Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1921-10-01
GRIFFIN PLEASED WITH COMMITS
SION FORM

No man with an unbiased mind
could read the article from GRIMM
Ga, appearing in the Enquirer-Sun
Yesterday morning, in reference TO
commission form Of government with
city manager, as operated in that city,
without being favorably impressed by
what several of the officials and lead
ing citizens of that city had to say
concerning it. One thing that is par
ticularly impressive is that the city OF
Griffin is not only being managed effi-
GENTLY. having at this time a neat sum
of money in bank drawing interest at
per cent, but is buying all its sup
plies on cash basis. That, of itself,
is a matter quite worthy of considera-
ton.
But what is of equal, if not of great
er interest, are the statements maze
by the head of the police department
of that city, and also the assistant
head of the fire department, both of
whom are much pleased with the work
ings of the commission-manage plan.
We reproduce first what the chief of
police, Mr.. L. L. Stanley, had to say:
II like the commission manager gov
eminent much better than the old form
and my main reason is that our de-
partment, as well as the others, has
been taken out of politics. have been
on the Griffin police force eighteen
years, and next January l will have
rounded out two years as chief of the
police department. Knowing that the
manager is back of us and with the
only instructions being to enforce the
law, applying it to everyone regardless
of his status, financially, socially or
otherwise we go about our work with
out the annoyance of politicians and
city officials with certain people to
please. The city and county police
and the sherffs forces cooperate 100
per cent. We call on each other in
emergencies and there is no petty jeal-
ousies. l do have a great deal of re-
sponsibility,, but with this l have the
assurance of not having to please sew
eral different people,
That ought to be satisfying to all
who may have doubts that it is eff
cheney that is sought. But the
statement made by the assistant fire
chief, Mr.. o. L. Bell, is equally i'm
pressive. He says:
1--WE firemen see businesslike meth
DDS now employed and are pleased
with the change to commiSSion-man-
ager form of government. The city
manager has spent a great deal in our
department in purchasing the latest
equipment and has added 33 1-3 per
cent more men to the personnel. Our
salaries have not been reduced despite
all the expenditures made in improv
ing the department. l am local man
and served in the department under
the old system. We find that when
we are in need of supplies we get
them the same day we make request
of Mr.. Bridges"
Neither of these men lost his job
on account of the change in form of
city government, showing that all the
city manager wants is efficient service
regardless of the man who gives it.
And several citizens gave interviews
in which they expressed themselves
as being well satisfied with the COM
disadvantages form, some of them
going so far as to say they would not
return to the old form for anything.
In view of the fact that Columbus
is soon to have an election on the
question of changing to form similar
to that of Griffin, these interviews are
of much interest to Columbus people.
They ought to be convincing.-Co
bus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun.
What godsend it would be to the
people to put the commission-manager
system into operation in few of our
local boroughs.