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Deaembe~ 9. 1.969
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<br />At a regular meeting of the City Council, held on December 9, 1969, there were present:
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<br />Jac2~ P. Barnes, George D. Eastes, James W. Holley, Burrell R. Johnson, Isaac W. King, R. Irvine Smith,
<br />Raymond Turner, A. P. Johnson, Jr., City Manager, and ~,~.. A. Korb, Jr., City Attorney.
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<br />The meeting was opened with prayer by Mr. King.
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<br /> 69-394 - The Chair introduced Allen Davis of ~e Tidewater Veterans ;ssociation, who spoke thanking the
<br />Council for the participation of the City in the Veterans' Day Parade.
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<br />69-395 - Rl~e following hearing on the proposed new dzarter for the City of Portsmouth was held:
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<br /> "Pursuant to the requirements of state law, notice is hereby given that the City Council oft he City of
<br />Portsmouth will hold a public hearing at 7:30 P.M., December 9, 1969, in the Conncil Chambers with respect to
<br />the adoption of a new ~aarter for ~e City of Portsmouth, the text of which is hereinafter set forth in full.~
<br />By 8rder of t~e ~6uncil, Caroline Gott, City Clerk"
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<br />The following people spoke:
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<br />Mrs. Inez Baker, $1 Kansas Avenue, who presented the following statement:
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<br /> "Mayor Barnes and Members of City Council, my ~l%me is Inez D. Baker and my address is 81 Kansas Avenue.
<br />! serve as Public Affairs Chairman for the Federation of Civic Ct~>s, the organization whid~ I am representing
<br />here tonight.
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<br /> As you no doubt know, the Federation of Civic Clubs was represented at the October 21st public hearing
<br />held by the Portsmouth ~narter Commission at whimh time we registered our opposition to five of their proposed
<br />mhanges. Tlney ~ere as follows:
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<br />1. Increasing the City Councilmen's term of office.
<br />2. Limiting the number of years Councilmen may serve.
<br />3. Increasing the terms of office for Mayor and Vice Mayor.
<br />4. Eliminating the provision for initiative, Referendmm and Recall.
<br /> Eliminating the provision for Civil Service Protection for Firemen and Policemen.
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<br /> We are gratified to note that all of these points, with the exceotion of one, have been given favorable
<br />treatment through the joint efforts of the members of the Charter Commission mhd you gentlemen of the Council~
<br />Our purpose here tonight is to talk about ~e elimination of Recall provisions in Chapter X of the proposed
<br />Charter.
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<br /> %~e Federation of Eivic Clubs requests that before you vote on the proposed Charter, as now written, that
<br />you please give further study to the importance of retaining an orderly process for recalling elective officers
<br />We realize that the general law of Virginia, under certain circumstmnces, vests in the courts the power of re-
<br />moval of some elected officials. It may be ~he opinion of the Council that ~his is adequate. However, it is
<br />the Federation's opinion that it is not. We fee! that the people ~fno elect an officer, should be the same
<br />people empowered to remove that officer from the position to which he was elected, if it becomes necessary be-
<br />fore his term expires. This is not to be interpreted as a lack of confidence in our local courts, nor is it
<br />to be ~onstrued as a lack of confidence in ~ny of our elected officials. Our nosition is this. We believe
<br />that local government, which is the most accessible to our citizens, is the very foundation on whi~ our presen'.
<br />form of government is bmsed. Therefore, we believe it is the responsibility of local government to motivate
<br />citizen participation in the progess of governing themselves, and we further believe that government (elected
<br />officials) whould be responsive to those being governed.
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<br /> Provisions for time to adjust to public office are provided in the present charter by not allowing recall
<br />until one year has elapsed since t~king office. No elected official should need, or want, the sanctuary of
<br />guaranteed tenure of office. As you gentlemen know, to s~sure stability, the process of recall as written in
<br />Portsmouth's charter is quite rigid. We would not want it any other way.
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<br /> Let us remember that candidates for elective office offer themselves as servants of the people. It is not
<br />enough that the electorate sele~ttcandidates and vote them into office. Resoonsibitity for effective govern-
<br />ment requires more. The electorate must observe government in action, and be assured that should it become
<br />necessa~/ they can alter ~he course of their government. ~nd, you gentlemen of the Council are the people who
<br />can give us that assurance by including the recall provisions in our new City Charter. Thank you for allowing
<br />us time to be heard."
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<br /> Solomon J. Carey spoke, representing the United Civic League.
<br /> Littleton L. SouthalI~ 931Verm. ont Avenue.
<br /> Benjamin J. Levy, representing the Portsmouth ~lamber of Commerce.
<br /> C. E. Ellis, 1607 Highland ~venue, representing Harrison Ward.
<br /> Bruce Breit, 51 Arizona Avenue.
<br /> Corey Bell, 1500 Green Street.
<br /> Frank H. Keeling, 2301 Pearl Street.
<br /> Norman Olitsky, representing the Police amd Fire Departments.
<br /> Thomas Stith, 2210 Azalea Avenue.
<br /> Vernon C. Crump,
<br />~R-t~'~d'~gb~rdg6~ 2607 Evergreen Place.
<br /> Bruce Stewart, 223 ~ashington 'Street.
<br /> Reuben Bouie, representing Madison ~ard Civic League.
<br /> Paul Wilson, representing Central Civic Foriua..
<br /> Vir~nt J. Carlo~4615 County Street.
<br /> George R. Walker, 1749 Sprattey Street.
<br /> Hen~/ Brantley,
<br />
<br />Motion of Mr. Eastes to adopt the following resolution proposing a new Charter for the City of Portsmouth:
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<br />"RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE GENERAL )~qSE~.~LY OF VIRGINIA TO GRB~NT TO THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH A
<br />NEW CHARTER"
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