Minutes 12/29/1959 - Laserfiche WebLink

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40-59 - Motion of Mr. Weiseman to approve on first reading, applicatim of the City of Portsmouth, was adopted, without dissenting vote. 59-331 The~City Manager presented the following: "Pnrsuant to the requirements of State law, notice is hereby given that the City Council will hold a public hearing at 7:30 P.M., December 29th, 1959~ in the Council Chambers with respect to proposed amendments to the City Charter as stated in the following ordinance: "AN ORDINANCE REQUESTING THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AMEND CHAPTER I, SECTION 4; C/4APTER III, SECTION 23; CHAPTER III, SECTION gB-e; CHAPTER IV, SECTION $2; CHAPTER IV, SECTION 46; CHAPTER IV, SECTION 46-a; CHAPTER IV, SECTION 47; CHAPTER IX, SECTION l-a; CHAPTER X, SECTION 2; AND CHAPTER XII, SECTION 5 OF THE C~RTER OF THE CITY OF PORTS- MOUTH IN THE MANNER THEREIN DESCRIBED" The following persons spoke: Chapter I Section 4 Jos. P Donlan spoke. Chapter III Section 25 -Jos P Donlan had Fred Lipford spoke Chapter III S~ction 23-e -Jos. P Donlan, J.G.H. Mitchell and G.O Cox spoke Chapter IV Section 32 - Jos. P. Donlan spoke Chapter IV Section 48 - No one spoke Chapter IV Section 46a - E.E. Williams and Fred Lipford spoke Chapter IV Section 47 No ~e spoke. Chapter IX Section la - Jos. P. Donlan spoke Chapter X Section 2 - No one spoke Chapter XII Section 5 - W E Kube spoke Vice Mayor. Breedlove in the Chair. Motion of Mr. Baker to place the following ordinance on f irst reading: "AN ORDINANCE REQUESTING THAT THE GENERALASSEMBLYAMENDC~A~TER I, SECTION OF ~, THE CHARTER OF THE~CITY OF PORTSMOUTH IN THE M~NHER TN_EREIN DESCRIBED." Motion of Nkr. Baker ~o suspend the rules to hear from interested persons was adopted. The following spoke: ~.E. Hinton L.R. Keller W.L. Redmond Jess Allspaugh J.jG.H. Mitchell O.F-. Bradshaw E.E. Williams Guy Gaskell Jos.P. Donlan The following communications were r~ad: "The '~est Side Civic League went on re~ord as being in favor of the elimination of the Democratic Councilmanic Prim~ries. We believe that for,~he best interest of the City the Councilmanic primaries should be eliminated, in order to give the Federal Government employees the s~me privilege to seek office of a City Councilman, and compete equally with other candidates. This would a~lso give the electors who are Government employees the opportunity ~o support their choice for the Council seat by giving them the same advantages that are now afforded the non- goverrnnent electors; that is- the privilege of taking a~ active part in the election, and working for the can- 1 didate of their choice. It has been ststed by most of you gentlemen, that what should be dsne is the 'modifi- ca.Ten, of the Hatch ~ct' and we agree with you wholeheartedly, but ss you know this could take years, whereas, you gentlemen here tonight, could do your part by voting in favor ef the elimination of CoUncilmanic Primarie~ and take the election o f City Cohncilmen o,~t of partisan politics~ which would be a step in the right direc- tion. ' After January 1, 1960, Portsmouth Will have many new electors and the majority of them will be Federal employees; which makes it ~re imporLant than ever to remove the Partisan Politics from our C~uncilmanic elections. We are counting on ead~ of you to vote for the eliminatibn of the Co~ncilmanic primaries?not only for the reasons as mentioned above; but you should also consider~the expense of these pti - maries, and for what useful purpose do they serve? (Signed) Louis H Keller, President." Because we believe that there are~ just as capable men ~n the employ of the Federal Governmen~ as there are in non-federal government employment, and that since they are not allowed to participate in the Democratic Primaries because of their federal employment, and because of this the right of governmen~ by the people is certainly not by all the people, we, the Loeal Branch #4238 of the National Association of Letter Carriers, have gone on record as supporting any ordinance or movement that will cause the elimination of the Democratic Primaries in the City of Portsmouth, Va. We therefore urge you to exercise every effort toward the above 6bjective in order that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall be a gover~meu~ by all peoplro (Signed) Robert A Hutchins PresidentJ"