Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-08

clulh.
the responsibility for acts eithor of
commission or omission. Various
heads Of departments often took refuge
behind the system OF interdepcndcnce
Of departments when a governmental
leak or mistake was discovered and an
attempt made to rectify It.
Under the new plan there is but one
head Ho is tho city manager. Elected,
AS he is. by the city commission, he Is
primarily responsible to that body. the
same as the manager of privately
owned corporation Is TO the board Of
directors. His reports are addressed
TO the board of commissioners. and his
responsibility is inca surcd by that
body. There Is nothing In the con-
tract between the city manager and
the commissioners which makes II i'm
pesative that he be kept for any GER
tain length Of time. There is no
automatic governmental requirement.
Should tho. city manager provo TO be
unsatisfactory, IT Is bu, the work Of
comparatively short time to recall
him. not by the vote OF the electorate
but By resolution of the city commits
sion.
LITTLE OR NO COMPLAINT
SINCE PLAN WAS INAUGJRATED
Since the initiation Of the commission
form OF government In Springfield there
has been heard but one complaint Of
any moment This is with regard to
the size OF the city commission When
! the new charter went into effect the
Federal ward lines were abandoned
and the Ave mon selected mt large. as
has been stated. Some time ago II
was rumored that an effort was TO be
made to make tho commission consist
OF seven members. instead Of Ave. on
the theory that II would be more rep
! resentativc. There was never any or
ranized effort along this line. however.
and at this time there is not one con-
sistcnt complaint being made against
the form. Any criticism Is not hurled
against the form. J
The city manager adopted n business
policy. which Is strictly followed All
employees, including the manager him
self, must report at their office at s
o'clock in the morning. take not moro
than one hour for dinner and be at
work until o'clock. There Is no devla-
ton from this plan
The city commission selects all OF
the heads OF the departments. and they
continue in Office at the will OF the
commission. But all OF these heads
are required 10 observe tho business
hours laid out by the manager
policy OF giving the taxpayers dol
lar for dollar has been adopted, and.
with the new form now on its second
year. every effort possible Is being
made to observe this policy.
: Under the old form OF government,
the executive and Legislative ends OF
the government were intecningled and
often resulted IN disagreements of n
serious nature
GIVES VOTERS DIRECT
HAND IN CITY GOVERNMENT
The commission, manager form of
government was also adop,ed as a
means or securing home rul. Rv the
direct election OF all Of the admins
trative body members the voters foo,
/ they have direct hand In the opera :
ton OF the city. 4 recall measure Is
/ included. so that If the voters become
tired OF tho commissioner or feel ,bat
ne is not doing his duty toward them
they may recall him.
! initiative and referendum provisions
are included In the charter. Bv this
method the voters may Initiate mons
nres' md may also have measures
originated by the commission referred
! 10 vote o! the people
Up 10 the present time the initiative
referendum and recall have not heen
used
stewart L. Tatum. former city solicit
: TOT. now chief counsel for the CITY. ana
/ one OF the best students of municinai
government In Ohio, has offered the fol-
! lowing comment on government for
cities:
! Let us recognize tho plain truth that
'here are number OF desirable things
"hich the change in the form of gov
ernmcnt has been unable to accomnlish
For instance. 1t still takes money 70
| promote public improvements, paw cur
rent expenses and discharge the local
debt. This unfortunate fact has nrovod
severe disappointment both to the
present officials and the citizens at
large. many OF whom entertained the
secret hope that the charter contained
some provision for the free coinage OF
money in quantities sufficient TO meet
all municipal demands, but il was soon
/ found that the charter furnished no
easy solution OF the city's financial
problems
| ALL EMPLOYERS ARE
UNDER CIVIL SERVICE
! Then. too. II has been discovered
that. even under the charter. errors OF
/ judgment often creep into the admins
! tration of our local affairs.
But 1t still remains true that other
things being equal, better form of
1 government will Invariably be produc-
tive OF better government"
( The merit system is in operation in
! connection with the city government.
I All employees in the Fire and Police
Depa rtmcnts. as we'll as the Engineer
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