The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-01-30
Commission Form Petitions
Signed by 225 People Are
Ready for Filing Now.
EXPECT VOTERS TO ACT SOON
If Commission Form Is Adopted in Ke-
nosha it Would go Into Effect at the
Election to pc Held in 1914-Provi-
sions OF Law Are Worthy of Study.

The first two petitions demanding
that the question of adopting the COM
mission form Of government be sub
mitted to the people of Kenosha at q
special election are ready for fling.
They contain the names of some two
hundred and twenty five electors OF
the city and the men who are pro-
noting the movement hope to make
whirlwind campaign of it and have
sufficient names signed to the petition
to have the question submitted at the
coming election. It would be impossi
BILE to submit the question before that
time as the state law provides that
the council shall set date for the
election which shall be two months af
ter the fling of the petitions. If the
question is to be voted on at the COM
ing election the petitions must be Ill
the hands of the city clerk by the first
day of February. 1t is not thought
that this is possible.
Under the law the petitions must lie
signed by twenty-five per cent of the
electors who voted for mayor at the
election held in 1912. The various
candidates for mayor at this election
received a total of 1880 votes and
this would demand 1915 names ON the
commission form petitions. The pro
moters claim that no organized move
n1e4lt~hs1s been made to secure the
necessary signatures and that the two
petitions now ready for filing repre-
sent the work of but two men. 1t is
said that there are score of other men
in the city who are ready to get into
the work Of circulating the petitions.
The officials of the city are expected
to look kindly on the movement and
it is known that several of the mem-
bers Of the common council who would
be legislated out of office by the adop-
tion of the commission form have al
ready signed the petitions. These men
have declared that they are willing to
give up their political places if the
people of the city believe that the
commission form is the proper form
for the city.
Under the strict reading Of the law
an election of commission could not
be held until the first Tuesday in
April following the adoption of the
commission form so that if the plan
succeeds the first election of the new
officials as a commission will take
place in 1914. The men to be elected
will include mayor and two council
men at large. The term of the mayor
is six years and that of the council
men for two and four years. The law
provides that after the election the
which shall take up the four years
term. The candidate for mayor may
be nonresident, but he must reside
in the city during the term of his Of
flee. 1t is strictly stipulated in the
law that no person who holds a IL
canse for the sale of intoxicating IL
quors may be eligible to any of the
positions.
The candidates for commissioners
arc nominated at primary election
The same as is held under the new
partisan law. Terms of off .iaIs
are to begin on the third Tuesday III
April The three shall constitute The
Getty Council and the mayor viii
he president Of the council. He has
vote on all matters but no veto pow
or. This council will have power 10
name such officials as it may see fit
including a city clerk, corporation
counsel, comptroller, treasurer, super
intendent Of streets and health Of
ficlals. The commission Will have the
right to fix the terms of Office and the
salaries to be paid to all officials 50
named. Any of these officials may be
removed by a vote Of two of the com
missioners.
The Salary of the mayor is fixed by
the state law for Kenosha at $4,000
per year and that of each of the mem
bers Of the council at $500. The
salary Of the mayor and the commits
sioners may be increased by the cleo
tors at a general election.
All actions of the council in the way
of passing ordinances shall be subject
to the action Of vote of the people
if sufficient number of electors
make this demand and any action