New Britain herald., 1917-01-27
PROPOSED CHANGES
IN CITY CHARTER
Complete List Of Amendments
Adopted by Committee


commenced the duties of compiling
the drafts and amendments passed
upon by the committee. The work
of printing the drafts will be given
to a printer to prepare in form SINH
lar to that of the reports for action
at the regular meetings of the coun-
Gil.
Two Of the most important matters
acted upon during the sessions of the
committee pertain to the changing Of
the city court, giving it unlimited jur-
isdiction, which grants it the right to
naturalize foreign citizens and one
which will probably settle the NOV
ing picture matter, which has proved
to be bug-a-boo in the council for
many months. Under the proposed
draft the mayor will have the right
to appoint a committee which will
practically sanction the presentation
Of all pictures, and for violations of
this law, theater licenses may be sus-
pended or revoked at the disposition
Of the committee.
The various drafts and amendments
to be acted upon at the February
meeting Of the common council, pre-
ceding the presentation to the legis-
lature are as follows:
Regarding Estimates.
Providing for changes in the dates
for making up of city estimates,
whereby the board of finance and tax
alton will complete it's work one
month earlier than at present, so that
annual estimates will be presented at
! the regular meeting Of the common
council In February instead Of March,
| making unnecessary postponing action
| on the estimates until a special meet
| ing OF the common council one week
| later. A city meeting shall be
called within ten days here
| after to take action on the tax
rate. The object of this change is to
| enable the board of public works, the
| park board and other departments
having outside work, to plan their
| work from a season ahead in better
manner than by the present system,
because they will know what their ap-
| preparations will be one month earlier
| than by the present arrangement.
The committee acted on this matter at
! the suggestion of Chairman w. F.
Brooks of the park board
Water Board Organization.
The committee recommends COM
| plete change in the organization of
! the water department. Instead of a
| partisan board of three members,
| elected by the common council, the
| board under the proposed change will
! be bipartisan composed Of four
members appointed by the mayor The
| chairman will be the only member
who shall receive compensation
| whereas all members at present re-
ceive salary for their services. The
| board is to be a continuous body, the
members to serve for four years, one
retiring each year. 1t is expressly
! stipulated that the clerk shall not be
! a member of the board. The change
! also provides that the board shall sub
NIT for the approval of the common
council the compensation of all it's
officials and employees, instead Of be-
ing obliged to submit both the ap-
pointment and the compensation as
| at present.
Extension of Sideways.
On recommendation of the board
| of public works, the committee pro-
| vide for an amendment in regard to
! the construction of subVays so as to
| enable the city to build further sub
ways without extending the perma-
| nent pavement. Under the old char
ter act, the construction was confined
| to the permanent area. This was put
| in the charter at the instigation Of
| the public service corporation to
| check the building of municipal sub
! ways. The change now has the ap-
| prevail of each corporation as the
| object is to make Slight extensions to
the subway where the laying Of the
permanent pavement would be q SER
ious handicap. The principal object
| is to bring electric power to several
of the local manufacturing concerns.
| The board of public works also rec
commended regulations In regard to
| the care and removal of trees, but
| the committee upon the advice Of the
corporation counsel decided it was
| unnecessary to lumber the charter
with these changes which can be
| taken care of through the ordinances.
Building Inspector.
An amendment is proposed in the
section for the appointment of q
| building inspector. to serve through
! good behavior instead of being ap-
pointed annually by the mayor. 1t
was further proposed that a salary
should be fixed for this official, so
that he will devote his entire time to
| the office. 1t was decided that this
matter can be governed by ordi-
! nance.
Election Day Hours.
! A slight change is made in the reg
| uIatione regarding city elections.
| whereby the polls shall open at $50
| o'clock in the morning instead of 6
O'Clock to aCcomm Odate workings
mon. particularly those committing to
| Hartford
Movie Exhibitions
| Radical changes arc proposed in