Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1908-08-20
STAUNT0N'SGENERAL MANAGER.

iAIOIlb NJ I hhO oIo Il OASJ !
in charge OF n chosen commissioner or
general manager seems to work adj
mirably. The Dispatch &c m
menting on some remarks on the sub-
Iject in the Municipal Journal and
Engineer, gives the following inter-
4sting details:
N council of is still the
legislative body of ~Staunton, having
surrendered none of it's functions in
his respect. The only difference now
md before we had II general manager,
is in the management of the city's bus
mess. The council still has commit
tees for each department of the city
government, and formerly these COM
inittees undertook to direct, through
the chairman of each committee, the
work of the departments. The chair
man OF the street committee, tor IN
stance, had to direct the work OF the
superintendent OF streets, map 1t out,
etc. One can see that. having his own
business to attend to, and receiving no
com ensation for the city work, he
could, in the nature of the ease, give
the city work only cursory and upper
fetal attention. The general manager
has charge of all the Departments in
which work is done, in the nature Of
the case emitting police and fire de-
partments, and makes the work of all
dovetail and harmonize. He dos the
purchasing, however, for all the de-
partments, and the entire business of
the city, with the qualifications above
stated, is under his supervision.
I'VE may say that those citizens of
Staunton, who nave observed the work
OF the general manager. and are fami-
liar with the old methods, are highly
pleased with the changes More and
better work has been done, and done
at a great saving over former methods.
We will cite one instance, which we
have reason to believe is typical.
Cement paving has been laid around a
new school building at something un-
der a thousand dollars, whereas the
lowest bid that could be gotten for the
work, under the former methods, was
two thousand dollars. Guttering, sew
ering and all kinds of street work are
being under his direction at much
less cost, and there is a great saving.
Having the business thoroughly sys-
tematized, foresight is used in the
purchasing, and the hand to meuth
method, kwith quite q number Of per-
sons in different departments buying,
is a thing OF the past.
: "There is one feature about the sys-
tenn that seems to US to have great
: m crit, even if it cost something extra,
, which it does not: Every citizen whe
has a complaint or a suggestion to
y make, no matter what about, whereby
rubbish in q street er alley, Or lot, a
nuisance OF any kind, a bad place in
pavement or street, some need in water
or light, knows where to take his com
{ plant and receive a respectful hear.
ing and obtain a remedy if practicable
He does not need to go to one man and
be referred to somebody else, and thsI
somebody else, till he becomes dis
eourageo and finally reaches the con
clusion that it is hopeless to complain
or to suggest. This has brought absu'
the removal of many an syesore ane
added Immensely to b sightliness 0
our little city. Give Us time and w
are going to show the other cities o
Virginia how q whole tswn can b.
made clean and kept clean, and worl
carriedl forward steadily on an eco
inomiealsbasis.
'TheskMunicipal Journal and Engi
neer says it is toe soon to judge re
suits. I q broad sense, and as a perma
nent institution, that is true, and w
= will explain why, but SO far the re is NJ
" disputing the fact that abe experiment
mas borne excellent fruit. The onl.
danger we see in the experiment i
l from standpoint Of the council. Th
. present bicameral body ~inaugurate'
j t re system and elected the genera
- IN anagers, and is unanimous if nc
quite SO in approval Of the results
p Snould we later have a council ths
worked at cr~oss-purposes Or lacke
q proper intelligence, the results migf
L be Disappointing. for the office wa
In created by the couicil and is subjet
to his control. 1t is because of tn
* state of dependency that we at the b.
20 ginning had our doubts. We wishe
=. to see the plan established by the legit
AZURE OF the State, SO as to prevent I'll
Sc interference on the part of IL
= ouncil, should it be attempted.
ar the council has given the gener
manager every encouragement and Il
y, newly elected bers of council a
pledged to do the same thing, so tn
a
we are reasonably sure to get good +