STREETS AND SIDEWALKS
The Commission shall have control of and maintain all streets, highways, and alleys in the City and may improve the same by grading, graveling, curbing, paving, repaving, constructing sidewalks or otherwise, and shall have authority to lay out, open, widen, extend, straighten, alter, close, vacate, or abolish any highway, street, or alley in the City, whenever they shall deem the same a public improvement. The expense of such improvement may be paid by special assessment upon the property adjacent to or benefitted by such improvement, in the manner in this Charter provided for levying and collecting special assessments; or in the discretion of the Commission, a portion of such costs and expenses may be paid by special assessment as aforesaid, and the balance by the City.
When the Commission shall deem it advisable to vacate, discontinue, or abolish any street, alley, or public ground, or any part thereof, they shall, by resolution, so declare and in the same resolution shall appoint a time, not less than four weeks thereafter, when they shall meet and hear objections thereto. Notice of such meeting, with a copy of said resolution, shall be published once, not less than two weeks before the time appointed for such meeting, in a newspaper published and circulating in the City.
The Commission shall have authority to determine and establish the grade of all streets, avenues, alleys, sidewalks, curbs, and public grounds within the City, and may change or alter the grade of any street, sidewalk, curb, alley, or public ground, or any part thereof, whenever in their opinion the public convenience will be promoted thereby, or whenever in their opinion they shall deem the same a public necessity or a public improvement.
Whenever the grade of any street or sidewalk shall have been heretofore or shall hereafter be established, and improvements shall thereafter be made by the owner or occupant of the adjacent property in conformity to such grade, such grade shall not be changed without compensation to the owner for all damages to such property resulting therefrom to be ascertained by a jury as provided by the General Laws of the State relating to the appropriation of private property for public use, or said damages may be ascertained and agreed upon by and between the City and the owner or occupant of such premises. Whenever such damage shall be ascertained as herein provided, such damages or such part thereof as the Commission shall deem equitable and just, shall be paid by the City, and the Commission may cause such damages, or such part thereof as may be just and proper, to be assessed upon such real estate as may be benefitted by reason of the change of such grade; and whenever the Commission shall determine to assess such damages or any part thereof, upon the property benefitted, it shall determine and define a district in the City which in its judgement is benefitted by the improvement out of which such damages arise, and shall cause the same to be assessed upon said district, which said assessment shall be upon the taxable real estate in said district, in proportion as nearly as may be to the advantage or benefit of each lot, parcel, or subdivision is deemed to acquire by the improvement out of which such damages arise. The assessment shall be made, the amount levied and collected in the same manner as other assessments in a district deemed to be benefitted, as provided for in this Charter, and all of the provisions of this Charter relative to special assessments and the collection thereof shall apply thereto. Such damages, when collected as aforesaid or when determined upon by the City shall be paid to the person entitled thereto.
Such part of the expense of improving or repairing any street, lane, or alley, by grading, graveling, paving, repaving, curbing, constructing sidewalks or otherwise improving or repairing the same, as the Commission shall determine, and keeping the same free from dust and nuisance, may be paid by the City, or the whole or such part of the expense of such improvement, as the Commission shall determine, may be defrayed by special assessments upon lots and premises included in a special assessment district, to be constituted of the lands fronting upon that part of the street or alley so improved or proposed so to be, or constituted of lands fronting upon said improvement, and such other lands, as in the opinion of the Commission, may be benefitted by the improvement.
The City shall build or cause to be built, maintain, and control all sidewalks and crosswalks in the public streets and alleys in the City, and may prescribe the grade thereof, and change the same when deemed necessary, as herein provided.
SEWERS AND DRAINS
The Commission may establish, construct, and maintain a sewerage system, sewerage disposal system, sewers, and drains whenever and wherever necessary, and of such dimensions and materials, and under such regulations as they may deem proper.
Special assessments for the construction of sewers and drains shall be made in the manner provided in this Charter for making special assessments.
The owners or occupants of lots and premises shall have the right to connect the same, at their own expense, by means of private drains, with the public sewers and drains, under such rules and regulations as the Commission shall prescribe.
Such part of the expense of providing ditches and drains and improving water courses as the Commission may determine, may be defrayed by a special assessment upon the lands and premises benefitted thereby.
WATER SUPPLY
The City Commission shall cause to be maintained, an adequate water works system for the furnishing of sufficient water supply and make all such ordinances, rules, and regulations as are necessary for a safe, economical, and efficient management of the same.
The Commission shall also provide for the improvement and extension of the water works and water system wherever and whenever necessary for the public health and welfare, and for adequate fire protection.
The Commission may, by ordinance or resolution, establish a uniform schedule of rates, make such rules and regulations for the use of water and the payment therefor as may be deemed expedient. Unpaid charges for the use of water upon any property within the City shall be a lien upon said property.
No person, firm, corporation, or association shall be allowed free use of water, nor shall there be discrimination among water users of like classes, and rebates shall never be allowed, except as an inducement for prompt payment of water rates.
The Commission may, by ordinance or resolution, provide for furnishing water to consumers outside of the City limits, provided, that the quantity of water so furnished shall not exceed one-quarter of the total consumption inside the corporate limits.
SEWAGE DISPOSAL
[Amended and adopted 11-3-1942]
The Commission, upon a three-fifths vote of the members elect shall have power to contract from time to time with any city, county, metropolitan district, or other political subdivision, or any agency of the foregoing, for the disposal of sanitary and/or storm water sewage from the City, for a period not to exceed 40 years; provided that before authorizing the execution of any such contract, the Commission shall cause a copy of the same to be deposited with the City Clerk and a notice of such deposit to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City at least once not less than 10 days prior to such authorization. The contract as so deposited may be amended before execution without further notice. No such contract after it has become effective shall be declared invalid for want of proper notice. The amounts to be paid from time to time by the City under any such contract shall not constitute an indebtedness of the City within the meaning of any Charter debt limitation. The Commission shall impose rates, charges, and/or assessments upon the users and beneficiaries of sewage disposal services and facilities sufficient to promptly meet the obligations under such contract but in event the receipts therefrom are not sufficient to pay all sums when due under the contract, then the City shall be responsible for any deficit. Such rates, charges, and/or assessments shall be made and the payment thereof enforced by any method permissible by law. The provisions of this section shall not be limited by those of any other section or sections of this Charter. If there be included in this section any provision which is not permissible under the state law at the time of the adoption hereof and which in the future shall become permissible because of subsequent state legislation, then such provision shall automatically become operative without again being readopted. All acts and proceedings within the scope of this section heretofore done or taken, are hereby ratified and confirmed.