Evening star., 1951-02-03
Bill Drawn Up
For Manager in
PriinceGeorges
Delegations Propose
Is Part of Measure to
Repeal Sothoron Act
By J. B. Zotmon

By J. B. Zotmon
Legislation to set up a count,
manager form Of government il
Prince Georges County is bein,
drafted by the county's delegation
to the General Assembly, 1t wa
learned today.
The proposal, a radical depar.
ture from the county's presen
commissioner form, will be par
of a bill to repeal the Sothoror
Act.
The latter, sponsored at tn,
last session Of the Legislature BY
former State Senator L. Harole
Sothoron of Prince Georges, pro-
vided principally for a full-tim.
county commissioner and count.
purchasing bureau.
First Steps Toward Survey.
It was strongly opposed by civi,
groups who claimed the measure
was premature pending a survey
Of the county government. Tht
request for such a survey was
turned down by the former Dem
ocratic commissioners but was
pledged by the present all-Repub.
lican board. Only yesterday. the
commissioners authorized initia,
steps for the survey.
According to John F. Lillard
jr., one of four county delegates
working on the repeater, the
county manager plan will be sim
liar to that in effect in Anne
Arundel County.
He emphasized, however, that
the county commissioners would
continue to make basic policies
for the operation of the county
The manager, he explained, would
carry out those policies and su-
pervise the county's business af-
fairs.
May Include Merit System.
In addition, the bill will clear
the way for the establishment Of
various county departments under
the county manager. Mr.. Lillaro
said the delegation also may in
clude a provision for a merit sys-
tenn for county employees.
"We believe" he said, that the
manager will be in a position tt
ferret out items in the govern.
ment which are inefficiently
handled as a result of the old
time practice which the Republi.
can Party inherited of allowing
matters to remain in status quo
1--WE feel there are many item.
in the county government which
can be either eliminated or con.
solidated, thus saving money fol
the taxpayers.
The present full-time commits
sioner, Thomas E. Latimer, woule
continue to receive $500 a year
because the State constitution pro,
hibits any change in the salary o.
an elected official during his tern
Of Office, Mr.. Lillard pointed out
Recommendations Adopted.
The county commissioners, a
their meeting yesterday in Hyatts.
vile. adopted survey recommends
tions of the Citizens Committe,
for Good Government, the Coun
ty Civic Federation, League o
Women Voters and other civil
groups.
The commissioners named Dan
lei A. Abbott of Camp Spring
from their membership as one o
the three members of a specia
committee to initiate and guide
the survey. They also voted t.
notify the county legislative dele
cation formally Of the choice ant
ask the delegation to choose one o
its members to serve On the spe
cial committee.
Third To Be Selected.
Selection of the third member
a person with professional back
ground in local government-wil
be made by the executive boart
Of the citizens committee. vii
liam r. Turner, executive secre
tary Of the citizens group. toll
the commissioners the choice pro
ably will be made in time to in
form the county heads Tuesday a
their meeting in Upper Marlboro
For their part, the commission
ers stated that when the specia
committees work is finished
when the commissioners are read
to sign contract with a surve.
firm for the study-the committe.
will be dissolved.
The other commissioners echoed
Mr.. Abbott's sentiments in tina
regard, when he said:
1--WE fought like heck to licl
one machine in the last cam
paign-we don't want another on,
around"
Earlier, Mr.. Turner had told tn,
commissioners:
1.-THE recommendations of {
comprehensive survey are badl!
needed by the citizens of thi
county. Many of the problems
that face the county cannot b,
solved until its citizens are full!
informed. The survey movemen
from it's inception has been {
citizens movement "a genuine
desire to approach the problems
of the county on a constructive
and objective basis"
Re Dodi%n+od