Evening star., 1953-05-13
Tighter Curbs
.Hit by Firemen
In Montgomery
Volunteers to Wage
Bitter Fight Against
New Council PIun )


Volunteer firemen in Mont.
gomery County are set to wage
q bitter fight on a bill intro.
duced yesterday to give the
county council new and tighter
controls. over area fire depart
mentS.
The bill was introduced at the
May legislative session by Coun-
Gilman Harold r. Hammond. II
followed talks between the coun.
Gil and members of the County
Fire Board.
Also submitted yesterday was
a measure that would initiate q
program Of self-insurance fol-
the county government.
Petitions Expected.
The fire department control
bill is probably the most contro-
versial piece of legislation intro
duced this session.
A number of fire departments
have indicated they will circulate
petitions to drum up public op-
position to the bill.
The bill, although containing
a number of provisions requested
by the County Fire Board, was
introduced despite the boards
bid that it be tabled until next
year.
Firemen fear the bill is part
Of a plan Of county charter
leaders to have the council
take over the volunteer depart
ments and replace them with
paid units.
The bill would permit the
council to establish the fire tax
rate in all fire areas in the
county and would abolish the tax
rate ceilings now in effect. The
council now lacks authority to
change the requested rates of the
Kensington, Upper Montgomery
Cabin John and Hillandale Fire
Departments.
Fire boards also would be re-
quired to submit a budget to the
council on which a hearing would
be held to determine the tax
rate. The council could trim the
budget total but could not tell
the various departments how
they must spend the money they
receive. -.
Hopkins Hits Move.
Silver Spring Fire Board Pres
ident Page F.. Hopkins said the
next logical step. If this bill
passes. would be for the council
to abolish the, fire areas and
pay for fire protection out OF
general county funds. Then
would come the paid depart
ments. he said.
IF the councilmen want paid
departments" he said, 'let them
tell the people what they are
shooting for and stop beating
around the bush."
The self Insurance bill intro
duced yesterday by Lathrop E
Smith would permit the county
to borrow up to $500,O00 to re-
place or repair any county OF
School Board building damaged
by fire, food, wind or other dis
aSter.
Also introduced yesterday was
a measure to reorganize the Ken
sington Fire Board, to establish
stricter controls over its fiscal
operations and to set up a new
fire area committee to elect II
of the proposed 13-member fire
board.
The bill was drawn by repre-
sentatives of the Fire Board, the
volunteer fire department and II
citizens associations in the area,
Councilman Harold F. Hammond
said.
A public hearing will be held
in Rockville Courthouse at 8
PM. May %, on the two bills
affecting the fire department.
Other Bills Expected.
The council yesterday also
indicated that bills would be
introduced next week:
/. To authorize the council to
issue $750,000 in bonds for street
road and storm drainage con-
Struction.
2. To create a new recreation
tax district along general lines OF
the suburban district and exempt
upper county farmers from pay
ing a recreation tax levy.
3. To amend the Parking Lot
District Act to make exemp.
tions in the various districts
uniform.
Hearings on these three bills
and the self-insurance measure
are slated for 8 pm, May Is, ir
Rockville Courthouse.