The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-01
NORFOLK COMMITTEE TELLS WHV,
AFTER PATIENT INVESTIGATION, IT
FAvORS CITY MANAGER SYSTEM
Interesting Report ON Municipal Government Made After Long
and Pansakng Investigation of Various Forms of City
CSovernment-Results Achieved Under All
Systems In Use.

LII o6Cs
ton. Ohio. to address the people OF
Norfolk at such meeting.
Very respectfully submitted,
H. H. RUMBLE,
Chairman.
r. w, PETROSS.
THOS. II. WILCOX,
WALTER II. TAYLOR,
T. 8. SOUTHGATE.
JOHN b. JENKINS,
w. w. ROBERTSON.
Charter Commission Of Chamber of
Commerce of Norfolk, Virginia,
Incorporated.
The board OF directors, feeling that
1t should be more fully advised before
acting on this report. adopted O res
olution at q meeting held on the 27th
day of April. 1918, providing for a
a number of cities where the Commits
sion Government is in use, and also
cities where the City Manager Form
has been adopted. to study the work
ings OF these governments at first
hand. with View to determining the
relative merits thereof.
/. Messrs. III. III. Rumble, r. w. Peat
ross and John T. Burke were asked
to serve on this committee, and con-
serted to do 30. The report OF this
special committee was presented to
the Board of Directors at It's regular
meeting on June /, 1915, and with
the recommendations contained there
In, was unanimously adopted The
board deeming the information con-
tanned in the report, az wen the coni-
mittee's conclusions and recomrnen-
dations of vital importance to the
city, ordered the report to be printed
In pamphlet form and mailed to every
voter in the City OF Norfolk.
The report of this special charter
investigating committee follows:
To the Board of Directors OF the
Chamber OF Commerce Of Norfolk.
Va.
Gentlemen:
The undersigned who were by your
body appointed q special committee
and investigate the forms of govern
ment and administrative methods In
use therein. with q view 20 determin-
ing the relative merits OF the Commits
sion and City Manager forms OF mt
nicipal government. beg to leave TO
report that pursuant to such appoint
ment and direction they visited the
cities of Des Moines. Iowa. Memphis
Tennessee: and Dayton and Spring
field. Ohio.
In each Of these cities. in addition
10 the Information obtained from Of
fiscal sources. we sought the view
of citizens as nearly as possible rep
resentative of the different occupa-
lions and various shades of sentiment,
and 1t Is upon the data obtained from
all these sources. coupled with the
results of our own observation OF
physical condition. that this repor'
Ia based.
The governments Of each of these
cities win be dealt with herein In
the order In which thu cities were
visited.
DIES MONIES, IOWA.
The City of Des Moines adopted
Commission Government at q specia
election held In June. 1907. The new
plan went into effect on the frs
day OF April, 1908. Ii has therefore
been in operation q little over sever
years. The United States Census o
1910. gives the city population a
1o4.o The difference between these
figures. assuming them to be cor
rect, represents a normal growth
since there have been no accession:
OF territory IN the meantime
The form of government In use
here may be regarded az typical Com
mission Government Under this plan
all powers Of tho city are vested
and four Counciimen, each OF whom
10 entitled 10 vote on all questions
looming before the body. Tae Mayor
possesses no veto power. These Of
ficers are nominated at q nonpartisan
primary election and are elected at
large ana not by wards. Admirtstra-
tive powers ana duties are distributed
among Ave departments. as follows:
Public Affairs. Accounts and Finance,
Public Safety. Streets and Public I'M
provements. ana Parks and Public
Property The Mayor lie ex officto
superintendent of the Department OF
Public Affairs. The heads OF the
other departments are chosen by the
the counct1men or commissioners. In
iothers words. the com missioners,
Iothers than the Mayor. are not elect
ed TO I'LL q specific administrative Of
|flce; but Immediately upon their cleo
Ition meet and distribute the admin
istratiwe departments among them
selves.
The salaries Of the Mayor and
couneilmen are fxed by law. All
Others are fixed by the Council. The
Council by majority vote appoints
the city clerk. solicitor. assessor.
treasurer, auditor, civil engineer, city
physician. marshal. market master,
street commissioner. chief OF fire de-
|partment. and the like: these appoint
ments. In practice. being made on the
Recommendation of the head OF the
particular department to which such
official belongs.
Civil service provisions govern the
appointment and removal OF subor-
|dinate officers and employees. The in
itiative, referendum and recall are
provided for. The latter has never
been invoked, although there have
been in the past conspicuous instan-
ces OF popular dissatisfaction with
Results Claimed for the Plan.
Mayor James r. Hannah IN sum
marking results achieved by Conn
mission Government in Des Moines
mentions three important facts.
G) The city has lived within her
means This was never done before
at least, In recent times. and begar
to be done the FIRST year under Com
mission Government. although the
first election resulted In an unsatis-
factory commission.
CD Approximately 100000 per
wear has been expended in permanent
itnnproyements