Evening star., 1951-04-11
Alexandria S
Council Orders
Charter Review
Committee Begins
Study for Possible
Change Proposals

Ihunge proposals
Alexandria, year-old charter is
being reviewed by the City Council
with the idea of proposing amend
ments to be approved at the 1852
session of the General Assembly.
This was confirmed by city
officials today, but they were re-
luctant to say just what changes
are contemplated.
The review actually was in
augurated at meeting of the
council last night, but news of the
action did not leak out until to-
day.
This was because the council
went into an executive session at
the end of last nights regular
meeting and the press and public
were asked to leave. Then the
council went back into regular
session and on the motion of Leroy
S. Bendheim three councilmen
were elected to begin the charter
review.
Members of the Review Com
mittee are Mr.. Bendheirn, James
M. Duncan, jr., and Marshall j..
Beverley.
Sees Some Changes Needed.
Mr.. Beverley, who was the only
committee member that could be
reached for comment this morn
ing. said he believed some changes
should be made in the charter but
would not elaborate.
Mayor Franklin P. Backus said
the discussion that preceded ap-
pointment of the committee did
not indicate that any specific
changes were proposed.
"The purpose of this committee
is just to review the charter and
see how it has worked during the
past year." said Mr.. Backus.
He said one matter the COM
mittee undoubtedly would study
would be non-partisan elections.
Alexandria voters requested inclu-
sion of non-partisan election pro-
visions in the charter but the
State Legislature deleted a por-
ton of this requirement.
Drafted by Commission.
The new Alexandria charter was
drafted by Charter Commission
which the council appointed. The
council reviewed the recommended
tions of the commission, made
some minor changes and passed
the charter on to the 1850 session
of the General Assembly where it
was adopted.
Stanley King, chairman of the
Charter Commission, said today
that no member of the council had
discussed any proposed changes
with him, but felt they may have
found some amendments areI
needed after-a year of experience.
In its early session, the council
last night decided to hold hear
ing April % on an ordinance per-
mitting fluoridation of the city'sI
water supply. @s
City Manager w. Guy Ancell
announced that bids are being ac-
cepted for construction OF a SWIM
ming pool for colored, for which
$4,000 was included in this years
budget.
School Board Proceeding.
A procedure for nominating new
members to the School Board was
adopted by the council on recon-
mendation of Leroy S. Bendheim,
chairman of the councils School
Committee. From May l through
May %, any organization in the
city may make nominations to his
committee for two vacancies which
will occur on the School Board in
July. The committee will screen
the nominations and, at the sec
ond council meeting in June, make
recommendation to the council.
Mr.. Bendheim said he did not
know whether the two School
Board members whose terms are
expiring will be candidates for
denomination. They are Charles
T.. Tomlin and John P. Strauss.
City Hall Job Let.
Eugene Simpson & Bros, con-
tractors, were retained to renovate
space in the City Hall into three
new courtrooms, restrooms, judges
chambers and bar library. The
work will be done on a cost-plus
basis, with the firm receiving a
fiat fee of $4,000 for the job. Mr..
Bendheim said he thought the
total cost would be about $100, 900,
while a fiat contract bid would
have been $4,000.
In other actions, the council,
authorized purchase of 119 ano
121 North Pitt street, for approx.
mately $4,000, for off-street park.
ing; appropriated $3.50 for in
stallation of synchronized traf-
f1c light system in the downtown
section; appropriated $11,308 tt
pave Commonwealth avenue from
Oxford to Mount Ida avenues; an.
propriated $35,750 to pave Fairfa,
street from Queen to Montgomery
streets, and appropriated $2.227 IL
pave Wolfe street from Unior
street to the Potomac River.