendment namely |
that the experience in this city shows
that no more paving would be done
for years if the council had to wait un-
til the property owners asked for it.
This was voted down, five to five.
Mr.. Schmitt offered, but subsequently
withdrew, an amendment providing that
after the council decides to do paving
the property owners shall be called to-
gether and the list of property owners
on the street be called by the recorder
and they be asked to express their choice
of kinds of pavement or macadam, and
the wishes of the majority to prevail.
The objections raised to this were that
such a system would either result in
nothing better in the way of pavement
than we have now, namely so-called ma
cadam, or else in patchwork of as
phalt, brick and macadam, alternating,
as the fancies or idiosyncrasies of the
property owners dictated. 1t was
thought that the council, being unbiased,
would act in accordance with the best
interests of the city as whole. They
would follow general plans, giving the
streets a much more uniform appear
ance. The city as whole, paying nearly
a third of the cost in the street inter
sections, ETC., has an interest in the
kind of material to be used
The salary of the president of the
board of public works was raised from
$500, which he is now receiving, to 5000,
and he was made the city purchasing
agent.
An effort was made to leave the num-
Der of policemen the same as now, but
the majority of the commission prefer
red to increase the number to eight, |
the two additional ones not to be ap-
pointed until the council requests the
mayor so to do They thought the
council would not ask the increase until
the city grows. Those who opposed
increasing the force took the ground |
that with telephones and bicycles the
present police force is able to do a |
great deal more than larger force was
able to do some years ago, and as there |
is no general demand for more police |
men and the conditions in this city do |
not warrant the proposed increase
1t was decided to allow the time that |
the present policemen have served to
count in determining what salary they
shall receive. The commission was liber- /
al with the desk sergeant, who is now
getting salary of $40 month, and
raised him to $50, provided such a posi-
tion is retained. Just why this was done
was not stated, but it may be that the
council will have the same right to en-
ploy one that it does now, and at the
same salary. If so, this would mean a
police force of ten. From any point of
view, the commission was more liberal
in this regard than in any other.
An amendment was adopted which
modifies the provision that makes the
aldermen personally liable if they pass
bills that are not legal As amended
they are not liable unless they negli-
gently and corruptly allow illegal orders.
This removes the drastic feature of the
provision that many have objected to.
1t was decided to make it optional
with the council whether they have the
list of water consumers and the num-
mer of their taps published. Under the
present charter this is obligatory twice
a year, but has not been lived up to of
late, owing to the expense
1t was also voted to require the may
or to employ an expert to examine the
books of the city once in two years in
stead of once each year, as the commits
sion had previously decided upon The Il