Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-07
,EI|Ea'I[ga,,
.UnruffIed Over
C,ounciIC,ensure.
Alexandra Mayor
Goes on Vocation
AS Session Begins

AS SESSION be0lnS
Mayor Marshall ]. Beverley of
Alexandria was on vacation to-
day apparently unconcerned over
the censure heaped upon him by
q majority Of his fellow council
members.
The Mayor spoke at the outset
of special council meeting held
last night to consider his con-
duct, then departed while the
other councilmen went on to
charge him with q long list of
contradictory statements and &C
tions harmful to the city.
A major issue before the spe-
cial session was the Mayors re-
cent announcement that City
Manager Ira Willard should be
replaced. The mayor met this
head-on: declaring that at least
two other council members
John Ewald and Vice Mayor Lee
roy Bendheim- also had stated
privately that Mr.. Willard should
be dismissed. Mr.. Ewald and Mr..
Bendheim later denied to re-:
porters that they ever made any
positive statements about firing
Mr.. Willard.
Other Actions Criticized.
Other actions of the Mayor
which prompted four council
members to call the meeting
were Mr.. Beverley's criticism of
the current Wharton survey Of
city administration, Mr.. Bever-,
ley's comment on passage of the
1954-5 budget which he op.
posed and Mr.. Beverley's dismiss,
sal of the former council Hous.
ing Committee to replace it with
another committee of his choice.
The. original committee recon-
mended approval of the Prince
street shopping center, which
the Mayor opposed, and a ma
jority of the new members he
appointed were known to OPP
pose it.
Councilmen obviously : were
disappointed to see the Mayor
depart before charges started to
fly in his direction, but they
went ahead to adopt the fol-
lowing statements and resolu-
tons:
/. I'VE have examined the
Mayors charges against the city
manager, and believe them to
be unfounded.
2. I'VE conclude in reference
to the Wharton survey that the
Mayors position is contrary to
his pledge that he would support
the survey. ="
8. Councils adoption Of the
1954-5 budget was conscien-
tiously made after hours of seri-
Gus thought, and is considered
fair and adequate to provide for
the necessary services of the
city. -"
4. 1--WE are of the opinion that
the action of Mayor Beverley
in discharging the Alexandria
Council Housing Committee ex-
ceeded his authority, was illegal
and ill-advised, and the new
committee appointed by him
can only act in an advisory
capacity to the Mayor and can
nowise be termed or considered
as a council committee. The
original Housing Committee Of
the council is hereby fully re-
stored and reactivated in its
full personnel prior to the at
tempted discharge by the Mayor.
The committee appointed by the
Mayor is hereby considered only
an advisory committee to him.
without any official recognition
or status to represent the coun-
Gill;"
Letter Endorses Meeting.
The first three statements
were supported by all council
members except James M. Dun
can, jr., who was not present.
He indicated by letter that he
was in sympathy with the stated
purpose of the meeting, how
ever. Councilman Daniel O'Fla-
herty refrained from voting on
the fourth resolution. He was
one of the, members Mayor
Beverley appointed to the new
Housing Committee.
Mr.. Bendheim said Mayor
Beverley's troubles with Mr..
Willard actually began several
weeks before the city manager
took Office two years ago.
Mayor Beverley told Mr.. VIII
lard just to do what he said and
he would have no trouble in
Alexandria" said Mr.. Bendheim.
"Mr. Willard replied that he had
to follow orders issued by a
majority of council. From that
moment on, antipathy sprung
up"
IT defend Mayor Beverley's
right to say anything he sees fit
as long as he sticks to the facts"
said Mr.. Bendheim. But we
have reached a point where some
of these things are making Alex
andria a laughing stock from
Maine to Florida"
Mr.. Bendheim said Mayor
Beverley always chose to criticize
city administration when bond
issue was about to be sold.
when these statements hurt
the credit of the city-making
us q laughing stock--it Is time to
do something. That is why we
called this meeting" said Mr..
Bendheim. A $40 million sewer
bond issue is about to be sold.
Most Bitter Criticism.
The criticism Of Mayor Bev"
erley on his Housing Committee
action was the most bitter.
Councilman Dave Haddock
uJoY1f hork RI 10A0 0rylnoY Mr.