Minutes 12/16/1975 - Laserfiche WebLink

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27O December 16, 1975 7S-SS0 Report on area cities' policies for funeral escorts: "It was requested that the City Manager investigate and make a report on the feasibility of eliminating fees for escort service in connection with funerals. In preparing this report, the other Tidewater cities were polled in order to determine their policies regarding fees for funeral escorts. Information on the other Tidewater cities is as follows: NORFOLK: The City of Norfolk charges no fee for funeral escorts. There is a departmental policy to escort one way from the church or funeral home to the cemetery only. They previousSy charged $6.00 each way, from residence to church or funeral home, and an additional $6.00 from the church or funeral home to the cemetery. The City has since amended the ordinance eliminating the fee. VIRGINIA BEACH: The City of Virginia Beach charges no fee but has an agreement with funeral directors that they make a $6.00 donation to the Auxiliary Police treasury which is for the purpose of uniforms and equipment for same. They escort from the residence to the funeral home or church to the cemetery. CHESAPEAKE: The City of Chesapeake charges no fee, effective October, provided from the residence to the church and from the funeral requested. 1975. The escorts are home to the cemetery if NEWPORT NEWS: The City of Newport News charges no fee and escorts only one way, from church or funeral home to the cemetery. HAMPTON: The City of Hampton charges no fee and escorts only one way from the church or funeral home to the cemetery. The City of Portsmouth currently charges $10.00 for the first 1-1/2 hours and $5.00 for each 1/2 hour thereafter. In 1973-74, the City collected $11,485 in escort fees and $12,982 in 1974-75. The current estimate in the 197S-76 operating budget is $11,S00 with actual collections through December 12, 197S, totaling $4,045. The estimated cost of a policeman and the vehicle for providing escort service is approximately $10.00 for the 1-1/2 hours of service. The current fee being charged is a break-even type revenue at best. However, since the City of Portsmouth appears to be the only local government in the Tidewater area charging a fee, I feel it is appropriate that the following recommendations be made: (1) That ~hatCf~M Code requiring a fee for funeral escorts be amended eliminating such fee, effective July 1, 1976. Since we are in the middle of a budget year, I do not feel it advisable to eliminate the fee when the estimated revenue has been built into the current budget. This recommendation will permit through the 1976-77 budget process an adjustment in revenues and expenditures to provide free funeral escort services after July 1, 1976. (2) Of the 12 funeral homes currently operating in Portsmouth, only 8 are currently using the escort service and it is anticipated that an increase in the requests would probably result from the elimination of the fees. Based on this, it would be my recommendat~ that a policy be established that upon elimination of the escort fee we will only provide a one-way escort, namely, from the church or funeral home to the cemetery. Upon your direction, I will proceed to work with the City Attorney and draft the required amendments to affect a free escort service on July 1, 1976." )n Motion of Mr. Wentz and seconded by Mr. Oast, to be by unanimous vote. 75-499 - Report on motel property on Seventh Street "On November 1t, 1975, Mr. Millard Moody, owner and received as information, was adopted requested by Mr. Millard Moody: proprietor of the Seventh Street East Motel, appeared before Council to discuss the use of his property in conjunction with the Effingham Redevelopment Project. Mr. Moody also suggested other uses which the City might make of the motel and restaurant facilities which he owns. Subsequent to this meeting, I have reviewed this matter with representatives of Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority and with the office of the City Attorney. On at least two other occasions within this year, Mr. Moody has requested that Portsmout~ Redevelopment and Housing Authority make some use of his property in conjunction with the Effingham Project. Mr. Moody appeared before the Citizens Advisory Committee in Septembei~ of this year with the same request. I am advised by Mr. D. B. Frye, Jr., Executive Director, that a thorough investigation of possible uses of the motel facilities has been conducted by his office. These possibilities included the purchase of the property by the Housing