Minutes 08/23/1960 - Laserfiche WebLink

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It should be the desire of all members of the City Council to do ,all in their power to increase citizens' participation in our City government, by holding-meetings at a time cenvenient ~o the majority of the citizens. We would like to call your attention to the difficulty one has in trying to hear the Councilmen speak. There is defiaitely something wrong with the public address system ~zr the accoustics in the Council Chamber. It is impossible for one sitting in the second or third row tohear ~learly the discussion of theCouncilmen. Corrective steps should be taken as seen as possible. It is felt if this correction is made, more citizens would attend Council meetings. We agree with Mayor Smith that Council meetings should be held to .a reasonable hour. These late sessions are neither beneficial to the citizens who attend nor to the Councilmen, administrative staff or the press. Nor does it create an atmosphere for sound administration. We suggest that Council adhere to its 11 P.M. adjournment hour. Unfinished business should be referred to a called meeting on another night. We suggesm zoning matters bedisposed of at some meeting other than at the regular Council meetings. ~nyone who is interested in zoning property could certainly, make arrangements to attend these meetings. We believe Mayor Smith's proposal to limit speakers to fifteen minutes is 'unnecessary, as there are very few lengthy speakers, and the Mayor should be able to handle any attempt by a speaker to speak exces- sively. Sinceall city employees have been given a salary increase, we further suggest that the salaries of all city councilmen be increased to $1800.00 per year, with each of the Councilmen receiving I, the same amount. (Signed) William Bidgood, Jr., Cot. Sec." Motion of Mr. Breedlove that the communication be received for information and acknow. lodged with thanks, was adopted, without dissenting vote. 60~274 - Motion of Mr. ~alker that the following ordinance be approved on first reading was lost, there being no second: no second: "AN ORDINANCE TO AN_P~fD ANDREORDAIN SECTIONS 1 and 2 OF THE ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OFEMPLOYMENT AND A COMPENSATION PLAHFOR EMPLOYEES OF THECITY EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 1960 TO INCLUDE THE CLASSIFICATION SCHEDULE A, INADVERTENTLY DELETED, AND T0 DESIGNATE TtIE BASIC PAY SCHEDULE AS SCHEDULE B" 60-275- Motion of Mr. Walker to adopt the following resolution was lost, there being "WHEREAS, the City of Portsmouth .and its Agent, the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority have begun the first real estate-speculation project known as Lincolns- ville; and WHEREAS, several million of the present and future taxpayers dollars will be in- vested therein; and, WHEREAS, speculation in this free enterpris6 system of ours is not limited to government and its agents, and, WHEREAS, it is the responsibility and duty of the elected officials of the City of Portsmouth to insure that all possible is done to protect the taxp~yrss' ~nvestment; and 3NtIEREAS,. the officials of the Authority have many times publicly offered to pro- vide any information the Council may, desire regarding its operations NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Rousing Authority be, and is hereby, reques,ted to maintain tko following records of its trans- actions in the Lincolnsville project: a. Ths,t a chronological listing be ~uade: of all property purchased, or otherwise received, and that the front and reverse side of all check, s or other paper received in payment for all property purchased from within the project area be microfilmed and identified by number with the above listing. b. That the same records outlined in above sub=paragraph a be made of all property sold or otherwise transferred by the Authority within the pro - ject area; and . ~E IT FURTHER RESOLVED that upon the sale or transfer from the custody of the Authority, of the last parcel of land of the Lincolnsville project, the above requested records be forwarded to the Council of the City of Portsmouth," 60-276 ~- The following communication from Construction Associations, Inc. and Chas. L. Reynolds was read:. "Your petitioners, Construction Associates, Inc. and Charles L. Raynolds~ by their attorney, the undersigned, respectfully represent unto the Council: 1. That, Construction Associates, ,Inc~ is the ~wner of those lots in Block 166 as shown on the plat of Virginia Sealty and Investment Company ~hich plat is duly recorded ia the Clerk's office of the ~ircuit Court of' Norfolk County, Virginia, in Map Book 7, at pages 98~ 99 and 100, said lots~heing all the lots facing on the north sideof South St. between ~amilton Ave. on the west and Douglas Ave. on the east. 2. Thet~ Charles L. Re.olds is the owner of those.tots in Block 174 as shown on the plat of Virginia Realty and Investment Company aforemeutioned, facing on the south side of South St. between Hamilton Ave. on the west a~d the eastern bou3adary line of the aforementioned subdivision on the east. 3. That, pursuant to the Virginia Code~ Sections 15-?66.1:and 15-T66.2, your petitioners request that the City Council approve the closing of ~outh St. between Hamilton ~ve. on the west and eastern boundary line of the subdivision of Virginia Realty and Investment Company. (Signed) Donald C.Kilgore, Counsel." Motion of Mr, Walker zo refer to the Planning Commission was adopted, without dis - senting vote. 60-~77 - The following communication from thePortsmouth Redevelopment and Rousing Authority was read: "Since the inception of the public housing program more than twenty years ago, local redevelopment and housing authorities have been called upon to obtain two commitments from the local governing body, prior to construction of a public housing project, These ~wo commitments have been in the form o f a Reso- lution by Council, authorizing the Authority to borrow money from P~blie Housing 'Admin~tration, and the execu-