The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-03-26
MANAGER DRIVE
STARTED IN CITY
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signatures after filing of the petition.
The petition filed with the clerk is
transmitted to the city council and
date is set Tor the election, two
commissioners serving with the clerk
as officials.
If the plan carries, seven commits
sioners will be elected in November,
1929, taking office in January, 1880.
They will name a city manager for
his ability and executive qualities"
No salary for the manager is stipu-
lated.
City Clerk William A. Boyce, Jr.,
and City Council President Claude
II. Negley, who will name the cleo
ton commissioners, declared the
city manager election will be honest!
ly conducted if a petition is filed.
Anderson is 3S and lives at IA N.
Irvington Ave. He is married and
has two children. He is vice presi-
dent of the Irvington Republican
Club and member Of the Columbia
Club, Scottish Rite, Murat Shrine,
Sigma M, All Souls Unitarian
Church and Indianapolis Bar Asso-
citation.
Directed Bureau
He was graduated from De Paw
University and Indiana Law School
and later became director of the
bureau Of Municipal Research at
Princeton University, where he was
in close touch with the city man.
ager movement through the New
York bureau, the National Munich
pal League and the Academy Of Po-
litical and Social Sciences.
While living at eSattle, Wash, he
was president of the Municipal
League which sponsored a city man.
ager movement.
when the adoption of the city
manager plan was proposed two
years ago it was urged that time
be given for mature consideration.
Representations were made to the
citizens committee Of 1000 that they
were moving with too much haste
and that time should be given for
a more careful study of the mat
ter. 1t will be recalled that at that
time we were in the midst of
mayoralty campaign and those who
were candidates for city offices asked
the people for an opportunity to
show what they could do under the
present system" said Anderson,
In fairness to the candidates,
the committee decided to desist
from action at that time and await
results. The results are now well
known. The candidates who were
elected have had ample OppOCtu-
nifty to demonstrate their ability
and the people are the judge of
their performance and are now
entitled to an opportunity to reg
lister their verdict. This OppOr-
tunity we propose to give to the
citizens of indianapolis at this
time. We are confident of the re-
suits.
Law Inadequate
"Some attorneys, including the au-
thor of our present city charter,
have insisted that the Indiana city
manager law Chapter 21S. acts 1920
is inadequate. In refutation of such
opinions the committee has secured,
from a number of the city's ablest
attorneys, signed opinions to the
effect that the Indiana statute is
absolutely sound and workable.
although the amendment to the
city manager statute, passed by the
last session Of the General Assembly
and approved by the Governor was
intended to make it impossible for
the city manager plan to become
operative, until Jan. l, 1890, notwith-
standing the citizens of Indianapo-
lis might vote to adopt the plan at
once, there is every reason to pro-
coed Immediately. Further delay
would give the opposition time to
further intrench themselves.
Good Citizens
notwithstanding all the unfav-
orable publicity that indianapolis
has received we know that the over
whelming majority of our people are
good citizens and prefer efficient,
honest and capable mana cement of
our municipal affairs. Accordingly,
the citizens committee has, there
fore, decided to proceed with the
campaign and give the people an OPP
portunity to express their desires.
zone of the first steps will be to
supplement the petition which
already has been signed by $4,000
citizens and prepare it for filing.
Already more than 500 persons have
volunteered to assist in systematic
effort to add more names TO the
petition. / shall want at least 1000
workers for this purpose and con-
fidently expect to have that number
Of volunteers to circulate the
petition before the end of the COM
ing week. For the present, the head
quarters will be at 703 Continental
Bank Bldg. Phone Main 1915, where
all those who are willing to assist are
invited to communicate with me-"