The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-02-14

ager government, the citizens Good Government Association presented p gathering in Temple hall last night Walter ]. Willard, of Philadel- phia, who discussed merits of the plan, of proportional representation, answered questions.
 The referendum measure is one of 90 Waterbury bills scheduled to be heard by the committee on cities and boroughs of the general assem- bly, Thursday afternoon.
 Up To Public
 Regarding this, President Harold ?. White of the Good Government Association, who opened the meet- ing, told the gathering that the ref- erendum measure is expected to pass In the general assembly.
 "Then our work (the Good Gov ernment Association's) is done" he declared. "It will be up to you to show at the polls whether you want the city manager charter. Your work will begin when the bill passes"
 Mir Willard, claiming for the city manager-council form of govern ment more merit than the usual reduction in the tax rate" by pro. vision of better service per capita cost" where the plan Is in operation, spent some time telling about the accomplishments under the plan in various localities.
 He described the city manager form as the original American plan for municipal government, accusing lawyers of having been responsible for the patterning of municipal gov- ernments after the national and state, making the head of city gov- ernment elective instead of selee. tive.
 Many were the references, usual- ly bringing chuckles and sometimes laughs, to the "spoils system" as speakers related It had applied to Waterbury during the last 20 years under both major parties" Fre- quently MT. Willard cited some in- stance of political enterprise, once describing an election where two candidates had 45 votes each but a politician had 10 votes thus, the balance Of power which swung the election where he wanted 1t.
 Proportional representation, he claimed, would eliminate such op- portunism. He took particular pains to elaborate that city manager is not Q dictator, but the servant of the electorate who gives municipal employees the right to duties in be- half of the citizens, rather than under 6 political machine"
 Qualifications
 In reference to qualifications for Q city manager, Mir. Willard stressed that frequently the city manager Is chosen from some outside city, say- Ing that this is Q good thing be- cause, as he sees 1t, such seiectiylty would tend to give your boys" op- portunity to look beyond their home towns for work along lines of muni- cipal governing careers, He cited one case of q man who served in seven city governments since he started as Q water department clerk in Q small New England city,
 "The tax rate is not the first con- sideration in determining a city's condition" the speaker declared in one phase of his address. T look at the death rate of babies under one year of age to learn about Q city's situation" he remarked.
 MT. Willard, terming himself an imported American" in explanation of his English accent, described his experiences in Cincinnati. Cleveland some of the other 27 cities in which he has been instrumental in city manager government campaigns Starting with the personal phase, he gradually opened up on the "spoils system" politicians and aspects of government under various charters.
 He said that employees of every city would like to return service for their appointments but that they were handicapped by political dom- nation. Costs per capita always come down under a city manager government, he remarked. in sev- eral instances attributing this to in- creased efficiency of city employees. | Smith Presides
 l When the question period arrived, Herpert D. SIHltn, Benerhl SecrethrV of the Y. M. c. A. took over the meeting and the first question shot from the floor immediately. It was from Charles J. DeBisschop, des- lcribed by MT. Smith during the in- terchange between the questioner and MT. Willard. as "one of our prominent citizens, the mayor of East Mountain"
 MT. DeBisschop asked to have MT Willard quoted the tax rate of some city which has had the city man. ager government for IS years in the relation of before and now, under its old charter and after IS years of city manager charter.
 MT. Willard said that he wasn't a hand at remembering figures, asked MT. DeBisschop to get in touch with authorities at Norfolk, Virginia: Wichita Falls, Texas: Wichita, Kan sas; the speaker contended that those present shouldn't take my