Evening star., 1954-05-11
Council Studies
New Vote on
School Bonds
Falls Church Urged
To Sturt Fresh by
Killing Contest

Falls Church City Manager
w. Rodes Woodbury. last night
recommended that the Circuit
Court be asked to set aside the
city's 100000 school bond elec-
ton without hearing a pending
suit against it.
Mr.. Woodbury. said he made
the suggestion Ito provide school
construction funds at the earliest
possible date" The City Coun-
Gil deferred action until its next
meeting
The city manager made his
proposal after the School Board
had asked the council to explore
ways of raising 1925, 900 by short
term borrowing to get its stalled
construction program under way.
The funds were to be used in
conjunction with a $125,00O
Federal grant for an addition
to the Mount Daniel School.
Cramped by Suit.
Mr.. Woodbury. reported that
1--WE have no sure method of
incurring public Indebtedness
for capital outlay" in this stu
alton.
He said the court contest filed
against the bond issue election
would apply to any short-term
notes issued in anticipation of
the bonds and thus make such
a loan difficult or impossible to
raise.
Furthermore, Mr.. Woodbury.
reported, even if the city won
the court suit an appeal would
require another IA to Is months
to decide, holding up the bond
sale that long.
If the city petitions the court
to set aside the election, he Sug-
gested. it could ask that a new
election on a revised bond ordi-
nance be set for July 13, the
date of the Democratic primary.
If the new ordinance were not
contested, notes could be issued
about August Is.
Lists Other Advantages.
Mr.. Woodbury. listed these
other advantages Of such a plan:
/. The wording Of the $685.
600 water bond ordinance ap-
proved in the same election
could be corrected to give the
city a lower interest rate in SELL
ing the bonds.
2. The total of the school bond
issue could be raised or lowered
as the council saw it. It has
been suggested that the $500, 900
be reduced by the amount of
the recent $125,00O Federal
grant.
3. The wording of the school
bond ordinance could be changed
to allow issuance of notes in
anticipation of the bond sale to
save several months interest.
Court Hearing May II.
When the council indicated
1t would not act on the proposal
before its next regular meeting
Mr.. Woodbury. said his proposal
would still hold good but might
be more difficult to effect. The
election contest is due to get its
first court hearing on May II.
After that date, Mr.. Woodbury.
said, it will not be so simple to
have the election set aside.
In other business, the council
set June % for a rezoning hear
ing on a portion of the Lee tract
on Old Fairfax road north of
Hechinger's. It will be the first
such hearing in more than a
year. The council has deferred
all hearings pending submission
of a master plan by the zoning
commission, due May II.
The council also set up Fiscal
Advisory Committee, with two
councilmen and five citizen mem
berS appointed by the Mayor,
their terms to start September l.
The council also accepted the
resignation of James E. Ander-
son, chairman, from the plan
ming commission. Mr.. Anderson,
who has served on the commits
sion for three years, said he is
no0vinO tn Foirfov C0IIY1tv