Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-10-20
Changes in City
Rule Proposed
In Alexandra
Merged Finance Plan
And Administration
Setup Is Suggested
By Mary Lou Werner

By Mary Lou Werner
A consolidated department of
finance and a new Office of gen.
eral administration are the
major recommendations of a
proposed Alexandria Govern
ment reorganization plan made
public today.
The plan represents the first
phase in the administrative sur
vey being conducted by the In
stitute of Local and State Gov
eminent of the University of
Pennsylvania.
City Manager Ira Willard ex-
planned that the plans recon-
mended by the surveyors are
tentative and subject to revision
after members of the City Coun-
Gil and department heads can
study them and make sugges-
tons.
Consolidate Finance Setup.
In their report, the surveyors
give a general outline of de-
partmental organization for the
city. The principal difference
between their outline and the
present municipal setup is a con-
Solidated department of finance,
in charge of all the city's fiscal
function.
Alexandria now has a direc-
tor of finance who prepares
budgets and serves as a con-
troller, but there are three other
Independent observation-disclosures
missioner of revenue, treasurer
and city collector-in charge of
tax collection, assessment and
tax billing.
The report comments that leg
islation would be necessary to
bring all financial functions un-
der one department. This was
proposed in Alexandria several
years ago, but voters rejected
the idea in a referendum.
Office Under City Manager.
The outline provides a new
office under the city manager in
charge of general administra-
ton. The surveyors say it would
be the task of this office to con-
duct work programs and produc-
ton analyses, procedures analy-
SeS, research work and reports
communications, records and leg
islative liaison.
The outline emissions 13 major
departments under the City
Council and city manager. The
city now has 16, excluding the
elective Offices.
Those departments that would
be absorbed within the new plan
are: Assessments, plumbing in
Spection and coming. Five OF
the 13 departments under the
new setup would serve as staff
and management units, directly
under the city manager. These
departments are: City plan
ming, finance, personnel, general
administration and civil defense.
Personnel also would be a new
department, but the city already
has provided funds for it's crea-
ton in this years budget.
The surveyors explained that
the staff and management de-
partment would operate as aides
for the city manager, Analysing
and working out details of rec
concentrations that come from
the operating department.
The eight operating depart.
ments also report directly to the
city manager, but not in the
same advisory capacity as the
staff and management depart.
ment. The eight proposed op-
Grating departments are: Police
traffic and parking, public works
building and coming, fire, health
welfare and recreation.
Go to Technical Aspects.
MI Willard said the surveyor:
now will proceed with more tech.
nical aspects of their study tt
recommend what procedures
personnel, etc., are necessary.
The survey was begun las
May. The City Council has au'
thorized $4,000 for the project
although it may not cost tina
much. The survey was recon-
mended by Mr.. Willard, ant
bitterly opposed at first b!
Mayor Marshall F. Beverley.
Mayor Beverley finally agreed
to vote for the survey, provided
the Council received regula,
progress reports and with thu
understanding it could be endec
at any time that progress seemed
unsatisfactory.