Evening star., 1949-02-02
Montgomery Council
Approves Limited
Reorganization Plan

The Montgomery County Council
yesterday approved plan for limited
reorganization at the suburban
county service buildings and estab-
lished an Appeal Tax Court to hear
protests against tax assessments.
The council also received q report
from Acting County Manager Irving
G. McNayr on snow removal meth
ods and named Councilman Lewis
Merriam as its representative on the
Board of Public Welfare.
The reorganization Is a modified
version of the proposal submitted
two weeks earlier by Mr.. McNayr.
1t retains some of his recommended
tiOnS, but also accepts many of the
views presented by the Silver Spring
Board of Trade, which objected to
some phases of the McNayr plan.
1t provides that the County En-
gineering Department assume juris-
diction over roads, formerly admin
istered by the suburban county COM
missioners, and also the work Of
the tree department.
The engineering Office will remain
in rented quarters at Silver Spring
instead of being transferred to the
Bethesda Service Building as pro-
posed by Mr.. McNayr for sake of
economy.
Both the Bethesda and Silver
Spring service buildings will be
stated by administrative assistants
to the county manager and one
clerk each. Mr.. McNayr had rec
commended that a single clerk be
retained at each.
The plan provides for the aboli-
ton Of the position of tree culture
specialist. and the manager will be
permitted to drop several clerical |
workers.
Realty Files to Stay.
Real estate records will be kept |
up to date at both buildings, with |
duplicate copies of the master file
at Rockville. Councilmen said this
service will be better than ever.
Records Of street improvement
front foot benefit assessments will
be maintained at Rockville only.
Mr.. McNayr was authorized to
make such changes as he deems
advisable in the telephone service
at suburban buildings. He has pro-
posed elimination of switchboards
for efficiency and economy.
The change in telephones will
become effective April 9, and the
other changes will be effective
March l.
The reorganization does not af-
feet police Substations, trial magis-
trates' courts or the Bethesda Office
of the public utility agent.
Frederic p. Lee, council president.
said some of the unoccupied space
at the service buildings will be
needed later for use by the new
departments Of finance and public
works. A plan for their organiza-
ton is being drafted by Mr.. Nc
Nayr for submission to the council
at an early date.
The Appeal Tax Court will sit
in lieu OF the council on the assess
n1ent protests. The three members
Will receive $40 per diem for their
work. Councilmen said those Sc
leeted will be better qualified than /
themselves to pass on the merits of
individual cases and that the new
system will minimize the element
OF politics. They said the court
would cost less than paying seven
councilmen to sit as tax appeal
board.
Mr.. Merriam suggested that Mont
gomery towns and special taxing
areas may be interested in making
contracts with the county for snow
removal. He and other members
agreed that the cost OF special snow
equipment is heavy for small gov
ernments and such work can be
more eficiently performed by the
county. The matter, however, is one
Tor the communities to decide.
The Council received but took no
action on a letter from James H.
Pugh, Bethesda and Rockville at
torney, recommending the consoli-
dation Of all county functions Mt
the courthouse, including building
inspectors ofiices, Liquor Control
Board activities. coming, engineering
and trial magistrate court work.
He also urged separation of Mont
gomery from Prince Georges in the
Maryland National Capital Park
and Planning Commission and the
eventual enforcement from the
Suburban Sanitary Commission