Norwich bulletin., 1910-10-29
Hearing Before Charter Commission
About Fifty Citizens Attended Discussion and Gave
zee Sent Out.

| About fifty citizens gathered in the
common council chamber on Friday
evening to attend the public hearing
| before the committee on the revision
| of the charter, upon the nine questions
1 which they propounded and sent out
| to the citizens. The session proved
| one of much value to all concerned, and
| it is probable that it will be the only
/ public hearing. All of the commission
| were there except Charles H. Haskell.
| Chairman Tirrell presided and led the
discussion throughout the evening,
| asking many questions of the citizens
| regarding the several matters under
| discussion.
Many Replies.
AT the opening ChaiEman Tirrell stat
| ed that there had been 102 replies re-
ceived to the list of questions sent out
| There were 81 who favored the first
question and one who was opposed
| The opinions on the others were: Sec
| ond. IS yes. no; third, SO yes, no:
| fourth, 38 yes, 26 no; fifth, yes, II
| no; sixth, SO yes, no: seventh, 100
| yes. eighth. 80 yes, no; ninth, SO yes,
I no: and to the request for remarks
| they received many replies.
| The questions We're taken up in or.
| der. The first question was: Should
| the fiscal year of the various depart
| inents of the city close on the same
| date? If so, please suggest a date.
| Al seemed to think that the year
| should end for all departments the 1st
| of January. and j. L. Case and H. W.
| Tibbits spoke in favor of this. 1t was
| thought by Mr.. Tirrell that elections
| might be held in November and the Of
| ficers could take office the first of the
| year. F. W. Cary stated that by the
| proposed charter no heads of Depart
ments can exceed appropriations with
| out being liable.
Centralizing Accounts.
The second qeustion. Ought the
| financial accounts of all departments
to be in one central office, with proper
provision for accurate record of each
separate department?
This was discussed at length, and In
| favor Of it were e. a. Tracy, H. w.
| Tibbits, J. L. Case, W. III. Woodwork
while s. D: Moore could see no benefit
| from it Mr.. Tracy thought that all
bills could be paid at a central office,
! but be made out in the department,
| and if there are mistakes the person
can go to the particular department.
Mr.. Tirrell thought it best to receive
and give out all the money at one
place.
]. C. Averill raised the question of
the department of the city court, and
Fl. w Tfbbits spoke of the duties of
the clerk there and thought il that
work was put on the treasurer it
would be annoying. J. L. Case Won
dered why it could not be told at any
time how the account of the gas and
electric department was as to money
in the treasurer's office, and Mr.. Ira
cy thought it was because of the meth
| cd of bookkeeping. Mr.. Case told of
the Milwaukee Light, Heat and Trae-
ton company, which is under this
centralized system of keeping books,
| and pronounced it ideal and the best.
| Mr.. TirreH held that it was best to
have all the accounts kept az one
| place.
John Barry thought the cemetery
| department and the trust funds would
! cause trouble, but W. II. Woodwork
| was of the opinion that most of that
| trouble come from the fact that the
| income from the funds was not large
| enough to do the work, and when ex-
ira bills come in there is a question.
The report of w. c. Newell on the
! cemetery accounts was read.
/ Central Purchasing Station.
! The third question, Would the city
I secure economy and system in pur-
/ chases If all departments secured their
/ supplies through central purchasing
/ department provoked quite a long dis
cussion. in which II. A. Tirreli, James
| Grierson, John Barry. g. O. Stead ].
/ G. Averill, w. H Woodworth, E. A.
! Tracy, Charles Twist. G.. r. Ravens
and II. w. Tibbits participated. All
conceded that the central purchasing
system was a good idea, but the idea
of purchasing agent was not favored.
/ Most of the speakers favored patron1Z-
/ ing local houses, however.
John Barry said that fire department
supplies are now bought by COMPETE
! tive bids. Mr.. Stead said that he fav
| oreG a purchasing agent and wondered
why it cost 81 to shoe a horse in the
| fire department, when other horses are
| shod for So. He was told they requir-
| ed special shoeing and that all black
smiths give preference to all the city
horses regardless whatever other bust
ness they may have. J. c. Averill
| thought that the special needs of a de-
| partment could best be bought by the
| Department.
| The question of feed in the several
| departments was G-scussed, and it was
4 found that years supply of oats
1 could not be housed. G. r. Harris said
| that the fire department gets COMPETE
! tive bids by the month and gets a low
| figure for their feed. Other depart
| ments, according to politics, give deal
| ers the feed bill for three months at
1 the same rate everyone pays. The
| purchasing agent was discussed for the
| state in the legislature, but was not
| approved by the state, said Mr.. lib
| bits.
| 1t was pointed out that all big cor
pore lions had purchasing agents, but
| MI. Tirrell held, while 1t might be adj
| vantageou for such big corporations.
| it would be unwise for a family and
| it is question how much such an
| agent could save. The pooling of pur
| chases was favored by all however.
| Mr.. Barry thought the new charter
| ought tc require competitive Bids.
| Tax Districts.
| The fourth question, that of having
| the city. divided into tax districts, was
! quickly disposed of. Mr.. Tirrell said
| that the great difficulty would be in
| fixing the lines, and that it came arp
! because of the talk of consolidation,
| when it would be more applicable NJ.
J. Curran thought there was a sec
! ton from Hickory to SeneVth sereets
/ WHICH did not have as many benefits
| as other sections. He complained of
! the streets and that there are no walks
| and that no paths arc cleared By the
| city.
Removal of Officials.
Ought public officials be removed
solely for political reasons?
This question. Mr.. Tirrell said, was
| asked, as the idea in many cities is
to have the municipal government run
| without regard to politics, like a bus
mess house would be. and if employees
| and fit and worthy. to retain them. If
| it is well to keep some heads why
not keep others? J. T. Tanning ex-
| planned that the retaining of the po-
lice during good behaviour startedo
/ ever twenty years ago and did not