The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-09-23
CHANGED THE RULES.
Those of Civil Service Too Strict to
Suit Commissioners.

Some of the more stringent rules pro-
posed for the government of civil serv-
ice employees of the city were stricken
out by vote of the city commissioners
when the matter came regularly before
them this morning. The suggestion of
a rule prohibiting office employees from
using tobacco was one of those stricken
out.
In brief the changes made were as
follows:
The positions of sewer men in the
street department and of teamsters in
the sanitary and park department We're
taken out of the classified service, be-
ing declared to be workmen not need
ing any special qualifications.
rule providing that a commissioner
must give an employee notice in writ
ing of the reasons for his discharge,
and also that he must file charges
against the employee with the civil
service commission within twenty-four
hours after discharging the employee
also We're stricken out. In substitute a
rule is suggested making it imperat tive
for the commissioner to file such
charges only where the employee shall
appeal to the civil service commission
for reinstatement
The rule making all persons who are
not qualified electors of the city ineli-
sible for appointment was changed to
except experts in any department
rule compelling competitors in ex-
aminations to supply their own pens,
ink. etc, was stricken out.
a rule prohibiting office employees
rule now in force with reference to the
police to sanitary police and office
men, was stricken out.
A rule requiring a deposit of SIS to be
made in case of an appeal by the dis
charged employee. to bs returned in
he was not thus restored, was stricken
out as working a hardship on those who
wanted to appeal to the civil service
commission.
A rule giving the civil service COM
mission power to annul or revoke GER
tificates, which practically meant dis
charge as it provided the pay of en-
ployees stopped when their certificates
had been annulled or revoked, also was
stricken out.
The last rule of all, providing that
the rules might be amended or altered
by a ma jority vote of both the civil
service commission and the city COM
mission was amended to leave the civil
service commission out of the reckon
ing. leaves the rules entirely up to the
city commission.
There was quite a fight over the to-
bacco rule. Chairman c. H. Kutz of
the civil service commission and w. G.
randy, who frequently locked horns
when they were both members of the
city council, tilted again, Tandy refus-
ing to stand for such a rule. At the
request of Mr. kutz the city fathers
took an aye and no vote on the matter,
the vote standing four to strike out
and one to leave in. the mayor alone
voting against the motion to strike out
1T is purely moral question" was
the way Kutz put it up to the commits
sioners. I want the commission to go
on record in one way or the other
The matter of the legal residence of
city employees came UP and Commits
siOner Porter tartly declared he be-
lieved thatsaH men who live off the city
should live in the city.
Final action of the rules. most of
which were published recently in the
State Journal, was deferred after the
entire morning had been taken in dis
cussing them, until Thursday morning,
when the commission meets again.