History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

309

In June, 1910, the council placed the salary of the chief of police at
$I,ooo per annum and regular policemen at $900, and organized the fire
department with a chief engineer and twelve full-paid firemen.
At a meeting of the board of public works held December 23, I9Io,
Hector L. Monroe was appointed superintendent of the waterworks,
and on the 26th the appointment was confirmed by the common council.
COMMISSION GOVERNMENT ADOPTED
The sentiment in favor of a general revision of the city charter had
so increased in strength that at the April election of 1910, 2,I96 votes
were cast in its favor and only 812 against. On May 23d a charter
commission was chosen by popular vote consisting of the following:
Commissioners at large, A. J. Johnson, Elmer E. Hymers and Thaddeus
D. Seeley; First ward, Homer H. Colvin; Second ward, Ernest H.
Fay; Third ward, John E. Brondidge; Fourth ward, J. Arthur Tillson;
Fifth ward, Andrew L. Moore.
Having completed their labors, the members of the commission submitted the proposed charter to the governor, his approval being affixed
to it on the 28th of December, i9IO. It was submitted tothe voters for
their approval at the special election of January 30, 1911, the result by
wards being as follows:
Wards For Against Mutilated Total
First................. 53 91 7 156
Second...............63 135 8 306
Third................236 94 330
Fourth................194 102 5 30I
Fifth................173 72 2 247
Total.............. 824 494 22 1,340
The council at its meeting of February 2, I911, unanimously confirmed the action of the voters and Pontiac was thereby placed under
government by commission from "12:00 noon on the second Monday
in April following the election of the commissioners." The term of
mayor, with his two associates forming the commission, was fixed at
three years, with an annual salary of $2,000.
The charter made no changes in the boundaries of the city; but the
radical departure was, of course, in the form of government. The
executive and administrative powers are by it divided into six departments, those of Public Safety, Finance, Sewers and Drainage, Streets and
Public Improvements, Water Supply and Public Utilities, the mayor having charge of the first two, one commissioner of the next two, and the
other commissioner of the other two. The commission constitutes the
legislative body of the city, assuming, under the charter, all the powers
previously exercised by the board of public works and the common
council. While divided into departments and allotted to the mayor and
the two commissioners, the work of the city and its finances are at the
same time subject to the general supervision of the commission as a
body. The object of the change has been thus far realized. Full re