The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-01-17


8. vernment and shall be responsible
for the efficient administration of all
departments. He shall be appointed
without regard to his political beliefs
and may or MAJ not be a resident Of
the city Of Dayton when appointed.
He shall hold Office at the will Of the
commission and shall be subject to
recall as herein provided.
"tSec. AZ. Powers and duties Of
the city manager. The powers and
duties Of the city manager shall be:
(a) To see that the laws and ordi-
anc are enforced. CD To appoint
remove all directors Of departments
and all subordinate officers and en-
ployes in the, departments in both
the classified and ,unclassified service;
all appointments to be upon merit and
fitness alone, and in the classified
service all appointments and remov-
ais to be subject to the civil service
provisions Of this charter. (c) To ex-
ercise control over all departments
and divisions created herein Or that
may hereafter b~e'created by the COM
mission. (d) To attend all meetings
Of the commission, with a right to
take part in the discussion but hav-
ing no vote. (e) To recommend to
measures as he may deem necessary
Or e~xpedient. co To keep the COM
mission fully advised as to the finan-
cial conditions and needs Of the city;
and (g) To perform such other du-
ties as may be prescribed by this
charter or be required of him by Or
dlnance or resolution Of the commits
sion. '', 3.
"'Sec. 49, Salary. The city man
ager shall receive such salary as shall
be fixed by ordnance Of the commits
sion.
"'Sec. SO. Investigations by City
Manager. The city manager may with
out notice cause the affairs of n de-
partment or the conduct of n Off
Ger or employee to be examined. Any
person or persons appointed by the
city manager to examine the affairs
of any department shall have the
same power to compel the attendance
OF witnesses n the production of
books and papers and other evidence,
and to cause witnesses to be punished
for contempt, as is conferred upon the
commission by this charter
THE Ohio statute under which Day
ton OF any other city may adopt the
city manager plan reads as follows:
Sec. 8. City Manager. The coun-
Gil shall appoint a city manager who
shall be the administrative head Of
the municipal government and who
shall hold office at the pleasure of the
council.
Sec. 9. Duties City Manager.
The duties of the city manager shall
be: (a) to see that the. laws and Or
dinances are faithfully executed. 90
to attend all meetings of the council
at which his attendance may be re-
CURED by that body; (c) to recon-
mend for adoption to the council such
as he may deem necessary
or e~xpedient; (d) to appoint all Off
GERS and employees in the classified
service Of the municipality, subject to
the provisions of this act, and of the
civil service law; (e) to prepare and
submit to the council such reports as
may be required by that body, or as
he deems advisable to submit; (f) to.
keep the council fully advised of the
financial condition of the municipal
ity n it's future needs; 60 to pre-
pare and submit. to the council a ten
tatiVe budget for the next fiscal year;
(h) and to perform such other duties
as the council may determine by or
dinance or resolution.
"'Sec.. TO-, Salary Of City Manager.
The city manager shall receive such
salary as may be fixed by the council;
and before entering upon the duties
of this office, he shall take the Of
fetal oath required by this act and
shall execute a bond in favor Of the
municipality for the faithful perform
Of his duties in such sum as may
be fixed by the council :
Under the above charter the en-
tire electorate choose accumulation of.
five men who appoint a clerk and a.
city manager. . The manager has en-.
tire appointing power, including the
heads of five departments, n all
'subordinates. The new govern
ment is divided into five departments,
NJ safety. Cd. service, 49,. public
heads. Of each of these departments
will be appointed by the city manager
with the approval of the commission.
Thus it is seen that the responsibility
is concentrated in one man and it re-
mains for him to. make appointments
which will. produce the greatest effic-
iency. .
"Such a form of administration
means a readjustment Of the relations
which exist at present among differ
emit city departments. In order to OBJ
tain efficiency, there must be an
equitable distribution Of responsible
ity and rewards. From the very ma
ture of the case, such a condition can
not be brought about by a number Of
men who feels that a record must be
made in their department at the eX-
pense of some other in order that
they may be successful at the next
election. In other words, 1t is abso-.
lutely necessary to eliminate politics
and to. substitute science Of govern
ment in it's place.
Like all city managers so far ap-
pointed, the city manager at Dayton,
O., Is a civil engineer. During 1913,
he was city engineer of Cincinnati,
Q. He brings to Dayton nineteen
years railroad, two years mining, and
n year very successful municipal
experience as. an engineer. His rec
ord al Cincinnati must have been good
for Colonel Goethals. was selected first
and upon his refusal Mr.. Waite be-
came second choice. -.
1T should convey to every mind
one fact: That however we'll the lay
man may conduct city affairs, the
trained man can do much better,
more efficiently and with better econ
omy. Politics as such finds no place
in the mind of the trained man who
wishes to accomplish results for the
good of the community. He will, how
study the science of government
carefully as any problem hat may
presented to him. There have been
engineers who were also politicians,