The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-09-26
LEAGUE FAVORS
CITY Commission
New Scheme Is Suggested for
Control Of the Munici-
pality.
BILL TO BE DRAFTED
FOR NEXT LEGISLATURE
Plan Outlined Is Same as the
One Adopted by calves
ton, TeX..o.

a bill is TO be drafted by the Civic
Improvement league to be introduced
at the next session Of the State Legis-
lature which will provide for radical
change in the form of municipal gov
ernment of Salt Lake City.
The decision was reached at a meet
ing of the board Of directors of the
league, which was held at the Y. M. C.
A., Tuesday night. O. II. Hewlett pre-
sented the matter before the board for
its consideration. Mr.. Hewlett stated
that he had been making a careful study
of the proposed system as it is now
in practice in the city Of Galveston,
Texas, and that he presented the mat
ter TO q large number of the most prom
inent men in tho city, and that the
plan has met with the hearty approval
of every one to whom it has been pre-
scnted.
The plan outlined before the board
by MIR. Hewlett, and which is follow
ing Of the Galveston idea, is that the
City Council shall be done away with,
and creating in its place a Board of
Commissioners of five memberS-one of
these Commissioners to be known as the
MayorPresident of the board-and of
fees of treasurer, auditor, recorder and
attorney TO be appointive, instead of
elective.
The benefits, suggested by Mr.. Hew-
lett, TO be derived from the adoption Of
this plan are that il will do away with
the cumbersome body of Councilmen and
install in it's place an active, working
board Of five men, who Will devote prac-
tically all Of their time to the affairs
of the city, and in effect will be in
session all of the time.
One member of the board would be
the street commissioner, another the
commissioner of waterworks and sewer
age systems; the third, the commission
er of finance, revenue and public prop
erty, and the other the commissioner Of
police and fire.
This method, Mr.. Hewlett suggests,
would hold each commissioner responsi-
BILE for his own department, and each,
having a special department. would take
special interest and civic pride which
would impel him to direct the affairs of
the department so as to make the best
possible showing.
Mr.. Hewlett stated that the estimated
saving on salaries alone under this sys-
TEN is so per cent. He also stated that
in Galveston, since this system was
adopted, the improvements have been
increased. and the bonded indebtedness
considerably lessened. He laid particu-
lar stress on the fact that the rate of
taxation in Salt Lake can be greatly
reduced if this system is introduced.
Mr.. Hewlett favored the paying to
the commissioners salaries that would
warrant able men in seeking the posi-
tions. In summing up, he stated that
| the proposition meant simply to place
Salt Lake CITY on as sound q business
basis as well conducted business cor
| poratlon,
The proposition was discussed from
| various phases by the members Of the
1t was decided to appoint a committee,
to consist of five members of the league,
which will draft bill providing for the
| change, which will be presented at the
next session of the State Legisla ture.
| The committee appointed consisted of
| o. II. Hewlett, NJ. 81. Walker, William
II. King, George n, Lawrence and R. l.,
! Pritchard
4 committee, consisting of 0. Fl.
Hewlett, D. II. Christensen and Mrs,
Ledyard Bailey was appointed to pre-,
f! sent to the City Council the matter of
| securing the services Of Milford Rob
inson, the well-lnown authority on mu-
| niciDal improvements. to come to Salt
! Lake aud outline a general plan of mu-
nicipal improvements for the city,
which will be followed out as the city
! ont was that a well-defined plan should
! be adopted for the Improvement OF the
city, which should be followed out In
| order to attain improvements, that, al
though not all ACCOMPLISHED at one
time. will be. harmonious when com
pletcd
A motion was also made that the sec
retary of the board extend TO the City
| Council the thanks of the Civic I'M
provement league for the action taken
in nlacing the street flushers in COM
mission, the general expression of the
members of the board being that the
flushers have resulted in great im-
provement in the condition Of the
| streets,
The secretary was also instructed to
request the City Council to take some
steas toward enforcing the ordinance
which provides for the removal of
weeds from sidewalks and sidewalk
parkings.
The board adjourned to meet again
| Tuesday evening, October 9.