The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-09
in FEWER HANDS
FIVE MEN COULD CONTROL
CITY OF ORANGE.
Such Is the Suggestion for New Charter
Made to Civics Club-Simplifed
Government.

A report on a plan to have an act passed
placing Orange under a new form of gov
eminent, with a Mayor and four Council
men, including other reform features, was
presented to the Civics Club of the Or
anges last night, and it will be discussed
by the member later. The report, pre-
pared by Frank H. Jamison, secretary, is
as follows:
"A city charter should be broad and
comprehensive, and not unnecessarily re-
strictive. 1t Is this latter fact which
has prevented many needed improvements.
Under the old regime, when the corpora
tons exerted more influence than they do
now, every action In which a corporation
was affected was so hedged about by re-
strictions that it was almost impossible
But conditions are changed. The cor
porations no longer are dominant in leg
lslation. 1t is possible, therefore, TO Sc
cure a broad. comprehensive, adequate,
home rule charter, drawn on ines which
may be adapted to any city in the State.
The best thing in the laws affecting the
cities OF various classes in the State
should be codified and included in it. The
functions or the city government should be
properly set forth, but at the same line
It should be assumed that the officials pos
and something should be left to their dis
erection. The charter should include re-
strictionS as TO issuing bonds; should in
clude all that is necessary from the exist
1N@0SN So SOAA00A1t RAO
vide for the method of assessing property,
levying taxes, making improvements and
allowing them. to be paid In ten INSTALL
ments; authorize the levying of taxes for
libraries. hospitals, Fairgrounds, shade
trees n in general all those functions
which are now given to cities of various
tude of acts.
The title of this act might be An act
providing for the formation, establishment
and government Of cities, and providing
Tor thpiF officers and TnuTpr0f
" The Inhabitants of any city, town,
township. borough or village, may become
a body polite and corporate in fact and in
law, by the name and title of 1.-THE city of
- (specifying the name to be born
by such city,, whenever at any election,
regular or special, at which the question
SHAH be submitted Of Incorporating under
this act, 1t shall be so decided by a ma
Jority of the voters thereof voting at any
such election
The governing body should consist of a
Mayor. to be president of the City Coun-
Gil, and four Councillnen. all to be elected
Tor four years.; two Councilmen at the first
election to be chosen for two years and
Two for four years, and thereafter two
Councilmen to be chosen ~biennially for
Iour years each, all to be chosen at large.
Each member of the Council should have
one vote; no ordinance or resolution should
be passed except by a vote of three mem
bers of the Council; all meetings to be
open to the public. The Council should
have power to elect a secretary, who h
be the city clerk, and such officers or
agents as may be necessary, all officials TO
be appointed for f%our-year terms, the
designation and salary of officials to be
fixed by ordinance.
The Mayor should be the chief execu-
tive and a member Of the City Council,
preside at all its meetings, exercise a gem
eral supervision over its affairs, sign and
execute all contracts, certify 10 the pas
sage OF all ordinances, sign all obligations,
checks, warrants.
Each Councilman should be given
charge OF a department, and the Mayor
should be ex-officlo a member of each of
these four committees. The Councilman
at the head of each department should be
the executive head of his department, andin
the event OF the death, resignation or dis
ability of any subordinate chief of a de-
partment, should exercise the duties Of
that chief, pending the selection of a sue
cessor.
The departments might be:
Finance, having control aud supervision
of all the finances affecting all departments;
public safety. relating. to the police and
fire departments, public health, outdoor
relief; other relief as applied to the aims
house, excise. The granting OF licenses
should be controlled by the entire Coun-
Gil, rates to be fixed as per the Bishops
law, although the minimum license fee
should be greater than in that statute.
Municipal Improvement-having charge
OF all matters concerning streets, sewers,
water. street lighting, shade trees, parks,
libraries, hospitals, ambulances.
Education. having charge of the public
ScnoOls, lectures, recreation centres ana
Fairgrounds.
Each chairman should initiate all mat
tiers coming under his department n re-
port for confirmation to the City Council.
The charter should provide that the
Council shall have power to establish and
regulate the various departments, name
officers, designate their duties, fix compen-
sation. initiate improvements, regulate
scaVenger and excise matters, enter into
contracts for disposing of garbage, build.
equip and maintain water. sewer, street
lighting plants. sell gas or electric current
for heat and light and power to individ-
uals or corporations or other m%unicipali-
ties, and sell water likewise.
"A civil and crimina court or courts
should be established to try violations of
ordinances and State laws. and also civil
cases involving mounts under $500.
THE receipts for taxes. water rents,
sewer accounts, lighting, street work and
uals or corporations, should be paid to a
city collector. He should turn over the
funds from the various departments to a
city treasurer"
Salaries should he fixed according to
population"
Fred W. Gnichtel, of Trenton, who hends
the commission named by Governor Stokes
to codify municipal codes. He stated il
was impossible to submit a draft to suit
all cities. but gave an illustration OF what
his commission had accomplished. Herman
B.: Walker, in a letter. favored the naming
Of a charter revision commission and
urged changes in the constitution OF the
State to give real home rule.
The report of Water Clerk Frank X.
Schiemarl, Of Orange. showing The quanti-
ties Of free water given. was discussed,
and the fact that the Erie Railroad gets
annually 1000. N0 gallons and the Lacka-
wanna a large quantity, resulted in a re-
quest being ordered sent to the Common
Council asking copies of the agreements
with the railroads whereby the free water
was arranged for. The Erie gets water
valued at $4,000 yearly. ard the club is
anxious to learn the reason for the gifts
to the railroads.
SUBURBAN OBITUARIES.