The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-06
Committee Reaches Tenta-
tive Agreement AS to
Change in Government
FAVORS REDUCTION OF
COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP
Also Agrees As to General
Outline and Scope of Adj
ministratlve Board:
Meets Again Oct. 10

Tentative plans for a change In tn,
present form Of municipal govern
ment were adopted last night by tn.
special committee named by Coun
Oil Tor that purpose. One of the
plans calls for reduction of city ward.
from eight to four. bringing tho mem
bership In the Common Council dowr
to twenty, and the number In ths
Board of Aldermen to twelve. An.
other plan, which Is not designed ts
interfere with that for ward reduc-
ton. provides for the creation of ar
administrative board upon which
shall be imposed all the executive and
administrative duties now exercised
by the City Council and the severa
committees Of that body. The first
plan was introduced by Mr.. John J
Lynch. of Jefferson ward, one of the
five councilmanic members of the spe-
cial committee. The other was In
troduced by Mr.. Charles V. Meredith
ono Of the three citizen members OF
the committee, and former City At
torney. 1t was agreed that both reso-
buttons should go to City Attorney
Pollard To be prepared and drawn VI
in proper ordinance shape. and Their
to be submitted to the committee
when II meets next on the night OF
October 18th
R-s1istrfrt City.
The Lynch resolution reads as fol-
lows:
''Be It resolved, That 1t Is the sense
OF this committee that the city be
redistrtcted into four "a wards and
the City Attorney Is hereby instructed
to prepare an ordinance TO be- eifee-
tive from and after January. 1912,
carrying this resolution into effect to
meet the requirements Of the statute
NJ TO equalization OF population In
accordance with data gathered by the
special accountant
Provides For Board.
The resolution introduced by AIR.
Meredith reads thus.
BE II resolved. That it Is the sense
OF this committee that an admins
trat!ve board shall be created upon
whom shall be imposed all OF the
executive and administrative duties
now exercised by the city council and
the several committees Of the conn-
ell, such board to consist of three or
Ave members, who shall receive an
annual compensation Of -----, to de-
vote all of their time to the discharge
Of their duties; TO be elected By the
people, the terms of whom shall be
four years, except that those first
elected shall be elected to serve as
follows. Two for Il period OF TWO
years. three for period of four years,
to hold daily open sessions and De
authorized to employ n clerk to keep
proper records OF their proceedings at
4 salary not exceeding - ana
the city attorney Is directed to pre-
pare and report to this committee
such amendments to charter az will
permit the creation of such board.
Have Twenty Candidates.
Mr.. l. r. Morris. another citizen
member of the committee. secured
the insertion of clause In the fore
going paper providing for the election
BY the council Of the members of
the administrative board from list
Of twenty eligible candidates recon-
mended by the mayor"
The Lynch ordinance can become
law upon passage by the council ana
approved by the mayor. IL viii DE
necessary for the Legislature to an-
thorizo an amendment to the city
charter before the Meredith ordi-
nance can become effective after
adoption by council.
Tho two apHrs ware adopted by
the committee after discussion last
ing three hours, during which opinions
were freely and frankly EXCHANGED
N to ways and means OF securing
i sim pier and less cumbersome form
~ government than the present sys
tenn.
Pollard Explains Paper.
city Attorney Pollard. who sat with
the committee, first took up the or
Ninance on change Of government pre-
pared by him several years ago and
finally pigeon -holed by council. This
paper provided an administrative board
81 four f1embers to be appointed by
the Mayor and confirmed by Council.
and to be clothed with general execu-
tive and administrative functions: MIR.
Pollard went ever the paper by sec
tons. pointing out what he regarded
a. its salient features. He especially
insisted that appointment OF the board
by the Mayor was preferable to popu-
lar election. He believed, too. that II
would be wiser for council to author
Ire appropriations. and then turn over
the amounts for distribution by the
board ~ Il saw fit. than for the board
- have sole charge and control Of such
matters On this point. he and Mr..
Meredith differed to some extent the
latter ccntending that the board should
be allowed broader scope.
Want Early Action.
On one point. however. the members
lRrd. were practically q unit. And
that was that something should be
done 70 relieve the present situation,
and the quicker the better.
Mr.. Morris foresaw danger In per-
uniting the people TO choose the board.
though he was willing to yield the
point II the majority was against him.
Mr.. Henry w. Rountree, the remain
lnG citizen representative on the COM
rnittee. inclined to the idea that popu-
lar election was preferable to the other
Insthod. but he was a. charitable az
Mr.. Morris.
Don Leavy. Reynolds. Reads and
Pollock. likewise agreed that the reeo.
luti0nS ware q move IN the right d.
fqct1on. though Mr. Don Leayy par
tlcnIar4y lsssisted that tho peoDlN
Should b. permitted to name the adj
At al events.
Submit . Ceuneik
Tho committee fully expects that
Dattsss win b put In share at the
- needing y Be eubnatte( u Cu~n-
- Ane1 q NtseanhuN