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Editor’s Note: This is the Fourth in a series on the City Council’s planning efforts.

Approving amendments to the City of Morristown’s 120-year-old Charter is a process that might never be described as exciting, but nevertheless, councilmembers are committed to the review process.

Overseeing the recommendation of changes falls to Assistant City Administrator Andrew Ellerd and his staff. The Charter document submitted to City Council during its recent work session offers a historical view of city government.

The city was incorporated on Feb. 1, 1867, according to the Municipal Technical Advisory Service.

The ‘Private Acts 1903, Chapter 103’ is the present basic Charter Act for the City of Morristown.

Examples of the ‘Private Acts’ that are part of the Charter include (but are not limited to):

In 1901, a Board of Waterworks Commissioners was established, followed by a basic charter in 1903, along with changes to the city’s boundaries. In 1917 a deed for park lands was added to the charter, followed by bond issues for a high school in 1919 and schools in general in 1921. A bond issuance for sewers was noted in 1921. In 1933, the money amount noted for the issuance of refunding bonds was more than $1.2 million. By 1947, more bonds were issued: $250,000 for the waterworks system; $75,000 to acquire land for an airport and $350,000 to repair streets and sewers.

Amendments dating back to 1947 include changing the corporate boundaries that were established in 1903. In 1955 a civil service system was established for the fire and police departments and the sewage system. In 1967, the style of corporation was amended to “City of Morristown” and the governing body to “City Council.”

In 1982, a hotel occupancy tax was levied.

The last noted amendments to the Charter were in 2012, relating to the duties and powers and election of utilities commissioners.

Updates and edits recommended by Ellerd and his staff regarding obsolete language are an eclectic assemblage.

For example, in Section 5, “Powers of city generally” the office of tax assessor is listed as being appointed by city council; however, that office is now a county position, responsible for generating the tax roll each year for both the county and city, and filled by an election process (current tax assessor Keith Ely was first elected in 2004). That section is recommended to be struck in its entirety.

Other duties no longer held by City Council and recommended to be stricken are contagious disease control and ‘nightwatch.’ Council is also no longer responsible for the erection of a building known as a ‘jail’ or ‘calaboos,’ nor is it to consider licensing of ‘wagons’ or ‘drays’ as part of its duties.

Examples of other duties no longer considered relevant to Council are the regulation of disorderly houses and bawdy houses; the inspection and weighing of stone, fuel and grain; the inspection of lard and butter and the suppression of hucksters.

Language regarding sewer connections, electric light and the waterworks system will be updated to include the Morristown Utilities Commission, in addition to the City.

Several paragraphs regarding the proper inspection and regulation of the sale of milk and dairy products have been recommended to be stricken from the 48-page Charter.

Also considered obsolete are the subsections added in 1925 instructing councilmembers to require steam railroad companies operating within city limits to build and maintain bridges and viaducts, splitting the cost between the railroad owners and the city. The council was also to require that watchmen (or signals) be placed at railroad crossings.

Other obsolete requirements of councilmembers include erecting and organizing a workhouse, to be resided in by persons who fail or neglect to pay city fines. Work would not exceed 10 hours per day and pay would be a credit to the fine of 40 cents per day. Those who could board themselves would earn 60 cents credit per day.

These and a number of other amendments to the Charter will be voted on by councilmembers in an upcoming meeting.