Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-01-12
NEW CHARTER.


 During the year 1890 a committee of well known citizens was appointed 10 prepare draft of u proposed new charter, to take the place of our present charter. After the work Of the committee was done and their report made to the common council, accompanied by a draft of d proposed charter as prepared by then, the council commenced It's examiua- ton of the draft but never finished its work and the proposed charter has never been formally approved or rejected. Some action should be taken by you, either to recommend Its passage by the general assembly or reject u. AS you arc aware, It makes rauIcai chnnge in the management ot the different departments by abolishing the several boards Of water, r. ad sewer, fire and police cOm- mlssioners, and instead creating a board of public works consisting of the mayor, one alderman, one councilman and tNo members not otherwise connected with the city gov ernment to be nominate ed by the mayor and confirmed by the board of aldtrmpn, the two | members last Iamed 10 be one from each of the leading political parties. Both branches | ot the common council, the board of Huance, the board of health and the board of compen- satlOn remain as at present, with subsIan- | tIally the same powers and dutIes as now conferred upon them by th1 pr"eent charter. It IS proposed the board Ot public works | shall have all the puw"re aud duties now lm- posed ou the several boards 10 be isb rilShed under the proposed charter. Iherr are minor changes ill di1fereLt t sections of the present charter, the most important n..IrS d section incorporating portion o! it pTeseHt by law, which provides the council shall not have | power 10 DOGroW money except Ill auticipa- | tion of q tax already lad. The radical change | is he one noticed Ill creating one bard Ill | place of the several mentIOueu. IL has long | been felt by those interested or Vel std in | municipal htTitIrs, that one hiudrhuce tn econ | omy Tn the management of tho@- affairs Is | the lack of unity, If II may be called in the | different boards: while the members Ol those | boards are men of ability and integrity, they are not called on [" consider oiticntlv the | the work or needs of any department uutSid l "a in tf,.t.tS | tlnct aEd separate corporations wIlu uO com munity of interest Each department ,!esl res to excel and l. aptto nagnltN It's w ,nt~, wItlI- out due regard to the cUnuitIun uf the trr s- ury or the more pressing nt eds ut the ely in | some other department. l see tut one oh- stacle to the practical success of the proposed | plan, VIZ, the difficulty in obtaining cumpe- | tent men to do the work that that vii! h.. re- | qnlred of members of this bOuId. Few up- rteclate the amount of work done by iI,, members of the different boards divided ;ls 1 that work now Is. Whether it Will br posSI- | ble to secure competent mru, who usua ly | have private business epOu2h to occupy their time, may be doubted. Ii such men are not | secured, the management Of atfI HTS Will grad ually drift into the hands of inferior men, to The great damage of the city financially and the detriment of the public service. I be- lieve the change is right in principle and
 hope 1t will prove the same iH practce.
 SUMMARY.
 In brief, believe in as much in the way | ot pubic improvement and good servIce m | the different departments as reasonable tax will provide, in streets well lighted, well pa trolled and permanently improved, safe, convenient and pleasant to look upon, in the extension of sewers, an abundant supply of | pure and wholesome water conveyed to every part of the city, in adequate protection against fire and Tn public building to prop erly accommodate town and city officials and | the courts. Thy habit costly as thy purse can bny," is a safe maxim for a city as well as an individual. Clean, orderly streets tend to produce the same appearance in the places | adjolnIng,and prompt, thorough, economical service in the different departments to de velop like qualities in the people.
 l Wish you A happy New Year and Il year of
 harmony in your official and prosperity in your private business.