Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1919-03-26


to purchase a concrete mixer was re-
ferred to The joint committee en-
Streets and Finance.
A resolution by Mr.. Baggett ap-
propriating $50 for horse and cart
for the Aims House was passed. The
resolution was returned from the
Board of Aldermen non-co'tcurred in,
that board having referred 1t to the
committee on poor, Council teceded
from its previous action and concur
red in the action Of the Beard of Al
dermen.
The board then adjourned.
II. R. BURKE, President.
Tcste.
Daniel R. stansbury, Clerk, C. C.
Mr.. President and Members of the
City Council.
Alexandria, Va, March 25, 1919.
Gentlemen:
Referring to the resolution direct
ing the undersigned Committee to re-
port to your body on the ACCESSIBILITY
of employing "CTty Manager" or
adopting some other form Of modified
commission form of Government as
provided by existing law and to con-
slider the systems now in use in other
cities of the state and to report on
the respective merits of each. Your
Committee begs leave to report as
follows:
In 1908 the city of Staunton, Va,
delegated certain executive duties to
a business manager, the idea being
to fix the responsibility on one well
paid executive and hold him respon-
sible for the proper administration Of
the City's affairs.
Fredericksburg in 1912 took a still
further step by q much broader dele
CATION of power by the Council to an
executive entitled the CITY Manager"
charlottesville made the same change
IN 1913, Farnlville in 1915 and Win
che ter in 1916.
This plan CT administering the City
Government was carried out by the
Council simply employing an execu-
tive fixing the responsibility on him
and locking to him for the proper
results. While this plan would work
in small cities where the Council is
composed Of mail single body it
was realized that it would hardly be
the proper plan to put into operation
in a large city where the governing
body is composed Of two large legis-
lativc bodies and where the city
Charters contain number OF pro-
visions in regard to the appointment
OF Z number Of Boards and where
the head of certain departments are
elected by popular vote.
Some Of the largest cities realizing
that great advantages were bound to
accrue from this system whereby a
city would be put on an efficient bust
ress basis, presented bill to the
Legislature providing for the adoption
by any city of the state'a new form
Of Government by an election by the
people which bill was ertacted March
Goth, 1918.
Under the provision of this law any
city Of the state can by election 90
away with all the intricate and COM
plicatcd provisions OF their old Char
ters and elect a small Council upon
whom all responsibility for the pro-
per administration can be fixed, which
is known as Getty Manager Plan"
commonly known as Commission
Managers Form of Government" The
Commission CT Council being the
Legislative and the Manager, Admins
trative.
Under the terms of this plan the
Council in cities exceeding thirty thou
sand population must have either
three, five, seven, nine, or eleven
Councilmen and in cities with popu-
!aticn between twenty and thirty
thousand, three, five, seven, or nine
Councilmen. These Councilmen, the
City Treasurer, City Sergt., Commits
sioner Of Revenue, and the Clerk Of
the Corporation Court are the only
elective officers of the city, the lat
Ter four being state as we'll as city
officers. The Council may be elected
either at large or by Wards when
they will elect Chairman who shall
be ex-officio Mayor with vote, but
no veto.
The Council can serve without COM
pensatin CT receive a small annual
salary, but in applying to the Judge