Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-09
Bill
Would Add Five
To Plans Board
Muchen Introduces
Measure Increasing
Commission to ii
BY GENE GOODWIN
Star stan CORRESPONDENT


the Maryland National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
from six to II was introduced
in the House of Delegates yes
terday by Delegate Hervey G.
Machen, Democrat of Prince
Georges.
Mr.. Machen had said the bill
which he has been working on
all week, would be substantially
the same as that drafted by T.
Howard Duckett, special regisla-
tive counsel to the planning
commission.
However, except for following
the same administrative struc-
ture, about the only place the
two bills are the same is
in the misspelling of the word
counsel"
The Machen bill disagrees
with the Duckett proposal in
these ways:
/. Whereas the Duckett pro-
posal would allow the present
planning commissioners, four OF
whom are Republicans, to serve
out their terms, Mr.. Machen
would end all present terms on
May 3, 1857.
Limit Governors Choice
2. The Machen bill follows the
Duckett pattern of having three
commissioners named by the
Governor, and four apiece by
the Montgomery County Coun-
Icil and the Prince Georges
County commissioners, but re-
strict the Governors choice to
a list of names nominated by
the Republican and Democratic
State Central Committees from
both counties.
Each central committee would
nominate two names. That would
give the Governor a list of
eight to choose from. half of
whom would be OF his own
party. The Machen bill pro-
vides. however, that one Of the
three gubernatorial appointees
would have to be Of his oppo-
site party
3. The Machen bill would
abolish the long-standing prac-
tees of the vice chairman of
the planning commission serv-
ing as full-time park commits
sioner. This Office would be
preserved by Mr.. Duckett's pro-
poSal.
4, Whereas Mr.. Duckett woulc
continue the practice of the
commission electing its owr
chairman, the Machen bill woulc
provide that the Governor desig.
nate the chairman from either
county. OF the other 10 mem
bers half would be from Mont.
gomery and half from Prince
Georges. under the Machen bill
and would serve as local planning
boards for their county govern
mentS.
County Choice Limited
S. Another Machen innovation
is the provision that one Of the
four planning commissioners Il
be appointed by the Prince
Georges County Commissioners
woull be county commissioner
and would automatically serve a.
chairman of the Prince George:
County planning board. ThS
Montgomery County Council
would be permitted to name 6
council member or county de
partment head and the Mont
gomery planning board woulC
elect its chairman.
The full commission Of II
would sit on regional matters anc
a two-thirds vote of the full com.
mission could override actions Of
the county planning boards. That
was taken from the Duckett pro-
poSal.
The Machen bill is the third
approach to planning commits
sion reorganization introduced
in this session. A hearing on al
planning commission legislation
| is scheduled before the joint
Montgomery-Prince Georges del
egation for 8 pm, February 10
Another bill introduced in the
House yesterday before the Leg
islature recessed for the week
end was the perennial 500 mil
lion veterans bonus bill with q
new twist on the financing
legalized bookmaking.