The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-10-14
City Attorney Slater Digs Down into Kenosha's
Experience for Suggestions to Better
Conditions.
WILL SEEK UNIFORM CHARTERS
Plans for State Charter Law Provided for
Consideration by Kenoshas Dean.

With the understanding that Keno
sha is desperately interested in secur-
ing a new city charter for herself and
with the understanding that Kenosha
is willing to give of her experience for
the aid of other cities in the state,
City Attorney John C. Slater has pre-
pared for the consideration of the
Wisconsin League Of Municipalities
converting at Lacrosse tomorrow, plans
for bill which will give a new gem
eral charter law for the state.
AS City Attorney Slater is dean Of
the city attorneys Of the state, and
known as an expert on municipal law,
it is certain that the plans he proposes
will be given wide consideration. The
points which are to be suggested for
the new law we're put into form today
and they will be presented to the CON
vention Wednesday by Mayor John G..
Joachim and the city attorney.
Bring Boards Closer Together.
One of the most interesting features
of the plans proposed from Kenosha
will be a plan to bring civic boards
closer together and to make the finan-
cial expenditures of the cities more
directly under the control of the COM
mon council. This will especially deal
with the big problems of school taxes
and the plan which will be suggested
will make the work of the boards Of
education in the state no less indie
pendent but more uniform. 1t is pro-
posed to suggest an addition to the
charter law which will give the boards
the chance to make their own appro-
priations but with the understanding
that the schools must get along within
the appropriations made.
The experience of Kenosha in deal
ing with its old special charter has
brought to light lot of difficulties
and it is the plan of the city attorney
20 present some of these difficulties
and his proposed remedies for them.
TO Take Care of New York.
The changes in municipal work in
Che past half century have made, pro-
visions of the general charter law and
che thirty-fve special charters in the
state obsolete and it is the plan of the
Kenoshans to suggest that an up-to-
date charter law be framed. This law
would take into consideration new
laws which have been passed by the
state legalizing appropriations for vo-
cational education, for play grounds
and public recreation and for better
and more rapid methods of securing
public improvements.
The lack of uniformity among the
cities in the handling of outdoor re-
lef is to be shown to the convention
and Kenosha may propose her own
plan for expenditure of these funds
as way to solve this problem.
To Offer Zoning Feature.
Mayor John G. Joachim will present
to the state organization the sugges-
ton that the new state charter law
make provisions for zoning in cities.
This is plan by which cerain dis
tricts of the cities of the state may be
protected against he,coming of stores
and factories and garages and other
forms of business building which de-
tract from the districts as residence"
districts. The mayor has secured a
most interesting statement from Evans
ton showing the zoning ordinance now
pending before the common council in