Evening star., 1945-02-11
Five Proposals
ToCome Before
County Planners
Nonportison Ballot
Slated for Study
In Montgomery

Five resolutions, aamong then
the controversial issues proposing
creation of an Office of county super.
visor, the nonpartisan ballot anc
enactment of legislation giving broae
powers to the County Commission
ers on local matters, are scheduled
to come before meeting of Mont
gomery County Advisory Postwar
and Planning Committee at s pm
Wednesday at Woodside School.
Other subjects on the agenda in
clude a measure requesting Congress
to repeal the Hatch Act insofar as
it applies to Montgomery County, SC
as to enable Federal employees living
. in the county to participate in local
election campaigns, and resolution
urging that an assistant Superln-
tendent OF schools be named to
direct the operation and upkeep of
, school property to replace the su-
pervisor of school property.
May Postpone Meeting.
In announcing the call for the
meeting, 1t. Col. E. Brooke Lee,
chairman, said that if the members
of the Advisory Committee are able
to take action on these proposals, a
meeting of the committee now
scheduled for February 20, will
probably be postponed. He has been
advised by the chairman of all
standing committees that their COM
mittees are not considering any fur
ther subject matters which would
require legislation by this session of
the Maryland General Assembly.
Unless new subjects are intro
duced which require legislation, Col
Lee said the Advisory Committee
can proceed more leisurely with the
continuing planning problems of the
county. These, he continued, include
study of the school system, study of
the county tax structure and plan,
the question of payment of matur-
ing county bonds, the master plan
of highways and highway locations,
the master plan of Zoning, and in
dividual school projects. Other ques-
tions are highway and other projects
to be recommended for construction
with county funds or with combina-
tions of State, Federal and county
funds.
The resolution calling for legis-
lation creating a county supervisor
was adopted by the Subcommittee
on County Government in place of
an earlier recommendation that
county manager be appointed.
Want Action Now.
It asks that action be taken by
this session of the Assembly to Gre
ate the Office and that the legisla-
ton "be drawn in such a manner
that the county supervisor would
definitely be the agent and routine
administrative representative" of
the county's elected executives.
The county supervisor would be
given complete responsibility for
the routine or daily administrative
affairs of county government which
fall within the jurisdiction of the
county commissioners.
Under the proposal, the county
commissioners are to retain the
power of appointment of all policy
determining officials, including the
county supervisor, The policy-de-
termining officials, other than the
supervisor, shall be appointed for
term of four years and may be re-
moved by the commissioners for in
Efficiency, neglect of duty or mall
teasarce in office"
Matters of daily or routine ad-
ministrative nature would be
cleared by the county supervisor
and other policy cy-determining Of
ficials or appointees where posi-
BILE. On subjects of this type, the
commissioners or other elected
agency may only express their ad-
vice or declarations of policy to the
supervisor through formal resolu-
tions.
Could Name Employees.
The county supervisor would be
empowered to appoint county en-
ployes who are included in the
county civil service and to dis
charge or suspend such employees.
He would receive salary of not
more than $4,000 a year.
Limitations Imposed.
The second resolution recon-
mends that full power to adopt ordi-.
nances be given to the Board of
County Commissioners by the pres
ent session of the State Legisla-
ture. Certain limitations, however,
are imposed They are:
l. The commissioners shall not
have power to license, regulate, pro-
hibit, or submit to local option the
manufacture or sale of alcoholic
beverages.
2. The commissioners shall not
have power to authorize the is
suance or renewal of any bonds,
certificates, notes or other evidence
Of Indebtedness of the county for
a term of more than II months
unless the ordinance authorizing
such issuance or renewal has been
approved by a majority of the
voters upon referendum. This
limitation, however, does not apply
to authorizing the refunding of
any bonds Originally issued before
January or to authorizing bonds
for the construction or remodeling
Of public school buildings or the
acquisition of grounds therefor
n an aggregate amount not exceed
ing $250,000 in any fiscal year.
3. The commissioners shall not
have the power to borrow in any
mount exceeding, in the aggregate
nth outstanding Indebtedness at
my one time, 8 per cent of the
'ssessable basis OF the county.
4. Before adopting any ordinance
3le commissioners shall advertise
The full text at least once a week
for two weeks in one or more of
,he county newspapers, and afford
opportunity for a public hearing on