Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-29
THE FINANCE BOARD.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS MR..
MEREDITHs BILL.
ABOLISH BOARD OF PUBLIC INTEREST
This Change Recommended Because
of the Belief That the Boay Is of
No Practical Bencfit-Powers to be
Vested In the Council.

| a
| important changes. Several other matters
| of Importance were also acted upon. IL
was decided to recommend the abolition
| of the Board Of Public Interest, and that
the two branches Of the City Council be
given power to elect vIce-presidents and
presidents pro TEN.
The bill providing for a board OF finance
was the most interesting matter before
| the committee, and every section Of IL
was carefully gone over. with the assist
ance OF City-Attorney Meredith, 1t being
decided that the Council shall recommend
the first board to the Legislature.
GET DOWN TO BUSINESS.
Some trouble was experienced in get
ting a quorum but finally. after de-
lay OF three quarters OF an hour. five
members, the requisite number, present.
ed themselves. They were Messrs. Roun-
tree, Allen, Ryan, Carter, and HARRISON.
Mr. Caskie, president of the Council,
and City-Attorney Meredith were pre-
sent by invitation, and both advised the
committee concerning its recommended
tlons.
The first matter taken up was the
clause In the charter providing for,
board of public interest, and Mr.. Caskie
was heard in relation to Ii. He favored
the absolute abolition of the board or
an increase Of it's powers. Theoretically,
he said, he thought the board was a
very good thing, but practically IL
amounted to naught. IL had proved I'M
possible he stated. TO get the members
OF the board to attend meeting, and'
consequently, nothing was ever done py
the members. save the nomination OF
the police and fire commissioners Inc
hoard has existed for twenty-five years.
and Mr.. Caskie said that, so far as his
knowledge extended. the board had done
nothing An that time, save to select
commissioners.
COULD DO A GREAT WORK.
Mr.. Allen thought the board could DO
very great work for the city II IL
would only attend to its duties, especiai-
ly could the board prove valuable m
making suggestions and recommenda-
tions to the Council with reference 10
railroad and street improvements. A
general desultory discussion was indulged
in. and the question Of whether the
abolition of the board would not operate
10 make the Chamber OF Commerce more
active was considered.
Mr. Caskie was asked what recon-
mendations he could make concerning an
increase Of the boards powers, ana re-
piled that he was hardly prepared TO
make any.
DO AWAY WITH THE BOARD.
Drifting somewhat from the subject
ha
dered the two boards whose members
are nominated by the Board of Public
Interest and 1t was shown TO be the
sense of the committee that police and
fire commissioners should serve for six
years. and then be ineligible for re-elec-
tfon. No action was taken on this point,
but II was generally understood that
such an amendment 10 the cnarter
would be recommended. Mr.. carter
thought that many Of the Council COM
mittees, as at present organized, could
he merged into one. To test the sense
of the committee, he said, Mr.. carter
moved that the City Attorney be IN
structed TO draft an amendment TO the
charter. abolishing the Board OF Public
Interest and vesting in the Council the
movers now exercised by that body. The
motion prevailed Mr.. Allen alone voting
NO" He explained that he was op-
posed to the concentration or all the
mower OF the City Government in the
Council.
TO HAVE VICE-PRESIDENTS.
The next question taken up was the
amenduent of section 16 of the charter,
so as TO provide for the election OF vice.
presidents OF the two branches OF the
CITY Council. Mr.. Meredith was In
structed by the committee at ITS last
meeting to draft such an amendment,
and he submitted his draft en-
powering the two branches TO elect
such officers, and giving the ofhcers
when elected power to act for the
president in all matters during MS ap-
sence. The amendment also provided ror
the election of presidents pro tempore,
who shall preside over the two bodies In
the absence OF the regular presiding
officers.
This amendment was recommended. as
was another, providing for changing sec
tion 4OiS. so that the jailer of the ,ity
shall pay the salaries of all deputies or
guards needed for the safekeeping or
prisoners in the city Jail. According TO
the present statutes, the city Is assessed
81. 500 per annum for this purpose
THE BOARD OF FINANCE.
The question of establishing a board
of finance was next taken up, and, on
Mr.. Aliens motion, the bill prepared by
Citv-Attorney Meredith and printed In
the DISPATCH last week, was considered.
The committee had previously considered
seven sections of the bill, but, going back
for a moment to the first section, IL was
decided to recommend the names OF the
first board, and member from each ward.
The eighth section of the bill was then
considered. This section has for its pur-
pose the restriction Of each departments
expenditures 10 the amount specified In
the appropriation. This provision was
agreed TO. and the ninth was taken up.
This section simply relates TO the APP
plication of appropriations, and was
adopted. Section 10 refers to the salaries
of city employees. and places restrictions
and limitations on the increase and re-
duction of salaries, excluding the Board
of Fire Commissioners alone from the
restrictions Mr.. Carter thought this de-
partment should be placed on the same
footing with all others. This clause was
stricken out. and the section, as amended,
was adopted.
TIRE SINKING FUND
Section II, providing for the annual ap-
propriation OF a sufficient amount to pay
the interest on the city's debt, and set
ting apart / per cent of the principal as
a sinking fund, was next taken up and
adopted, and section u, providing the
method for carrying out the preceding
section. was also adopted. Section l3,
making the City Auditor custodian for
the sinking fund, was adopted, with
slight change IN pharseology. Section IA.
which provides for the liquidation OF