Evening star., 1953-09-01
Leaders Hail
Redistricting
Plan in Fairfax
Boundaries Altered
To Give County
Seven Supervisors

county's new redistricting plan
hearty Endorsement, as they
made preparations for the grad
ual effect it will have on the
county government.
The report of a seven-member
redistricting commission was
filed in Fairfax Circuit Court
yesterday, replacing the former
six magisterial districts with
seven new ones.
The first major effect will be
an increase in the size of the
Board of County Supervisors
from six to seven members. since
each district is entitled to one
representative.
Temporarily, the seventh seat
will be filled by special election
of one supervisor at large to
serve until the terms of present
board members expire in 1855.
Therefore, one supervisor will be
elected from each of the seven
new districts.
May Elect November 3.
G. Wallace Carper, chairman
Of the board, said he hopes the
special election of the new super
visor could be held on November
3 with the general State elec-
tions. He said the supervisors
probably would discuss mechanics
of calling the special election at
their meeting tomorrow.
Under State law, the super
visors are required to ask the
Circuit Court to call the special
election. The court then must
set an election date within As
days.
Every one thinks it ought to
be held on November g." said
Mr.. Carper. II can't think of
any reason why we should post
pone it. We would even save
money by holding the special
election with the general elec-
tion, instead of having it sepa-
rately."
Mr.. Carper praised the work
of the redistricting commission.
Hears No Criticism.
"They have a very difficult
task. I think they've done a
swell job. I've discussed it with
a lot of people and haven't
heard one word of criticism, I"
said Mr.. Carper. .
Supervisor Maurice Fox of the
olo Dranesville district also
commended the redistricting
commission:
"It's the very best they could
have done-a final plan"
The new district setup puts
Mr.. Fox in the new Centreville
district with Stuart DeBell. One
Of them will lose out when their
present terms expire in 1855.
Mr.. Fox said he will decide what
to do about that situation when
the time arrives.
Supervisors c. B. Jett and
Arthur Shaffer are in the same
fix. The new plans puts them
both in the new Lee district.
The new Providence, Falls
Church and Mount Vernon dis
tricts are left without any super
visors within their boundaries.
Mrs. Anne wilkins, elected from
the old Falls Church district,
now lives within the new 7th
district. called Mason. Mr.. Car
per. formerly of Providence, lives
in the new Dranesville district.
7. Bernard Mullady, president of
the Fairfax Federation of Citi-
zens' Associations, gave the new
district arrangement his ap-
proval.
BY creating a seventh seat on
the Board of Supervisors, the
new district arrangement elm
mates the necessity for an off,
cial tie-breaker. The current
tie-breaker is C. B. Runyon.
Besides it's effects on the
supervisors, the redistricting can
be expected to bring about some
changes on the School Board.
There are now six members
on the School Board. Customarily,
one is appointed by the super
visors from each magiSterial
district. The new plan places
several School Board members in
some of the districts. Although
the supervisors are not required
to pick one School Board mem
ber from each district, they are
expected to try to follow this
policy with the new districts.
Size and Population.
The size and approximate
populations of the new districts
are: Mount Vernon, 46 square
miles, 1885 residents; Lee Dis
trict, 70 square miles, SIP resi-
dents; Mason District, 80 square
miles, 1928 residents; Falls
Church district. 80 square miles,
23,073 residents: Centerville
district, 131 square miles, 1898
residents; Providence district,
As square miles, 1854 resi-
dents. and Dranesville Dis
trict. So square miles, 1887 resi-
dents.
The commission could not
create any districts with less
than 80 square miles. John w.
Rust, commission chairman, said
natural boundaries, such as ma
jor highways and streams, were
followed as closely as possible to
reduce the amount of surveying
work necessary. He said the
commission probably saved the
county 100000 by this policy.
Mr.. Rust said the electoral
board will have to rearrange
precincts within most of the dis
trictS. but that wouldn't have to