Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1896 — About a City Charter. [ARTICLE]

About a City Charter.

The Town Board has ordered an ekqtion to determine the que lion of iocorpbnpin g Reosaelaer as a c ty, the election is to be held April 10. The census taken last week* by Manhal Dillon and his assistants show a population of 2 205. Some 30 .or 40 of these have moved to town too reoently to be legally counted for this purpose, but still there are fully 160 more people in the town than the law requires for a city government. If the proposition for a city carries, the town board will divide the town into three wards, and order an eh-i - tion foFcity officers. There wilLbe a Mayor, six Conn, oilmen, two fir m each ward, Cicfk Treasurer and Marshal. 4* * All are four year officers, and the salaries are fixed by the City Council. But of the six council men to lie elected now, if the vote carries, one from each ward must retire in two years so

as to permit one from each ward to be elected every second year. There will thus be an election eVery two years under a city charter, instead ot every year, as now; but, as above State, the terms of all the officers will he four yrare. The duties of the rn are to preside al the council meetings, and also to hold n mayor’s court to try all off-uders, but the council may appoint a justice of the p ac, to take the place of the mayor, in judicial matters, Besides the officers above named, all of whom are elected by the piop!e, there must be a Chief of the fire department, a Street Commissioner, a Civil Engineer, a City H allb Officer, and a City Attorney. These are all app tinted by the City Council. They hold office four years, r ut may be dismissed by the Council. The Street Commissioner may be dis* penaed with, and his duties devolved upon ihe Marshal. ‘ *

Some of the ail van r ages ( f a city government will be that the council will have power to enforce its ortTinances. Also to regula e railroads running through the town. All fines collecu d are turn-d into the city treasury. At-present they go to the state school fund.-* Elections will fie held bi-ennialiy, instead of annually”, as now. The city saloon license fee can be $250, now the Hurt is $l5O.