The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-17
AtchisOn Peop'e Interested in
Commission Plan.
Believe It an I'm prOvement Over
Mayor and City Council.
NEWClTYGOVERNMENT
A Review of the Workings of
the New System.
Good Men in Charge Will Insure
Its Complete Success.
The Atchison Champion says:

The Atchison Champion says:
Every day there is noted an awak-
ened interest in the commission plan
of running the affairs of Atchison. At
first people did not read much about it,
but now that everybody is talking
about it, they want to know what this
method of running a city means. Many
say, wei, anything is better than we
have been having. so l suppose / am
in favor of a change, but don't know
much about this commission business. -
At the request of a good many readers
of the Champion. reprint of what
we wrote about the plan the 18th inst,
is herewith published. and we beg all
those who are interested in finding out
what commission plan means to read
it. The account many fall short of Civ
ing You all you want to know, but it
will give you a general idea and you
can investigate further.
Speaking broadly, the law cOntem
plates the substitution of five enterpris-
ing business men who will meet once
every week to transact city affairs for
ten councilmen who meet once a month
and for the most part discuss in a de-
sultory sort of way the affairs of the
city. The five men under the commits
sion plan are elected by the whole city.
The ten Councilmen are elected only by
those residing in their own wards and
in a strict sense they are controlled
primarily by the wishes of their imme
date constituents. The virtue of d
smaller governing board lies in the
fact that there will be greater concen-
tration of effort, greater efficiency, a
greater feeling of individual RESPONSE
bility and an ultimate saving of eX-
pense.
In order to create this board. it is
only necessary to present a petition or
petitions to the mayor signed by at
least 10 per cent of the qualified vot-
erS of the city, asking him to call a
To
the whole people want it. If they de-
eide they do the names of as many
men who care to make the race for the
five places Will be placed upon a ballot
under the provision of the present pri-
mary law and they will be voted on
March = next. The successful candi-
dates will then take over all the duties
and prerogatives of the present mayor
effect modern and more progressive
ideas OF municipal government. The
mayor receives a salary of 81, 500 and
each of the others 81. 600 a year. The
mayor is ex-officio, commissioner of
the police and fire departments" An
other is known as the commissioner
of finance and revenue" Another
commissioner of waterworks and
street lighting" Another as commits
sioner of streets and public improve
ments' and the other commissioner of
parks and public property" Each
shall have exclusive control of his own
0OPeAA anu OAic14 VIII lIIS pIOp-
er execution of the duties thereof
The commission is vested with the
authority to appoint the city attorney,
city clerk, city treasurer, an auditor,
an engineer, superintendent of
streets, a chief of police, police judge,
and a physician, and has power to re-
move any or all of them upon pre-
cedure. The office of auditor is an
important one under the law as his
duty is to keep an absolute check on
the books of every department of the
city government. His salary shall |
not be over $500 year. In Leav- |
enworth he serves for SIS a month. |