Evening star., 1953-06-23
Curious Public Servant

The current series of articles in The Star
by Gene Goodwin will throw much-needed light
on the operations of nearby Marylands most
remarkable public-service agency, the Wash
ington Suburban Sanitary Commission. For
many years-36, in fact-the people of Mont
gomery and Prince Georges Counties have
been taking this commission too much for
granted About all the average taxpayer knew
about it was that he was paying apparently
reasonable sums to the commission in return
for water, sewer and other services. There have
been criticisms of the commission from time
to time, but no popular uprising against 1t
until quite recently, when the agency suddenly
announced a drastic increase in water-use
rates, without advance warning or explanation.
Indicative of the arbitrary way in which
the WSSC has been in the habit of handling
the public'S business over the years were the
circumstances attending that announcement.
The decision to raise rates higher than those
of any other public water utility in the Metro
politan Area was made behind closed doors at
q session from which even the press was ex-
cluded Reporters, asking admission, were told
by WSSC member: 1--WE have lot of business
to transact-a lot of little things that wouldn't
interest you" In similar vein, Mr.. Goodwin's
efforts to obtain from the commission copy
of consulting firms critical report on the
with the comment that the report was "too
technical" for him to understand. The report
finally was obtained through cooperation of
q State legislator.
The "little things" transacted at the secret
session proved to be of explosive import to
most of the commissions customers. A better
understanding of public responsibility and pub
lie relations could have at least eaSed the i'm
pact of the shock. For there is good reason for
trying to obtain more revenue from water,
sewer and garbage services rendered by the
commission. The commission is heavily in debt
Its Republican members have set the praise
worthy goal of paying off the debt as rapidly
as poSSible-a debt which largely was inherited
from their Democratic predecessors. The three
man commission always has been politically
appointed-a situation which has not con-
tributed to it's efficiency. The law sets up no
specific qualifications for the commissioners.
The really surprising thing is that the
commission has done as good job as it has
done since its creation in 1918 as a relatively
minor enterprise. It has tried to grow with
the two counties, but its policies and procedures
have remained about the same Today al
though taking in approximately $40 million
year from suburban taxpayers, it remains
strangely independent body, appointed by poll
tics and not always responsive to public petit
tions or demands. Neither of the counties has
any voice whatever in its control although each
must guarantee the commissions bonds. At
tenptS to give the counties some degree Of con-
troll, through legislation, have failed in the
past. Perhaps the present resentment of the
people at the commissions "act first and ex-
plain later" attitude with respect to rates may
lead to closer examination by the taxpayers to
determine whether the commission represents
the best form of public service agency.