Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-15
Henry M, Waite, $4,000 Head,
Works Under General Supervi-
sion Of the Five Commissioners
Intrusted With City's Affairs.
He Chooses His Own Department
Heads-Fitness the Only Con-
sideration-Says He Does Not
Know Their Political Views.

DAYTON. March 14...The success
# Henry NJ. Waite. City Manager
has aroused all sorts of interest IN
Dayton's experiment.
Waite has been boss of Dayton
since the first of the year-a legally
constituted, responsible, removable
moss with directing and controlling
mower, and drawing a salary of $l2,-
800 a year.
Under their new charter the peo-
ME Of Dayton do not elect their boss
directly. The people. at a short bal
Ia, election, choose a commission OF
five and the man getting the highest
vote for membership in the commits
;ion wins the title of Mayor, and
salary Of 81 500 a year, as compared
with the 81 200 of his four associates.
The commission acts as the legislative
hodv and it elects the City Manager
and fixes his salary. He then be-
comes the executive. the appointer of
minor officials-the boss.
Took Office January I.
Waite began work January l. His
first task was to pick five department
heads whom he had the power to APP
point. subject to the commissions APP
prevail
The five departments are those OF
service-streets, waterworks. sewers
public utilities; Safety-police, fire
departmert. building inspection,
Weights and measures; Law-the
City Counselor, Finance-account-
rg. purchasing. treasury; and wei
iare-charities. corrections, recreation
rarks. Fairgrounds, hospitals.
There was no politics in my ap-
poIDtments." said Waite. Naturally.
not being acquainted in Dayton, l
needed suggestions, and the commls-
sion gave me lists of men whom they
thought qualified for three of the po-
sitions. and | went over the lists with
them. and made my selections as soon
as could.
Pastor is Director.
THE position of Director OF WEI
fare is the one which relates to what
is called the human side of city gov
eminent. as distinguished from ITS
strict business side. For this place
named the Rev. D. Frank Garland,
Lutheran clergyman, who resigned MS
church work to accept the director
snip.
AS Director of Law one of the
drafters of the Dayton charter was
named, one of our foremost lawyers
who sacrificed his business interests
H. order to accept the place. ~
AS Director of Finance ! named@
Young man who had been connected
with several business institutions IN
Dayton. and who was a member OF
firm of public accountants.
All Men Trained.
we have trained men in each line
Of work That means merely that we
have put business principles INTO Ell
feet in our city government Inc
three requisites for tenure OF ONCE III
DAYTON to-day are efficiency economy
and loyalty.
Every day the directors and the
city manager have a meeting, lasting
usually for an hour.
NO form of government is OF much
value unless the citizens take an IN
ierest in it's workings The biggest
Thing l can hope to do for Dayton
this year IS to get the people inter
ested. When that is done our PROB
lens will be solved. In everything
We do for the city we want the Gnu
zens back of us, and in this way we
hope to show them that they have the
ability to govern themselves and TO
make a profitable job of 1t.
To Marry Soon.
Waite, who is not yet As, is ma
i've of Ohio and son of the late
Chief Justice Waite, of the United
States Supreme Court He is to DE
married in four weeks to Miss Mary
Brown. of Lexington, Ky.