The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1905-09-20
Sketch Of Proposed City Charter.

1 ! ~
AND BoUNDARiEs. contains the provision Sion
common to all city charters in the state. Civ
il senera terms ose asta
1 boundaries Of the city are Identical with
those Of the present village, the city is. di-
! vided into four W ards, as follows:
/ First Ward: All of section and that part Of
! section lying north of the center line OF
Fourth Street and East OF the center line Of
| Beltraml avenue.
Second Ward; All that part Of section "
ing, north of the center line Of Fourth Street
and west of the center line of Beltrami ave-
Third Ward: Sections 5. s.7, s, II and north
Fourth Ward Section i, 3 10. II. -. the
north half of IS and Is and that part of see
ton Flying south OF the center line OF Fourth
Street
Ghapter"II,,; entitled ELECTIONS AND
officers: defines the terms of all officers: pro-
vldes for elections = general and special:
makes provision for filing vacancies in case
names aualitic ationns: provides penalties for
malfeasance, etc. The elective officers are
mayor. clerk treasurer. assessors. and until
municipal court is established two justices
| of the peace: two aide rneE from each ward
| and one alderman at large. The term of
office OF mayor, clerk. treasurer. and assessor
| is one year. after the first term which expires
| on the first Monday in March. 1907. At the
first election under the charter one alderman
in each ward will be elected for term expir-
ing on the first Monday in March, 1907, and
one member from each ward for a term ex-
piring on the first Monday in March. 1eOS-the
member receiving the highest number Of
| term of alderman will be two years -four new
members being chosen each year. The alder
man at large is at the first election. elected
| for term expiring on the first Monday in
| March, 1907, thereafter he is elected for a
| term of two years. The first election under
the charter takes place on Nov. 9TH, 1905. No
how n1f al
third Tuesday in February 1907. The third
| Tuesday is general election day, and all
terms Of office begin. on the first Monday in
March Of the appropriate year. The general
| election laws Of the state are made applic-
able to elections under the charter.
All officers. other than those above enum-
They are appointed by the council, in the
| first INSTANCE for terms expiring on first
Monday in March 1907. and thereafter for
the first Monday in March of each year
| The terms Of Office of members OF the yari-
Gus boards are three years.
| III.
Chapter III: entitled ''OFFICERs POW
Frs AND DUTIES" defines the powers and
duties Of all city officers. elective and APP
pointive. with the exception OF the council.
| The appOintive officers are street commission
er. city attorney and city engineer. The
| charter adopts the language employed in city
charters generally throughout the state in
defining the duties and powers Of these Off
ers. The only depa rture made from the ordi-
nary language used in such instruments.
generally. is in defining the duties of the
mayor. The mayor is clothed with all the
powers OF chief MAGISTRATE in other cities. He
! tiOns passed by the council before they are
| effective as such. and is vested with the veto
power, but he is not member Of the council
and is net required to attend council meet
ings-the alderman at large being the presid-
ing officer of the council.
The alderman at large succeeds to the
| n Of ma ylar, 1o+t
cause is unable to act. and fills out the uneX-
pired term of the mayor in case of a vacancy
in that office. The matter Of appointment OF
a city engineer is optional with the council.
Chapter w.. entitled. THE COUNCIL,
defines the duties Of that body. The powers
| of the council are similar in scope to the
powers Of other city councils. 1t is composed
Of the nine alderman. and a majority Of all
the members constitutes a quorum. The
! alderman at large is the presiding officer
| The first meeting takes place on the 18th day
of November, 1905, The first annual meeting
| takes place on the first Monday in March in
each year. at which time the council elects a
president pro tempOre, whose duty it is to
preside in case the alderman at large is for
any reason unable to act The council also
| at this meeting, ill the appOntive offices fo1
j the ensuing year. After their first meeting
4 the council is required to hold stated meet
tngS, ana the mayor may call special meet
| ingS.
| The council is authorized to eXpend during
the fiscal yearfrom the general fund for con-
| tlngent expenses not to exceed $500, and nc
part OF this sum can be expended except upon
resolutions adopted by at least z vote of all
the members: 1t is also required to appro-
pirate further sum. not less than 500 nor
| more than 900, as a contingent fund for the
use of the mayor. At the first meeting in
March of each year, the council is required
to call for bids for The public printing. which
is required to be let to the lowest bidder
V. ..-
Chapter ". is emitted, DEPARTMENTS
AND BOARDS. and deals with the subject
implied from the title. The first sub-headins
control and SuperviS on OF this departing Mt
III eimemberS are appointed by the mayor
ana he may at his pleasure. remove any
member. but any police officer so discharged
| Is permitted hearing before the council ii
he demands it. The total expense of the
Police Department. is limited to the amount
OF appropriation in each year made by the
council No person is eligible to the police
force who is not citizen Of the United State
and able to read and write the English
Language understandings. nor, is any person
who has not been resident OF the city for at
least a year proceeding his appointment, or
who is less than twenty-five years Of age
occasion REQUIRES larger force. to appoint
temporary policeman at salary of not to eX-
coed 500 per day. but such temporary APP
pointmentS cannot last more than one week
without the consent of the council. The
mayor is also authorized to appoint special
policeman at the request Of persons. corpora
are to serve free Of expense to the city, and
are confined in their powers to limits to be
design ated by the mayor. and can wear no
I badge Of office outside Of such limits. except
when taking a prisoner to the police station.
If municipal court be established in the
city. the mayor Is required. at the request OF
the Municipal Judge. to appoint some mem
Der of the police force for attendance upon
4 such court. The police are delegated with
the powers usually conferred upon the police
Of other cities. the charter.in this respect. be-
ing similar in its language to other charters
throughout the state. generally, The mayor
and chief Of police are required to formulate
rules for the department. with view of max
ing 1t efficient. These rules are required to
be filed with the city clerk and copy fur
nished to each member Of the force. This
chapter defines who are peace officers. pre-
ScribeS penalties for the refusal of persons
who refuse to assist in auelling disturbances
or who wrongfully assumes to act as police
officer. patrolman or detective without auth
A matter of so much moment
, deserves the earnest consideraa
ton of all. Let US not believe
what somebody else tells US, but
let US study the proposed. chart
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