Minutes 05/10/1960 - Laserfiche WebLink

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good order. This is submitted for the Council's information." On motion of Mr, Breedlove, the report was received for information, without dissenting 60-la1 - "I have discussed the matter of the screen planting between Mid-City Shopping ~Center and Westhaven Park with representatives of Construction Associates. The narrow strip of 'land bemween Race and Scott Streets at the Frederick Boulevard end Belongs to'the City of Portsmouth. This was surface- treatedon by the City,Construction Associates advised me that they did not anticipate the planting of any shrub,- bery City owned'property but there would be plantings on their property. ' · Under the current drainage program, the installation of drains has,been com- ~t~ ~s~2e~P~or~i~e will have t° be s°me grading °f the gutters in this area f°r the water to flow properly. This work was not included in the drainage contract. The work Will he done by City forces ~ld will b~ The Department of Public Works is now preparing plans, specifications and contract doc~unen~s for the Capital Improvemen~ Program for dmainage and curbs sad gutters. The necessary engi- neerin~ for the plans and other documents should be completed in approximately sixty days. The improvements proposed under this l~rojec~ are located in the following areas: Merrimac Point. Lynn Shores, River Park, Shes Terrace, Prentis Park, Brighton, Arcadia Heights. Mt. Hermon, Westhaven Park, Grove Park, Kingraan Heights and Glensheallah." Motion of Mr. Weise~an that the communication be received as informaz~on. Motion of Mr. Breedlove that the City Manager contact Construction Associates and reques that they inform the Council in detail, as, to their plans in this matter, was adopted, without dissenting vote. 60-lag - ~he City Manager presented a~inquiry from the Justices of Peace in the newly 'annexed wards, relative to the time they should serve s~ the Police Station. Motion of Mr. Breedlove that the matter be referred to the City Manager for handling and. report, was adopted, without dissenting vote. ~ 60-1~S - Motion of Mr. ~Ualker to suspend the rules ~o hear from Mr Peter Wnukoski was adopted. . ' Mr. Wnukoski spoke regarding certain dangerous conditions in streets in Westhaven Park In answer to his inquiry regarding curbs and gutters, the City'Manager stated that-the work would be advertised within sixty days. 3~r. Weiseman requested that the conditions reported as dangerous, be corrected~imme- diately~ and that the City Manager report back to the Council on same. UNFINISB~D BUSINESS 60-119 - T~e communication from the Portsmouth Centrs1 Labor Union presenting s reso- lution regarding the miuimum wage hill was presented. On motion of~Mr.-:Weiseman, the privilege of the floor, was granted interested persons. Carl B. Noug~President of the Portsmouth Centre/ Labor Union, presented the following letter: ..... "Honorable Mayor, City Manager Johnson, Members of the City Council ~d Fellow Citizens: I would like to give ye41 just a little background and a few statistics concerning the resolution before the CoUJlci] tonight. The original Fair Labor Standards ~ct ~as passed into law by the Congress in 1937. At that time~ it set a minimum wage~ of' g59 an hour, which was to go up ~o g0~ a year later and to 40~ by 1945. Industry committees were set up, and through the operation of the co~ittees the 405, minimum v~age Was generally in force by 19zil. Since then the basic minimum wage~ base,been raised twice - to 75~ in 1950 and to $1.00 in '1956. The Eisenhower administration vigorously opposed the $1.O~ minimum wage but the Congress adopted it and it became effective in March 1956. Now let's review some of the adverse effects the Administration said would com~ from the $1.00 minimum wage. Secretary of Labor Mitchell recently sent to Congress a report on the economic adjust- ments to the $1.00 per hour minimum. Six communities were selected for survey because large portions of their workers were affected by the new minimum wage~ The survey shows that every one of t-hese lew wage commanities prospered and benefited, Now let's' see what workers are covered under 3~he Fair Labor Standards Act. There is a total of approximately 66 million people at work. ~f these SS mill~ion people, ~2 million are self-employed, goverument workers, executives or professioD~ls, That leaves 44 million wage and sstary earners. The Fair Labor Standards Act at present, applies ~o only 24 million of these ~orkers, leaving 20 million workers st the mercy of their employers. I give you this background and these statistics in order that you may better ~nder- stand the resolution we are asking you to adopt. The le~islati(nto change-the minimum wage taw to$1m~5~ sa-hour was introduced by Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusettes, Senator Wsyne Mots9 of Oregon and Rep. JamesRoosevelt of California The economic stability of any community depends largely on the number of people em - ployed~and~ the wages paid those:employed. I sm $' government worker. My wages are based on data collected in this area for comparable work. I cite you as an example what has taken place in Charleston,, S.C. ~harleston has a Navy Yard too. Last October, the Charleston yard received a 19~ mn hour wage increase. Why such s substantial increase? Because in the last 15 years Charleston has induced industry to loca~e in the area that pays the minimum and above. And it would be negligen~ on my part if I failed to add at this point, that the majority of the industry to c sting in Charleston is organized. Every study and survey-~y goverument and soc~kl agencies prove b~yond a doubt that $1.00 an hour is too little to support $ single person, much less a family. Look at the fac~s. Since. the $1.00