The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-12-01
COUNTY PLANS.
There Will Be No Dismissal
of the Employees By the
Freeholders.
NO new APPOINTMENTS
Negligence Will Secure Dis
charge Reform and
Retrenchment.
NO new APPOINTMENTS

The nine Democratic Freeholders chosen
at the last election caucussed at the rooms
of the Robert Davis Association yester-
day and formulated plans for the conduct
of county affairs. The new Board will
enter on its duties on Monday next, and
with the reduced appropriations at their
command many serious obstacles will
have to be overcome and were the sub
jects of lengthy discussions.
1t was agreed, however, that the pres
ent force of county employees was abso-
lutely necessary and no dismissals need
be looked for when the new board as
sumes charge, but there will be reform
and retrenchment in every department of
the county's service to an extent that will
enable the Freeholders to live within their
appropriation, which is over $4,000 less
than was expended during the current
year
The caucus began at $3.50 o'clock in the
afternoon and except for a brief inter
mission for suppfr continued until IL
O'Clock at night5 Freeholder Michael B.
Holmes, of the Fourth Ward, who, as an
nounced in THE News" will be the Di-
rector of the new board, presided. Clerk
John P. Egan was the only outsider pres
ent
Every detail of county business was
gone thoroughly into The members of
the new board realize the difficulties they
will have to contend with in order to live
within the reduced appropriation for the
fiscal year, which begins today, and much
of the discussion was along the lines of
retrenchment and reform. 1t was agreed
that all the employees in the several de-
partments of county government were
needed and that no dismissals would be
made except for cause.
When the caucus reconvened in the
evening, Warden Grimes of the Peniten-
tiary and Ryan of the Almshouse; Medical
Superintendent King of the Asylum, who
had ben sent for, appeared and were
closely interrogated in reference to the
workings of the institutions over which
they have charge. They were told that
they would be held strictly accountable
for the actions of the employees of their
respective institutions and notified that
failure to report any rereliction of duty
On the part of an employe would mean
their own suspension The new Freehold
ers wanted it to be distinctly understood
that absolute discipline in every branch
of the eounty's service would hereafter
be insisted on.
The matter of possible economy in the
purchase of supplies for the several in
stitutions was discussed with the two
wardens and medical director and it was
admitted that the most radical reforms
would be along this hitherto abused line.
The Objectionable requisition system,
which has brought so much discredit upon
fornerb cards, will be curtailed as far as
possible and the day of the favorite con-
tractor in bidding for county supplies it
was agreed would be a thing of the past.
How to retain the present force of six
teen mechanics with an aggregate payroll
of $4,000, on the appropriation of 5000
fixed by the outgoing board, was a per-
picking question. 1t was agreed that
there was need for the services of every
one of these men, and the conclusion ar
rived at was that by having them do all
the repair work on public buildings,
bridges, culverts, ETC., formerly given out
by contract or on requisition, that all of
them could be retained and money saved
to the county
No additional appointments of any kind
will be made. The suggestion of the
September Grand Jury that an assistant
to Medical Superintendent King at the
asylum be appointed was deemed impos-
sible in view of the reduced appropriation
for that institution and because of DR..
Kings assurance that he was entirely
capable of caring for the 600 patients of
the institution. The suggestion of the
New York Board of Fire Underwriters
that a man be appointed to superintend
the care of the fire fighting apparatus at
the Snake Hill institutions was decided
on adversely, as was the proposition to
appoint another assistant counsel, who
should also act as counsel to the County
Board for the Equalization of Taxes.
There will be no increase in salaries of
any of the employees and it was positively
announced that every employe will be ex-
pected to do all the work for which he is
appointed
The matter of rules for the government
Of the board and employees was discussed
and a committee appointed to draft the
same.
1t was also agreed not to reappoint the
present employees at Mondays meeting,
when the new board will reorganize, but
to allow them all to continue at work.
Negligence will mean instant dismissal
and no successor to such employe will be
named. In this way it is expected that
the force will be gradually reduced and
it will prevent the discharge of compe-
tent and trustworthy employees, which
would necessarily follow wholesal dis
missal.
The new board in this matter is acting
at the suggestion of City Collector Rob-
ert Davis He was not present at yester-
days caucus but notified the Freehold
ers that he expected their ante-election
promises of retrenchment and reform to
be lived up to to the letter.
The board will caucus again on Nom
day morning, when all the details Of the