Evening star., 1950-11-08
Voters
Favor County
Executive Form
Heavy Vote Approves
Change From Present
Government System
By james BirchfieId

system of government and adopt
ed the county executive plan yes
terday in a sizzling referendum
that brought out the heaviest
county vote in years.
Casting more than 8,700 ballots,
the voters first approved a change
in their government, then went
on to order the executive system
adopted, in preference to the more
sweeping county manager plan.
An unofficial tabulation from
all % precincts showed:
For change, 5,289; against
change, 1884.
For the county executive plan.
5,210; for the county manager
plan, 3.502.
The County Board of Supervisors
this morning agreed to appoint a
committee of seven to study transit
ton to the executive form of gov
ernment in a move to bring about
harmony.
Appointment of the committee
was urged by David Lawrence,
newspaper writer. who was chair
man of a 21-member commission
which studied county government
and recommended the executive
plan.
The board did not name the
committee members but 1t was
agreed that, in addition to advo-
Gates Of the executive form, man
ager plan supporters and pro-
ponents Of the present form would
be included.
Possible Committee Members.
Mr.. Lawrence said he would
like to have on the committee
Guy M. Bayes. president of the
Fairfax County Federation Of
Citizens Associations, and Omer
L. Hirst. chairman of the Good
Government Committee, both
strong advocates Of the manager
form.
Mr.. Lawrence said that the
supervisors should do q good job
in preparing for executive form,
which will go into effect in Janu-
ary 1852.
Anything less than q good
job" Mr.. Lawrence said, may
mean that we will have this agi-
tation again in three years." The
manager proposal, under Stats
law. cannot be brought before the
voters again before three years."
Supervisor Maurice Fox Of
Dtanesville district said he be-
lieved the committee should in
clude one person from each Of
the six magisterial districts and
two members at large. Mr.. Law
renee said it was not a matter Of
districts but of getting the best
possible technical information.
Among the problems to be
studied by the committee. Mr..
Lawrence said. would be a method
of selecting IAN executive with
real training" and adoption of q
merit system for county employees.
The margin by which the ex-
ecutive form was approved came
as surprise to most residents.
They had expected the choice be-
tween 1t and the manager pro-
posal to be close.
Fairfax now operates under q
modified constitutional form" of
Government. The new system be-
comes operative January /, 1852.
With the change, the five coun-
ty supervisors will continue to be
elected as at present-one by each
Fairfax magisterial district. The
Board Of Supervisors will retain a
professional administrator. The
board will have authority to make
key appointments to county Of
fees, including members Of the
School Board.
Under the change, the elective
Offices of treasurer and commits
sioner of revenue will be abolished.
The duties of those officials will
be combined so that a department
of finance can be established. The
supervisors will appoint a director
of this department, who could be
the administrative officer or some
one else. a.,
Board Has Budget Control.
The Board of Supervisors Is
given direct control over about 90
per cent Of the county budget as
against 9 per cent it now controls.
The board is given the authority
to appoint heads of the Welfare
and Health Departments, as well
as the School Board. The super
visors also will appoint the chief
of police. who now, like School
Board members, is named by the
Circuit Court judge.
Unaffected by the change are
the Offices of sheriff, clerk of the
court and the Commemorative
attorney. These officers will con-
tinue to be elected.
Mr.. Lawrence paid tribute to
citizens who voted for the losing
manager plan in the referendum,
noting that they instigated the
movement for a governmental
change. He urged them to join
hands with the winning bloc Of
voters in an effort to improve
county conditions.
Assurances of backing came
quickly from Mr.. Hirst, who issued
a statement saying:
1--WE intend to do everything we
can to make the executive form
work for the good of all the people
Of the county"
6 Precincts for Manager.
In yesterdays voting, only six
of the county's % precincts gave
a majority for the manager form.
In several urban precincts, where
the manager vote was expected to
be heavy, the executive plan won,
or the voting was close.
The precincts indorsing the
manager form were Annandale.
CcH - Nko,1rol, NJ