Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-08-08
Vetoof 3Bi||s
BYMontgomery
Council Asked
Parking Lot Program
And Fire Department
Audit Measure Hit

bills, two of which
would set up public parking lot
in Wheaton and Mont
gomery Hills, were before the
Montgomery County Council to-
day.
The third measure provides for
annual audits of all Fire Depart
ment funds used to buy or operate
fire fighting equipment.
A fourth veto request, involving
the controversial Bethesda park
ing lot bill, was placed before the
council about three weeks ago.
All of the bills, passed at the
councils legislative session last
May, will become effective August
Is unless vetoed.
Calls Plan Uneconomical.
The request to veto the Wheaton
and Montgomery Hills parking
lot bills came in a letter received
by the council yesterday from
Arthur B. Hanson, attorney for
Safeway Stores, Inc.
In his letter. Mr.. Hanson said
no pressing public need has been
shown for the establishment Of
public parking lots in the two
communities. And he went on to
express "unalterable" opposition
to any public parking lot plan,
which he claimed has been uni
versally shown to be uneconomical
and not in the best interest of the
community as a whole"
Heading a delegation urging the
veto of the audit bill was Chief
M. E. Mcbride of the Takoma Park
Fire Department. The group repre-
sented the county Volunteer Fire
mems Association.
Our fire departments are very
proud he said, "and they believe
they are being stepped on a bit
by this bill. There has never been
any question in any ones mind
about how to use our funds"
Urges Substitute Measure.
He told the council information
on fire department operations may
be obtained now. merely by re-
questing it, and suggested that
substitute legislation be drafted for
presentation next May.
Marbery Gates. president Of the
firemen's association, termed the
bill an "unwarranted trespass on
our private affairs"
1--WE feel" he explained. "that if
we raise money by our own eff
forts, in addition to the funds we
receive from the county, we should
not be accountable for 1t to the
council"
Council members insisted they
had no intention of interfering
with the operation Of the various
fire departments or of prying into
their affairs. AS Councilman
Lathrop Smith put it:
When a fire department asks
for public funds, the only way to
determine the need for it is to
go into all phases of fire fighting
operations. This bill is intended
to do just that-help us deter
mine the needs of the depart
ments."
Recalls Gaithersburg Case.
He recalled that when the Gal
thersburg- Washington Grove Fire
Department asked for an increase
in tax funds several months ago,
it could not prove its case because
it had failed to keep proper
records.
At present, every fire depart
ment receives $500 from the coun-
ty for each piece of equipment,
up to a maximum of 1900. Most
of the Is departments, however,
also receive additional funds
through special fire taxes in their
areas.
All three of yesterdays requests
were taken under advisement.
Meanwhile, Council President j.
Louis Monarch announced the
group will meet with Bethesda
businessmen at 7:30 pm. tomor-
row in the Rockville Courthouse
to discuss further the Bethesda
parking lot bill.
County Manager Irving G. Nc
Nayr was authorized to proceed
with construction of sidewalks
without retaining walls along
both sides of Bayfield, street be-
tween Hood street and Old Bla-
densburg road. Silver Spring.
Appointments Approved.
Among appointments approved
were four with the Department of
Public Libraries. They are:
Miss Betty L. Byrne. Gathers
burg, and Mrs. Rose C. Moore,
Garrett Park, as clerical assist
ants at $4,000 a year; Mrs. Mar
jorie r. Bowen. Alexandria, as
professional assistant at $1,000 a
year and Eleanor S. Furman, Sill
yer Spring, as part-time profess
sional assistant at 81 $50 a year
In addition, Jesse w. Crown,
Gaithersburg. was appointed to
the police force at $4,000 a year
Chamber Picnic Today
CHARLOTTESVILLE. Va. Aug
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