Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-09
Counci|-E|ect
To Talk Policy
In Montgomery
important Decisions
Expected to Be Made
Within 48 Hours
By John v. Horner

County Council Will make some OF
their most important policy deci-
sions within the next 4s hours.
While few, if any, of the decisions
will be announced then, the council
men hope to reach informal agree
ment on steps to be taken as soon
as they are sworn in.
It still is not known when the
powerful new body will take office
That formality must await an off,
cial canvass of votes cast in last
Thursdays election and certification
of the results to county authorities
in Rockville and State authorities in
Annapolis. This may require 10 days
or more.
The policy questions are being
discussed at a series of conferences.
Several members said last night
that no decisions have been made
so far but that the group wants to
solve as many problems as possible
by Tuesday.
Lee Plans To-Day Trip.
This Is due to the scheduled de-
parture- OF Councilman-elect Fred
eric p. Lee on a To-day business
trip. While the informal meetings
probably will continue during Mr..
Lees absence, fellow members want
his advice in formulating the pro-
gram.
Selection Of a county manager
tops the list of problems under
study. Another receiving immedi-
ate attention is organization of the
council itself. The members will
determine in advance which of their
group to elect president and which
to name secretary at their first
official meeting.
The selection of a lawyer for the
new job of county attorney also is
being considered, although decision
in this matter need not be reached
so quickly.
The councilmen are studying
qualifications of prospective appoint
ees to a new County Personnel
Board, as well as the makeup Of
the Department of Finance. The
charter abolishes the office of treas
urer and consolidates all fiscal
affairs under a director. He, too.
must be chosen soon.
Time of Meetings . Question.
The council must decide how often
and at what time of day to hold
regular meetings. Meetings prob
ably will be less requent when the
new government settles down. be-
cause the manager will relieve the
council Of many duties. heretofore
performed by commissioners. Some
citizens favor night sessions and
others prefer day meetings. as held
by the commissioners.
The council may find 1t as diff
cult to obtain q suitable county
point out that the attorney will
point out that the manager will
nave q full-time position and awill
have to forego private law practice.
1t remains to be seen how high a
salary will be needed to attract one
considered competent by the new
governing body.
The charter does not limit the
attorneys pay, but the $4,000 cell
ing for manager will have influence
in this matter.
The managers salary maximum
fixed by the charter-narrows the
field from which the council may
draw. There is no scarcity of can
didates. but the council has hopes
of obtaining an executive of out
standing ability. Newport News, Va,
with. a population less than Mont
somery, pays its city manager $685.
900.
McNayr Mentioned.
The question mark in the selec-
ton is Irving G. McNayr, county
supervisor, whose name figures most
prominently in discussion of the
possibilities Mr. McNayr wants the
lob, but is opposed by some inf1u-
Genital citizens. He has been accused
of playing too much politics with
ti2e eommissioners-despite frequent
clashes with them-and is disliked
by many proponents of big school
budgets.
He has the advantage OF a thor
ough knowledge of county affairs,
which the council needs during
transition, and has won respect as
an administrator. It is a question
whether he would accept a tenn
porary appointment without favor
able commitments on the future.
Relatively little discussion has
been heard recently in connection
with the appointment of a finance
director Earlier, speculation con-
cerned the choice of Treasurer John
B. Diamond. In any event, 1t Is
believed, Mr.. Diamond will be re-
tanned in the government If he
wishes.
The concensus is that a place
also will be found for J. Ernest
Hawkins, whose position as county
clerk was among those abolished