Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-03-30
New State Law, Effective Today,
Changes Terms and Number
of Councilmen
MAYOR MAKES APPOINTMENTS
Law Makes Him Executive Officer, and
Gives Him Power to Appoint, With
out the Ratification of tho Council,
All Officers Not EIeeted-Number Of
counciImen Reduced to Seven.

BY the state law recently passed,
which became effective today, radical
changes are made in the form of gov
eminent of this city, in the number and
length of terms of Its councilmen and In
power given to the mayor. BY the law
the mayor Is the citys sole executive
officer, and the council is it's Legislative
body. The mayor is TO make all APP
pointments OF officers not elected. ex-
cept the city clerk, The terms OF the
five councilmen not elected this year
are extended one year. then the num-
Der of councilmen Is reduced from ten
To seven.
The important features of the bill,
SO far as this city is concerned, is the
additional powers vested in the mayor,
the lengthening of terms of the five
councilmen. hereafter the election OF
only one councilman from each ward
and two at large. Because OF the new
law there will be no city election next
year, when Ave councilmen were to
nave been chosen.
Gives Mayor Much Power.
Not only does the law. give the mayor
power TO appoint the, officers which
the council has hitherto chosen, but 1t
gives him the power to remove them
DIT will by filing written reasons with
the city clerk In their appointment
or removal the city council has no
voice. This is not applicable to the
city clerk, which the council viii still
choose5 BY the law the mayor will
appoint city physician, street commis-
sioner. city engineer, chief OF the fire
department, superintendent of water
mains, chief engineer of pumping sta
ton, city electrician, inspector of boil
ers, and marshal The city council has
no executive functions whatever, un-
less expressly conferred by law.
CouneiImen Affected.
The term of office Of the mayor is hot
changed, neither is the time of his cleo
ton, but in the cases Of five Of the
present councilmen their terms will be
extended one year, and because of this
extension no election will be held in
1908. The councilmen, Mcdonald. De-
vine, Packer, Herman and Young, who
were elected last year, will hold office
until 1909. r-the election that year
the mayor and seven councilmen and
city solicitor will be elected, and in
each odd-numbered year following.
The number of wards in cities Of the
o1- IL, "a f7vyof ma
councilman to be elected from each,
and two councilmen- at-large.
Other Important Sections.
The two closing sections of the bill
makes more stringent the law prohibit
ing city officials from participating In
any contracts or the furnishing of any
supplies to the city, or from receiving
any special privileges from public
service corporations operating under
franchises. These sections of the bill
are as follows:
y "Section 1S. All executive functions
powers and duties in cities and towns
shall be exercised and performed by the
mayor and other elective and appoints
i've officers and boards as provided by
law, and neither the council nor the
members thereof shall exercise any ex-
ecutive functions unless expressly con-
ferred by law.
section 10. No officer, including
members Of the city council, shall be
Interested, directly or indirectly in any
contrast or Job of work or material OF
the profits thereof or services to be
furnished or performed for the city Of
town. No such officer shall accept Or
receive, directly or indirectly, from any
person, firm or corporation operating
within the said city or town, any rail-
way, interurban railway, street railway,
gas works, water works, electric light
or power plants, telegraph line or tele-
o,cha NOE Or other, business alsirlR