Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-03-08

In 1915 the city attorney was hold
ing the position that he now hold.
and was named on a committee will
]. V. Walton and Howell A. Davis tx
codify the ordinances of the city
When this committee began its worl
it found that the city was actually
operating without a charter, and s
report was made to council to this
effect, over the signatures of the
members of the committee, and re
quest was made that a charter boarC
be elected. That's what started the
charter revision movement. The
same condition exists now, Here is
what the city attorney signed at that
time:
"Your special codification commit.
tee named in the ordinance of July
6, 1915 respectfully reports that:
sin making a codification of the
ordinances of Palatka, we found il
indispensable to determine what is
the charter of the city of Palatka.
This required us to go back to the
original act of 1852 when this town
government of Palatka was first or
ganized, and to follow the changes
and amendments and enlargement of
our charter powers, through numer-
Gus legislative acts to this date. This
was necessary in order for your COM
mittee to determine the legality of
the various ordinances, many of
which have been effected by the
charter changes.
'The act of 1852 was passed at a
time when Palatka had only two or
three hundred inhabitants and when
conditions were very different from
the present and was soon found
wholly inadequate.
$50 in 1857 the legislature passed
a new charter making complete pro-
vision for all phases of the city gov
eminent and wholly abolishing the
former charter. With this as basis
mnay subsequent acts have been
passed amending, charging or re-
stricting our powers as municipal
ity, but none of which have attempt
ed to change the whole structure.
"This left the city more or less de-
pendent on the charter of 1887 for
its grant of power in all matters, ex-
cept those fully covered in subse-
quent special acts.
an our study, research and inves-
tigation the force, effect and mean
ing of the various laws, which, taken
together, constitute our charter, we
found that the supreme court of
Florida in June, 1888, held the act
of 1887 to be void and of no effect
as law.
eve think it proper to add that in
view of the invalidity of the charter
of 1887 our committee made a most
thorough and careful examination of
the effect of this decision on the
powers of the city of Palatka and
particularly with regard to the as
sessment and collection of revenue,
and we find that the special acts of
the legislature passed since 1887
fully and completely empower and
authorize the city of Palatka to as
sess and collect its taxes in the man
ner and form that has been and is
now followed. However, we are not
so fortunate with regard to many
other powers necessary to the city
and granted in that act.
therefore your committee deems
it absolutely necessary that a new
charter be obtained as soon as pos
5ible. With the knowledge of this
necessity before US we examined
Chapter 6940 of the acts of 1915,
cities and towns to
amend their charters and to adopt
charters for their government. This |
aw provides that charters or amend |
nents thereof can only be proposed |
~ a charter board consisting of a