ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

The first Montgomery County Council took office on January 18, 1949, after nearly a decade of sustained effort by local citizens and civic organizations who had worked to set the County on a more professional and accountable basis. The Council was established by the Charter which had been approved in 1948, replacing the county commissioner form of government. The Montgomery County Commission had been dominated by the local Democratic machine, and services and employment were meted out only with its approval. The first Council set up citizens' advisory committees, published zoning decisions, took steps to improve the County's financial condition, and provided funds for the building of schools.

This first Council was composed of seven members, one from each of the five Council Districts and the other two from the County at large. The County Council served as both the chief executive authority and as the legislative branch. It was required to sit in executive session at least once in each calendar month, and met in both open and closed executive sessions at least once every week.

Under the provisions of the Charter, the executive powers granted to the Council included the adoption of expense and capital budgets; the appointment of a County Manager to serve at the Council's discretion; the election of officers from its own membership including a president and a secretary; the establishment by resolution of general policies, orders, and instructions for administering the functions of the executive branch; and the power to hold hearings on legislation.

During the legislative session held in May of each year, the Council was authorized to enact or amend public local laws for the County upon matters covered by the Express Powers Act, except those of the incorporated towns and villages of the County, and to repeal or amend certain local laws for the County previously enacted by the General Assembly.

However, the County Council-County Manager system was seen to be inadequate for the rapidly growing population of the County who were demanding more services and accountability from the local government. Many citizens and civic groups called for a charter review to determine whether the executive, administrative, and legislative functions should be separated and an independent County Executive elected by the voters. Although the Charter Review Committee appointed in 1965 opposed this plan, the Council ignored its advice, and a revised charter was prepared and approved in 1968. This charter provided for the election of a County Executive in 1970 who would be responsible for administering all Montgomery County government departments. Day-to-day operations would be supervised by a Chief Administrative Officer appointed by the County Executive. The Council would continue to make laws, set tax rates, approve budgets, and deal with planning, zoning and land subdivision problems.

Today, the County Council consists of nine members, five elected by district and four County-wide. The Council continues to enact all local laws, oversee zoning and planning, appropriate funding for the budgets of County agencies, set property tax rates, and also meets as the County Board of Health. The Council holds regular weekly sessions and conducts public hearings and work sessions throughout the year. Each Councilmember serves on two of the following six Council Committees: Education; Health and Human Services; Management and Fiscal Policy; Planning, Housing, and Economic Development; Public Safety; and Transportation and Environment.

Each Councilmember has a small staff which is responsible for carrying out the Councilmember's projects, and a Confidential Aide provided for by the County Charter.

PROCESSING PROCEDURES

General processing procedures consisted of discarding duplicates, unnecessary binders, and routine transmittals. Oversized documents and photographs were removed from the original location in their assigned series and placed in separate containers. Separation sheets were inserted in the original location within the folder to indicate the new location of any records placed elsewhere.

Preservation copying of newspaper clippings was performed whenever feasible. Records in folders were arranged, unless otherwise indicated, in forward chronological order, with undated records appearing at the end of the folder.

PROVENANCE

These records were transferred from the Rockville Library vertical files in 1996 and 1997.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The records comprise 2 cubic feet of materials dating from 1972 to 1988, and were created by or for the Montgomery County Council to assist it in the conduct of its business and to inform the public of its activities. The records consist of correspondence, memoranda, minutes, reports, studies, public testimony, transcripts, petitions, resolutions, lists, clippings, photographs, and maps. Significant topics include wastewater and solid waste disposal, resource recovery, and master plans for Silver Spring, Gaithersburg and Potomac.

The materials are arranged into three series:

Series I: Administration

Series II: Planning

Series III: Waste Disposal and Resource Recovery.

Subseries 1: Solid Waste Disposal

Subseries 2: Wastewater and Sewerage

Folders in each series are in alphabetical order.

RELATED RECORDS

Material relating to the subject matter of these records can be found in:

Record Group 1: County Executive, Printed Materials

Record Group 2: County Council, the Papers of Neal Potter

Record Group 8: Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Solid Waste Management

Record Group 8: Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Resource Protection.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Series I: Administration, 1964, 1975 (2 folders)

This series consists of a summary of testimony before the County Council regarding a recommendation by the Public Administration Service to abolish the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and a transcript of a public hearing held by the Committee for the Observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 14, 1975.

Series II: Planning, 1973-1988 (0.8 cu.ft.)

The material in this series relates to planning, zoning and growth, and contains plans for various parts of the County, especially the 1983-1984 Master Plan for Gaithersburg and the 1969 Master Plan for Potomac. Of significance are the extensive materials prepared for and the testimony delivered during a November 4, 1976 public hearing on the Silver Spring East Master Plan and the December 15, 1976 Council worksession. The records consist of proposals, correspondence, clippings, reports, maps, photographs, minutes, memoranda and transcripts of testimony given at public hearings. A procedures handbook compiled in the late 1970s is also included.

Series III: Waste Disposal and Resource Recovery, 1972-1979 (1.2 cu.ft.)

This series consists primarily of reports and memoranda relating to environmental and waste management issues. It is divided into two subseries: Solid Waste Disposal, and Wastewater and Sewerage.

Subseries 1: Solid Waste Disposal, 1973-1982 (0.5 cu.ft.)

Records in this subseries relate to the Ten-Year Solid Waste Management Plan adopted in 1978, its subsequent amendments, landfill site selection, resource recovery, disposal systems, and environmental concerns. It also documents the public hearing held on September 22, 1976 and the worksession on October 18, 1976 relating to this ten-year plan, and includes all items submitted to the Council, statements, transcripts, and other related records.

Subseries 2: Wastewater and Sewerage, 1972-1988 (0.7 cu.ft.)

This subseries contains plans, reports and updates relating to water supply and wastewater and sewerage treatment and disposal. It specifically includes a briefing document for the Rock Run Advanced Wastewater Treatment facility and a 1973 Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO) proposal to Montgomery County for the issuance of pollution control revenue bonds. It also contains reports, statements, and exhibits relating to a February 7, 1977 public hearing on the annual amendment to the Ten-Year Water Supply and Sewerage System Plan for Fiscal Years 1978 to 1987, and an April 19, 1977 public hearing on a request for approval from the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission to allow it to undertake construction of a project to supply Potomac water to Prince George's County.

Box 1

Series I: Administration

Proceedings of Public Hearing of Committee for the Observance of Martin Luther King Day, 1975

Summary of Testimony on Public Administration Service Report, 1964

Series II: Planning

Contee Properties Proposal, 1981

Master Plans: Gaithersburg, Correspondence, 1984

Master Plans: Gaithersburg, Final Draft, 1983

Master Plans: Gaithersburg, General, 1983-1984

Master Plans: Gaithersburg, General, 1984

Master Plans: Potomac, Public Hearing, 1979

Master Plans: Potomac, Testimony, 1979

Master Plans: Silver Spring East, Public Hearing Correspondence, 1976-1977

Box 2

Master Plans: Silver Spring East, Public Hearing Exhibits, 1976

Master Plans: Silver Spring East, Public Hearing Resolution, 1977

Master Plans: Silver Spring East, Public Hearing Statements and Testimony, 1976

Master Plans: Silver Spring East, Public Hearing Transcript, 1976

Planning and Zoning: Procedures Handbook, 1973-1988 (2 folders), n.d.

Water's Landing, 1980

Series III: Waste Disposal and Resource Recovery

Subseries I: Solid Waste Disposal

Attributes of Mass Burn Furnace for Municipal Waste Disposal, 1982

Continuation of Work Session on Issues Relating to Energy Recovery Facility, 1982

Findings of Out of County Waste Disposal Study, 1982

Box 3

Seminar on Health and Effects of Solid Waste Disposal Plant Questions, 1982

Solid Waste Management Plan Sanitary Landfill Site Selection, 1973

Ten Year Solid Waste Management Plan, 1975

Ten-Year Solid Waste Management Plan, Amendment, 1982

Ten Year Solid Waste Management Plan, FY 1978-1987 Amendments re Landfill Siting Public Hearing, 1978

Ten Year Solid Waste Management Plan, Landfill Siting, FY 1978-1987 Public Hearing, 1978

Ten Year Solid Waste Management Plan, FY 1978-1987 Public Hearing, 1976

Ten Year Solid Waste Management Plan, FY 1978-1987 Public Hearing, Correspondence and Petitions, 1976-1977

Ten Year Solid Waste Management Plan, FY 1978-1987 Public Hearing, Resolutions, 1976

Ten Year Solid Waste Management Plan, FY 1978-1987 Public Hearing, Transcript, 1976

Subseries II: Wastewater and Sewerage

Annual Amendment to Ten Year Water Supply and Sewerage System Plan, FY 1978-1987, Public Hearing, Comments, and Exhibits, 1977

Box 4

Annual Amendment to Ten Year Water Supply and Sewerage System Plan, FY 1978-1987, Public Hearing, Recommendations and Findings, 1977

Annual Amendment to Ten Year Water Supply and Sewerage System Plan, FY 1978-1987, Public Hearing, Reports, 1977

Annual Amendment to Ten Year Water Supply and Sewerage System Plan, FY 1978-1987, Public Hearing, Requests for Water and Sewer Service Category Changes, 1976

Annual Amendment to Ten Year Water Supply and Sewerage System Plan, FY 1978-1987, Public Hearing, Resolutions, 1977

Annual Amendment to Ten Year Water Supply and Sewerage System Plan, FY 1978-1987, Public Hearing, Transcript, 1977

Council Briefing Document for the Rock Run Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facilities Project on the Project Development Report, 1982

Operations Plan for the 216 Land Containment Site for Undigested Sewage Sludge, 1976, 1986

Box 5

Potomac Electric Power Company Proposal to Montgomery County, 1973-1974

Recommendations on Water and Sewer Category Change Applications to Update the Comprehensive Ten Year Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan for FY 1986-1995, 1988

Report on the Use of Temporary Wastewater Treatment Plants: Standards and Procedures for

Elimination of Health Hazards, 1972

Supplemental Approval, WSSC Capital Budget FY 1977 and Addition to WSSC Approved CIP FY 1977-1982, Public Hearing, Exhibits and Statements, 1977

Supplemental Approval, WSSC Capital Budget FY 1977 and Addition to WSSC Approved CIP FY 1977-1982, Public Hearing, Transcripts and Resolutions, 1977