Norwich bulletin., 1910-06-16
Innovation in The City Government
Commission Idea will be Tried Far as Possible Under the Present Charter-Mayor Thayer Introduces Ex- ecutve Committee to New Council and is Obliged to
 Dissolve Tie Votes-Change in Rules Necessitated- Appointment of Committees and Some | usiness- Appointments to be Made at Next Mondays Session

The new court of common council held its first meeting on Wednesday evening, and much was done at the session, as Mayor Thaver had some thing new for the consideration of the minority membership which came as surprise and which they desired ta- bled for further consideration. The voting delevoped a tie which the may or broke by opposing the tabling of the matter and then voting for its passage. It is a step toward the com mission form of government, whereby an executive committee is named in addition to the other committees, and to that committee consisting of the seven democrats of the council, is re- ferred all matters presented to the body. This committee investigates them and reports upon them to the council where the action is taken. The opposition to the passage of the motion by the republican members was for the reason that they wanted tim" to look into the new idea and were not prepared to vote for it then.
 Calling the council to order at S.10 o'clock, Mayor Thayer directed City Sheriff Carey to seat the aldermen and councilmen and the newly elected members were sworn in by the mayor. There were about a dozen spectators present.
 Explains Executive Committee.
 Mayor Thayer then addressed the council as follows:
 
 Council:
 The so-caIled commission plan'' of city government, growing in favor and being adopted under differing forms throughout the country. Is really noth- ing more than the application of com mon sense to the business affairs of municipal corporations in contradis tinction to the old idea of government through a. parliamentary body.
 Election to city office does not create a ruler; it places the elected in the position of mere servant chosen to ad- minister or direct the business or the electors. who, under the law, consti- tute the city of Norwich and stand re- lated to that business similarly as stockholders of a comm mercial corpora ton stand to its business. We may fairly consider the methods of the lat ter if we intend to answer the demand, recently expressed at the polls, for an efficient administration.
 In the effort to earn dividends for their stockholders these corporations seek to minimize the expense account and eliminate waste or utilize the lat ter by conversion into byproducts. The business of the municipal corpora ton is not to see how few of the good things of life those constituting a mu- nicipality can get along with, but how literally they may share in the good things for the sum they are willing to pay. The very purpose of a people in organizing a municipality is to gain benefits not to be had without such organization. The municipal corpora tion, like the business corporation, should therefore minimize the expense factor and all waste, for its stock holders receive their dividends in the form of things instead of in cash, and the more they get in the shape of pro lection of life health property, good roads, transit facilities and means of communication, for the fixed sum which they are willing to expend an nually, the greater their dividend
 af% mere spender of money as formerly, it is .'in business to gain profits for the reduction of such fixed sum.
 It is clear that the more extensive the business of the city become the greater the need of system and order ip it's management.
 Concentrated in a Few.
 One noticeable feature of the inn proved methods in-the administration of large affairs is the concentration or few men, and in the commercial cor porations this has been accom- plished through an executive committee chosen by the directors.
 The executive committee having been found a practical method of economizing time and effort in the mana cement of commercial enterprises it is reasonable to suppose that the administra ton of the affairs of this community, now involving the expen- diture, in one form or another. of nearly half a million dollars annually, may gain like advantages by the adoption of the same method.
 Through the executive committee We shall find ourselves practically under the commission plan" limited to some extent by the provisions Of the charter, the framers of which. intent upon the idea of governing and with no con ception of the wonderfully changed conditions which have overtaken us, gave us a cumbersome system instead of simple and effective one.
 As a result of two conferences with the newly elected aldermen and coun- cilmen, and in the firm belief that this approach to the commission plan will greatly improve and render effective the administration of city affairs, l recommend that the rules of order pre- pared to make that method possible be adopted as the rules of order of the present council. They provide for an executive committee of seven members, to be chosen in the same manner as other committees have been chosen heretofore, who shall meet weekly for the tran action of business; and it is but fair to say to the minority mem bers before action on the proposed rules that if they shall be adopted no member of the minority Tn the council will be nominated for this committee. This action will be taken through no discourtesy to the minority. but to car ry to a trial the commission plan; to place the whole responsibility for it's failure, IT IL fa1lS. upon those whom the electors have chosen to effect a change in the administrati ton and to make each new member of the council a sharer in the responsibility of the administrati ton under the new form.
 Requires Change in Rules.
 The mayor then stated that the rules of order of the former council were on the table and they are not altered for action tonight except in one in stance. where section Is is changed to provide for the executive committee and it's duties. The rules were read bv Clerk Moorse. section Is being as follows:
 There shall be five standing com mittees of the court of common coun- ell. consisting of three members each, whose duty it shall be to con- slider and report upon all such mat ters as shall be referred to them upon the recommendation of the executive committee, and to perform all duties required by them respectively by the laws and ordinances, to wit: com mittee on finance: committee on public works; committee on the fire departments; an auditing committee, and an amusement committee.