Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-15
A BOARD OF FINANCE
cry ATTORNEYS BILL BEFORE
cuARrER-cHANcEs COMMITTEE.
MEASURE OF VERY WIDE SCOPE.
Constitution of the Board, and How
Members shall lie EIected--To Have
Full management of City's FL
nnnces-No Definite Action.


The Committee on Changes to the City
Charter. recently created by the Council,
held its second meeting in Room No.
OF the city Han last evening. Present
were Chairman Rountree and Mcssrs.
Allen. CARRIER. Noble, Jones, and Harrel-
son. the City Attorney; Mr.. William
NJ. Turpin. President Of the Board OF
Aldermen; Dr. Jud y. Wood. and others.
At The last session of this committee
the City Attorney was requested TO pre-
pare an ordinance providing for the es-
tabllshment in this city OF board Of
finance. whose duties are TO be those
90 present performed by the Council
Committee on Finance. City-Attorney
Meredith presented his ordinance, which
was read. IL contained about fourteen
pages Of typewriter maiter, and was
discussed informally for couple OF
hours. Before taking up the ordnance
however, communication was read from
Mr. Virginius Newton. who has SHOWN
a profound interest in the matter OF
charter changes. In the course OF ms
letter, Mr. Newton said:
~ the experience of other cities in the
Gnited States is 10 be a guide at all TO
Us. We cannot escape the conclusion that
the trend ana form OF charter drafting
IS in the direction
Il. To increase the power Of the Mayor.
To make him the Chief Executive, with
power TO appOint.s subject TO the dp-
proyal of the Board of Aldermen, some-
times without their approval, the heads
OF all the executive departments-BaS-
works. streets, health, etc.-hOlding him
personally responsible for due and eff
cient management, in Difference to the
principle that power and responsibility
must be united in one hand. II the coil-
demnation or approval OF the pupnc Is
10 be made effective.
"2 Limiting the powers Of the Counch
20 matters OF legislation. appropriation
and supervision. Tie large cities to the
north and west of US, with few or 10
executions have made changes in their
organic law in the direction indicated
within the periods Of five or ten years.
Tho charter of our city is a model IN
vogue twenty-five years ago, and now
antiauated. If we discard the experiences
about us, we have nothing 10 guide US
and deliberately choose the role OF ne
ostrich.
al hope. therefore. that your commit
unite in a recomn endation that the whole
question Of changes. including the ques-
tion Of a new charter be referred TO
special committee for report TO the Coun-
ell hereafter a committee composed Of
the City Attorney City Engineer Com
missioner of the Revenue. Auditor, Presi-
dent of the Council, President of the
Board of Aldermen. and seven citizens
OF the intelligence and training CITED TO
consider a question of such import"
BOARD OF FINANCE.
Mr.. Newton's paper also contained one
or two suggestions I'm the matter of
accomplishing the results sought. 1t was
received and filed. and then the com
mlttee heard read the ordinance prepared
by City-Attorney Meredith, creating
board Of finance commissioners.
After the reading of the measure Mr..
Meredith explained its various features,
and a general and informal discussion OF
II ensued.
CONSIDER IT BY SECTION,
MIR. Jones said he thought the bill was
one of too much importance, and involv-
ing too much, for IL to be acted upon
hastily and ne moved that action upon
IL be deferred until the next meeting. and
that II be printed for distribution among
the members OF the City Council and
others desiring copies ol IL. AhS pA'p'''
tion was voted down. and the committee
on motion of Mr.. Allen went into the
consideration of the paper by section.
The first section. which provided that
the board should be composed Of one man
from each ward and the Mayor, produced
a great deal of debate. Mr.. Noble moved
that the section should be so amended
as to stpulate that the board should be
composed Of one man from each ward IN
Mayor.
The committee having expressed its
anxiety TO hear from any citizen touch
ing The subject of charter changes, MI.
Turpin. President of the Board OF Alder
men. made a short speech, in which he
cautioned the committee against acting
upon the ordinance last night. He said
that the scheme was too voluminous ana
TOO serious I'm its consequences for 1t TO
be recommended to the Council until IT
had been thoroughly considered. and It's
various features fully digested The adop-
tion OF that ordinance, he declared, would
cause a howl from one end OF this city
10 the other. As to himself. he was OPP
posed to the measure, and believed that
fus1 as good results could be accomplish
ga by the Council committees, If COM
posed of good men, as could be obtained
through any commission. Mr.. Turpin re-
ferred TO the ordinance as a nickel-in-the-
slot machine so far as the committee was
concerned. While It was most carefully
drawn paper. IL was not what the city
needed. and the committee would make
n mistake to give approval even TO any
OF its sections.
THIS ACTION NOT FINAL.
1t was explained by the chairman, Mr
Allen. and other members, that the con-
sideration OF the measure seriatim was
not To be regarded as final passage upon
the ordinance or any of its provisions
Mr.. Meredith here arose TO reply TO the
argument Of Mr.. Turpn, especially 10
object 10 the latter's characterization Of
the scheme as a 'slot-machine." Mr.. Tur-
min respectfully withdrew his remark, eX-
plaining that he had not used II with any
view Of its being offensive to the city
Attorney.
MIR. Aliens amendment was finally
adopted as was one offered by Mr. Gar
ber. providing that the three members OF
the board to be appointed by the Mayor
should be selected from the three school
districts OF the city.
An amendment presented by Mr. Jones
stimulated that the board should make no
approprlaton. however, in excess OF the
estimated receipts OF the city. based upon
the 1ax-ievy. and adding provision that
the city should not be liable for such APP
proprlations. This was considered at
a.raat length by the committee and was
draliy laid upon the table. The committee
then adiOlrned 10 meet again next Thurs
q 80. Il IL aNf fs.ta. Nl.as