The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-08-25
Charter Commission.

The charter commissioners are
getting down to business and at the
meeting Tuesday evening, establish
cd permanent time for their ses-
sions, at 1880 on each Tuesday eve
ming.
The twelve chapters of the pro-
posed new charter have been divid-
ed among four committees of three
members each, with the understand
ing that each committee is to pre-
pare the portion chapters assigned
to il.
Several proposals for charter
amendments were made and will be
acted upon later. Perhaps the most
important of these. relates to cleo
ton Of city officers.
The proposal If embodied in the
charter, would prohibit the giving
OF any cigars or intoxicating liquors
by or in behalf of candidates;
That candidate must not employ
fer money or the promise of money
of office, anyone to campaign for
him, or furnish any carriage or We
hicle to carry voters to the polls
The proposal further provides
FOR the holding Of municipal cleo
lions on the first Monday in Deem
her, the successful candidates to
take Office on January 1, following.
The elective officers, mayor, clerk,
treasurer and constable, two alder
men, and one supervisor from each
v"ard, to hold Office for two years.
Oh each alternate biennial election
the municipal justice shall be elect
ed. The appointive officers shall
take office on February /, and may
be removed at any time by q major
ity vote of the council.
The proposal further advocates
the naming of police commissioner
20 take the place of the chief of po-
lice, a water commissioner to take
the place of the superintendent of
public works, a public works COM
missioner to take the place of the
street commissioner, fire commits
sioner to assume the duties of the
chief of the fire department, health
commissioner to succeed the health
officer, and a tax commissioner to
take the place of the city assessor.
In addition, the council would be
permitted to combine any two of the
above officers, naming one man for
the place.
The administrative affairs of the
city government would be divided
into departments, each department
to report regularly to the council.
The police commissioner would be
responsible for his department, the
health commissioner with the may
or and clerk, for the health de-
partment, etc.
NOn-Partisan Election
Another proposal provides for
non-partisan primary to select can
didates for the election following
The two men receiving the highest
number of votes would be the rival
candidates for mayor, clerk, treasur-
er and constable, and the four high
est are candidates for aldermen.
A regularly elected officer would
be compelled to file sworn state
ment of his campaign expenses and
by whom the money was contribut-
ed. within thirty days after qualify
ing.
Provision is also made for the
maintenance and management of
the waterworks department by en-
towering the council to collect wat
l.
against the property, and would ar
range for systematic method of re-
imbursing the waterworks depart
ment for water used by the fire de-
partment, for sewers, etc. The
council would be empowered to as
sess street sprinkling expenses ac-
cording to the foot frontage on the
street, and not for individual Bone
FITS as at present.