Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1912-07-19
CHARTER COMMISSION
COMPLETES ITS WORK

The charter commission has com
pleted It's labor, and Friday morning
aled with the city auditor for pre-
sentatIon TO the city council, the
draft OF the proposed new charter
for the city OF Grants rass.
The document is yoluminous and
while IL contains some radical de-
partures from the charter now In
force, II follows the old in many Of
the features that were thought good
enough without change.
This commission was appointed
last winter by the old council, and
was composed of Geo f. Lundburg
K d Cole, A. \. Porter. W. c. Loc-
kett, w. c. Hale, +. s VanDyke and
W. L. Ireland and the report is
signed by The four first named
The most radical change proposed
by the commission Is in the forma-
tion Of the common council four
members being provided for each
member to serve for four years,
while the mayor will serve for two
years. II is proposed II the new
charter is adopted, to pay the mayor
a salary OF S2,5OO per annum. and
to make him general manager of the
entire city The duties OF the coun-
cllmen would be purely legislative
the mayor to be In full admlnistra-
tive charge Of all departments, will
all department heads esponsible to
him. Elections Won be held but
once In two years provision Of
the new charter would legallze all
previously Issued warrants and
bonds.
In submitting the draft Of the new
charter, the commission addressed
the following letter to the mayor and
the city council
We your committee appointed
to draft a new charter for the city
OF Grants Pass beg to report that We
have concluded our abors and here
with respectfully submit. our report
In the form OF a new charter
"Our.labors have extended over a
period of several months We have
given to the work great deal OF
time and our best thought and en-
ers'es We do not natter ourselves
thai We are submitting a perfect in
strument, on which no fault or criti-
cism can be found but We firmly be-
lieye II the voters o! IrGuts Pass
lopt this proposed charter IL will
found an Instrument very ade-
ate TO the growing need OF the
We have had for our guidance
al instructions various charters
Nm different parts OF the country
Des Noines, la. Grand Junction
Colo Rochester, n Y, 5taunton Va,
Portland ore, being lew OF those
from which We A.ye secured yalu-
able information suggestions and
help In all Of these plans We have
found many good things and many
new things However IN the ludg-
ment Of your committee most Of the
good things were not new and many
oi the new things we're no. good
We found by careful perusal and
comparison that our present charter
contains many good features and a
careful reading and comparison OF
this proposed charter With our pres
eut charter will disclose the fact that
W. have used a large part OF our
present charter, word for word
Prohtlng by the experience OF
various cities We have cut down the
number OF the council 70 tour mem
bers elected az large aud have
enlightened the mayors term to two
years This plan will necessitate an
election only once every Two years,
thereby reducing the cost OF our city
elections by half which amounts TO
several hundred dollars per year
Also the longer term gives the may.
or and council time 20 .uaugurate
their policies get them In working
order and see some results betor,
their term OF office expires one
year term hardly gives A mayor time
20 become settled la othte and Ia
uiuar with the needs " the city
Also yearly elections tend to disturb
conditions and the community un-
aetessarlly
The functions o. our 'lty govern.