Prior to the Home Rule Cities Act existed the option of incorporating as fourth class cities. Settlements could incorporate as fourth class cities under the Fourth Class City Act of 1895. A settlement seeking to incorporate under this act had to have populations between 3,000 and 10,000 to incorporate. They were required to have a weak mayor-council form of government in which the mayor could only appoint certain city officers with the council's consent, and the city clerk was required to be an elected position. Fourth class cities were also required to publish their annual financial report in a local newspaper. Because of the lack of flexibility, all but a handful of fourth class cities have reincorporated as regular charter cities. All remaining cities that have not yet reincorporated as home rule cities became home rule fourth class cities upon the Public Act 334 of 1976, which allowed fourth class cities to continue to exist by making the Fourth Class Cities Act the charter for this type of city.