The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-11


deems necessary 70 seep an accurate
account of its proceedings. Three
members Will constitute a quorum
for the transaction a business
Not Commission Form.
The new .ra which il To he In
/ augurated with the induction Of this
board into Office - not the commits
sion form of government, is many
eonstrue IL, but Is an czberiaental
step in that direction, with he idea
that if IL shall prove successful the
commission form u government may
eventually be established by an
amendment - the Constitution, which
Instrument does not now permit the
aboliRhment OF the council aud BOARD
OF aldermen.
The council will 'ni,nue II make
the city's laws. app"1 .'Hte money
necessary for tie maintenance o" the
various municipal departments and
for public improvements, the cxpen-
diture of chose funds resting wi,h
the administrative b,ari The eoun-
ell will al9o continue TO elect IS own
necessary employea--those now
existent: The city attorney. audior.
police justice and substitute; FIVE
members of the board of health. nine
members of the school board; clerk
to the treasurer clerk to the auditor
collector of delinquent taxes and a
city collector. as weG as the officers
and employees of the fire. health and
police departments II surrendets the
right to name the city engineer. build
ing Inspector. superintendent OF street
cleaning. water and gas departments.
nor can ii create any new office or
clerkship, or alter the salaries OF
~
mendation or approval of the add
fninistrative board.
The people will elect the mayor.
councilmen. aldermen, city treasurer.
commissioner of revenue and rhe adj
ministrative board
The act gives the council the right
TO delegate it's authority In the APP
pointment or election OF the fiicers
and employees within it's province to
the administrative board, If II sees
fl, except the officers and employees
of the police, Gre and health depart
ments, which are exempted frnni The
control OF the board.
The only voice the board will have
in the control Of these three depart
,nents is the power to recommend TO
he council the dismissal Of any Of
fcer or employee of the departments
mentioned. On the other hand the
council cannot create new offices or
cIerlships nor increase the pay of
these or any other department with
out the approva, of the administrative
board.
No More Council Committees.
With the new order OF government
the council surrenders all of its COM
mittees. the administrative board TAX
ing the place OF this cumbersome
method of transacting the city's at
sairs The administrative board has
been termed n CONDENSED council
.eon4rfissee," ana thar expression aptiy
fits the situation ex~ept for the fact
that the new board will be clothed
with considerable more power than
any council committee.
Under the act creating the body.
three principal departments Of the
city police, FIRE and
health--are exempted from its super
vision. These departments will con-
tinue to he responsible to the coun-
ell that body making the necessary
appropriations for the maintenance OF
the three departments. and reserving
the authority tn employ and dis
charge the public servants connected
with those departments.
All of the other departments OF the
municipality will come under the
ssspeFvisieH-ef -t he eafd--4t reefs,
street cleaning. cemeteries. water,
gas, building Inspector. engineer, etc.
Aside from the municipal officers
elected by the people and those now
chosen by the council (and this power
can be delegated to the board as
stated4, the administrative board has
the authority to employ, fix the
salaries Of and discharge all city
officers and employees. Nor can the
council increase or decrease the pay
of fhs officers within it's province
until the administrative board has
given it's sanction to the action.
In short, as its name implies, the
board will he clothed with admins
trative or executive powers. The
council will make appropriations In
lump sums for the various depart
nents and the board Will expend
these appropriations as It sees fit
without the advice or sanction of
the council. The board Is charged
with the duty of making recommen-
dations to the council. az often
as it sees fit. for special appropriations
or special laws when. after investi-
cation. 1t believes such a course
necessary,
Once a year. on the 18th day of
rual report to the mayor detailing
the business transacted during the
year. together with such recommended
tions aS it deems fl for the improve
nfent Of the business methods, OF the
several departments of the city gov
eminent. and for the better perfor
nance Of it's own duties. These recon-
rnendations the MAYOR must transmit
to council together WIN his own views
Of such recommendations
Act Creating Board.
In order that Virginian readers may
obtain 4 clear understanding OF the
pnMers of the hoard as -Mell-as the
rev plan Of government, the act OF
the general assembly creating the
board. shorn of prea mhle and tech
ricalities is printed herewith. as fol-
lows: 4
The city council shall fix the pay Of
all Officers, but when such pay has
been Hxsf the Same shaft not re In
creased by the city council until the
propriety OF such Increase has been
referred to the administrative board,
rcofisfte red BY them ami reported upor
TO the council: provided. however. that
the council may delegate to the admin
istratiye board the power to fix the nay
OF all officers fwhom they are now or
may hereafter be authorized to APP
point. and provided further that the
pay of all employees OF the city shall
ha- axed Ay the administrative board.
and may, from time to time, be In
creased or diminished by said board
There shall be elected by the people
one city treasurer, one commissioner or