228 TREES AS GOOD CITIZENS 



should be as nearly continuous as possible and the terms 

 of the members long enough to insure a majority of exper- 

 ienced persons on the board at all times. 



The method of appointing the commissioners is not so 

 important as that each shall be selected from the territory 

 as a whole rather than from a part of it. In some places, 

 where the term of service is ten years, each one's successor 

 is appointed by the remaining commissioners, subject to 

 confirmation by the court. Where this is done a member 

 is not permitted to succeed himself. In other places the 

 commission is appointed by the court; in others, it is 

 elected by the city legislative body or is appointed by the 

 mayor, subject to the approval of the legislative body. 

 The important point is to keep the administration as 

 nearly as possible on a purely business basis. 



A good board can accomplish nothing without liberal 

 funds. There are two methods of providing these: 

 (i) By an appropriation from the general tax levy and (2) 

 by direct assessment against the properties, collectible 

 with the other taxes. If the funds are provided by appro- 

 priation, a fixed minimum, expressed in millage of the tax 

 rate, should be provided in the organization of the com- 

 mission. This minimum should be such that a fair amount 

 of maintenance work can be done when no other funds 

 are available. Councils that appropriate money some- 

 times hamper boards by withholding appropriations. 

 Work of the nature of tree planting should not be per- 

 mitted to suffer or be lost by a year's neglect. The fund 

 provided by this minimum amount should not be so large 

 that regular additional appropriations will not be needed 

 to carry on the work properly, as this will give a desirable 

 point of contact of the commission or board with the 

 ordinary channels of expressing public sentiment in the 

 district interested. The minimum appropriation man- 



