Bridgeton pioneer., 1909-11-11

MAYOR UNDER
THE CHARTER

On January first next at noon,
George Hampton will take the oath Of
Office and become in fact the first
Mayor under the new city charter
which has been in effect since January
first last
The provisions of the charter provides
more important functions for the
Mayor than heretofore. Under the
old city charter the person elected to
the Mayorality was chief of police
and had little functions other than
of Committing magistrate.
Under the present charter the Mayor
is clothed with more authority, greater
power and added responsibilities.
Hereafter the Mayor has the personal
appointment of the City Comptroller
and the legal officer of the city, the
Corporation Counsel. He cancot
exercise this authority however until
the expiration of the terms of the
present encumbents, which will be one
y
The charter further provides that
the Mayor shall be the executive officer
of the city. He makes all contracts
for the city. He has general super
vision over all departments. He has
full power to make investigation of all
departments and can demand the books
and papers of the financial officers
to make any necessary Investigation,
as suggested the Mayor is empowered
to employ assistants.
The Mayor will continue to name the
Assessors for the city, one each year
for term of three years. In January
next the Mayor will name a Republi,
can to succeed the present. encumbent,
Valdemar E. Edwards.
Until the City Council provides a
Recorder for Bridgeton, the Mayor
will have all the duties of such Re-
corder, receive complaints and dispose
of cases
The Charter provides that City
Council, by ordinance. must fix the
salary Of the Mayor, and of course,
once fixed, it cannot be charged
durin his t
Council can, by ordinance fix the
duties of the Mayor in connection with
those duties fixed by statute and by
the charter.
The present salary of the Mayor is
5000 and has been that for good
many years. In addition to this salary
the Mayor has been allowed to retain
the fees he has collected as a com
mitting magistrate. and he has also
had the benefit Of fees for issuing
licenses and various permits.
Between now and the first of January
City Council will have to enact an
ordinance fixing the salary for the
Mayor. Under the provisions of the
charter the Mayor can receive no fees
of any character, all fees being col
lected by him, must be turned over to
the city treasurer
So far as learned there has been nc
conference of the Mayor-elect with
members OF Council as to what the
salary of the Mayor shall be. The
! latter has not, so far as known ex'
pressed himself upon the subject. In
view of the added duties and the fact
that the Mayor is precluded from re-
tanning any fees whatever, it is quite
likely that there will be some increase
over the present allotted amount. II
is not at all unlikely that when the
ordinance fixing salary is under dis
cussion, there will be suggested the
fixing of some certain office hours for
the Mayor to be in attendance at the
City Hall.
1t may also be added here, that in
addition to the functions heretofore
mentioned, the Mayor is directed by
the charter to address messages to
City Council from time to time, and
to recommend to City Council the re-
moval of the derelict officials.