Public Input

President George Bush took a break last weekend to cast for bass in the Eagles of Angling fund-raising tournament in Pintlala, Ala.Fishing with tournament pros Guy Eaker of Cherryville, N.C., and Charlie Ingram of Columbia, Tenn., the president's team finished sixth among 10 teams with 24 pounds of bass.Last year, in the same church fund-raiser on B.A.S.S. founder Ray Scott's private lake near Montgomery, Ingram and Eaker won the event.The president's partners from last year, Roland Martin of Clewiston, Fla., and Orlando Wilson of Woodstock, Ga., won this year's event with 47 pounds of bass.

IN TWO SWIFT MOVES this month, the Carroll commissioners firmly stamped the "slow growth" label on the county's controversial subdivision approval process.But in doing so, they also limited potential public input, and fervent "no-growthers" may well find cause for future complaint.The appointment of two new members of the Planning and Zoning Commission solidifies the hold on that body of the two majority, slow-growth commissioners, W. Benjamin Brown and Richard T. Yates. Mortgage banker Robin Frazier is the only one of seven members they did not choose.

The commission studying the Baltimore County Council's redistricting process agreed yesterday on the broad outlines for a series of reforms, including more time to redraw maps, additional public input and establishment of an advisory body. Commission members reached preliminary conclusions after studying how other counties redraw maps and hearing about reform proposals drafted by three county groups. However, the details - such as how long redistricting should take, how public input should be collected and what role an advisory panel should play - need to be worked out. The commission was formed in response to the uproar over the County Council's realignment of districts last summer.

A Baltimore legislator said yesterday that he will introduce emergency legislation in the General Assembly to require the Maryland Transit Administration to hold formal public hearings before making extensive bus service changes it plans for this summer. Del. Samuel I. Rosenberg said he rejects the state's contention that formal sessions aren't needed because the MTA held public hearings last year when it first proposed restructuring the bus system. Transportation Secretary Robert L. Flanagan contends the MTA can get public feedback more efficiently at less formal community meetings.

The Baltimore County Council approved a proposal last night to change how its election districts are redrawn after the census, a proposal that will appear on November's ballot for voter approval. The plan follows almost exactly the conclusions of a commission the council established this spring to study how other counties redraw districts. If enacted, it would direct the council to establish an advisory group after every census to hold public hearings and devise an initial map. The council would then gather additional public input and approve the final changes.

Anne Arundel department chiefs line up this week to make their budget requests for fiscal year 1992.But their wish lists will remain secret because County Executive Robert R. Neall intends to follow the pattern of his predecessor O. James Lighthizer.Preliminary agency budgets were released to the public until 1985, when Lighthizer declared that he wanted to eliminate and "inappropriate and unnecessary circus in the newspaper."Following the example of most local governments, he shut off public debate on the budget until the executive delivers his budget message in May to the County Council.

The outgoing garrison commander of Fort Meade will delay making a recommendation on moving the Herman L. Toulson Correctional Boot Camp to the post in order to get more public input, a spokesman announced yesterday.The delay by Col. Kent D. Menser apparently will leave a decision on the controversial proposal in the hands of his successor, Col. Robert G. Morris III. Colonel Menser retires Wednesday.The colonel had said he would forward his recommendation on the camp to the commanding general of Fort Meade before his retirement.

THE DECISION of the Carroll County commissioners to cancel community night meetings held by the Planning and Zoning Commission defies all reason.To save $7,000 a year (for planning commission member fees), the pinch-penny commissioners voted to eliminate the monthly planning board meetings rotated around the county to expand public information.The unexpected decision is contrary to the wishes of the planning commission majority, who are considering continuing these outreach sessions -- without pay if necessary.

Something is out of kilter when the chairman of the planning and zoning commission in the town of Hampstead says that public comment isn't "required" at commission meetings. Just because residents have been rambunctious in recent meetings is no reason to eliminate public input on matters before the commission. Far from discouraging broad discussion of planning matters, town officials would be better off to encourage more of it.Isn't the commission a "public" body acting on behalf of the townspeople of Hampstead?

Baltimore County school board president Lawrence Schmidt's assertion that "the board makes no apology for the selection or the process utilized" to name S. Dallas Dance as our new superintendent ("Selection of Dance involved extensive public input," April 21) is just one more in the lengthening list of displays of arrogance by the leaders of our school system. True, the search agency provided a link to a survey on the school system's website. However, the primary input citizens were invited to give was to consider the agency's laundry list of descriptors and then select, from that list, a limited number of what we felt were the most important qualities the next superintendent should possess.