Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-26
TWO BOARDS GIVE UP
PLACE ON SATURDAY
City Governmental Machinery to
BE Further Simplified by
Consultations.
FIRE BOARD STILL HOLDS on
Mayor to Direct Police Department
and Administrative Board to Take
Over Supervision OF City Public
Health Efforts

TWO arms OF the city government
| tho Board of Police Commissioners and
the Board of Iicalth--will go out OF cX-
isteucc on Saturday Charter changes
taking effect July provide for the
/ abolition OF the Police Board and for
| pacing the Mayor in active charge OF
| the Department OF Police. and for
abolition of the Board OF Health and
placing direction of the Department Of
! Health under the Administrative Board.
For no reason that has been explained.
save on purely political grounds. the
! Board of Fire Commissioners is re-
! tanned aS q separate volunteer unit of
the city'S governmental machinery.
For years there has been Il growing
conviction throughout the city that
business would be expedited and great
economies effected through greater
concentration of effort. While the
voters have never had the opportunity
10 pass on new charter cmhodyinS
the commission idea, the Council has at
each recurring session of the General
Assembly requested changes in the
charter of the city. Creation of the
/ Administrative Board on January !.
1913. transferred TO Il salaried body
duties before handled by Il multitude.
OF conflicting Council committees. Suf
ficient strength could not at that time
be mustered TO secure the abolition of
the three volunteer boards, but the
movement has gained ground steadily.
Notwithstanding opposition IN some
quarters TO giving the Administrative
Board greater political patronage to
dispense.
MAKES POLICE RESPONSIBLE
TO MAYOR OF CITY
The police investigation of last year
brought out testimony from Commits
sioner Gordon and others that the
method OF management in vogue was
unsatisfactory, and that the depart
mcnt. being scminiiitary in character.
investigation led TO the retirement of
several members of the OLD Police
Board. aud the others made no objec-
ton to /, charter change which Will
make the Mayor the active head of the
department.. Hereafter the Mayor viii
/ appoint the Chief Of Police. who. with
the approval Of the Mayor, will appoint
the members of the force
There was less reason for the aboli-
ton OF the Board OF Health. which
has made record for health service
and made Richmond famous for its
milk supply, It's lowered typhoid rate
and it's lowered mortality from all OF
the prcvcntablc diseases. In line with
the idea of concentration. however. IL
was held that the duties Of the Health
Board could be more effectively ham
died by the Administrative Board.
which sits daily. and the members OF
which are paid for their whole time.
Hereafter the Administrative Board
viii name the Chief Health Officer and
the other officers OF the department.
II Is expected that chief Health Officer
Levy Will continue uninterrupted the
work which has brought to This de-
partmcnt more widespread recognition
in and out Of Richmond than has been
accorded to any other department OF
the city government. Members Of the
Board Of Health who retire, all of
whom have served since the rcorEani-
cation Of the Health Department. In
1906. are DR.. w. 7 Oppemhmcr tchair-
many. Or NJ d. iInEr. DR.. r. r. Gar
Gin, James T.. Phillips, Ir., and James
| X. Gordon.
J y considerable factor in the improve
mcnt OF health conditions in recent
years has been the Improvement Of the
water supply through tic erection Of
II purifi cation plant and the conStruc-
ton OF many miles of sewers. These
I activities are now under direction Of
! the Administrative Board. and it has
been held that there will he less lost
motion by having the Chief Health
officer IN direct touch with the board.
rather than having him report 10 4
/ volunteer board meeting hut twice 4
month.