The record-union., 1896-09-29
RHB DEPARTMENT. SUPPLIES.
Mayor Hubbard'S Suggestion to the City
Trustees.
He Thinks the Orders Therefor Should
be Made Through His
Office.

The following communication from
Mayor Hubbard was submitted to the
City trustees last evening relative to
the matter Of the ordering and pur-
chasing of supplies for the various
city departments:
10 the Honorable Board of Trustees:
stated in my first message to your
honorable board that undoubtedly oc-
casions will arise when we shall dis
hgree as to the meaning Of our charter,
but that if such disagreements should
occur we ought amicably to discuss the
disputed portions and endeavor, if pos
o'ble, to agree upon correct interpre-
tation of the instrument
/ have no desire to take upon myself
more of the executive work of the city
than is required of me by the charter.
You must realize that there are some
important points that should be deter
mined. Some of these disputed points,
no doubt, can only be determined by
fhe courts, but there are points that we
can settle ourselves.
There is one particular portion of our
business upon which you can deter
mine without going to court, and that
is, Who shall make the small purchases
for the city departments where the con-
tract price does not exceed 500? These
purchases are, in almost every case,
made for use in the executive depart
mentS, and it seems to me that it is
only a. plain business proposition that
the orders to purchase these supplies
should come from the head of the de-
Dartments. I do not think the charter
ever contemplated, or intended, that
the members of your board should be
annoyed with these details. The Mayor
and department officers all have their
offices, and are expected to devote their
whole time to the business of the city
For the Mayor to keep in touch with
che different officers, to understand fully
what is being done, there is no better
way than to have each department
officer call upon him for orders to pur-
chase, as that will bring the executive
officers together and will cause more
harmony to prevail in the different de-
partments
Under the present mode Of doing this
business the Chairman of each commit
tee is supposed to issue an order for
everything in that department which
the committee represents. If the Chief
of the Fire Department, for instance,
requires a broom, a lamp, or any
other little thing, he must find
the Chairman &C the Fire Com
mittee and explain his wants
and get his order The Chairman has
no regular office, and the Chief may
and no doubt does, lose considerable
time in finding him, and the same OBJ
lection applies to each of the other de-
partments.
The Mayor has a regular office, and
can be found at almost any moment
and these officers should come to him
for their orders. Common business
sense makes it apparent, and the effici-
ency, the discipline and the harmoni-
Gus working of all officers from one
center all teach us that this is the only
practical way Of doing such executive
business of the city.
1t is true your board acts as a super
vising body. After purchases are made
the claims must be presented to an
auditing committee of your board, who
may approve or reject any of the de-
mands and all demands thus approved
are passed upon by your board in open
meeting. In this way you supervise
and regulate the expenses of the city
! do not believe it was ever intended
that a member of the Board of Trus-
tees should issue orders to purchase
supplies and then audit the demands
for which he has himself contracted
for 1t must be conceded that this man
ner Of doing business opens the door to
fraud and corruption.
AS a plain business proposition, I
claim that these transactions should
be done through my office. and / there
fore recommend that your board place
the matter Of purchasing supplies for
the city, where the contract price does
not exceed 500, in my hands, and that
each member Of your board refrain
from giving any more orders.
In placing this business where it
properly belongs it will not only be the
means of bettering the service in mu-
niCipal affairs, but it will tend to Gre
ate not only more harmony in your
beard, but also in the different execu-
tive departments Of the city. Respect
fully submitted,
G. II. HUBBARD, Mayor.
When the message was read Davis
said it was going over the same old
ground that had been settled with a