Evening star., 1950-05-26
Council Passes
Bill 10 Tighten
RockviIIeJ Jail
County Manager
Given Authority
To Name Warden

A bill designed to make the
Rockville Jail escape-proof bore
the approval today Of the Mont
gomery County Council.
The measure was one of IL
passed yesterday by the council in
the longest legislative meeting of
its current session, which opened
May l. All become effective Au-
gust IS. Nineteen bills, including
two introduced yesterday. still
must be acted on by next We'd
nesday.
Also adopted was a resolution
to amend the county charter to
make it easier for citizens to de-
mand referendums on Council
laws. The resolution reduces from
10 to per cent of the registered
voters the number of signatures
required on a referendum petition
Introduced yesterday were bills
to eliminate a provision requiring
publication of Liquor Board re-
ceipts and to repeal obsolete Sec
tions of the county code relating
to the Circuit Court clerk.
Sponsored by Bradshaw.
The jail bill, sponsored by
Councilman j. Douglas Bradshaw
authorizes the county manager to
appoint a warden and any neces-
sary assistants. At present, such
appointments are made by the
sheriff and are not under the
county merit system.
Describing the measure as Every
important" Council President
Frederic p. Lee said there had
been four attempted jailbreaks
last year. three of which were sue
cessful.
These attempts" Mr.. Lee de-
clared, were due in large part to
an inadequate jail force, both
from a physical and a training
viewpoint, in the opinion of Fed
eral prison inspectors"
Asserting that the problem is
immediate and acute,"' Mr.. Lee
pointed out the bill empowers the
county manager to make the ap-
pointments before August IS.
Cook Now Is Trusty.
County Manager Irving G. Nc
Nayr told reporters he would ap-
point a jailer and three guards,
one of whom would be a cook,
within a month. He said the
present jailer, Joseph Moxley. 81,
is eligible for retirement under the
State system. Mr.. Moxley now is
assisted by three guards. The
cooking is done by a trusty.
The II other bills passed provide
that:
/. Certain banks may be desig-
mated as repositories for county
funds.
2. The fee for certifying pay
ment or non-payment Of taxes
shall be 81 for four years and IS
cents for each additional year.
Charge for Removing Debris.
8. The county may remove
debris from private property if the
owner refuses to do so, and then
charge the owner for the work.
4. The council may prescribe
the conditions under which any
street, alley or road may be ac-
cepted by the county for main
tenance.
S. The county attorney shalt
compile all laws passed at the
councils current session.
6. No building located beyond
a public sewer shall be occupied
unless its sewage disposal facili-
ties have been approved by the
county health officer.
7. The council may set fees in
issuing licenses and permits.
Approval of Bonds.
8. Bonds of treasurers Of the
various fire departments shall be
approved by the county manager
and county attorney, instead of
the Circuit Court judge.
9. The county attorney shall
publish a compilation of all Mont
gomery County laws in effect as
of August Is. including those
dealing with special taxing areas,
incorporated towns and the Mary
land-National Capital Park and
Planning and Washington Subur-
ban Sanitary Commissions.
10. The council may pass regu-
lations covering the sale and dis
charge of firearms and their use
by minors.
IL. Technical amendments shall
be made in a law dealing with
permits and licenses for public
entertainment places.