Milford chronicle., 1955-12-16
Board ChGpgeOUer
Accomplished
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the Commission. / understand the
situation and I want to cOngratu-
late you. You're in a pretty rough
position and we will work with
you in the interests Of the State
of Delaware.
"I am sure we all want to do
the very best job and bIild good
highways for the people Of Della
ware"
Mr.. Smith: 81 am sure you mean
what you say, Hugh. And / am
positive we will do a good job for
the state"
Prior to stepping down as chair
man of the commission, Mr.. Sharp
made a statement to this effect:
in order that there will be no
misunderstanding, I'd like to make
a statement. We do not consider
Senate Bill 524 (the bill that crea-
ted the current 12-member COM
mission) as constitutional.
eve believe that the Highway
Commission as it existed on June
8 (before the first ripped bill was
passed) should continue unchanged
despite the action of the General
Assembly.
However, pending the decision
of the courts and in order to miti-
gate insofar as possible the Grip
pling effects of the General Assem-
bly's actions on the efficient func-
tiOning Of this important agency,
we (the Republican members) in
tend to participate in the work Of
this commission.
However, we do not abandon
our claim that the bill is uncon-
stitutiOnal and we assert our con-
tentiOn that the Highway Depart
ment has not been altered"
In other words, Mr.. Sharp, on
behalf of himself and the three
Republican commissioners CDR. J.
Draper Brown of Centerville, Frank
r. Grier Of Milford and William P.
Richardson Of Dover), intend to
amend the suit already pending in
the state courts against the first
ripper bill that set up a five-mem-
Der Highway CommissiOn-bu in
the meantime will continue to take
part in the Highway Commission
deliberations.
Mr.. Sharp had indicated this last
week when he said that the all inn
pOrtant thing was to continue the
of the State Highway
Department without interruption
so that nothing will be done to
hamper the work of the department
in constructing highways, main
tanning the highways and other OBJ
legations Of the department.
The other members of the High
way Commission (all Democrats)
are:
Benjamin F. Shaw, II, of Will
Dallas d. Culver of Sea-
ford (bOth on the Highway Com
before it had been ripped
out on June 81 Benjamin Ableman
Of Wilmington, Robert d. ThOmp-
son of Rehoboth Beach; Edward
Kelly of Rising Sun. Kent County:
Thurman Adams of Bridgeville and
Samuel J. Fox of Leipsic.
OF these men, Mr.. Adams was
the only new man who survived !
the ripping out of the first ripper
bill.
Because Senate Bill 524 which |
was finally enacted into law last
week by the General Assembly over
The veto of Governor Boggs stated |
that the so-called Highway Com
in exile (seven member
COP CONTROLLED he continued in
office plus five more Democrats, it |
was logical that when the meeting
Dpened Mr.. Sharp should take the
chair. He had been chairman Of
The seven member board at the time
it was first ripped out of existence.
However, prior to the formal /
meeting, Mr. Smith. entertained his
fellow commissioners at luncheon,
Dlus top personnel of the Highway
Department and members of the
press.
In this way, a real atmosphere
If personal congeniality was de-
7elODed.
While there was some gentle kid
ling about politics, none Of it was
serious. The old members of the
board met with the question: 'eWas
Ar. Arsht the attorney for the pres