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The New Charter

The New Charter image
Parent Issue
Day
21
Month
December
Year
1888
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The committee on the revisión of the present city charter has been hard at work examiniug the different charters in this state, discussing the deüciencies in the present charter and weighing its advantages. In some respects the presert charter is an excellent one. It has saved the city from debt and has prevented the levying of extravagant taxes. All such provisions were carefully retained in the proposed new charter. In many other respects the charter is sadly deficiënt and in these respects the committee has SQught to tnake changes. The committee was appointed last spring and consisted of the mayor, city attorney. Aids. Allmendinger, Wines and Kearns. Their work has taken a gooddeal of time and thought and was submitted to the business mens' association last Fnday evening and to the council Monday evening, meeting with the approval of the two bodies. The business mens' association appointed a committee consisting of Messrs. A. L. Noble, Fred Scbmid, Moses Seabolt, E. K. Frueauff, and H. J. Brown to confer with the council committee as to the charter and to aid in making any changes in the flrst draft which might in any way be to the advantage of the city. The principal change in the charter is the separation of the judicial and legislative functions. The changes have not been made, as some have suspected to have a chance to spend more money. The object is to so change the city government that the work may be more thoroughly done wichout increased expense and to devise a system of checks upon ill-considered and hasty action. The council is allowed to levy every year a sum not exceeding five milis on the dollar on the assessed yaluation of the city. This is tosupply all the funds of the city including streets, water works, &c. To show that this limit will not permit of extravagance we may say that the other Michigan cities are all permitted to raise more than the limit Bxed in this city. Lansing is allowed eight milis, Adrián seventeen and a half milis, Ypsilanti thirty-two anda half milis and other cities in proportion. If a larger amount than a five mili tax would raise is needed, a taxpayers' meeting can be called as at present, but the tax in no event can be higher than the one per cent limit now allowed. The charter does not permit the council to run the city ia debt. The mavor is made the chief executive officer of the city in f act as well as in name. His responsibility is made direct. He has the appointment of the subordínate officers and the power jf removal and he can be held to a strict accountability by the people. He has the veto power, which he must exercise within ten days sriving his reasons for each veto. The council may pass the resolution or ordinauce over his yeto by a tw#-third voto. He has no vote in a council meeting except ia a case of a tie. The city clerk is the name by which the recorder will hereafter be known. He is made the city accountant. So much work s placed upon him, that it will require the whole of his time to attend to it. He is the clerk of the council, the clerk of the board of public woiks, board of health, of all committees, &c. He must keep an accurate set of books, in fact several sets of books. It is designed that he shall keep his files in the shape in which the court files are kept, so that the work of the city may be much simplifled, and mucü of it saved f rom beingdone over by eucceedingcouncils. The checks on the city treasurer are more'numerous than at present. Besides the bonds flled, &c, he is required to make a report monthly, which shall be accompanied bv a certifícate from thecashierof the bank in which the moneys are deposited showing the amount of money to the credit of the city on the day the report is made. The city clerk is also required to make monthly reports to the council of the balance in the city f unda, according to his books together vith a statement of the warrants outstanding and unpaid. It will be seen that the two reporta must agree. The treasurer is also prohibited from using any of the city's money in his business. The aldermen are rel ie ved of the street and sidewalk work, further than can be done in the council room. This work is placed upon an executive board, the board of public works. It is designed that flve of tbe best men in the city shall be appointed upon this board. They shall appoiut a street commlssioner, who shall have charge of the entire street work under their direction. The council retain the purse strings and the board of public works are not allowed to expend over $10 for any oae purpose without the consent of the council. It will be seen that improvements must be recommended by the board to the council and the council has the power to determine whether or. not they shall be made. They are less Hable to be hastily made and are more apt to bereal improvementsthan when, as in the pat, left to the judgment or perhaps prejudices of one man. The street commissioner oversees and di reets all work. A board of tire commissioners, subject to the ordinances of the council, has the direction of the fire department. the granting of permits to erect buildings ia fire limits, &c, relleving the council of a large and growing amouut of special legislation, while not creating any great amouut of work for a small board. The members of the twn boards are to serve without compensation and are to be appointed by the mayor and confirmed bv the council. The term of office of one member of each board expires every year. The comtnittee left the salary of the mayor at íl a year. The city clerk, who will have to devote Iiis whole time to the city, is given $800 a year, besides fees which will bring it up to about $900. The city attorney is allowed f300 a year for all services. The treasurer's salary is left as at present, as are those of other officers. It is hoped that under the new charter, work on the city council will not be regarded so much of a bug bear as at present.

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Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News