Evening star., 1951-12-30
Fairfax County All Sci
For Exeeutiye-Type
Government tuesday
r. N. Loughboroueh
First to Hold Reins
Over Activities
BY Mory Lou Werner


Washington area communitie.
that have adopted forms Of gov.
ernment tailored for administra.
tive efficiency.
The county executive system
that becomes effective then is 9
first cousin of manager forms o.
government in Arlington anc
Montgomery Counties and Alex.
andria and Falls Church.
For the first time, Fairfax vii
have an administrative head re.
sponsible for the conduct of bust.
ness in all county departments
The supervisors have announced
that the county executive job TEN.
porarily will 60 to R., M. Lough.
borough, present executive secre.
tary.
The new executives role as ad.
ministrator, instead of clerk fol
the supervisors. is one of the bic
advantages pointed to by county
executive advocates in their cam
paign for adoption OF that system
Their campaign ended successfully
with a referendum in the fall ot
1850. Voters picked the county
executive over the county manager
plan which also appeared on the
ballot.
Supervisors Get New Power.
The executives Office will not be
the only one given new authority
however.
The supervisors themselves will
have some appointive powers that
now rest with the Circuit Court
They will appoint the School
Board, and will appoint all de-
partment heads on recommenda-
tion Of the county executive. Some
of the appointments they will
make previously have been made
by court-appointed boards, or
chosen by election.
A director of finance, for in
stance, will be appointed. He will
serve in lieu Of a Treasurer and
Commissioner Of Revenue, two
elective Offices abolished by the
new form Of government.
The welfare director, previously
appointed by the Welfare Board,
also will come under the super
visor's control. The Welfare Board
will be appointed by the super
visors. instead Of by the court.
Ponder Taxpayer Reaction.
AL changes, however, are in the
internal administration Of the
county-and not in the services to
be offered.
It is this fact that leads the
supervisors to wonder how patient
taxpayers will be as the new gov
ernment gradually adapts itself
TO needs of the fast-growing area.
They are mindful that disatis-
faction with services offered by
the county-particularly in the
urban areas-played a major part
In voting out the old form Of gov
ernment. And many Of those who
voted in that referendum have
looked forward to 1852, expecting
the county executive system to
move in with q swift plan Of
action for undermining local gov
ernment operations.
Another advantage attributed to
the county executive system is
economy. Experts who made q
study of the transition confirmed
that it should result in more ef-
dciency and savings.
But whether the average resi-
dent will get a lower tax bill as
, result, is another question. The
population of the county is grow
ing faster each month-it is ex-
pected to grow from its present
e8, 900 to 100000 by 1880. That
means more schools, more county
employees to meet the increasing
demands Of taxpayers, and more
municipal services.
Some Inadequacies Noted.
The supervisors have found the
bounty's need for services already
has exceeded provisions Of the
bounty executive system.
They are hoping the General
Assembly session beginning jan
uary 8 will take care of some Of
he needs not provided for by the
eounty executive plan.
Legislation they seek includes:
permission to create a department
f public works. particularly to
sover sewer services; authority to
smploy a special counsel: clari-
hcation Of zoning regulations
they fear the county executive
regulations would require a refer
sndum for each rezoning; author
sty to appoint the Board of Lii
brary Trustees which the county
executive system would leave in
the hands of the Circuit Court.
Also apparently not provided for
h the county executive set-up is
} planning board to make recon-
nendations on rezening requests.
Supervisors Will Meet.
The legislative requests will be
gone over by the new supervisors
1t 8 pm. Thursday at a meeting
with State Senator John A. K.
Donovan and Delegate Edwin
Lynch.
Prior to this, however, a meet
ing is set for 10 am. New Years
Day when a chairman will be
elected then and the temporary
appointment of Mr.. Lougborough
rs executive is to be made Official.
Appointment of other department
heads on his recommendation may
then proceed.
They also are expected to ap-
point the new seven-member
school board. One member from
each district, and one at large.
A second meeting is set for 10
an. Wednesday, the regular
meeting day.
Attorneys have advised the su-
pervisors that every detail need