The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-02-11


an administrator may for political rea-
sons be sustained by the popular vote.
IL the general manager employed
by a city council or board Of trus-
tees. selected for his expert knowl-
edge and ability to produce results.
makes too many mistakes he may be
dismissed just as promptly and with
as little ceremony as the humblest
street cleaner or clerk. This plan
has another great practical advan-
tage over the commission form. in
asmuch rs any city council or village
board Of trustees. anywhere. Ia en-
powered to emplay and fix the salary
of such employees as 1t may deem
necessary. 1t may, therefore. hire O
general manager and put him to
work without the long delay neces-
sary to get state constitution amend
ed or special authority granted by the
State legislature.
The officers and trustees Of River
Forest are men Of a type higher than
are often found In such bodies. and
although the affairs Of the village.
judged by comparison with other su-
burbs. have been conducted with un-
usual economy and efficiency. and the
town was in good condition both as
to the physical plant and finances,
they recognized that the village was
not given the same degree OF super
vision as was. for instance. given
their own business. Being progress
sive and determined to make the vii
lage administration as efficient and
economical as possible. they therefore
decided to employ a manager.
The authority for my employment,
and the outline Of my duties are to
be found In the following extracts
from q village ordinance passed a few
ago:
There Is hereby created the office
Of General Superintendent Of the VIII
lase of River Forest, which officer
shall be appointed by the President
and Board OF Trustees of this village
at the hrst regular meeting Of said
board In the month Of May in each
year. or a. soon thereafter a. may
be. and he shall hold his office for
the term OF one year and until his
successor Ia appointed and qualified
or until requested 10 resign by the
president ana two-thirds OF the trus-
tees Of said village: and before enter
ing upon tho duties OF his oince, he
shall execute q bond 20 the village OF
River Forest In the penal sum of S2,-
600. with sureties to be approved
by the president and Board Of Trus-
tees and conditioned as required by
law.
1t shall be the duty Of the General
Superintendent OF ::ie village Of Riv-
er Forest to devote his entire time
In the service OF said village and he
shall have general authority and su-
pervision Of said village. and all Of
the work Of said village. under the
supervision and direction Of the Pres
ident and Board Of Trustees: he shall
follow up the orders and directions Of
the Board OF Trustees, see that the
same are properly served and exc
cuted without delay. receive and refer
to the proper persons the correspond
ence on behalf Of the village. and
shall be the proper person to whom
complaints IS to the public service
shall be made and shall have the
power to hear and adjust the same;
II shall be his duty to mako reports
from time to time TO the President
and Board Of Trustees Of the condi-
tions Of the public service In said vii
lage and the public work going on
therein. and Of all matters coming
before him which require by The law
the action OF the President and Board
of Trustees; he also shall make rec
ommendations from time to rime TO
the President and Board Of Trustees
recommending improvements In the
public service and municipal affairs
and upon such other subjects that
should come before the President and
Board for considerations; ne shall also
have general charge and supervision
OF tho work OF the officers and de-
partments OF the village.
One of the economies have dis
covered possible in my brief super
intendency has been this: The village
had one right policeman who stayed
during tho night at the village hall.
subject to CALL as 1t was thought
that he could render better service IT,
this way than by travelling a beat,
where ii might he impossible to To-
cate him In case OF urgent necessity.