168 Chicago Bureau of Public Efficiency 



The office of secretary of the South Park Board was 

 charged with the direction of the accounting work until 1910, 

 when the office of comptroller was created and the books of ac- 

 count transferred thereto from the secretary. There was no war- 

 rant, in point of volume of work involved, for employing both 

 a comptroller and a secretary. This was subsequently recog- 

 nized, and in March, 1911, the office of comptroller was abolished, 

 the incumbent of that office elected to the secretaryship, and the 

 former secretary retired, thus bringing the accounting system 

 again under the secretary's control. The present secretary is 

 an experienced public accountant and is completing the much- 

 needed improvement which he commenced as comptroller, that 

 of putting the accounting system on a modern basis. 



The remedy suggested to each of the three Boards is the 

 adoption of a clear-cut plan of departmental or staff organiza- 

 tion; and the placing of a competent man at the head of each 

 department, to whom would be delegated adequate authority by 

 the chief of the executive staff (general superintendent), and 

 whom the latter would hold strictly responsible for the produc- 

 tion of efficient results. The prime requisite of organization, 

 so prominent by its absence from the present system, is a clearly 

 defined outline of authority and responsibility. 



The suggested plan provides that the auditor, treasurer, 

 secretary, and general superintendent would each be independ- 

 ent and subordinate only to the Board. The civil service com- 

 mission consisting of two Board members and a superintendent 

 of employment would also be responsible only to the Board. 

 The departmental staff organization suggested for the forces 

 under the general superintendent is as follows: 



Department. In Charge of. 



General Maintenance General Foreman, 



Engineering Chief Engineer. 



Horticulture Chief Landscape Gardener. 



Police Captain of Police. 



Refectories Manager of Refectories. 



Recreation Director of Recreation. 



Purchasing Purchasing Agent. 



Zoological Head Animal Keeper. 



With two exceptions, the above organization is suggested 

 for each Board. A refectory department is not included in the 



