Evening star., 1953-03-03
County Council Seeks
Successor 10 McNayr,
Leaving Post April Is
By ChorIes l. Hoffmon

The Montgomery County
Council will consult the Inter-
national City Managers Associa-
tion in its search for a successor
to County Manager Irving G.
McNayr, who was to tender his
resignation today. effective
April 16.
Mr.. McNayr has accepted a
position as public administration
consultant with the Institute of
Inter-American Affairs in Bogo-
ia, Colombia. He is to take over
the position on April 20, but he
will not leave this country until
about June /.
The county manager is leav-
ing a $12,000-a-year post in
which the salary is frozen by
law. His new position carries a
salary of around $4,000, plus
allowances for quarters and other
differential pay.
Council President George F.
Nesbitt said the county will
consult the city managers asso-
citation. But he added that pres
ent county employees will be con-
sidered and public administra-
ton graduate schools contacted
for qualified personnel.
To Make Annual Report.
Mr.. McNayr promised yester-
day to submit his budget recon-.
mendations and annual report
some time between April l and
Is. He jokingly added It'll read
the reaction in the April 16
papers,"
The resignation comes at an
inopportune time for the county
council which will begin a
month-long legislative session
in May.
The controversial Mr.. McNayr
has been with the county govern
ment since February, 1916. He
Joined the government under the
Democrats as county purchas-
ing agent.
A few months later, the lame
duck Democrats named him
county supervisor. Despite his
stormy career. he survived Re-
publican victory and, in 1949,
was named county manager by
the Charter forces.
Although his administration
has received both praise and crit
icism in Montgomery County, in
general it has drawn acclaim in
municipal officers organizations.
Bears Part Of Pressure.
Both the county manager and
the council have been under con-
siderable pressure during the last
few months from suburban area
residents, incensed over sharply
increased assessments and rising
taxes.
Last fall voters turned down
charter amendments that would
have made possible salary in
creaSeS for both the manager
and the council. Mr.. McNayr
said yesterday pay raise would
not have altered his plans to
leave the county.
He said he knows of no poten-
tial successor, but hoped one
would be +pn the job before he
departs. Mr.. Nesbitt supported
the statement, but revealed he
had attended the last city man
ayers conference in Kansas City
to become acquainted with Quali-
t1ed men in the field.
In his new Job Mr.. McNayr
Will act as a consultant to the
Colombian government on budg-
citing, personnel problems and
municipal affairs. The institute
is the State Departments Point
Four arm in the Latin American
area.
ReOrganized Government.
Mr.. McNayr's chief accom-
plishment has been the reorgani.
zation of the county government
under department heads. Under
his guidance the county discon-
tinued the practice of refunding
bonds, established an employe
merit system for hiring and ad-
vancing. set up the three parking
lot districts and installed eight
public parking lots in the Silver
Spring area.
He also encouraged establish
ment Of the county library sys-
tenn and is known as the father
of the $1.6 million new county
Office building in Rockville, due
for completion this summer.