The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-08-04
GOVERNMENT BY
 COMMISSION IS
 ADVISED FOR CITY
econtIn'uled from Page 1.)


 Brfdgeport:
 The undersigned committee appoint ed by the mayor to investigate the commission form of goyernnent under the resolution adopted by your hon ora,ble board December 1st, 1918, begs leave to report that it favors the adoption of the commission form ot government, and recommends:
 The election Of five commit issioners by the people, this commission to take the place of the board of aldermen and the board of apportionment.
 The division Of all existing depart ments and offices into five Sdepart- ments, one commissioner to be in charge Of each department.
 The initiative. referendum and re- call.
 Civil service ana the merit system in all departmeats.
 All meetings to be public.
 Your committee has given the s'1b- ject of commission government care fl1 study. the members being of open mind regarding it's benefits. Every sas- lient feature has been thoroughly dis ,cussed and digested It early engaged the services of the bureau of mupici- pal research of New York to make an analysis of the charters Of ten Of the leadtng comrhission-goye cities and isto furnish a report enbodying the most excellent phases of the com
 
 tions which might apply to the city of Bridgeport
 The report provided was very com- pIete and illunining, the dye-comnnis- sfoner plan and the city nahaEer plan being given in detail Also 2 mass of interesting information and comparisons was furnished concern- ing cities which are operating sue cessfl1lIy under the commission form
 The committee was able to obtain for $750, information which cost other cities many thousands Of dollars. Irl other words, the bureau of municipal research. from It's surveys of over 40 seenl1nission-y yoverned cities, has at command iSavaluable details which could not De pfocured indfvd dually except after months Of labor and ex- pense This Information has been Of great aid to the committee Supple melting this have been the visits Of members of the comnittee to other cities and the appeaFance here of vari- ous erts in this form of govern nne1it.
 | While the aid given the committee by the bureau Of municipal research has been inva1uables tits report has not lSbeen readily accepted by the com rnittee, as every feature has been put to carefuI scrutiny and numerous changes have been made in the rec concentrations, as being more suitable to this city. in the opinion of the conn 1nittse.
 The conamittee submits Ithe follow ing as irnportant reasons for the adoption of the commission form of I government.
 Sanpnfed Eaections (a9 Re sponsibility would be definitely fixed. With only. five elective offices provid- t ed, all of the advantages of a short ballot would be assured The duties I of many city officials now elected are l strictly administrative and fully as connpetent men might be 4secured by appointment.
 Ad- All officials being elected at large the evils of Hog rolling would bt avoided and the cityss governu uent bk for the community as 8, whole.
 There would be no overiappfns I of official terms. The governneEi 1 would come back to the people every l four years Each administration and night therefore be held strictly irresponsible for results. Party primaries would be elirnf l hated and nomin nations be by peti I ton only.
 Rotation of candidates name. I on the ballots would be provided. Al I bick keriIig and squabbIing for choice Iapositions on the ballot would thus b. avoided.
 frhe preferential system of vot ing is recommended because:
 (19 It is the best known methot Of securing by election a recollection sl of the desires of the majority a l against a minority machine. I C21 High grade men will mor' I readily stand for office.
 63) A large mum Der Of can didate 1 may be nominated, and the danger o splitting tickets practically eliminated
 Local T Improvem ert The char ter would contain a procedure clearE set forth for making local improve I 4nents and assessrn ents This proceed llre would conform to the most eo11it 4 able methods which have been evoly I ed.
 Il Eminent Don1ain To avoid tn T necessity of using the e xpensfv j rn ethod of purchasing for public pllr a poses real estate at private sale, right would be reserved to the city to ac q1iire by eminent domain
 4-Code Of Business Procedure- T One of the most important provision Of the suggested charters is that a q the outset the commission wou1 $ by ordin ance a. code of business pro cedure. This code would set worth I
 detail what they have found to be tn most efficient methods Of conductin each phase of rnunicip pal business would not only serve as guide [ city officials but also be the mean Z whereby every civic organization. tn
 press and the electorate ats1arge n1igI ! test or measuIe up official or de partment at any time to determin ! whether the cityss business was bein
 properly conducted. Significant anlon ! the provisions Of such a code woul be:
 Standardization of the city,s pu1 : chasing power.
 Standardization of specificatior : for suppliss materials and equfI 2 ment.
 ! c#Adequate system of accountin
 and financial reporting which woul
 have practical value for adrninistrs tive purposes to the city officials an would promptly provide useful infol z | nation to the public.