The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-09-08

tempted to convince council tha'
cient statute it would have no 8
inquiry, as the charges made ag'
in the manner prescribed.
What Ordinance Means.
Several councilmen today. when they
looked up the musty ordinance Of 1870
tanned only to the method to be fol
tigation of charges preferred against
ELECTIVE OFFICERS. In other
words, this statute provides a method
for the impeachment of such city of
ficials.
Inasmuch as DR.. Clem holds an ap
pointive office, the ordinance in nc
way hinders council from conducting
an inquiry into the administration OF
such Office and reporting to the mayor
its findings, the mayor having the
same right to dismiss the inspector al
the street commissioner has to dis
charge one Of his street sweepers.
An elective officer Of the city. sub
ordinate to the mayor, can not be
turned out of office at the whim oi
the executive, but as some method
had to be provided for the removal OF
elective officers, in the event Of mis-
conduct on their part, the ordinance OF
1870 was enacted for that sole pur
pose.
Provisions Of Ordinance.
This ordinance provides that when
any councilman makes written
charge against a city official. or bona
fide charge is preferred by any citizen
to council, an investigating committee
shall be appointed. If that committee
does not sustain the charge council. IL
it desires, can appoint another investi
eating committee. If the second in
vestigating committee does not sus
tain the charge then the case is drop
ped. II the charge is sustained by
either of the two committees council
sits as judicial body and the accused
Official is brought to trial before 1t. A
A two-thirds vote is required to con
vict the accused. Sentence is passed
by the presiding officer.
Mayors Message.
The message that Mayor Robbins
submitted to council last evening is
as follows:
"The committee appointed to inves
tigate certain charges against City
Dairy Inspector, DR.. Lou Clem, made
certain suggestions which feel should
be taken up by council, and the city
ordinances governing the same be
amended in accordance with said sug
gestions.
There report, which is on file in
the office of the city clerk, shows that
as the above named charges have not
been made in the proper manner, as
laid down in the city ordinance gov
erning such procedure. on page 226
of the old ordinance book, and passed
August %, 1870, said committee felt
that they had no power to compel the
attendance of witnesses to testify ii
such witnesses should refuse to do so
The only alternative would be the
filing of charges in a legal manner
and for council to take up the mat
ter according to rules governing such
matters, as laid down in the above
named ordinance.
Suggests Amendment.
"The committee suggested that the
duties of the dairy inspector be clearly
defined by ordinance and that il the
inspection of foods, irrespective OF
dairies and their products, is consid
cred to be a part of his duties, then
an amendment to the existing ordi
nance should be made, SO stating such
duties.
The committee suggested that the
that the inspector leave with each
dairy inspected q copy of the score
SO that the weak points might be rem
edied. Also that the dairy inspector
be required to keep careful record
of his scoring of dairies and sources
of their supply, and submit a consoli
dated report of such inspections tt
council at the last regular meetings
in March. June. September and De
cember each year. II it is the wist
Of council, would like to see this
matter taken up by your ordinance
committee, that an ordinance be pre-
pared governing the above sugges
tions and any others that will be fol
the best interests Of the department
that has control of the inspections oi
the various sources Of the food supply
of this city"
The committee appointed by the
mayor to investigate the Glenn charges
having done the only thing possible FOL
1t to do, exonerates the accused Of
ficial, the committee having had nt
y