Norwich bulletin., 1922-01-25

D0lnS QraIted by Ine charter cOInInlS- sion, of which Charles D. Moves Is chairman, and which will be presented to the voters of the city this coming spring for their approval or disap- proval. will, if it is adopted. abolish the city meeting insofar as appropria- tions are concerned, and will place the control of the city's finances with a board of finance. The city budget as prepared by the board of finance will be subject to two- o-thirds vote of board of aldermen, which with a mayor will constitute the governing body of the city. This is the most radicaI change in city affairs contemplated by .'the charter commission in the new charter.
 The proposed changes In the matter of city government were unfolded Tuesday evening by Martin E. Jen- sen, chairman of the sub committee of the charter commission in cSharge of the completing the draft of the new charter, at a public hearing held in the common council chamber at the court house. No | opposition to the new charter develop | ed at the hearing, although a number l of question were asked and several l suggestions made.
 The hearing, which is one of two
 arranged for this week by the charter
 commission, was held for the purpose l of securing public sentiment on the l provisions of the new charter and also
 for the purpose of giving the citizens | of the city a chance to make sugges-
 tions which will be taken into con-
 sideration by the commission.
 {, The hearing was called to order at l 8 o'clock sharp by Chairman Moves. | 1 suppose you know the charter com mission has held many meetings during the past few months, said MT. Moves l Everything we have incorporated in the
 draft of the new charter is tentative. We
 realize We may have overlooked soNle things whicE may be vital. The clerk will make a record of any suggestions or criticisms that may be made here to-
 night so that we can take them up for discussion later. So far very little has
 appeared in the press Regarding the
 provisions of the new charter. All is
 in the rough at the present time but as
 it stands We are agreed as a commis-
 sion. Tonight you will get some idea as to the proposed charter.
 I Mir. Jensen Explains.
 Mr. Moves then asked MT. Jensen tc
 take the chair. MT. Jensen said the pre-
 paration of the charter is well under
 way and that it is expected it will bt
 completed not later than the first weei
 in February. A large part of it is com
 plete now, MT. Jensen said, and the res
 is in shape and is waiting to be typed
 MT. Jensen said he believed this is {
 good time to make changes if they ar
 found desirable.
 When is it proposed to vote on tn
 charter?" asked John J. Corkery.
 Mps Jensen said it is planned to vot
 on the charter at 8 special election ear
 ly in May.
 When to Take Vote. Mr. Corkery said that when the char ter matter first came up it was suggeste that it be voted upon at the regular cleo ton, which would come in June He sai
 he did not think it would be possible t
 get, out 50 per cent of the voters to vot on the charter at a special election. ] , | has been said that the voters would nc :, vote on the charter on the regular cleo ton day although they voted on candl dates, he continued.
 9 To uphold his contention that 60 pc ] i cent of the voters would vote on tn ;; charter on the regular election day M X Corkery said that in 1917 when the l . cense question was before the voters tn
 vote resulted in 2,640 votes for and 1 l $50 votes against license. making a tot: , | of 4,196. At the same election the vot f for registrars showed that MT. Guy T, y ceiyed 2,128 votes and MT. Downes 2
 l 275, total of 4,203 votes. The lat e Thomas Robinson, tax collector, an !, Charles S. HoIbrook, town clerk. we1 |. on both tickets. They received AIS o and 4,194 votes respectively. It can | = seen from these figures that practical a 1 every voter who went to the polls ths /; day voted upon the license question. 1, MT. C>rkery said he believes the cha l. ter is a very important matter and he l, of the opinion that the citizens will vo s on the question on the regular electic ). day. It is hard to get voters out on d spection election day.
 r. A vote in favor of the charter wou a mean that between 4,500 and 5000 vot, j. must be cast. The question wouldn't l. decided one way or the other unless l. per cent. of the voters voted on the ma s ter
 n Gilbert s. Raymond said that in u q June election when the matter of u ,e charter commission was voted upon, 4 1 voted against 1t and only 1030 for it. r carried out at a special election it you / require a maximum amount of publicf
 between now and the election in ord
 to get the voters out.
 If we voted upon the charter que
 tion at a special election, would 1t 0 by machine? asked MT. Moves of Tow T Clerk Charles s. HoHbrook.
 2 Not necessarily, answered MT. Ho + brook.
 e If at a regular election would 1t t by machine? asked MT. Moves. 7. think it would be either way. by ba e lot or machine, said MT. Holbrook = There is not much attention paid t special questions placed on the mi l. chine? queried MT. Moves.
 }, Not 10 per cent, said Mrs Horbrook u A great many people don't know he T. to vote on special questions, placed T. the machine, MT. Jensen said. Maj
 have simply raised the little slide ov
 the question and think they have vots h. Election Every Two Years. in Continuing Mir. Jensen saidl | If the charter is adopted at a speci n election in May the new officers und 'e the new charter would go into off se January l. The present city ohcis III would hold over six months. The n, ne election day would be the first Mond IT in December and officers would be ele' y, ed for two years That would mean al election once every two years. ch MT. Jensen then went on to expls
 why it Is proposed to change the cit
 year to correspond with the calene
 year, January 1st to December 31st- lie we adopt the charter in May the pr as ent incumbents will remain in office I
 til their successors are chosen in I 'ly cember and qualify in January. ne Officers Under New Charter. ~ t.0 Who are the officers to be elected