The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-03

'lOI VI any employee nor collect nor
pay money for political purposes.
TWeltth-The board is given power to
appoint an examiner and it is made the
duty of a committee of the city coun-
Gil TO examine the books of the board
and to report upon any appropriation
asked Tor, and the council is empoW-
cred TO provide a system of rewards
and medals for honorable service and
to pension those permanently injured
in the service.
AMENDMENTS NEEDED.
think the law should be amended in
the following particulars:
Flrst-Give the chief of each depart
meht power to remove any subordinate,
ming With the board his reasons there
LOT, afo mabe such removal absolute,
unless TWO members of the hoard de-
mand an investigation of the removal
ana IN that event, that the chief shall
NE charges against the man, service of
the same to be made and a speedy
nearing had, giving each side an op-
portunlty to be heard. If three mem
berS OF the board vote to sustain the
charges, then the man shall be dis
charged, otherwise he shall be restored
Second-Give the city council power
TO regulate the number of men and
officers employed in each department
and the salaries to be paid. In case of
reduction in number of the force di-
rect that the board shall have power
TO discharge. The men having served
the longest time, to be retained. if
their records are equally good.
Third-Give the city council power
to provide by ordinance, the number
and grade Of officers, with full power
in its discretion, to abolish the Office of
captain of police and assistant chief
of the fire department.
APPOINTMENTS.
Fourth-Provide that no man shall
be appointed to a position in either de-
partment, unless he has been previous
~ publicly examined before the board.
And that the examination of applicants
shall be made at least twice a year and
public notice given of the same
Fifth-Provide that whenever three
members of the board concur, the chief
of either department may be removed,
without stating the cause therefor and
without trial.
REMOVALS.
Sixth-Provide that any member of
the board may at any time be removed
by a twothirds vote of the city council.
members
of the board shall serve without pay.
Eighth-Provide that no member Of
either department, nor of the board
shall take any part in politics what
soever, and shall not be a. member nor
officer of any political convention, club
or committee.
Ninth-Provide that the chief of each
department shall execute all lawful
orders of the mayor
THE AMENDMENTS.
The amendments proposed by the
Sutherland bill, are as follows:
First-That the salary of the clerk
of the board shall not exceed $500 per
year.
Second-The captain of police and
the assistant chief of the fire depart
ment, are legislated out of office. But
power is given by which these offices
can be re-created by the rules of the
board and flied by appointment of the
chiefs
Third-The provision that appoint
ments to positions in the departments
shall be made under the provisions of
the rules and regulations of the board,
is repealed and in lieu thereof it is pro-
vided that no person shall be appoint
ed except with the approval of three
OF the board.
Fourth-The provision that no man
shall be removed or discharged except
upon charges made and hearing had,
is repealed.
Fifth-The chief of each department
is given power to suspend or discharge
any subordinate reporting his reasons
therefor to the board. But. the board
80 givep power to investigate the
validity of such reasons or in any way
direct or control either chief in this
matter.
sixth-AlI subordinates are to hold
office during the pleasure of their
respective chiefs.
Seventh-The city council cannot in
crease or decrease salaries without re-
by the board.
Eight-The power to suspend either
chief for cause by the mayor. is
taken from that officer and
conferred upon the board. and
it can only be exercised by a vote of
three members of the board.
Ninth-The city council is required,
on the 1st day of February of each
year, tc set apart for the use of the
board, the amount of money that the
board deems necessary to run the de-
partments. and which shall take pre-
cedence over all other appropriations,
except the payment of the interest on
the bonded debt.
Tenth.-The power to appoint an ex-
aminer by the board, is repealed and
all provisions for competitive exami-
nations are abrogated.
UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES.
The underlying principles of civil
service reform is, that tenure of office
shall not depend upon political changes
nor upon the mere will or caprice of
heads of departments. This is one
weak spot in the Sutherland amend
ments.
The purpose of the original act, was
to take the two departments out of
politics. To establish a board that
should act as an arbitrator and which
would secure a better grade of men.
1t was not supposed that it would seek
a petty salary, nor that it would hold
meetings nearly every week and listen
to every bit of department scandal
The law has failed to attain all that
had hoped for, because at every
step it has been fought by the poll
ticians. When the members of the
board were appointed, those who were
not tho frioyadc Of low, .-..,..