Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-07-21
Wheaton Fire
Continued from Page ~

CONTINUED from Page ~
tions to various insurance com
panies, stating that the board
hoped to put the plan into effect
on or before July l.
Ads Required
Then, at the June 6 meeting,
board chairman Lawrence A.
Widmayer, Jr, pointed out that
the board was required by law to
advertise for bids on any con-
tract costing more than $500.
The insurance will cost about
$1,000 a year.
The advertisements were pub.
lished on June 9 and 10, and
stated that bids were due one
week from date of publication.
On June q, the board met to
decide on a policy. AT that meet
ing, Mr.. Masoner said he had re.
ceived four more bids. and read
them. The board then voted to
accept the Atlantic contract. With
only one dissenter. The minutes
do not record who voted no.
Members Contacted
After that meeting, several in
Surance agents contacted mem
bers of the board to complain
that they had not seen the adj
vertisements, and that the speci-
fications sent to them earlier
had given July as the deadline
for bids.
The board then met on July
l. and two of these agents APP
peared at the meeting to discuss
their proposals. After the discus
sion, the board voted 90 to let
the decision to sign with Atlantic
Life stand.
Mr.. Montgomery also questions
the boards actions because he
feels that it did not fully ex-
plOre the insurance situation. He
thinks an insurance trust fund
plan should be looked into
thoroughly.
Trust Plan Out
Stephen Hotsko, board Secre-
tary, told the SENTINEL that
the board discarded this trust
fund plan because it would have
set up an individual trust for
each worker, payable whenever
he leaves the department. In
other words, Mr.. Hotsko said, a
man could work for the depart
ment for year or so, and then
quit and collect the money paid
into his retirement fund by the
fire board.
Mr.. Montgomery indicated that
he felt the new policy may not
be necessary at all, as it applies
to health and accident insurance.
He says that under the State
Workmen's Compensation law.
paid firemen would get $50 to S35
a week if injured. Under another
policy carried by the Kensington
Fire Department, they would get
$40 to $50 a week if injured at
or going to or from a fire or
at a parade. This policy, how
ever, does not cover injuries sus-
tanned while working in the fire
house.
Policy Pays S25
The new policy bought from
Atlantic gives the men S25 a
week for any injury sustained
while on duty. These policies are
not mutually exclusive, Mr.. Mont
gomery said.
Without the new policy, the
paid men have no provision for
retirement pensions other than
Social Security.
Chairman Widmayer said of
Mr.. Montgomery'S move to re.
open the question, 81 see no point
in reopening the issue unless
fraud can be proved, and 1 see
no evidence of fraud at all. ]
think the committee has done a
good job"
Mr.. Widmayer added that Mr.
Masoner and his committee had
been looking into the purchase
of an insurance policy for about
a year.
Called misunderstanding
Mr.. Hotsko attributed the pro
blem to "some type of misunder.
standing between individual
members and insurance agents.
He is not in favor of reopening
the decision, because the dis
satisfied agents had a hearing
before the board at the July
meeting.
"The board has done all il
need do under the law he said.
Mr.. Urban told the SENTINEL
he is Every much" in favor OF
reopening. He said that he sees
no negligence, but doesn't APP
prove of the methods used in
awarding the contract. He feels
that the board moved too fast.