Evening star., 1951-04-04
Planning Chief
NaI1ledforU Upper
Part Of County
Council Confirms
Engineer for New
$500 Position

Patrick j. Cusick, jr., 81, Of
Medford, Mass, has been appoint
led the first planning engineer
for the Upper Montgomery Coun-
ty Planning Commission.
The appointment of Mr.. Cusick,
who will give up his position as
planning director and assistant
city manager of Medford, was con-
f1rmed by the County Councill
at its meeting in Rockville yes
terday. He was selected for the
newly created job from among
more than 20 applicants.
The job will carry a salary Of
$500 annually and takes effect
May /.
It will be Mr.. Cusick's duty to
plan development of the upper
county in manner similar to the
planning job done in the suburban
area by the Maryland National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission.
To Enlarge Open Sessions.
In another action, the council.
in effect, adopted a new policy of
attempting to limit its agenda
for closed sessions and enlarge
its agenda for open sessions"
That statement was contained in
letter the council approved and
which was written by President
j. Louis Monarch to j. r. Virgins.
managing editor of the Washing
ton Post.
Mr.. Virgins had appealed to,
Mr.. Monarch for more open ses-,
sions of the county council. The
council has come in for much
criticism recently because of its
practice of conducting much Of
its business behind closed doors.
The criticism came to a head
last month, when the council
asked the county's legislative
delegation in Annapolis to intro
duce legislation giving the county
broad new tax powers and no
record of the action could be
found in the minutes of either the
closed or open sessions.
In his letter to Mr.. Virgins,
Mr.. Monarch wrote:
"In Montgomery County, the
practice has been for the council
to hold both open and closed
meetings, but all official votes and
official acts take place at open
meetings. Our closed sessions are
held primarily for the purpose Of
celebrating on the action to be
taken.
No Secrecy Intended.
'There is no disposition to con-
duct public business in secret.
but it seems clear that the pre-
mature disclosures Of opinions
and plans which are only tenta-
tive would not be in the public
interest and might even be pref
JUDICIAL. We believe that the
public is entitled to be fully in
formed of any final decisions, but
that mutual understanding and
harmonious agreement can be
more readily achieved in closed
meetings.
Acting upon these general
principles, the Montgomery Coun-
ty Council is attempting to limit
Its agenda for closed sessions
and enlarge its agenda for open
sessions"
The council also took under ad-
visement an appeal from the Ar
Ilington County Public Utilities
Commission to join in petition
to the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. The petition, which is
to be filed later this week, pro-
poses the creation of a joint
regulatory board to set up
standard transit and bus rates
and routes for the District and
nearby Maryland and Virginia.
The Arlington commission has
discussed the petition with Of
f1cials of the District and other
AFFECTED cities and counties. Gerald
j. GlasSman of the commission,
who presented the proposal to
the council, said he expects most
of the counties and cities in the
area will. support the petition,
after the officials have had a
chance to study it.