The sun., 1916-01-09
LAWSON PURDY URGES
NEED OF TRAINED
CITY MANAGERS

town or small city. Aftep he has
made good In this second place he Is
called elsewhere, or promoted. you
nigh. say. to large city
"In all of these shifts he treats his
task just as he would treat task
of managership in any other line. He
tries to get every ounce of result for
those who employ him. His employ
crs are the regularly chosen or COR
stitcted city authorities. He knows
that when he doesn't make good to
their satisfaction they viii! get a city
manager who will.
IF he starts to intrigue or mix in
politics or political matters he knows
his employers will suon detect IL and
out he will go. He manages every
thing connected with the running Of
the city and makes all his own ap-
pointments because. being held re-
sponsible fon the running of the en-
tire city. he must have the choosing
of his aids
but. Mr.. Purdy. doesn't this tend
TO destroy local civic pride-the pride
in having selected a native of the city
to manage, especially when the man
chosen makes a good public servant? /?
Isn't 1t something OF an inspiration
for the youth of the city to show what
the home product can do?"
The tax board president gestured
a Characteristic negative.
The city manager becomes q cit
lien OF the city he manages" ne re-
piled. How many Mayors are there
who were not born in the city they
govern? The affairs Of city where a
man takes up his residence immedl-
ately become his affairs. even when he
engages in individual business enter
prise. How much more would they
become his affairs IL the management
OF the entire city was his business
task? And what Is there to hirder the
native Of any city from studying city
management. qualifying as profess
sional city manager and receiving the
appointment of manager of his native
city? This should he sufficient inepira-
tion for the city's youth
Although | strongly favor the city
manager plan do not see the neces-
sity Of abandoning the time honored
title Of Mayor. why not appoint a
city manager with the title of Mayor?
But give him no more power than a
city manager?
Let him he appointed nv council
who shall have been selected by the
voters. This council would represent
the policy of the city as evidenced aS
the polls. There is no good reason
why they should not he called Alder
men. This also Is a time honored title.
II the powers of the council or Board
of Aldermen are defined in strict line
with the city manager plan tfc reten-
tion of the title of Alderman can make
no difference. Let the board he Sc
iected by districts, but do not make II
81 large that IL would he too un-
weldy To transact business cxpedi-
tiously.
This board will represent the expo
sition OF the peoples wishes with re-
spect to the city--the peoples policy
Now this boards calls in professional
city manager. "A man of tried ability, a
man who has achieved results in
smaller city.
They have a talk with this man.
They outline what they want to this
man. They say 20 him: Here, run
our city according to- this policy. You
know what we want in the large. The
details of bringing it about or carry
ing IL through We leave to you. We
will keep our hands entirely off. We
look for results and will retain YOU
only so long as results are shown.
Select whom YOU please to aid you
that is your affair. We expect the
very best Obtainablp I'm poli,e fro
transportation, schools, streets, parks.