MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                        2757

FOR the purpose of providing for employing and assigning
employees to soil conservation districts;
cooperating with local governments to assist
districts; generally relating to appointment under
the State merit system; and clarifying language.

May 17, 1976.

Honorable Steny H. Hoyer
President of the Senate
State House
Annapolis, Maryland 21404

Dear Mr. President:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the
Maryland Constitution, I have today vetoed Senate Bill

364.

This bill provides for the transfer of certain
clerical and administrative employees of the Soil
Conservation Districts to the State Merit System as
employees of the State Soil Conservation Committee within
the Department of Agriculture.

New section 9M, added by the bill to Article 64A,
provides that any Soil Conservation District may, with
the concurrence of the State Soil Conservation Committee,
have all of its clerical and administrative employees who
(1) "are currently supported by State funds", (2) were
employed on June 30, 1976, and (3) are otherwise
eligible, appointed under the State Merit System as
employees of the Committee assigned to the District.
Application to the Secretary of Personnel is required,
but his approval is not. The funding for these positions
may be on a cost sharing arrangement with local
governments, but any such arrangement must be agreed to
by the county.

At the present time, these people are employed by
the Soil Conservation Districts, although the State,
through grants, contributes 50% of the cost of their
salaries. If they are transferred to the State merit
system and thereby become State employees, the State will
be required to pay the $145,000 now paid by the counties
plus an estimated amount of $45,000 for fringe benefits.
This will, of course, be in addition to the $167,000 now
contributed by the State to the Districts. Whether and
to what extent the counties will agree to contribute to
this total cost is at best conjectural.

The Soil Conservation Districts are local units,
generally coextensive with county boundaries. The soil
conservation program is one of both State and local
interest, and the State is already contributing its fair