Evening star., 1953-04-22
Council Studies
Move 10 Probe
r.
Rates;
Acts After Herring
Protests on Boosts
BY Commission

Montgomery County legal ON.
cials today were studying possi-
bic means Of bringing about an
investigation of recent rate In.
creases put into effect by the
Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission.
;, One method being considered
is to request the Maryland Public
Service Commission to make an
inquiry to see whether the in.
creaseS are justified.
The County Council yesterday
instructed County Attorney
David Macdonald to have his
staff search law books to deter
mine what legal right the coun-
Gil has, If any. to instigate an
vestigation Of the State agency.
The council acted after re-
ceiving protest of the increased
rates from Willard A. Morris.
president of the Allied Civic
Group of Silver Spring. Mr..
Morris later said he had been
informed by former member Of
the Maryland Public Service
Commission that it can, upon
official request of the county, in
vestigate whether or not the new
sewage. garbage and incinerator
fees are justified.
Nesbitt Concerned.
The council action was taken
in closed session. but was con-
f1rmed by Council President
George F. Nesbitt. He expressed
concern about the manner in
which the rate increases were
authorized without public hear
ing and without showing an ade-
quate need.
The Sanitary Commission au-
thorized the increases last week
in a closed-door session from
which the press and public was
barred in accordance with long,
standing policy of the agency.
The commission authorized q
new sewer usage charge Of IA
cents per 1000 gallons of water.
retroactive to March /. About
10000 suburban Prince Georges
and Montgomery County resi-.
dents will be required to pay
that fee in addition to the ex-
listing water. fee Of q cents per
thousand.
The fee for garbage collection
In Montgomery County was
raised from $1.65 to $2.25 A..
month, effective September I.
The commission only supplies
that service in Montgomery. In
addition, however, the fee which
private garbage collectors pay
for use of the commissions il1-
cinerators was increased from So
to 81 a ton, effective May /. The
private collectors undoubtedly
will pass that rate increase on
to their customers.
Streets Called Inadequate.
Meanwhile, the council was
told by Mason A. Butcher, di-
rector of public works, that
streets in the Silver Spring busi-
ness district and to a lesser de.
gree in Bethesda "are wholly in.
adeullate."
Estimating that the growing
suburban area will require about
So million worth of new roads a
year, Mr.. Butcher said the busi-
ness district streets will have to
be improved or maintenance
costs will mount.
Mr.. Butchers statements were
contained In a report to the
Citizens Committee named by
the Council recently to study the
county budget.
RezOnings Granted.
The council granted these re.
zoning applications:
/. BY Maddox and Hopkins to
reclassify from residential to
commercial a lot at 8502 Dixon
avenue. Silver Spring.
2. BY A. Myron Cowell, Inc,
to reclassify from residential to
industrial a 1.6-acre tract near
the B. & o. Railroad tracks
and the Brookeville- -Tenleytown
road.
3. BY Attorney John r.
Reeves, for estate of D. w.
ODonoghue, to reclassify from
residential to industrial 1872
acres of land along the B. & o.
tracks between Randolph road
and Nicholson lane, near Hal
pine.
4. BY Patrick H. Nusbaum to
reclassify from residential to
commercial two lots on the south
side Of Sligo avenue in the first
block east of Georgia avenue,
Silver Spring.