The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-01-13
MODEL CITY |
CHARTER PLAN.
Outlined by Committee Of Ma
tilnaI Municipal League.
COUHCILMEN AS DIRECTORS

Object Is to Organize the American City
Closely on the Lines Of a Bank or
Railroad, Including nfusins the Idea
of Democracy.
After two years of wrestling with
the great task of outlining model city
charter the special committee of the
National Municipal league laid an out
line or draft before that body mt II
meeting recently held in Dayton, o., in
conjunction With other municipal assoc
Citations.
The committee would organize the
American city closely ON the lines Of a
bank, Il railrold-only infusing the idea
of democracy.
The city council would stand i'll place
of the board of directors. According
to the size Of the city, the number of
councilmen would range from five TO
twenty-five. They would be elected Mt
large in nonpartisan elections held on
days separate from all other elections.
Candidates would run as nonpartisarS
and without designation on ballots
printed 50 that the names would be
rotated in order of precedence.
The committee advocates election
by preferential vote based on pro-
portional representation, if possible,
Terms of councilmen would be four
years
The council would elect one Of lis
members mayor. to serve as the recog.
nized legal head OF the city, and would
also appoint II city manager, a clerk
and civil service commission of three
members for six year terms, removable
only by four-tifths vote of the coun-
ell and only after written charges and
hearing.
Recall of elected councilmen and the
initiative and referendum on ordi-
nances were incorporated in the draft.
but not by unanimous vote of the com
mittccmcn,
The council thus created would he
the legislative body, the financial body
and the policy determining body, as is
the directorate of bank.
All administrative functions would
be turned over to the city manager.
He would hold Il position correspond
ing TO that of the president in bank.
The draft specifically provides that he
would be wholly responsible To the
council.
The charter provides fullest freedom
in administration for him. Council
men would he forbidden to deal with
any one connected with the admins
tratiye service except through the city
manager, Any attempt to give orders
or otherwise interfere would be made
n misdemeanor and penalized by fine
and Imprisonment.
The city manager would run the
city, He would select and employ d.
rectors Of departments Of % law %
health, CO finance. % safety and %
works. These directors would he re-
sponsible TO and only removable by
the city manager. They would report
only to him.
The term Of office of the city man.
ager would be indefinite He would
be removable by the city council only
after a public hearing if he had he.d
the Office for six months. The draft
specifically provides that the choice of
Il manager would not be limited 10 the
city or state. The committee points
out that the German system of adver-
Using for a burgomeister has been
highly successful
The finances of the city would he Oh
the budget system plan. Provisions
arc made to prevent or make difficult
shifting of appropriations except in
dire emergencies.
Methods of leyying taxes and max
ing loans and provisions for safeguard
ing bond issues are included in the
draft Publicity of MI contracts and
purchases involving more than a stated