Evening star., 1955-01-19
.SanitaryAgency
SfudyCaIIs for
More Controls
Druft Of Report
Gives Is Points to
Reform Commission
BY chorles [. Hoffmon

q
Tighter fiscal controls. q fun.
time administrator and an In.
crease in the size Of the
washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission are among recom-
mendations to be made by .
special commission appointed by
Gov. McKeldin to study the
sanitary body. The Star learned
today.
The recommendations are In.
cluded in Is points Of a rough
draft Of the study commissions
report, slated to go to the Gen.
eral Assembly after a final meet
ing now set for Monday.
The study commission, ap-
pointed last September 90. In
cludes Prince Georges Circuit
Court Judge John Raymond
Fletcher, Waldo Burnside, Adrian
p. Fisher, Willard A. Morris, Mrs.
Kathryn J. Lawlor and Anders
r. Lofstrand. jr.
Greater Citizen Voice.
Many Of the recommendations
are aimed at giving residents Of
the Montgomery-Prince Georges
area Q greater voice in the
operations Of the commission.
The study body was set up
to examine laws governing the
sanitary commission and make
recommendations for changes.
It's formation climaxed q rum
ming battle between the senitary
body and the Allied Civic Group
Of Silver Spring.
The study group proposes that
all members Of the sanitary
commission be appointed by the
Governor. Two each would be
made on recommendations from
the governing body Of each
county. They would have terms
Of two and four years. The
chairman would be named by
the Governor.
The study group recommend
ed that at least one member
from the minority party In each
county be named to the COM
mission.
Opposed to Clusters.
The study commission opposed
any ripper" legislation to oust
the present three Republican
members. 4. s. tTed) Ray. j.
Norman Ager and Raymond w.
Bellaniy, before their present
terms expire In 1857.
The group urged appointment
Of an executive administrator
with authority to co-ordinate
all activities of the commission
and act as liaison officer be-
tween the commission and the
public, as well as other agencies
Of the respective counties"
The recommendation Is along
lines recommended by the New
York business consulting firm
Of Ford, Bacon and Davis. which
issued a sharply critical report
on the administrative chaos" Of
the commission two years ago.
legislation to require estab.
lishment Of uniform account
ing system and the awarding Of
bids to the lowest competent
bidder after public advertisement
also was proposed.
Budget Reform Included.
Another measure calls for
adoption Of an annual budget
before the beginning Of bud
get year and only after adver.
tised public hearings. The COM
mission this year held a public
hearing on its budget after the
beginning Of its fiscal year.
The study group took a slap
at the sanitary commission for
making rate changes without
public notice by. recommending
legislation to provide for public
hearings In advance Of such
changes.
The study group also recon-
n1ends, In the draft, that the
State Roads Commission or
other public agencies pick up the
bill for relocation, reconstruction
or abandonment Of any OF the
sanitary body's water or sewer
systems.
The sanitary commission now
must pay for such changes, and
1t has become q major problem
In connection with the roads
commissions i2-year program.