Evening star., 1947-11-12
CoIasanto Set 10 Take
Alexandra Post as
Protest Move Fails

Nicholas A. COlaSantO today
planned to take Office as city man
ager of Alexandria as scheduled on
Saturday after a delegation OF 200
citizens last night failed in their
attempt to have the appointment
reconsidered.
Although it was pointed out by
City Attorney Joseph M. Pancoast
that under city ordinance no reso-
luton to rescind the appointment
would be in order for 80 days, no one
moved to amend that ordinance so
that action could be taken last
night. Political observers agreed
this indicated that If the council
men were not willing to take such
steps last night, they probably would
not be any more willing to do so 80
days hence.
Immediately after last nights
stormy session, sponsors OF a petit
ton calling for referendum on q
change from the present ward
elected council to one elected at
large disclosed that they had OBJ
tanned nearly 1000 signatures. This,
they said, was sufficient to author
ize the Circuit Court judge to order
a referendum. They said they did
not plan to present the petition to
the court, however, until next week
Meetings Legality Discussed.
a
opened with q controversy over
whether it was legal for the council
TO meet on u holiday. Mr. Pan
coast said 1t was not legal for the
council to hold a regular session
on u holiday. 1t was decided that
the last executive session held No
vember 4 never officially adjourned
and therefore the councilmen actu-
ally were still in session.
Councilman Samuel Luckett then
suggested that the meeting move to
the corporation courtroom to ac-
commodate the 200 people, many OF
whom were standing in the rain
outside and looking in the windows
This motion was defeated, with
Councilman Jack Tulloch, Edward
Downey, Paul Delaney and Everett
Hellmuth voting against 1t. Coun-
cilmen Charles Nash and John
Ewald had not yet arrived at the
meeting. Then on motion OF Mr.
Hellmuth the meeting adjourned.
BY agreement of the councilmen
however, they remained IN the
council chamber to hear the pro-
tests against Mr.. Colasanto's ap'
pointment.
Says City Is "Dismayed."
Judge Prentice Ellis Burlington
r., the first spokesman, said the
city was "dismayed and dlslllu-
stoned" by the appointment.
The Rev. Cliff johnson, a Presby'
terian minister who emphasized tha'
he was speaking as a citizen, sale
that q city the size OF Alexandrls
should secure some one for the Jot
who had proved his ability.
Frank M. Hurst. who defended th'
appointment, said he thought MI
Colasante would do good job.
A telegram was delivered to thu
council chamber announcing sup
port of Mr.. Colasanto by the Vet
erans' Non-Partisan Voters League
Of Alexandria, which claimed to have
705 voting members.
Moved to Court Room.
Just as the informal protest session
appeared ended, Councilman De
laney moved that notice OF a specia
meeting be waived and the counci
meet Immediately In the Corpora
ton Court to hear the protests
officially. His motion carried unani
mously and the council and the 20'
citizens marched around the blocl
to the court.
After the meeting got under way
in the court, Marshall Beverly asked
Councilman Nash II he had no
agreed to move for reconsideration
provided enough pressure could bs
put on Col. Hellmuth to support the
reconsideration also. Mr.. Nash sale
this was true.
In answer to a question by L. B
Maier if 1t were true that several va.
cant city positions had some bearing
on the city manager selection, Col
Hellmuth denied that his vote was
prompted by any such motive. HI
took occasion also to deny rumors
that he was seeking a city Job.
Ben Boogher then asked Col. Hell.
muth If he had not said q HAPPY
solution" to the whole problem woulo
be for Mr.. Colasanto to decline the
appointment. Col. Hellmuth said this