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commissioner of public safety, elected by the people at large, for a term of two years. The terms of office prescribed by this section

are subject to the special provisions of this charter relating to the terms of the officers first chosen. Said mayor and commissioners shall constitute the council of said city.

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§ 17. The commissioner of public safety. He shall have charge and supervision of the fire, sanitary, health, charity, police and correction departments, and shall make all rules and regulations for the conduct thereof, not in conflict with the laws of the state or ordinances of the city. He shall provide in all ways possible for the peace, safety, health, care, comfort and protection of the inhabitants of the city, and of their property, and shall recommend ordinances when advisable or necessary, to the council for such purposes. The health officer of the city shall be under his authority. He shall be the inspector of all plumbing, weights and measures and shall impartially enforce all laws and ordinances appertaining to his department. He shall receive a salary of five hundred dollars a year, payable monthly.

§ 28. * * * The city shall be taxed for the expense of charity, health (including the sum of thirty-five hundred dollars per year for the Saratoga hospital for the care of the city's invalid poor and including one dollar per day per patient for all hospitals under the state board of charities, and upon the order of the commissioner of public safety, for the care of the city's invalid poor, except that the Saratoga hospital shall be allowed said one dollar per day per patient in addition to said thirty-five hundred dollars only after the full cost of caring for the city's invalid poor by the Saratoga hospital for each year has amounted to thirty-five hundred dollars).

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Schenectady, Schenectady County.

(Note. Commissioner of charities appointed by the mayor for a term of two years. Salary fixed by board of estimate and apportionment.)

Schenectady is a city of the second class, and comes within the provisions of chapter 53 of the Consolidated Laws, for which | see p. 261 with relation to city of Albany.

Syracuse, Onondaga County.

(Note.-Commissioner of charities appointed by the mayor for a term of two years. Salary fixed by board of estimate and apportionment.)

Syracuse is a city of the second class, and comes within the provisions of chapter 53 of the Consolidated Laws, for which see p. 261 with relation to city of Albany.

Tonawanda, Erie County.

(Note.-- Commissioner of public charities appointed by the mayor for a term of two years at a salary of $500.)

Chapter 357, Laws of 1905.

TITLE XII.

Commissioner of Public Charities.

Section 1. Qualifications.

2. Powers and duties.

3. Monthly reports.

4. Accounts to be audited.

5. No profit from supplies.

Section 1. Qualifications. No member of the common council shall be a commissioner of public charities. Neither shall any person be appointed to the office, who, at the time of such appointment, shall be engaged or interested in business as a grocer, a saloon keeper, or hotel keeper, or in any wise concerned in the manufacture or sale of spirituous or malt liquors, ale or beer, and in case any person appointed to the office, shall, during his term, become engaged or interested in either of the occupations above specified, his term of office shall thereupon cease, and the office become vacant, and the mayor shall forthwith appoint another in his place.

§ 2. Duties and powers. The commissioner of public charities is hereby invested with all the powers and duties now or hereafter to be prescribed and provided by the general statutes of the state of New York, relating to overseers of the poor in towns, so far

as the same is applicable and not inconsistent with this act. It shall be the duty of the commissioner to visit the poor of the city at their several places of abode and examine into their circumstances, and ascertain to what extent they are or may be in need and entitled to permanent or temporary relief. The said commissioners shall require all persons making application for relief to make such. application in writing, which shall be preserved by said commissioner, and at the end of each month all such applications made during the month shall be filed with the city clerk. The commissioner of charities shall have power to administer oaths to and examine under oath any person applying to him for relief, and false swearing during such examination shall be deemed wilful perjury. The commissioner shall issue written orders for all means, provisions, and supplies furnished to the poor of the city. He shall not employ any physician. The city shall continue to be the owner of all articles or supplies furnished to any poor person or applicant until the same are consumed. If any person to whom the same shall be furnished shall sell or exchange the same for money, or intoxicating liquor, or in any way dispose of the same other than in the manner directed, such conduct shall be deemed a misdemeanor.

§ 3. Monthly reports. The commissioner shall, at the first regular meeting of the common council in each month, report to the common council under oath in detail, all appropriations, expenditures, temporary relief and allowances made by him as such commissioner during the month preceding, which report shall specify the name and place of abode of each person relieved, the quality, quantity, and price per pound, or otherwise, as the case may be, of each article ordered or furnished, and from whom obtained; said report shall also contain the names and places of abode of all persons to whom meals or lodgings have been furnished, the number of such meals or lodgings, from whom obtained, or by whom furnished, and the cost of the same. Said reports shall be filed with the city clerk.

§ 4. Accounts to be audited. All charges and accounts against said city for services rendered, acts done, or means, provisions, medicines or supplies furnished under the direction of the

commissioner of charities of said city under the provisions of this act, or otherwise, shall be audited by the common council, and paid from the poor fund of said city.

§ 5. No profit from supplies. The commissioner of charities shall not, directly or indirectly, furnish to any person, any groceries, provisions, fuel, medicines, or property belonging to himself, or in which he shall have an interest or be interested, nor shall he be interested in any contract for such purchase of groceries, provisions, medicines, fuel or property; nor shall he receive any commissions upon or for any goods or articles of relief furnished, or on any orders given by him for any such goods, articles or relief. For any violations of any provisions of this section said commissioner shall be removed from office by the mayor, and he shall forfeit to said city a penalty of one hundred dollars for every such violation.

Troy, Rensselaer County.

(Note. -Commissioner of charities appointed by the mayor for a term of two years. Salary fixed by board of estimate and apportionment.)

Troy is a city of the second class and comes within the provisions of chapter 53 of the Consolidated Laws, for which see p. 261 with relation to city of Albany.

Utica, Oneida County.

(Note. Commissioner of charities appointed by the mayor for the term of two years. Salary fixed by board of estimate and ap portionment.)

Utica is a city of the second class and comes within the provisions of chapter 53 of the Consolidated Laws, for which se p. 261 with relation to city of Albany.

(Note.

Watertown, Jefferson County.

Five commissioners of charity appointed by the mayor

for a term of five years. Compensation fixed by common council.)

Chapter 760, Laws of 1897.

TITLE XI.

The Board of Charity.

§ 165. The commissioners of charity appointed as herein provided, shall constitute the board of charity for the city.

§ 166. The board of charity shall have all the powers and perform all the duties within said city which are now possessed an performed by the overseers of the poor of the towns or by supervisors acting as overseers of the poor of the towns in the county of Jefferson, as provided by chapter eight hundred and seventeen of the laws of eighteen hundred and seventy-three, entitled “An act to provide for the support of the poor in the city of Jefferson" and the several acts amendatory thereof, and by the general laws of the state, except as herein otherwise provided.

§ 167. The said board shall choose some competent person for superintendent of charities, whose duty shall be to administer the charities of the city under its direction. The said board shall recommend to the common council the salary to be paid to such superintendent and the common council shall determine the salary to be paid to the superintendent before his appointment, and when the salary is once fixed it shall not be changed except by the common council upon the recommendation of the board of charity. The superintendent of charities shall hold office during the pleasure of the board of charity.

§ 168. As provided by section one hundred and seventy-seven of this act the board of charity shall submit in writing to the common council the estimated expenses of the board for the ensuing year in its work, and the common council shall have power to ratify or modify such estimate and shall set apart as the “ poor fund" the sum thus fixed for the year. The said fund shall be held by the city treasurer as the poor fund and shall be used for no other purpose than for the expenses of said board. The said

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