Evening star., 1953-11-18

Costs Estimated
AT 100000
loves Report Cites
Difficulty in Fixing
Expense to D. 6.


Expense to D. c.
The District government re-
organization program cost
somewhat over 100000" from
July l, 1852, to last Septem-
ber 30.
This was the report of Gen.
eral Administration Director
Schuyler Lowe, covering the first
IA months of the streamlining
job which is still under way.
The report, approved by the
District Commissioners yester-
day, will be incorporated into
the city's annual statement 20
Congress on the fiscal year op-
Grafton.
Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Louis
w. Prentiss. Engineer Commits
sioner, revealed that he has in
structed department heads un-
der his jurisdiction to submit
their own reports on reorganiza-
ton progress directly to him.
Wants to Know Effects.
IT want them to give me re-
organization status reports to
aid in a proposed study for i'm
proving procedures the rest Of
this (1954) fiscal year." Gen.
Prentiss said. He said he wants
to know in writing whether any
savings have been realized and
whether efficiency has been in
creased or public services ex-
panded.
Commissioners Samuel Spen-
Ger and Renah F. Camalier in
dicated that reports from agen-
cieS for which they are re-
sponsible should be forthcoming
in week or two. Gen. Prentiss
expects his reports next Monday.
Administrator Lowe had a
hard time putting a finger on
the actual costs of the program.
He pointed out that, during
fiscal 1853, Government agencies
were assessed $242,60 to finance
reorganization. Of this assess
ment, all but Sal, 1000 was spent.
But. he stated, large part Of
the work this amount covered
went toward performing admin
istrative activities that would
have been required eventually,
irrespective of any reorganiza-
ton program"
Explains Difficulty.
Mr.. Lowe explained that "at-
tempting to split the cost into
two parts-between the normal
administrative work and the re-
organization works. extremely
difficult"
This, he said, resulted largely
from the fact that the General
Administration Department-the
only identifiable source for the
reorganization coSt-cared for a
large number of consolidated ad-
ministrative matters, as we'll as
the reorganizing itself.
Among costs directly assign
able to reorganization without
question" however, we're $4,000
to run the newly created man.
agement office and $31 ,485 for
the office of Director Lowe. Only
half the latter sum, however,
should be marked up to reorgan-
ization, Mr.. Lowe said.
In the section of his report
devoted to past accomplishments
of the program, the administra-
ton director dwelt mostly in
future and generalized terms
For examples:
l. General Administration De-
partment, centralizing control
over fiscal, personnel. manage
ment, supply and property, will
eliminate unnecessary duplica-
tions and result in greater
efficiency and economy in their
performance"
In Sanitary Engineering.
2. Sanitary Engineering De-
partment, designed to permit
integration of related functions
will permit specialization in
the operational, administrative
and planning functions, thus i'm
proving effectiveness and reduc-
ing performance costs"
3. Licenses and Inspections De-
partment consolidation should
result E. in more efficient opera
tions stemming from the elimina-
ton of overlapping and duplica-
tive functions and the introduce
ton of improved, simplified
procedures should result in actual
dollar savings in the future"
Numbering concrete results.
the report includes the forma-
tior of a Public Health Advisory
Council, a Public Welfare Ad-
visory Council (to replace the old
independent Welfare BoardD,
putting the dog pound under
the Metropolitan Police Depart
ment and setting up a Buildings
and Grounds Department that
can, among other things, carry
on a comprehensive preventive
maintenance program for the
city's physical plant"
Sees Major Benefits.
But pointing with apparently
most pride, the administration
department reached these two
conclusions:
Perhaps the most significant
benefit" is that the Commits
sioners are now enabled col
lectively to devote the maximum
amount of their time to func-
tions Of broad policy and ad-
ministration, and individually
to give greater attention to the
business of the departments un-