Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-06-07
BUDGET WITH REAL TEETH
WRITTEN INTO PROPOSAL
FOR CITY-MANAGER PLAN
Charter Bill AS Drawn By Citizens Committee
Approved With Small Changes At Meeting
Sharp Colloquy Takes Place Between Oppon-
ents And Proponents Of Change

A drastic budget section, making
city officials personally liable under
their bonds for public money spent
when no tauthorized by law, was
written into the commission-manager
city charter bill by vote of the clti-
zens attending the meeting at the
city hall last night to receive the
report of the committee previously
named to draft such a bill. The
budget section was prepared, by
Stephen Pace, who wrote into present
charter while member of the legis-
lature the budget provision under
which the mayor and council have OPP
Grated for a little more than year.
The provision drawn by Mr.. Pace had
been accepted in advance by the
drafting committee, but inasmuch as
it had not been contained in the pub
lished summary of the act it was
disposed of as an amendment last
night.
llC ulICbAbS wac INV AStA 6SAy
tended, about 80 men being present.
After some spirited discussion, led by
John Allen Fort and his brother,
Major JAS. A. Fort, who vigorously
assailed the whole commission-mana-
ger movement, the meeting aodpted a
motion to receive the report of the
committee, instructing that arrange
ments be made with Sumter county's
representatives in the legislature for
its introduction and passage, and that
the necessary legal notice be given.
The vote was 1876, several not voting.
Five Year Terms.
The only other change authorized
in the charter bill was return to
the original draft making the terms
of office of the five commissioners
five years each, one to be elected
each year, instead of making the
term Of office three years each. The
recall provision accompanying this
provision originally, however, wasn't
restored. The committee had decid-
ed on a reduction of the term of Of
fee, but w. M. Jones, member of
the committee, recommended the
change back to five years, declar-
ing that after much consideration he
had come to the conclusion that
eiecting one man each year instead
OF greater number, and for so long
xxrpt1l1 rac11lf IN, th~ 10
giving more care to the men they
chose for this important office.
There were no dissenting votes.
John A. Fort was the first speak
er when discussion opened. he de-
clared that there appeared to him to
be no needs for any change; that
the effort to enact a new charter for
the city was beside the point; that the
problem that confronted the city was
the payment of the $144, 900 floating
debt, and he didn't see that the new
charter provided any method for pay
ing it. He declared the present sys-
tenn Of government entirely adequate
to the needs and to be working all
| right, and laid the whole trouble to
failures of those in authority to COM
ply with the requirements of the law.
Pace Offers Budget Plan.
At the conclusion of his detailed
talk Stephen Pace offered his budget
amendment. This was so drawn as to
contain teeth, and Mr. Pace declared
it would compel the officials to stay
within the law and the city's reve-
nues, something that had not been
done under the present charter. He
/ declared to Mr.. Fort that any man
who said the present form of city
government was working all right
had very different ideas on the SUBJ
| ject from his own. He declared that
| it was not claimed that the new form
Of government would bring the city
out of debt, but was intended to give
the city the benefit of having a
trained man at the head of its busi-
ness operations so that the greatest
economies might be pract;ved.
Major James A. Fort took up the
discussion when Mr.. Pace had con-
cluded. Both he and John Allen
Fort spoke from prepared notes. Ma
! jor Fort declared he had some ideas
in his system that he wanted to get
rid of, and he set in to assail the
entire charter change movement in a
vehement fashion. He declared
among a great many other things
that the present floating debt of the
city was Illegal Mr. Pace had said
the same thing previously and Major
Fort declared this was the first time
he had even heard any proponent OF
the commission-manager plan admit
its illegality. Here sharp colloquy
took place, mostly between Major
Fort and. Mr.. Pace, in which Mr.. Pace
asked Major Fort if he would repudi-
ate that debt.
Wouldn't Pay Debts.
The latter declared the taxpayers
already had been assessed for the
legal debts of the city and there
fore the creditors should be allowed
/ to "sweat'' a while. and then if they