St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1905-10-27
PERTINENT LETTER
October a. 1905

To call your attention TO several bad
features IN the creating ordinance
now under consideration.
This ordinance calls for Board
OF Public Works 10 consist Of FIVE
membcrs--thcse FIVE members to be
chosen from the city council. This
practically reduces the city council
To hve members--so far as many
transactions OF much important
business is concerned-because GD
four members OF this board may dc.
wise any plan or scheme-even TO
the detriment or financial loss to the
city of 81. Johns-and, (2) having
so planned, the same four may pass
the same through the council by
reason of the four being a majority
of the whole council.
This in itself is enough to con-
denim the whole ordinance, mas
much as il opens the door to any
chicanery which may be prompted
by those so desiring.
The proposed ordinance provides
that these men shall serve without
pay from the CITY," Is il at all
probable the five men will devote
much time to the consideration of
public affairs, continually adding
to that time as the business shall
increase, without pay of any sort
from any source3 Does it not
stand to reason that emoluments of
some sort ought to be secured by
some ways or means or else does
It not mean that duties will be
slighted' Does not this section
referred to throw down the bars
to all manner Of unfavorable com.
mentp
The proposed ordinance also per.
mits OF clandestine meetings of this
block of five: meetings of which
the public will not know: meetings
held anywhere and under any cir.
cumstances: but meetings at which
all proceedings shall be legal and
binding, and which will bear weight
with the balance of the council
when the same shall come up for a
hearing. THE REVIEW respectfully
asks your honorable body II II can
afford To create legislation so lax in
some lines and so broad in others as
this proposed ordinance Is in its
present shapel
The matter OF water is an import.
ant one, we admit: yet why is il
necessary at this time when the
matter is only In its first stages TO
exhibit so much haste in enacting
an ordinance creating a new water
boardl What duties are there 10
come before the council which can.
not be handled by the committee
already appointed Oh the water
question: Does not this matter of
haste raise some suspicion that there
is an undercurrent somewheres in
the schemes foisted upon your hon
orable bodyp
Up To this date il has not been
deemed necessary to have a Board
OF Public Works 10 allow a fran.
chise or TO make any contract for
public utilities or for public inn
provement' why is il now "abso-
lutely necessary" that such a body
he created Cannot this city coun-
ell in It's entirety discuss any pro.
lect which may come before Il ? Iii
IS argued that the present city off.
cers will not always hold control: is
i then, the object OF any set of men
10 endeavor TO control the coming
election and shove upon the tax. {
payers OF the city Board of Public
Works that can be forced or hired
% sell the city into bondagel These
Ire serious matters, gentlemen, and
leserve your careful control-in
rider that the city of ST. Johns may
'eeome the slave of no outside
laTties.
II, IN the opinion OF your honora.
'le body, II is now necessary To
Ielegate the duties of your water
ommlttee 10 some other body,
would It not be we'll to enact an or
.inanee authorizing you to select
hat board of five from among the
uslneSs men OF the city, and allow I
hat committee TO select its own Off I
ers' Then delegate to this board /,
ertaln powers of investigation and tt
recommendation ONLY; stipulate
hat all meetings shall be held in = =
he city hall, and that a small II
llary will he paid for each meeting d
ttended; have the city recorder p
Ct as secretary of these meetings p
'ithont pay; and cause all records e.
these meetings and all recon- as
lendations made by this board to q
>me before the city council of 3' 3'
/, Johns for discussion, confir- ar
ation or diSapproval. Can there in
anything wrong in such an ordi- -
incel -,
Or, IT your honorable body should sa
'eter, why not add to the present
alter committee two men from out. OF
dc the council, binding the whole M M
cor, if deemed expedient,
II It a Board of Public Works. OF
the same rules and restrictions as di'
'ove- mentionedl in
THE REVIEW has no hesitancy ~
declaring that the proposed ordi. pm
nee introduced at a recent meet. th'