Evening star., 1953-02-02
Bendhein1 Says
Willard Report
isConstructive
Vice Mayor Defends
Alexandria Manager
In Controversy

Alexandria Vice Mayor Leroy
S. Bendheim today came to the
defense Of City Manager Ira Will
lard's controversial report criti.
cizing the city government.
A 10-page statement by Mr..
Bendheim was the first express
sion Of outright support for Mr..
Willard since his report was
made public last Wednesday.
The managers report drew Bit
ter reaction from Mayor Mar
shall j. Beverley, and other
council members indicated pri-
vately they were none too
pleased.
II am frank to state that ! am
compelled to agree for the most
part with the criticisms and
recommendations contained in
the report" said Mr.. Bendheim.
IT am equally certain that the
criticisms submitted by the city
manager are entirely objective
and constructive, not in any
manner directed to be personal
or against any particular group
or individual.
Morning Paper Criticized.
Mr.. Bendheim blamed much
of the unfavorable reaction to
Mr.. Wizards report on the "un-
timely" and improper" manner
in which he said it was described
in newspaper accounts. He par
ticularly criticized a morning
newspaper for using the report
after accepting it on a hold
for release basis - before the
council had time to consider it.
Though Mr.. Bendheim's state
ment supports the managers
report, the two documents speak
in different terms of Alexandria's
progress.
Mr.. Willard said the city gov
ernment had failed to keep pace
with the growth in population
that the present organization
and operation of the city gov
ernment was most unsatisfac-
tory" and had resulted in poor
direction, a complete lack of
coordination, rampant ineffi-
cheney, indefinite authority, and
uncertain responsibility" To
continue thus, he warned "is to
invite financial ruin and the
complete inability of the city to
perform the functions for which
it exists"
Mr.. Bendheim said he did not
believe the city manager meant
to intimate that Alexandria Is
in financial distress or on the
verge of bankruptcy. He said the
manager was merely calling for
"a reorganization of our entire
administrative Setup so that.
through proper budgetary meth
ods and capital improvements
expenditures, the increased cost
of city services as the municipal-
ity develops can be met on pay
aS-you-go basis insofar as pos
Sible. :"
Cites Evidence of Progress.
The vice mayor then cited evi-
dence of Alexandria'S progress:
A balanced budget since 1948.
completion of the first five-year
school expansion program and
the beginning of a second school
expansion program, and a num-
ber of other public improve
mentS.
yet during this time, profess
sional taxes were reduced. the
cigarette tax was eliminated, at
tempts to impose a public utility
tax were defeated, and the real
estate taxes and personal prop
erty taxes were held within nor.
NAL limits" said Mr.. Bendheim.
"City services have been main
tained at the least possible cost
to the citizens, and in all re-
spects we have advanced pro-
gressively in great proportions"
Mr.. Bendheim said he agreed
with Mr.. Willard that the city
needed a municipal job classifi-
cation, that the duties and func-
'tions of department heads be
clearly defined and they UNDER
stand their responsibility is to
the city manager, and he in turn
is responsible to. the council.
1T is my feeling that Mr..
Wizards report is far from be.
ing a criticism of the members
of council or any department
heads of the city. or derogatory
of the city's financial ability"
said Mr.. Willard. Rather it is
a professional diagnosis of Ger.
tain ills with which we are con.
fronted, and which, II handled
without emotion and hysteria,
can be promptly and efficiently
remedied."
T E~.a 4. C.L