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Ann Arbor. Mich. Proposed Charter.


Proposed Charter
for the
City of Ann Arbor,
Michigan, cha
To be Submitted to a Vote of the Electors.
June 12, 1917


PROPOSED CITY CHARTER
Cİ ERK.
ATTORNEY.
HEALTH OFFICER
SUPERVISORS:
TREASURER
ASSESSOR.
PEOPLE
COUNCIL
Seven members, nominated by
wards and elected at large,
• serve as
Board of Review ,
Board of Canvassens,
Board of Health, etc.,
One member serves as Mayor.
MANAGER
PURCHASING A
JUSTICE of the
PEACE.
DEPARTMENT
SERVICE
DEPARTMENT
SAFETY
CLERK of the
COURT.
POLICE
. FIRE
WATER
PARKS
STREETS
BUILDING
SEWERS
ETC.
CONSTABLES.
This diagram shows the method by which the officials of the city of Ann Arbor will be chosen if the
proposed charter is adopted. The people will select supervisors, justice of the peace and councilmen. The
council will select clerk of the justice court, constables, clerk, attorney, health officer, treasurer, assessor and
manager. Each of the last six officers will select the persons who are employed in their respective offices.


PROPOSED CITY CHARTER 5
STATEMENT OF THE CHARTER COMMISSION
To the Electors of the City of Ann Arbor:
Your charte'r commission respectfully presents for your consideration
the following proposed charter for the city of Ann Arbor. We desire to
call your attention to the following points at which we believe that it*
is an improvement over the charter under which the city is now working1
and we do not believe that any advantages of the present charter have been
sacrificed in preparing the proposed charter.
First: The number of elective officers has been decreased and greater
care can be exercised by the public when there is a smaller number of
places to be filled.
Second: Regular city elections will occur biannually with a provision
for annual elections if necessary on acount of vacancies, recalls, or desir
ed legislation.
Third: Responsibility is centered as the council will not only act as the
legislative body, but also in the capacity of all required boards. This ie a
very important change. Under our present charter with its numerous
boards and officers receiving authority from different sources, it is prac-
tically impossible to locate responsibility.
Fourth: There is reserved to the public the right to initiate legisla-
tion in case the council declines to act.
Fifth: There ie reserved to the people the final decision with regard
to legislation in that ordinances, except in a few necessary cases, are not
effective till thirty days after their passage by the coancil during which
time by petition they may be suspended until the people shall have formally
ratified them.
Sixth: Franchises can only be given by means of ordinances which
must be presented in final form one month in advance of their passage
and following a public hearing. In addition to these safe guards the pub-
lic by use of the referendum can'prevent the granting of any franchise the
terms of which are not satisfactory.
Seventh: The council, being nominated by wards and elected at large,
will represent every section of the city, but will be city officials rather
than ward officials. The council will elect one of its own members to serve
as mayor.
Eighth: Every official elected or appointed under this charter is
placed on a salary basis and the evil effects of the fee system will be elim-
inated, d


P»0P08BD CITY CHARTHK H
such times and places as the council shall designate by resolution,
the purpose and object of which shall be fully set forth in the resolution
calling such election. Notices thereof shall be given by the city clerk as
required in regular elections.
Section 13. PREPARATION OP VOTING MATERIAL. It shall be
the duty of the clerk to prepare, ready for delivery twenty-four hours
before the time fixed by law for the opening of the polls, all. of the neces-
sary books, blanks and lists required by the general laws of the state or
by this charter for' holding elections and twenty-five per cent more ballots
than there are registered voters In each election precinct
Section 16. FORM OF BALLOTS. Voting machines shall not be used in
city elections, but may be used for county, state, and national elections.
The ballots shall be prepared in accordance with the provisions of eection
24 of Act 281 Public Acts 1909, except that no provision shall be made
whereby political parties are Indicated, provided however, that candidates
for the office of supervisor may be listed under party designations.
Section 17. SPECIAL QUESTIONS. Each special question to be voted
upon at any election shall be printed on a separate ballot designated
"special ballot." The substance of each proposal shall be clearly and
fairly stated under an appropriate title as the council may determine.
Below each proposal in separate lines shall be the words "Yes" and "No,"
each followed by a square. The elector shall vote by placing "X" In one
of the squares.
Section 18. ELECTION OFFICIALS. The council shall appoint
such election-inspectors and other election offlciale as may be required by
the general election law, none of whom shall be city officers, nor city em-
ployes, nor candidates for office at that election, the first named in-
spector being chairman, which inspectors shall conduct the election in ac-
cordance with the law, and make proper returns thereof to the clerk.
Section 19. BOARD OF CANVASSERS. The council shall be the
board of canvassers for all elections. It shall meet on the first Thursday
after any election at eight o'clock P. M. and proceed to canvass the returns
of such election and shall thereupon declare the result. The candidate re-
ceiving the greatest number of votes for any office shall be declared elect-
ed. In case of a tie vote for any office, the council shall decide by
lot which of the persons who are tied shall be elected. A statement of such
canvass shall be made and signed by the mayor and filed with the
clerk who shall within three days make out and cause to be delivered to
each person so elected a notice of such election.


14 PROPOSED CITY CHARTER
(i) DEPARTMENTS. OFFICERS AN1D EMPLOYES. The council
shall determine from time to time what other departments, officers or em-
ployese may be necessary for the proper and efficient conduct of the gov-
ernment of the city. Appointments to the places so designated shall foe
made by the heads of the office in which service is to be rendered.
All such employes shall be appointed and discharged in accordance
with the provisions of the civil service ordinance provided for in section
(63). All officers and employes are such for the city of Ann Arbor and
not of particular offices, although subject to orders from the head of the
office in which they are classified. Whenever an office is in need of extra
assistance, employes may be transferred temporarily from one office to
another b ythe council or by mutual consent of the heads of the offices
effected. ,
(J) OFFICE HOURS. Except by special authorization of the council
the offices of the clerk, treasurer, assessor, health officer, and manager shall
be open each week day except holidays from eight o'clock A. M. till
five o'clock P. M.
(k) BONDS. The council may require any officer or employe to give
a surety bond for a stated amount for the faithful performance of his duty,
for the delivery to his successor in good condition of any books, papers oi
property belonging to the city, and such other specific performances as
may be named. The premium therefor shall be paid by the city All bonds
except for clerk shall be filed with the clerk, and the bond of the clerk
shall be filed with the treasurer.
(1) SALARIES. The council shall fix by resolution the salary or
rate of compensation per month of every regular city official or employe
other than the members of the council. It shall also fix the salary paid
the justice of the peace and the clerk of the justice court. No change in
the salary schedule shall be made except in connection with the prepara-
tion of the annual budget. Special or temporary employes shall receive
such compensation as may be agreed upon by resolution of the council.
All fees pertaining to any office the incumbent of which is paid a stated
salary shall be returned by said officer into the city treasury.
(m) CONTRACTS. No binding contract may be made by the citj
with any person, firm, or corporation with which any city official or em-
ployee is financially interested except when said person, firm, or corpora-
tion secures the contract because of being the lowest competitive bidder
therefor.
(n) LEGAL PUBLICATION. The council shall advertise for bids for


PROPOSHD CITT QHARTBR 37
clerk of Washtenaw County respectively.
Section 77. DATE OF EFFECT* For the purpose of nominating and
electing officers, and exercising the powers of the city as provided herein,
this charter shall take effect immediately upon compliance with the pro-
visions of section (76) for the purpose of establishing departments,
divisions, and offices and determing the functions thereof, and for all other
purposes it shall take effect on the first day of November, 1917.
Section 78. FIRST ELECTION. The first election under this char-
ter shall be held on Monday October eighth, 1917, at which time there
shall be elected a council and a justice of the peace as provided for by the
terms of the charter. The common council and the city clerk shall take the
necessary steps to provide for nominations and election under the terms of
this charter.
Section 79. ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNCIL. The council elect-
ed October eighth, 1917 shall meet for organization Monday evening Oct-
ober fifteenth, 1917 at eight o'clock.
Section 80. MEETINGS OF THE COUNCILe The council shall hold
regular weekly meetings during the month of October, but no action taken
shall be in effect till the first day of November 1917.
Section 81. STATUS OF PRESENT OFFICIALS. (a) The terms of
office of the common council of the city of Ann Arbor, and the various
officers and employes elected or appointed under the terms of the exist-
ing charter and holding office on the date when the proposed charter goes
into effect shall cease November first, 1917.
(b) The justices of the peace elected under the provisions of the exist-
ing charter shall-hold office until the expiration of the terms for which
they were elected.
(c) The supervisors from the several wards of the city of Ann Arbor,
who are in office at the time this charter goes into effect, shall hold office
on the board of supervisors for the county of Washtenaw until their suc-
cessors are elected at the election held in April, 191'9.
(d) The constables, who are in office in the city of Ann Arbor at the
time this charter goes into effect, shall hold office until the first Monday
in April, 1918, but nothing in this provision shall prohibit the council
from making the appointment provided for In section (36) of this
charter which appointment shall he made In the first Instance at the
first meeting of the council in November, 1917.
Section 82. TRANSFER OF RECORDS AND PROPERTT. All
records and property of any form beloniring to the city of Ann Arbor in