The daily sentinel., 1913-01-02

/" RAND JUNCTION VIII be the
1 smallest city in the United
- States in which salaried en-
ployos of the city are under classified
civil service when the ordinance pass
ed for publication Tuesday evening
by the city commissioners becomes
effective. This will be about Feb.
10. The ordinance fixes the powers,
authorities and Limitations of a civil
service board and the commissioners,
after passing the ordinance. appoint
ed three commissioners who will be
the first to held office under the
new ordinance.
j. Munro Stewart, secretary of the
Mesa County Fair association, will
hold office for six years: j. Il. Moor
head. city editor Of The Daily Senti-
mel, was appointed for the four-year
term, and o. ID. Williams. manager
of the Independent Abstract compa-
ny, holds for two years
The consideration of the appoint
ments took a great deal of time Tues
day afternoon and evening, and the
names were finally chosen after
long discussion. A week previously
the commissioners prepared a. list
of ] 2 names, suggested at that time,
and from that list it was proposed to
make the appointments. With the
execution of the name of Mr. Moor
head, the appointments announced
Tuesday evening were made from
that list.
Is Powerful Board.
If the new commission proposes to
exercise the power vested in ii by the
ordinance ii will become one of the
most important boards in any city.
Few cities in the country have a civil
service commission which is given
such discretionary powers as is given
to the local board. and in no city in
the world of the size, of Grand juno
tion is there a commission given even
similar rights and powers. 1t may
be said that this will be the smallest
city in the world where all salaried
employees are appointed on a merit
basis, and not at the will of the
heads of departments.
The power to order and conduct in
vestigations into alleged violations of
the civil service ordinance is one OF
the larger powers conferred by the
new ordinance. The authority to
subpoena witnesses and order the
production before the commission of
all books, papers,, documents, etc.
p>oi me oh tli' lAAHhii 10 It
commissioners have right to admins
ter oaths to witnesses and take tes-
timony in these Investigations Power
is also granted TO have one commits
sioner conduct these hearings and
then furnish the result of his find
ings to the other commissioners. who
will join in rendering decisions.
Present employees of the city are
at once placed under the civil service
and hold office without taking exam
nations. When vacancies occur,
however, in the future the board
will have supervision of the appoint
ments.
To Draft Rules.
The commissioners will begin at
once the formulation of set of
rules governing the holding of exam
nations, etc, which will be placed
in effect shortly after the ordinance
is placed on the municipal statute
books.
After examinations are held and
list of eligibles is secured. ii becomes
the duty of the commission, when
requisition is made by The city com
missioners, to certify to the head of
the appropriate department, the
names of the three persons whose
rating Is highest in the place from
which the appuintment is to be made.
These names are accompanied by
comments and recommendations by
the civil service commission and the
appointment must be made from this
list of three. This gives the city
commissioner opportunity 10 make
selections on a basis of competency