Evening journal., 1921-01-01

GOVERNMENT,
CHARTER PLAN
lcontInued dom page onel

working for a new city charter II
the ilve-cOmmissi0ner plan meets with
general approval, the committee VIII
designate a subcommittee of IT'S m
bers TO present a bill at Dover es-
tablishing the form Of government in
Wilmington.
The meeting OF the committee yes
terdaS afternoon was held in tho
board room Of the Chamber Of Com
merce. IL is understood the sub-cOm-
mittee which has been working for
several weeks reported two definite
plans. One plan was for the five COM
missi0ners elected at large; the other
provided for the election OF a mayor
who would select the flye commits
sioners.
Adopted by 10 10 ?.
No one connected with the COM
mlttee would say how the vote on
these plans stood, but IL was report
ed that the plan adopted was favored
by a vote OF ten 90 three, receiving
the unanimous vote Of the six Demo-
cratic members present and four OF
the seven Republican votes. While 70
could not be confirmed, it Is under
stool that The two Republican women
members Of the committee voted with
the majority.
The general conmitten comprises
the following:
Republicans, Colonel George w.
Sparks, chairman: Deputy Attorney
General p. Warren Green, City Solicit
tor John w Huxley, Jr., William p
White, Colonel Weller +. Stover. Miss
Jeanette Eckman and Mrs. Florence
NJ. Warren.
mocrats-charles c. Saylor, Tim
,Nhtr NT.npa.~ A a
Charles r. Curley, former state Sena-
tor Thomas +. Gormley. Dr. Florence
NJ. Seward and Miss Ellen SamwOrth.
The probable construction OF the
new city government II the plan pro-
posed should be enacted into law,
Will be as follows: The present de-
partments and City Council will be
abolished. In their place there will
be five departments taking over the
functions OF the present city depart
ments. These departments will be
the Department OF Public Affairs, De-
partment Of Public Safety, Depart
ment OF Finances and Revenues, De-
partment OF Public Works, and De-
partment OF Public Property.
Harbor Board 10 Stand.
Following the custom In cities hav-
ing the commission form Of govern
ment commissions and public depart
ments created 10 carry out a specified
purpose win not be disturbed II Is
also certain that the functions OF
the new government will in no way
conflict with the City Board of Edu-
cation.
The Board Of Harbor Commission
ers will not be a part OF the city
government other than receiving It's
support through the department OF
finances and revenues. Nor would a
temporary commission such as the
Public Building Commission, created
20 build and finance the new public
building, be a part OF the new gov
ernment.
The Department OF Public Affairs
would be the administrative depart
ment OF the city It's functions would
largely be decided upon by the COM
mission. The mayors oillce would be
part Of this department u Is like
/ ly that the Board OF Health would
come under the jurisdiction OF this
department.
The present police department ant
the proposed fire department wOulC
be a part OF the Department OF Pub
lic Safety The present plan TO- q
police commission would prohahl,
give way 10 the commissioner OF pub.
lie safety who would head the de.
lpartmeni Il is likely that the build.
ing inspectors office and the variou.
other city inspectors would come un.
der the authority OF this department
The functions Of the present finance
committee Of City Council and tho
receiver Of taxes Office would be CO.
ordinaied In the Department OF Fin.
] Innnn nUI nnUanffAN VfItta ...l
would also collect all taxes that ac.
crue 30 the city at present through
the clerk OF councils oflce. The
commissioner at the head OF this de.
partment with the other commits
sioners, would ilX the city tax rate
The Water Department and The
Street and Sewer Department would
be co-ordiuaied in the new Depart
ment OF Public Works. The Depart
ment Of Public Property would have
control Of the various city buildings
The adoption OF this plan woulC
wipe out the conflict OF authorit,
that exists between the various de
pariments at the present time II
would eliminate a council that hal
no direct authority over the admins.
tration OF the department. Through
bringing the collection Of taxes an,
the disbursement OF the city's fnan
ces under the one head, IL is estimate,
that several hundred thousand dol
lars will he saved annually.
An additional saving would be oh
tanned through the abolition Of thl
various boards and commissions
/ Is thought that the number ~ OF
! nce holders would be cut consider
ably.
The commissioners under the pro
posed plan would be elected 70
terms OF four years at biennial cleo
lions with overlapping terms, hre
/ being elected at one time and two
two wears later. When inaugurated
| the three men receiving the highes
, number of votes, would he electe
: for four years and the remaining tw
/ Tor two years.
! Il is generally believed that a Or
Z vision for the recall Of the commits
Z siOners will be incorporated in IN
law There are reports that a feN
p OF the committee vigorously oppose
D inclusion OF a recall provision.
p The nlan. II it Is submitted 10 m
p Legislature, viii constitute the dral
a of the new city charter All presen
laws and ordinances conflicting wit
e y would be automatically repeale
r by its passage.
(. Call for Referendum.
Resolutions favoring the incorpor;
p ton Of the initiative. referendum an
u recall into the proposed new cii
]. charter. were adopted last night at
5 meeting Of the Referendum League
5 Delaware, at a meeting held at g
e Market street. The resolutions 70
IS low:
"A RESOLVED. That the Referendu
Il League OF Delaware. hereby goes Z
II record as favoring a change from q
patchwork network, and irresno
slhln danarlmnnLs Of The City Co