The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-11-17
Manager For City
 Is Urged
Former Mayor Clifford B. Wilson Strongly Urges Adoption of City Manager At Public Hearing On Charter Revision.

Charter Revision. Spekers before the Charter Revi- sion committees public hearing in the |I Common council chamber last night urged the adoption of the manager form of government Former Mayor Cliffrd B. Wilson strongly urged the H adoption of the manager form of government bqcause he said it will create a head directly responsible to the people.
 appearance since he was succeeded by Mayor Fred Atwater as head of the city government. He said that he spoke from experience. Mayor Wilson said that if we are to have the highest degree of coordination, with ii the heads of all departments respon- city manager form of government. He declared that the head of the city II government could not work when the | various boards decided not to york. | "The immediate head of the city l government must be directly respon- | sible to the people and the people directly responsible to the city gov ernnnent' the former mayor de- | clared.s
 Many At Meeting | The talk of the ex-mayor met with great applause as he concluded. May CT Fred Atwater aid that more hear | ings similar to the one of fast night, of an educational nature would be held in the near future.
 | than 100 citizens. many of them prominent in city or business life. There was a sprinkling of women. Many asked questions of the princi- pal speakers. City Manager J. E. Bar low of New London, Town Manager R. H. Hunter of Stratford and Coun- cilman L. B. Whiton of New London. explained the benefit he believed
 New London had gained by the city
 manager plan.
 Officials Attend.
 Among those in the council chamber some of whom took part in the ques-
 tioning and talk, were former Mayor
 Henry Lee, Assessor L. J. Gill, John
 H. McMurray, Judge John B. Dillon,
 John Y. Caldwell. Vincent s. Whitney,
 Charles s. Garfield, J. J. Devine,
 George H. Woods. Samuel B. Plotkin, s. B. Price, George M- Coughlfn, Lynn
 W. Wilson. E. L. Graves. John Flood,
 Ienger, John P. McGuinness, A. E.
 Teness and Alderman Thomas P. | Doherty.
 BarIow's Views.
 1 J. R. Barlow, of New London, was
 the first speaker. MT. Barlow is city
 manager of New London, and has had wide experience in the manage
 ment of cities under the city man. low said that he did not come to tell Bridgeport what kind of govern
 ment it should have, but that a move ment was on foot to improve muni- | cipal government.
 | You can't make progress where everyone is jockying to get the other fellow out of his job.'' MT. Barlow said. ''In the last ten years the city manager form has come up. There are three factor of good govern ment. The first of these is an in l telligent interest on the part of the public. The second a simple charter l with direct nominations and the third | a good administrative fosm of govern ment. In New London seven coun- I loSI A1n fnI %l1n ,r&f fn | the legislative body of government of the city. The council appoints the city clerk whose office is a combina- tion of the city clerks and town | two We have saved $4,e0O yearly. The director of law ard the city man | ager are also appointed by the coun- | Gil. The city manager has direct | charge of the administrative force. There is a finance department. The l director of finance is a public ac- tells what money each month is spen. | the city's incumbrances and the | amount left over. Under the direc- tor of finance there is an assessor. sessors. Under this office Is the col lector of taxes. the treasurer and the purchasing agent. All goods re quired by the city are bought through | him after being o.k.'d by the city | manager. A material saving Is ef- fected through the office of purchas- | ing agent
 Explains Plan l 'sThe Public Works department is in | charge of a civil engineer appointed by the manager. Under this depart | ment is the collection of ashes the water works and the street depart ment. There is also a charity de- partment- Following the theatre fire | in New Haven and the theatre col lapse in Washington a department of | building inspection was created. This ! department Is now conducting an in vestigation into all the buildings of New London.
 "A council committee consists of our | Board of Police Commissioners. There is absolutely no interference with the l chief of the department. nor is there any with his men. He is expected 1 to get results.
 "Al1 the men appointed in the city l departments are appointed on account of their ability to do the job they are | appointed to do
 In answer to a question aSEed by 1 William T. Hincks, member SShthe Charter Committee. MT. Barlow Laid that the council was bi-partisan And