Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-08-24

Commissioners, and providing that
such board employ a city manager.
cat the time of the election Of the
board of commissioners under said
charter, May Z, 1914, the city had
no general funds with which to con-
duct the business of the city and was
about 100000 in debt for general
running expenses. Our taxes are
collected almost entirely during the
month of January. So you will see
from the statement that the taxes
for the year 1913, and being that for
which the city should be able to
transact it's business until the 1914
taxes had been collected, had then
already been expended and no more
money would come in OF any conse-
quence until Jan. 1915. On account
of this condition the chairman of the
board of commissioners. as under the
charter could be done, has been act
ling as manager and of course he be-
ing busy man and receiving no sal
airy other than as chairman of the
board, $500 a month, and having
no funds with which to carry on any
improvements, the policy up to date
has been to keep down expenses as
far as possible, which has been very
successfully DONE, So you see we
have really had no opportunity to
test the manager portion of our
charter. However, we feel from what
we have done even under these ad-
verse conditions, under this charter,
that we will be we'll pleased with
that phase of the charter. In fact,
we feel that a careful study of the
question of municipal government
from every angle possible, will lead
any careful student of the question
to the conclusion that the commits
sion form of city government with
the managerial plan grated there
to is the rational business plan, and
must eventually become the general
form of city government"
The following is quoted from a
letter received from P. e. Boesen, of
Amarillo, Tex:
Your letter of inquiry addressed
to the postmaster of this city has
been referred to this organization
for reply. Although our new system
of government has been in operation
only one year, it has already been
demonstrated to the satisfaction of
our citizenship that it is far super
ior in every way to the old alder
manic form. We would not think of
returning to the old system. Am
sending copy of charter under separ-
ate cover"
Mr.. F. o. Gaffney, Postmaster of
Cadillac, Michigan, writes as fol-
lows:
"Replying will say that we for
merly had one of the old style char
tiers with numerous boards, and a
larger number of municipal offices
and officers. After some little agita-
ton (and overriding the express
wish of all those intrencned in pow
err we presented to the people the
question of whether or not new
charter would be framed and sub
mitted. This question was carried.
LAS one who has had many years
Experience in municipal affairs as
mayor, city attorney, and the hold
ing of other offices, | advise you by
all means to eliminate as many
boards as possible. Place the entire
management of your affairs in the
hands of as few commissioners as
possible with a general manager. 1t
is well to have a city clerk, city
collector or treasurer, and city as
sessor."
The city of Hickory, n. c., adopt
ed the city manager plan about two
years ago and the secretary, Mr.. A.
x. Joy, writes the following:
I'VE doubt very much if there is
any person here who would recon-
mend going back to the old board of
aldermen form of government. The
city manager plan of government is
practically putting the city's affairs
on a business basis. With few
city councilmen to act in the capac-
Iity of board of directors for the
city, prepared at all times to outline
the work, it stands to reason that
better results will come than through
the old slipshod way of divided re-
sponsibility. The city councilmen
are held responsible by the voters Of
the city for conducting the affairs of
the city in an economical way, and
they in turn hold the city manager
responsible In other words, the city
councilmen are responsible to the