The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-07-17

! no cnange - In;I.e IIvul oev. o. Art. a OF
| The present constitution.
Sec. g. The sheriff shall hold no other
office, and shall be incapable of holding
the office of sheriff longer than four
in any period of six years. He may
| be required by law TO renew his secur-
ity from time to time, and, i'm default
Of giving such security, his Office shall
be deemed vacant. The county shah
| never be responsible for his acts
| No change is made from Sec. g. Art of
the present constitution.
Sec. 6. The Legislature shall by gen.
eral law provide for the appointment
OF a board of jury commissioners in
each county; but such law shall not
become operative in any county until
| majority of the electors of the county
| voting thereon shall so decide.
| This section is new. Circuit court Jurors
| are now selected by commission In many
OF the larger cities and several of the coun-
| ties of the state. The foregoing provision
| is designed to require the passage OF gen.
eral law whereby any county may avail itself
| Of its provisions without being required to
| obtain a special act.
Sec. Z. A board of supervisors, con-
s!sting OF one f. m each organized
| township, shall b. established in each
county with such powers as shall be
prescribed by law Cities shall have
such representation in the boards or
supervisors of the counties in which
they are situated as may be provided
by law.
This section combines Secs 6 and of
Art. X of the present constitution without
| change, except to improve the phraseology.
| Sec. s. The legislature may by gen.
eral law confer upon the boards of SUI
| pervisors of the several counties such
| powers of a local, legislative and add
mlnistrative character, not Inconsistent
| with the provisions of this constitution,
as 1t may deem proper
This is a subdivision of the power con-
ferred generally upon townships cities, viii
| lagos and boards of supervisors by Sec 38,
| Art. w.. The corresponding provision will
be found under the sections dealing with
| the government OF townships (Sec. I'D and
| cities and villages (Sec. 20).
Sec. g. The boards of supervisors
shall have exclusive power to fix the
salaries and compensation of all county
officials not otherwise provided for by
| law. The boards OF supervisors, or in
counties having county auditors, such
| auditors, shall adjust all claims against
| their respective counties; appeals may
| be taken from such decisions of the
boards Of supervisors or auditors to
| the circuit court in such manner as
| shall be prescribed by law.
| The above section takes the place OF Sec.
| 10, Art. y of the present constitution, from
which 1t differs in the following important
| particulars: Ii gives to boards Of supervisors
| exclusive power to fix the salaries as well
| as provide compensation '.of all county Of
| fcials not otherwise provided for by law"
| This Is a provision in extension Of the right
OF home rule. This section also introduces
| the provision that appeals may be taken
from such decisions of the boards of super
| visors or auditors to the circuit court in
| such manner as shall be prescribed by law"
| this provision not being found in the ex-
| tsting constitution
1t is the purpose OF this provision to place
| counties on the same basis respecting claims,
! as individuals and municipalities, such as
| townships, cities and villages, and to pro-
|
! remedy of enforcing such claims than that
| of mandamus which now prevails.
Sec. 10. The board OF supervisors Of
| any county may in any one year levy
tax of one-tenth OF one mill on the
! assessed valuation of said county for
| the construction or repair of public
| buildings or bridges. or may borrow
an equal sum for such purposes; and,
| In any county where the assessed val
| uation Is less than ten million dollars,
| the board may levy tax or borrow
for such purposes to the amount of one
! thousand dollars; but no greater sum
| shall be raised for such purposes in
any county in any one year, unless
| submitted to the electors of the county
| and approved by a majority of those
| voting thereon.
| Sec 9, Art. X OF the present constitution
| provides that ANY county may borrow or
! raise by tax one thousand dollars" for the
| purposes specified in the above section. The
provision of "one-tenth of one MILL was
added to enable counties of large assessed
| valuation to raise sufficient money to care
| for the buildings and bridges which the
! wealth and requirements of such counties
| entail
Sec. II. Any county in this state,
| either separately or in conjun elton with
| other counties, may appropriate money
| for the construction and maintenance
! or assistance of public and charitable
| hospitals, sanatoria or other institu-
| tions for the treatment of persons suf-
fering from contagious or infectious
| diseases. Each county may also main
| tain an infirmary for the care and sup
| port of its INDECENT poor and unfortu-
nate, and all county poor houses shall
hereafter be designated and maintained
| as county infirmaries.
| This section has no corresponding provi-
/ sion in the present constitution. Its pur-
| pose is to meet the modern conditions de-
/ manded for the treatment of contagious and
infectious diseases, and to authorize counties
| to provide therefor through cooperation IL
| they see fit.
Sec. ~. No county shall incur any
| indebtedness which shall increase it's
total debt beyond three per cent of its
assessed valuation.
| The above section is designed by the use
| Of the words total debt to make more GER
tain a similar provision in Sec 40, Art. Nv
| OF the present constitution.
Sec. 13. No county seat once estab-
| lished shall be removed until the place
| to which it is proposed to be removed
| shall be designated by two-thirds Of
| the board of supervisors of the county,
| and a majority of the electors voting
| thereon shall have voted In favor Of
| the proposed location, in such manner
| as shall be prescribed by law.
| No change Is made from Sec. s, Art. X, OF
| the present constitution.
| Sec Ia. No navigable stream of this
state shall be either bridged or damned
| without permission granted by the
board Of supervisors of the county I'M
| der the provisions of law, WHICH
| PERMISSION SHALL BE SUBJECT
| TO SUCH REASONABLE COMPEN-
SATION AND OTHER CONDITIONS
| AS MAY, SEEM BEST SUITED TO
| SAFEGUARD THE RIGHTS AND
| INTERESTS OF THE COUNTY AND
| THE MUNICIPALITIES THEREIN.
No such law shall preclude the state
| from improving the navigation Of any
such stream nor prejudice the right Of
| individuals to the free navigation
| thereof.
| No change is made from Sec 4, Art. XVIII
Of the present constitution, except for the
purpose of improving the phraseology, and
the addition of the words in capitals The
matter in capitals was added to give to boards
| of supervisors authority to require reason
| able compensation in return for the right or
| franchise granted
Sec. Is. The board of supervisors Of
each organized county may organize
| and CONSOLIDATE townships under
L -. Ill.,.