The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-02-03
Would Reorganize Building In
SpectOr'S Office Force Under
single Head and Enforce An
Adequate Building Code
PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE
GETS HEAVY WALLOPS
Records Not Complete, Says Ex-
pert, and Valuable Information
Is LOst-WantS City Engineer
Placed Over All Work of
This Department

Peter Whites final report and rec
concentrations will be presented to the
Common Council tonight. Sweeping
changes in many administrative offices
will be urged by him as a result of
his Investigations. AS told exclusive
ly in The Farmer, Saturday evening,
many offices are hit in the report
which is bound TO cause considerable
interest in municipal affairs.
The report which will be submitted
tonight includes revews of inYestiga-
tions of Offices not touched in other
parts of the report, already given to
the Common Council.
The Office of building inspection re-
ceives considerable attention from Mr..
White He takes q. few falls out of
the present administration of the du-
ties of that office, declaring that the
system of appointment might lead to
serious trouble, should there be a dis
agreement of opinions by the build
ing inspector and his assistant. The
former Is appointed by the commits
stoners and the latter by the Common
Council.
mon Council that the office force be
made up this way: One building in
spector, salary 81, 600, appointed by the
Mayor; two assistants, salary $1,000
each, TO be appointed by the inspec-
tor; and a stenographer and clerk,
salary 5000, to be appointed by the
1ISpSCLOI. his .vn1Le de-
clares, would allow the building in
spector to give half the day to his
office, whereas he is now at his Office
only a short time. Mr.; White figures
nua4ly, by reason of the fact that the
pay of the commissioners would be
saved. and would also increase the
field service given the city.
The adoption of an adequate build
ing code is urged, with provisions OF
| appeal to the Mayor, within three
II n
ing inspector.
n his Investigation of the new Board
Of Contract ana supply, Mr.. White
found tfrat the clerk of that board has
to keep record of appropriations
This is unnecessary, he says, as such
| a record is kept by the city auditor.
4 of this board SO as to provide inspee-
ton OF all deliveries of goods contract
| ed for. by the board. Mr.. White
| wants a general ordinance prohibiting
| city officials from engaging in buSi-
ness with the city.
The Board Of Health, Mr.. White
finds, does not comply with the city
ordinance requiring a monthly deposit
| with the city treasurer. He urges
| that fees of this department be col
lected by the tax collector It is rec
vital statistics be placed in the hands
of the Health Board, instead of with
the town clerk as at present.
| Mr.. White doesn't like the way pay
rolls for the street cleaning depart
ment are compiled, as no written evil
dence of their correctness are filed
with, the city auditor. He would like
more protection for the paymaster of
this department, who has $4,000 to S.
! 600 weekly on his counter. 1.-THE pay
master carries a revolver but there is
no protection around him" says MT.
White. The records of work done in
this department are not complete and
well kept, he says.
| The city engineer, who, Mr.. White
says, is the virtual head OF the pub
| lie works department. finds trouble in
conflicting duties laid to him and other
/ officials. He wants these duties more
definitely defined. Mr.. White urges
1 the consolidation of all departments
pertaining to public works under one
head presumably the city engineer.
| Mr. White recommends that the city
auditor be elected by the people for
| a definite term, apd not appointed by
the Mayor to hold office during good
| behavior.
In reference to the office of the di-
| inappropriate charges, amounting to
more than $100 weekly, made to the
nacadam repair funds. This sum is
| for salaries of Office help and other
employees. Mr.. White finds little rec
ord of work done by this department,
no complete files for this purpose be-
/ ing maintained. Mo reports of field
work, the basis for valIab BILE records,
are kept by the office, the report
says.
| The Board of Charities is badly in
need of stenographic assistance, the
| report says The regular appTopria-
! ton record is not kept satisfactorily
| in this department, Mr.. White finds.
manner of the doings of the sinking
fund commission, paving and sewer
commission, city treasurer, committee
on finance and other departments.