Evening star., 1950-02-05
Talks Ruled Out
By Falls Church
Won't Meet Foirfux
To Discuss Speeding
Issue for Sewers

Issue for Sewers
The Falls Church Council has
rejected a request by the Fairfax
County Board of Supervisors for
a joint meeting. to, discuss expe-
diting the county's stalled sewer
bond issue.
The $3,000,000 sewer program
was halted Wednesday because of
legal questions arising from city
plans. An annexation
passed by the city last
July, still in effect, seeks part Of
the territory participating in the
bond issue.
The council took no action yes
terday to rescind the ordinance.
No information was available re-
garding boundaries of the terri
tory the city now proposes to
annex.
Mayor Albert M. Orme, in a
statement issued after a special
meeting yesterday, said "the
county's sewer bond issue and the
city's annexation plans are in
separately linked"
Records Sought.
The council decided after con-
sultation with annexation advisers
not to meet the county until GER
tain records are made available
to the city. The record of assessed
valuations in the "annexable
area" the mayor said, must be
made available before an "ami-
cable settlement" can be discussed.
The mayor said the county
instructed Land AS
SCISSOR G. N. James to withhold
the information. An oral agree
ment made later between the
and a councilman.
providing for city access to the
records, has not been carried out,
Mayor Orme reported.
He stressed that giving the city
access to the records would not
mean recision of the annexation
ordinance which is blocking issu-
ance of the sewer bonds. He said
the city will act only after study
OF any proposal made by the
county.
Alexandria officials, who are
also considering annexation of a
part of Fairfax, were invited to
join Falls Church and Fairfax
at the meeting.
Bond Issue Approved.
The $3,0o0,000 bond issue was
approved by voters of Fairfax
Sanitary District No. / last Au-
gust. The county would purchase
the Federally owned truck sewer
and would provide money to build
a sewage disposal plant. Exten-
sion Of the system with A miles
of new line also is planned.
The city fought the successful
bond issue proposal. Falls Church
is a customer of the county-oper-
ated Federal sewer.
County officials had said that
If the bond issue were authorized.
the city would have to pay at
the rate of So a month per Gus.
toner for use of the system. This
charge, according to City Council
man j. H. Mccarthy, would al
most double the cost of sewer
service for city residents.
Before the bond issue came to
a vote, Mayor Orme protested
that the city had not been con-
suited
A county resident, meanwhile,
announced that the sewer con-
troversy resulted in formation Of
the Fairfax County Better Gov
ernment Committee. John H,
King. Great Falls road, Falls
Church, said he had been named
president of the group which
seeks adoption of a county mana
ger form of government.
Officials Criticized.
Mr.. King released a statement
declaring that "the gross inepiti-
tude Of various county officers
demonstrates clearly the urgent
need for drastic reform of the
county government"
The doubtful legality of sale 70
the sewer bonds. said MIR. King.
would have been revealed by the
most casual scrutiny" He said
the committee has been informed.
that the same legal question will
preclude sale of the county's $10,-
100000 school bond issue. This
program has not yet come before
the voters.
A Falls Church school bond is
sue already approved may be
blocked because of a Fairfax
County claim against the city.
The county is demanding that the
city assume $240,000 obligation.
City Attorney La Rue Van Meter
said he does not believe the claim
represents a legal obstacle to sale
OF the city bonds. He said he was
aware, however, that the question
may arise.
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