Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-06-03
CITY MANAGER
ANTS PROPOSE
own MEASURE
Would Permit Mayor And Coun-
Gil 20 Employ An Expert If
They Saw Fit AS Adviser

form Of government IN AmeflcuS Tor
the present mayor and council form,
or at least some of them, have an
nounced their intention of having
introduced in the Legislature a bill
giving the mayor and council as it
now exists authority to employ, at
their discretion, an efficiency man or
expert" to examine and inspect all
city departments and business affairs
Of the city, and to report the exact
status and detailed conditions with
recommendations. At least that is
the wording, in somewhat abbreviat-
ed form, of the legal notice which
made its appearance in The Times
Recorder Friday and which has been
posted on the public bulletin boards
as required by law.
The published notices bear the sig
nature, "Many Citizens of Ameri-
Gus" They were drawn and publish
ed or posted by w. 7. Lane, city at
torney under the present city admin
lstration. Mr.. Lane, when question
ed concerning the identity of the
"many citizens of Americus," de-
clined to mention any names other
than his own, but said it expressed
the wishes of many citizens. Asked
if they had held meeting at which
this action was determined upon, he
said none had been held.
The Official Notice,
The notice as published by direc-
tiOn of Mr.. Lane follows:
Notice is hereby given that a bill
of which the following is the caption
will be introduced into the approach
ing General Assembly of Georgia.
MANY CITIZENS OF AMERTCUS.
"A Bill to be entitled an Act to
Amend an Act Entitled an Act to
Amend, Revise and Consolidate the
several Acts granting Corporate au-
thority to the City of Americus; 20
Confer additional powers upon the
Mayor and City Council of Americus.
to Extend the Corporate Limits of
said City and for other purposes ::
By making Section Forty-Six of said
Act Section Forty-sevep: and by add
ing new Section at the close of Sec
tion FOrty-tive of said Act which shall
be section forty-six of said charter of
the City of Americus, when so amend
ed; and by providing in said new
section fOrty-siX for the employment
by the Mayor and City Council of
Americus. in their discretion, an eff
ticiency Man or expert, whose duty it
shall be to examine, overlook and
inspect all departments and business
affairs of said Mayor and City Coun-
ell of Americus, reporting to said
Mayor and City Council the exact sta
tus and detailed condition of each
department of said City Government,
together with such recommendation
as he may consider necessary to ena-
BILE the Mayor and City Council of
Americus to administer the affairs of
said City economically, and to the
best interest of said City: :: And
for other purposes"
The publication of the notice was q
matter Of general discussion today
about town among men interested in
the proposal to change to the straight
commissions form of gov
ernment, many of whom declared it
a movement on the part of the antis
to confuse the people and thus, if
possible, accomplish the defeat of the
proposed change by throwing the
people off the track. That the pro-
posal of Mr.. Lane, who has already
publicly expressed himself as against
the commission-mana form, means
nothing is the statement of Attorney
W. P. Wallis, secretary of the citi-
zens commission-manag charter
committee, who has made thorough
study recently Of the existing charter
in helping to prepare the new bill
The proposal of Mr.. Lane means
nothing" said he, because it pro-
poses to confer upon the mayor and
council no other powers than they al
ready have. 1t gives the mayor and
council authority to employ at their
discretion, an efficiency man, which
they may do now if they see fit. The
mayor and council ca nemploy attor-
neys, or auditors or any other per-
sons needed in the city's business.
What the new charter proposes to do
is to compel the mayor and council
who would be known as commission
ers-to employ such an, efficiency
man, and give that man some au-
thority himself to permit him to
function"
Change Clerks Tenure
The mayor and city council have
had notice published on intention to
introduce a bill in the Legislature
providing for the changing of the
method of selection of the city clerk
and treasurer, changing it from pop
ular election to election by the mayor
and council, and changing the term
of office from two to one year. The
purpose of this bill is to amend the
charter as it stands in case the COM
mission-manager from of government
should fail for any reason. In case
the commission-manag charter is
adopted the provision regarding clerk
1 III