The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-01-25
DIES MONIES PLAN
|. OF GOVERNMENT
OBJECT OF BILL
Senator Benner X. Smith Pre-.
pareS Measure for introduce
ton in Legislature.
MUNICIPAL RULES
VESTED IN COMMISSION
WOULD ELIMINATE POLITICS
FROM CITY ELEcTIoN-cIVII
SERVICE A FEATURE.

The bull providing for the pes
Moines plan Of municipal government
for cities Of the first and second class
IN Utah. which viii be one of the most
important pieces Of legislation to be
considered by the legislature at this
session, has been drawn and is now i'm
the hands of the committee Of the civic
improvement league, which viii pass
on the bill before it is introduced. SEN
ator Benner y. Smith. who W II intro
duce the bill in the senate this week.
completed the drawing Of the bill on
Saturday.
The Des AIoines bill is somewhat
similar to the Galveston bill introduced
two years ago by Senator Smith The
pes Moines plan of government Of mu-
inequalities by commiss on Is somewhat
similar to the Galveston plan. but il is
considered somewhat more effective
the Des Moiues plan being the result
Of careful study Of the Galveston plan
and other forms Of municipal govern
meDt. The bill to be introduced this
week in the senate embOdies many fes-
lures Of the Des Mones plan. though
some of the provisions are modified 10
adapt il to local conditions.
The bill amends sections 1S2. 1s3 and
lS4 of the statutes of 1907 by vesting
the government Of cities Of the first
and second class il q board Of five
trustees TO be elected at large. one Of
these trustees shall be the mayor OF
the city, and each OF the others viii be
the head Of some department Of NUM-
cipai government. The bill declares the
offices of mayor and cOureilmen of
/ cities of the first and second class
elected Jnder the present system va
cant at noon on the first Monday Of
January. 1910. and provides for an
election of board Of trustees next No
vembeT.
Branches of Government.
BY this bn there are created i've
branches Of municipal government, as
/ follows.
Department Of public affairs.
2. Department of accounts and
4 finance
3. Department Of public safety.
4 Department Of streets and inn
! provements.
s. Department Of parks and public
/ property.
The mayor is to be the head Of the
| department of public affairs. and the
other four trustees to be the heads OF
the other four departments, each to be
assigned 10 his position by a majority
vote of the board.
These departments it will be seen in
/ clude all branches Of government. The
mayor has general supervision over all
! the affairs of the city. The trustee
having charge Of the department Of ac-
counts and finance superviscS the
work Of the offices of the city aud4for.
the city treasurer and the city record
er. The trustee at the head Of the de-
/ partment of public safety has super
I vision OF the police and fire departs
ments. The trustee having charge Of
{ the department Of streets and public
I Improvements has direct superv sion Of
/ the street department and the city Ell
/ gineer's Office. The supervisor Of tine
I department Of parks and public prop
eTty has before him the work of the
park board and other public works.
Under the DeS MOines plan the of
I fees Of city auditor. city treasurer. city
recorder and city attorney are sppcinf-
I i've, instead OF elective. The persons
/ to ill these positions are named at the
/ first meet ng Of the board.
! The board Of trustees has duties
similar to that of the city council. anu
I the same powers The mayor presidcs
at the meetings ard ordinances are
I passed in much the same manner as ct
J present. Each trustee is In effect n
/ council committee and in him is con
/ centrated the work Of several commit
/ tees. Before him comes for investiga-
[ on all OF the matters now pfere lltef
I to committees embracing the work of
/ the department represented by him.
Employees Under Civil Service.
All employees arc under civil ser
I vice commission Of three members. To
/ this commission are referred all appii-
/ cations for positions. The commission
{ examines the applicants and submits
I TO the board Of trustees q list Of double
/ the number required, and from this list
I the appointments are to be made
[ It is proposed that the board OF
[ trustees give their entire time to the
/ city. and with that object in view the
! salaries 10 be paid win be generous.
/ The exact amount has not yet been de-
| cided upon. A salary of $1,000 a year
l for the mayor and $500 for each
7 trustee has been proposed
Senator Carl Badger is considering
I the introduction Of a bill that VIII put
/ the proposed municipal commission out
3 Of reach Of politics. His plan is TO
I make the nominations for the commits
/ sion by the primary election method.
I No candidate. under this plan, would
/ appear as a party candidate for Office.
Continued on Page 2.