Norwich bulletin., 1910-06-16

| | Alderman Ely stated that while in { no way an enemy of reform and in | terested in the commission plan of | government he did not feel qualified | to vote upon the matter Wednesday
 night He regretted to say that in the past that matters had gone through
 which more might have been known
 about if time had been taken, but he
 would like to get posted upon this step. He asked to have the matter | laid over until the next meeting.
 Councilman Woodworth didn't think | that he and others properly Runder- i stood the matter, and it may appeal
 to them later upon examination. He 1 could hardly judge rightly on the mer- | its of the idea in such short time and seconded the motion for post ponement. The vote was a tie on par | ty lines.
 | Mayor Thayer stated that he could | fully appreciate the position of the | speakers and he regretted to unite | the vote except for the reason that it | would expedite the councils business and allow of organization and re- port from the committees next Mon ! day night. He voted with the opposi- | ton to table the rules.
 Alderman Gebrath then presented resolution for the adoption of the rules | as read and authorizing the mayor to proceed with the nomination Of the executive committee and all other committees of the council.
 Councilman Woodwork stated that his idea in having the matter post l poned was to get more information and | to act in harmony for the best inter l ests of the city. If he and he thought. | the others, act in opposition it was | because the matter was not under stood rather than from a party spirit. | He asked Mayor Thayer if he would kindly explain section 16 and the way ! it works.
 Mayor Explains Further. Mayor Thayer said he was pleased i to give all information he could re- garding it. The purpose of the rule | is to put the body and the city as far as possible under the antiquate0 char ter, on a basis where it can do busi- ness on a commission form of govern ment. The election of five. seven or nine on the commission to transact the business of a city as a board of di- rectors do in a corporation. is the idea. 1 The committee will hold frequent meetings and look into the details. In such meetings as this, where half million is spent yearly. it i- | impossible to do business properly, | and he said he had seen it when it was 1 not half or quarter done. Bills have been put through which could not be explained as to whether the city had actually received the goods. No one conducts his business that way. The city ought to do its business so 1t knows where the money goes and what it gets for it. Norwich has not done
 
 been presented twice and it was only | by accident that they were discovered before paid twice. No discourtesy IS | intended in this action whatever and he stated that he was pleased to learn l there is no disposition to oppose true reform. There is no intention of the majority to block action by the mi nority. The idea is to place all things | The matters will go to the executive committee and there be thrashed out. and bills will be investigated to see I that the city gets what 1t pays for. Councilman Woodwork stated that he was also republican, but possibly elected by the democrats. It has been his principle that if he is responsible 1 for anything that he wants to have something to say about it. He thought, however, that the responsibility would be by the new method taken out of his | hands.
 The mayor interrupted him to cor
 rect that idea. saying that whatsoever goes to the executive committee must come into the council for action. He thought that inasmuch as they
 made the investigation when it came into the council their opinion would be the same as the vote.
 The mayor though this not neces- sarily so for the reason that all in the council could talk upon it and it is open to change after debate. The motion was put at this point on Alderman Gebrath's resolution, which resulted in a tie vote. which the mayor
 broke by voting to adopt and establish the rules of order Committees Named.
 The mayor then proceeded to nomi- nate the committees as follows: Executive-Mayor Thayer, Aldermen Gebrath and Parker Councilmen Lang. | Griggs, Barry and Fowler.
 F'inance-Mayor Thayer, Alderman Ely. Alderman Parker.
 Public Works-Alderman Gebrath, Councilman Lang, Councilman Gilbert. F'ire-Alderman Ely, Councilman Fowler Councilman Barry.
 Auditing-Alderman Whiting, Coun- cilman Woodworth, Councilman Geer. Police-AIderman Gebrath, Council
 man Briggs. Councilman Worthington.
 Amusement = Alderman Whiting, Councilman Fowler. Councilman Worthington.
 Upon Alderman Gebrath's motion the nominations were confirmed and res olution he presented authorized the is- suance of certificates of indebtedness for such amounts and at such times as deemed necessary while the tax was being collected. to pay the current ex- penSes and meet the interest on loans. The city clerk was authorized to get the stationery and have the rules of order printed with the committees and placed in the journal The unfinished business of the past year was referred to the executive committee.
 He stated that he knows of Waiste of city money but he didn't believe it was graft. The methods have been such however, that money has been wasted. The idea is to get things in shape so that at the end of the year it
 can be told wha the money was used for and where it went.
 He stated that he had noticed in the street department in his time not a single report had been made in accord ance with the ordinanceswhich requires it to be stated where the work was done, what was done and where the money was spent In that department a new system is hoped for under the new organization, so that it will be known what sections of the city has gotten the benefit of the $30,0O0 gen. enral account. He said he didn't care to fill the office any longer and be at the head of a body for the slipshod ex- pediture of money. He expressed pleas ure that the move had been made for a new charter based on the commission form and by this move tonight the method can be tested to see if the ieda is correct He told of getting the idea from reading the charter of the Fed eraI Steel trust. which was absorbed by the United States Steel trust where an executive committee directed af-