Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-05-17

Many of the others were enthuslas-
! tic for the new form.
No Snap Judgments.
eve don't want TO jump into a
change without giving it due thought.
We want no snap judgment, but we
want the best judgment of as many
people as possible. l for one am
heartily in favor of change to the
commission-man form. Take the
! example of business house. If it's
head tried to operate it by going
only occasionally to look over its af-
fairs it would soon Po out of busi-
ness. 1t must have an active man
ager. Mayor Sheppard is good per-
sonal friend Of mine anI | like him.
He is our mayor and what do we
pay him? A small salary indeed.
He has family and cannot afford
to neglect his own business and give
the city his undivided attention. And
our aldermen, we pay 500 a year!
A magnificent sum! Can you expect
our aldermen to give our city's busl-
ness their undivided attention? Let's
take for example an imaginary case.
Should one OF our aldermen find him.
self in such position that either the
city or himself would have to take
loss, depending upon which his at
tention received at one time. Do you
think he is going to take the loss
and look after the city's business?
He is not and neither would any of
US. But with a commission-manag
form we have a business manager
who gives his entire time to the city's
business-it is his sole interest and
he is well paid for it, and makes it
his business. That is why l am for
it. We elect the commissioners just
as we now elect the mayor and alder
men. They employ the manager aft
er looking into his ability and fitness
for the job. He must then produce
or step down and out without wait
ing. If any man has task like that
put up to him he is going 10 do busi-
ness, and we will not have the situ-
alton we are facing today. That's
why | am heartily in favor Of the
change"
Mr.. Jones said he would like to
hear from some of the city officials
and suggested that Mayor Sheppard
might have something to say of in
terest.
Mayor Sheppard Talks.
Mr.. Jones told me of this meet
ing day or two ago." said Mayor
Sheppard, "and we were discussing
some things in the audit. which he
suggested might be well to bring out
before this mceting-I don't care
to discuss the other proposition -
some things that might not be gem
orally understood. All the facts are
here in this audit report which I hold
in my hand. but We Lave to 20 !nto
It to get trcm out. Wl.t.. u ay say
vii MT 6e adding anything to the
auditors report, but merely calling
attention &c some things in it.
"There was an audit to June 80,
1918. ! am not finding fault with
thai audit, but it was not complete.
In that audit were two items which
were thoroughly audited. These were
outstanding notes and unpaid vouch-
ers, which appear listed in this copy
of the audit. In this last audit, in
the first part is an item of $40,-
327.50 listed as accounts payable,
concerning which the auditor says:
Included in this amount is ap-
proximately $4,000 of sundry ac-
counts for which no vouchers were
obtainable. This information was re-
ceived in answer to verification no.
tices sent to creditors, and the ac-
counts have accrued over long pc
riod. Upon the suggestion of your