316 ADDRESSES AND STATE PAPERS

eral, with members of my own staff that are assigned to the question
of public safety, and with people who may move to correct certain
deficiencies that we found existing in those areas. I also spend time
appointing numerous military and civil officers of State and local
government. Since numerous statutory provisions regulate the terms,
tenure and commissions to office, it is difficult to generalize on appoint-
ments, but it certainly does keep several people busy on a full-time
basis just figuring out what the geographic limitations are as to nomi-
nations — where the nominations are made by lists on occasion — the
availability of candidates, and the tremendous amount of mail re-
ceived on appointments. I want to give you a figure which will shock
you. It is estimated that an average Governor of Maryland makes
over 2700 appointments during his four-year term of office.

Now the Governor also acts, of course, as Chairman of the Board of
Public Works, and monthly meetings with long agendas are held in-
volving approval of all contracts and appointments for construction,
some expenditures, competitive bids, all allocations for emergency
funds, leases, and matters involving the working hours of employees.
Just about every facet of the executive area of State government is
touched in these Board of Public Works meetings. The last one we
had, by way of example, convened at 11: 00 in the morning, when we
opened the bond bids, and was over about 5: 30 that afternoon, and
included luncheon right at the table.

The Governor attends commutation hearings, to exercise the con-
stitutional prerogatives of executive clemency, reprieve and pardon. I
just went through one of those on a capital matter.

In addition to these administrative responsibilities, there are pub-
lic responsibilities such as the handling of personal and important
correspondence. Over 550 letters directed to the Governor are received
by the Governor's office every week. In addition to the mail, there are
ceremonial appearances such as ground-breakings, convocations, dedi-
cations, and other appearances. Over 240 executive proclamations
are prepared each year, and the Governor personally presents about
80 of these. Weekly press conferences are a practice of this adminis-
tration, and the preparation for the conferences, as well as the con-
ferences themselves, take a very large amount of time; plus the im-
promptu press conference, which has gotten to be the order of the
day. TV tapes and radio messages on special issues, such as traffic
safety and urging people to vote for the Constitutional Convention
candidates, take a little bit of time.