The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1948-08-26
AS Tc,1lplls Ftlgifs ).
BY HAL CLARK

Like many other citizens of our
town, I don't particularly want
to get involved in the controver-
sy over the council-M Manager VS..
the Mayor Council forms Of city
government.
Apparently the issue Is one
that arouses the latent support or
opposition Of most Of our people.
Because the nature Of my work
imposes an implicit responsibility
upon me to report the news as 1t
happens, and Gin this column Of
personal opinioD as I see it, I'm
going to wade into it.
First, would say, the very ex-
istence Of deep-rooted pro and
con beliefs about the system
seems to argue that the issue
should be submitted to q vote of
the people, who should determine
the outcome.
Recalling that petitions in sup
port Of special election to make
such a determination are now cir
culating in our community, I
should like to underline that
point.
It is the people at large who
should decide-not the elected Of
ficials or other arbiters Of local
opinion.
! don't think that any person
is right to oppose the movement
to call an election at which the
people can express their decision.
Should you see it fit to grant
the fairness Of that poin. Of
view, we can proceed to an ex-
animation Of some of the objec-
tons that have been voiced
against the plan.
It might be, most difficult,
Councilman Lawrence Scott told
the Chamber Of Commerce Thurs
day, to get the five to seven ma
jority Of councilmen necessary to
an unsatisfactory man
ager.
Granted-it might be difficult.
BY the SAME token, is there not,
in your own belief, an equally
existent possibility that we might
elect future Mayors or Council
men who are not satisfactory to-
the electorate?
In this instance, what Is neces-
sary? A Mayor or a Councilman
can only be removed through the
recall procedure, Is that more or
less complex than securing the
vote Of five to seven Councilmen
to remove an unsatisfactory man.
ager?
It is said, also, that the man.
ager might tend to become die
tatorial and unresponsive to pub
lie opinion.
Let me ask you this: How re-
sponsive to public opinion-that
Of yourself or your acquaintance
do you believe the present
Mayor Council form Of govern
ment has been?
No one has opposed the estab-
lishment Of an efficient process
Of garbage disposal for the City
Of Kennewick. Many have advo-
Gated it.
Yet, after a lapse Of between
two and three years, no satisfac-
tory system Of garbage disposal
has ever been established by our
Mayor Council government.
It is said that the council is
ready to appoint a city superin-
tendent now, and that there re-
mains, therefore, no need to give
consideration to the need for a
city manager.
Before the flood, the council
approved the employment Of q
city Observation-Disclosures known
as an 'expeditor' yet to-
day the superintendent has still
not been employed. Councilman
at-Large Richard Rector and May
or J. G. Pratt gave literally weeks
Of their time to city business dur
ing the flood. They were not re-
imbursed for their work Even in
that critical time, nonetheless,
the superintendent was not hired.
He, say again, has not yet been
hired.
It is proposed to hire a super
intendent. And you have right
to know on what basis the coun-
Gil proposes to hire him. In their
enabling ordinance. which has
been given its first and second
readings and which may be given
its third and final reading and
passage before you see this col
umn, there is this provision:
Section 3. The said Supe1in.
tendent shall have general super.
The