Arizona republican., 1916-05-04
COMMISSION
 STARTS 0FF 0N
 THE R|CHT FOOT.

flceS of City Clerk and City Magistrate Before Ordinance Is Effective Whether the consolidation of the of fees of city clerk and city magistrate l as provided for in an ordinance passed . by the old city commission few days ! before it's retirement will result in an actual saving to the taxpayers without l. mparng the efficiency of either of- < flee, whether the proposed consolida tion would work to the benefit of the | city generally, whether political mo- tives were responsible for the pre- sentation and passage of the ordinance and whether it was movement aimed at City Magistrate John McBride in an effort to bring about his retire l ment, are matters that will be investi- gated fully by the new commission At the first regular session of the new city commission, held yesterday after noon with Mayor Peter COrpstein pre- siding. it was unanimously decided that before the new ordinance becomes ef- fective on May II, the city commission, y, Il should constitute committee to in- 4 vestigate the charge contained in the report of City Magistrate John Me
 Bride covering the two years of his incumbency. and which assails the pro-
 posed consolidation of his office with U that of the city clerk, as an unwise move.
 I Contrary to a belief that had been
 
 T The Republican presented synopsis II of the sensational report of the city 8 magistrate. that the new commission Fl would do no more with respect to it H than to receive it and order it filed. N the commission yesterday listened to Fl the reading of the report in full, dis
 cussed it from many angles and then Fl on motion of Commissioner Frank
 Woods, voted to conduct a searching
 investigation, both of the items in
 the report and of the concrete propo-
 sition of whether or not the proposed
 consolidation will actually result in a benefit to the city as well as a saving
 to the taxpayers.
 II was q most suspicious starting off "a on the right foot by the new comms- sion as evidencing a determination to E handle the affairs of the city in a business-like manner There was not dissenting vote on the proposition to N investigate and the only discussion
 was as 10 the proper manner of pro- ceeding.
 When the report had been read. spe- H cial reference was made in the dis
 cussion to the opinion advanced that
 while the personel of the city police H department compares favorably with that of any city the size of Phoenix E in the United States" it's efficiency is H impaired by divided authority. be h cause the chief of police must take his H orders from the city manager" City "A Manager Craig took issue with this H expression saying that it was not true H that he had in any way interfered with H the workings of the police depart H ment He said that Chief Brsbois 3 was in full charge of his department. E Subsequent to the meeting Chief Bris- B bois stated that since Manager Craig H had taken office. the police department !. had been free from interference. He
 said that Manager Craig often con- . suited with him on matters pertaining he to his department but that he had in-
 variably left to him Brisbois) the
 working out of the problems confront De ing the police department. He said ar. that as far as the existing ordinances e. gave him power he and his men were nd endeavoring to give to the city that on police protection and police efficiency rd to which the city is entitled.
 ny The reading of the report of City On Magistrate Mcbride came near the he end of a lengthy meeting. At the out
 set City Manager Craig presented . he series of seven recommendations, tn, rn majority of which were approved ol ,n- referred to proper departments ,rd Three sets of specifications for diff yo- ferent classes of pavement were ap ,n proved by the commission and mad ,s official petition for the laying O
 bitulithic pavement from Centra . avenue to Seventh street on Roosevelt
 street, was referred to the city en
 Sineer to check up the signatures ant
 the frontage represented.
 The bond of w. H. Plunkett wa
 presented for approval but while ther
 was no real question as to the correct
 ness of the bond as to form and suff
 ciency, it was decided to withhold
 approval temporarily pending the de
 termination of the validity of the re
 moval of C. NJ. Cooper as auditor an'
 the appointment of MT. Plunkett D
 the former commission It was an
 nounced that Mir. Copper had alread
 relinquished his office and that tn
 work of the office was now being at
 tended to by Mir Plunkett.
 In the absence of a protest agains
 the manner and amounts of the assess
 ment for the paving of Madison street
 the commission approved the assess
 ment as made.
 When City Clerk Thomas announce
 that, he had the report of the cit
 magistrate and inquired if the com
 mission desired it read or simply file
 as are the majority of formal report
 Commissioner Woods announced tha
 while he and the commissioners ha
 each received a copy of the report h
 desired that it be head in full Wine --. the reading had been completed, M
 Woods announced that he would lil
 . to have a committee named to il
 vestigate the question of the propose
 consolidation of the two offices. H
 said 1t was not a question of the ma
 or men for the offices with which