540 PARKS 



One disturbing factor in this otherwise excellent statement of the duties 

 and powers of the chief executive is the constant reiteration of the supreme 

 executive power of the president. Under the board or commission type of 

 governmental control no superintendent or chief executive, from the view- 

 point of good executive organization, should ever be subjected to the com- 

 plete dominance of a single member of the board, even though that member 

 is the president. This is especially true with respect to the employment 

 and discharge of subordinates. All the responsibilities of the superintendent 

 should relate only to the commission as a whole. 



3. Birmingham, Alabama. See by-laws of the park and recreation com- 

 missioners, Section 6, pages 509-510. 



One possible source of weakness in the executive set-up of the Birming- 

 ham Park and Recreation Department, from the point of view of a unified 

 executive organization, is the complete separation of the office division 

 from the control of the superintendent. The secretary, in charge of the 

 office division, is directly responsible to the board. In addition to his work 

 of keeping general records and looking after the accounting system, he is 

 the purchasing agent of the board and as such also has charge of the store- 

 house and the issuance of all supplies, tools, materials and equipment. It 

 is conceivable that this arrangement might cause the chief executive or 

 superintendent no end of annoyance and trouble. On the whole this state- 

 ment of the duties and powers of the general superintendent embodies most 

 of the fundamental principles of good executive organization. 



4. Park and Recreation System, Nashville, Tennessee. (Rules and regu- 

 lations governing employees, manual of the Board of Park Commissioners, 

 page 52.) 



(a) The superintendent of parks shall have charge and shall make a report in writing upon all matters 

 of the work assigned to him, and shall be governed by requested by the board. 



such regulations and instructions as shall be prescribed (d) He shall keep a "force book," which shall show 



by the board. the name and place of residence of every member of 



(b) The superintendent shall select such foremen as the park force, with the date of his joining and leaving 

 may be required in accordance with their efficiency, the same. 



and shall direct all work and is vested with power to (i) He shall cause to be read and explained to the 



discharge any employee, except the police force, not members of his command all general orders, and all 



engaged in executive work. decisions of the board in case of complaint against 



(c) He shall attend the regular meetings of the board members of his command. 



One feature in the above definition of the powers and duties of the 

 superintendent which appeared only by implication in all the other examples 

 presented is the obligation of the superintendent to attend the regular meet- 

 ings of the board. This is a highly desirable practice in all systems under 

 board governmental control. 



In the Nashville Park System, the secretary, by order of the board, is 

 in fact the executive officer of the board and not the superintendent of parks, 



