Evening star., 1948-09-15
Beverley Is Rebuffed
On CoIasanto Custer,
Special Audit Plea

Marshall J. Beverley, new Alexan-
dria city councilman, who last month
waged a verbal campaign against
alleged "inefficiencies" in the city
government, failed last night in at
Itempts to unseat City Manager
Nicholas Colasanto and to have a
special audit of city finances,
Mr.. Beverley also was rebuked by
Finance Committee Chairman r.
Samuel Luckett for his attacks on
Alexandria finances. Mr.. Luckett
read letter from the firm which
purchased the city's recent $5.250.-
600 bond issue warning that the new
councilman's campaign could ad-
versely affect the bonding company's
resale of the bonds.
Mr.. Beverley announced that un-
less "the resignation of Mr.. Cola
santo as city manager is rendered
to this council in the very near
future, I shall - request "
his immediate removal from Office"
Disavows Personal Grievance.
Mr.. Beverley declared that with
out doubt the change In the form
Iof our city government was
brought about by the appointment
Eof Mr.. Colasanto as city manager
Under this change the citizens and
voters Of Alexandria elected a ma
jority Of new members in our city
tcouncil. . ;" We must carry out
this mandate by the speedy re-
nloval of Mr.. Colasanto"
Mr.. Beverley claimed he had no
personal grievance" against the city
manager.
Two incumbent councilmen, Mr..
Luckett and Mayor William wilkins,
who originally opposed Mr.. Cola
santos appointment. came to the
city managers support,
Mr.. Luckett said Alexandria can
never expect to have a city manager
who will work at the job so hard
TulIoch Supports ColasantO.
John w. Tulloch, who last night
was elected Vice Mayor, also spoke
in support of Mr. Colasanto. Mr..
Tulloch, an incumbent, had voted
for the appointment of Mr.. Cola
santo.
Asked after the meeting If he in
tended to resign as requested by
Mr.. Beverley, the city manager said.
"of course not"
The other ajor setbacks suffered
by Mr.. Beverley came when the
Council by vote of four to three
refused to order special audit Of
the city's books. ...
Finance Chairman Luckett ex-
planned that an auditing firm per-
manently was retained by the city
and that a complete audit was now
being prepared. He said Mr.. Bever-
ley was wrong In asserting that the
city was in a serious financial con-
dition," and declared that the
S297 900 deficit referred to by Mr..
Beverley was merely paper def
icit" The finance chairman said
the city's deficit today was less than
it had been for years.
| Charter Commission Authorized.
The council, on motion OF Albert
A. Smoot, authorized appointment
of a special seven-member COM
mission to study the city charter
with a view to revising 1t. The
commission will be appointed by
Mayor wilkins.
| On motion of Councilman Leroy
s. Bendheim. the council requested
State Senator Andrew w. Clarke
and Delegate Armistead Boothe to
| introduce legislation at the next
General Assembly providing for a
police and firemen's trial board.
Mr.. Bendheim also sponsored res
olutions which reminded city Of
fcials that they are directly re-
sponsible to the city manager,
calling for a study of the advisable
ity of establishing city department
of finance. and requesting a study
on the advisability of establishing
+ a civil service system.