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January 11. 1977
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<br />WHEREAS, no lots described on the aforesaid plat have been sold.
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<br /> NOW, TF£REFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia,
<br />that the Council hereby expresses its consent to the vacation of that certain Subdivision
<br />Plat entitled, "Plat Showing Survey of Disposition Parcels 72 and 75, For Mount Hermon
<br />Conservation and Redevelopment Project Va. R69, Portsmouth, Virginia," dated February 26,
<br />1976, made by Baldwin and Gregg, Ltd., Engineers, Surveyors and Planners, pursuant to Section
<br />15.14~8%,Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended.
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<br /> BE IT FURTheR RESOLVED that the City Manager be, and he hereby is, authorized to sign
<br />a written instrument declaring the aforesaid plat to be vacated."
<br />
<br />Ayes: Elliott, Holley, Oast, Davis
<br />Nays: None
<br />
<br /> 77-7 "Consideration of a motion authorzing the City Assessor to abate and the City
<br />Treasurer to return funds with interest in the amount of $194.46 on r~al estate taxes
<br />collected in error.
<br />
<br /> This refund is for property known as Jacobs and Williams and shown on Plat #S56, Parcel
<br />#70, located in the Hattonsville section. The subject lot was erroneously listed as one full
<br />acre when actually the lot was SO' x 100'. The refund covers all four quarters of 1974-7S
<br />and the first two quarters of 197S-76 which have already been paid. The City Manager re-
<br />commends adoption."
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Holley and seconded by Mr. Oast, that authorization be granted, with
<br />interest, for property located i~ Hattonsville section, was adopted by unanimous vote.
<br />
<br /> 77-8 - "Consideration of a motion to award lowest bids for storm water improvements
<br />on Effingham Street for the new Dental Clinic."
<br />
<br /> Motion£ef'Mr~'~st~a~dt~Deo~d~JbMeMy.-~:EII-iot~ ta~.awa~dscont~act for construction
<br />to.At~antic Utilities Constt~ion Corporation in the amount of $25,172; contract for
<br />reinforced pipes to Empire Sales Corporation in the amount of $5,700, being lowest respon-
<br />sible! bidders~ Was ~opted.b~'unani~ods vote.
<br />
<br /> 77-9 "~onsideration of a motion to refund restaurant food taxes in the amount of
<br />$3,385.54:t0 Montgomery Ward.
<br />
<br /> This refund has been requested by the Commissioner of Revenue based on ~tems that have
<br />been erroneously paid and which are not subject to food tax."
<br />
<br /> Mayor Davis suggested that Montgomery Ward make contribution to Portsmouth Community
<br />Trust.
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<br /> Motion of Mr. Holley and seconded by Mr. Elliott, that the Mayor will pursue the matter,
<br />was adopted by unanimous vote.
<br />
<br /> 77-10 Submission of a report from the City Manager on the recommendations of Community
<br />Action, Inc., on the crime in Southside."
<br />
<br /> The- following repQrt_~presentedi.'. ~ ~ ~ ~ -. ~ . - .... .~ -~.,- ·- ~ · ~
<br />~ ~. !'At t~e ~ecem~e~ 14, 1976 City Council Meeting, the recommendations p~epare8 by Communit'
<br />Action, Inc., concerning crime in South-side, were referred to the City Manager for review
<br />and repozt b ck~a~t~he~f~rstLme, e~in~ in:-~Janua_ry~ .19~.~ ~A~dr~f~.~ppy~ the ~udy was~-
<br />~enLto-~MayOr Davis and was referred to my office on November 2, 1975~ on November 22,
<br />1976 the Public Safety Committee of Community~Agtidn,Inc. visited the Portsmouth Police
<br />Department and was informed of the various crime prevention programs in effect. We plan
<br />to continue working with Community Action, Inc., and certainly welcome the assistance
<br />and cooperation which they offered in the report.
<br />
<br /> Before commenting on the specific recommendations made by Community Action, Inc.,
<br />I would like to respond to one statement made in the report and also to offer one observation
<br />Numerous statements --also expressed in the report of Community Action, Inc. -- have been
<br />made during the last few months that the City of Portsmouth reduced the number of officers
<br />in the Police Department. As you may recall, the HIT program, funded through the Virginia
<br />Division of Justice and Crime Prevention, was terminated effective July 1, 1976. Although
<br />the City was unable to absorb all positions funded under this program, the City did increase
<br />the number of regular (i.e., city-paid) employees with the Police Department by 13. This
<br />personnel increase occurred during a period when many jurisdictions were faced with cutbacks
<br />due to financial difficulties.
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<br /> The termination of the HIT program was inspire of the City's protest and not the
<br />result of any action on our part. The fact that the City was able to increase the number
<br />of "citypaid" personnel in the Police Department from 225 to 238, and the overall budget
<br />by over 11 percent, is indicative of our strong commitment to and support of the Police
<br />Department.
<br />
<br /> Crime is a serious problem in Portsmouth as well as in every Other urban city. While
<br />recognizing that we have a big task ahead of us, I would like'to recognize and commend
<br />efforts made in the past few years. As a result of these efforts, the City of Portsmouth
<br />experienced the lowest increase in crime last year of any city within the 'state. We currentl
<br />have community relations officers in several communities, and our efforts to secure
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