Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-01-14
Town Council.

tee on change of charter and boundal
les. reported as follows:
| To the Honorable Mayor and Councl
of the Corporation of Charles Town
1 Your committee. appointed to in.
vestigate, Consider and report sucl
amendments as might in its opinion
be desirable in the present charte
! of the corporation of Charles Town
recommends the following amend
ments
i /. That the boundaries of sait
town be extended from their pres
ent location to conform to the loca
ton set forth in the accompanyin;
plat, traced in red ink.
1.-THE proposed change in the BOUNDARY
takes in the Norfolk and Western track!
and station as far south as the nortt
side of the Summit Point road and fol
lows the north side of that road to the
present line; also takes in the territor,
at the south end of George and Samue
streets already built up.]
i Z. That such changes be, made in
the present charter as that. while re
| tanning the requirement that the coun
Gil shall consist of two members re-
siding in each ward, yet that the. coun-
cilmen shall be voted for all over the
tewn in manner similar to that now
in effect for the election of members
Of the County Court of Jefferson
! County.
5. That a vacancy in the office OF
mayor or councilman shall be file
by appointment by the council unit
the. next election of town Officers
only and not for the unexoired term
as at present.
4 4. That the qualification OF voters
[ be amended so as to permit all per
sons to vote who are citizens of til
town for thirty days, and of the Stat
for one year preceding such election.
and are eligible to vote at state cleo.
tons, provided that no person shall b.
permitted to vote who isin dcfau.
tor non-payment of corporation taxes.
| 5. That section be added to thu
present charter of the town authoriz
ing the maintenance and operation by
the town of hitching yard, ane
authorizing the county court to con
tribute annually to the expense OF tn
bup-keep thereof, from, say 500
/ $500; providing that, in case of suci
annual contribution, the rules respec..
ing the use and operation Of til
hitching yard be made and promul-
gated by committee from the COUNTY
court and the council Of Charles
| Town.
f. That section be added to tn
present charter making statutory tn
duty of the county court to kee
macadamized and piked and cover.
| with finely crushed stone the midGi
fifteen feet of Main street, and t
keep in good order and repair an
i free from distractions, &c, the III
width of said street; authorizing tn
county court, on petition of the coul
| cilo of the corporation of Charles Town
!, to surrender the jurisdiction AMI cos
| troll of this street. together with the
1correlative duty of keeping the sam
piked and in repair, to the Corpora
ton of Charles Town, the COUNTY
court paying to the corporation sucl
amounts as may be expended annual
lily by it in repairing said street; OF
at the option of the county court, IL
case such petition is filed, to pay
the corporation of Charles Town sueh
lump sum as may be agreed upon, ii
consideration of the assumption b,
said corporate authorities of the up
keep and maintenance Of said street.
| I. That the present tax rate. of 8.
cents on the 500 be retained, excep.
that, where it appears to the satiSfac
ton of the council that levy OF 3!
cents each $500 will not produce
sufficient revenue to pay current eS
| penses, interest on the bonded in
debtedness of the town, and create I
sinking fund sufficient to liqu:date ti'
bonded indebtedness Of the town viii
in the time prescribed by law, that in
such case the levy of IS cents on the
500 amy be increased to such amount:
not exceeding 50 cents on the $l00, a.
the council may think necessary; pro-
vided, however, that no such increase
over IS cents on the 500 shall bs
made without the unanimous eonscn
of all Of the, members elected to the
council, entered of record.
I 5. That the council should have
power to prescribe and enfor5e rca
sonable ordinances for the. purpose o.
protecting the health, decency, NOR
atty and good order of the town and
inhabitants, and to punish violations
of such ordinances, even if the OF
1 fences under and against such ordi-
! nances shall also constitute offences
under the laws of the State of West
Virginia or the common law.
/ Your committee further recommends
before the proposed amendments are
submitted to the legislature and the pas.
sage of an act giving effect thereto is
]. requested, that whatever amendments
the Council sees fit to request. be sub
mitted to mass meeting of the citizen:
and taxpayers of the town, to be called
| by the Council. and criticism thereof
and suggestions in relation thereto b.
requested of the citszens. to the enc
that the same may be thoroughly thresh
ed out and discussed. section by section
and the citizens of the town be given Al
opportunity of expressing themselves il
relation thereto.
After fha ranorf xr,oc rod IN, fl1a .larf