The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-02-06
WHAT CHARTER
WOULD MEAN TO.
CITY; sA|||YI|'I|'N'IG||;OF
PUBLIC MONEY
Municipality Would Be Con.
Quoted Same as Corpora
tion; Responsibility Fixed
FIVE BUSINESS MEN TO
BE IN PERSONAL CHARGE
-.------ ~, ,3.sf
Old Ward Politics Would Be.
come Memory Of Past; New
Era Would Dawn

The corporation OF the ClLy ol De-
midi, conducted on the same lines as
business corporation. Such is the
purpose Of the proposed new city
charter, which the citizens Of the
city will vote on at the next munl-
cipal election, February l8.
Just what the new ch harter means,
can be summed up briefly, III that
under the present regime, as always,
the affairs Of the people of the city
are not conserved as they should be.
8 The members Of the city council
are all business men with other IN
terests and receive not a cent for
their services, and. haven't the time
TO give attention to municipal affairs
much as they would like, .and there
IL always that danger Of the wrong
man being sent to represent the peo-
Dle,. politically made without refer-
ence to fitness. AS 1T is today under
! the present system, there is little re-
sponsibility and the city spends
yearly approximately $4,000 in its
maintainence. ~
Business Proposition.
The new proposition would give
! to the peopie Hve nresen ntatiye busi-
ness men, WHO sWoHfd In turn zfi fires2a
general managersthe same as 9 large
manufacturing concern or other in. IA.
dustry, the manager being under the
control OF the commissioners. The
ward boundaries would remain the
same at. the outset, each precinct se-
lecting candidates for the commits
sionership, the entire city to make
the selections. The term is four
years. The first selections would be
the highest two for the four-year
term and the other three for the two
wear term, elections to be held every
two years in the fall at the same
time as the general state elections,
and thus do away with the expense
OF the annual primaries and spring
elections
Commissioners Responsible.
The right is reserved at all times
on the part Of the commission TO
discharge the city manager for any
reasonable cause. They shall meet
once each week and at the end Of
every month a report shall be made
or the financial condition Of the city.
The commission shall appoint the
health officer and board of health,
the city clerk, city attorney and the
city treasurer, and be responsible. for
the proper eonduct OF the city. The
commission would also hire the po-
lice, truck drivers and name the
street commissioner, likewise the
man whose sole duties would be to
look after the waterworks system in
the interests of the consumers and
municipality
Each. OF the cornerstone would
draw 800 per year, and failures TO
attend meetings would forfeit two
per cent of his yearly stipend for
every session missed each week, i'm
less for reasonable cause,
The library board would remain
intact, and so would the board of
education which comes under the
state law. One Commissioner would
be named by the commissioners and
designated as mayor. X The park
board would be taken care Of by the
commission. AT any time. the com
missioners could select an advisory
committee Of citizens when a prob
lem Of Importance comes up.
Referendum and Recall.
The initiative. referendum and re-
call Is also provided to remove any
incompetent official commissioner at
the will of the majority of the people.
All ordinances now on the munich
pal statutes, not in conflict with the
provisions Of the new charter, would
hold good.
idea is SIMPLICITY.
The idea is to simplify the busi-
ness administration of the city and
reduce the useless waste of munich
pal. funds, owing to lack of system,
impossible under the present status,
in nutshell secure business man
ager, whose sole duties will be to look
after the affairs of the city as in
structed, eliminating politics, such as
has dominated the community in its
business affairs. AS it has been, en-
incompetent employe could tell his
superior to go to Hades" and get
away with 1t, owing to the right sort
OF pull II has been done. Under
the new order. OF things his services
wotf1d be terminated in an instant. q.
Strikes POPULAR Chord.
One of the strongest and most ar
dent talks given in favor of the