The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-11
Would Have Three Trustees AID
pointed by Mayor.
\ MONTHLY REPORT.
This VIII Be Filed With the
Council.
TRUSTEES to Have Charge of All
Improvements.


works plant under city ownership. The
bill is of course general in its provls-
ions, and is measure badly needed on
the statute books. At the present time
there are no laws for the management
of public utilities under municipal own
ership.
The bill provides for the control of
waterworks plants by a board of three
trustees, to be appointed by the mayor,
to hold Office for three years, and to
receive salaries as may be fixed by the
city council.
The bill is house bill No. g. and there
fore Will stand right at the head of the
calendar, and will come up for speedy
consideration. 1t is in full as follows:
Sectlon 1. The council of any city of
the first or second class in which wa
terworks are owned by said municipal
ity or in the progress of construction,
or when 1T orders waterWorkS to be con-
structed, or purchases from any indi-
vidual or individuals or corporation any
WaterWOrks already constructed and
existing therein shall establish a board
or three. trustees to be known as the
trustees OF the waterWorks who shall
be appointed by the mayor by and with
the consent of the council and shall
hold their respective offices for the
term or three years, commencing with
the annual municipal election preceding
the date of such appointment, except
that at the first appointment of trus
tees one shall be appointed for one
year, one for two years, and one for
three years, and thereafter one trustee
shall be appointed annually.
Sec. 2 The trustees shall receive fixed
salaries to be determined by the coun-
Gil, and the said trustees shall manage,
furnish supplies of water, collect water
rents and appoint all necessary officers
and agents and fix the term of office
and the amount of salary of each officer
and agent SO appointed.
Sec. 3. The trustees shall be author
lied to make such bySSyYS and regula-
lions as they may deem necessary for
the safe, economical and efficient man.
agement and protection to the water
works and such bylaws and regulations
shall have the same validity ordin-
ances when not repugnant thereto or to
the constitution and laws of the state.
Sec. 4. For the purpose of paying the
expenses and conducting and managing
the waterworks, the trustees shall have
the power to assess and collect from
time to time a water rent of sufficient
amount in such manner as they may
deem most equitable upon all tene-
mentS and premises supplied with wa
ter, and when more than one tenant or
water tax is supplied with water from
one hydrant off the same pipe, and
when the assessment therefor shall not
be paid when due, the board shall look
to the owner of the property for the
entire rent or so much thereof as re-
mains unpaid for water furnished said
premises. to be collected in the same
manner as other city taxes.
Sec. o. If there is any surplus, after
paying the expenses of conducting and
managing the waterworl1s, the same
may be applied to the repairs, enlarge
ment or extension of the works or of
the reservoir or the payment of the in
tereSt on any loan made for either the
purchase or construction, or for the Gre
alton of q. sinking fund for the liquida-
ton of the debt and the amount au-
thorized to be levied and assessed for
waterWorks purposes shall be applied
by the council to the creation of a
sinking fund for the payment of the
incurred for the purchase,
construction and extension of water
works and for no other purpose what
ever.
Sec. 6. The trustees shall make a
iten1ized report to the council |
of the receipts and disbursements of
money belonging to the waterwOrkS
and an annual report of the condition
of the same, which reports the coun-
ell may cause to be published in some
CT general circulation in the
corporation, and all money collected for
waterworlks purposes shall be deposit
ed weekly by the collectors thereof with
the treasurer of the corporation and
the receipts therefor shall be by such
collectors deposited with the trustees.
Sec. z. Money so deposited shall be
kept as a. separate and distinct fund
subject to the order of the trustees, ana |
all orders drawn by the trustees on the |
statements of the corporation shall be
signed by one of the trustees and ccun- |
tersigned by the clerk of the trustees |
of the waterworks.
Sec. 8. The trustees shall be author !
lied to make contracts for the building !
of machinery, waterworks, buildings, |
reservoirs and the enlargement and re- |
pairs thereof and the manufacturing |
and laying down of pipes and the fur |
nishfng and supplying with connections |
oil ~
ment purposes and keeping the same |
in repair for all other necessary pur- |
poses to the full and efficient manage |
ment and construction of said water
works.
Sec 9. The council in a. city of the |
first and second class in which the wa |
are in charge of such board |
of trustees OF the Waterworks, shall be /
tic appoint a committee for /
the investigation of all books and pa |
perS together with all matters pertain |
ing to the mana cement of the water |
works at least once a year ana oftener /
if necessary by reason of any neglect |
of duty or malfeasance on the part of |
any officer of The works, and any off, |
Ger Of the works found by such COM /
mittee so offending, shall be liable to |
from office by the council
Sec TO- The trustees before entering |
into any contract for work to be done, |
the estimated cost of which exceeds
five hundred dollars, shall cause at +
least Two weeks nOIlcS TO De given III 4
one or more daily papers of general /
in said city that proposals
shall be received by the trustees Tor /
the performance of the work specified /
in such notice, and the trustees shall |
contract with the lowest bidder If, in |
their opinion. he can be depended upon |
to do the work with ability, prompt |
ness and fidelity, and, If s1cn be not /
the case, the trustees may award the |
contract to the next lowest bidder CT |
decline a contract and advertise again;
provided that in case Of emergency the |
council may by vote IF t7xo-thirds Of all /
Of the members elected, authorize the