The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-12-06

l positions where practical and the ap- plication of approved business prln- | cip1es by modern business methods Tn | the city government were the mann l points Of Mayor Fred Atwater'S fnau- | gural message to the Board of Alder men last night. A practical, eco nomicaI, business administration was ! briefly outlined, and several changes were suggested that would be the partial means of attaining the ends l of his prediction policy Of economy. l Urging a careful and prudent admin | istration, he asked for clearer de- 1 finition of the responsibilities of every city official in order that every de- partment head may be held fully az countable for the affairs Of his or flee.
 In emphatic terms Mayor Atwater demanded that the practice of ex- ceeding appropriations be stopped; transfers be ended. He sounded the death knell of waivers and recom- mended the substitution of the com petitive bidding basis for the award, 1 the fullest powers and cooperation in collecting back taxes, and suggest ed either the appointment of sec 1ranting 9nu @ of additional clerical help to the city attorney for this work
 He praised the work oe the free | clinics, and asked that they De con tinued, and strongly urged the enfnin, s noIice fienartments so that the en- | forcement of the law and the pro lection of life and property will De l Iunhampered by political influences. 1 A uniform system of departmental accounting and a more cohfpIete sSs | tenn of auditing was recomnlehueu. and the suggestion made tnat tne | far s 1t has discharged its duties, be | incorporated with and controlled ny l one of the duly constituted city de- hJ1Ei EiT9a | ioa epplIed to its administration.
 | Mayor Atwaters message follows In 1 full: ,, To the Honorable Common couneii | of the City of Bridgeport:
 | Gentlemen: At this Initial meet 1 ing of your honorable body l would | ask for the earnest and contlnuous l support of each and every meilroeI during my administration of the next | two years. Only by the co-operatlon of the entire body will 1t be posslplss | to put into practice the poncleS oI | the platform on which we were elect | cd to office last November. The cove l nant which we have made demanos | that we shall give the best that IS | in us for the advancement or the
 city's interests and it Is my earnest desire that we may all work toward | that end.
 The affairs of the city at this time
 require a. careful and prudent aonin-
 fstration so modelled. however, tnaI m reouisite need compatible with
 our financial status. shall be neglect.
 ed This requires the application or
 approved business principles through
 business methods, which in turn ue- mand that strict economy be en- | forced in every department IL IS
 my intention that the responsfblilty for honest and efficient adm1nlstTa alIoI | of each and every city department shall be fixed and that the heads or
 departments shall be held strictly ac. ] countable therefor. The practice or T., r.ir1or 1l- | exceeding appropriations, barring cnI | forseen contingencies of unusual | character must end. It Is incum- | bent upon the head of each depart | ment to conduct his office with the | same adherence to business pr1nc1- ples as would be required of him In inc conduct of a private enterprise, and so far as my authority permits l shall exert a personal superVlslon III | this respect, and in order to further
 this I shall, as soon as pract1caole' l recommend the adoption or a uni, form system Of bookkeeping for all
 city departments and more cohi- | plete system of auditing.
 I believe, too, that survey should
 be made for the purpose of eltminat-
 ing such salaried positions as are un- necessary, and in other cases com bining two or more positions where 1 the efficiency of the departments would not thereby be impaired.
 ] shall Insist upon a rigorous ad- herence to the provisions of the City Charter relative to the submission of bids and the awarding of contracts to the lowest possible bidder: In cases involving the purchase Of sup plies etc. where prices are standard ized and bids would be intellectual, believe that the business should be distributed as nearly equally as possl- ble among Bridgeport enterprises without discrimination.
 Since the municipal garage com mission has served the purpose Tor which it was created and has now | T 1,n1tn | the municipal garage should be plac. | ed under the control and direction or i one of the duly constituted city de- partments and sane business methods 1 applied, eliminating all unnecessary l personnel, in order that the same
 may, if possible, justify itself.
 Upon my assumption Of off1ce
 found the city's finances In a oepIor'
 ble condition, with a deficit aggre'
 Eatng the sum of SIPS, ,652.00 call.
 Ing for immediate attention, includes r with which is a deficit of $2SO,0Ot existing in the Charities Departme Information supplied by the variou: city departments reveal the fact tha S703 900 in the aggregate will be re : qu&red to enable them to finish the current fiscal year and Satlsfy lhell requirements.
 alternative was possible except to re . sort to a special tax. l have been eX
 tremeIy reluctant, in view Of tht
 present industrial depression With 1t'
 accompanying hardships to all classes
 co resort to this eXpedtency The
 condition demanding 1t Is one tol
 which this administration must dis
 claim any responsibility and disagree
 able as the task may be, 1t $ neces
 sa,.y that we perform 1t, and l appea
 to all taxpayers to co-operate with U u: i in our efforts to Te-stab1l1ze our c1t!
 finances and thereby rchabilitate th'
 full functioning of city department
 by making prompt payment of thi
 special and all back taxes which ma!
 be due the city. In order that th'
 burden may be made as light as pos
 sible for the home owners and small
 business enterprises recommend thai
 the tax collectors office accept pay
 rnents of taxes in monthly install
 ments This would have the dual ef
 feet of Tightening the burden of tn
 taxpayers and providing stead1e l source of revenue to the city.
 l A practice which confron me i'm mediately upon my assumption of of
 flee Is that of transferring funds ron l one city department to another. Thl Ia IoercaI1v tna resuls of carrying CSft