El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-06-14

a a. .or,mission plan. has gained
4 y considerable popularity WITHIN
Tho lost few wears. Also the idea OF
enn1o,-i7e- a general manager Of city
business has gained advocates vs.
cOnsin is considering an dCt Pr -
for city managers for ali Clues VI '-0
second to fourth class --, +1e
CITY of SrauntOn. Va, employed So
eral manager in charge OF - 5,,,iri--
works, but the example was no. y - ~
" initiated Last June the Guy VI
Sumter. S c.. adopted the cOlnlllLs9-Gl-
plan with city manager anu III
following October advertisement " -
made for applicants IoI t.lS .lPsSr7,,s an
city manager. The cOmnlssIOIl = = 80 -
nounceuent specified the quallIlca-
tons sought as follows
Qualifications Required.
THE applicant should be competent
to oversee public work. such as pay
ing, lighting, water supply. etc- ~
engineer Of standing ana aolILty ~
be preferred The city manager VIII
hold office as long as he gives sat
iSfactiOn to the cOmmlssion- ne ~
have complete administrative ColllL u
Of the city, subject 10 lne, app ~ g
of the board Of three elected cOlnIlIs-
sicners. There Will be no pOlltlcs ~
the job. but the work VIII pc PlLets
that of an expert Local citizenship IS
There were $50 applicants for the
position. H. NJ WOrthtnStOn, q clFlL
engineer. received the appointment
Mr.. WOrthinEtOn had no SpecldL
training in strictly municipal Work nor
does he rely on any particular 50 -
or sources OF Information resaIdins
the commission government AII55
graduating from college ne spent i
years as an engineer in railroad loca-
tiOn and construction WORK tOF seI
eraI years past he was IN charge OF
quite difficult jobs, and sucn q uaiiLI-57
cations as he now has he recelfeu
through these experiences
Duties OF City Manager.
Mr.. WOrthington states that ne y
acting as an executive officer IOr IhS
city council, consisting Of mayor ana
two commissioners The nants y
makes all the purchases Tor the clL5
and audirs the bills for approval he
has active supervision Of all OF the va
rfOus CITY departments. and is, as you
might deem 10. trouble man Tor lne
whole city. The citizens usually 90
to him when there are any complaints
I TO be made Of the service in any par
I ticular department. and present 10 MN
all matters OF ordinary ilnpOr tenCe
which they are ANXIOUS 10 nave 1IOuSlt
3 to the attention OF the council Olle
quite important feature OF the man
{ ayers work is to issue all permits
] wherever private parties desire the use
/ of the street for the purpose OF sJor-
/ ing material during building conSIFu c-
! ton or for any private enterprise
( To summarize. the city manager
{ serves the council actively as a pur-
I chasing agent. as an auditor OF Dllls,
I as a general manager OF all depart
l ments. and in general as an active
/ agent TO carry ont their pOllcy OF sON
/ eminent He serves the people in tnaL
I he furnishes them responsible head
] TO whom to go for information as 10
I municipal affairs. for redress IN case
I of complaint as 10 any department, ana
! as an agent for the city cOuncn au-
4 thOrized to grant certain classes or
1t win be noted that Sumter has a
] commission form OF government, Wn me
I stanton is governed by mayor ana
I councillors. This fact is worth noting
/ since the latest city TO adopt the plan
I of employing city manager IS HlcA-
I DRY. y. c.. which is. like Staunton. Va,
! OF the familiar form Of government
Referring 10 Hickory. the clauses or
4 the new city charter which refer 10
| the duties Of the city manager are as
subject to city Council.
! Section @ He shall have power 10
! revoke licenses pending the action OF
Section 10. He shall have authority
and charge over all public works. the
! erection Of buildings for the city, the
making and construction OF All IN
provements- paving. curolnS- slue-
{ walks streets bridges. viaducts and
I the repair thereof, he shall approve
all estimates Of cost OF public works,
( and recommend to the city council the
[ acceptance and rejection OF the Wof :
I done or improvements made ne snail
/ have control. management and dlrec-
I tion of all public grounds. bridges, VIA
ducts and public buildings; he shall
/ have control of the location OF street
I car tracks. telephone and telegraph
poles and wires; he shall have control
Of the water sheds from which the city
takes its supply OF water, pumping sta
! ticns. pipe lines. filterinE apparatus,
{ and all other things connected with or
incident TO the proper supply OF wa
ter for the city; and shall secure all
rights Of way and easements connected
with the waterwOrSs or sewerage syS-
TENS or the extension Of the streets,
etc.
All the powers enumerated however
shall be exercised subject to the su-
Dervision and control OF the city cOun-
ell.
Although but three cities have so far
adopted the city manager plan there
are many that have considered it. In
addition to the action taken in the
Wisconsin legislature New Jersey has
been attempting to provide for the
adoption by popular vote of city man
I ayers in any commission plan city Of
that state So il is apparent that the
city manager plan for handling the
executive functions of city government
has gained in popular favor.