Omaha daily bee., 1905-02-15
NELSON'S NEW CHARTER BILL
Measure Adopted by Revision Committee
Taken to Lincoln.
RADICAL CHANGES IN PRESENT CHARTER
Bill Provides for Entirely New
statute, Re-Enacting the Old
where No Changes Are Made,
but Alters Many Sections.

The Omaha charter bill, compiled under
the direction of the charter revision COM
mittee, Is on it's way to Lincoln and will
probably be introduced as a new measure
Wednesday or Thursday. Ex-Representa-
tive Nelson has the document in his pos
session and 1t will make. when printed, a
good-sized volume.
The new bill constitutes an entire char
ter of itself instead of merely amendments
to the existing charter, re-enacting all of
the present statute with the proposed
amendments, except those sections which
are Incorporated in the water bill and re-
late to the constitution and powers of the
water board. The bill also contains a great
many changes that have not yet been given
publicity.
One section, for example, fixes the
quorum of the council at two-thirds of all
the members elected instead a majority, as
now. To ratify franchise propositions 1t
requires a majority of votes on the prop
osition instead of a majority of all votes
cast at the election, as now. With refer
ence to specifications for pavements and
other public works the drafts are to be
made by the city engineer subject to the
approval and modification of the mayor
and council; in case the mayor and coun-
Gil disapprove. the specifications are to be
redrawn according to their direction.
Changing Police Control.
Another section undertakes to vest the
police board with power to enforce the laws
of the state and the ordinances of the city,
the same as now devolves upon the mayor
and chief executive, thus giving two bodies
charged with the enforcement of the laws.
This section makes the exercise of this
power mandatory, so that the courts may
be appealed to for a writ Of mandamus
should the board fail TO act.
The proposed charter provides for guar
anty bonds for all city officials and en-
ployes required to give bonds. the expense
of the bonds to be betrayed out of the
general fund OF the city. new section
provides for the removal of city officials
and councilmen on impeachment charges
filed before the district court by any three
electors of the city and authorizes suspen-
sion of the officer pending the hearing of
the charges.
The council is empowered to regulate and
limit rates for electric light, gas, telephone
service-everything, in fact, except water
service. Provision is made by which on
petition of the owners of 60 per cent OF
abutting property the mayor and council
can order a pavement removed and a new
pavement laid. the object being to permit
a change of the character of the pave
ments. as, fori example, TO remove the
granite blocks from Farnam street and
substitute asphalt without waiting for the
granite pavement to wear out. Another
section provides that the mayor and council
may contract the city limits by excluding
from the Jurisdiction outlying farm lands
used exclusively for agricultural purposes
and receiving no commensurate benefits
for municipal taxation.
Plans for Merger.
The bill goes into detail for the merger
of the city and county treasurers' Offices
and the abolition of the Office of city tar
commissioner 1t also provides for fire,
mems relief fund on the same plan as the
present police fund.
The contents of the charter are ma.
terially rearranged and an effort made tc
classify under separate headings by bring
ing all parts bearing on one subject to.
gether. The bill makes no change as tc
the time of municipal elections and pro-
vides that the new scale of salaries shall
not go into effect until new officers are
chosen at the next election.