The Pensacola journal., 1913-02-20

der OATH subject to the penalties Of
perjury.
The objection to this is, that it does
not so far enough. The section pro-
posed by Mr.. Mayes, but which was
rejected by the committee, was. in my
judgment. a proper section for incor-
pcration in this charter, in that it gave
a full and complete access to the books
! at all times.
Sec IS. Omcers of the city, the
commissioners or employees Of the city.
! drawing 500 per month, or over, kin
| folks or partnerships whose members
are related to such officers, etc, and
no corporation with a 5 per cent stock
holder, SO related to city officers, shall
contract with the city.
| Sec. 2e. Provides that commission
ers, heads Of departments, shall not
be interested in city contracts or pub
lie service; and commissioners, heads
| Of departments, or employees, shall not
be interested in any public utilities,
or any work or contract for such, nor
such officers OF employees receive any
| franks, free pass, free ticket, or free
service. directly or Indirectly, or any
other thing of value. directly or in
!
| lie generally, and any violation to be
punished as misdemeanor.
Such prohibition does not apply to
policemen, sanitary inspectors or fire
men in uniforms.
Sec. 80. Provides for issuance of
bt nds by the city. The qualified
voters in such election to be those who
pay taxes on real or personal prop
erty.
The board Of bond trustees is aboI-
| ithed and the powers and duties trans
ferred to the three commissioners
| Here, again, too much power is
given to the board when they are
clothed with the power given to the
beard Of bond trustees of the city
| without any restrictions or qualitica-
| tons or checks upon their work or
operation except the fallacious and
shadowy form, as is sought to be given
by the recall, which has no real value,
as has already been shown.
Sec 81. Provides that any doubt
as to what department has supervision
OF any work, shall be settled by the
board Of commissioners and their con-
clusion shall be final.
Sec 81. Bonds, notes and evidence
Of Indebtedness shall be signed by the
commissioners, and two of them, SO
signing, are sufficient to bind the city.
Checks issued by the city are to be
/ signed by the comptroller and two
| commissioners.
Here, again, we see the power that
is given to two commissioners. They
| can make contracts al lihertum,
without restriction or restraint; they
can let contracts for the paving, sew
ering, lighting and many other neces-
! sary things to be done in the city, and
| spend the money without regard, and
the recall as written affords no pro-
| lection to the voter and taxpayer.
| Sec. 33. Contracts involving the ex-
penditure of $500 and over, shall not
| be let until after advertisement for
at least one week by a daily paper,
published in the city of Pensacola, and
to be let to the lowest and best bidder,
Lexcept that in an emergency, a publ
cation of two days shall be sufficient
when the nature Of the emergency is
stated in such publication.
| Again we see the difficulties and the
burdens that will be placed upon the
| taxpayers. Two days publication
would not, under any circumstances,
secure competitive bidding. One weeks
publication, except under the rarest
conditions, would not secure eompeti-
tive bidding even among local bid
ders.
Therefore, the letting of contracts.
as here authorized, gives no protec-
ten to the taxpayers whatever, but
is left to the will of the commissioners
! and without competitive bidding being
provided for.
Sec. 81. No commissioner, officer or
employe Of the city shall receive any
thing from the city except his regular
compensation for his regular employ
ment.
Sec 35. Any officer or ernploye of
the city is prohibited from soliciting
support or influencing votes for COM
missioner, and penalty is provided.
Sec. So. Bonds of all elective, ap-
pointive or subordinate officers to be
fixed by the commissioners.
The objection to this is that al
though the charter, by section six, has
said that each commissioner shall give
$25,000.00 bond. still this authority,
given to the commissioners, to fix the
| amount of bonds Of all elective, ap-
pointive or subordinate officers and
| such other city employees, etc. seems
to change or give authority to the COM
| missioners to fix bonds of the elective
officers, that is, the commissioners
| themselves, which is Objectionable.
Sec. 81. Provides for the regular
meeting of the commissioners to be
fixed once each week. on a day and
hour to be fixed by the board at its
first meeting, and to be published sub
ject to change, as the board may deem
advisable, after one year, or at the
| time OF the reorganization Of the
| beard, and may hold special meetings
as may be called by two Of the off,
| GERS.
| My objection to this is that there
is no fixed time for regular meetings.
There should be fixed time for regu-
lar meetings. The section should re-
quire that they should be open meet
| ings and that special meetings should
he called and notice be given by pub
| lication, as well as actual notice to
each commissioner, except perhaps
under extraordinary circumstances and
then actual notice to each.
Sec. So. Amendments may be pro-
posed by the commissioners for the