The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1945-02-16
For

In examining the advantage,
of the Manager form of City
Government, il is agreed il is no
perfect, but is the most disable
form yet developed. 1t has beer
tested and proved and in the
few cases where II has failed
research has shown the failure:
were due to continual sniping by
professional politicians and dis
enlargement by the good citi,
zens. The plan didn't fail, the
people failed the plan.
Experts in municipal govern.
ment say City is entitled to the
quality of government it de.
serves. In the Manager form you
put a good tool in the hands OF
the commission but the people
must elect good commissioners
or the tool may be wrongly
used. But it will be easier for
the people to elect busy business
men because they won't have to
worry about technical admins
tration. This Manager form is
truly democratic because il
leaves control in the hands of
the people. 1t is easy for voters
to pick men with whose policies
they agree but you can't pick
technical men by popularity
contest. In the Manager form
policy-making is separated from
technical administration just the
same as in School Boards. On a
School Board the men determine
policy. land the Superintendent
who is trained is hired by them
to administer.
It is interesting to note that
in cities over 5000 population,
more people in this country live
under the Manager form than
under the commission type. Four
out of five cities which rewrite
their charters adopt the man.
ager plan of City Government.
There are 100000 people in
the u. S. living under this pro-
gressive plan of government.
Michigan leads in the number OF
cities which have it with SIS.
There are only IL Michigan cities
which still have the commission
type which is in reality five
governments with no central
control. Mt. Clemens is hemmed
in by Manager Cities such as:
Port Huron. Pontiac, Ferndale,
Midland, Birmingham, Bloom
field Hills, Crosse Pointe Park,
Crosse Pointe Shores, Plymouth
and Royal Oak.
It is we'll to consider this
matter carefully as it isn't to
affect the city for a short time
failure to adopt 1t may stifle the
city for Is years to come. If the
present multi-headed plan Is re-
tanned, Mt. Clemens may be for
gotten. The many city managers
of the u. S. have an association
through which they conduct re-
search and trade ideas on city
problems. Each manager is on
merit basis and to get promotion
must show satisfactory results.
He must get full dollars worth
Off a dollar. Who is bothering
about research on the commits
sion form? Consider some Of the
problems Mt. Clemens faces
which need technical full time
effort: Some of them are: gar.
bage disposal; smoke control
traffic and parking, and last but
not least fire prevention work
Who can be elected to the pres
ent commission type Of city
government and have good
knowledge of these problems
and be placed in charge Of them
after election by a toss OF the
coin?
The age old argument has
been advanced, that 1t would in
ere ase expenses. Experience
shows the opposite. An efficient
manager makes money for the
city. But consider other. values
besides the dollar. What about
the kids growing up in the town;
can't they have better conditions
without running 1t through the
cash register first. We are
spending plenty for destruction;
why not few pennies by COM
parison for construction? Let's
give the boys who will return
from their fight for democratic
principles a Better City in which
to raise a family and make a
living.
Consider what three author.
tiles on government have said
II regard the manager plan OF