Evening star., 1947-07-27
ReportPronised
On designations
By Budwesky
Alexandria Manager
To Fulfill Council
Request After Study

Request After Study
Alexandria City Manager Car
Budwesky said last night the "com
plete and satisfactory report" h
has been order to furnish the cit,
councilmen concerning resignation
of the police and fire chiefs will bt
furnished as soon as he can de.
termine details of what the coun
cilmen want to know.
The council directive ordered hin
to furnish the report by August /:
or to turn in his own resignation.
"I haven't the slightest idea wha
could have induced the council tt
adopt that sort of resolution" Mr.
Budwesky said when the resolution
was read to him over the telephone
last night.
He is visiting his family neal
Pittston. Pa, and was not presen
at yesterdays special session of thu
council at which he was ordered tt
report on the police and fire chie1
designations.
At a Loss for Explanation.
I'm just at loss to explain whai
it is all about" Mr.. Budwesky con.
tinued. He said he would try to fine
out what kind of report he is ex.
pected to make when he returns tt
his Office tomorrow.
Whatever report it is they wan
they can have it," he added. He
emphasized that the only thing hi
knew about the two designations was
that the police and fire chiefs hae
submitted their designations to his
Office. "And of course they will be
accepted" he added.
Mr.. Budwesky emphasized thai
he wasn't aware that the council
had even been attempting to in.
vestigate the designations. He saio
none of the councilmen had ques-
toned him on the matter.
Action Delay Charged.
Councilman John Ewald. who in
troduced the resolution calling for
the city managers report, explained
that the resignation" threat was
directed at Mr.. Budwesky because
"he has frequently delayed taking
action on the councils recommen-
dations and i'll reporting city prob
lens to the council"
Councilman's Ewald's resolution
was adopted by unanimous vote
It was seconded by Councilman John
w. Tulloch, who introduced the res
olution at an earlier meeting order
ing the fire and police chiefs tc
wear uniforms. Councilman Ed
ward Downey was not present al
the meeting.
The councils action yesterday al
so carried a recommendation that
the city manager accept the resig-
of Police Chief John s.
Arnold and Fire Chief James M
Duncan. jr. The councilmen fur
ther recommended that the two
heads be granted 81
day furloughs each, with pay, end
ing September l, when their resig-
nations become effective.
Office to Be Abolished.
The council also ordered that the
office of chief of police be abolished
and recommended that the present
captain Of the Police Department
Edgar Sims, be appointed head ot
the department with the title OF
captain.
The council set the salary fol
this position at $4,560 a year which
is the same salary Capt. Sims has
been receiving as assistant chief
Chief Arnold's salary is $4,000 g
year. He also had the police rank
of captain.
The position of assistant police
chief was created by the council
shortly after the war when Chief
Arnold returned from military
service and asked for his old jot
as head of the police department
Chief Arnold was reinstated as
captain of the department and at
the same time the council set up
the job of assistant police chief
also to be filled by a captain. Capt
Sims, who had acted as head OF
the department during the war. was
then made the assistant chief.
Informed Through Press.
The resolution adopted yester-
day by the council said that the
designations of Chief Duncan and
Chief Arnold had become known
to them through the press. They
stated further that the council Is
to prescribe pay, uniform,
rules and regulations of said depart
ment, and that the duties of the
two officers shall be such as the
council may ordain." Actual ap-
point of these two officers, however,
is a duty delegated to the city
manager.
The councilmen pointed out that
Yesterdays action was taken in
view of the fact that one of the
reasons given for such designations
was interference of the city council
in the administration of the depart
ments concerned"
The designations of the fire and
police chiefs were disclosed Wednes-
day. At that time the police chief
said he was resigning because he
felt he was not in accord with the
manner in which he believed purely
administrative matters were being
handled. He made the statement
after appearing before the council
and asking ii, to leave to his discre-
ton when he should wear a uni
form.
Ordered to Wear Uniforms.
The council had ordered the two
heads to wear uniforms
beginning September /.
Fire Chief Duncan explained that
he resigned because he felt sure
some of the councilmen wanted him
to resign. In addition, he listed a
number of actions he had requested
of the council which he felt were
necessary to the successful opera
ton of his department. His re-
quests, he contended. were denied
When informed of the councils
action, Chief Duncan said he was
delighted" with the prospect OF q