The San Francisco call., 1905-08-20


struction and alteration of buildings.
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
We further find that the Board oi
Public Works has never required the
official approval Of bonds for the faith
full performance of any contract, no
matter what the amount involved, by
indorsement upon the bond, by resolu-
tions, or by affirmative vote spread
upon the minutes. 1t was undoubtedly
the intent of the trainers of the munich
pal charter that every precaution
should be taken to protect the city in
the execution and enforcement of pub
lie contracts, and 1t is unquestionably
the fact that the provisions of the
organic law designed to give force and
effect to that intent have been utterly
disregarded.
The gross misconduct and general
neglect of duty of Morris Levy, secre-
tary of the Board of Public Works, now
upon leave of absence from his official
duties for q period of six months from
April l, 1905, has been made subject to
investigation by this Grand Jury. This
leave was granted after several irregu-
larities in his conduct had been called
TO the attention of the board.
This Grand Jury believes that the
municipal charter places too much
power in the hands of the members of
the Board of Public Works and recon-
mends revision.
We are convinced that the various
departments of the Board of Public
Works should be materially improved
in efficiency by the introduction of a
little system in the management of
public business.
We recommend that the departm is
be ,reorganized, some of the sub-de-
partments merged. Office space should
be condensed and the salaries of heads
Of departments and employees should be
revised so that the compensation shall
be commensurate with the service rem
dered that one may not receive greater
compensation than another performing g
the same class of service where re-
sponsibilites are equal.
We recommend for the Finance Com
mittee of the Board of Supervisors a
revision of the schedule of fees COL
lected in the different departments,
especially in that OF the building per-
NIT department.
We recommend that the three mem
bers of the Board of Public Works
whose appointment lies with the Mayor
be selected hereafter for their technical
skill rather than because Of political
favors rendered.
TAX COLLECTORS OFFICE.
- y.
lector. defaulted, leaving a shortage
amounting to $51.672 IS. to which should
be added s15,59O OS, the amount Of a per-
sonal check cashed by Deputy Treasurer
Devote. 1t is the opinion of this Grand
Jury that the amount mentioned does not
cover the entire shortage and that thor
ough audit of the accounts will disclose
further defalcations. 1t was the desire Of
this body that such an audit should be
r.T lto
tions were held, but it was decided that
the number of accountants necessary and
the time required rendered it impossible
for the Grand jury to undertake the
work.
We believe that the Tax Collectors Of
fee could be conducted efficiently with
less number Of permanent employees.
We recommend the use of adding ma
chimes. We believe that five should be in
stalled and that skilled operators should
be selected to handle the machines. By
their use all the tabulations of the office
could be done as correctly and result in
a great saving of clerical expense.
We recommend that postings be made
from the original entry.
Under the present system it is prac-
tically impossible for the Tax Collector to
make daily settlements with the Treas
urer and deposit his collections within
tWenty-I0Ur nOurS, as the cnarter ex-
pressly provides. To remedy this we
recommend that for each employe acting
as deputy cashier during the taxpaying
time a deputy from the Treasurer's Of
fee be assigned; the clerk representing
the Tax Collectors Office to receive and
receipt for the money, and the Treas
urer's deputy to enter the collections upon
a blotter TO be furnished for that pur-
pose. at the end of the days business the
Treasurer's deputy to total the amount
collected, thus determining the amount
of the days receipts, the cash to be then
balanced and the money to be delivered