Evening star., 1955-03-17
Delegates Hit
In Montgomery
Planning Fray
UnitCoueht middle
In Move to Provide
More LocoI Control
By Charles [. Hoffman
Ssor Staff Correspondent


ANNAPOLIS, Mar. IT The
Montgomery County General As
sembly delegation got caught in
a bitter crossfire here early today
in its efforts to provide for more
local control over the Maryland
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission.
The delegation ended the ses-
sion at ITO am. after a three
hour public hearing punctuated
by sharp attacks on its proposals.
Some 200 persons-virtually all
from Montgomery-attendedt the
hearing in the House chamber.
At the two extremes were the
planning commission pleading
for a continuation of the "re-
gional planning concept" and
those who want to abolish the
commission and replace it with
a county commission under the
thumb of the county council.
Caught In Middle
Caught in the middle were
spokesmen for four towns ad-
vocating that municipalities be
allowed to carry out their own
planning and coming functions.
The joint Montgomery-Prince
Georges delegation sat in for the
first part of the hearing on legis-
lation which would reorganize
the Planning Commission, giving
the county governing bodies
three appointments each to the
agency with two others to be
selected by the Governor. Once
the reorganization hearing end
ed. the Montgomery delegation
took over the meeting on eight
other measures affecting on the
Montgomery functioning of the
Commission.
j. Bond Smith. general coun-
sci fol the Planning Commission,
urged bipartisan makeup of the
Commission and said the present
proposal would pitch the Com
mission right into the middle of
partisan politics. He also scored
the bill as ripper legislation" I"
William Slayton, chairman of
the Citizens Committee to Unity
Montgomery County Planning,
urged that all appointments be
made by the council so that
responsibility would not be
divided.
Bitterest attacks on the legis-
lation which some observers feel
in effect will split the Commis-
sion came from Mr.. Slayton, the
County League of Women Vot-
ers and Frederick A. Gutheim,
of the Upper Montgomery County
Planning Commission.
Favors Local Unit.
Mrs. Rose Lewis of the League
of Women Voters, said her group
favored local planning commits
sion under direction Of the
County Council.
The proposed measures, she
charged, 80 clearly do not ac-
complish this that it appears
someone is trying to pull the
wool over our eyes"
Mrs. Lewis added the league
was opposed to the extension Of
the jurisdiction of the commits
sion throughout the county and
trading the present upper county
commission for "a pig in poke.
The League spokesman and Mr..
Slayton rebuked the delegation
for not allowing more time be-
tween the publication of the bills
and the public hearing.
Blair Lee III, chairman Of the
delegation. apologized for the
rush but said the reorganization
had to move rapidly to Repub-
lican Gov. McKeldin so the, AS
sembly will have time to override
a veto if he should refuse to sign
the measure.
System Raped
A proposed merit system fol-
Commission employees drew criti-
cism as inadequate from sew
eral speakers, including Mrs
Stella B. Werner, County Coun-
Gil member, who asked that Com
mission employees in the Mont
gomery office be brought under
direct control of the Council.
Mrs. Werner also urged the
delegation to consider reducing
the 7-cent park tax levied for the
Commissions park program ir
the county, and turning over tt
the county all of the parks out
side the Stream Valley system
Gaithersburg Mayor Merton F
Duvall, Rockville Councilman
Alex K. Greene and Washing
ton Grove Mayor Irving L. Nc.
Cathran urged that their com.
munities retain their present
planning and coming authorities
Chester Page, Kensington town
councilman, called for the grant.
ing of such authority to al
municipalities in line with the
recent municipal home rule
constitutional amendment.
DeMuthu PTA Plans
/ DE.L n.