The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-02-23

Recently there has been much dis
CLssion as to what, if any, changes
should be made in our city charter
ord this writer, having given the mat
ter some study and having discussed
the situation with numerous citizens
who are interested and particularly
one person to whom he is largely in
debted for the ideas expressed here
in suggests the following as pan
acea for the existing difficulties of
our city government:
ID That our present city charter
be so amended that we have a board
of commissioners consisting of eight
members instead of four as we now
have under our present form of gov
ernment; and that the said commits
siCners be elected two from each
ward by the qualified voters of said
ward for the term of two years and
who shall hold their offices until their
SUCCESSORS are elected, and qualified
unless removed for cause as provided
in the charter, and receive as salary
the sum of $500 per month and no
more. The commissioners elected at
the first election, that is to say in
April, 1913, one from each ward shall
hold for one year only and the said
Board of Commissioners elected at
the April election at its first meeting
is to determine by lot which of them
shall hold office for two years and
which of them shall hold office for
OILY one year.
Cd The charter should be so
that Immediately after said
commissioners are elected and quail
fled and have determined their ten
ure of office as stated in the preced-
iLg section, it shall be their duty to
proceed to elect a mayor for the city
Of Ardmore, who shall hold his office
for term of two years unless sooner
removed for cause or recalled by the
people. The mayor to be elected by
a majority vote of the commissioners
and to be paid a salary of 100000
a year and the mayor to have the se-
lection of all of the subordinate Off
GERS, towit: The city treasurer, city
clerk, chief of the fire department,
city engineer, city attorney and the
ckief of police, which appointments
al e not to become valid until approx
ed by the majority of the board of
commissioners. Said appointive Off
GERS to hold offices at the pleasure of
tIa mayor and majority of the board
Of commissioners The charter to be
so as to provide that the
mayor shall be at the head of all the
departments of the city and in addi-
ton to this be directly responsible
10 the people for the government of
the city.
80 The charter to be amended so
rs to require the mayor to maintain
his office in the city hall and devote
a.. of his time to the business of the
ritv and to give a bond for the faith
full performance of his duty. The
commissioners not to be under bond,
and not to be required to maintain
-ffices in the city hall.
(4) The charter should be so
as to give the board of COM
rlissioners the power and make it
their duty to define by ordinance
The duties and compensations of each
Of the appointive officers of the said
city where the same have not been
defined by this charter as amended
and to prescribe additional duties Of
said officers.
90 Section 9 and 10 of Art 8
of the present charter should be
oo 90 W tIt vi lHt
head of each department in the place
of having a commissioner at the
head of each department and making
it the duty Of the mayor to audit the
accounts and claims against the city
and providing further that no money
shall be paid out for any purpose
except on warrant drawn by the may
D., attested by the clerk and made
~ on the order of the board of COM
Co. The article under the pres ent
charter providing for city assessor
Should be stricken out and Section 9
IF Article II of the present charter
should be so amended as to give the
b, ard of commissioners the power to
give a hearing to any elective or ap-
pt intive officer charged with incom-
potency. corruption or misconduct in
office and remove him if they deem
/ advisable.
This writer has not the time at his