The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-08
a administrative Board. Created
to Fill Imaginary Need.
Should Be Abolished
WOULD Do AWAY WITH
SEVERAL OFFICES
Present System of Government
Declared So Complex as to
Make for lneflcicncy and
Waste

The report OF The New Yorl. bu-
reau OF municipal research va placed
In Ire hands Of ,ae clerk of the coun-
Gil and the secretary ct she Richmond
Civic association yesterday morning
| and was Immediately made available
| for publication.
It Ia a formidable document and la
| In the form OF two large volumes OF
typewriter sheets
The recommendations are radical
and, II adopted, would mean a com.
piete notwithstanding of the city gov
SrHnseat.
It. recommends principally the neces
! ssty OF Capitalization of power and
10 that end suggests three plans of
| municipal government-the first be-
| ing one consisting OF the mayor and
! nine roubciimeu with large powers
! and the appointment of all department
F., heads in thu hands Of the mayor; the
i commission Ana @rI'!-.ss ~-s.''-..r-=
! ment: and the pure commission form.
| Changes recommended are fol-
lows.
/ Abolition of the administrative
board.
| Concentrating power and RESPONSE
bility into the hands Of the mayor
/ Reduction Of the city council to
nine members and the ahoiishing OF
the board Of aldermen
Abolishinr OF the Office of city SER
| geant, building Inspector. coroner. and
board OF fTe eemHat ssioners. the work
| OF these officials and departments to
| be merged into several operating bu-
reaus. and the consolidation of the POI
/ lice courts.
| Competitive civns service examina-
[ tons to be used in hlling city posi-
| tions. police and ire chiefs to be in
! ciuded therein.
| Referendum 10 The people ca auss-
/ tions where there is radical division OF
| opinion as to policy on the part Of
men In Charge Of the eity's business.
| Criticism Freely Expressed.
| The report is fun of far-reaching
/ recommendations and freely expressed
criticism. One Of the criticisms and
probabi the most pointed is directed
I at the atmosphere of the city police
court and the bar of the city Is urged
to take action looking to- the change
/ of methods in that tribunal
Report to Reach Aldermen Tuesday.
/ The report will lie received by the
| board of aldermen next Tuesday night,
! unless a special meeting OF that body
or common council Is called II. tho
! meantime. This is unlikely, for FRESH
! dent Peters has stated that he had
no intention of calling common coun-
Gil TO meet this week. unless impor-
/ tuned by members of that body. This
! regular meeting OF the board of alder
men will be held next Tuesday night.
| AT that time, city Clerk August said
| yesterday he would present the docu-
ment. II will be formerly received,
/ probably be ordered printed. and re-
| ferred 10 the special committee on
/ charter changes That committee will
| be called to meet early in the week.
| and the work of reviewing the report.
and discussing ACCESSIBILITY and feas-
I oh IA RI
vision will be taken up
| The report i'll be read. Or viii ba
printed and copies given each member
| of the committee for his study Meet
ings will be held frequently, and
every phase Of the situation Will he
| discussed.
II is known that a number of coun-
| cilmen have committed themselves to
the abolition of the administrative
| board. as a useless and expensive
luxury upon the hands of the city.
| Others have shown a disposition TO
| urge q reduction In the membership OF
! the board, while still others would try
! the manager form of government, and
| some favor tire commission form
some Adverse Sentiment.
| Sentiment around city hall is against
much that is recommended by the hu"
| reau II Is pointed ont that the ad-
| ministrative board Is already planning
] to consolidate the gas, water and cleo
| trio departments, and to combine tho
| health and street cleaning departments.
| Sentiment is also strong against the
abolition of the office of collector OF
| delinquent taxes. the building inspec-
| tor the city clerk and the coroner.
| The bureaus three recommendations
viii be discussed in order by the char
ter committee. First that of placing
the mayor at the head of the govern
ment with the power to do some
thing: then the plan of commission
manager somewhat similar to the
| present plan. except that there shall be
/ a general manager. under direction or
board of Ave and lastly the commits
| sion form Of government.
/ II the recomme ndatfon of the coun-
ell committee includes the suggestions
! that the Offices OF administrative board.
city sergeant, city collector. coroner.
city clerk sergeant at-arms. building
inspector. collector of delinquent taxes
be abolished. II was said around city
| hall yesterday, that one OF the hot
test" campaigns for many years will be
precipitated.
/ The personnel of the charter
changes committee is representative Of
various elements in council. The
members are j. e. Rose. of Lee ward.
chairman. w. IL Adams efr Jshsrsah.
| ward president of the board of alder
men: r. l.. Peters. Of Clay ward, presi-
dent of common council; Morgan II.
Mills. of Jefferson ward. member
finance COMMITTEES. Fred H. Powell. -