The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-10-09
CHARTER COMM|S.
S|ONERS FINISH WORK
ON PROPOSITION
LENGTHY EPISTLE is SUBMIT
TED FOR CONSIDERATION AND
PERUSAL OF CITY ELECTORS.

Inc IOllONlHS 10 IAc PioP0oSA IN
charter for this city. Voters read it
carefully so as to. be posted and pre-
pared to question, condemn or praise
ii. as you see fit. A public meeting
will undoubtedly son be held to dis
cuss it, at which you should be pres
ent.
#M PREAMBLE
We, the people of the City of Beld-
ing, Michigan, in order to obtain the
benefits of local self government, to
encourage direct and business-like
methods in the conduct of our munich
pal affairs, to conserve and utilize
public values for public benefits, and
to promote our common welfare, do
enact the following charter:
GENERAL
Powers of the City.
Section /. The inhabitants of the
city of Belding, Michigan as its limits
now are or hereafter may be estab-
,ished, shall continue to be body po-
lite and corporate, to be known as the
'"City of Belding," and as such shall
have and may exercise all powers
which now are or hereafter may be
conferred upon or reserved to, cities
of the same class under the constitu
tion and laws of the state as fully
and completely as though said powers
were specifically enumerated herein,
and no, enumeration of particular pow
ers by this charter shall be held to
be exclusive.
City Boundaries.
Section 2. The following described
territory is and constitutes the City of
Belding, and is subject TO the munici-
pal control of said corporation: The
same territory which now constitutes
the said City of Belding.
WARD AND VOTING PRECINCTS
Section g. AN wards heretofore
existing in said city are hereby abol-
isheds and said city shall hereafter
consist of one ward.
Section A. The city (ward) here
after shall constitute l voting pre-
cinct which shall embrace the whole
of said city (ward), though additional
voting precincts may be created by
the commission, either through di-
vision of said precinct into two or
more voting precincts or the addition
of new territory to said city.
Section 5. The Commission may,
by ordinance, increase the number of
voting precincts or change their boun-
daries. No division shall be made
within thirty days (30) next preced-
ing election, and provided that in case
of the division of any precinct or ad-
dition in number there shall be a new
registration Of the electors of the
precinct before the next election
thereafter, electors to be registered in
the several precincts in which they
respectively reside.
Section 6. Each precinct shall be
an election district, and all elections
shall be held at such place in each
precinct as the Commission shall des-
ignate.
THE CITY COMMISSION
Creation of City Commission.
Section T. There is hereby created
a City Commission which shall have
full power and authority, except as
herein otherwise provided to exercise
all the powers conferred upon the city
and is authorized to pass all laws and
ordinances relating to its municipal
concerns and provide proper penal
ties for the violation thereof, subject
to the constitution and general laws
of the state and this charter.
Composition of City Commission.
Section 8. The City Commission
shall consist of three members who
shall be elected on a general ticket
from the city at large and shall serve
for a term of six years, except as
herein otherwise provided, and shall
be subject to recall as hereinafter pro-
vided.
Qualifications.
Section 8. (a)-Members of the
City Commission shall have been resi-
dents of the city for a term of al
least two years Immediately prior to
their election or appointment, and
have the qualifications of electors
therein. The City Commission shall
be the judge of the election and quail
ifcations of its own members, sub
ject to review by the courts. Nc
member Of the City Commission shall
during his term of office, hold any
other city office unless otherwise pro-
vided in this charter.
(bJ-No member of the City Com
mission, or other officer shall be in
terested directly or indirectly, in the
profits of any contract, job or work
or be financially interested, directly
or indirectly, in the sale to the city
of any land, materials, supplies OF
services (other than official services)
Any member of the City Commission
or other officer of the city. offending
against the provisions of this section
shall, upon conviction thereof, be finec
or imprisoned, or both, as is provided
by law, and shall forfeit his office
Restriction on Powers of City Com
mission.
section lO. Any member OF the
Commission who shall have been con.
victed of a felony while in office shall
thereby forfeit his office. Neither
the Commission nor any of its mem.
bers or committees shall dictate the
appointment Of any person to office
or employment by the City Manager
TO prevent him from exercising his
judgment in the appointment Of off
GERS and employees in the administra.
tive service. Except for the purpose
of inquiry the Commission and it.
members shall deal with the admin
istrative service solely through tn,
City Manager, and neither the Com
mission nor any member thereof shall
give orders or directions to any of the
subordinates of the City Manager.