538 PARKS 



for newly organized systems this of course is obligatory. In such cases the 

 appointing authorities may consult the office of the American Institute of 

 Park Executives, the Personnel Bureau of the Playground and Recreation 

 Association of America (especially for organized recreation executives), or 

 the officials in well established systems throughout the country for sugges- 

 tions and recommendations. In some communities the appointment of a 

 general executive is under civil service. In those systems where the gov- 

 erning authority is elected by popular vote, or appointed by a superior 

 authority subject to election, every two or four years, as in commission, 

 Federal plan and city manager governed cities, civil service is a measure of 

 protection to the general executive. This method of selection is not generally 

 practiced in systems governed by boards or commissions, nor is it generally 

 approved by park authorities. Wherever practiced, the opportunity to take 

 the examination should be open to candidates from any section of the 

 country instead of limited to the local community or the state in which 

 the local community is situated. 



Powers and duties of the chief executive. The powers and duties of the 

 chief executive are usually stated in the by-laws of the governing authority. 

 Sometimes they may be stated in the organic law (charter) of the munic- 

 ipality. The following are a few examples of the definition of the powers 

 and duties of the chief executive as stated by some governing authorities. 



i. South Park System, Chicago, Illinois. (Municipal code of the South 

 Park Commissioners, Chapter II, Section 7, 1923.) 



(a) The genera) superintendent, acting under the (e) He will be held entirely responsible for the eco- 

 commissioners, shall have the general management and nomical purchase of all supplies and materials, either 

 control of the operating department and in this capacity made by himself or those authorized by him in writing 

 shall have charge of the operation, maintenance, repair to do so, and for the obtaining of satisfactory compe- 

 and extension of all structures, grounds and waters over tition in all cases. 



which the South Park Commissioners have jurisdiction. (/) It shall be his duty to see that no purchases are 



(b) He shall appoint, according to law, all assistants made on requisition for materials, supplies, tools, im- 

 and employees in his department and shall direct and plements or other property, the cost of which will exceed 

 supervise their work. #500, without advertisement, the bids to be opened by 



(c) He shall, under the South Park Commissioners, the South Park Commissioners. 



have charge of all purchases of materials, tools, imple- (g) It shall be his duty to supply promptly either 



ments, supplies and the collection of proper specifica- from the storehouse or by purchase all the materials, 



tions and other data for advertising for proposals on tools, implements and supplies requisitioned for by the 



contracts. different park officials. Purchases are to be made only 



(d) He shall have charge of the storehouses and of on properly prepared requisitions approved by him. 

 the employees connected therewith and of the main- (h) It shall be his duty to examine the proposals 

 tenance of property and adequate stocking of the store- received on advertisements, and to prepare a compre- 

 houses with materials and supplies necessary to meet hensive, tabulated statement of such proposals and to 

 the demands, and will be held responsible for the tools, obtain from the heads of the different divisions reports 

 implements and supplies held in store and for the on the character and value of the work, material and 

 accuracy of the accounts of the storekeeper and the implements offered in the proposal. 



maintaining of inventories. 



