The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-04-23
HELD AN OPEN MEET
CHARTER COMMISSION LISTENS
TO MANY SUGGESTIONS.
Former Mayor Andrews Would Have
Assessments Payable Over a Term
of Five Years; DR.. Bjelland Speaks
for Health Officers Department.; F.
M. Currier Suggests Way for Mu-
nicipal Light Plant.

from Tuesdays Daiiv
The charter commission held an open
meeting last night, to hear suggestions
from citizens as TO what ought to be
i'll the new charter A number of citi-
zens were present and several of them
offered suggestions.
Ex-mayor Andrews presented several
suggestions. He would have special
assessments payable over term of
five years, at the option of the party
assessed, at a low rate of interest
for deferred payments, and would do
away with the ten per cent discount
for cash. He thought that if the
! mayor had a small contingent fund of
about 5000 he could accomplish great
dealein the way of Kidding the city of
vice and iniquity that cannot be done
with uniformed police. This would re-
turn to the city fully $1,000 in fines.
he thought
Favors Two Clerks.
Dir. Andrews Thought that The coun-
ell should have clerk separate from
the city recorder to take care of the
minutes and draw warrants, that each
might be check upon the other He
said that the present system enables
the recorder to make petty thefts, If
he wished to, and it was almost i'm
possible to detect it. He had no re-
Elections on any past recorders, but the
system was loose. He thought that the
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office hours during ordinary business
hours, as the present plan OF being in
the office only four hours Il day is in
convenient He was not in favor of
accepting personal surety bonds from
the treasurer as this puts him under
obligations to the banks. Deposits
ought to draw interest.
Regarding Public improvements
Dir. Andrews was i'll favor of making
it obligatory for the council to order
an improvement when petitioned for
by the majority of the property own
ers, even though some influential man
opposed it. He would also allow the
council to order public improvements
when the public necessity requires it,
even though not asked for by the ma
iority of the property owners. He
would make a monthly inspection of
the water and flushing of the water
mains obligatory.
DR.. Andrews advanced excellent ar
giiments for each of his suggestions.
The Health Officer.
DIR. o. A. Bjelland, representing the
Blue Earth County Medical society,
presented report for the committee of
the society that had been asked to draw
up something for the health department
lie suggested that the jurisdiction of
the health commissioner should cover
the school district as well as the
city. The commissioner of health
should be IA graduate of a recognized
school of medicine and have "a license
from the state board of health. He
should give bond. The appointment
should be made from three names to
be suggested by the Blue Earth County
Medical society, the same as is done
in Minneapolis. The physicians all
belong to the society and the plan
would make. the appointment non poll
teal. Besides having power to combat
contagious and infectious diseases. the
same as he has now, the commissioner