Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-16

We felt that as there were so few
employees of the street department
that the Office of superintendent OF
streets might be eliminated and the
/, duties now performed by the superin-
tendent of streets which were pecu-
lliarly adopted to the commissioner
lsof streets and highways, could be
performed by the commissioner. This
consolidation of departmental work
we believe would tend ITO efficiency
and certainly save large expense.
| Section 81 would however, allow the
council to appoint such an official
for such seasons as it might be
| thought advisable
Third amendment: THE council
| shall fix the compensation of sub
| ordinate officials and employees"
| It appealed to your committee that
as the council as a body had the au-
thority under the charter to elect sub
ordinate officers, that as body the
| council should have the power to fix
by vote the compensation of those
officers. We also felt that to encour-
age good team work for the council
and good results for the city. the
heads of the departments should not
only confer together as to the sala.
| ries and compensation to be paid the
| subordinate officers. but also the en-
ployees of the several departments.
| To accomplish this object we have
| offered an amendment to Sec. So by
| striking out the word salaries" in
/ the last line of this section, and SUBJ
shutting therefor the word "compen-
| satiop" and adding after the word
| officers the word employees"
| Fourth amendment. Relating to
the requiring of sealed bids for pur-
! chases over $500"
| We expect the mayor as purchasing
agent to use his best Judgment up to
/ $500. We believe that it would be for
! the interest of the city that purchas-
es over that samount should not be
bought in the open market, but by
competitive bids, if possible. To ac-
compIish this end, we suggest an
amendment to Sec. 80 by substituting
! for the word ''by" in the third para
graph Of that section after the word
| mayor" the word ''as," and by add
! ing to this section the following:
THE Mayor as purchasing agent
shall purchase all other property re-
CURED for the city. save that when
other property is required in amounts
over 5000 or over, the city council shall
advertise for sealed bids therefor, re-
serving the right to reject any or all
bids Or parts Of bids, and such bids
Shall be addressed to said council,
and shall be accepted or, rejected by
said council. and upon the acceptance
Of any such bids, or parts of bids,
The Mayor as purhasing agent, shall
issue orders o" rc,'.'.o 80 therefor
Should the, city council fail to rc-
ceive any such bsus, ii,o council may
instruct the mayor. u.s. purchasing
agent, TO purchase such property in
the open market"
Fifth Amendment Relating 10
Monthly Statements.
Our committee believes, that some
printed information should regularly
be furnished the voters of the city Of
the standing of the departments. We
believe that the so-called 'itemiZed
statements" required by the charter.
and which have thus far been fur
nished. do not accomplish the object
contemplated, and to cause to b pub
lished q more detailed statement
would be too expensive. We feel tho r
if the voters had monthly repo.A,
giving them the standing of each de-
partrlent, to wit, the amount that
has been expended during tho month,
and the balance on hand, the citizens
\ would then be appraised of any over
draft Or any undue use OF money, and
if they were acquainted with these
facts and should wish to know more,
they could. so to the city auditor and
examine the accounts. We offer this
amendment that will strike ont the
entire section 81 and substitute the
following:
"The city shall, on and before the
18th day of each month, publish in a
newspaper published in the city. if
there be any, and in the nearest dali
= " newspaper printed in kennebee
County. a statement showing tho
amount of each appropriation with
the total credits and charges thereto
and the balance Hereunder to the
first of the current month; and also
a summary of its proceedings during
tho preceding month
Eat the end of the municipal year
lit shall cause a full and complete ex-
! animation of all books and accounts
of the city to be made by a certified
public accountant and shall publish
the result of such examination in
pamphlet form"
The sixth amendment, has to do with
the making Of new ordinances, amend
ments and repeats. something the old
charter left somewhat obscure. This
amendment provides that all new or
: dinances. amendments to ordinances
or repeals, appropriations over $500
granting of franchises. street improve
ments and sewers, ETC., shall be pub
lished in a daily newspaper and may
under Section 20 be subject to refer
endum vote of the city. The commit
tee further felt that since the cleo
torate of the city has recently doubled
that the number of petitioners for
referendum legislation be 800 instead
of $50.
| The above were suggested as changes
and the committee further recon-
mended that adoption of the two fol.
lowing new sections to the charter
They preface the first as follows: 1--WE
| feel that it would be for the interest
of the voters if there were held at
least two public meetings in some
central place, which meetings the CON-
| missioners would be required to at
tepd and thara Give tho ,,o+o... ~ Al. .