The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-01
DEPARTMENT HEADS TO
REGULATE VACATIONS
Fairgrounds to be Provided in City
Streets by Director of Public
Safety.


After hearing testimony from four
" mbers of the mayors advisory
board and listening to what resem-
bled to a cross-exarnination by mem
bers of the committee. the committee
on ordinance last night virtually ex-
tended the directors of the several
departments a vote OF confidence by
taoling indefinitely the ordinance
drawn by Councilman Edgar B, En-
glish providing a ffteen-day vacation
for all city employees. with no reduc-
ton of time for illness.
Director of Public Safety Boiling.
acting on instructions of Mayor
Ainslie, presented a letter from the
city attorney stating IT. was an ad-
ministrative matter and lay within
the discretion of the department
heads, subject TO the approval of h
advisory board.
Councilman English said he was
well aware of the fact when the ordi-
nance was drafted. and hat it was
not intended TO direct out to author
ize the board to take such action If
It desired to do so. He further stated
that the measure was aimed especially
at the fire and police departments.
Councilman Morton called on the
h ads of the departments for express
sions OF opinion and Colonel Myers,
director of public safety, asked to
:. ak first.
4 am a frank man" said the
colonel; Il don't like this business.
II will encourage every ~disguntled
employe to take his grievances to the
city council instead of to his chief"
Councilman English interrupted at
this j%uncture to assert hotly hat they
were carrying their troubles to a rep
resentative of the people. as they
should do.
Director Myers asserted that 95 per
cent OF his men were satisfied under
existing conditions and Chief Sherry
supported him with the statement that
only two GU of his force of more than
221 men had ever complained. Coun-
Gilman English said that 100 had been
to him with their complaints.
The chief explained that men were
carried on the payroll for twelve
months and in some instances two
years while ~incapacitated by illness.
He said time was not deducted from
the vacations until a man had been
absent for twelve days, and hat his
was a necessary precaution. as many
were inclined to take the full allot-
ment of twelve days before becoming
robust specimens.
DR.. Levy and Director of Public
Utilities Trafford also requested the
C mmittee to leave the matter In the
hands of the hoard. both expressing
a leaning towards ample vacation
periods. with no reduction on account
OF illness. but holding that the pres
ent administration was handling the
situation justly n using discretion
in dealing with individual cases. Both
directors, together with Director Boil
ing. stated that they were prone to
( advantage of the clause permit
ting them to use their discretion in
being as liberal as possible with all
III ir employees.
All the directors were questioned re-
p%eatedly on the policy pursued in their
departments. Stress was laid on the
impossibility OF granting ffteen-day
vacations this year with the sums APP
propriated for payrolls in the budget.
DR.. Levy said the change would mean
an additional expense of 10000 in
his department.
Director Trafrord said tina II the
rule providing for the reduction OF
time lost through illness from the va
cation period OF ten days had been
> ooSCt L o1ilhE IL past year.
few, II any, of his employees would
nave received any leave of absence.
The directors We're unanimous in de-
Iclaring that the clause providing for
the deduction of time from vacations
was necessary in hat it controlled
such demonstrations employees who
would fake" illness in order to take
an unmerited rest.
Colonel Myers asserted hat while
the ordinance was worded as a sug-
gestion. 1t could be taken as nothing
short of a demand by the advisory
board If it passed the council.
After hearing all the directors give
detailed explanations of the methods
Pursued in their departments. Alder
man Nunnaliy announced that he was
convinced thai there was no necessity
for the ordinance and moved to table
it Indefinitely. The motion was Sec
.onded by Alderman Winfree and was
passed unanimously.
The ordinance providing the direc-
tor Of public safety with authority to
close certain streets OF the city for
use ds play grounds for the children
OF the city was recommended to the
council for adoption. Justice Kicks,
OF the juvenile court, appeared in the
interest of the measure and it was
passed with little discussion, with an
amendment by Councilman Morton
providing that the citizens on each
block be consulted before the street
was closed.
The streets and the hours during
which traffic will be barred Is left to
the discretion of the advisory board.
1t was stated last night hat the ordi-
n will have to be amended. subAti-
tuting the director Of public safety
for the advisory board. but this was
left to the common council to dispose
OF whslthe ordinance II taken up next |
MnndaH nisht