The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-03-09
7HE pAILYE cAAT WIFI rAE

AAo mayor toudy lakes up the paw.
Ing sections OF the charter and adults
Just what we have heretofore ex.
planned, that instead OF permitting
the city TO assess properly owners
for paving and other improvements
without limit the new: charter limits
the amount to be paid by the property
owners to :third-just as the state
law provides, and We ask the mayor
TO point out any single instance where
any paving has been done by the
present board and all the cost has
been paid by the property owners,
we are informed that they have not
carried out the provisions of the old
charter in this respect.
Il we are wrongly informed we
stand ready to make the correction.
But We believe Mayor Bowen will find,
upon investigation, that more people
opposed the old charter on the paw
Ing provisions than for any other rea.
SON ItscertainlySis a dangerous situa.
ttonto place property owners in where
BY their property can be confiscated
BY assessments for improvements. II
this Is such q good plan we do not
see why the present commissioners
have not been enforcing 1t. The
mayor also bemoans the imaginary
fact that the city cannot so on aud
pave streets and let The property
owners pay the whole OF The cost
when they petition that tLv want
TO do so. 10 the mayor will read sec.
ton 116 Of the new charter he will
find that such provisions is made
and that when the property owners
go elect and express their willing.
ness to pay, not only all the cost OF
the paving, but the cost Of tho inter.
sections as we'll. they will be per-
mitted to do so. We know OF 10 law
In effect now or that may hereafter
be placed upon the statute books to
prevent any person or body OF per-
sons in any city from paving and I'M.
proving their own property If they
80 elect. The people Of Fafrmont may
by petition pave the streets OF the
city with gold II they choose and
there Sislnothing in the new or the old
charter to preYent them from doing
ii e they pay their bills.
The mayor also critIclses tho pro-
visions for sfifteen days advertising
for bidders before paving contracts
are let. The present charter, page
35. paragraph G) makes this same
provision. The mayor Is in errors
when he says that tho old charter
provides fer notice being given in any
other way on paving contracts. This
section Of the old charter reads as
follows:s
% The notice for bids or nro.
posals for doing such improvements
either for street improvement or the
construction of sewers, S II ALL BE
PUBLISHED Tor at least flftccn days
In two newspapers OF opposite poll.
tics published in said city"
This SHALL be done, says the old
charter. and there is no other way
for giving this notice except by such
publication and tho mayor viii find
that out IL he will read the charter
he Is now living under. There are
proyisions for publications. in the old
chartertWhereby notices may be made
III other manner than by publication
and there are such provisions IN the
new charter but not with reference 10
paving contracts.
VIII the mayor be fair enough 10
state tomorrow that he was III error
when he said that the commissioners
could advertise for paving bidders i'll
any other way? :.
Does the mayor want 10 go on re.
cord as fayorlng a plan Of letting
contracts amounting to thousands ut
dollars without giving contractors
notice2
Does he know OF any better way 10
give such notice than through the
daily newspapers?
Does he not know that In many
cases the bringing OF one additional
bidder In TO competition will reduce
the cost OF the paving more than
enough 70 pay the meagre cost OF
publication many times and in many
instances hundreds OF times?
DO big or little private corporations
lot contracts without advertising for
bidders3
Does the state or county lot con.
tracts for buildings, bridges or other
public Improvements without advcr.
Using for bidders?
Letting contracts secretly paves
the way for graft and makes the i'm.
proyenents cost the tax payers more
and We do not believe that even the
mayor wants to do this.
The mayor asserts that the paving
sections Of the charter arc the same
% the old ones with The exception OF
the twothirds limit. 1t not only car.
ries the two.thirls limit but limits
improvement assessments to one.
third the value Of the property in any
period Of Siye;years.
II algN y,sotSaa thn rnr,n 1ty,,S- 80,