The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-02-20
MORE PAY A AIHD
MORE POWER
To MAYOR
CIVIC COMMISSION AGREES ON
THIS BUT MOTION TO CUT
OFF COUNCILMEN'S REV.
ENUE SINKS IN SOLITUDE.

had their fond hopes wrecked in
recent years, that of councilmanic
opposition to appointments made
by the mayor, will be removed if
the voters of the city approve an
amendment to the city charter
adopted last night by the civic
commission. Under this amend
ment the mayor will have the
right to hire and fire. his chief
of police and board of public works
without interference by the city
council. 1t was also voted to in
crease the mayors salary from
$4,000 to $4,000 per year.
The amendment as adopted was
prepared by exMayor Comstock
over 10 years ago. DR.. Olmstead,
of the commission, who is also a
former mayor, stated that when
Mr.. Comstock was on the city
council he fought every proposition
giving the mayor more power, yet
six months after he assumed the
duties of mayor Comstock found
that his hands were tied by the
city council and that he was I'M
able to do anything.
Some important changes in the
administrative department of the
city government are contemplated
in the amendment, which was rec
commended for submission to the
people by the following vote: Aye
-Insinger, Huneke, Olmstead, Ger
agility, Gray, Mohr, Nelson, Vincent
Ostrander, Ralston, Post; total, IL,
or just enough to cause the sub
mission of the proposition.
Councilman Lambert voted
against the proposition because of
his objection to the city engineer
being made member of the
board of public works. Under the
amendment board of works will be
composed of the water superinten-
dent, the superintendent of streets
and the engineer. There was con-
siderable discussion as to the ad-
visibility of placing the engineer
on the board of works, but it seem
ed to be the general opinion that
this step was along the line Of
progress.
Under the new plan the police
board will be composed of the
mayor and chief of police, who are
to fill all vacancies on the police
force. The fire board will be COM
posed of the mayor and the chief
of the fire department, and while
the mayor will have the appoint
ment of the fire chief his removal
will rest with the city council,
which can remove all appointive Of
ficers by two thirds vote of the
council.
In view of the increased work
and responsibility placed on the
mayor w. D. Vincent moved that
the mayors salary be increased
from $4,000 to $4,000 per year,
which was agreed to by II mem
bers of the commission, only one
vote being cast in the negative,
that of Councilman John Gray. Mr..
Vincent though that this salary
would justify good man in giving
his entire time to the city. The
provision of the city charter fix
ing the salary of the corporation
counsel at $4,000 and that of the
members of the board of public
works at $4,000 was voted to be
repealed. and the fixing of these
salaries left to the city council.
AS some member of the city
council complained about piling up
expense in raising the salary of
the mayor, it was suggested in a
facetious way that the provision in
the city charter giving the coun-
cilmen $500 per year be eliminated
and that the councilmen serve
without pay, the same as the mem
bers of the board of health, park
board and library board. Council
man Mohr moved to cut off the
pay of the councilmen, but a long
silence ensued and there being no
second, his motion was declared
lost.
In urging the adoption of the
amendment revising the charter as
to the power of the mayor and the
different administrative boards, R.
Insinger, who is not a believer in
the commission plan of govern
ment, said that if something is
not done to improve present con-
ditions the people will rise up in
the next two years and wipe out
the present system and erect some
plan of government like that fol
lowed in Des Moines in its stead.
Ex-Mayor Olmstead told of get
ting out of bed at night and find
ing policeman drunk and asleep
on pool table at the Pedicord
hotel. When he asked for the
mans removal the city council
turned down his request.
BROUGHT IN SCALPS