The Owosso times., 1922-08-11
CHARTER CHANGE
TO BE VOTED ON
Commission Seeks Power to
Order Water Sewer
and Gas

To give the city commission the
authority to. order water, sewer and
gas connections to the curb made on
deemed necessary for the preserva-
tion of the street or in anticipation
of paving work, an amendment to
the city charter will be submitted to
the people at the primary election
September IL, it was voted at the
commission meeting Monday night
Under the charter as it is at pres
ent, the commission can only order
this done on streets where paving
has been ordered. The desirability
of the change in the charter was
brought forcibly to the attention of
the commission by the fact that the
state has placed the paving of East
and West Main and North Shiawas-
see streets on it's building program
for next year. This means that all
connections on these streets must be
made this year, to permit the road
to settle again before the paving
work is done, members of the COM
mission state. But under the char
ter, the commission cannot order the
pavement built unless the city's share
is placed in the budget. No provision
was made in the budget fcl this year,
for this paving.
1t is also desirable that this work
be done, the commission says, to pre-
serve streets. They would have the
connections all put in on streets be-
fore they are improved, to prevent
their being dug up frequently, with
resultant damage to the street.
The commission passed the ordi-
nance providing for license fee for
all interurban busses, with only
few minor changes in the text as
read a week ago. 1t added to the
ordinance, however, clause prohibit
ing any interurban bus from parking
in the downtown district. These rigs
are given Is minutes in which to dis
charge and take on passengers, out
they must not park in the prohibited
district.
No opposition to the ordinance
was expressed, excepting by M. Gay
lord, who objected to the clause COM
pelling taxi drivers of any other
vehicles for hire, to come to full
stop before crossing railroad tracks.
The resolution declaring the South
west Owosso Sanitary and Southwest
Owosso Storm sewer necessary pub
lie improvements and ordering the
special assessment rolls for them pre-
pared, were adopted. They will ex-
tend from the river to Stewart street.
The sanitary sewer will cost, it is
estimated, $18,483, Of which $15,-
402. so, or five-sixths, will be paid by
property owners in the special as
sessment district and the balance by
the city at large.
The storm sewer will be built at an
estimated cost of $76,483, Of which
60 per cent or $45 ,S89.80 will be paid
by special assessment district and 40
per cent by the city at large. Notices
of the hearing on these matters APP
pear in another part of this issue.
City Engineer Raymond submitted
to Commissioner Stebbins a report
of the construction of new sidewalks
on Corunna and Maple avenues, the
biggest single job of sidewalk con-
struction in the city's history, total
of 39,988 feet having been laid.
On Corunna avenue alone there
were 30,402 feet of five-foot walk
laid, and 2,737 feet of four-foot walk.
On Maple avenue there was total
of AIT feet of four-foot walk built,
while 5,432 feet of private work was
done The total cost Of all the work
was $5,585.59.