The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-02-14
new CHARTER
REMARKABLE
DOCUMENT
Most Progressive Bill of
Rights of It's Kind in
the Land.
FRANCHISE CONTROL
Publicity in Public Affairs
Is Provided For.
FRANCHISE CONTROL

During the present week the H.
nal draft Of the proposed city char
ter providing for commission plan
of government will be completed
and signed by the committee. A
meeting for this purpose will be
held Wednesday night. It will then
be submitted to the mayor, who ap-
pointed the committee. and It will
be up to him to take the next step
in the movement.
As drafted the proposed charter,
If adopted by the people, will be
the most progressive document Of
the kind framed for any city in the
country. It will provide for advan-
ced ideas of good municipal govern
ment, embodying the right Of the
people to acquire and operate their
public utilities, providing for the
direct legislation and non-partisan
elections. It is believed that were
the charter submitted to the people
in it's present form It would be
adopted by an overwhelming vote.
the next step In the movement will
be the calling by the city council
for an election of IS freeholders to
constitute an official charter COM
mission. To such commission 1t
is proposed to submit the work of
the present committee for ratifica-
ton.
PROVISIONS
Among the provisions of the pro-
posed charter is a city government
composed of five commissioners
elected for a term of four years
and to draw salary of $4,000 per
annum. Elections will be held
every two years two of the COM
missiOners going out one year and
three at the next election. Non
partisan primaries are to be held
for nomination, ward lines will not
be recognized and twice the number
of men to be elected will placed on
the official ballot.
The business of the city will be
divided into five departments over
which one of the commissioners
will preside, these departments be-
ing one of public affairs, to be pre-
sided over by the mayor; public
works, to embrace all construction
work carried on by the city or un-
der its direction; public safety, to
embrace the police and fire depart
ments; public utilities, to embrace
the water plant or any other pub
lie utilities that the city may &C.
quire. The mayor to be appointed
by the commissioners from among
their membership. The park COM
mission will remain the same as at
present constituted.
APPOINTMENTS
The commissioners are to give
all their time to the work during
the business hours of the day. They
are to meet once a day in regular
session for the disposition of city
business and to meet once a week
in legislative session. The entire
commission will participate in the
selection of the heads of depart
ments, such as the city engineer,
the chief of police, the chief of the
fire department, corporation cOun-
sci, city auditor. clerk and such
other big heads of departments as
may be necessary to appoint. The
appointment of the minor force in
the department is left to the res
pective department heads with the
right resting in the commission to
remove any city employee at will.
Civil service is to govern in the
selection of city employees and for
the police and fire departments.
CONTROL OF FRANCHISE
The power reserved for the peo-
pie in the issuance of public fran
chises is one of the most notable
features of the proposed charter.
The city reserves the right to pur-
chase any public utility on the bas-
is of it's physical valuation and not
on it's market price, thereby cutting
out the need of the city paying for
watered stock. The right to fix
rates is maintained, also to regu-
late service, and require a common
user clause. The right of grade
separation in railroad franchises is
held and the privilege of the city
using certain portions of the lines,
pOleS OF SuDWdyS Vi COIpOIdtioHo
for it's own business. Franchises are
limited to 25 years, none are to be
exclusive and 10 per cent of the
people can demand that the fran
chise be submitted to popular
vote by filing protest within 80
days after the passage of the fran
chise by the commissioners.
PEOPLE HOLD RElNs
The right of recall of the COM
missioners is held on the presen-
tation of a petition signed by 20
per cent of the qualified voters.
Eight per cent of the voters can in
itiate a piece of legislation and 10
per cent can compel the submission
of any ordinance passed by the
commissioners to popular vote.
There is a provision for public
session of the commissioners and
the publication of a monthly ga
zette for free distribution contain
ing the official proceedings of the
council.