Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-12
COMMISSIONERS TO GAIN
BY UTILITIES WORK SHIFT
More Time for Original Duties Will Be
Possible When Separate Body
Begins to Function.

| board was that there should be some
connecting link between that agency
and the board of Commissioners. He
will be relieved of the administrative
detail he now handles. but will be on
the new utilities board to bring about
coordination with the city govern
ment on such questions as the use
of the public highways for utility
purposes, which interlock with the
municipal government.
The two civilian members to be ap-
| pointed by the President under the
| bill which will go to the Chief
Executive in December would devote
full time to utility problems, and. at
| the same time, leave the two civilian
| Commissioners Of the District regular
duties as municipal authorities.
City's Growth Is Factor.
The years during which the Com
missioners have had the added
| functions of public utility and coming
work have also been years in which
the municipality has experienced re-
markably rapid growth. The constant
development of new residential
sections in all parts Of the District
during and since the war has multi
piled municipal problems of the kind
that call for the attention Of the Board
of Commissioners.
| The need for school buildings, .eX-
tensive street paving programs, sewer,
water and other facilities essential in
residential areas has mounted steadily.
with this growth of the city and has
been reflected in the volume of work
devolving upon the Commissioners in
their capacity as municipal heads 1t
| is to these problems that they will be
able to devote more time if, as now
seems likely, the separate Utilities
Commission comes into existence this
Winter.
1t is understood that the estimates
for the next fiscal year, just COM
pleted. do not include provision for
salaries for separate public utility
commissioners because, although the
new utilities measure has passed the
Senate and House, 1t will not be law
until the President signs it, and the
budget authorities could not take cog
nizance Of it in it's present status.
May Insert Item Later.
| District officials believe, however,
that if the President signs the bill in
December it will still be possible to
get the appropriation for salaries of
the two utility commissioners at the
coming short session. The Engineer
Commissioner would serve as the third
member Of the new commission with
out additional compensation. The two
utility commissioners to be appointed
would receive salaries of $500 each.
In the last District appropriation
act Congress provided for a peoples
! counsel for the Utilities Commission
at $500. but the new utilities meas
ure, if approved. would raise that Of
flee also to $500.
While utility rate cases have not
arisen as frequently in the past few
years as they did during and imme'
diately following the war, the advent
of the motor bus as a medium Of
transportation, both urban and inter-
urban. has served to keep the Com
missioners busy in their role as a
Utilities Commission. The city is now
partially covered by a network of mo-
tor bus routes in addition to the rail
service. and there are many bus lines
running into the District from nearby
towns and even from distant cities.