The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1945-02-13
For
A FRAMEWORK FOR
GOOD GOVERNMENT

"A rRAMEWOhh FOh
GOOD GOVERNMENT
That is, perhaps, the most ex-
act description of the City Man.
ager system.
Under that plan of municipal
operation your public affairs
will not be subject to the whims
or prejudices of men unfamiliar
with efficient business princi-
Piles. They must, instead, be
filtered through a highly train
ed. tested and able adminiStra-
tor who not only has your well
fare at heart but, as we'll, has a
high code of ethics and a per-
Sonal reputation to maintain.
Such man, and only the
manager system can assure his
employment, could and would
iron out the details of city gov
eminent and put in effect the
broad, general policies of public
protection which good govern
ment requires. Despite their
joint responsibility for the city
manager no single member of
the city commission would dare
fly in the face of public opinion
or public welfare by openly sab
otaging capably prepared, fin
ancial programs; nor, as mat
ter of fact, would properly Sc
leCted commissioners even care
to do so.
OUT OF DATE
The simple truth seems to be
that the present Commissioner
system Of direct control of pub
lie affairs was splendidly con-
ceived for the horse and bug
gy' days which Mount Glenn
ems and all other up-and-coming
communities have long since
outgrown.
The proof of that assertion
lies in the fact that some 600
cities throughout the nation
have already discarded the old
plan of operation for the new;
simply because it assures great
err efficiency in government and
saves the taxpayers dollars
through curtailment of unneces-
sary expenses-far more than
offsetting the city managers
salary.
No sound business corporation
(and city government here is
Big Business) would think of
placing in control Of its affairs
men who have not themselves
S h wn, through experience,
their abilities to direct various
departments and to attain an
overall efficiency which will
produce profits.
In the case Of the city of
Mount Clemens honestly as in
c u m b e n t commissioners may
have worked for the benefit of
the public) it is doubtful that,
as whole, present Or past gov
erning bodies have enjoyed the
pr a I ical business experience
and judgment required to the
attainment Of improved direc-
ton of the public's business.
TOO BIG A LOAD
AS matter of fact that would
appear TO be too much TO expect
of private citizens suddenly cata-
pulled into positions of author
ity and public responsibility.
The City Manager, however,
could give them a prompt, we'll
balanced insight into municipal
affairs and would, through his
wide experience, so advise them
that the greatest degree of eff
cincy possible might result.
JUST GOOD SENSE
1t is as simple as this:
IL you owned Is million dol
lar business would you entrust |
its management to five jovial. I
honest but inexperienced ac-
quaintances?
Of course not. You might put
those friends on the board of di-
rectors but you would certainly
see that a trained, competent ex-
ecutive was employed to serve
as general manager and thus
safeguard your investment.
In the city government il is
all quite normal to elect sound,
well met commits
sioners. They. so long as they
are honest, can execute the dut-
es of board of directors.
But they need, and your taxpay-
ng interests demand, a city !