Minutes 09/15/1971 - Laserfiche WebLink

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September 15~ 1971 It is prevalent in our Nation today, that if you stand for our Flag and Nation, for the people and for God, you must suffer the ridicule of those who wauld not only steal away our liberties, but our very souls. It is therefore incumbant upon all of us who believe in America and the preservation 6f those liberties, to take our stand firmly~ and not allow our- selves to be swayed. If you are not against an evil, you are for it. There is no middle or neutral ground. God bless you all and give you the strength to continue to s~and and fight for what you know to be right and for the common good of all our people. Mayor Barnes' answer to the above letter is as follows: "I sincerely appreciate your nice letter of August 31, 1971 and your expressions of confidence in the members of the City Council. As you are aware, these are difficult times for the citizens and elected officials. It is our solemn duty, and responsibility to our citizens to take such legislative actions as we deem in the public interest. Frequently controversial issues must be considered and it is our duty, I feel, to forthrightly act mn a manner that serves most of the citizenry." On:~motion of Mr. Holley and seconded by Mr. Turner, Mrs. King's letter to be received as information, was adopted ~y the following vote: Ayes: Holley, Johnson, King, Irvine Smith, Raymond Smith, Turner, ~_:-Nays:I- ~one 71-416 The following mandate was read: "Fhis is to advise you that you have acted without my authority to forfeit my cqnstitu- tional rights as an American citizen in submitting to the federal courts a plan that ~calls for extreme cross-town busing of school children in order to achieve an artificial racial balance of our neighborhood schools and one which is unconstitutional without the forfeiture of individual citizen's basic freedoms. In addition, it is my contention that this plan offers no educational community and is based only on mathematical formula despotic in nature. It ional rules of law and conflicts with the policies of the executive branch benefits to the violates congress of our government. Therefore, I hereby claim my right to control the circumstances under which my children are to be educated, a right retained by me under the terms of the Ninth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and one not subject to destruction by city, state or the Federal government. Under authority of rules of law and my constitutional rights under the Nineth Amendment, I hereby order you to restore to our community, immediately, a shcool system more acceptable and more convenient to the people, one that offers additional educational opportunit~ and based on using the neighborhood school as a base for normal geographic school zones. You are to consider this letter as evidence of my individual mandate and as a collective part of all ethers making this order to you." Signed by Mr. & Mrs. Sidney M. Shoemaker, Lucille K. Shirley, and Mr. & Mrs. Eugene G. Contreras. On motion of Mr. Johnson and seconded by Mr. Tumner, to be received as information, was adopted by the following vote: Ayes: Holley, Johnson, King, Irvine Smith, Raymond Smith, Turner, Barnes Nays: None 71-417 - The following letter ~ageived from Mr. M. A. Kerb, Jr., City Attorney, was read: "At your direction, I have reviewed generally the request of the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of Virginia for a general rate increase which was fil-~d.'with the State Corporation Commission earlier this year. This is the first request for a general rate increase made by that company in over 13 years. Their request is based on inlreased prices and wages which have occurred since then. Without the assistance of trained experts such as are available to the State CorporatSon Commission, it is impossible for me to evaluate the company's request. There can he no doubt that prices and wages have increased during the 13 years period, so it would seem reasonable that some increase in rates is justified but I am not in a position to determine what that increase should be. Therefore, I am recommending that Council ado~t the attached resolution requesting the State Corporation Commission to protect the iuteres't of the ~elephone com.umers in Portsmouth and to insure that the company maintains high quality service at reasonable rates." On motion of Mr. Raymond Smith and seconded by Mr. Turner, the following resolution was adopted, and by the following vote: "RESOLUTION REQUESTING tHE STATE CORPOR~TION COMMISSION TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF PORTSMOUTH CONSUMERS WITH RESPECT TO THE RATE INCREASE REQUESTED BY THE CHESAPEAKE AND POTOMAC TELEPHONE COMPANY OF VIRGINIA.