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<br />June 8th, 1965
<br />
<br /> 65-163 - Report of the audit 6f the Municipal Court by the Auditor of Public
<br />Accounts for the fiscal year ended June Sbth, 1964, was presented, and on motion of Mr. Eastes, received as
<br />information.
<br />
<br /> 65-164 - Report of the audit of the Municipal Court for the period July 1, 1964
<br />through December 31, 1964, was presented, and on motion of Mr. ~arnes, received as info~mation.
<br />
<br /> 65-165 - The following petition, signed by numerous citizens, was presented:
<br />
<br /> "We,tthe undersigned, qualified electors of this city, respectfully petition
<br />your Honorable Body to cause to be submitted to a vote, the following question:
<br />
<br /> Shall an ordinance be enacted to amend Section 19-10 of the Code of the
<br />City of Portsmnuth, Virginia, 1961, TO ALLOW THE SALE OF BEER AND WINE ON SUNDAYS 8ETk~EN THE HOURS OF 6:00 A.M.
<br />AND MIDNIGHT, said amended section to read as follows:
<br />
<br /> 'It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, or for any person holding a
<br />license from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board of Virginia to permit to be sold at his place of business, between
<br />the hours of 12:00 ~idnight of each Saturday and 6:00 A.M. of each Sunday, any beer or wine as defined by the
<br />Alcoholic Beverage Control Act. This section shall not affect the sale of beer and wine on passenger trains or
<br />steam vessels while operating in interstate commerce.'
<br />
<br /> 'Any person who shall violate the provisions of this section shall be
<br />punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars, or by confinement in jail not exceeding one month, either or both.'
<br />
<br />follows:
<br />
<br />Petitioners' reasons for adoption of said amendatory ordinance are as
<br />
<br /> The City of Portsmouth is surrounded by other political subdivisions which
<br />permit sale of beer and wine on Sundays. A large number of the restaurants and other businesses selling beer and
<br />wine on week days lose their customers on Sundays because these products are available elsewhere. Also, many
<br />citizens of the City of Portsmouth travel out of the City on Sundays to purchase beer and wine for off premises
<br />consumption or to eat their Sunday dinners at restaurants which are permitted to serve beer and wine. The
<br />resulting economic losses to the City and the businesses affected by the present law cannot be justified."
<br />
<br />In this connection, the following letters were read:
<br />
<br /> "On Tuesday June 8, during regular session of Council I request permission
<br />to take the floor to present arguments in support of the petitions ~bmitted t6 City Clerk, Tuesday, last, ~efering
<br />to the plea for an ammendment to City Code 19~10 to allow the sale of beer and wine on Sundays between the hours of
<br />6:00 a.m. and Midnight.
<br />
<br /> It is further requested that I be permitted rebuttal time, if needed, to
<br />point out the circumstance and reason of my being chairman of the Citizens Committee For Support of 0urCCity
<br />Administration and to point out my vital interest in MY hometown regardless of where my residence may be located
<br />at the present time. And to refute published statements inferring that City Council or any of its members have
<br />been behind this citizens move. Benjamin A. Haddon. Chairman, Citizens Committee To Back Our City Administration."
<br />
<br /> Rev. Wilbur Kersey, pastor of Court St. Baptist Church, ~alled to ask that
<br />he be given permission to speak at the meeting tonight, regarding the petition for referendum on Sunday sale of
<br />beer.
<br />
<br /> "It seems that the voice of the people of Portsmouth will be ignored if City
<br />Council allows another vote on ~he *beer on Sunday' question. The writer feels that the above matter if continued
<br />by Council will divide rather than unite our people. As a resident and voter in Portsmouth the writer feels that
<br />our city will not be made better or more progressive by 'beer on Sunday.~ I therefore believe it wise for City
<br />Council to vote 'no' on calling for another vote on a matter recently decided by the voters, I will continue to
<br />work for and support any program I believe will help make a better Portsmouth. I do not believe myself to be
<br />'hypocritical' in making the above suggestion to City Council. Thomas J. Pewers. Pastor, Park View Baptist Church."
<br />
<br />June 8, 1965 meeting.
<br />Clark."
<br />
<br /> "Permission is requested to speak before the Portsmouth City Council at its
<br />I wish to speak in opposition to Sunday beer as well as a second referendum on Sunday beer.
<br />
<br />Thank you very much for your kind consideration of this request. John L.
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Knight that the Council suspend consideration of this netition until it
<br />has been thoroughly checked and certified as to adequacy and that the Council request Delegate Mood~ or Senator Spong
<br />to ask the Attorney General for an oninion on that provision of our City Charter, and that if the petition is found
<br /> to be legal, that hearing be suspended* at least until the next regular meeting of City Council.
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Eastes to amend the motion to request the City Attorney to check the
<br /> petition as to its validity, was adopted, without dissenting vote.
<br />
<br />~e original motion was adopted, and by the following vote:
<br />
<br />Ayes: Barnes, Dillon, Bast~s, Johnson, Knight, Leafy
<br />Nays: Smith
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Knight to defer granting the privilege of the-fl0ort~o those who
<br />requested to be heard at this meeting, relative to the petition, was adopted, and by the following vote:
<br />
<br /> Ayes: Barnes, Dillon, Eastes, Johnson, Knight, Leafy
<br /> Nays: Smith
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