The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-23
BOARD OF CONTROL
!. TO Be DISCUSSED
Special Committee to Hold I'm
portant Meeting Tomorrow Z
Night.
WHAT EXECUTIVE PROPOSES
Suggests Consideration Of Qucs-
ton of Reduction Of Number
Of Council1nen.

u p. IT, B.. J.
4 The city fathers will have to attent
some Of the most important committe,
meetings OF the Year this w.es.
Tomorrow night the. special com.
n1ittee to consider the duestion of {
municipal board ef coontrol. which
will hold an impprtant meeting II
the Office nj the Mayor. Alderman w
r. Dabney lis chairman Of this com
flittne, which has number OF sug
gestions to consider in regard II
changes In the form Of municipal
government, among them the recon
rnendatIons made by the MANOR in hi.
annual message to the C1nncE sub
mitted under date of March 30. 1907
On that occasion the Mayor wrote:
u earnestly recommend that the
Council at once consider the de-
sirabilfty and the wisdom OF pro-
viding for the reduction of repre-
sentation in the City Council to
one Alderman and two Council
men for each ward, making the
Joint assembly to consist Of TWEEN
one members. the Council and the
committees of the Council to be
confined In their operations strict
~ to Legislative work. In con-
Z Junction with this reduction nj a
representation IN the Council.
= ] recommend the substitution OF
BOARD of Control consisting OF
FIVE eminent and choice citizens.
to be elected by the people at
large, who shall assume all Of tl.
work, duties, responsibilities and
authority OF the Council Commit
tees as now constituted. with ref
erence to the management, control,
direction, supervision, maintenance,
etc. OF all the various departments
of the city government, the pur-
pose of this arrangement being
to relieve the Council OF all execu-
tive work and allow its members
to devote their whole time strictly
to legislation alone. 1t is evident
to any careful observer that the
Council consumes SO much OF its
time upon detail and mtnutiae
that the great problems which
should employ their thoughts and
time receive less attention than
the countless trifies which appear
In connection with their work as
members of executive committees.
while we are waiting for the
creation of the Board OF Control, TO
act in place of all the committees
of the Council, I recommend the
immediate rearrang ement of the
Council committees so as to reduce
the number of the committees, and
SO as to secure TO some extent bet
ter cooperation between the de-
partmeuts OF the city government.
For at least an experimental pc
Rod. therefore. recommend:
That Light, Water. Streets,
Grounds and Buildings. and I'm
provement OF James River be made
lie Improvement: that Finance.
Ordinances. Charter and Reform,
and Local Assessments be made one
committee OF fifteen on Finance
and Laws"; that Electricity, Police,
Election and Schools. Printing and
Claims. and Markets, be made one
committee OF thirteen on Claims
and Service: that Health. Relief
OF Poor. Cemeteries, and st. Johns
Burying Ground be made one COM,
mittee of thirteen on Health. Poor
and Cemeteries"
Other meetings scheduled for to
morrow night, all OF which are set fol
} o'clock. are the Committees on Print
Ing and Accounts. Annexed Territor,
Nand Streets. The meeting of tn,
Street Committee is a called session Il
consider matters OF Importance tina
rannot walt for the regular session 4
be held on Friday afternoon.
Tuesday night at O'Clock the Com
tmittees on Finance and on Electrtcit,
iwill hold meetings.
Thursday night at s o'clock tn,
Water Committee Will hold forth, and
Friday afternoon at S o'clock tho
Street Committee will hold its regula,
meeting. All o'clock Friday night this
st. Joints Cemetery Committee will
meet at st. Johns Church