Evening star., 1947-11-02
City Manager Would
Study Departments
For Reorganization

II municipal departments Is pro-
posed in the Auchincloss home-rule
plan. Once this is achieved, the
plan calls for the city manager to
make a detailed management study
of each department for its internal
reorganization.
To be properly done this would re-
quire perhaps several years, the re-
port states. and likely result in the
drafting of new organic laws for
each department.
The following excerpts and digests
of the report indicate how District
agencies would be revamped:
Department of Health.
Recommendation.-That the pow
ers and duties of the present De-
partment of Health be retained and
the powers and duties of the follow
ing agencies be transferred to it:
Office of the coroner and the
Anatomical Board; also the duties
of the Mental Health Commission.
The Mental Health Commission as
such should be abolished, and the
function of mental examination
lodged in the Health Department
The Anatomical. Board should be
abolished, and it's powers and duties
exercised by the director of the De-
partment of Health, with such ac-
tivities being supported by the Dis
trict financially.
Department of Welfare.
recommendations the pow
ers and duties of the present Board
of Public Welfare be vested in the
director of the Department of Wei
fare and the Board of Public We'll
fare be continued in an advisory
status at the discretion Of the di-
rector; also, that the administration
of the penny milk and food program
be transferred to the Department Of
Welfare.
The present function of the Men
tai Health Commission to determine
the ability of the patient or relatives
to support patients in st. Elizabeths
should be exercised by the Depart
ment of Welfare. utilizing the de-
partment of Law to initiate pro-
ceedings for adjudication of incom-
potency to handle property when
such is indicated.
DEPARTMENT of Recreation.
recommendations That the pow
ers and duties of the present Board
of Recreation be vested in the di-
rector of the District Department
of Recreation and the Board of
Recreation continued in an advisory
status at the discretion of the
director
The Board of Recreation as con-
tinued should consist Of seven mem
bers, except that the three ex ofhcio
members should consist of the
chairman of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission,
the president of the Board of Public
Education and the superintendent
of National Capital Parks. All park
and recreational areas which have
essentially a recreation purpose and
are primarily for the benefit of Dis
trict residents (as contrasted with
those areas essentially memorial in
character, designed for the interest
and benefit of the whole Nation),
should be under the jurisdiction of
the Department of Recreation and
title to them should be vested in the
District of Columbia. ...-....
cost of maintaining such areas
should be completely at the expense
of the District of Columbia, and
cost of maintaining memorial areas
under National Capital Parks should
be completely Federal expense.
Public Safety.
Recommendation.-That all the
powers and duties vested in the
heads Of or pertaining to the fol-
LOWING agencies be transferred to
the director Of the Department of
Public Safety: Metropolitan Police,
Board of Police and Fire Surgeons,
District Fire Department, Pound
Department of Vehicles and Traffic
United States Park Police operating
in the District of Columbia, and the
National Geological Park Police po-
licing the grounds of the National
Geological Park. The Joint Board or
Traffic should be abolished and its
powers transferred to the District
Council.
This recommendation proposes 9
department which would include al
fire-fghting forces in the District
all the police forces except the
White House police and the Capito
police. and control of traffic.
Department of Finance.
recommendations the pres
en5 duties and responsibilities of the
heads of the following agencies, OF
pertaining to those agencies for the
District of Columbia. be transferred
to the director of the Department
of Finance: District auditor, Dis
trict oisbursing officer. District as
SCISSOR. District collector of taxes
Bureau of Accounts in the Unitec
States Treasury with respect tt
maintaining District accounts
United States Treasurer with respec
to being depository for Distric'
funds, and General Accounting Of
fee for the final settlement Of
claims and requirements Of account,
ing systems. It is further recon-
mended that the District Board o.
Tax Appeals be abolished and tht
authority of that board be vested II
Board of Tax Appeals hereinafter
recommended.
Department of Law.
Recommendation the pow
ers and duties of the presen
heads of the following agencies, O.
those pertaining to these Offices, b.
transferred to the director of th'
Department Of Law; Corporation
counsel, recorder of deeds, and th'
authority of the Mental Health
Commission to recommend proceed
ings to determine incompetency u
handle property.
Department of Public Works.
CThe report proposes that a
Department of Public Works alb
sorb the long list of engineer
divisions OF the District as well
as the National Capital Housing
Authority and the activities OF
the District engineer OF the Army
Engineer Corps with reference
to the collection and publication
of TaterD