Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-28
TAKOMA CHARTER
CHANGES URGED
Dr.. Edmunds Proposes to
Modernize Town Govern
ment by Bill.


ANNAPOLIS, Md, February %
] Numerous changes in the charter OF the
town of Takoma Park, Md. are pro-
vided FOR in a bill introduced in the
House of Delegates yesterday on behalf
of the Montgomery County delegation
by DR.. George L. Edmunds, delegate
from Rockville. One of the principal
changes, and one which indicates the
growth of the town, is the provision for
the payment of salaries to the mayor
and members of the Council. The bill,
as introduced, however, provides only
for this section that before it shall be-
come effective it shall be submitted to
referendum at any municipal election,
and. if approved by the town voters, it
shall become effective on the first day
of the month following such approval.
1t provides a salary of $1,000 year for
the mayor and $500 year each for the
members of the Council, payable
monthly.
One of the amendments provides that
the nominations for mayor and posi-
tions on the Council shall be made at
meeting of the citizens of the town
to be called by the town clerk and ad-
vertised in the newspapers and by the
distribution and posting of handbills on
the Monday evening preceding the mu-
nicipal election.
Must Own Property.
Candidates for mayor and councilman
must be LEGAL voters and property
holders
Another amendment authorizes the
use of modern card system for re-
cording the names of voters, and there
is provision for a written appeal on
rejection of right of a person to
vote, to be filed within "a hours after
notice, the right Of appeal being to the
Town Council.
another amendment provides that the
council shall meet not less than once a
month. The mayor is named as the
presiding officer.
The proposed change makes the
mayor the responsible executive and
gives him authority to appoint the COM
mittees and to designate the chairmen,
and he may change them at will. He
may suspend any officers for what to
MIN are sufficient reasons, but he must
report his reasons in writing to the
council. He is also given all the
Po"CAo Va d JuSIlCc Oh The peace over
criminal cases.
The new law provides that the coun-
Gil shall appoint annually a clerk.
treasurer. superintendent of public work
and chief Of police.
Provides More Police.
The council is authorized to appoint
additional police, with special authority
given the mayor to appoint additional
members of the force in an emergency.
In addition to its right to purchase
property the amended charter provides
that it may accept property for munich
pal purposes. The council is authorized
also to pass ordinances for equipping and
maintaining parks and Fairgrounds, to
protect buildings, trees and fences, from
DETACHMENT and injury and for the pro-
lection of birds.
The council would be authorized to
turn over to the county commissioners
of Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties such sums as may in their
discretion be necessary for schools.
1t reduces from three to two weeks
the time for giving notice Of intention
to create. town debt, and provides
for a budget system to be carried out
each fiscal year, beginning on July /.
Instead of taxes being due immedi-
ately upon the levy, they are to come
due on July l following the levy.