Evening star., 1947-11-11
Record Budget
|sApprovedb by
|Fd||s>Church
Sewer Reserve Fund
To Be Used for
Current Expenses

The Falls Church Town Council
last night by vote of to adopted
a budget of $35S,126, the largest
budget in the towns history, and
decided to use the sewer reserve
fund for current expenses.
BY its action, the council wrote
a temporary end to the controversial
question of whether or not water
and sewer reserve funds built up
over a period of years should be
diverted for current running ex-
penses.
= The fight against diversion was
led this year as last year by Capt.
John F. Bethune, former mayor, who
contended that the town has a moral
and legal duty to keep the reserve
funds intact. He said that If suf-
ficient funds were accumulated, the
original promise made at the time Of
the installation of these systems,
that rates would be reduced. should
kept. The majority of the Town
Council, however, supported the
view of Mayor Fenner S. Hazelgrove
that the revenue of the water and
sewer system should not be segre-
gated but should be Jumped into the
general fund.
Statement Refused.
When asked whether he contem-
plated any further legal action
against the town, Capt. Bethune
said he had mo further statement
to make at this time"
Only Councilman j. H. Mccarthy
voted against approval of the record
budget.
A committee of citizens from the
southwestern part of the town pro-
tested the condition of streets in
that area and urged that if neces-
sary bond issue should be voted
to provide adequate streets.
The town agreed to pay SIS q
month towards the rental of space
for the health clinic which is to be
located in the Rust Building in
West Falls Church. The council was
told that Mr.. Rust had agreed to
reduce the rent on the space from
$50 to $50 a month and that the
State has agreed to pay $35. The
health clinic has been looking for
a place to operate since 1t was
forced to vacate its quarters in the
town hall early in September be-
cause of expansion of the town gov
ernment.
Budget Criticized.
The Falls Church Chamber OF
Commerce through its spokesman,
Lytton Gibson, went on record as
generally approving the budget, but
presented eight points of criticism.
They made the following sugges-
tions for improvements:
/. Greater effort on the part Of
the, town to collect delinquent real
estate taxes which total $4,000.
2. That a minimum of $1,000 ad-
ditional be allowed to the fire de-
partment (this request was granted
by the counciD.
3. The salary of the Mayor should
be raised and councilmen should
be paid a small fee for each meet
ing attended.
4. An attempt should be made
to get the State to allocate Alcoholic
Beverage Control profits on the
basis of present population rather
than the 2,8o0 population Of 1910.
Bond Issue Proposed.
5. Road money is being poorly
spent, and the only solution to the
towns street problem is a bond
issue.
6. The chamber agreed to the
business tax for another year, but
would like to be consulted on
whether it should be continued.
7. The business tax should be pro-
rated, so that people entering busi-
ness during the latter half of the
year will not be forced to pay the
full tax.
8. The chamber approved the use
of water and sewer reserve as part
of the general town fund, but urged
that a small reserve should be set up
of not less than 5 per cent.
The town manager was authorized
to purchase a lotion steamroller and
new automobile.
Because of legal requirements, the
action on the tax rate for the coming
year was postponed until next Mon
day. 1t was decided to hold an
executive session at that time on the
report of Bernard Locraft, Washing
ton civil engineer, on the proposed
bond issue for a 24-inch waterline
from Dalecarlia Reservoir in Wash
ir,ufnra tn Falls Church