Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1918-03-29
County Interests Considered
At Annapolis.

At conference last week in Annapolis
between Chairman Zouck and Engineer
Shirley of the State Roads Commission,
and Senator Williams and Delegate Faw-
cett, of this county. the State Roads Com
mission agreed to take over and maintain
as part of the State Highway system the
road from Rockville to Travilah after the
road has been put in good repair by the
County Commissioners. Delegate Fawcett
had already introduced bill to provide
the funds to make the repairs, which are
so greatly needed, for this important road
II had been suggested, however, by Sena-
tor Williams that the present State law
requires the State to take over only State
aid roads after they have been put in good
repair by the county, and that after spend
ing the money necessary to put this road
in good repair, which would be consider
able, still the State could not be required
to take over and maintain the road for the
reason it had not been originally con-
structed under the State-aid plan. 1t was
agreed, however, at the conference that
after being repaired the road should be
taken over as part of the State system
for the reason that the greater part of the
road is an important link between the
State Highway at Rockville and at Ounce
Orchard. Any legislation enacted provid-
in for ba ntrsn nf xutn
rect that after the same is done then the
road shall become State Highway and
thereafter the county be relieved of its
maintenance.
Senator J. Dawson Williams has received
communication from the Board of Edu-
cation of Montgomery county stating the
school-tax rate for the coming year, and
the ye ar to follow. is not contemplated to
be in excess Of IS cents. which will be
a reduction of ten cents in the rate of last
year.
Under the present school law the County
Commissioners may be required to levy
not less than forty cents, and early in
the session Of the General Assembly Sena-
tor Williams took up with the State Board
Of Education and with Mr.. B. Howell Girls
void, Of the Educational Survey Commits
sion, the ACCESSIBILITY Of reduction In the
State rate because of the increased assess
ment in the counties Of the State. 1t was
found that to cover the contemplated in
crease in salaries for teachers and to meet
the required repayment within the next
two years Of the $l2 1000 authorized TO be
borrowed by the County School Board in
the bill just signed by the Governor, which
provided funds with which to increase the
compensation of teachers for the current
school year. and in view Of the increased
cost, generally, Of fuel and other outlays
for the schools, the rate could be placed
around thirty-five cents. with margin Of
safety to meet some unexpected item Of
expense. But for these extraordinary items
the rate would be lower.
So that there might be no misunder-
standing Senator Williams requested the
Superintendent, Mr. Broome, to take the
matter up with the Board. That was done
and formal action taken by the Board
looking to a reduction in the rate Of last
year to the amount stated. and in view Of
that Senator Williams has RETAINED from
offering a bill in the General Assembly
providing for such reduction.
The budget Of Governor Harrington and
the supplemental budget sent to the Senate
last week by Governor Harrington con-
tain two items Of interest to Montgomery
county, both placed in the budget at the
instance Of Senator Williams. The origi-
nal budget increased the annual appropria-
ton of twenty-five hundred dollars to the
County Commissioners to thirty hun
dred and fifty dollars annually. This item
cares for INDECENT persons of Montgomery
county at the hospitals in Washington
city The supplemental budget contained
an appropriation Of eight hundred dollars
for the Rockville Academy. which was not
placed in the original budget. This appro-
priation was urgently needed to carry on
the good work of this well-known academy.
which lost its annual appropriation from
the State in 1915.