The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-30
THE CITY MANAGER PLAN.


when Topeka made the change
from the council to the commission
form of government the citizens had
two objects in view, one, to eliminate
partisanshipI from city government;
the other, to make the fixing of re-
sponsibility more nearly possible. The
results have not been all that was
desired or Hoped for.
True. partisanship has disappeared.
but politics of another kind remains.
While the fixing OF responsibility is
less difficult, there remain certain
difficulties in the way of a redress of
grievances or the accomplishment of
things desired in the public interest.
Persons whose interest IN the city's
welfare cannot be questioned now
are planning another step forward in
the direction OF an improved system
OF conducting the affairs of the city
and the city manager plan is proposed
Instead of a commission composed
of men supposed to be especially fitted
for administration of certain depart
ments Of the city government it is
proposed to elect a commission of
practical and successful business men
who will stand in the relation of
board of directors to our big cor
poration with assets of many millions
Of dollars. The people are the stock
holders. AS is done by other boards
Of directors they will hire a general
manager for the business. He will be
responsible to them and to them alone.
The people will carry their griev-
ances and their demands to the board
and not to him. He will not be sub
iect to influences of votes that may be
lost, or won. He will be the city's
hired man, subject to dismissal when
ever his work is found to be unsatis-
factory.
No man in the employ OF the city
need stand in fear of the voters dis
pleasure. Every one will be RESPONSE
BILE to somebody higher up extending
to the board itself.
The salary of 500 year, proposed
for the commissioners will be no in
ducement for any man to become q
member. Those who serve will do so
as a matter -of civic duty and may
confidently be expected to make the
best interests of the corporation their
aim.
The city manager plan no longer is
in the experimental stage. 1t has
been tried out in a number of i'm
portant cities and has worked salts
factoriIy to the public, If not to the
politicians and those who have axes
to grind.
Some critics of the manager plan
appear to think that the manager
must be an expert accountant, a land
scape gardener, an electrician and
civil engineer all in one. The fact is
that it is up to the manager to hire
men who understand those matters.
The plan will, be placed before the
voters OF the city in March for ac-
ceptance or rejection. This means
that the city manager plan cannot be
forced down the throats of the pub
lie" as many of the systems enemies
seem 10 treat it.
1t must be remembered that To-
pekans have been talking of the city
manager idea for many months. 1t is
not something new that has been for
warded or organized or supported or
propagandasd recently. 1t is not any
ones brain -Shild'' nor is it fostered
by any one organization or institution.
The fact that the city election will be
held this spring ripened the action for
an immediate vote on a manager idea,
and thru an appeal from individuals
and civic bodies 1t blossomed into a
campaign.
TT looks all right IL We have the
right man." is an expression heard
every day. A city manager can be
fired and hired at any time-there-
fore, it is up to the mayor and COM
missioners to see to it that the right
man. is on the Job.
After all, the plan will be placed be-
fore the voters. This IS the final
judgment. Each TopeKan should
weigh the problem seriously and with
thought and study. Topeka is a $7o.-
OOO. 900 corporation 1t is owned
jointly by residents and taxpayers.
They must be responsible for the men
they elect and the system they use in
its operation. The city corporation
should be considered an institution of.
business. not politics \
Think over this city manager plan.
II will be YOURS