Council Stalls on Atkinson's Re-Election as City Manager

For the fourth straight week the Cambridge City Council failed to re-elect John B. Atkinson as City Manager. Atkinson's chances for reappointment within the next two weeks are decidedly slim.

Yesterday's Council meeting came to an abrupt halt after the business had been completed. Councilman John J. Foley rose and made a motion that the decision on Atkinson be postponed and put in the hands of the committee on finance. The other councilmen assented, and everyone walked out.

The committee on finance, composed of the nine council members, will meet and vote on the Atkinson measure. If five men support Atkinson, the motion for his re-election will return to the Council for a second and final vote.

However, no quick settlement is seen. No date has been set for a finance meeting, and Chester A. Higley, chairman of the committee stated that he has no intention of calling a special one.

In any case, if another Manager is not appointed, Atkinson will hold the position until 1954.

The Council is holding a special session Tuesday night, February 5, to discuss increases in the cost of living of municipal employees. It is possible that it may meet afterwards to vote on Atkinson.

Earlier in the meeting the Council approved several traffic measures for the Harvard area and the trial installation of safety inlands in Brattle Square.

The Council changed Cowperthwaite Street into a one-way street, running westerly from Banks to DeWolfe, and prohibited drivers going north on Massachusetts Avenue from making a left turn into Church Street. The Council also voted to permit right turns only for north-bound cars on Church Street at Massachusetts Avenue, and north-bound cars on Dunster Street at Massachusetts Avenue.