Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1921-01-28
Common Council Approves Charter
Amendment Making Life Jobs For
Worthy Officials
AGE LIMIT ss-cAN BE REMOVED AT so-oNLY Fl
CAUSE BEFORE 60
introduced In Present Legislature To Effect Proposed
Change.


basis. Willimantic has done 4 and -
has New London. In very few cities
now are these officials appointed and
subject to change with q change a
each city administration
When the meeting was called 70 or
der by the mayor, Aldermen Johnson.
Dean, Wheelock, republicans. and Al
dermen Duffy, Fox and Psdgett, dcm-
ocrats, responded to the ron call.
The mayor said to the council that
the special meeting had been called
to make amendments to certain Sec
tons Of the city charter to put certain
departments under the civil services
rather than to have them upset every
two or four years, as the case may be.
The city clerk was then asked to read
the two sections of the charter alluded
to with the proposed amendments.
Alderman Wheeloek asked if the
matter had not been under consiier
ton before.
Mayor Marcy said that it had, al
most indefinitely.
Alderman Dean asked II the pur-
pose of the amendments was to take
these two departments out of politics.
Mayor Marcy replied: "That's just
it. 1t does remove these important
fiicss from politics. 1t is means of
getting good men in Office and of keep
lag them the.e."
Alderman johnson stated that the
proposed amendments will not prevent
the city from refusing to accept men
who are not efficient nor does it pre-
vent the council from removing men
who are inefficient. He said he was
in favor of the amendments, which
have been talked of for twenty years,
to take these Offices out Of the politi-
cal ring, so to speak. He cited that
the same measures are in effect In
Willimantic, New London and other
cities.
Alderman Padgett said he was in
favor Of the amendments IL the object
was to prevent the removal of good
men from Office.
There was some discussion relative
to the effect such amendments would
have. Each alderman was asked to
express an opinion and each expressed
himself in favor of the amendments,
and so voted when the question was
put and the roll was called.
In order to change the city charter
the proposed amendment has to be in
trodueed as bill in the gene al as
sembly and passed as law. One or
more officials or citizens will have TO
appear in favor of the bill and il there
be any who are opposed they may also
be heard. The bill will finally be pat
on the calendar and a time of heari lg
will be assigned at which time any in
terested parties may appear.
As already stated, the matter is no
new one. 1t has been advocated in
the past almost since the city was in
corporated. At one time an amended
ordinance was drawn up, but for some
reason the matter was allowed to
lapse.
In nearly all cities today men elect
ed to Office In the police and IRE de-
partments are only subject TO removal
for cause or upon reaching an age
limit. This attracts class Of men
who would not sonsider such positions.
as important an they are. II they fels
that each time city government
changed they had to fight to hold
their jobs and during their term Of Of
fee court public favor in order to ~
rure their reelection.