Evening star., 1949-01-18
Council Takes
Office, Studies
Plan toCut Jobs
New Acting Manager,
Mchoyr, Proposes
Saving of $37, 500
By John V. Horner

Acting quickly after its induction
the Montgomery County Counci
today began considering a propose
to reorganize work at the Bethesda
and Silver Spring County Service
Buildings so as to save about s37, 7,50t
q year.
The council, elected recently tt
assume charge of the new charter
government, was sworn in at Rock.
vile by Circuit Court Clerk Clayton
M. Watkins in the presence of ap-
proximately 100 prominent citizens
In matter of minutes. the coun-
ell completed its organization by
electing its own officers and ap-
pointing Irving G. McNayr acting
county manager at an annual salary
of $4,000.
McNayr Proposes Change.
It then received Mr.. McNayr's
recommendation to abolish a num-
ber of jobs at the service buildings
and to transfer much of the stan
work there to Rockville. The man
ager declared the changes would
bring about more efficient, eco
nomic and sounder administration. :
At the request of Councilman P.
Garland Ligon, it was decided to
table the proposal for one week.
Specifically, Mr. McNayr recon-
mended the abolition of these jobs
at the Bethesda Building:
Assistant clerk, held by Mrs. Mary
Burns at an annual salary of $4,000
Senior clerk, Mrs. Catherine CAL
Ian, $3.50.
Switchboard operator, Mrs. Mary
L. Hartnett, $4,000.
Tree department supervisor, Eli
zah White, 5000.
Silver Spring Proposals Made.
The acting manager proposed to
abolish the following jobs in Silver
Spring:
Assistant clerk, Mrs. Esther
Fleishen, $1,000.
Senior clerk, Mrs. Josephine
Schaeffer, $2,250.
Clerk. Miss Margaret Peter, $2,75O.
Switchboard operator. Miss Paul
inc Harmon. 5000.
Tree culture assistant, William E.
Erwin, $3.50.
MIR. McNayr also recommended
that the job of county assistant pub
lie utilities agent, held by Charles
H. Carter at $l,S40 annually, be
abolished.
Fayors Executive Secretaries.
Under Mr.. McNayr's proposal ex-
ecutive secretaries would be re-
tanned at both county buildings to
maintain complaint files for street
services, meet the public" and give
information concerning matters on
which policies have been established
by the county council. They also
would supervise building malnte-
nance and handle such other mat
ters as delegated to them by the
council or the county manager.
The secretary at Bethesda is Mrs.
Eloise Graham. The Silver spring
secretary is Mrs. Alice Snow. Both
receive S2,770 a year.
The acting manager said the
county would save $2,4O0 by ellml-
mating telephone switchboards now
maintained at the service buildings.
He proposed to replace them with
a direct line wire to the Rockville
Courthouse.
His plan provides that land rec
ords and front-foot assessment
functions of the suburban offlces
shall be transferred to and hanoleo
by the assessment office IN the
courthouse. He proposed that time
keeninp and record duties now per-
formed in Bethesda by Mrs. Callan
be performed by the county's ROAD
foreman in that area.
Mr.. McNayr recommended that
the county engineers office now
housed in a leased building IN Sill
yer Spring be transferred to the
Bethesda County Building, and that
the function of handling street
lighting requests for both OF the
suburban sections be transferred
to the Office of the public utilities
agent. A..
He urged that the county tree
department equipment and laoorers
be turned over to the suburban
road foremen.
Under the McNayr plan the coun.
" manager would devote at leas'
half a day each week to conferences
at each of the service buildings. He
said this would permit close super
vision of suburban activities ano
give citizens an opportunity to talk
with the manager without going te
Rockville.
Sees Big Saving.
Mr.. McNayr told the council that
his proposal would save $37 $40 ir
salaries, switchboard eliminations
and reorganization of the tree de-
partment work.
eff the annual salaries for the
part-time commissioners of $l,20C
for each Office, plus the lower cost
of operation which will result, are
added to these figures, the total
SAVINGS WILL De IdlScO W d 4l6 QA z vi
slightly over $4,000 per year" he
said
The council decided formally tc
meet in public session at Rockville
at 9 am. on Thursdays. Closec
meetings will be subject to call.
To tighten control over county
vehicles, the Council directed thai
cars and trucks be stored nightly OF
county property, that each be paint
ed with an official county symbo
designating that they are being uset
on county business and that per-
sonnel using the vehicles without
authority be subject to suspension
or dismissal.
It decided to sell at auction o.
transfer to other departments thu
automobiles previously assigned t
the five county commissioners. Mr.
McNayr, who submitted this pro.
posal, estimated that the saving thi!
year would be at least SIS 900 but
- 4.