The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-02-04
CITY GOVERNMENT
Continued from First Page)

A
tive favor. But in its practical work
ings out, this is not the case; for the
charter of the character desired, is
determined upon by the local COM
| mLnity, and when the bill is intro
duced in the state legislature, it is
classed as a local bill, and if it has
the support of those representing
! that community in the house and SEN
ate, it is passed, as might almost be
said, by courtesy.
Until within recent years, the gem
eral provisions in the charters of all
the cities of this country were prac-
tically the same, and this type of
charter is now spoken of as the al
dermanic plan. We are all familiar
with this type of city government
and with the record of inefficiencS
which it has made. It is the form of
government under which Ocala has
been governed all the years, and un-
der which we could hope for little
more than a repetition of inefficiency
and acknowledgement. The defects are
inherent in the system itself, and are
not merely a matter of the personnel
of the council.
The problems constantly requiring
the attention of the city council, out
side of matters of legislation, are
those growing out of the manage
ment of the public utilities, such as
light and water plants, building and
maintaining streets, the sewerage
system, etc.
Imagine If you will, the situation
which confronts Alderman A, whose
training, we will say, has been along
mercantile lines, and whose capital Is
invested in business which requires
his whole time and energy. Well as
sumo the most favorable case, and
suppose that he is successful mer-
chant, and has sought a position on
the council from feeling of public
responsibility. He is made chairman
| of the street committee, and gives
the flag end of the day twice month
to the meetings of the council where
is referred to this committee all
matters pertaining to- the streets of
the city. What does he know about
building and repairing streets, how
it should be done, and what it should
cost? How much time can he give
from his own affairs to keep in touch
with the street work which is con-
stantly being done !? And so it is with
Alderman B. who is, well say, drug
| gist, and who is made chairman of
the light and water committee.
There are all matters requiring
some technical knowledge and the
supervision and coordination of some
Zone constantly on the job. They are
also matters which greatly concern
the taxpayer who is paying the bills,
whose taxes are mounting higher
each year.
The city is one form of corporation
which cannot go into bankruptcy All
that is necessary when the expenses
exceed the income is to increase the
income by raising the taxes
The several innovations in city
government which have taken place
in the last few years, have grown out
of the dissatisfaction with the old
order, and have been designed to cor
rect what long experience has DEM
onstrated to be its deficiencies.
The first experiment is credited to
the city of Galveston, and was pre-
cipitated by the catastrophy which be-
fell that city, almost wiping it off the
map. The old city government went t.
pieces, and there was inaugurated in
its place, the commission plan. This
consists, in nutshell, of a paid COM
missioner at the head of each depart
ment, devoting his whole time to the
needs of that department. It worked
Esplendidly in the emergency with
which Galveston had to deal, and it
has been adopted by great many
cities. The plan is particularly adapt
ed to the needs of the larger cities,
where the extent of the work in each
department is of such volume as to
Justify the expense of a capable adj
ministrator for each. The cost of sew
eral high salaried commissioners. in
q city the size of Ocala, would be too
great part Of the city's income
spent on administration, and would
leave too little money for the neces-
sary labor and material cost.
The city manager plan overcomes
this difficulty, and at the same time
coordinates the several departments
OF the city under one head. This plal.
was first tried at Staunton, Va, and
soon afterwards when Dayton, Ohio,
was visited by a flood which almost
destroyed the city, the plan was tried
with such success, that it has since
been adopted by about $50 cities and
towns.
The city manager plan has beer.
aptly spoken of as carrying the cor
poration method of doing business,
which is the most efficient yet devils
ed, over into the city3s business.
To illustrate, let US suppose that a
few men decide to organize a new
bank for Ocala. They proceed to sell
the required amount of stock in the
new venture. A meeting of stockhold-
ers is then called and a board of
directors is elected to supervise the
management of the business. This
board of directors then holds a meet
-