The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-29
THE BOARD OF FINANCE:
COMMITTEE ON CHARTER CHANGES
ACCEPTS THE BILL.
Only a Few Amendments were Made TO
the Measure as Drawn Up by
the City Attorney.


meeting was called for o'clock, but In
view OF the fact that quite NUMBER OF
committees had been called during the
early part Of the evening, there was
considerable delay.
When the committee finally met IL nrst
took up a few amendments OF minor
character prepared by the city Attorney
AT the direction Of the City Council
which were at once agred TO.
The bin prepared by the City Attorney
providing for the appointment or II boaiu
OF Finance was then taken up ana us
cussed by sections. beginning win sec
ton s. where II had been left OH az pre.
vious meeting. number OF sIs'e
amendments were offered ana ai'ei M 80,
or less discussion agreed TO- ana ''e pii
was finally adopted as a whole.
BOARD OF PUBLIC INTEREST.
II was S:45 o'clock when the committee
was called TO order by Mr. Rountree'
the chairman. Just n bare quorum was
present M that time. consisting OF Messrs.
Rountree (chairman). Otway >. Aiien'
Carter. Harrison, and Ryan,
mo chair stated that Mr.. zimmerman
was absent on account Of sickness.
Citv Attorney Meredith stated that NJ
the last meeting of the committee ne
v,ae In Newport News on some law busi-
noes and could not come back IN tine u
attend the session Of the committee
President James Caskie, of the COM
mon Council. appeared before the com
mittee on behalf Of the Boaru Oh tu ,''-
interests. He stated that AT P'eN,ou'
meeting Of the committee ne hau az
Gated that the powers or the i,o'' -,
public Interests be increased OF 'ile oo'',,
abolished altogether lie was III l''so ont
~.,or0GCft0n
mr. cbarter required the board ~ iooi,
- ne i,,torral improvements connecteu
.-,,,' .troet railroads The board nv"
w" ia practically nothing TO 90 pu'
a. ID 20 the Council three names WIZ
~ ,,acancv occurred In either tns
90 % Eire Commissioners or D o'-
=, police commissioners. rms w. y.
-, ahor, once or twice year anu -
u,as not enough work for the Doniu
NJ Caskie therefore, recommended .la wa,
tha poard no abolished altogether, anu
that the Council be given the Ii ,ss, %
electing members of the Board Vi r RI. 90. -
Police Commissioners. Al preSe"s - -
BOARD had a big name but nothing ~ uo
rbe work on internal improvements was
now done by the Chamber of Comihelce'
inconeruitv was that the president OF the
Common Council as well as the preSiue",
Of the Board of Public Works, appoih'eu
a number OF the members of the Boaru
NJ public Interest. The president OF the
Common Council was ex-ofhcio chairman
Of the Board but when a MEMBER Oh II
Amounted by him should happen TO Gle ne
aid not have the right 10 appoint MS sue
cessor, but he was elected by tne boaru'
He therefore. recommended that the
BOARD be abolished and its powers trans
ferred 70 the City Council. theoretically
the BOARD was very good thing, but
practically IL amounted to nothing. The
Board was created by an act Of the Legs,
lature in 1875, but he had never heard OF
any recommendation by the Board in re-
gard to internal Improvements.
no RECOMMENDATIONS.
When questioned by Major Allen Mr.
Caskie said he had no recommendation
to make as to the enlarging of the powers
of the Board. At one time he had thought
that It might be advisable 10 have the
Board make recommendations as 10 the
selection of finance commissioners. but he
had since become convinced that it would
not do to have a finance commission
elected by the people, because the proper
men would not be induced 10 become can
didates for those positions. If the Board
was n very active one 1t could be OF some
service.
CITY Attorney Meredith suggested that
the powers Of the Board might be trans
ferred TO the Board of Finance. except
the recommendations for members Of the
Board Of Fire and Police Commissioners.
At this junctuTo Mr.. CARRIER made his
appearance.
Mr.. Carter called attention 10 the fact
that at present the Chamber Of Com
merce the Young Mems Business Associa-
ton, the Street Committee. and the citi-
zens at large looked after internal i'm
provements. He was in favor of reducing
the number of committees IN order 20
lessen the labor of the members Of the
City Council and for that reason he
thought that the Board Of Public Inter-
ests. as we'll as the Council Committees
on Police, Fire Department. Schools. and
Markets be abolished In order to bring
out the sense of the committee he moved
that the committee recommend that the
City Attorney be requested to ask the
Legislature to abolish the Board Of Pub
lie Interests and TO transfer the work
devolving upon II. as TO the nomination
of Police and Fire Commissioners. to the
City Council
After some discussion M. Carriers mo-
ton was adopted and Major Allen was.
at his request, recorded as voting I'm the
negative.
FOR a VICE-PRESIDENT
Mr.. Meredith then submitted bill
amending section 16 of the City Charter
so that hereafter each branch of the City
Council shall the power 10 elect vice
president who in the absence Of the pres
ident shall assume the latter's functions
The bill also provides for the election of
a president pro tempore for each branch.
who shall sign the minutes OF the previous
meeting in the absence OF the president
and vice-president A special meeting OF
either branch may be called by three com
mittees.
On motion Of Major Allen the recon-
mendation Of the City Attorney was
accepted.
City Attorney Meredith next presented
bill drawn at the direction Of the City
Council which originated i'm the Commit
tee on Retrenchment and Reform. II pro-
vides that the Tailor shall pay the salaries
Of the employees and guards on the city
Jail. This bill seeks TO take from the
Hastings Court the power of appointing
guards for the city Jail.
A BOARD OF FINANCE.
Tho next business taken up was the bill
dawn by the City Attorney. which pro-
vides for the creation OF a Board of FL
nance.
The chair called attention 20 the fact,
that i'm case the measure should be de-
feated. section II which gives the Com
missioners OF the Sinking Fund the power
10 invest its funds In other than city
bonds, should be embodied in a special
bill.
The City Attorney stated that this sec
tion had been inserted at the special re-
quest OF the City Council and that 1t