The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-26
new WATER BILL.
Mr. Birds Measure Appears in
the House.
Provides for Municipal Manage
ment Of Water Plants.
NOT LIKE THE OTHERS.
This One Leaves City Council
in Direct Control.
Believed That 1t will Be the
One Adopted.
LIKE THE OTHERS.

To give to the city council in cities
Of the first, second and third class the
control of waterworks and electric
light plants under municipal owner
shin is the purpose of a bill introduced
in the hous by w A S. Bird. of
Shawnee. The bill is of great i'm
portance to Topeka because it comes
In direct conflict with the municipal
waterworks bill introduced by Mr..
Stone, of Shawnee
tones bill places the control Of
waterworks in the hands of a board
OF water commissioners. who are
given authority to act without inter-
ference from the city council
The Bird bill creates a board of
water commissioners but puts that
board under the absolute control of
h city council 1t provides Tor a
non-partisan control of -waterwOrks,
and is said to be more popular with
the representatives of smaller cities of
the state than is the Stone bill. Mr..
Birds bill in full is as follows:
Section 1. The mayor and council of
any city of the first, second or third
class that WINS a waterworks plant or
lighting plant, shall provide by rdln-
ance for the creation of a board of com
missiOnerS, of three persons . which
board Of commissioner shall operate
said waterworks plant or lighting plant
or both, under such rules and regula-
lions as the mayor ana council Inlay ny
ordinance prescribe.
Section = 1t shall be the duty of said
board of commissioners TO recommend
to the mayor and council a schedule Of
rates and such renewal or extension of
any plant as in the judgment OF said
board viii be reasonable, proper and
just. also such employees as may be nee
essary to properly operate said plant or
plants.
Section s. Upon the recommendation
of said board of commissioners the mayor
and council shall by ordinance fix such
rates as they deem proper, reasonable
and just. provide for such employees as
may be necessary to operate said plant
or plants, define their duties and fix
their salaries and when such employees
are once appointed, they shall not be
nov from Office. except for inettici-
ency or neglect of duty
Sec. 4. The revenue derived from the
sale and consumption of water or light.
shall be placed in the city treasury and
kept in a separate fund, and shall not
be paid out nor distributed except for
the purpose of renewing or extending
the plant. for which said fund was de-
rived and the payment of the salaries
OF the employees and at any time that
there may be a surplus of such fund, it
shall be placed quarterly in a sinking
fund. which shall only be used for the
rpo Of redeeming bonds that may
have been issued for the purpose Of ac-
curing, renewing or extending said
plant
sec D. me DOarQ Oh commissioners
appointed by the mayor and council,
shall hold their Office for a period OF
three years and until their successors
are appointed and qualified and shall
file an oath OF office and give bond in
such amount as the mayor and council
may by ordinance prescribe, for the
faithful performance of their duty;
Provided, that when the first board is
appointed the term OF office OF the nrat
person named shall expire in one year
and the term of Office OF the second
person appointed shall expire in two
years and the term OF Office of the third
person appointed shall expire in three
years and thereafter there shall be one
person appointed each year.
Sec. 6. This act shall take effect and
be IN force from n after its publica-
tion in the official state pape.
Mr.. Beeson has introduced a bill Civ
ing to sheriffs in all counties of the
state so cents a day for boarding pris-
oners instead of 40 cents. This bill is
backed by the State Sheriffs' a%ssocia-
ton. 1t is likely to be opposed by the
larger counties Of the state where the
sheriff has about 80 prisoners to board
all the time. The bill is intended to
help the sheriff in the small counties,
where the 40 cents a day is hardly
enough to pay the expense of boarding
the prisoners.
Speaker pro tenn Clark announced
that the kansas-Oklahoma convic
resolution which was passed Wednes
day by q viva vOce vote would have to
be reeonsidered and passed by roll call.
The following is a list of bills intro
duced this morning:
46s. Mead. Commitment to indus
trial school.
46s. Montee. Authorizing transfer of
local funds.
40. Elstun. Concerning insane and
their guardians.
All schermerhorn. Acceptance of
local taxes.
472. EwelI. Vacation.
Alb kerns. Legalizing action Logan
county board.
474- Mead Concerning charitable in
stitution funds.
AIS. Archer. Amending statutes.
4l6. Benson. Supreme court reports.
Az. Com. on education. Authorizing
K U. clinics.
as. Morgan. Amending statutes.
4I9. Burke. Establishing fees.
$50 Tredway. Deputy county super
intendent.
4S1. Grass. Vacation.
4S2- Bird. Giving tax payers right to
bring suit.
4sS- Stitcher. Amending statutes.
4s4. Josserand. Authorizing bridge
bonds.
4s5- Wilson Authorizing local bonds.
Lawrence and Return Sf.O5.
via Santa Fe.
Annual art exhibit University of