Evening star., 1950-10-27
Civic Head Asks
County Manager
Form in Fairfax
Hirst, Clarke Speak;
School Head Backs
Executive System

Executive System
Omer L. Hirst, chairman Of the
Fairfax County Committee for
Good Government. said last night
that the present county govern
ment has failed to meet the needs
of a growing community. y
Mr.. Hirst said the county man.
ager plan-one of the government
plans to be voted on in referen-
dunn November will meet the
needs of Fairfax more completely
than will the county executive
plan.
Mr.. Hirst. and State Senator
Andrew w. Clarke discussed the
proposed government changes at
a meeting sponsored by the An
nandale Lions Club.
In other developments in the
referendum campaign, Chairman
Fred w. Robinson of the County
School Board. issued a statement
backing the county executive plan
and William j. Barber. vice chair
man OF a committee to retain rep
resentative government in the
county, said many Fairfax County
voters are unaware of the sweep
ing changes in government that
reform will bring.
Senator Clarke said he believed
change in Government was
needed. He added, however, that
he would prefer for the county to
write its own charter to be en-.
acted by the State Legislature.
Executive Plan Urged.
Senator Clarke said that of the
two proposed forms he believes
the executive is the better plan.
He said that under both plans
there is no assurance that dis
tricts in the county will be repre-
sented on the school board. He
SAID some residents believe that
an elected school board would be
superior to one appointed by the
Board of Supervisors as is pro-
Vlded under both reform plans.
Senator Clarke said there waa
some feeling that bond issue refer
endums should be limited to prop.
erty owners, or those who must
repay the debt.
Mr.. Hirst said the present gov
ernment has failed to provide ade-
quate schools, adequate coming or
adequate sanitary facilities.
School Chief Backs Report.
Mr.. Robinson said he is in
agreement with a report of the
recent County Government Study
Commission and favors the county
executive form of government.
He pointed out that he was
among those who fought for adop-
ton OF the executive form 10
years ago. He said he had not
changed his mind.
Mr.. Robinson said he favors tha
executive plan for these reasons:
l. I want the Board of Super
Vlsors for whom I vote to be able
to govern the county. and not
have vested in one man for whom
1 do not vote the power to gov
ern as he thinks best. I am
against any form of centralized
power"
Sees Danger of Vote Loss.
2. Il am against any form of
government that has in it the pos
slbility of disenfranchising any
citizen in any part of the county,
and think the county manager
form, as has been proposed, has
not only the possibility but the
probability that just that can and
might be done. I don't think we
can afford to take this chance"
8. THE county executive form
OF government will not disenfran-
chise any one and will leave the
power in the hands of an elected
board, and I think this is as it
should be. 1t will also give US the
reform desired, am sure, by a
great majority of the liberal
thinking people in the county. and
will give us the opportunity to
work toward more perfect form
as we 60 along"
Redistricting Cited.
Mr.. Robinson said the people OF
the more thickly populated areas
may achieve greater representa-
tlon on the Board of Supervisors
through redistricting the county.
a privilege provided by law.
Mr.. Robinson said the study
commission might have gone
farther and recommended to the
board that they retain the COM
mission or appoint a new one to
study and prepare a plan for the
Legislature that would provide tina
kind of government needed by
the county.
Under reform, Mr.. Barber said
county residents will lose the
right to vote for and elect the
officials who levy and collect ali
taxes. Both the county manager
and the executive forms combine
the offices of commissioner of
revenue and treasurer.
Loss of Representation.
A Committee for County Man.
ager has been established by vot.
ers IN Falls Church Precinct No. i.
u was announced. The commit.
lee will conduct a house-to-house
canvass OF the qualified voters Of
The precinct.
Committee sponsors include
Harold A. Ward, Mr.. and Mrs
arthur Holmaas, w. P. Reid, Ken.
1eth Turner, Mark Alger, Mr.. and
Mrs: Eugene c. Powell, jr., Mar
mall E. Pusey, Ingelow ]. Kims
texton Jones, Thomas B. Hudson
Mrs. Irene Rock, Mr.. and Mr.