Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-12
Civic Association Approves
Plan for Mayor With Ad-
ministrative Powers.
RETAINS SMALL COUNCIL.
WITH ONLY ONE BRANCH
Efficiency Board Is Provided to
Pass on Appointecs of
Mayor.
POLLOCK VOICES OBJECTIONS
Councilman Fails tn Sec in New
Scheme Any Fcnture to
Commend itself.

Ccmmcnd Itself.
On the impassioned appeal OF Or. n.
r. Anderson, professor Of political
economy at Richmond College, and Of
wyndham r. Meredith. LAWYER. and in
spite Of an earnest plea voiced by Coun
Gilman Gilbert * pollock Murray ~
Mcclure and w. a C.cnshaw that
action be postponed At least until the
papers be printed, tho report on charter
changes as recommended by the board
OF directors was unanimously adopted
by the Civic Association OF Richmond
in n meeting held in the John Marshall
High School last night.
In brief. the plan adopted by the
Civic Association Of Richmond last
bnigh; concentrates authority so tina;
4 he voter may know who should he
4 cid responsible for any failure of
Il iccessful administration. q 81 1t is he
BIievcd that hc wll! be aroused from
'his present apathy by the elimination
OF ward lines in Tho choice OF Council
men and BY tho location Of all admins
tra,!ve responsibility in the hands OF
an elected Mayor. II will secure onici-
ency. the committee believes hoth in
the heads OF departments and in tho
mass OF administrative" servants. by
requiring the Mayor. III the FIRST case.
and the other officers, in other cases,
TO make merit alone the controlling
reason for appointment.
MAIN PROVISIONS
OF PLAN ADOPTED
The fundamental provisions arc:
!. a paid Council of five men elected
by the people from the City a; large
for ,-rms OF four years This Council
is 10 exercise all Legislative authority
vested pn ;hc city OF Richmond
Thr,ie OF tho members are elected
every Two years, and two members arc
elec,ed eyyery t"o years' but after their
rs makes only three city Offices TO
Al gfl!ed ~ each city election The
HI ~ Auditor is elected by tho Council
Hi 7. 4 Mayor chosen by the people for
Sier,n Of four years suhtec, to recall
4l& the end Of his second year In this
stH,yor all administrative authority per-
II ssi5le by the Constitution OF Virginia
ps 10 he vested. He is to be rcsDonsi.
Pble for tho execution Of laws and orii-
nances, The appointment of officials.
the efficient management OF the bust
ness OF the city.
The budec, is prepared by tho Mayor,
but has 10 he passed hy the Council.
who may by majority vot" reduce or
reject any item, but shall not Increase
or add any Item except by recorded
vote OF tour-ifths of it's members.
EFFICIENCY COMMISSION
Is CRUN OF PLAN
3. a commission is created consisting
OF three OF the city Judges and the SUI
perintendent OF Public Schools and the
president of the Virginia Mechanics
Institute. This commissions sole duty
Is to select three OF the best qualified
citizens who shall constitute Public
Efficiency Board The commission
elects one member OF the board each
year. and their term OF Office is three
years. They may be reappointcd. This
Public Efficiency Board is TO assist the
Mayor and department heads in making
out the yearly budget and TO constitute
check on appointments to Office for
political and personal reasons.
This is accomplished by requiring the
Mayor TO advertise for candidates who
file their recommendations with him
He selects the candidate on merit alone.
and files a certificate with the Public
Efficiency Board 10 that effect. If the
Public Efficiency Board approve his
selection, they make n similar certifi-
cate that their approval is based upon
the candidates fitness. II they do not
80 act in thirty days the selection is
void, and the Mayor has TO make an
other selection.
COUNCILMAN POLLOCK
VOICES HIS OBJECTIONS
Councilman Pollock, Tor twenty years
a member of the City Council and a
student OF municipal government In all
its many phases, received the privilege
or the floor after he had announced
that he was not member of the as
sociaton. and said that he had perused
the lengthy document prepared by the
associations committee and found in
1t not one feature that would recon-
mend Itself. He said that the central
lzation Of such vast power in one man
would tend to create a greater political
machine than any which could other
wise he devised and that it would be
destructive Of all the essential prin-
ciples OF representative democracy
IT would be patent blunder," he
argued, to submit this plan TO tho
people after one reading. It's patrons,
haVing had two weeks in which to
fermuiate it, arc we'll prepared to dis
ctSs and support ii, but such a period
OF needed preparation has not been
Granted to others here tonight, and
lt would he the height OF folly to vote
npoH such serious matter in such
nast1 fashion. don't see single fea-
ture IN this report which can commend
Itself 1t Is subversive of all the prin-
ciples of democratic government
DOES NOT CLEARLY
FIX RESPONSIBILITY
You recommend a multiplicity Of
soards. the very thing of which we
lave been try ing to rid ourselves.