The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-04-29
OFFER CIVIL SERVICE
FOR SUPERINTENDENTS

crews Of the city and supervise the
expenditure of thousands Of dollars
for street repair and street building ?"
This was the question which was be-
ing put by some of the members of
the common council this morning and
it is promised that within short time
a proposition will be made to the COM
mon council to have all employees Of
the city, with the exception Of the
laborers, placed under a civil service
rule. An ordinance which will pro-
vide the city with a "civil service
board" which will be organized with
the commissioner of public works
as it's chairman, is now being pre-
pared and it is expected that it will
find favor with number Of the mem
bers of the council. 1t is admitted
that the ordinance is being proposed
on account of the fact that some of
the aldermen are not entirely salts
fed with recent elections Of street
commissioners.
Palmgreen Goes on Record.
Alderman Fred Palmgreen has gone
on record as in favor of getting the
most competent men possible for these
positions and it is understood that he
Is willing to sponsor movement for
a civil service board as provided for
in the proposed ordinance. The al
dermen have been in conference with
a number Of people who believe that
merit, rather than politics should
rule in naming men for such positions,
and he has been outspoken in his criti-
cism Of the letting out of the old com
missioners. In a number of Wiscon-
sin cities these appointments are filled
after civil service examinations. This
is true in Madison and Milwaukee
and Madison prides itself on having
the best kept streets and parks in
the state, if not in the country. 1t
is said that there is rarely a change
in the street workers in the state
capital and that experienced manage
ment is largely the cause Of the ex-
celIent condition of the streets there.
People who have been in Madison APP
preciate that there is vast difference
between conditions there and condi-
tions in Kenosha.
Others Under Civil Service.
It is pointed out by men interested
in the proposed ordinance that Keno
sha has had non-partisan commissions
sRs for a long time to handle the ap-
pointment of officials. The police and
fire commission has full power to EN-
ploy and to discharge police officers
and fremen. Under the system the
until they are considered models for
the other parts of the state. The
park board is in charge of the employ
ment of men in that department and
the plan has worked out we'll. Civil
service rule for street men and in
spectors, it is pointed out, would not
only bring more experienced men into
this work, but it would give the men
SIN assurance that their positions
would be theirs as long as they did
good work. Under the civil service
plan, it is held, it would be much
easier to organize efficient organiza-
tions Of street workers.
Several aldermen who were seen,
declared that they would be willing
to give such an ordinance considera-
tion but that they were not ready to
go on record as being in favor of Civ
ing up the time honored privilege Of
an alderman to pay his political debts
by electing someone as a street COM
missioner.
Mayor Washes His Hands.
Mayor Joachim declared on Monday
that he was not in any way a part
to the election or defeat of anyone
for the office of street Commissioner.
You know that the men / voted for
were not elected" the mayor said. Il
told two or three fellows that l would
vote for them and / carried out my
promise, but my vote did not in any
way affect the result of the election.
It was a matter for the members of
the council, and while the mayor
technically has a vote | kept out of
it as much as possible. What l want
is efficiency in every department of the
city's work. You recall that these
men are hired from day to day and
II they are not efficient they can be
discharged. So far as l know there
was no understanding among the al
dermen as to who was to be elected.
II there was any agreement of this
kind, / was in no way party to it,
or had knowledge of it. I want eff
cheney and want to follow the best
possible way to get it.
The health board is struggling along
short handed on account Of the failure
to secure a confirmation of the man
it named for sanitary inspector. It
was admitted that no meeting of the
board had been called to make any
futher recommendations to the coun-
Gil. 1t is not known when such q
meeting will be held. 1t was admitted
that sanitary inspection, especially
necessary at this time of the year,
was being sorely neglected on account
Of the fact that the board has no one
to do the work.
Motion picture exhibitors in Amer
lea attract the public inside their
theatres with every know device. They