Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-04-16
CHARTER REv|S0RS
WOULD WIPE OUT
ALL CITY BOARDS
Plans for Public
Hearings of Citizens to Pre-
pare Bill.

Public hearings will soon be held in
order thai citizens will have an OPP
%portunity to express their views on
the new charter tha Is prepared by
the Charter Revision Commission. The
members of the commission at last
nights meeting recorded themselves in
favor of a purely commission form OF
government. There will be another
meeting next Friday, and then the
public will be invited to participate in
the very important discussions. The
charter bill will be presented to the
next Legislature, embodying the public
sentiment as fairly as the commission
is able to ascertain it.
Favoring the commission form of
government, the members will en-
deavor to have their recommendations
Endorsed by the public. All existing
commissions of the city government
would be abolished. The Common
| Council would be reduced in number
and stripped of it's power to handle
the city's finances Or lone away with
altogether. The plan, as at present
formed, is that all financial matters
should rest with the commission, which
| Will COIlSlSl VI ANO VI SCNtL
the Mayor included as the presiding
officer.
The commission also decided that
all departments should nave single
heads and that civil service should be
adopted. The question as to who
should appoint the department heads
will be settled at the mex meeting.
The members all favor a commission
form of government, but they differ as
to i pure or a modified coInmis-
sion government. Chandler w. Riker,
former A~ssemblyman William P. Mar
tin, former Mayor William H. F. Fled
Ter and John r. Hardin, the chairman.
favored the former, while former
Alderman Patrick Ryan and City
Comptroller Bachelor voted for the
latter or modified form.
The pure, commission would have
the substantial control of all legislative
and administrative matters, While the
modified commission would be a cen
trail commission with somewhat scat
tered administrative functions.
There was some discussion on the
matter of electing the members of the
| commission which is to govern the
city. MI. Martin was of the opinion
that they should be elected at the same
| time for a short term, so as to give the
people a chance to wipe the whole COM
mission out if there were any reasons
for dissatisfaction and elect a new
commission.
Powers Taken Away.
Comptroller Bachelor thought it UNI
wise to have the terms of the commits
sioners run out at the same time and
put in a new set of commissioners UNI
familiar with the work.
The point, however, was left unde-
cided.
Before the commission. decided in
favor of a commission form of govern
ment for the city there was a long
discussion whether the Common Coun-
ell should be retained. 1t was the
unanimous opinion of the commission
that the power to make up the tax
budget should be taken away from the
Common Council, and the question was
then whether there would be any other
powers left to justify the existence OF
a Council
CITY Counsel James r. Nugent ex-
planned a number of customs when
were detrimental to the city and which
would be impossible with a commits
sion government. He said that every
department bought it's own stationery
hat some departments had automobiles
and would not put them at the disposal
Of others which had none.
Mr.. Nugent referred to an ordinance
now before the Council which would
ert.tIe the city to the bonus for the
lease of some vacant stands in the
.,.1. o~1 catA that o1thnnph aVarN
Alder man was convinced that the city
was entitled to the bonus, they couldn'
be N ade to vote for 1t.
THE Board of Works attends to {
lot of business Mr.. Nugent continued
land they get along nicely. If we hat
a commission they would do more il
three or foul hours than the Common
Council does in -four years. Another
trouble is the fact that every alderman
wants to do something for his ward ant
is requesting things which are at times
not necessary"
Council Vote Divided.
in ten years from now" said Mr.
Riker. there will be no Common Coun
ell left in the United States. The com
mission form of government seems t.
be what the people want, and we ough
to organize for the future"
Chairman Hardin said that he woult
like to see the Common Council re
tanned, but without the power to rails
money. That power should be lodge'
somewhere else.
Comptroller Bachelor urged tina
ward representation of some kind b
left to give a certain class of people
chance to be in contact with the cit.
government.
When the question of whether thu
Common Council should be retainet
was finally voted upon MI. Martin ant
Mr.. Riker voted in the negative
Chairman Hardin said that his vot'
would depend upon the powers thu
Common Council would get, Comptrol
Ter Bachelor wanted the Council re
tanned as a legislative body, Mr.. Ryan
said he would like to see a smalle
Council. and former Mayor Fiedle
votad for "a Council IF nine