The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-27

There was a very strong disposition, how
ever, among most OF the commissioners TO
have the board consist of officials elected
by the people. and therefore directly re-
sponsible to them. President Hardin pro-
posed a board consisting of the Mayor,
Comptroller. Treasurer, President of the
Board of Aldermen, all of whom under his
plan should be elected at large and have
terms eoextensive with that of the Mayor,
and the chairman of the finance committee
of the Common Council or Board of Alder
men. Mr., Bachelor proposed a board COM
posed of the Mayor, Comptroller and
President of the Common or Cen
eral Council, with the Corporation Counsel,
Chief Engineer and City Auditor as adj
The Mayor suggested that a board con-
sisting of the Mayor, the president of the
Common Council and the Comptroller, all
TO be elected at large for co~extensive
terms, would constitute a body upon
could be clearly ana Enthusiastically fixed
by the voters.
Mr., Connolly proposed a board to com
sist of the Mayor, president of the Board
Of Aldermen, president of the Board of
Assessment and Revision of Taxes, the
president of the Board of Education and
the people, and the City Auditor to serve
as secretary of the board. but have no
Mr.. Martin proposed a board to consist
of the Mayor, the president Of the Board
of Aldermen and the Comptroller, all to
be elected at large, with the Auditor of
Accounts acting as secretary, but having
no vote.
Mr.. cofish suggested a board of seven
members, all to be elected at large. and for
similar terms, the Mayor. Comptroller and
president of the Common Council to be
members ex-oficio.
Mr.. Riker's plan calls for a Mayor. an
administrative board of seven Aldermen
or directors and n Comptroller, who shall
have charge of the city government, and
who shall be elected at large. He pro-
posed that the Mayor should have gener-
| 1lIV flA nOUnF now DOSSpqaad nv him With
enlarged power as to veto, and should be
distinctly and particularly responsible for
the control of departments in which the
city acts as agent for the State.
He would have the administrative board
assume the powers. now possessed by the
Common Council. the Board Of Street and
Water Commissioners. the Board OF
Health, the Board Of Fire Commissioners,
and take under its special control all
ness subject to supervision by the Mayor,
with veto power In him, which veto, how
ever, could he overriden by a majority
He would create a financial board or
board of control and revislon-a body anal
agous In most respects to the board of
estimate proposed s under the other Pla an
the Comptroller and the members OF the
administrative board, the Mayor, however,
f tie have a,,e,b seven nnd votes ties m the Som aS tSs id a
ministrative board one vote each, or seven
In all. Thus the final decision on
6 6fpdfifst s Major sts; w "SS co be n c0q tSeS
having the two-thirds majority of the
financial. board. Mr.. Riker lays emphasis
P poas thS def the msfte Of d In Ssish a ihf Tar cli Z,
acts for itself or its citizens.
an IN ln 1slT sGnaee psono Il Is p ps9bnit to n9 bs
Chief Engineer .sherrerd which embodiea
features of both the Mayor and the
sc GSommis Il p y, ou+ mr; Snerrera !
than the departments now in charge of
the Board Of Street and Water. Com
m iehSs5 rs bit i could smba be be-. readily ~ f fSe
administrative work of the city.
He suggests that in place Of the pres
missio oDSru a board srd'f be e com mnsIr of C four
members, two each appointed by the Mayor
for folir year terms, under an arrangement
whereby the term of one member would
be elected by the people at large to serve
as president Of the board and have super
conn, OF Its finances IA resd He He would ,qbuIld have each a
tion Of a particular branch of the work
to be performed by the whole board, and
of Board OF Estimate and Apportionment,
to apportion among Its several departments
the money presumably received in bulk
from SOME other agency.
Mr.. Sherrerd also suggests that the cleo
tive commissions or president of the
board should have three votes and each
" i tue OlDcT commissioners one vote, ana
that the president might be also the presi.
dent of the Common or General Council
with no vote. in that body except In case
of n tie, and probably a member of the
General Board of Estimate and Apportion-
ment for the city, with one vote. Mr.
Sherrerd's plan has the Endorsement Of
and Water Commissioner.
TERMS OF PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS.
The matter Of terms for the chief officers
OF the city. has been so closely. allied In
missloners to the sweeping changes in the
structure of the city government, and Is
necessarily so nearly related to that prob
lem that it may be said to form also a
part OF the same subject.
1t has been the feeling of most of the
commissioners that the Mayor should nave
a longer term than Is now granted by
law. and such officers as are elected at
large with him shall serve for coextensive
periods. The end In view is that the
Mayar chiefly, and the officers associated
with him on the general ticket, may nave
an opportunity to carry out policies which
they have enunciated to bring about re-
forms, which may require some time. and
may In a measure be placed above the
transitory political influences which might
be expected to move or annoy officials of
short terms.
Mr.. Martin. however, dissents from the
general view. urging that with the short
term the Mayor will be more likely to be
responsive to popular opinion aud ad-
ministration. Chairman Hardin suggests
that the term of the Mayor be three or
-four years; Mr.. Bachelor that the May
or'S term be four years as well as that Of
the comptroller and president Of the Gem
eral or Common Council.
Mr.. RYAN suggests a three-year term for
the Mayor. and that the Aldermen and
School Commissioners serve for similar
fperlods. Mr.. Corish suggests four-year
terms for the Mayor, comptroller, president
Of the Common Council and the other foul
members of the Board of Estimate which
he provides under his plan shall be elected
at large in the same manner as the Off
cials fust mentioned.
Mr.. Riker suggests that the Mayor. the
members Of the Administrative Board and
the COMPTROLLER be elected at large for
terms long enough to enable them to carry
into effect policies and plans which they
may adopt for the betterment of the city"
Mr.. Connolly gives q four-year term to the
May0r. but makes the latter ineligible to
succeed himself. He gives terms Of SINH
lar length to the president Of the Board
of Aldermen. the president of the Board
of Education, president of the Board of
Assessment and Revision Of Taxes and
the COMPTROLLER. who. however, shall be
ineligible to succeed themselves.
BOARD OF EDUCATION.
The lack of conference between the Edu-
%catlonal Department and the rest of the
plored by almost all of the commission
ers and others who have submitted gem
eral plans. In the effort to bring the
department mentioned into closer relation
with the rest of the city government the
city counsel suggests the appointment by
the Mavor of a board of nine saIaried
members in a manner now prescribed by
the general school law.
The Mayor himself comedies in this
1 MAN fhnrHDh IA dnnIAHAa l. Is0 -