The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-06
Spe cial Com mittee
Squarely Out for Adj
ministrative Board.
FIVE MEMBERS
TO SERVE PEOPLE
Only Point About Which There
Is Division Is as to How Mem,
bers Shall Be Elected-vital
Problem to Taxpayers
Ably Handled After
Careful Study.

( BY unanimous vote last night,it WAC
declared to be the sense of the special
Committee on Changes In the Form OF
City Government that the oity should
be redistricted into four wards, cute
ting the membership OF the Common
Council and Board OF Aldermen In halA
and that by change In the city charter
an administrative boarS should be cre4i
ated on whom shall be imposed all Oh
the executive and administrative duS
ties now exercised by the City Council
and Its committees. The proposed
board Is to consist of Ave membersx
to BIO employed at competent salary
to devote all of their time to tho citya
to hold daily open sessions st
The only division In the committee
is as to how this administrative board
shall be elected. Several members ada
vocated their election by the people
at large, while two desired that tina
Mayor nominate twenty citizens, from
whom tho City Council should elect.
All Of the papers were referred to tho
City Attorney to draw proper resoiu,
lions and ordinances CARRYING the mo.
tons Into effect. forms to be prepared
for both methods OF election of mem.
bers Of the new board, and the point
will be finally voted on when the ANAL
draft Of the papers is gone over at q
meeting to be held on October 10.
Change Now Demanded,
Every member OF the committee waa
in his seat when Chairman Pollock
called the meeting to order at o'clock,
| and the discussion was marked by an
enrnestness and breadth OF informa-
ton which was commended by all
present. SUI
1t was generally felt by the COM
mitteemen that for afteen years there
had been demand for a change In
tho form of city government. Mr..
Meredith stated that when City Attor-
| ney in 1892. ne had drafted a plan for
| q Board OF Control, which tailed in
the Council by two votes. Three spe-
cial committees have been appointed
in the past Ave years to study changes.
| and the members of the present ona
| asserted with unanimity that the time
had come for action. The advantages
and dangers of the various changes
proposed were fully canvassed, Mr.
| Meredith remarking that the commits
tee was discussing politicians, not ana
| gels, and that too many safeguarda
could not be provided. The present!
form of government was generallN)
criticized as clumsy. lnwieldy and
lacking in direct responsibility. Cttg
Attorney Pollard remarking that with
| the slipshod way In which much busis
ness Is done in the city government, III
was almost miracle" that graft had
| been reduced to such minimum. ANY,
| form OF government. he thoughts
| would be no better than the men wh&
| execute 1t. and he advocated that whicff
would centre responsibility and centrs
the attention OF the voters on the meug
in office.
Lynch Proposition.
Mr. Lynch advocated dividing tho
| propositions, and urging Immediate,
action, on redistricting the city SO a$
as reduce the size OF the CouncIl4]
| While in favor OF the charter changes
also. he was afraid that 1t might bel
| delayed in the Council. dallied with iul
the Legislature and that the April priA'
! mary would see another Council oti
sixty-fou members elected for twoG
years from next September. An ouH
and out commission is declared to ba'
| out of the question at this time, beS,
cause of the necessity OF changing the
State Constitution. and doubt as to-
the value of tho pending amendments
designed to allow a commission.
City Attorney Pollard. in an able
address. clearly outlined the situation.
showing the advantages and disad-
vantages OF what was proposed Tho
mischief. he believed, was In tho min
Cling of the legislative power with
the executive functions OF government.
This, he asserted. violated a funda-
had never been successful anywhere.
1t Is a system impolitic and vicious in
It's conception wherever the executive,
judicial or legislative powers were in-
termingled.
1--WE have here" ne continued, "a
mngling of the powers of the legtsla-
tive and executive, Tho Council la
miniature legislature. II enacts ordi-
nances and makes appropriations, Tho
Council orders improvements: then
turns the execution OF those improves
ments over to committees made up OF
Councilman. There are fourteen such
committees, each working independents Z
of the other. Many of the States oe
the Union at tho time OF the Revoln-
ton did not have either tho popuia-
tion or tho annual income OF tho city
of Richmond. yet each of them. recos-
nizinr the fundamental principles Of
government, provides for legislative
and executive departments separated
from each other"
Need business Mem.
lie advocated an administrative CONS
rhittee having no part In legislation. 4
taking up tho work of pubic improve.
ment whore the Council lays 1t down,
paid to give time and attention to ths &
work Busy men. he said. were nnabfs 3
10 give their time to the details ZOE "a
administration, after having So. IN tho
Council and legislated on tho pro6lsn1 IN
involved With a city spending more
than ssoo0,ooo year. there sitould 4
be moro direct supervision. moro a.