Evening star., 1952-08-22
Action Awaited
ByFairfax Board
On Sanitation
Committee Report
Asks More at Once
To Set Up Authority
By Mary Lou Werner

PAObiCAAAo 1AAOuS14Out I1Ic COOk1ty
today is awaiting action by the
Board Of Supervisors.
A final report of the special
sanitation study committee ap-
pointed 18 months ago was pre-
Sented to the supervisors last
night, recommending immediate
establishment Of the authority.
The committee. appointed on
recommendation of Sanitary En-
gineer James j. Corbalis, jr., had
announced its support of the au-
thority plan last August. Further
action was postponed until COM
pletion of the final report setting
forth reasons for favoring the au-
thority plan and showing what
steps are necessary to create one.
Public Hearing Urged.
The report asks the supervisors
to adopt a resolution signifying
the county'S intention to establish
an authority. and arrange for the
required public hearing.
If substantial number of peo-.
pie object to the authority or If
10 per cent of the qualified voters
in any sanitary district object, a
referendum shall be ordered.
The next step is to file pertinent
information with the State Corpo-
ration Commission for review and
approval. It is then up to the sec
to issue charter.
The committee recommends
that the authority, when created,
devote its first attentions to sewer
age problems and promptly acquire
the county's interests in existing
sewer facilities. It is further rec
commended that the existing Office
OF the Sanitary Engineer be
transferred to the authority to
serve as the nucleus of its admin
istrative and operating staff.
Would Replace Method.
An authority would replace the
county's present sanitary district
method of handling sanitation
problems. So far, sanitary dis
tricts have been created only for
sewer systems although they also
can be set up for other sanitation
facilities.
Control and administration of
the authority would be vested in
the hands of five directors ap-
pointed by the Board Of Super
visors for terms not exceeding four
years. They may serve with or
without compensation. The report
asks the Supervisors to give care
tul consideration to appointing
authority members, keeping in
mind the Importance and respon-
Slbll1ties attached to the posi-
ton :"
An authority operates somewhat
like any public service corporation.
1t can acquire. construct, operate
and maintain any sewer facilities.
water supply, garbage and trash
disposal services throughout the
county without regard to tax dis
trict boundaries. It fixes rates
subject to sec approval-and can
require residents to use it's facili-
ties. provided the governing body
approves. 1t is supported solely in
fees for services.
Bonds May Be Issued.
Bonds may be issued by an au-
thority without the usually re-
quired referendum. There is no
limit. except what amount is
saleable under existing bond mar
ket conditions. The bonds are the
revenue-producing type which
rely entirely on fees for repay
ment, and do not become an obli-
CATION against real estate. The
authority does not have power to
impose taxes.
The financial difficulties of
solving sewerage problems with
sanitary districts interested the
committee most.
Engineers estimate that it would
cost about $17,027, 900 to meet
current needs in the existing and
proposed sanitary districts. In al
number Of districts, the cost of
providing facilities would be
greater than the required property
assessment. There is no oppor-
tunity even for temporary assist
ance from the "going concern" in
one district to help out another
district.
With an authority plan, the
gross earning capacity of ALI
facilities are made available to
help finance any new facilities.
Present Status Pointed Out.
I'm considering the present
status Of development in Fairfax
County, we can no longer afford
to think in terms Of self-con-
tanned, separate and distinct dis
trictS, areas or communities, each
with independent community in
terests and peculiar problems
the report states. Unless one car
ried map of the boundaries Of
these Sanitary districts there
would be no evidence marking one
district from another"
Some of the districts could
share facilities to advantage. But
1t would require separate refer
enda in each district and involve
a separate issuance of bonds. Resi-
dents in one district might be-
come suspicious that the other
district would enjoy more ad-
vantages, and defeat the bond
issue.
All financial records have to be
kept separate in the various Sani-
tary districts, even when they
share facilities.
"JuSt imagine the time and ef-
fort expended in the relatively
unimportant matter of allocating
the costs Of telephone service or
stationary and supplies, or any
other item Of administrative or
even personal service" said the
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