Smyrna times., 1963-02-14
.CroupSeek
Change In
Pollution
Commission

COMMISSION
A proposal to put the Water
Pollution Commission under the
actual, as well as the adminis-
trative, control of the State
Board of Health was advanced
Monday.
The plan was backed at the
meeting of the Joint Finance
Committee.
After several members ex-
pressed dissatisfaction with the
Water Pollution Commission,
particularly where 1t has
cracked down on the removal
of shellfish from some areas
(such as the Mispillion and
Broadkill Rivers) but permit
ted 1t In others (such as Reho-
both Bay). State Rep. Glenn w.
Busker of Smyrna, the House
whip, asked what legislation is
needed to put the commission
under control of the board of
health.
Sen. Walter ]. Hoey, D-Mil-
ford, chairman of the Joint
Finance Committee asked Maj.
Gen. Raymond A. Lynch, MD.
vice president of the board of
health, to check with the at
torney general on what legis-
lation might be needed to give
the board authority over the
commission.
Hoey said the commission has
not been able to move to end
pollution in the Mispillion des-
pite the expenditure of hundreds
of thousands of dollars. DR..
Lynch expressed sympathy but
said the health board has no
actual control.
Another senator ]. Donald
Isaacs of Townsend, said he
doesn't think 1t right that he
should be able to take clans
from the Rehoboth Bay, but that
people who tong oysters for a
living are kept from taking them
from the Mispillion.
Sen. Walton H. Simpson, R.
Camden, the minority whip, said
his understanding is tn I CLAIMS
cannot be taken from the bay.
DR.. Floyd |. Hudson, execu-
tive director of the health board,
defended the pollution commits
sion by saying that 1t is con-
centrating its efforts on the
important problem of the Del
aware River.
Other points made at the
meeting:
House Majority Leader Nor
man A. Eskridge, D-Seaford,
said he does not approve of
any state agency buying com
pact cars.
DR.. Hudson said the health
Board no longer purchases
compact cars.
DR.. Hudson revealed that the
home nursing care provided by
the health board save the state
thousands of dollars In hospi-
talization costs. He said the
care is given on the advice of a ,
physician and permits stroke
victims and others to return
to their homes for therapy.
DR.. Hudson suggested legis-
lation is needed whereby pa
tients who are able should pay
the cost of nursing care.
The health board has request
ed an appropriation of $685.
67l for fiscal 1864 and was
granted $524,5 500 in the budget
bill (HB y of the budget COM
mission.
Other agencies controlled by
the board of health repeated
requests as follows:
Crippled children, $l23,287
asked, $l20,000 recommended
by the budget commission; can
Ger, heart and chronic disease
control, $62,048 asked and re-
commended; water pollution,
sos, 5,064.27 asked, 100000 re-
commended; air pollution, $751;
252 asked, SIS, 300 recommend
ed; poliomyelits immuniza-
ton, SIS, 900 asked and recon-
mended; division of optometry,
$1,000 asked and recommended
and Emily P. Bissell Hospital,
$995,l70 asked and $849, 500
recommended.
DR.. Lynch appealed for SAL
ary increases for both DR.. Hud-
son (from $l5,500 to $l7, ,500)
and Raymond Anderson, Bissell
director, (from $l2, 900 to
$l2, ,S4e). He said Anderson had
not had increase In salary in
five years.
The finance committee also
heard Mrs. Raymond Townsend,
chairman of the State Library
Commission, and Mrs. Virginia
Messick, the state librarian,
who explained why they wanted
an appropriation of $50, 300. The
budged commission recon-
mended $50, 700.