Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-25
Senate Repeats
Sothoron Act in
Vote
Montgomery County
Non-Purtisun Schoo!
Elections Approved
By q staff cer.spendsn, Of III. s,sr

ANNAPOLIS, Mar. IA bill
repeating the disputed Sothoron
Act and Substituting interim legis-
lation under which Prince
Georges county would operate
until a governmental survey is
completed was sent to Gov. Nc
Keldin today.
The repeater and amended sub
stitute received final approval in
the Senate along with a measure
providing for non-partisan cleo
ton of Montgomery county school
board members.
Meanwhile the Senate adopted
a favorable report by it's judi
ciary committee on a bill de.
signed to block discontinuance
April of service on eight Capt.
tai Transit Company buslines
serving parts of Prince Georges
and Montgomery Counties.
An unfavorable Senate judi
ciary committee report on an
other measure which would have
required the transit company to
operate the eight Improbable
lines as long as its whole system
showed a fair return also was
adopted.
Fast Passage Indicated.
There were indications that the
favorably-reported bill carrying
an emergency clause, will be hur-
ried through both Houses so that
it can become effective before
franchises on the disputed lines
expire Saturday.
Victory for Montgomery's school
board bill-achieved after a four
year fight-came after the Sen
ate at first approved it without
Opposition.
But few minutes later a long
time opponent. Senator C. Ferdi-
nand Sybert, Democrat, of How
ard County. realized the bill had
been passed on fast roll call.
He asked for reconsideration so
that he could be recorded against
lit. Senator John o. Byrd, Demo-
crat. OF Worcester County also
cast negative vote.
If signed by the Governor, the
measure will be voted on in q
referendum in November. It pro-
vides for seven instead of six
school board members as at pres
Ient and permits them to run
without party designation. Two
members at large would be elected,
along with one from each of the
five County Council districts.
Effective on June /.
School boards in all other coun-
ties are named by the Governor.
The Sothoron Act repeater went
through without a ripple in the
Senate's long Saturday afternoon
meeting-the first of the current
session. 1t will become effective
June /, if signed by Gov. McKeldin.
In final form, the Sothoron sub
stitute does not provide for q
county architects Office.
1t would abolish the Office Of
the county engineer and set up
in its place a Department of Pub
Elic Works with the same general
functions.
The bill orders that the new de-
partment be headed by a Mary
land licensed engineer to be nemed
by the commissioners.
Other main provisions of the
substitute bill:
/. Empower the commissioner
to appoint a county manager If
they consider such action feasible
and desirable"
2. Continue the present system
of government by a five member
board, one to serve full time at
$500 a year. The others would
receive $500 annually. The board
is directed. to meet twice each
week with meeting places left to
their discretion.
| 3. Make mandatory an already
initiated governmental survey and
direct that findings be submitted
by February l, 1852. Three public
hearings are to be held on the
report, the first not later than
March IS and the final on or be-
fore June Is.
| Also provided for in the bill are
county purchasing and personnel
bureaus. The county commits
sioners are to name the heads of
both departments but are directed
to employ personnel supervisor
with at least five years experience.
The bill also gives the commits
sioners broad power to set up
additional departments and to