The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1953-03-12


dinner meeting on Monday night at
the Masonic Temple, and when all
the reports were in Paul r. Comegys,
general chairman of the Drive, an
nounced that it had gone over the
top by over $4,000 The total re-
ported at the meeting was $32,360.
The general chairman also an
nounced that the Washington Coun-
ty Chapter was the first in Maryland
to meet its 1858 quota.
Congratulations to everyone con-
nected with the Drive.
The much discussed School Bill,
introduced by Delegate Hicks, which
would have fixed by law the date the
public schools of Washington County
would close for the summer vaca-
ton, was killed by a vote of the
Washington County Delegation af-
ter a public hearing was held last
Wednesday, March 4.
l was very glad to have taken a
small part in the killing of the bill,
my action being in the form of a
letter to the Washington County
Delegation, in which l stated that
the opening and closing dates of our
schools should not be fixed by an
arbitrary state law, but should be
left in the hands of our Board of
Education and the Superintendent
of Schools.
My congratulations to the Board
of County Commissioners and our
State Senator and Delegates to the
House, on getting together Sunday
afternoon, at a two-hour session, to
freely discuss certain bills that will
be introduced during this session.
Although l don't like to work on
Sundays, I felt it was my duty to
attend the meeting in order that |
could bring you firsthand informa-
ton regarding what took place and
I also realized that, since our elected
officials to the State Government
must be in Annapolis all week, it
was necessary to hold the meeting
on Sunday afternoon, particularly
as most of the bills discussed would
have to be written and introduced
this week.
Those present at the meeting were:
President of the Board, Winslow F
Burhans; Commissioners, Chester F,
Delphey, Clarence V. Eldridge, Jo-
seph M. Hoffman and E. Lester
Mobley; County Attorney, Martin
v. B. Bostetter; State Senator D.
Kenneth Mclaughlin; and Delegates,
Myron l.. Bloom, Fred c. Downey,
John B. Huyett and Omer 7. Kay
lor, Jr.
Delegates George Hicks and How
ard Ankeney did not attend.
tend.
During the conference matters of
interest to Washington County were
fully and freely discussed and here
are some of the conclusions arrived
at:
Senator Mclaughlin will intro
duce bill this week to increase the
salary of the Tax Collector to $500
per year and the Register of Wills to
$500 per year Since these are
both elected offices, the increases
will not be effective until the next
term-January l, 1855.
He will also introduce Bill CIV
ing the Board of County Commits
sioners authority to appoint the
County Clerk, instead of, as at pres
ent, having the Clerk elected by the
voters at the same time the Com
missioners are elected.
During the discussion on this Bill,
it was pointed out that Washington
County is the only county in the
state that elects the County Clerk
The Bill will also give the Com
missioners the authority to fix the
salaries of the County Attorney, the
County Clerk and the assistant
County Clerk.
The Delegation will introduce the
following:
A bill to increase the salary of the
members of the Board of County
Commissioners to $4,000. These are
also elected offices and the new sal
airy will not be effective until jan
uary l, 1855.
During the discussion on this bill
it was pointed out that the Commits
sioners at present receive a salary
of $1,000 a year, plus $500 for travel
expenses and an additional $1,000
per day for sitting as a Board of Tax
Appeals, which usually amounts to
between $500 and $500 year. I'm
der the bill being introduced they
will receive the fiat salary of $1,000
with the other items being killed