The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-02-05
.IhNAGER PLAN PROGRESSES

TIE movement set afoo by local post the American
Legion to change the form of the Ardmore municipal
government into the city managerial FORM moving for
ward The American Legion post voted unanimously in favor
of such change Other local organizations have followed
suit Sentiment is crystazng rapidly around the idea for
local civic beerment.
committee headed by member of the American Legion
visited Wichita KAN yesterday and spent the day in nves
vatng the workings of the city plan in that pros
porous and beautiful city For nearly three years the
method Of municipal administration has been in operation
there
The committee reports that efforts made to find dis
satisfaction with the city manager plan it operate in
Wichita but that citizen interviewed gave evidence of such
dissatisfaction The general expression that Wichita has
benefited by the innovation and that overwhelming per-
centage of the people find satisfactory The fact that the
onte board of commissioners first elected under the
plan reelected last year taken evidence that salts
faction has been given.
Wichita is peculiarly Fortunate appears, in having as
city local who gives his time to the work
because of his devotion to the cty good City Manager L.
W. Clapp said be worth several millions of dollars The
first city manager received salary of $4,000 year. which
the highest salary paid for similar service by Amer
lean city Mr. Capp, who mayor during the first two
years of city managerial operation voluntarily Topped off
$4,000 from the salary when he became city He is
trying to the affairs of the city he his bust
affairs. 1t job requiring close application and high
executive ability.
The Ardmore committee told in Wichita that local
politics had been eliminated altogether At the election last
year there only ticket Fifteen candidates
Tor city commsSonerShpS IN the primary Inc ten men re-
cevng the highest in the primary at the regular
election and the five highest declared elected Under
the Wichita system the commissioners elect of their own
number mayor His business is preside at the meetings OF
the board The city manager who employed by the board
city commissioners to while he gives satisfaction has
the authority hre fire all other city employees nclud
ing heads of departments such police chief fire chief
superintendent Of Waterworks.
Thus will be that under the Wichita plan the city
manager conducts the affairs of the city the executive
head of any private business conducts that business If
other city empoye does make good the city may
remove him. The city manager himself may be removed by
the city commissioners under similar circumstances. Nobody
has any tenure office except the five commissioners tn
board to be reelected every two years.
The committee from this city gathered of valuable
reformation which will be presented to the Joint committee
which has in charge the preliminary work of preparing for
general public expression the subject 1t is understood
that another section of the Joint committee will visit Sherman
Texas this week to make similar investigation and report
Later mass-meetng will be called which the Joint
mttee will present report with recommendations based
upon its Investigations
Now for the first time since the city manager plan
proposed, than year ago. actual and active work
toward that end being done