Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-19
CITIZENS AND COUNC|LMEN'
HEAR ASHBURNER SPEAK
City Manager OF Springfield, O., Adj
dresses Crowd at Business
Mems Club.
EXPLAINS REFORM CHARTER
Former Richmonder Brings Message
of Higher Municipal Efficiency to
Representative Gathering, Includ-
ing Beck and lIirschbery.

Hct"rc large and Interested audi
.n's Rathrred ut the lunch hour yes
terday in the business Mems Club
I Charles r.. Ashburner. city mnnopcr Of
SprihShcld. Ohio. explained the method
OF operating the affairs of his city. and
| '"id or the great saving that had rc
suited from the new form of municipal
government.
Under the Springfield charter" he
said. there are five commissioners who
serve -FOUR years each. going ON of
once III rotation Their Office is bryon6
me reach OF political greed, for tho sal.
arH is only $500 year, and a fine OF
-" Is eNactcd for non-attendance upon
business meetings They elect the CITY
manager. who is the executive hr,d ~
me government and has charge or olI
me administrative work He is resnon
sin!e only to the commissioners Ills
salary is $4,000 year
CITY MANAGER EMPLOYS
HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS
me city manager employs the heads
nv >arions departments, who form n
close touch. To increase frieuLl, ri,
ions between city manager ana Ion,rt
n,eh' heads the city manager entcrt,ins
mem once a month at a semi-oficiaI
Sorial ana business gathering
p'ineheid has no fire. health or
jS
operated by Il single head and no -
SoleiE responsible for the conduct Of his
department In the Engineering De-
I"''heh' all minor sub-oflices have
nech abolished. and the chief engineer
- h'i" responsible to the city manager
," Nins ana cleaning the streets.
construction OF sewer systems and for
the collection of garbage and otber
refuse. The police act as sanitary Off
otts anu cach patrolmRn is held re-
sp"hSlnie Tor all immoral. insanitary
and unlawful conditions on his beat
SAVING OF $4,000
IN ADVERTISING ALONE
During the first year or the com
ssion-manaGer plan the floating debt
was decreased from sloo 600 To .so GOO
ana the tax rate was reduced from 81 "a
10 Sl.io. BY making notices REQUESTS
for bids and other printed mat
yer as short as possible and running
tncm In the papers as seldom as possi
BILE. the city saved last year $1,000 in
public advertising. The bonded deht a.
Springfield is sl,5OO. ooO and the limit 10
S2.2a5. 900. 80
The city has ninety eight saloons
inc license is $1,000 a year, half OF
which goes 10 the city and half TO the
state. During one year ONLY ono ar
rest Tor violation Of the liquor laws was
made
me street railway company gives
per cent of its gross revenue to the
CITY Jltneys are encouraged They
operate In the suburbs and do not enter
INTO competition with the street rail-
way company"
MI Ashburner said that community
Spirit and interest on the part OF the
citizens is absolutely essential to the
efficiency and loyalty OF the city en-
ployccs
Among those present at the gather
81 II
Board of Aldermen. and Councilman
Jones. Pollock and Haddon. all OF the
charter Change Committee. and Coun-
cilmen Pitcher and Rogers. Counci-
men and citizens propoundcd numerous
questions, which the speaker answered
at length. John llirschhcrg and Henry
+. Beck, of the Administra tive Board
were Interested auditors.