The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-02-17
CHARTER
IN EAST ORANGE
READY SHORTLY
Head of Council Says Draft May
Be in Shape After Tonight !,
for Distribution. ID

Desiring to answer the criticisms
from various quarters to the effect that
the East Orange City Council had not
sufficiently taken into it's confidence h
people of the city or the preliminaries
for the proposed revision of the city
charter, Chairman Edward S. Pierson,
of the Council, made a formal state
ment today on the subject in which he
denies any secrecy. He said that after
a public meeting tonight, to which the
public and the East Orange Board of
Education has been especially invited,
the draft of the proposed charter would
be printed and distributed among h
citizens.
after tonight's meeting the revised
charter will be in sufficiently compre-
hensive form to admit of printing ana
distribution said Mr.. Pierson today.
1.-THE reason nothing had been printed
previously is that there was nothing
to print. The revision committee
named by the Mayor met several limos
last winter and handed to the City
Council it's minutes. which contained
all suggestions it had to make for the
drawing of a new charter. h City
Council spent several evenings going
over suggestions so made, and then oil
rected City Counsel Jerome ID. Gedney
to draw up a bill to be presented 10
the Legislature as a revised charter
for East Orange.
"Mr. Gedney finished the draft of a
revised charter a few weeks ago, Ind
E. M. Collie was employed as advisory
counsel to perfect the draft made by
Mr.. Gedney. A rough proof of the
draft was printed and presented to the
Council, which las in the past few
weeks had several conferences, and
with the meeting tonight we hope to
have the revision in proper form for
the citizens.
After the draft has beer examined
by citizens another public meeting will
be held when citizens can offer criti-
cisms or suggestions, either at n
meeting in person or by sending letters
to their ward councilmen."
Mr.. Pierson said in his opinion the
most important features of the chsIte.'
were the power given the Mayor %
~suspending any city official with iba-l
dismissal if approved by two-thirds of
the City Council; a provision for pass
ing ordinances on two instead Of thrtse
readings; procedure for street improve
ments clarifying many points in dis
pute, and authority for establishment
of a water commission.
"a majority of members" con-
tinyed Mr.. P~ierson. ffbelieve that
in the charter provision should be
made the same for h water commis-
sion as for the Police and Fire c4m-
missions, making it optional with Che
City Council whether the same shalp be
established or not. and with power on
the part of the Council to abolish the
commission if found undesirable
Other members are strongly in favor
of making the establishment of a
Water Commission mandatory. Per-
sonally I am in favor of a Water Com
mission, n believe that more than
two-thirds of the members feel the
same way and will vote accordingly,
but it seems better to leave it optional,
as it is with the other two commits
sions.
"At the present time there is a ten
dency to multiply offices, and I believe
thai ten years hence there will be a
decided change in sentiment in favor
of decreasing the number of municipal
offices and placing more power in the
hands of the City Council or govern
ing body. h tendency with commits
sions is. to spend money very freely.
The best argument offered in favor of
commissions appointed by the Mayor is
that it is true to a large extent that
some of the best citizens would never
accept an elective office, but would be
willing to take an office to which they
would be appointed"