Evening star., 1948-07-21
.Takon1a Park
Favor
Manager Rule
Mayor Post Halls
Report on Survey Of
Town Administration

"A councll-nanSger form OF gov
ernment, which is the chief recon-
imendation in study of the admin
istration of Takoma Park, is gen.
orally approved by members of the
Town Council, Mayor John c. Post
said today.
A report entitled, Improving the
Government of Takoma Park" has
been presented to the council ano
was made public today by its au.
thor, DR.. Elwyn A. Mauck, consul.
tant with the Department of Pub.
lie Administration, University ol
Maryland.
I particularly like Mayor Post
said, the approach DR.. Mauck has
made to the problem. AS you may
know, there are several types OF
city manager plans and he has left
the way open for us to select one
that would meet our needs
Report to Be Analyzed.
The report will be analyzed at fu-
ture council meetings and sections
referred to appropriate committees
he said.
DR.. Mauck's report declared:
The organization of administra-
ton under the manager should not
vary greatly from the present struc-
ture in Takoma Park"
AS the official who would relieve
the council-the policymaking body
OF administrative functions, he
would have the departments of po-
lice, fire, finance and public works
answerable directly to him instead
OF to the council. as at present.
The town council would have di-
rect supervision of the manager, its
counsel, the clerk and auditor.
The present clerk -treasurers func-
tions would. be divided so that he
would be directly responsible to the
council as clerk but to the manager
as finance officer.
Essence of Good Rule.
DR.. Mauck said the councilman
ager plan 'embodies what is con-
sidered the essence of good govern
ment, namely, an elective legislative
body to determine policy and an ap-
pointive administrative branch of
experts to it to carry out such pol
icies."
Mayor Post also spoke favorably
of another recommendation - a
merit system for appointment. pro-
motion and compensation of all en-
ployes, including the town manager.
I'VE already have this system for
our police and firemen,' he said.
The manager should be appointed
for indefinite tenure but should be
subject to removal at any time for
incompetence or other just cause,
the report declared.
Retains Mayors Office.
The Office of Mayor usually is re-
tanned in council-manager cities,
the Mauck report stated.
His position in Takoma Park
would be very similar to the position
now existing" DR.. Mauck asserted.
The manager would take over
many staff functions usually as
signed special agencies in larger
municipalities. He would be his
own budget officer and make fiscal
estimates for approval by the coun-
Gil. If there were a. separate treas
urer of finance officer the duty oi
alloting spending by agencies with
in the town could be delegated te
that Office.
The manager would be his owr
personnel officer, according to the
recommendations The function OF
centralized purchasing might be
handled either by the manager OF
by director of finance if such ar
Office is created.
TIL police and fire department
would continue their present func.
tions but a department of public
works might take over construction
repair. lighting and maintenance o.
streets as we'll as garbage and trash
collection services.
Departments Adequate.
Until such time as the functions
of Takoma Park may be greatly ex.
panded," the report declared. these
departments seem fully adequate to
serve the city's needs"
The town has adopted a thorough
building code and other ways of eX.
ercising zoning powers but lin th'
field of planning. however, it ap.
pears to be considerably hamperee
by the jurisdiction exercised by the
Maryiand- National Capital Parl
and Planning Commission"
The recommendation for adoption
of merit system. Dr. Mauck said
does not mean to imply that in.
competent personnel has been Sc
lected or that partisan spoils ha.
been used as the basis of selection
The administrations of the city, ir
fact, appears to be excellent.