Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-07-14
VERNON AROUSED OVER
ACTIONS OF TRUSTEES
SAY BOARD HAS NO RIGHT TO
EXIST
Election Should Have Been Called
Last Year-Question of Gas
Franchise Brings Matters
to a Head

take action against the city truStees VI
that sixth class municipality who it is
claimed. are holding office Illegally ana
who are accused of impeding the cily
progress by refusing to grant permit 10
Inc People's Gas company TO establish
plant in that town.
The trustees will meet Monday night
Their critics say that the matter ALREADY
has been decided and that the board plans
to deny the gas company the permit whicn
was first sought many weeks ago anu
which has been hung up ever since
This. however. can be done only against
the protest of a considerable number OF
taxpayers who have promised to attend
Mondays meeting.
Out in Vernon there are many men VINO
saw that this gas company matter Is not
the first in which the trustees have failed
TO act for the best interests of the city
The city. they state, was incorporated for
the EXPRESS purpose of encouraging manu-
featuring enterprises, but manufacturers
they say to put it mildly, have not always
received the encouragement they had a.
right to expect from the trustees
Hold Office illegally
Moreover, they claim that the trustees
have no legal right to their seats, and cite
the law in support of their contention.
Vernon was incorporated September IL,
1905. as a CITY of the sixth class. An cleo
lion was held at which ]. b. Leons VIM.
NJ. Stevens, James j. Furong, w. S. Hol-
land and B. E. Burge were elected trus-
tees.
Mr.. Holland was chosen president of the
board.
With the exception of Burge these men
still hold office, no election having been
held in the interim, despite the provision
of the state law which calls for an cleo
ton on the second Monday in April of
each even numbered year.
Residents claim that under the law an
election should have been held in April,
1906, for city officers. They say, further,
that it was the duty of the board of trus-
tees t. call such election, but that no such
call was issued. The law provides that
trustees shall serve until their successors
are elected and have qualified Conse-
quently the old board still is in office.
Admits Passing Election
One of the city trustees admitted yes
terday that an election had been passed.
He admitted also that the county clerk
had called his attention to the fact, but
said the city attorney had informed the
board that the law fixed no penalty for
failure to call elections under its pro-
visions. This, he added. was taken to
mean that they were safe in neglecting
to call an election if they so desired.
At Vernon it is pointed out that If this
ruling of the city attorney is correct
there is nothing to prevent any boardl of
trustees in any city of the state from
perpetuatiug itself in office.
This, however is not the only instance
in which the trustees have disregarded
the law. Mr.. Burge, elected with the
others, subsequently removed from the
city.
He was away more than ninety days
and his office was declared vacant. 1t
then became the duty of the board to
fill that vacancy. This was not DONE
Afterward Mr. Burge returned to Vernon
and is now a resident of that city, but
the trustees have refused to recognize
him as a member of the governing body
The section of the law bearing on the
matter is as follows:
Provides for Vacancies
ANY vacancy occurring in any of the
offices provided for in this act shall be
filled by appointment by the board of
trustees; but if such office be elective
such appointee shall hold office only until
the next regular election, at which time
A person shall be elected to serve for
the remainder of such unexpired term.
In case member of the board of trus-
tees is absent from the city for the period
of ninety days, unless by permission OF
the board of trustees, his office shall by
the board be declared vacant and the
same filled as in case of other vacancies. ~
Some time ago the Peoples Gas COM
pany purchased from the Huntington in
terests a twenty-acre tract in the center
of Vernon and announced the intention
to erect there gas plant, something the
municipality is now without. twelve.
| inch well was sunk to a depth of 50C
feet and good flow of water was Sc
| cured. Then application was made to the
board of trustees for a permit, anc
trouble began.
The board did not deny the permit
| Neither did it grant it. The matter
| dragged along. Attorneys for the ga.
company stormed and fumed, but to NJ
avail. Numerous property owners
among them former Mayor McAleer o
Los Angeles, besought the board to act
Still nothing was done though the sug
! gestion was made that a permit Nigh
be obtained If the company would builc
its plant in a different location from tina
| selected.
One Favors Permit
Trustee Holland favored granting TIN
permit. Trustees Leonis, Stevens ant
Furlong were against granting it. Las
Monday night former Mayor McAleer
whose Republic iron works are situated
| Just over the Los Angeles city line il
| Vernon, appeared before the board anc
urged that the matter be decided Hi
request was refused. Yesterday tn
| trustees held an informal meeting in Lo
| Angeles at which, it is said, they de
cided to refuse the permit for the pres
| ent location.
When news of this meeting reached Yer.
non it quickly famed into flame thu
smouldering embers of resentment among
|
decided upon. Later it was decided tina
this meeting should be held at the schoo
house Monday night, the time and place
selected for the meeting of the board Of
| trustees.
Since this matter of the gas permit frs
came up all sorts of charges have beer
banded back and forth between member!
Of the board and citizens. The ''soliC
three" as Leonis, Stevens and Furlons
i IL a. E.lrr az