The Detroit times., 1915-01-08
FENKELL QUITS;
TO BE RENAMED
ATSALARY BOOST
ID. p. w. Commissioner Takes
Advantage of Plan to Have Pay
Increased
ASSESSORS EXPECTED
TO FOLLOW EXAMPLE
Lawson and Engel, Though,
Will Stick on Jobs at Pres
ent Stipends

George II. Fenkell, commissioner OF
public works. handed his resignation
to Mayor Marx, Thursday morning. II
Is 10 take effect Jan. Is. This does
not mean that the commissioner has
tired OF the job. but he Is anxious TO
take advantage OF the $4,000 salary
increase that the people and the COM
mon council voted his office. To ac-
cept the increased salary. II IL neces-
sary, under the ruling OF the corpora.
ton counsel, that the commissioner
resign and be reappointed by the
mayor The new salary is $500 a
year.
The council also increased the sal
aries of the city controller, the cor
poration counsel, the assessors, and
the members OF the civil service COM
mission. Now that Commissioned
Fenkell has broken the Ice. II is like
ly that the assessors Will speedily fol
low his example, and resign. The
pay OF each assessor is increased
from 5000 to $4,000 a year. The con-
troller and the corporation counsel
by their opposition TO the civil SER
vice salary gift, have placed them
selves in peculiar position as far
as taking advantage of their own sal
airy increases are concerned and they
will not resign-at least not just now
Mayor Marx has promised most OF
the appointive officers reappointment
IL they care TO take that method Of
securing an increased salary.
The members OF the civil service
commission are the only appointive
officers that have not been given that
assurance by the mayor, and they
will fight for their salaries. They ac-
cepted appointment on an honorary
commission, but now salary of ST..
900 is provided for three members OF
the commission and $1,000 for the
president.
The civil service commissioners
will likely move to collect their sal
aries after Jan. 16, the second pay
day in the month. The controller, on
the advice of the corporation counsel,
will refuse TO pay them on the ground
that there is no available money for
that purpose. II will then be up TO
the commissioners TO begin mandamus
proceedings against the controller. II
the commissioners go before the coun-
Gil committee on ways and means and
ask that the council pass resolution
directing the controller to pay their
salaries, ii Is likely that some mem.
Der would demand an opinion from
the corporation counsel who would in.
form the committee that TO pay the
commissioners a salary during their
present term of Office, would be con.
trary to the state constitution and the
home rule act Should the council
then refuse to adopt the desired reso-
luton, the civil service commissioners
would have still harder fight to get
their money.
Il am anxious for the commission
ers to take the matter into court
said Corporation Counsel Lawson.
Commissioners May told the aldermen
in my presence that all they had to
do was TO pass the ordinance, and
that he would see that the controller
paid the salaries. Well. the council
passed the ordinance and now 1t Is
up to Commissioner May to make the
city pay, and for one, don't think
he can"
Controller Engel announced. Thurs
day morning. that the contingent fund
Is drained, and the liquor money has
all been used up. There is no money
available for salary increases, he
says. Commissioner Fenkell and all
the other appointive officers who
take advantage of the salary increase
will have to wait until next July for
the extra money. The common ooun-
Gil and the board OF estimates will
have to allow the officials the extra
money as back salary.