The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-03-16
MAY ADOPT POLICY.
st. Adams May Have City Manager If
Rich Enough.

st. Albans, March l6.--At a special
meeting of the city council held Satur-
day evening the committee appointed by
last years council to examine into the
city manager plan for the purpose OF
deciding whether or not such plan
seemed practical for st. Albans present
ed a report favorable to the adoption OF
the plan.
The council voted TO accept the report
but it was not adopted. Each commit
tee of the council viii make an esti-
mate OF the amount of money required
for the work of its respective depart
ment during the coming year and report
TO the finance committee, which wiz re-
port on the appropriation at an adj
journed meeting of the council to be
held March 2S. AT that time it will be
able to Judge better whether the city
has money enough to warrant its engag-
ing a manager.
The committee, which was engaged in
looking into the plan, has made pains
taking investigation. s. Il. Royce, chair
man. personally went to New York City,
where he conferred with the bureau Of
municipal research, which is recognized
as the highest authority on ali ques-
tions OF public service and municipal
management The bureau is conducted
not for profit but for the reform and
improvement OF public service.
This bureau has offered to send to St.
Albans an expert to take charge Of city
affairs. In effect the plan would be for
the manager to be paid for year about
what salary the city felt it c7uld afford
to pay. The bureau, which has the edu-
cation Of such managers in charge. would
keep in touch with the situation with
the idea Of making Of st. Alhans mod
el city. In short, il proposes to use St,
Alhans as demonstration of the plan.
desiring to find some small city where
it eould make such demonstration, which
il could advertise all over the United
States as the best governed city in the
world.
The work Of the manager would take
the place Of the work done hy the city
council committees, including superin-
tendent Of streets, the water depart
ment, sewers. sidewalks, and. IN fact,
every line OF activity except the man
agement Of the schools
The manager would be responsible 10
the city council saf the proper aud salts
factory performance OF his duties. also
to the people because at any time they
might complain to the eobacii. The
manager would report regularly TO the
council what he had done. tell what he
thought should be done and Why il
should be done. and the cost, The cGun
ell would decide and instruct according
ly Whatever business the pcorie had
they would transact with tAc city man
ager.
The bureau, which would keep IN touch
with the plan, would at pr0per intervals
send travelling experts from ITS bureau
to inspect the work here.
The idea az present, as presented IN
the report of the committee. IS to have
the plan undertaken with the co-opera-
tion OF the city council, which has the
light to delegate its authority If i is
found practical the matter could be tax
m to the legislature next January anil
necessary amendments to the city char
er.coud be made.
The committee which has been ex-
imining the plan is composed of S. r.
Pnyce, chairman; Fuller G. Smith, A. II.
George. n. f. L'Ecuyer, W. i. Merritt,
William II. Finn /. j. Morton aud W.
T. Voree. All were present at the meet
na with the exception of Mr.. LEeuyer.
Mayor J, 4. Maun was present as were
I'll the members of the city council.