The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-04-16
Commission
Plan TALKED
L. M. RS Invited Guests of the Ba-
raca Class Last EVENING and
the Two Glasses Dis
cuss Subject.
SOME OF ADVANTAGES
Also the Disadvantages of the Plan
Spoken of in Interesting Ad.
dress by Ralph B.
Smith.
SOME OF ADVANTAGES

The Baraca and L. M. R. Classes OF
the congregational Sunday school met
last evening in the rooms of the for,
mer class and discussed with much
interest the question that is becoming
more and more COMMON topic in
this city, the commission plan of
government as it is viewed by many.
Several of the different mems organ
izations of the city have recently TAX
en- up this subject and interesting dis
cussions of the plan as benefit and
its disadvantages are discussed.
Following the talks last evening.
the meeting being an open one the l..
M. r. class as the guest of the bara-
cas- enjoyed luncheon with the latter.
Much interest was taken in the meet
ing and opinions We're given freely
and the matter much discussed.
An interesting forty-five minute
talk on the advantages and disad-
vantages of the plan was made by
Ralph B. Smith of the L. NJ. RS.
Following is part of Mr.. Smiths ad-
dress given at the meeting of the
classes last evening.
In discussing this plan l have en-
deavored to omit every thing in the
law which does not apply to Keokuk
and all technicalities.
| Under the commission plan of gov
lernment the commission consists of a
mayor and tow councilmen all elected
/ for term of two years and their
terms all ending at the same time.
/ They are elected as follows: Any
person who can get twenty-five eec-
ors of the city to sign his petition is
entitled to have his name printed on
the Primary Ballot. Each person pre-
senting proper petition has his name
printed in its Alphabetical order under
the heading of either Mayor or coun.
Gilman as his petition states. The
primary election is held on the second
Monday before the general municipal
election. Each eector is entitled to
vote for one candidate for mayor and
two candidates for the council. The
two candidates receiving the most
votes for mayor and the four receiving
the most votes for the council are the
nominees. Their names and no others
are printed on the regular municipal
ballot.
If a petition stating grounds for re-
moval and signed by % per cent of the
electors of the city is fled with the
City Clerk asking for the removal OF
any member of the commission the
Council shall call a special election in
not less than thirty or more than
forty days from the date the petition
is certified to them by the clerk All
this election the ballot shall contain
the name of the commissioner accus
ed and such others as shall file proper
petitions. The party elected shall
hold Office for the remainder of the
term.
The commission has all power OF
all municipal agencies and the
appointment of all city officers an6
agents. They may appoint a civil
service board of three members one oil
whom is appointed by each council tc
hold office for six years. This board
shall hold examinations for huness anC
shall report to the commission the
names of two persons for each office
The council shall appoint one of the
two.
The salaries are for the mayor
S120000 per year and the councilmer
$4,000 There has been some state
ments 10 the contrary but Keokuk is
still under $4,000 population, the
figures for the census of 1905, beins
f4,6o4.
All ordinances except in specia
cases where they are passed unana
mously go into effect ten days aftel
their passage. If during the ten days
a petition signed by twenty-five pc
cent of the city asking for the right t.
vote on it is filed with the clerk i
shall not go into effect until approved
by majority of the electors.
If twenty-five per cent of the cit.
shall petition for an ordinance thu
council shall pass it or shall call ;
special election on it, If majority o
the electors are in favor of it it shall
become law.
If petition signed by over tel
per cent of the electors shall be pre-
sented asking for a certain ordinaac,
the council shall submit the question
at the next general election and i
then passed it shall become law.
All ordinances passed by majorit,
vote of the electors can be repealed on
ly in like manner.
All ordinances appropriating none,