La Junta tribune., 1917-04-12
MODEL CITY
CHARTER PLAN
Outlined BY Commi toe Of na-
tianaI Municipal League.
COUnCIlMEn As DIRECTORS
Object 10 10 Organize the American City
Closely on the linss Of Bank or
Railroad, Including infusins the Idea
81 Democracy.

After two years OF wrestling with
the great task OF outlining model city
charter the special committee Of the
National Municipal league laid an out
line or draft before that body AT
meeting recently held In Dayton. o. in
conjunction with other municipal asso-
Citations.
The committee would organize the
American city closely on the lines OF n
bank, n railroad-only infusing the idea
Of democracy.
The city council would stand In place
OF the board of directors. According
to the size OF the city. the number Of
councilmen would range from i've to
twenty-five. They would be elected at
large In nonpartisan elections Gld on
days separate from all other elections.
Candidates would run as nonpauisans
and without designation on ballots
printed so that the names would be
rotated In order OF precedence.
The committee advocates election
by preferential vote based On pro,
portional representation. II possible" 3"
Terms OF councilmen would be four
years.
The council would elect one OF itS
nized legal head Of the city. and would
also appoint city manager. a CLERK
and a civil service commission OF three
members for six year terms. removable,
only by n four-fifths vote OF the coun-
ell and only after written charges aud
bearing.
Recall OF elected councilmen and the
Initiative and referendum on ordi.
nnnccs were Incorporated IN the draft.
bui not by unanimous vote OF the com.
mitteemen.
The council thus created would he
the legislative body. the financial body
and the policy determining body. as Is
the directorate OF a bank.
All administrative functions would
be turned over to the city manager.
lie would hold position correspond
Ing To that Of the president In a bank
rhc draft specifically provides that he
would he wholly responsible to the
council.
The charter provides fullest freedom
In administration for him Council
men would bc forbidden TO deal with
any one connected with the admins
trltire service except through the city
manager Any attempt To give orders
or otherwise interfere would be made
misdcmcanor and pcnnlizcd by fine
and imprisonment.
The city manager would run the
city. lie would select and employ III.
rectors ~ departments OF a. law. e,
health. ~ finance. "a safety and q,
works These directors would lee re-
sponslhlc to and only removable by
the city manager They would report
only to him
The term OF office OF the city man.
agcr would Ice Indefinite. lie would
be removable by the city council only
after n public bearing II he lad held
the office for six months Tie draft
specifically provides that the choice OF
a manager would not h. limited 10 the
city ar state. The committee points
out that the German system of sdver.
tisin: for mirromcis,er has been
highly successful"
The finances Of the city would be on
the budget system plan. Provisions
are made 10 prevent or make difiicult
shifting ~ appropriations except In
dire emergencies
Methods 81 ievylng taxes and max
Ing loans aud provisions. for safeguard.
ing bond issues are included la the
draft Publicity of all contracts aud
purchases involving morr ihin n stated
expenditure Is also provided. Munici.
palization OF public utilities would be
permitted nnd the life or private fran.
chlscs. ms n rule. limited TO thirty years.
Such system Of government ~ il
outlined IN the model charter oir.rs.
the committee believes. great oppor.
tuniiy for effective and efficient admin.
is'raiion aud ni the .ainc time demo
crn'ic government II IL offered Ms u
great Improvement over the old forms.
but not ns the Ianncca Tor nil mnnici.
pal government shortcomings whose
rrciincntion lies wholly In the people.
The model city charter indicates a
break In thr wnve for highly central.
lxed commission city manager form of
government. There has been IN some
qusrteru III urgent demand for the
~hiest Of powers centralized In tn.
city manager. cndcr the model city
charter the council IL held NJ the leg
Islative and policy hoard. with the
control NJ finances, nnd the city mnn
aRer I- made absolute only In ot,~rn
''on of the city under determined pol
Sries In the discussions. there wa-
strong opposition to nny absolute cen
trniiyation ~ control Municipal gov.
eminent mist not. Il WIS nr-rsi. bc
permitted. even IN bei,nif NJ rfiSrienr,.
TO become auicrrntir. The dcn,ocrnti,-
theory mnst he preserved. hut emphn
sis was laid on divorcins that Iicn