The Commission for Economy in Governmental Expenditures, created in 1958 on a temporary basis, was established as a permanent Commission by Chapter 266 of the Acts of Assembly of 1960. This act provides that the Commission should consist of the Joint Auditing Committee of the Senate and House of Delegates together with three members of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Delegates appointed by the Speaker thereof, two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, and the Director of Personnel, ex-officio, who shall have no vote.

Amongst other things the act directed that the Commission consider present and proposed conditions of employment, what services and personnel might be eliminated, or combined in the interest of economical and efficient administration, needed administrative and supervisory practices, and, in general, make all necessary and needful studies to accomplish the aforesaid purpose.

Pursuant to the provisions of the act, the Commission undertook this study as one of a series under a long-range plan adopted by the Commission.

In the conduct of this study the Commission was aided by the Auditor of Public Accounts, its executive secretary; his staff; and its consultant, Mr. Wesley R. Ellms of the firm of Worden & Risberg, management consultants.

The Commission gratefully acknowledges the splendid cooperation of the departments, institutions and agencies of the State during the course of the study.