The Upper Potomac River Commission, established in 1935, consists
of three members appointed for six-year terms. The Governor appoints
the Chairman, the Commissioners of Allegany County appoint a
second member, and the Commissioners of Garrett County appoint a
third. The Commission has jurisdiction over the water resources of
Allegany County and of Election District Number Four (Bloomington)
in Garrett County. In July, 1953, the Commission took charge of the
Savage River Dam, erected by the Army Corps of Engineers (Acts
1935, chap. 409; Acts 1936, chap. 6; Acts 1939, chap 143; Acts 1947,
chap. 166).

Public Improvements

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS

Albert P. Backhaus, Director, 1963
Garrett 0. Billmire, Assistant Director
Laurence P. Sangston, Principal Architect
Frank L. Byron, Principal Engineer
Elizabeth W. Letmate, Executive Secretary

301 W. Preston Street, Baltimore I Telephone: Vernon 7-9000

The Department of Public Improvements was created by the Legis-
lature in 1947. The Director of Public Improvements, the designated
head of the Department, is appointed by the Governor for a four-year
term.

The duties of the Department of Public Improvements consist, in
part, of the following: to assist and advise the Board of Public Works
and other State agencies on all matters of engineering surveys, plans,
specifications, and contracts for public improvements that may come
before the Board or in which a State agency may be interested; to
select and appoint architects and engineers, subject to approval of the
Board of Public Works, to prepare plans and specifications for all
public improvements; to assist the State Planning Commission in the
development of technical details necessary for the preparation of the
Capital Improvement Program; to collect and maintain a file of plats
ana surveys of the location of all public improvements; and to repre-
sent the Board of Public Works at the opening of all bids for public
improvements and tabulate, record, and advise the Board of such bids.
The Department maintains an inspection division with representation
on. all major projects to insure adherence to established standards and
specifications (Code 1957, Art. 78A, sees. 17-25).

Board of Architectural Review

Wilmer Chance, Peter G. Christie, Paul L. Gaudreau, Francis H.
Jencks, Jackson P. Ketcham, Charles Lamb, Charles M. Nes, Jr.
The Board of Architectural Review consists of seven members
appointed for four-year terms by the Director of the Department of
Public Improvements from a list of nominations submitted by the
Baltimore Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The Board
advises the Department of Public Improvements about specifications
related to proper architectural treatment of proposed buildings. The
Board also reviews all architectural designs and drawings and recom-
mends any changes necessary to make the proposed buildings func-
tional and practical for the use intended (Code 1957, Art. 78A, sec. 23).

Appropriations 1959 1960

General Funds $333,577 $338,178
Staff: 47.