The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-04-07
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4 CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.


One of the first duties of the new
city council under the commission
plan after it comes into existence will
be the appointment of three civil
service commissioners for
term of two years, one for term OF
four years and one for term OF SIX
years. The mayor and two council
men may themselves act as such civil
commissioners and have the same
powers and exercise and perform all
the duties devolving upon commission
ers selected outside the membership
of the council. No person while on
the commission shall hold or be a
candidate for any Office. Two mem
hers of the commission will constitute
a quorum.
The commissioners must be citizens
of Iowa and residents of the city for
more than three years next, preceding
their appointment The council may
remove any of them during their term
of Office for cause, and may fill any
vacancy that may occur. The council
is required to provide suitable rooms
in which the civil service commission
may hold its meetings, and provide
it with a clerk The commissioners
are required to take an oath to sup
port the constitution of the United
States and of the state of Iowa, and
and maintain an honest and efficient
force, free from partisan distinction
or control, and to perform the duties
of their office to the best of their
ability. Examinations are provided
for as follows:
Said commissioners shall, on the
first Monday Of April and October OF
each year. or oftener if it shall be
deemed necessary, under such rules
and regulations as may be prescribed
by the council, hold examinations for
the purpose of determining the quail
fications of applicants for positions,
which examinations shall be practical
and shall fairly test the fitness of the
persons examined to discharge the
duties of the position to which they
seek to be appointed. Said commits
sion shall. as soon as possible after
such examination, certify to the
council double the number of persons
necessary to fill vacancies, who. &C
cording to its records, have the high
est standing for the positions they
seek to fill as a result of such exam
nation, and all vacancies which oc-
cur, that come under the civil service,
prior to the date of the next regular
examination, shall be filed from said
list so certified: provided, however.
that should the list for any cause be
reduced to less than three for any
division. then the council or the head
OF the proper department, may tenn
porarily fill a vacancy, but not 10 ex'
coed thirty days"
/ All persons subject to such civil
service examination will be subject to
removal from Office or employment by
! the council for misconduct or failure to
| perform their duties under such rules
and regulations as it may adopt. The
chief of police, chief of the fire depart
ment, or any superintendent or fore
| man in charge of municipal work
may peremptorily suspend or dis
i
direction for neglect of duty or dis
obedience of orders, but shall, within
twenty-four hours thereafter repor
such suspension or discharge, and the
reason therefor, to the superintendent
of his department, who shall there
upon affirm or revoke such discharge
or suspension according to the facts
Such employe Tor the officer discharg
ing or suspending him) may, within
five days of such ruling appeal there
from TO the council, which shall full.
hear and determine the matter.
The more the commission plan Lev
is looked into the more work there i
! seen to be before the new council
The advice The Gate City has to offe
is not 10 attempt to do too man
things at once One thing at time
and that done we'll, will undoubtedl
j yield better results.