HomeMy WebLinkAboutSLOWhat June 2017Becoming a Charter City in 1911 was more than an
administrative and legislative shuffle of words. The
small city (population 5200) wanted a larger stake in its
future and less decisions made for it by a gathering of
politicians in Sacramento and – certainly – Washington,
D. C. Of course, not even the most imaginative residents
could visualize what the two centers of political power
would deliver to the valley in the next 100 years.
While the mayor had few enumerated duties, council
members had 56! These in addition to those specified
for each as the Commissioner for Finance and Revenue,
Public Health and Safety, Public Works or Public
Supplies.
We’ll review a few of their duties as in 1911, governance
was not some amorphous journey through law-making,
especially revenue generation, but a comprehensible
set of expectations for office holders.
The first specified duty is still required by the
municipality: to affix a “corporate seal” to “all
instruments or writings needing authentication.” Not
enamored with spending public funds, the existing seal
was kept and used to this day. There have only been
two in City history.
Another duty was judicial as the council could
“prescribe fines, forfeitures and penalties” for those
who violated provisions of the Charter or any ordinance.
Penalties could not exceed $500 or six months in jail
or both. Today, while the city is not permitted to be a
court, there are “late fees.”
Many of the councils’ responsibilities could be lumped
together under the umbrella of property regulations.
There was no city planning or planner (the position
would advent over 60 years later) but building,
especially residential dwellings, was a growing business.
Indeed, a building permit was required beginning
about ten years previously. The large index card sized
permits were rescued from the trash bin some years
ago and are filed in the Cal Poly Special Collection
Archives.
Today, massive amounts of details are required to
construct and/or maintain most anything beyond Lego
structures, but in 1911, the strictures were basic and
straightforward. Most exist today emmeshed in a great
many more words.
• Everyone was expected to abate any nuisance. If not,
the council was to provide for “summary abatement” at
the owner’s expense;
• The manufacturing or storage of certain materials
including dynamite, nitroglycerine and “other
explosive” items was to be regulated. Included here
were fireworks which still annoy the City. Possibly less
dangerous, the council’s “judgement” controlled the
use of steam and gas engines and electric motors that
might endanger the public;
• Public buildings were to have adequate entrances and
exits and restricted obstacles from interior open spaces;
• Exteriors, including sidewalks and gutters were to
be free “from dirt, rubbish and weeds” at the owner’s
expense;
• And, a civic necessity, “To levy and collect taxes upon
all the real and personal property within the city…” It
will be remembered that there was a city tax as well as
a county and state tax. Today, the same tax exists in the
yearly onerous County taxes.
We’ll continue next month as trees, dogs, billboards,
gambling and prostitutes are among the many issues
our civic forefathers attempted to regulate.
Contact: jacarotenuti@gmail.com
History of SLO
WITH JOSEPH CAROTENUTI, CITY HISTORIAN/ARCHIVIST
Left - Rare Image of Old Seal
Right - Current Seal