The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-08-28
MAY NOT VOTE
TO OWN PLANT
Waterworks Proposition
May go Over.
new LAW AFFECTS SITUATION
Probably Annuls Ordinance
of Council.
Crosser Law Brings About Important
Changes In City Proceedings-No
Ordinances or Resolutions Boceme
Effective Untll go Days After Pas
sage.

There are now excellent reasons
to believe that Marion will not vote
on the question of municipal water
works al the coming election. The
new Crosser bill, passed at a recent
session of the Legislature, provides
that no action taken by a city coun-
ell can become emertlve until the
expiration of sixty days. This, in the
belief of City Solicitor Elmer T.
Boyd, will make 1t impossible to
have a legal vote taken on the wat
erworks proposition at the November
election owing to the fact that the
ordanince authorizing this vote could
not become effective in time to per-
mi the printing of ballots and the s.
suing Of the necessary proclamation
by the mayor II a vote Is taken IL
will have to be done at special
election or at the fall election next
year.
The new law will also make II nee
essary for Safety Director James A.
Knapp to readvertse for bids on the
motor fire motor fire department
equipment To be bought for the clay.
September G has been set as the date
for receiving bids. There is pro-
babiity that 1t will be necessary for
the council to pass n new ordinance
authorizing the safety director TO
advertise for bids and sixty days af-
ter the passage of thi sordinance the
advrtsing may be done.
owing TO the fact that year books,
containing the laws passed by the
last legislature, are Just being dis
tributed the exact wording and mean
ing of the Crosser law became known
TO city solicitors throughout the state
only during the past few days. city
Solicitor Boyd received "A copy of the
book this morning and Immediately
began an examination OF legislation
relating to municipalities.
There $ some question regarding
various phases o fthe law and until
some authoritative Interpretation is
at hand affairs I'm Marion will be
somewhat In the air." the city solicit
tor stated this morning. II will
write Attorney General Hogan today
for his opinion on certain doubtful
features Of the law"
Phones state Onlcial.
This morning the city solicitor
teiephoned to the state bureau OF ac-
ronting and also to the attorney gem
/eral for information, j. r. Tracy,
head of the department of munich
palitles in the bureau Of accounting.
said that he had not read the law and
could give no light in regard TO it,
Attorney General Hogan stated that
he would render an opinion only in
response 10 a writer request.
Mr.. Track. however, said that in
the city of Columbus great care Is
being exercised in the management
OF Affairs until the new law Is Inter-
preted by the attorney general.
There are few ordinances or reso-
| lutlons of importance passed by the
local council since the Crosser law
| went into effect that may be annuled.
The la wbecame effective June IA.
Before that date the ordinance auth
orlzlng the safety director to adver-
| tse for the construction of new
cenral fire station was passed so that
there win be no delay IN this matter.
| Bids will be received tomorrow. The
ordinance authorizing the advertis-
Ing for bids for the purchase OF new
equipment, however, was not passed
until after June IA.
Affects Assessment Ordinance.
At the last meeting of council an
ordinance levying assessments to pay
for number OF street Improvements
was passed. Under the terms of the
foiimer law this odinance became
effective te ndays after the first pub
licatlon. Under the Crosger law il
does not become effective for sixty
DAYS. Whether It will be necessary
to pass a new ordinance and readver'
tise II Is n question which will moi
be decided until word is received
from the attorney general II the
siXty-day limit Is to be enforced. al
of these assessments must remain on
the tax duplicate until December
1912. In the meantime bonds anC
interest for money borrowed to pay
for these improvements WIN cfm'
due and the city will have no funds
to make payment with.
Law n Farce.
City officials throughout the stat
join In declaring that the new Law
Is farce and should be repealed
| Taken literally, 1t means that any ac
tion taken by the council, no matte
how urgent 1t may be, must be hell
up for the required siXey tdays. TIL
object of the new law is to give tn
\ people an opportuqty TO lforestah
! Injurious legislation, BY getting
petition signed by rs per cent of tn
voters during the sixty days the peo
pie may require any legislation L
4 be submitted to a popular vote.
!. City Solicitor Boyd says that ther
: Is a question as to when ordinance
and resolutions are TO be advertise
! under the new law. Under the oil
law they We're advertised immediatel
and every ordinance or resolution be
- came effective within ten days aft
= the first publication. In this respec
the laws conflict, since the Crosse
d law makes no mention Of advertis
= ing.
According to the terms OF tn
Crosser law an ordinance or resolu
IT tion would become effective at In
end of sixty daVg Withouf nuhIloa