The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-01-20
The Proposed City Charter

With this issue The Miner is presenting its readers
with draft of the proposed new City Charter pre-
pared by the Charter Commission and which will be
submitted to the voters of the city for their acceptance
rejection February 18th when the Council has
called election for that purpose
The Charter Commission, appointed by the judges
of the District Court year ago. did enormous
amount of work in completing the document. The
Commission ably assisted by several of the city
officials, and Attorneys Nelson and Bodin who passed
on the legality of the and whipped them
shape, in compiling what it thinks is a code
surate with the growing needs of the city The Charter
Commission composed of the following freeholders
of Ety. viz John E. Porthan President James Moonan,
Peter Schaefer, Owen W Parker, Leonard Slabodnik,
Andrew Watilo, Jr M. J. Murphy, John E. Thompson,
E. w. Hanson, Walter E. Englund, Lewis j. White,
James Laing A. j. Thomas, Joseph Mantel and Fred
B. James, Secretary.
The voter will do himself a favor to study the
document and then vote what he thinks best. study
will convince him of the excellence of the proposed
charter. There may be sections not entirely
to his liking but whole presents changes in the
present charter which will prove highly beneficial both
to the citizens and the councils elected to administer
its provisions.
We wish to call your attention to the provisions
relating to improvements and assessments. These pro-
visions alone should cause you to vote yes on the
adoption. During the past year. the Council has been
sorely handicapped in furnishing employment to the
unemployed, employment that would tend towards
permanent Improvement The new charter will give
them all necessary power TO make such improvements
without petition and without assessment to the prop
ery owner adjoining such Streets alleys and other i'm
provements Preliminary work towards paving laying
sidewalks mad lines payable from the general
fund and only the actual paving laying of sidewalks
and pipes for sewers assessable.
Then also wish to call your attention to the two
commissions named in the new document, viz: Light
and Water Commission and Police Commission. These
are modern measures and rebound to the credit of all
have hoon iucfa lad Az ola
ample we wish TO call your attention to Virginia where
the light and and heat rates have been cut
half under the commission management and the board
comes through every year with surplus even after
making heavy charges for depreciation and turning
back to the citizens tidy sum each year in diminished
water and light and heat rates,
These special items have singled out as being
especially interesting for your consideration But
these the only provisions that should command
your attention The entire document worthy of your
careful perusal and study.
With this document base necessary to meet
modern methods of conducting the affairs of the city,
should there be amendment at some future
date to change of the provisions, it will not be
necessary change the entire charter but amendments
to particular sctons be proposed and voted
AS the charter is almost entire production with
changes in almost every section of the charter under
which the city fathers havebeen working under hand
cap for the past few years. will be obvious to the
reader that it should be voted for and carried.
Authorities on this kind of document have pro-
nounced of the best in existence and calculated
TO the needs of this growing city and the ever
changing conditions 1t has been made up of the best
In several charters used pattern and improve
ment on each of them.
The city council ordered the same printed in
legible type which be easily read. Read it and
vote for It. there paragraph you don't like, skip
it by and after this charter has been adopted
forth with your changes and have the fixed.
The Charter Commission is to be congratulated
on the finished product