The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-01-08

street If the construction of such
sewer system in it's entirety at one
time was too much of an undertaking
the petition requested the cOnstruc-
| ton of the sewer by sections. Mr.. Jor-
dan said the sewer was necessary for
many of the sixty-five purchasers of
lots at the park planned to build there
next summer.
This matter was referred to the city
engineer for plans and estimates.
a resolution for the opening and
widening of West Sixth street was Civ
en- first reading.
When a resolution calling for an i'm
provement on North Tenth street was
| brought up Mr.. Bavis asked delay in
its consideration. He said that the
! budget only provided $4,000 for pub
tic improvements this year, exclusive
OF $4,000 appropriated for the widen
ing of North Third street. Considera-
) ton on the widening of that street
was also postponed.
The board decided to delegate it's
authority Of employing and discharg-
| ing city employees to the heads OF the
various departments, with the eXcep-
ton of the fire and police chiefs. In
the fire department the law provides
that such function must be assumed
by the board but the board of works
will get around this by acting on the
| fire chiefs suggestions along this
! line. The police commissioners have
the authority to employ and discharge
members of that department.
Eavis Versus Bond
| City Attorney Bond suggested that
the board was exceeding Its authorl-
, t. in delegating such powers to the
: h0> DO ~ aNtc
a rule could only be established by
the heads of departments themselves
at a cabinet meeting. He also said
! that it might be we'll to postpone such
action until the civil service question
had been disposed Of
| mo one will welcome more than
myself the day civil service for the
appointment of city employees is es-
| tabIished," declared Mr.. Bavis, but
until that time this rule permitting
chiefs the authority they are entitled
to will stand"
Mayor Robbins also declared that
| the ruls met with his approval, in
! fact, it was he who had suggested it.
! He said that it handicapped the chief
| of department to hold him respon-
| sibe for the affairs of his depart
menl if his hands were tied by not
! having full control over his subordi-
mates.
So the rule stands, even though
some red tape had to be broken in
! establishing it.
Another Change.
| Charles w. Jordan, treasurer of the
school board, appeared before the
! board and made a suggestion that
the school city and the city govern
men join hands in the future in the
purchasing of coal on the heat unit
| instead of on the tonnage basis. This
| suggestion was most favorably re-
ceived by the board and careful
| investigation to determine some prac-
| teal plan along this line Will be
made Mr. Bavis suggested that if
the coal purchased did not come up
| to the required heat unit standard,
the contracting companies should
make up the loss; if the coal purchas-
! ed exceeded the specified heat unit
| standard the city and the school city
! should reimburse the companies for
the additional amount
| MI. Bavis took occasion to say that
a heat unit standard should have
been incorporated in the natural gas
| franchise. He also agreed with Mr..
| Jordan, who said the school board had
been bit hard" on coal purchased
! last year, that both the school city
| and the city government would be
| we'll repaid far the cost of making
| heat unit tests of coal No trouble
was anticipated in securing bids on
| the heat unit basis. Each year the
city purchases about $4,000 worth
of coal and the school board eXpends
about $4,000 for this fuel.
| No insurance on the public build
ings can be taken out until an appro-
priation for the premiums has been
made by council, but the board toda Y
passed a motion TO the effect that it
favored insurance on such buildings.
Council will be asked to make an APP
preparation after the required amount
has been ascertained from the infOr-
nation presented by the insurance
companies. Mayor Robbins pla
much emphasis on the necessity of
insuring public buildings, declaring
that so long as they were not insured
he and the board members would be
held strictly accountable for any
! losses. The public clamor against
US would probably be so great that
we would probably be driven out of