Evening star., 1943-05-03
Final Charter
Draft Submitted
Io,County Board
Preliminary PIon
Made Public April II
Changed 'Nomino|Iy'
(Ercerpts from the tert OF the
final draft OF the proposed Mont
0on1ery County charter on page
B-8.) -
Ry ]. b. ZATMAN.

charter for Montgomery County,
which would provide for home rule,
with local legislation to be enacted
by a council OF nine members, was
presented today by the County
Charter Board to Lacy Shaw, presi-
dent of the Board of County Com
at the commissioners
ONCE in Rockville.
All of the principal provisions in
the preliminary draft, which was
made public April II, are retained
in the final form with the excep-
ton Of nominal" changes made
In response to suggestions by county
organizations.
Members Of the Charter Board
are Frederic P. Lee, chairman;
Thomas M. Anderson, Tarlton
Brooke, Mrs. MINER Hostetler and
Stephen James.
The movement for. establishment
of charter form of government in
County was precipi-
tated by a Brookings Institution
survey on the county government
about two years ago. Many of the
proposals in the final draft of the
charter were recommended in the
Brookings report.
Suggestions "Helpful."
In presenting the charter, Mr..
Lee declared that suggestions made
by county residents have been very
helpful In drawing up the docu-
ment He also expressed "gratifi-
cation" over the widespread ap-
proval of the basic provisions OF
the charter.
A report on the work of the board
in preparing the charter will be
made public shortly, Mr.. Lee said.
The charter will be voted on in
November, 1914, and If adopted will
become law 80 days following the
election, he explained. An election
of members of the council will fol-
low Immediately.
National organizations comment
ing on the charter, he said, include
the Brookings Institution, the Ma
tional Municipal League and the
International City Managers AS
sociation.
Clarence E. Ridley, executive
secretary OF the City Managers
Association, was quoted by Mr.. Lee
as saying, The proposed charter in
my judgment is a good one
From Alfred Willoughby, execu-
tive secretary OF the National Num-
cipal League. came the statement,
This draft impresses us as being
outstandingly excellent and in line
with the best standards of thought. /"
"a -. Merriam Pleased. .,..t
DR.. Lewis Merriam of the Brook
ings Institution wrote:
Permit me to extend my con-
gratulations on the general excel
lence of the charter you have drafted
for submission to the people of the
county.
If they ratify this charter, they
Will have the foundation for a demo-
cratic and efficient local government
well adapted to present-day condi-
tons. In 1t peoples council can
achieve the fundamental objectives
in the Brookings report"
In addition to a nine-man conn
Gil. provision is made for a county
manager, merit system for county
employees, a Department of Public
Works and Department of Safety,
which will include a police commits
sioner and a fire commissioner.
Would Limit Borrowing.
Inc charter also provides for a
capital budget and an expense bud
get and would limit the borrowing
capacity of the county to 7 per cent
OF the assessable base.
While the council would super.
sede.. the present Board of COUNTY
Commissioners in the exercise of
legislative and executive functions,
because of constitutional considera :
tons the Commissioners would be
continued in office during the transit
ton period, with their base pay of
81 300 a year each, until the end
OF the terms for which they were
elected last fall.
The bi-county organizations sery-
ing Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties, such as the Washington
Suburban Sanitary Commission and
the Maryland-N National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, would
not be affected by the charter.
O1 the nine members of the
council. one each would be chosen
from the five commissioner districts
ana four from the county at large
Expenses Limited.
Members would be elected for
four-year terms and would serve
without compensation. except that
IS Tor expenses may be paid men,
bers for each meeting, the total not
to exceed $500 a year. For the
enactment of legislation, the coun-
Gil would sit in legislative session
during May Of each year.
While the council would be en-
powered to make county laws, thus
making 1t unnecessary for legisla-
ton applicable solely to Montgomery
County to be presented to the Gen.
eral Assembly at Annapolis, the
charter provides that no bill shall
become law until June Is followine
the close of legislative session.
Prior to that date, any person
shall have the right to petition the
County Council or to appear in
person before it to state his reasons
why any proposed bill should not
become law.
A county manager would be
chosen by the council at a salary
Of not more than $l2, 600 a year. Ir
the preliminary draft a minimum
salary of 5000 year was set, but
this has been eliminated from the
final draft.
Could Remove Manager.
The manager would be chief ad.
mtnistrative oficer in charge of al
departmental heads, could be re.
moved from office by the council
at will. except that 80 days motto.
would be required and the manager
could request q public hearing will
. statement Of charges.
In the preliminary draft, no no.
tice was required for his removal