The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1920-01-30
SAYS SOME ALDERMEN
NEED HEADS PUNCHED
Retiring City Manager Says That's The Only WAY
City Manager Will Ever Make Co
of it Here

the heads of two or three mem
bers Of the Board of Aldermen"
That is the opinion of Fred w.
Simonds whose resignation as
City manager Of Elizabeth City
became effective Saturday, Jan.
"a. Mr.. Simonds says there is
too much politics and too little
civic Righteousness in Elizabeth
City. According to the former
City Manager, there are some
] men on the present Board of AL
dernen who are more interested
in being reelected than in serv-
ing the community.
| AT the same time Mr.. Simonds does
not relieve a growing suspicion that the
public has not been given the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the truth
about his resignation. The Board of
Aldermen which began it's very exis-
tence with a Star Chamber session, held
Star Chamber session to fire Simonds
The public was left out of the councils
of the Aldermen and the public will lean
toward SimOnds till the Board of AL
dermen explains it's Star Chamber ac-
tivities and takes the public into its con-
fidence.i People don't elect public SER
wants to do the publie,s business behind
closed doors. The public's business is
the public's business and officials who
hide behind an executive session to do
tlinuS 1nSo fho oT
who put them in Office. There never
was legitimate excuse for Star
Chamber proceeding in democracy.
One rumor has it that City Manager
Simond's troubles began when Aldermen
L. {. Cahoon took him up to Halifax
county to survey piece of land. The
rumor says the survey didn't suit AL
derman Cahoon. 1t certainly didn't suit
the tax payers of this city very well.
because even tho Cahoon paid the city
for Simond's time. no one likes the idea
of a City Manager being used by mem-
bers of the Board of Aldermen to do
work.
Mr. Simonds talked freely with the
writer of this newspaper just before go
ing out of office He made no criticism
of any member of the Board of Alder
men and INDUCED in no personalities.
He says his greatest conflict with the
Board was over the matter of expendi-
lures. The old Mack Sawyer Board left
the city in a notOriously run down con-
dition and with no equipment for work
ing its street cleaning department. The
streets were dirty; garbage was collect
ed about once week; bitches were, fill
ed up; not cent had been expended in
repairs-to street paving since it had
been laid; the market house was runn-
ing al loss: the city was at war with
the Electric Light Co. and the Water
and Sewerage companies.
Shortly after coming into Office Mr..
Simonds made up budget of the mon
eys the city should expend this year and
his budget exceeded the city's revenues
by $4,000. Mr.. Simonds insists that
the city could not be put in any sort of
a less sum. He says also
that the Aldermen never did anything
with his budget, but insisted that he cut
down expenses so they could show the
tax payers a notable saving of money by
The next election
Mr.. Simonds says the Board of AL
lermen bought him a Ford so he could
'un around and look after street i'm
DrOvements and gave him nothing to
make improvements. He says when he
iidnt ride around on a useless chase he
vas accused of lOafing and when he did
lse the blamed Ford he was accused of
Oy riding. To add to his troubles he
ays certain Aldermen were continually
fter him to fire this or that city en-
,InVae and N nn1itioo1
vho could make more votes for them in
he next election.
Mr.. Simonds says that in spite of his
andicaps he feels that he rendered the
ity some service He points to the
pening Of the market house., to the
rainage of the Second Ward, to the
ally collection of garbage, to the clean
ness of the streets and to other ap-
aren't improvements. He is particular
proud of the fact that his recomen-
ations for the purification of the city's
-ater supply are being carried out by
le water company, that company now I
pending thousands of dollars in the in
tallation of a new and modern filtra-
on system which will be completed at
n early date.
And then Mr.. Simonds expressed
le opinion which heads this story.-He
sure a City Manager will have to lick
vo or three politicians and teach them
neir place before he can have a free
and in Elizabeth City. Mr.. Simonds
lay have gotten this idea from reports
1at City Manager AshbHrner of Nor
Dix did just that thing with certain
lembers of the Norfolk City Council.
In meantime Flizabeth City fis with
ut Il City Maiae~r< An Aldermanic
nmittee eompese;l of J. 3. Leigh, J.
: BowdeIs and C. NJ. Cooper has in
aud III" i.satter of finding man for
ne job. They are expected to report
, the next regular meeting of the
'oard of Aldermen, Monday night Feb.
nd. =
buy a farm in Perqui-