Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-02-23
Government Of Gulf City In.
def Direction Of Five
Commissioners
Efficient And HONEST
BUSINESS IS DISPATCHED At
BOARD MEETINGS JUST As IS
THAT OF A BANK OR PRIVATE
CORPORATION.

St. Paul dispatch: The introduction
in the legislature of a bill which, if it
became a law, would place St. Paul
under a form of government, such as
was originated in Galveston, is caus-
ing widespread interest in that meth
cd of civic government.
How It Happened.
After the tidal wave destroyed Gal
weston in 1900 that city found itself
face to face with bankruptcy. To place
affairs on a business basis application
was made to the legislature to annul
the old charter and grant one which
appeared to be revolutionary, so conf
pletely did it change the form of gov
eminent. The Legislature recognized
the helpless condition of the city and
granted the charter.
The city government is in the hands
of FIVE commissioner. There is "a
mayor president whose duty it is to
overlook the city as a whole, and COM
missioners of finance and revenue, wa
ter works and sewerage, police and
fire and streets, and public property
and electric lights.
The commissioner of each department
is allowed to name, subectj TO the APP
proval of the board, all heads of de-
partments and employees. 4 +
The city government is completed by
the appointment and confirmation by
the BOARD of the following:
City secretary, city attorney, city
treasurer, city health physician, city
auditor, city assessor and collector,
city engineer, city recorder, superin-
tendent of water works and sewerage,
chief of police department and chief of
fire department. -
In the appointment of these officers
efficiency and honesty are. alone consid-
cred; political influence, which former
.ly had been an important factor. in
such appointments, has lost its effect.
l. Board Meets Weekly.
j. The meetings of the board are held
every week and the utmost harmony
prevails. Business at these meetings
is. dispatched in the same manner as
that of bank or private corporation.
The city hall is conspicuous by the
absence of politicians and place hunters,
as a simple request in writing from the
humblest citizen addressed to the board
meets with the same consideration as
would the presence in person or by at
torney of the most influential citizen.
All purchases or contracts amount
ing to $500 or over are made or award
ed on sealed bids, after being duly ad
vertised. This saves the city thousands
annually.
Cash Loaned on Security.
Cash held for the different sinking
funds is let out subject to call, on ap-
proved security, to different moneyed
institutions at per cent interest,
which is now a source of considerable
income. . ~
g. The commissioner of finance and rev.
enue at the beginning of each fiscal
year estimates the income and receipts
for the year, and the board, sitting as
whole, forMulates budget making
disposition of the income first taking
care of fixed expenses, such as inter
est and sinking fund on bonds and SAL
aries. Each head of department fur
nishes an estimate of fixed expenses,
and also contemplated permanent i'm
provements in each particular: depart
ment, care. being taken that expendi-
lures do not exceed receipts. In no
case is this budget deyiated from. All
unexpended balances at the end Of the
year revert back to the general fund. I