The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-29
Salt Lake Senator Preparing
Bill for Commission Form
of Government.
BOARD OF FIVE MEMBERS
TO CONTROL CITY AFFAIRS
Provision Made for Nom PARTS
an Nomination of Candidates;
Recall Power Included.

Senator Benner X Smith of Salt Lake
is preparing a bill providing for a COM
mission form OF government for cities OF
the first and second classes, which will
be introduced in the state Legislature
soon.
Among the provisions OF the proposed
bill are a nonpartisan board OF commits
sloners. a primary election. civil serv-
Ice commission, the initiative and refer
endum. and the recall,
The bin will be similar In most re-
spects TO the measure introduced In the
legislature two years ago by Senator
Smith and follows the lines OF the DeS
Moines form Of government. This pro-
vides Tor n nonpartlsan government oil
mayor and four commissioners. who shal!
be elected. and abolshes the Offices OF
councllmcn and other elective Offices III
the city. under the present system.
The mayor and the four commissioners
are TO constitute the city council and TO
enact ordinances and have such other
powers as are usual 10 city governments
The mayor and the other commissioners
are TO devote all OF their time to the
divided into five branches: Public af-
fairs and finance. water supply and wa
terworks, public safety streets and pub
lie improvements. and parks and public
property The mayor is TO be al the
head OF the department of public affairs
and finance and one of the other com
I0lSSlONSrS al TIC UGdO Oh GdtH VI lllc
other departments.
Primaries for Nominations.
The board Of commissioners has the
power 10 appoint the city attorney, re-
corder. treasurer and such other officers
as are necessary TO the goyernment; eX-
cept the city auditor who shall he
elected at the same time as the members
of the commission.
Primary elections are provided for the
nominations OF candidates for mayor,
40 lie RI nd hA
for each office receiving the greatest
number of votes arc to be voted on At
the city election. No political tickets are
to be placed in the field and each name
is to be placed on the ballot without
party designation.
a civil service commission Of three is
TO be appointed by the board, under the
provisions of tho bill to examine Into the
qualifications OF all applicants for posi-
tons under the city government. other
than those Of heads OF departments. This
commission shall submit TO the board a
list of names double the number OF posi-
tons To be filled and from this number
the board will select the employees re-
qu!rcd
for certain ordinances and franchises,
which shall become effective only after
majority OF the voters have approved
them. All proposed ordinances are 10
be placed on file for public inspection al
least one week prior to their final enact
ment.
Provides for Recall
The recall provision OF the proposed
bin empowers % per cent of the voters
who cast their ballot for mayor AT the
last preceding election to petition the
board OF recall election on any ele Stive
officer. If the board finds that the peti-
ton is signed by the requisite number of
qualified electors a recall election shall be
held. and If the majority OF the electors
vote for the removal from office the Of
hcial shall be removed
Two years ago bill along these lines
passed the legislature, but was vetoed by
the governor. This year the proposed
measure had the Endorsement OF the
Weber county Republican convention and
the Weber club Of Ogden. The members
of the Weber county delegation are
pledged to the enactment OF law for
the commission form OF government for
cities OF the first and second class.