Evening journal., 1917-03-02
OFFER AMENDMENTS
TO CITY CHARTER
Paragraphs TO be Discussed
at Public Meeting Next
Wednesday Night
CHANGES ARE
MADE PUBLIC

IN1 ~ NiN'NNiNtlNS NtlNlt AHtN Melt
drawn in the shape of-bills at a meet
ing held December Is. Now that the
amendments have been drawn and in
PRODUCED in the Assembly, It is desired
by The Chamber of Commerce to have
The benefit Of the cooperation OF many
citizens in securing the enactmmt OF the
bills.
The committee. which was appoint
cd jointly by the Chamber OF Com
Bnerce and the Wilmington Civics As
Hociation for the purpose Of prepar-
ing charter amendments for Whining
ton, has had presented in the House
Of Representative a series of FIVE
bills covering its proposals.
House bin 500 is a general bill COW
ering the most comprehensive Of the
proposed changes. It includes the con-
yeyance OF additional legislative
powers 10 Council; changing Council
10 eight members, Of which four are
elected at large from each Of two dis
tricts, northern and. southern, with
the president OF Council elected at
large from the city; giving TO Council
oil the legislative powers OF the city,
but not administrative, non-partisan
election through petition and pri-
mary; strengthening the budget sys-
tenn the creation of a financial de-
partment and comptroller, and
changes in the organization Of the
Board OF Health, with an increase of
its powers
In support Of this general bill four
lesser bills have been presented COW
ering the following changes:
II B. 237 An act to amend Chap
NN..I.4 j i % nal.
by taking from the Street and Sewer
Department all legislative powers and
transferring to that department the
appointment and administration OF
the offices OF building inspector and
clerk OF the market.
The purpose Of this amendment is
10 centralize all the legislative powers
OF the city with the elective represen-
tatives OF the voters; to place the
building inspector with that depart
ment which maintains an engineering
office, and to place the clerk OF the
market with that department which
has the administration OF the streets.
II. B. 30S An amendment to Chap
ter %. Volume 20, Laws OF Delaware,
whereby the Mayor and Council of
Wilmington is to pay the premiums
on bonds required to be given by GER
tain officials.
II Is required by present law and by
he provisions OF H. B. 500 that some
Of the departmental commissioners
shall be very heavily bonded These
officials receive only nominal salaries,
so that II is proposed that the pre-
mlums on their bonding in the future
shall be paid by the city.
II. b. 3l3. To repeal the once OF
coal oil inspector
It rs commended by the committee
that this. official which is now appoint
ed by the Council has few duties and
should be dispensed with for the sake
OF economy. This bill does not affect
the right of the city tn tax the oil now
sold In Wilmington as now done by
ordinance.
". b. 357 An act providing for the
Initiative and Referendum for the City
Of Wilmington.
The committee believed that a fair
Initiative and Referendum law is ne
cessary for the ultimate increase in
the powers OF self-government for
Wilmington. The detail provisions are
as follows:
Initiative. Legislation may be initi-
hted by petition as follows:
A. Ten per cent Of the voters on
petition may require that any Ques-
tion be put upon the ballot at the next
general municipal election.
B. Twenty-Five per cent OF the vot-
ers on petition may require immediate
passage of an ordinance by Council or
The calling of special election II there
he no general election in more than
thirty days. or less than ninety days,
from the date of filing the petition
with the mayor.
Referendum. No ordinance Except
an emergency measure which requires
"a four-fifths vote OF CounciD goes
into eeffct for thirty days after its
passage and approval by the mayor
IT. during that period, 10 per cent. OF
the voters petition against II. the ordi-
nance shall be repealed or may be sub
United for vote by the people at the
next general or special election as de-
termned by Council.
Full details of the general
Vow: '1'"s"'7 covered IN H. D. 'Os' ioi-
section j. A nominal change to the
u eeene Jaw regarding the requirement
~, p,ope.y by the city by inserting
words by agreement or condem-
nation Proceedings"
Section 3 Elective on.
co,rci1 =, 20 consist OF tic MAYOR
council or eight members ana = -. - "a
suehe OF council. All other ofsco ~ 90 =,
be appointive Oineers 70
Section 3 Council City election
held the first Saturday in Ju,a 'e s.-l,,
two years. Four members of cc NM
from the northern district north ~ !,
Eighth street, and four from ~
southern district south Of Fipbn
street. President Of council elected \
large Council appoints SIS own clerl
and bailiff, but no other officers.
Election. A petition of fifty voter
OF the city is sufficient to place a car
ojdate's name on the primary ballo
Primary election held on the third Sa
urday in May. Officials holding ele'
tive Offices may file their names Il
re-eIection without petition. Names
nomination to be published and to
placed on the ballot alphabetically
Non Partisan Elections. The ballc
shall contain 20 rty designation
Section A. Powers of Council
Health regulations; animals at large
public buildings; granting of new
franchises fwhen concurred in by thu
Street & Sewer Department. superyi
zion OF public or quasi utilities I'm the
public places OF the city; lighting OF
+ public places; requirement and Cd.
& %4nf'op OF water works: water front
f<S19,<u1erce supervision: building reg