Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-02-10

ldT6.
ular Meetings, we approved in
early Spring a detailed plan for
the hook-up of an auxiliary line
on Route 240 with the Washing
ton Suburban Sanitary Commits
sion's water mains, the erection
of a large 100000 gallon water
tank, a booster pump and other
incidental equipment, and the un-
ceasing endeavors of our City
Manager, John G. Mcdonald, de-
serve, in our considered opinion,
most honorable mention in this
connection. Although new Coun-
Gil took office at that time, it
was these plans which prevented
a major disaster in our midst,
and we appreciate that the in
coming Mayor and Council, eag-
er to change our entire City
structure, adhered to these plans
and carried them through to an
eventual successful completion.
Politically, we have observed
strictly a non-partisan policy, and
in spite of much pressure being
brought on individual officers of
ours, particularly by new groups
coming into existence, we steered
our course unchanged.
Naturally, we want to be open
minded, and thus we accorded
equal time to each slate of Of
ficers to present its platform and
answer us how it proposed to
run the City. We were much i'm
pressed by the slogan: Form a
representative government with
modern views, cognizant of the
growth of our town and giving
full recognition to its commuter
resident taxpayers" and many
votes in our Section helped to
elect our present Council. How
ever, that should not mean that
we wish to give each Council in
office blank check or go auto
matically along with plans and
verdicts of the Council and its
advisory bodies.
In solving our common civic
problems, we firmly feel that the
initiative should still rest with
the individual Citizen Groups
not merely being the instrument
of any one particular handful of
citizens-and that our City, if it
wants to do justice to its recent
ly acquired nationwide reputa.
! ton, should heed the wishes of
each individual group. What may
be good for one sector of the
City may not necessarily be suit
able for another; the people on
one side of the town may pre-.
fer bushes on their front lawn
instead of trees near the side,
walk; or swings instead of func.
tional playground equipment; OF
an individual smaller community
house, accommodating its immed
late neighborhood, rather than a
mammoth community center
serving a mass of people on a
city-wide basis. All these wishes
of each community should be re
spected, and "unity"-so much
spoken of can only be truly
accomplished if each group is
permitted, within the scope OF
the City's administration, to pur
sue-within reason-its own hap
piness.
You have a fine Mayor and
very capable Councilmen who
have sacrificed untold hours fol
our benefit. Our gratitude car
best be reflected in continuing tc
give them our fullest support.
In bidding farewell, after serv
ing as your elected officer dur
ing the first year of our com
mon venture, 1 should like tc
thank each one of you for the
gracious display of helpful team
work and your eager cooperation
in all the many projects which
we tackled. We have gone a Ions
way, without clamoring for pub
lie recognition, and feel certain
that the new President and Elk
ecutive Council, so eminently
qualified, will enjoy the same
: close community spirit.
/ enjoyed working with you
and am grateful for the trust be
slowed on me by the citizens Of
; Rockcrest.
: God-speed,
f. Theodore Arndt
J The armament of the first