The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-09
Denies 1t Wider Control
Of Salaries and Ap-
preparations.
LONG DEBATE ON
CHARTER CHANGES
Amendment Is Carried Author
izing Council, in It's Discretion,
to Place Fire, Police and
Health Departments I'm
der Administrative
Boards Control.

The Common Council devoted three
hours OF heated debate last night tc
three proposed charter amendment
affecting the relations between the Ad-
ministrativc Borrd and the Council and
after acting OH each separately. voted
unanimously for an amended rcsolu-
ton embodying concessions to both
the faction opposing and the faction
fdNorinS the extension OF the board :
powers.
~ a vote of IL 10 6. il rejected an
amendment striking out the amend
incnt 10 the charter which authorizc4
the CITY Council. in it's discretion. Ia
confer upon the Administrative Board
the management and Jurisdiction over
the Fire. Police and Health Depart
'ncnts. The amendment reported by
the Charter Changes Committee. there
Tore, was approved by the Unanimous
vote given to the general resolution.
Tho approval OF this amendment was
the victory OF the evening from the
standpoint OF those members .>ho look
Toward TO the time when the Fire.
PI!Ice and Health Departments will he
placed under the Administrative Board
such an arrangement, it was predict
ed by two speakers, is inevitable, and
must In the interest OF economy, come
IN the near future.
-.
In the matter Of giving tho board
wider powers in regard To SALARY CON
troll ana the disposition Of appropriated
moneys. the Common Council voted de
cisireIy in the negative. Tho amend
m"nt TO Section 20. OF the new charter
empowering the board TO fix the pay of
All officers and the wages OF all en-
ployes in the departments under it's
control, was rejected by unanimous
vote the TWO majority members of the
Charter Changes Committce-Council-
men Ratciirfe and Misunderstanding in
the landslide after Speaking fervently
III FAVOR OF giving the board that right
The amendment. which proposed TO
civ" the board greater powers in
designating the purposes TO which ap-
pfopriatIons shall bc applied, by strilt-
ing from The present charters section
on appropriations The mooted "as far
as practicable" clause, was killed by
an amendment restoring the same
words. which was carried by the mar
row vote OF 10 10 $. As passed. the sec
uon Is in the identical language in
winch IN" charter now has IL
The recorded vote on Councilman
MISS amendment restoring the words
as iar as practicable" was a. follows:
Ayes. Atkinson. Fuller. Jones. Mills
Moore, Pollock. katcliffe, sullivan. Uln-
lauf and Peters-lo
Noes; Haddon. Huber, Lunsden. Pol
. - 4'"''i'I'' Sc"toi, \Onucrlchr and
No Debate ON Others.
y dozen other amendments recon
mended by the Charter Changes Com
mIttee an its report were adopted
ie'Iatin without debate ~ tacit con
sent the members confined the discus
sion TO the three amendments already
noted, permitting all others 10 go to
thcir approval unquestioncd The
minor charter amendments approved:
Authorize the Council to establish n
employment bureau
Reasscrt the city's right 10 condemn
for public uses the property OF any
person or corporation. whether or not
such property has already been de-
voted TO public use by ,ne owner
GIVE the Administrative Board con
troll over the location and construction
OF public dumps.
Give the Administrative Board TIE
Dover TO approve and fix grades
Provide for The election OF the cal
icctor Of city Taxes by the people
NOnderlehr Motion Loscs.
Just before The vote on the amended
resolution was taken Councilman Won
derlchr sought 10 have Incorporated
INTO the resolution charter amend
ment making members of the Admin
lstrative Board ineligible for appoint
ment TO amy municipal Office until a
year after he has ceased 10 hold Office
!s a member OF the board. The amend
ment was lost ny Il vote of 10 to 3;
souncilmen lumsdcn. Haddon and yon-
icrlchr alone supporting il.
The resolution as finally approved.
Includes recommendations authorizing
lie CITY Attorney to cooperate with
he city's representation in the General
assembly TO secure the passage Of laws
all bonds issued by the coun-
les. cities and towns of this Com
nonwcalth from State and local tax
zion: and giving cities control over
he laying out Of streets and alleys
"ithin two miles OF their corporate
limits.
Sentiment OF Bonrt.
The debate. which ragged for three /
lours around the three contested
amendments. developed distinct un-
'ercurrcnt of commcndation for the /,
work of the Administrative Board.
Nithout exception, every speaker. /
whether opposed TO extending the I
'oard's powers in the direction under I
discussion or not. declared |
lis conviction that tho administrative |
S"ard has not yet had time to demon
tra:c it's efficiency. and that il should /
cccive the whole hearted support OF |
he Council in its efforts.
Councilman iIaddon led the fight for |
he approval OF the committee amend |
ncnts. declaring them to he a step |
II the direction OF giving the hoard |
no free hand In city administration
hat the Council intended TO give il
ehen it authorized It's creation. To |
efcat the admcndmcnts he said, was
o take u step backwards. Tho same |
'osition was taken by Councilman Rat
life.
The attack upon the disputed amend
fCortjnnoJ ~, I.o,~.,, -. ---------