The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-11-12
CHARTER COMMISSION
NOW HARD At WORK
On New Charter for Palatka
Lack of Public
Interest.

est in your meetings" asked The
News representative of Mr.. J. H. Yel-
verton, Jr., one of the commissioners
recently elected to prepare a new Pa
latka charter
"Hasn't been a soul present at any
of the meetings yet replied the COM
sioner, "and we have held several, per-
haps they will come later. 1t is too
bad; seems as if the people should
take more interest. But we will go
on and do the best we can, and will
hope for an aroused interest in this
Important work."
Mr.. Yelverton has been a close stu
dent of municipal matters ever since
, he was first elected to the council,
and when he left that body last year,
declining to become a candidate for
reelection, it was generally conceded
that. the city was losing its most val
liable man.
In an interview with Howell A. Da-
Wis, another member of the commits
sion, and who has also served the
city long and well both as mayor and
member of the council, that gentle
man said
1--WE are getting matters in shape
and have already had several points
up for discussion. In the first place
we have defined the city boundaries,
and we have practically settled on a
division of the city into three wards
instead Of the seven as now consti-
tuted.
"Our idea is to have two aldermen
from each ward, each elected for two
years, on alternate years. These al
dermen will comprise the legislative
body-will pass all ordinances. The
aldermen will elect three commission
ers from outside their number who
will be the executive branch of the
government. These commissioners
will elect one of their number Mayor.
The commission will make all appoint
ments of city officers, not for any stat
ed term, but during good behavior"
and good service, This plan will leave
the aldermen free of matters which
have been distasteful to some of our
best men on the council. We believe
that under this arrangement we will
be able to secure the service of some
of Palatka's best, most competent men
as aldermen. They will not object to
considering ordinances, but experience
has shown that they do dislike the
petty politics which makes them elect
the officers, such as policeman, etc.
Several men have quit the council in
the past because of this work"
IN The boundaries of the three wards
as already agreed upon by the commits
SiOners are as follows:
Ward No. begin at the intersec-
tion of the center line of Kirkland
street with the St. Johns River, thence
northwesterly along the center line of
Kirkland street to the cenie1 line Of
Laurel street, thence westerly along
the center line of Laurel street to the
center line of 18th street, thence nor
therly along the center line of 18th
street to the center line of Eagle
street, thence westerly along the cen
ter line of Eagle street to the Grart
Inc, thence southweSterly alnng the
Grant line to the west corner of the
Grant, thence southeasterly along the
grant line to the St. Johns River,
thence northeasterly following the
shore of said river to the point of be-
ginning.
Ward No. Begin at the intersec-
ton of the center line of Main street
with the St. Johns River, thence wes-
terly along the center line of Main
street to the center line of Water or
First street, thence southerly follow
ing the center line of Water or First
street to the center line of Lemon
street, thence westerly following the
center line of Lemon street to the
center line of 10th street, thence nor
therly along the center line of 10th
street to the Grant line, thence north
westerly along the Grant line to the
north corner of the Grant, thence
Isouthwesterly along the Grant line to
the center line of Eagle street, thence
easterly along the center line of Ea-
gle street to the center line of
18th street, thence southerly along
the center line of 18th street to the
center line of Laurel street, thence
Ieasterly along the center line of Lau-
rel street to the center line of Kirk
land street, thence southeasterly along
the center line of Kirkland street TO
the st. Johns River, thence northeas-
terly following the shore of said river
to the point of beginning.
Ward No. 3-Begin at the intersec-
ton of the center line of 10th street
with the Grant line, thence southerly
along the center line of 10th street to
the center line of Lemon street, thence
easterly following the center line of
Lemon street to the center line of Wa
ter or First street, thence northerly
following the center line of Water
or First street to the center line Of
Main street, thence easterly along the
center line of Main street to the st.
Johns River, thence northwesterly fol-
lowing the shore of said river to the
Grant line, thence northwesterly along
the Grant line to point of beginning.
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