Twin-City herald., 1938-10-01

iature may provide general laws re-
Iating to affairs of cities, the applica-
ton of which may. be limited to
cities of over fifty thousand inhabi.
less than twenty thousand inhabi-
tants, or to cities of twenty and not
less than ten thousand Inhabitants,
or to cities of ten thousand inhabi.
tants or less which shall apply equal.
ly to all such cities of either class,
and which shall be paramount while
in force to the provisions relating to
the same matter included in the local
charter herein provided for. But no
local charter, provision or ordinance
passed hereunder shall supersede
any general law of the state defining
ors.P or furnishing crimes or miS0emean-
If amended as proposed by the legi!
lature, this section will read as follow
Section S6. Any city or village
in this State may frame charter for
its own government as a city COM
sistent with and subject to the. laws
of this State, as follows: The legis-
lature shall provide; under such
restrictions as it deems proper, for
a board of fifteen freeholders; who
shall have been qualified voters
thereof, to be appointed by the dis
trict judges of the judicial district in
which the city or village is situated,
as the legislature may determine, for
term in no event to exceed six
years, which board shall, within six
months after it's appointment return
to the chief magistrate of said city
or village a draft of said charter,
signed by the members of said board,
shall be submitted to the qualified
voters of such city or village at the
next election thereafter, and If four
sevenths of the qualified voters vot-
ing at such election shall ratify the
same it shall, at the end of thirty
of such city or village as a city, and
supersede any existing charter and
amendments thereof; provided, that
in cities having patrol limits now
q three=fourths majority vote of the
qualified voters voting at such elec-
ton to change the patrol limits now
established.
Before any city shall incorporate
under this act the legislature shall
prescribe by law the general limits
within which such charter shall be
framed. Duplicate certificates shall
be made setting forth the charter
proposed and its ratifications, which
shall be signed by the chief magis-
trate of said city or village and au-
thenticated by its corporate seal.
One of said certificates shall be de-
of state, and the other. after being
recorded in the office of the register
OF deeds for the county in which such
city or village: lies, shall be de-
posted among the archives of such
city or village, and all courts shall
take judicial notice thereof. Such
charter so deposited may be amended
by proposal therefor made by a board
of fifteen commissioners aforesaid,
published for at least one day for four
successive weeks in any daily news
paper of general circulation in such
city or village, or if there be no daily
newspaper of general circulation in
such city OF. village then for four sue.
cessive weeks in a weekly newspaper
of general circulation in such city or
village, and accepted by three-fifths
of the qualified voters of such city
or village voting at the next election,
and not otherwise, but such charter
shall always be in harmony with and
subject to the Constitution and laws
of the State of Minnesota. The legiss
lature may prescribe the duties of
the commission relative to submitting
amendments of scharter to the vote
of the people and shall provide that
upon application of five per cent of
village, by written petition, such
commission shall submit to the vote
of the people proposed amendments
to such charter set forth in said
petition. The board of freeholders
above provided for shall be perma-
nent, and all the vacancies by death.
disability to perform duties, resigna-
ton or removal from the corporate
limits, or expiration of term of Of
flee, shall be filled by appointment in
the same manner, as the original
board was created, and said board
shall always contain it's full COM
plement of members.
1t shall be feature of all such
charters that there shall be provided,
among other things, for a mayor or
chief magistrate, and a legislative
body of either one or two houses; If
of two houses, at least one of them
shall be elected by general vote of
the electors. In submitting any such
charter or amendment thereto to the
qualified voters of such city or viii
lage, any alternate section or article
may be presented for the choice of
separately without prejudice to other
articles or sections of the charter or
any amendments thereto. The legis.
Iat!Ire may provide general laws re.
latlnG TO afTairs of cities, the applica.
ton of which may be limited to cities
to cities of fifty and not less than
twenty thousand inhabitants, or to
cities of twenty and not less than ten
Lhousand inhabitants, or to cities of
ten thousand inhabitants or less,
which shall apply equally to all such
cities of either class, and which shall
be paramount while in force to the
provisions relating to the same mat
ter included in the local charter here
IN provided for. But no local charter,
under shall supersede any general
aw of. the State defining or punish
ng crimes or misdemeanors."
e Purpose and Effect of the Proposed
Amendment
The purpose and effect of the pro.
sed amendment to Section 36 of Hrtl-
of the State Constitution Is to
ange the requirements for the publi.
ION OF proposed amendments to char
S OF cities having home rule charters.
e changes proposed are as follows:
aid Section SO now provides that a
posal for the amendment of the char
OF such city shall be published for
teast thirty days in three newspapers
general circulation In such city. II
ended as proposed said Section Sc
provide that proposal for the
endment of the charter of such a CITY
u be published for at least one day
n week for four successive weeks In
daily newspaper of general cIrcuIa-
~ SuSil NIly " IHGTe U6 no OdIly
Vspaper of general circulation In such
Z, then for four successive weeks In
weekly newspaper of general circuIa-
! in such city. The proposed amend
Mt, If adopted, will reduce from three
one the number of newspap pers In
ch proposal for the amendment of
lome rule charter of a city must be
lished, change the period of pubIica.
from thirty days to four weeks, and
uire publication in a daily newspaper
general circulation In such city, II
re be one, and otherwise In a weekly
'spaper of general circulation In such
:, instead of publication In newspapers
general circulation In such city with.
specifying whether they shall be daily
weekly. The proposed amendment, if
lication.
Yours very truly,
WILLIAM S. ERWIN.