The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-04-21
CHARTER CHANGE
FINALLY BOOKED
Clerk Also To Be- Voted
On BY All People
At Polls
Salary Cuts Made; Special
Election Soon To Be
Called
Six Councilmen, oneFrom
Each Ward, Dope For
-. Voters

Members of the city charter com
mission last night practically
brought their labors to a close,
after several months work, and on
May they viii meet With the city
attorney in order to get their rec
concentrations to the city council
for proposed changes put In legal
form later to be presented to the
voters at special election, the date
to be set some time In the near fu-.
ture.
Last night the committee ap-
pointed to look into the matter Of
city officers, their salaries and du-
ties, made its report. But few
changes were made in the report
which was adopted as a whole.
The report recommended that the
elective officers of the city be a
mayor at a salary of 5000 per year
to be paid in monthly installments
six aldermen elected from their r
spectfve wards, at salary of
per year In monthly payments.
~ per day while acting as mem
of the board of equalization:
city assessor at salary of s.
per year, he to put in has
time the twelve months of the
one city treasurer at a. sala
$1,000. per year.; one city cles
salary Of $500 per year
Assessor and Treasurer EIc-
1t will be noted that the city
city treasurer and city asses
this report have been added 4
elective officers of the city. P
ously there had been appointed
fees. Members of the charter co
mission stated that the object
making these offices elective was t.
bring them closer to the people
In accordance with a former un
derstarding, il was voted again last
night to recommend that the official
year commence the first Monday in
January following the city election,
and the term Of office to be two
years from the date Of taking Of
fice.
II was further recommended that
the mayor. Judge Of the municipal
court. special Judge, city clerk, city
assessor and city treasurer be
elected at large, but the aldermen.
SIX in number be elected from their
respective wards.
Office May Be Declared Vacant
In case the mayor or any other
absents himself from three consecu-
tive meetings of the Council with
out sufficient reason, cause or valid
excuse, his office may be declared
vacant, and some other qualified
person may be appointed to I'LL the
vacancy by the incumbent mayor and
council.
1t was voted to recommend that
all general elections in the city for
the election of city officers shall be
preceded by primaries where nom
inatioB shall be made. and that no
other names shall be placed on the
ballot except those nominated.
The recommendation made last
night closed with the suggestion
that the administrative powers of
the city be assigned to seven de-
partments as follows: Department
of police and general welfare; de-
partment of health and sanitation;
grounds; department of buildings
and fire department; department OF
water works and sewers; depart
ment of streets and alleys.
The committee making those%rec
concentrations were E. v. Waters.
Rev. Carl Kruger and Adolph Muel
Ter.
Proposed Three Assessors
The recommendations as made
by the committee on officers duties
and salaries provided that there b
three assessors at 500 each ne
pear: Mr.. Waters. one OF t."
committee, stated that he though
this would be good plan, and tn
they should be elected for differen
periods of time. and from differer
parts of the city. He admitted that
II would be an additional cost o
$500 a year but that it would be
money well spent. In order to &C.
the motion before the house. w. r
Hammett moved its adoption.
Charles T. Taylor said that he
did not favor the appointment of I
three assessors. Mr.. Hammett later
said that he did not favor that
plan either. F. j. Mahowald was
of the same opinion as the previous
gentlemen.
Mr.. Waters said that a lot of !
property is missed each year IN
making the assessments, and that
the extra money paid out for two
extra assessors would be more
than doubled back to the city ad
diticnal taxes received.
Henry Zimmerman finally sug
gested that one assessor is enough,
provided he puts IN his entire
time in F. j. Mahowald would
place the salary of the assessor at
s1,200 Charles r Taylor wanted
sstss = ~.