The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-04-02

that the greater part of the direction
and control is in the hands of the lower
board which has a majority of the men,
bers OF the committee. Under the new
statute it would seem to be clearly lie
gal for the common council to exercise
any control OIL any officer. ether directly
or indirectly. Apparently when they have
participated in the election of an officer
all control on their part of that officer
ceases. Henceforth the Mayor and Board
of Aldermen are to- direct and control
him. A voice in the appropriation OF
money is still left the lower board, but
any participation in the manner of it's
| expenditure after it has been appropriate
ed is taken away. In short under this
amendment the common council De-
comes 4 purely legislative body whose
concurrence with the aldermen is still
needed to pass orders and ordinances.
but all its executive functions are taken
away and that power is lodged solely in
the Board of Aldermen.
There are some boards and commits
sions IN the government which, previous
to the passage of this amendment, were
practically independent Of the city coun-
Gil except SO far as they depended upon
it for the il appointment and for
the money they expended. The park
commission, and to a less extent perhaps,
the board of overseers of the poor, were
bodies of this kind. The new street
commission was created largely for the
purpose of taking the direct control of
the street work ont of the Board of Al
dermen and placing it under the direc'
tion of a single head. But the memb
of these commissions and this board are
city officers, and under this anne ndment
| the right and power to direct and control
| them would seem to be lodged in the
aldermen. 1t is difficult to see why
under the amendment the Mayor and
Board of Aldermen cannot exercise as
much control over the street commission
as did the old committee on streets over
the street commissioner, directing him
where to spend his money and how-in
short, making him practically their SER
want.
The bill creating street commission
passed by the legislature provides that
the head of the commission
shall have charge OF the maintenance
and repairs according 60 law, of all
streets aud public ways in said City OF
Portland, including sidewalks and
bridges, and of all public sewers and
| drains, and OF the construction, main
tenance and repair of all culverts and
catch-basins belonging to the city. He
shall have charge of the construction OF
new streets and bridges, when laid out
and ordered to be- constructed; of new
sewers when the same are laid out ao-
cording to law; shall take general care
of all property belonging TO the city
which pertains to the duties of said
Comm ssioner of Public Works Said
commissioner shall be authorized to pur-
chase everything necessary and conyen-
lent to conduct the business of his de-
partnent; shall employ all assistants,
foremen and clerks, and make all con-
tracts for the supply of labor Subject to
the provisions OF section five OF this act),
and material necessary TO carry on the
work in charge of the said commission
er.
But this amendment to the general
law passed by the same legislature prac-
tically enables the Board OF Aldermen
to take this power all away from him
SO far as it's independent exercise IL
concerned, and reduce him to the posi-
ton of mere subordinate of the board
to do such things as they may direct
Indeed it looks very much as if the chic
thing that was sought when this com
mission was established, the placing Of
the street department under an expert
euced and competent head with power
commensurate with the responsibility
placed upon him, might be entirely NULL
fed by this amendment. Possibly tha
was one purpose of it.