Evening star., 1955-10-04
Fairfax Board
Votes Delay in
Wafer Deal
McWhorter Looks
For New Buyer
With ST Million

81 million price tag on his A1-l
Mandate Water Co. today after
the Fairfax Board Of County SUI
pervisors with some reluctancel
and uncertainty approved 81
court agreement postponingl
county purchase Of the utility
The agreement, approved by al
81 vote, stipulates that the only
two known bidders for AMMAN
dale, the county and the Virginia
Water Co, viii not buy 1t until
November 10. which is the date
that trial Of q suit to prevent
county purchase is scheduled toi
resume.
But the stipulation leaves Mr..
McWhorter free to sell to any
one else In the meantime for 81
million, and he indicated he
would be glad to do so II he got
an offer.
Mrs. Anne wilkins cast the
lone dissenting vote against the
because she said she
felt by approving 1t the county
might be taking a chance Of ios-i
ing the water company.
What worries me is II we are
saying No to his offer by ap-
proving this" said Mrs. wilkins.
Had Accepted Offer
The county previously had ac-
cepted an offer by Mr.. McWhor-
ter to sell Annandale for $685.
900. The deal was supposed toI
be closed September 80. but be-
fore it was. q suit was filed byI
fiye county residents and sup
ported by the Virginia Water
Co. to prevent the transaction.
The county is eager to acquire!
because it Is ccnsid-
cred essential 70 establishment Of
an. integrated public water sys-I
tenn, for which q bond issue will
be submitted to the voters No-I
yember 3.
II don't like this at all. either, y
said Supervisor Maurice Fox.
But 1t seems the best we can
do"
None Of the supervisors seemedl
certain after the vote was taken
liz Mr.. McWhorter still was bound
to sell to the county for $3.50. 900.
Even Mr.. McWhorter said he
wasn't sure.
Signed Stipulation
Mr.. McWhorter had signed the
stipulation postponing the sale
when attorneys approved 1t ir1i
court. Fairfax County Common
wealth's Attorney Robert C.J
Fitzgerald said he understood
at that time that Mr.. McWhorter
also would sign the supervisors
resolution approving the stipula-t i
ton, but Mr.. McWhorter de-
clined to do so yesterday.
Mrs. wilkins asked Mr.. Nc
Whorter's attorney. John Turn
bull. If he still considered the /
$950,000 deal between Mr.. Nc
Whorter and the county binding.
Frankly. ! don't know" re-
piled Mr.. Turnbull.
"If the attorneys aren't sure
about this, 1t certainly is over
my head" said Supervisor c. B.
Runyon. I'VE can only follow
the advice Of our attorneys"
The stipulation was presented
for the supervisors approval by |
Mr.. Fitzgerald and Robert ].
McCandlish. special counsel toI
the board.
/ Await Referendum
They pointed out that the
postponement would give the
county time to see II the water
bond issue passes in the Novem-
Der 8 referendum and declared
that success of the referendum
would remove the major issue |
from the lawsuit challenging
county purchase Of Annandale.
Fairfax County Executive c. C..
Massey disclosed at the meeting
that the supervisors have de-
cided to exclude the Falls Church,
Vienna and Herndon water sys-
TENS from the integrated waterl
program. The county had q
choice between two plans, one
including all the municipality
owned systems within the county,
the other excluding them. Hel
declared that a source Of supply
adequate to serve the three des-
ignated systems would be pro-
vided.
Size Of the bond issue is to be
determined tomorrow. It is ex-i
s,antad IN ho col IN E1A million.