Evening star., 1951-05-25
Major Changes
Recommended
For Arlington
Committee Suggests
Moves to Strengthen
Form of Government

VIII W. SNSb
Six major changes in Airing
tons government, including crea-
ton of a county attorneys Office
and consolidation of all fiscal
functions into one department,
are recommended by the Local
Government Committee of the
Arlington Civic Federation.
Harley M. Williams, committee
chairman, said the report is to
be presented at the June S meet
ing of the federation, which in
February asked that the county
government study be made.
Committee members said they
felt that the proposed changes
were especially needed at this
time to strengthen and bring
about a more responsible, efficient
and economical form of local
government"
The recommended changes were
outlined as follows:
/. Give the county manager
authority to appoint department
heads while at the same time
placing the manager on an in
definite term, subject to removal
at any time by the County Board.
A controversy over this issue
was resolved recently by the Cir
cult Court which held that the
board should appoint department
heads under provisions of Arling-
tons special county manager act.
Before the issue was taken to
court by the board, the county
manager had been making the
appointments.
Should Have Authority.
Undoubtedly, the Arlington
County manager should be given
legal authority to appoint the de-
partment heads of the county
just as soon as the manager him.
self is made fully responsible to
the board, with removal possible
at any time by a majority vote"
said the committee.
At present the county manager
is appointed for a one-year term.
but must be notified of any plans
to dismiss him at least 60 days
before his term expires.
2. Establish an integrated De-
partment of Finance by consoli-
dating the present Department of
Finance with the Offices of treas
urer, commissioner of revenue and
the proposed Department of Real
Property Assessment.
This would eliminate the elected
Offices of treasurer and revenue
commissioner, and place them un-
der finance director. A similar
set-up goes into operation in Fair
fax County next year.
3. Provide for biennial elections
of County Board members for
four-year staggered terms with
nominees chosen in non-partisan
primaries.
At present, one and sometimes
two County Board members are
elected each year for four-year
terms.
4. Separate the legal advisory,
ordinance drafting and board rep
resentative functions from the
law enforcement functions by
creating the Office of county at
torney and relieving the common
wealth's attorney of these duties.
To Be Similar to Cities.
This would be similar to the
practice in cities. The county
attorney would act in a capacity
comparable to a city attorney.
S. Grant the county authority
to issue franchises for the use of
public ways, and to acquire, con-
Struct and operate all kinds of
public utilities.
The State Corporation Commits
sion now has sole control over the
issuance of franchises to public
utilities in the county. Cities have
franchise powers.
6. Confer on the County Board,
or committees or individuals ap-
pointed by the board, power to
investigate any department, Off
Ger or employe of the county gov
ernment; to subpoena witnesses,
books and papers, and to require
testimony under oath.
Mr.. Williams said this recon-
mendation stemmed from the re-
cent investigation of the Police
Department by a County Board
appointed committee. He said the
committee had been hampered in
its investigation by being unable
to require witnesses to appear, or
to give testimony under oath.
Defects Seen Inevitable.
Being the first government of
its type in the United States. the
committee said Arlington's county
manager plan was bound to have
some defects" that need correc-
ton. The committee report points
to 1945 study of county manager
governments in Virginia by DR..
George w. Spicer of the Univer-
sity of Virginia in which Arling-
tons government is described as
"a partial or limited county man
ager plan"
Copies of the committees rec
concentrations and a brief history
of the county manager govern
ment in Arlington are being sent
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