Minutes 11/12/1974 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~ove~l~.e~_ri ~ 1974 being made necessary by the running out of allocated free speech time as well as by the arbitrary action of the Chair in immediately calling for a motion on the final reading of the ordinance to abolish the Department of Public Safety thereby rulling out any consideration of 'public' input by the other members of Council, and 2. % Again raise the issue of my First Amendment Rights under the U. S. Constitution as hindered and abridged by the Code of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia." Mr. Walker spoke. On motion of Mr. Holley and seconded by Mr. Elliott, that it be received for information was adopted by unanimous vote. 74-468 presented: Tho following letter from Fred C. MacDonald, 4002 Turnpike Road, was "I am writing you and would appreciate if you would put it on record about recent assessments. As I wrote you recently or before election that "we can't be fooled all the time," and I think between the Assessor (an ungrateful job) and the Redevelopment and HousiBg Authority seems to work very very closely in regards to assessments. For instance I have a piece of property at 719 County Street, Portsmouth, Va., that I have spent over four thousand in the last four years which was required after an ineest- merit (sic) by the City. and the Real Estate Taxes in 1971 was $118.01 assessed at $5245.00. For the year 1974 same property is assessed at $2285.00 and taxes at $59.40 per year. I have read recently that the six and seven hundred block of County Street may be taken under the right of emminent Domain for parking and I figure that accounts for the decrease in value of property. I had that happen to me on two houses many years ago which I still own in Pinners Point-where I saw the assessment drop when the Port Authority takes' over with the right of Emminent Domain. I can appreciate that in the slum sections-but I don't feel that it is proper to be handled that way prior to the City or State taking over such properties. I have sold lots on County Street (700 block) for $6000.00 with no improvements- and the one I have mentioned above has a nine room house on a thirty foot lot. Please have Dick Ottavio read this for the record- as I believe I pay enough income taxes (I mean real estate taxes) to warrant my "gripe" above." On motion of Mr. Barnes and seconded by Mr. ttolley that the matter be referred to the City Assessor for reply was adopted, and by the following vote: Ayes: Barnes, Blliott, ~Rgt~:i'Davis Nays: Holley 74-469 - Appointment to Boards and Commissions (Omitted). 74-470 - Motion of Mr. Elliott and seconded by Mr. Oast, that the Council meet in an executive session prior to the next regular scheduled Council meeting for the purpose of: (1) Discussing appointments to Boards and Commissions; (2) Discussing the disposition of City property; (3) Consultation with Counsel pertaining to legal matters; was adopted by the following vote: Ayes: Barnes, Elliott, Holley, east, Davis Nays: None 74-471 - The following letter received from George F. Davis, Chairman, Portsmouth Municipal Finance Commission, was presented: "Gentlemen: At the regularly scheduled meeting of the Municipal Finance Commission on Wednesday, October 23, 1974, the Museum and Fine Arts Commission made a second presentation and request for funding of the Naval Museum and the Court House. After discussion among the Finance Commission members, the following motion was made and unanimously adopted by all members present: 'We recommend to the Portsmouth City Council that $50,000 of General Revenue Sharing Funds be appropriated for the expansion of the Naval Shipyard Museum, with an additional commitment of up t6 ~.200,000 of General R~venue Sharing Funds, subject to receipt of matching funds from the State. Release of the funds will be subject to the same procedures now being followed by the School Board (where applicable) and the City will act as fiscal agent for the project.' The second part of the above motion makes reference to the resolution adopted by City Council, upon recommendation from this Commission, which outlines the procedures for funding and construction of schools. We now recommend that these same procedures be applied, where applicable, to the Museum and Fine Arts Commission for the funding and construction of the expanded Naval Shipyard Museum. The request for financial support on the Court House-Fine ~rts Center was deferred until a later meeting by unanimous vote of the members present.' '