Selected Articles On the City Manager Plan of Government

the city's government. The distinguishing feature of the plan is the city manager, an expert in municipal administration appointed by the commission and holding office at its pleasure. The manager is the executive head of a centralized and simplified administrative organization and controls the appointment and removal of all subordinates, subject to civil service restrictions. The position of city manager is open to nonresidents and the salary is fixed by the commission at an amount which will enable the city to command the services of men of training and executive ability. The germ of the American city manager idea was first developed in Staunton, Va., in 1908. The Virginia state constitution made the adoption of the commission plan impossible, but under the authority of Section 1038 of the Virginia Code, the city council passed an ordinance creating the office of general manager. This general manager was given power to take entire charge of the administration of the city departments, except those reserved to school, finance and auditing committees. Staunton's general manager has supervision of highways, parks, lights, water and corrections. He is the purchasing agent and financial advisor to the council. The police and fire departments are, however, under the control of the mayor. The general manager plan has been a distinct improvement and is now well established in Staunton, so well in fact that the editor of the Staunton Daily Leader wrote recently, in r...