The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-04-11

In yesterdays article we saw how impossible it is for the voters to keep track of their numerous elec- tive officials, so as to be able to pass on their records intelligently every two years; and how impos- sible it is for the voters to learn about the requirements of the nu- merous positions to which officials are elected. We saw how ineffi- ciency and extravaganza are pro- noted thereby, and how the people have been taken for ride for many years past.
 The proposed city manager-P. R. city charter (which is Cincinnati plan" form of government) will put the city on real business basis. In the first place, only three offices will remain elective: the city council the board of education, and the registrars of voters. The council will consist of seven members; so will the board of education. There will continue to be two registrars of vot- CTS.
 In view of yesterdays discussion, one great cavantage comes to mind at once. The voters will be required to understand the functions of, and requirements for, only three po- sitions instead of fourteen. This they may well be expected to mas- ter without difficulty, for all three positions are important, and will be in the spotlight of public publicity. Furthermore, the voters will be re- quired to keep track of the acts and omissions of only sixteen elective of ficials instead of 49, and 1t will be an easy task for them every elec- ton year to know its records of all candidates seeking reelectiorb and to check them off at the polls. It will be easy for the voters to make up their minds concerning the other candidates who are not office hold CTS at the time, for the voter need not concern himself with an inveS- tigation into whether or not the various candidates have executive ability, as none of the executive positions are elective. All the voter has to do is to determine whether or not the various candidates rep resent his own general views on policies of government of the city, and whether or not the candidates are conscientious citizens, with good records and with high character.
 City Council
 The city council will be the legis- lative body of the city, and will de- termine all policies of government. The council will levy the taxes and make the appropriations; it will en- act the ordinances of the city, and pass resolutions concerning policies of administration. In other words, the council. .-elected directly by the people,-will be the peoples rep resentatives, and will be fully re- sponsible to the people for all phases of government, except the schools and the city court. If anything goes wrong anywhere, the council will be responsible: if everything is satis- factory, the council will receive the credit.
 The council will consist of lay men, even as you and I. But the council will employ trained and experienced executive officer known as the city manager. His selection will be on the basis of executive ability rather than vote getting abil- ity and popularity. The city man. ager, in turn, will be fully respon- sible to the council for all phases of the city's administrative serv- ices, and he will have complete au- thority over all departments and bureaus.
 Supervision
 The city manager will be an of- ficial completely apart from politics, and so will the department heads, and others in the administrative service. There will be a mayor, who will be one of the members of the council, who will act as the cere- imonial officer for the city. while the city manager devotes his whole time to the job of administration.
 The city manager will be required to supervise only eight department heads, instead of the multitude of minor officials who now are nom- finally under the supervision of the mayor. The department heads, in turn, will supervise various bureau and division heads, all arranged logically according to their respec- tive functions, 50 that the whole structure of administration will be on an orderly basis, with a definite chain of command. This assures the prompt fixing of authority, with the corresponding responsibilities, But it cannot De emphasized too strong ly that the city manager is respon-