Evening star., 1932-01-29

NSDNllIutu FlOul TILSJ IdBV.J
gineer, paying $500 per annum, is
abolished There is no present incum-
bent, since the position has not been
filled since the retirement OF Electrical
Engineer Warren B. Hadley and the
promotion Of the former deputy Walter
Kern, to take his place
The position of senior Mechanic OF
the District auto repair shop is aool-
ished. This is per diem position, pay
ing S3,lO0 a year There is no present
incumbent. l. c. Barber, who formerly
held the lob. died of heart disease last
Sunday night.
Under Consideration for Weeks.
The reorganization plan has been
under consideration several weeks. Inc
Federation of Citizens Associations has
called a special meeting for tomorrow
night to discuss the impending reoi-
ganization, but the meeting apparently
will come too late, since the plan Is
already in effect.
Davidson Explains Reasons.
The reorganization plan was made
public today by Acting Engineer Com
missioner Donald A. Davidson, together
with a seven-page tWneWritten state
ment explaining the reasons for II.
This statement said, in part:
There has been a tWotold need
for reorganization in the Engineer De-
partment. First, because the Depart
Inent as a whole has grown for more
than two decades without any major
consideration being given to the basic
organization. AS new departments nave
Grown up they have been added mere
or there to an existing organization, a
deDartnent head has been assigned ana
the work of the new department has
become routine.
Second, the administrative head OF
the Engineer Department, the Engineer
Commissioner, has acquired so many
other duties as TO make 1t pracucally
impossible for any one individual 10 re-
view and pass on the details OF admln-
iStration Of the department and at the
same time give the necessary time ana
study to decisions which he is required
to make as a member Of other boards
and commissions
Old Departments Wiped Out.
After explaining something about the
present set-up of the various depart
ments. the statement goes on:
The former departments OF the En-
eineer Department have been regrouped
SO as to make only four departments
Over each of these departments mas
been placed a director. There should
be no confusion based on any belief
that the former 10 departments still
exist. and that the reorganization is
merely a grouping of existing depart
mentS under four new headings Sucn
ie not the case. The new Engineer
DEPARTMENT consists Of only four de-
nartments. The activities OF the for
1ner departments will continue without
major changes, and in general each
former department becomes a division
of one of the new departments. The
former Electrical Department IS an eX-
Ception. in that its main activities are
included in the Department OF High
vavs, except for the inspection Of prl-
vate buildings which is included IN the
Department Of Inspection.
The director Of inspection is also
designated as the executive officer TO
the Zoning Commission. Ever since the
creation Of the Zoning Commission, the
executive officer has been an Assistant
Engineer Commissioner, and the wealth
OF Important information which he has
acquired in administering the 2onlng
regulations has always passed out OF
the District with the relief OF the
assistant who acted as executive ofhcer.
practically all realtors and others
dealing with the use of private property |
can testify to the need Of a permanent
executive officer to the Zoning Commits
sion who is thoroughly familiar with
zoning and whose advice is available at
all times to those who wish to learn OF
the zoning status Of private properties.
Assistants Will Only Aid Chief.
"A word is considered desirable in
regard to the activities of assistant
engineer commissioners assigned to the
District Government. 1t has always
been intended that these assistants
act as administrative assistants to the
engineer commissioner, to assist him IN
supervising the activities of the engl-
neer department and in helping on
the other boards and commissions OF
which the engineer commissioner Is
member 1t has never been intended
that these assistant engineer commits
sionerS should take over the duties OF
heads Of departments in the engineer
department and actually direct and
supervise the activities thereof Too
often in the past this is exactly the
use that has been made of the several
assistants.
Under the new organization the three
assistants constitute a staff to assist the
Engineer Commissioner, not only in the
administration of the Engineer Depart
ment, but to help him on his several
other boards and commissions. One
assistant acts as executive officer, re-
lieving the Engineer Commissioner of
all detailed review of paper work and
other routine in the Engineer Depart |
ment. Each of the other two assistants
coordinate the activities of two OF the
new major departments, and in addi- !
ton would normally be assigned, one to !
follow intimately the activity of the |
Public Utilities Commission and the |
Zoning Commission and the other to |
follow intimately the activities of the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission"
Baker Is Civil Engineer.
Mr.. Baker, the new director of the |
Department of Construction, is 40 years |
old. a graduate of Union College, !
Schenectady, N. Y, from which he was
graduated in 1911 as a civil engineer. |
The past eight years he has been di- |
rector of the Department Of Public |
Works of Rochester, N. Y, handling |
budget for public works Of S4,44500 in |
1881. Under his supervision come pub |
lie and private buildings. garbage and |
trash collection and disposal, street and |
road planning, water supply conStruc- |
ton and maintenance and the like.
He supervised construction of the |
Ridge Road Memorial Bridge in Roches- |
ter. $2,5OO,00O job
XkiII hEEHr