Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-03-06
Hon. R. G. Clark Addresses a Meet
ing at Iowa City and Points
Out Some of its Ad-
vantages.
WEBSTER CITY DOES WELL
Saves Better Than $2l, 900 During
the First Year of its Opera
ton Here.
WEBSTER CITY DOES WELL

member of the Webster City council
the past year under the city manager
plan and who number Of years ago
was councilman and later mayor un-
der the old system, received an invi-
tation from some of the business men
Of Iowa City to discuss the question
before meeting in that city. One
evening last week Mr.. Clark respond
ed to the invitation. When he arriv-
ed in Iowa, City he was surprised
that his coming had been widely adj
vertised and that he was expected to
make an extended address. He had
supposed that he was merely to talk
to members of the council and few
citizens who might drop in to listen.
He had made no preparation for an
address, further than to secure some
figures as to expenditures and re-
ceipts under the new plan in this city
as compared with the same things
prior to it's adoption. However, ac-
cording to reports from Iowa City,
Mr.. Clark made an excellent address
and demonstrated conclusively to his
large audience that he knew his sub
ject and that the manager plan is
the best thing yet devised in city
government. The Iowa City Citizen
reports Mr.. Clark's address in part as
follows:
Tax levy for city purposes
reduced from 37.5 to 80
| mills 40. -. .....s $500
Reduction on electricity of 2
| cents per X. w. from SC
| to &c ~. $500
Saving of 1Qc per yd. on 49,
900 yds or paving, with all
materials higher :. $50. 1900
Abolishing meter rentals,
$1.20 annually for about
1900 consumers LAO
Saving 10 cents per foot on
5000 linear feet of curbing 900
Reduction of overhead eXpen-
ses on paving from five per
cent to three and one half
per cent y. ftU
Saving of 10 cents per run
ming foot ON 5000 feet of
cement sidewalk ........ 300
s,,Nn IN foyn
If every voter in Iowa City had
attended the ommiSsiOn-manager
meeting last night the election Mon
day would be settled now by an over
whelmingly favorable majority. Sell
dom has so convincing an address on
any topic been heard in this city.
How Webster City has saved over
$21 900 in a little over year under
the ommssion-manager form OF
city government, was told in detail |
by the Hon. R. G.. Clark, member |
of the city council of Webster City,
who held an audience that filled the
city hall room in absorbed interest
in his recital.
Commissioner Clark gave prac-
teal business talk on a practical sub
ject at meeting which was held for
the purpose of letting the voters of
this city know how the commission
manager plan has worked in neigh
boring city. So interesting did he
make his recital of facts that hardly
a man left the room during the
nearly two hours he talked.
AS councilman and then mayor
in Webster City number of years
Ago, and now commissioner or coun-
Gilman under the commission-man
ger plan, he carried conviction by the
Straightforward recital of his eXper-
ence and observation in managing
he city under the old system and
he new
Under the old system as council
nan he worked to secure waterworks
extension and other Improvements /
or his ward, and to get them he vot
ID for the improvements the other c
wanted for their wards. d
Jnder the new system he is elected q
~ and represents Webster City and
otes for the best interests of the Il
Whole city. l
Every council under the old sys- n
EN- does just as we did" declared the L
peaker. THAT is why the ward sys- Il
EN- is bad for economy in the bust
ess Of the city"
Three members elected at large :
re better for the city than seven n
iected by wards, because they do Il
usiness more quickly and economic e.
lily, and have the whole city in mind
II the time" Il
Because we do business more Il
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