Evening star., 1949-03-04
County Council
Scores Statusof
Sanitary Agency
Montgomery Seeking
Voice in Commission S
Conduct of Business
By John V. Horner

By John V. Horner
Criticism of the Maryland-N Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission by the Montgomery
County Council reflects cnly a
part of the new Government diff
ferences with bicounty agencies
While the Park and Planning
Commission controversy has re-
ceived greater publicity, the coun-
Gil also disapproves the status of
the Washington Suburban Sani-
tary Commission. Both agencies
operate on a bicounty basis for
Metropolitan sections of Mont
gomery and Prince Georges Coun-
ties.
The council on Tuesday voiced
objection to Park and Planning
Commission authority in the
building inspection field and
charged it has failed to enforce
zoning laws. Legislation has been
introduced in the General AS
sembly to transfer some functions
to the council.
Appointed by Governor.
In the case of the sanitary COM
mission. the council is less con-
cerned about transferring func-
tions than about obtaining voice
in the agency's conduct OF busl-
ness.
Under the law, the sanitary
commission is composed of three
members appointed by the Cover
nor. 1t is authorized 20 issue
bonds up to IA per cent of the as
sessed value of property within the
suburban area it Serves-Mont-
gomery and Prince Georges COM
oined.
The sanitary commission bond
ed Indebtedness now approximates
SAL 100000. Legislation pending at
Annapolis would permit exemption
from the IA per cent limitation
of all outstanding self -liquidat-
ing bonds. such as for the water
supply system it operates, plus
exemption of at least $4,O00,00O
more in self-liquidating water
system bonds just proposed
Officials estimate that as the
law now stands, the sanitary COM
mission is within S3,500,0O0 of the
debt limitation.
The bone of contention is that
the council must sign for bonds
of the agency without being con-
suited, without being informed
regarding need or desirability.
without control over how the
money is spent or the selection of
persons who spend it.
The first day the County Coun-
Gil met. about two months ago.
the commission announced it was
floating a new bond issue of
81, 100000. Would the council
please sign? The council and the
Prince Georges commissioners did.
The law requires it.
No Access to Books.
Montgomery officials assert that
they never have had access to
books or records of the sanitary
commission; they have only the
word of that agency that money
is being spent necessarily; they
cannot require an audit or get
detailed plans of the sanitary pro-
gram.
What concerns the council, it's
members say. is the effect of con-
tinuing bond issues on Montgom-
erys credit rating.
Whereas the sanitary commits
sion can issue bonds with a IA
per cent limitation, the council
can issue bonds up to only 7 per
cent. But credit rating bureaus
take into account the total bonded
Indebtedness of the taxpayers.
Thus, the bureaus figure the bur-
den of the sanitary commission as
we'll as the county government.
Montgomery, Prince Georges
and the sanitary commission all
have rating of BAA by Moody's S
Investors Syndicate. This is
about as low as a government
can 60 without jeopardizing fu-
ture financing.
Councilmen also have expressed
concern over Montgomery's liza
bility for sanitary commission
bonds. They point out that while
the commission serves residents
only in the suburban area, every
taxpayer in the county would be
liable in event of default. They
see no justification for binding
property owners in Upper Mont
gomery for improvements made in
the metropolitan area-improve-
ments which in no way benefit the
rural sections.
The new government does be-
lieve it should be responsible for
refuse collection, which it con-
siders a single county function
improperly assigned to the BIZ
county agency.
Residents IncOnvenienced.
Tied with the problem are COM
plants that residents are unneces-
sarily nconvenienced by projects
undertaken by or with approval of
the commission.
Acting County Manager Irving
G. McNayr cited a case in point
He said numerous complaints have
been received recently from sub
urban area citizens on an avenue
which they claimed was blocked
by construction equipment laying
a sewer line for the sanitary COM
mission.
Mr.. McNayr said county efforts
to have a lane opened. for traffic
have proved unavailing, even after
an appeal through the police. The
residents, though within sight of
the main section of Silver Spring,
have to detour several miles to
get to places just a few blocks