The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-11-16
CITY MANAGER PLAN BRIDGE ITS AWARD'(
G. M. PALMER DISCUSSES
SYSTEM IN ADDRESS
Spoke Before Council Of Women In
The Public Library Yester-
day Afternoon


George M. Palmer very ably pre-
scented the city manager plan of gov
eminent to the Council OF Women
yesterday afternoon at the public
library. First, he explained the old
ward system which is still in use in
Minnesota and probably would con-
tinue for some time yet, as the old
politicians were strong.
Mr.. Palmer said the commission
form OF government which is the
present form in Mankato, was first
used in Galveston, Texas after their
disaster in 1910. The manager plan
asTstarted in 1908 in Stanton, Va
and that form Of government con
stttutes a council elected by the
people and that council in turn
hires q manager.
The members OF the council may
or may not receive pay but serve
as board of education does. The
manager is paid whatever salary
the city can afford or whatever
they think he is worth. Managers
receive from $500 TO $4,000 per
year Councilman from S25 to $500
per year. Three hundred cities in
the United States have the manager
plan, thirty seven states being re-
presented, thirty-t two cities in Cal
fornia, thfrty-six cities in Michigan
twenty three cities in Virginia, four.
,teen' cities in Ohio and five cities
in Minnesota.
Dayton, Ohio, population, 1920
has had it ten years. Springfield
population, $4,000, has had it nine
years. Akron population, 20S,000;
Grand Rapids, $4,000; Bay City
1900; Wichita, $4,000; Pasadena
$1,000; Dubuque, $4,000; San Diego
$4,000; Tampa $1,000; Miami, &c.
900; NeNw London, $4,000; Cleve-
land, 800.
UpneId Manager rian
Mr.. Palmer said that Mankatc
has good charter and personally
he had no fault to find with this
city's government, still he felt that
by adopting tn emanager plan, Man
kato would be taking a step In ad-
vance. He explained that the ma
mayer plan was a more business
like way Of running a city's bust
ness and is similar to the system
used by big corporations in main
tanning their efficiency. He pointed
oeL liz" IL NC IL
business concern would change
their executive men every two
years, and constantly hiring mex
perienced people to cope with their
problems. He assured the ladies
that It took capable, experienced
men to run any business, and GER
tainly a city's business. the best
was none too good. Under the city
manager plan, an executive car
plan years ahead for the good oil
the city, while with the commiss-
ion form, every new council has
rev plans and usually undoes what
the former council did. thus caus
ing waste taxpayers money. A ma
mayer is Independent and is hired
for any length OF time, as long as he
is satisfactory. He alone Is re-
F-"-Fihle for the city. With tine
Mission form Of government
anything goes wrong, the
!rc,- is passed from one man to the
other and no one in particular Is
responsible. Mr.. Palmcr cited the
typhoid epidemic a ru-"cr Of years
ego in Mankato as . - example
OF not being able - ""sten the
blame on any par person fol
the carelessness. also been
stated by cities h the manager
plan that conditions OF the city be-
came better, more improvements
made and money saved.
Those Willy Politicians.
Mr.. Palmer admitted that politi-
clans strongly object to the manager
plan, for it spoils all their fun, and
deprives them of their power, but
ion the other hand the plan is great
tly favored by business men and wo-
hnnoncn &c h,,e
principles and not favoritism.
In closing, Mr.. Palmer read ex-
tracts Of letters from bankers
throughout the United States which
showed conclusively that the city
manager plan was held highly by
the cities who had adopted it. The
ladies were deeply interested in Mr.
Palmer's splendid talk and intend to
study the subject further by bor-
rowing the books which the speaker
very generously offered for their use
This is the last meeting Of the
Council Of Women in which pro-
board of this organization has given
to its members and the invited pub
lie an educational program at every
meeting, which has ben greatly ap-
preciated by those who have attend
ed. The law enforcement committee
has done real service to the city OF
Mankato in it's limited way. The last
meeting, which has been greatly ap-
December IA. at which time officers
for the ensuing year will be elected
AS the constitution provides that nc
officer can be reelected to the
same office, a new set Of officers
throughout will carry on the object
of this very worthwhile organisa
tim