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- 
