Local Digest

THE DISTRICT

Fenty to work for Philadelphia firm

Former D.C. mayor Adrian M. Fenty will work as an outside adviser and counsel for Heffler, Radetich & Saitta, a Philadelphia-based accounting and consulting firm.

The firm announced Thursday that Fenty, who lost his reelection bid in September's Democratic primary, would "help further develop and enhance the firm's preeminent position in class-action litigation support services, as well as health care industry consulting and forensic accounting services."

"My work as mayor gave me first-hand exposure to what was and is possible in evolution and growth of services and business, despite government's complex bureaucracy," Fenty said in a news release.

The release did not indicate that Fenty would relocate from the nation's capital to the City of Brotherly Love. Fenty said the day after the primary that he would remain in the District, where he was born and raised and attended Howard University law school after his undergraduate work at Oberlin College.

But Fenty appears to have looked outside the city for work. He confirmed that he would like to shape minds at Oberlin as a visiting teacher. And this month, Fenty signed with Greater Talent Network, a Manhattan-based speakers bureau for celebrities.

- Nikita R. Stewart

MARYLAND

WSSC proposes hike in water, sewer rates

Residents of Montgomery and Prince George's counties would face an 8.9 percent increase in their water and sewer bills starting in July under a proposed budget released Thursday by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.

The increase would add $5.30 a month to the average residential bill, said WSSC spokesman John C. White. That would be on top of an 8.5 percent increase WSSC customers saw this fiscal year.

The proposed budget includes additional money to inspect, repair and replace deteriorating pipes. It would also cover cost increases at regional sewage disposal facilities, stepped-up inspections of large sewer pipes and an increase in the water pipe corrosion monitoring program, said Antonio L. Jones, WSSC's board chairman.

A public hearing in Prince George's is scheduled for Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the RMS Building, 1400 McCormick Drive, in Largo. The Montgomery hearing is scheduled for Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the seventh-floor council hearing room of the Stella B. Werner Building, 100 Maryland Ave., in Rockville.

People who want to speak at either hearing can call 301-206-8110.

- Katherine Shaver

Final arguments for Montgomery hospital

In the last round of arguments before a final decision on a new hospital in Montgomery County, Holy Cross Hospital is calling for Maryland state regulators to adopt an earlier state recommendation favoring Holy Cross over rival Adventist HealthCare.

Last week, Adventist challenged that recommendation, requesting the Maryland Health Care Commission to delay a final decision at its Jan. 20 meeting and reopen a review because of what Adventist said were flawed and unsupported conclusions about cost and other key factors.

On Thursday, Holy Cross responded by calling Adventist's challenges "mostly a restatement of arguments previously made and appropriately rejected" in the state's earlier recommendation. In a 66-page filing with the state commission, Holy Cross characterized its rival's 104 pages of arguments as "having more heft than substance."

For two years, the two health-care giants have been battling for state approval to build a hospital in Montgomery's fastest-growing region. Holy Cross wants to build one on the campus of Montgomery College in Germantown; Adventist's proposal is for one in Clarksburg.

- Lena Sun