Word: atkinson
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Former city manager John B. Atkinson sees "defeat of PR as a great setback to council-manager form of government in Cambridge." He does not think that PR will be defeated, however...
Informal meetings of the Council-elect resulted in the selection of Colonel John B. Atkinson: "born and raised" in Cambridge, "long prominent in the shoe business," "war hero," and totally unfamiliar with professional city managing. Atkinson's office gave him broad powers. Most important was his power to initiate budgetary matters for Council consideration...
...success and popular prestige mounted Atkinson is said to have become dictatorial in his relations with the City Council. Resentful Councilmen chaffed but it wasn't until the spring of 1952 when two CCA men, Mayor Joseph A. DeGuglielmo '29 and Edward A. Crane '35, bolted from support to lead the fight against him, that Atkinson was fired. John J. Curry '19, a former educator, was appointed in his place...
Continuing he explains, "The city manager never has to respond to the people. He's a tough guy to get rid of. It took 11 years to get rid of Atkinson, and then it took a shotgun wedding...
...Atkinson was the shrewdest politician that ever hit the town," Sullivan says. "He kidded the public for 11 years with phony tax reductions. The people of Cambridge are gradually catching up to the CCA as they caught up to Atkinson. The CCA is made up of a lot of carpet-baggers anyway," he concludes...