Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-07
IAIexs5ndriSsn Ne|@gly
Y Charter Chances
Elective School
Board Proposal
FuiIs to Pass

Hast night turned down seven
proposed major changes In the
lcity's charter, including one
which called for an elective
school board.
/ Twelve minor proposals found
Council approval. Two minor
changes failed to pass.
/ In addition to the elective
school board. the Council alsp
refused to act on proposals which
would have:
/ l. Provided for non-partisan
city elections.
/ 2. Placed in the hands Of the
Council the task Of electing the
towns Mayor.
] 3. Combined primaries and
general elections for city and
State offices.
| 4. Made the Offices of city at
torney and city collector APP
pointiye rather than elective.
| 5. Stripped city boards and
commissions Of legislative and
administrative functions, leaving
them only advisory powers. l
s. Made the possession Of lot
terry paraphernalia or parking
tickets prima facie evidence In
city courts.
Sparse Audience
The proposals involving the
school board, non-partisan city
elections. and the separation Of
the mayor-council ballot were
the only questions to draw much
heated discussion from either the
sparse audience or the council.
Speaking in favor Of an cleo
tive school board was Leonard
Brown. Of 1877 S. West street.
Mr.. Brown, a Howard Univer-
Isity public administration stu,
dent. told the council he felt
only an elective board or redis-
tricting Of school zones could
remedy "unrealistic composition
of the board"
United States Commissioner
Stanley King Of 903 Quaker lane
ended the discussion by admon-
ishing the council to keep the
school board out Of politics
don't let it become a political
football"
The vote against the proposal
was unanimous.
Election Proposals Lose
| Non-partism city elections
were supported by Councilman r.
Clinton knight. an Independent,
and by several residents attend
ing the lengthy session but the
motion was defeated.
| Election Of the mayor by vote
within the city council won the
support Of Councilman John T.
TIGER and Of representatives Of
the League of Women Voters. the
North Ridge Citizens Association,
and the Strawberry Hill Citizens
Association. i.
Mrs. James F. Fort. president
lof the women's group. told the
board she favored the plan to-
eliminate ''plunKer" voting.
whereby voters may vote only
for that candidate IN the council
race whom they wish to become
mayor. Under the present sys-
tenn, the candidate with the
highest number Of votes for the
council automatically becomes
mayor.
Mayor Opposed
Opposing the change were
Mayor Leroy S. Benrheim and
representatives of the Northeast
and Del Ray Citizens associa-
tons.
Mr.. Bendheim said he feared
leaving selection Of the mayor
to the council might result in
creating diSsension and ill-feal-
ling within the council.
Mr.. TIGERS motion failed to
Iget a second and was followed
by adoption of a motion which
provides for election of the
mayor on separate ballot from
the other six councilmen.
Independent F. Clinton Knight.
who proposed the motion. said
the mechanics of the change
would be worked out later.
Assembly Action Needed
In other action last night, the
council approved proposals
stripping the Planning Commits
sion Of some of its duties, these
later to be assumed by a city
Department of Planning. The
rest Of the proposals passed in
volved technical and personnel
matters.
The 81 proposals were pre-
sented to the council by Council
man Joseph M. Pancoast, chair
man of the city's charter COM
mittee. They were submitted
by organizations. individuals and
members Of the council.
Those approved by the council
last night will be submitted to
the city's representative in the
General Assembly for action at
the coming session.
rE ACE rATruEc