Evening star., 1949-06-08
CountyPoIice
Ordered toQuit
Takonla Park
Montgomery Council
Asks EIiminution Of
Satisfaction Aug. 16

SuDStQtIon Aug. 10
The Montgomery County Coun.
Gil has ordered thu" elimination O,
the county police. substation al
Takoma Park, effective August 16
A resolution to that effect was
adopted yesterday under author.
ity Of law passed by the council
last week.
In its session, the council also
l. Repealed a resolution
adopted in October, 1947, by the
former Board of County Com
missioners in which the boarc
said the county would pay one
third of the cost of street repairs
and property owners affected
would pay the remainder as well
as the full cost of curbs and gut
ters.
2. Was notified by the Upper
Montgomery Farmers Club that
it planned to discuss with the
State Tax Commission county as
sessments on dairy barns and
silos, which the club said were
much higher than in neighboring
Frederick County.
837 Acres Taken Over by u. s.
3. Was informed by its presi-
dent. Frederic P. Lee, that the
Government during the last nine
years has taken over 1877 acres in
the county, representing loss of
more than 100000 in the
county's assessable base.
4. Made public a letter from
the County Personnel Board to
Mrs. Madeleine Fennell in which
the board said it lacked jurisdic-
ton to hear Mrs. Fennell'S appeal
from her dismissal last month by
Juvenile Court Judge Alfred D.
Noyes as director of social work.
S. Revealed it is considering set
ting up regulations to require de-
velopers to provide for storm
water drainage facilities in new
subdivisions.
The resolution eliminating the
Takoma Park substation author
ized the return to the city of the
proceeds derived from IL cents of
the tax rate levied on town prop
erty by the county so the town
can enlarge its police force.
Councilman j. Douglas Brad
shaw, who introduced the resolu-
ton, said this would amount to
$15,600 annually.
Police to Be Transferred.
As as a result of the action,
four county policemen and three
desk clerks now assigned to
Takoma Park will be transferred
to, other stations. According to
Mr.. Bradshaw, they will be re-
placed with four additional town
policemen.
The present setup has been at
tackled by town officials as causing
friction between county and town
police. ........
In repeating the resolution deal
ing with street Improvement as
sessments, the council said it would
decide each project on its merits.
In the future, the council said,
property owners involved in front
foot benefit assessments will have
the option of paying the cost in
advance or over a 10-year period
at an interest rate of 6 per cent.
With regard to assessments on
dairy barns and Silos, the council
made public letters on the subject
by Wilton T. Allen, county super
visor of assessments, and John M
Beane, chairman Of a Farmers
Club committee.
Mr.. Beane, who addressed his
letter to Councilman p. G. Ligon
said his group found that in Fred
erick County dairy barns. silos,
milkhouses and feedrooms are as
sessed as one unit. and range
from $50 to 500 per milking stall
In the barn.
Assessed Separately.
In Montgomery County, Mr.
Beane said, the barn, silo, milk
house and bedrooms are assessed
separately and range from $500
to $500 per milking stall.
He added that after the club
protested to Mr.. Allen, the latter
reviewed the assessments and
agreed to reduce them by "a per
cent. But. Mr.. Beane said. this
leaves a marked degree of varia-
ton between barns Of the same
type in this county and in Fred
erick County"
Mr.. Allen maintained in his
letter, addressed to County Man
ager Irving G. McNayr, that 'be-
cause another county is apparent
ly lower in its assessments than
this county, it does not follow that
we are not correct in our assess
ments, for I feel we are"
Mr.. Lee, in reporting on the
amount of county land taken over
by the Government. took his flg-
ures from the 18th biennial report
of the State Tax Commission. He
added the county is receiving
about $1,000 annually from. the
Government in lieu of taxes on
defense housing units.
He emphasized. however, that
this sum doesn't compensate the
county fully for the services rem
dered. The problem is becoming
more and more acute"