Evening star., 1953-06-07
City Officials
Reach Accord
On Health Plan
Shift of Bureaus
Cut From Draft
Of Reorganization
By John w. Stepp

rector and the city governments
reorganizers have come to a sur
prisingly speedy meeting of the
minds on the proposed overall
reorganization of the Health
Department, it was learned last
night.
The rough draft of the pro-
gram has not only been approved
by Health Director Daniel L.
Seckinger. but is expected to be
polished up and handed to the
Commissioners this week, prob
ably Tuesday.
This revamping plan excludes
the proposed and controversial
shift of the bureaus of public
health engineering and food in
spection from the Health De-
partment to a proposed new
consolidated Licenses and In
spections Department.
Compromise Student.
DR.. Seckinger, who exploded
in protest against this plan, now
is studying a compromise offer
by Mr.. Lowe. The compromise
involves transferring routine"
inspection functions out of the
Health Department and leaving
technical" inspection matters
under the health directors con-
troll.
Neither DR.. Seckinger nor Mr..
Lowe would divulge anything
about the overall Health De-
partment proposal. But the
health director seemed pleased.
II did ask for modification of
some small Details" he said.
But they were only small de-
tails that should not prevent
getting the program before the
Commissioners in a couple of
days."
Lowe Appears Relieved.
Administration Director Lowe,
who has taken a heavy pound
ing from DR.. Seckinger and
other sources on the health en-
gineering and food inspection
plan, seemed relieved at the
new accord. He said he is look
ing forward to getting the final
recommendations in shape for
Tuesday presentation to the
Commissioners and their Citi-
zen's Advisory Council.
On the face of it, DR.. Seek
inger's amenability to the pro-
gram stems largely from the
fact that Mr.. Lowe favors a
single director, rather than a
Board of Commissioners. which
advanced the whole reorganiza-
ton program, clearly opposed
policy-making boards at the
head of government agencies.
If, as is indicated, the health
reorganization plan emissions no
board, it will probably encounter
of an influential citi-
zens' committee on medical care
for indigents. This committee
formation of such
a board for the Health Depart
ment.
Welfare Program Drafted.
A draft of the Welfare Depart
ment reorganization program.
meanwhile, has been handed
Welfare Director Gerard M. Shea
and the Welfare Board which
guides departmental policies.
Here, too, it is understood, the
have urged elimina-
ton of the board in it's present
This course has already met
opposition. Commis-
sioner Renah F. Camalier, the
ultimate welfare chief of the
District, declared in a radio
broadcast last night that he
frowns on any such plan.
Our Welfare Board has rem
dered magnificent service" Mr..
Camalier declared in the weekly
Commissioners Report" over |
Station WWDC. II think of the
board as an institution that !
should not be abolished"
How far the reorganizers will
yet-and how soon-against the
ouilt-in objections of the "wel-
fare commissioner" and the !
board members remains to be |
seen. But whatever happens
must happen fast since the fun
1amental revamping of this, and
all agencies, must be accom- |
plished by June 80, under the
aW.