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April 14th, 1959.
<br />
<br />At a regular meeting of the City Council, held on April 14th, 1959, there were present:
<br />
<br />B.W. Baker,A.C; Bartlett, ~.R. Breedlove, R.B. Seward, R. Irvine Smith,
<br />George R. Walker, H. E. Weiseman, A.P. Johnson~r., City Manager, and
<br />J.S. Livesay, Jr., City Attorney.
<br />
<br /> The meeting was opened with prayer by Mr. Weiseman.
<br />
<br /> The following communications from the City Manager were read:
<br />
<br /> 59-90 - "I have given serious and considerable study to a proposed change in the traf
<br />fie pattern on County Street, now a One=Way Route east into the downtown section. ! also had a traffic engineer[
<br />study this problem. It is his opinion that County St. ~hould not be made a Two-Way street.
<br /> It was his opinion that the or~y solution would be to reversethe traffic
<br />between the peak hours of 4:30 P.M. to 6:00 P.M., for west-bound traffic. To do this would necessitate a minimu~
<br />expenditure of $7,000.00 to provide traffic control. Any part time reversal of normal traffic flow would neces-
<br />sitate manning the street.with Police, at first for educational purposes a~d later for enforcement. The traffic
<br />engineer also states thali~a part time traffic reversal would be onl~ an interim method.
<br /> ! believe also that the new inter state expressway with its feeder and access
<br />routes can make a great change in our traffic patterns. I think we will need to make a well rounded study at a
<br />later date on this possibility.
<br /> Due To present budgetary problems, I cm not recommend a $7.000.00 expenditure
<br />for ~:'plan that at best seems only an interim method of settling the problem.
<br /> I recommend that the one way traffic system remain as it now exists. For the
<br />present time~ to alleviate the traffic congestion on Washington St., I recommend that No--Left-Turn be allowed
<br />at High and Washington Sts., between the hours of 4:00 and 6:00P.M.."
<br />
<br />On motion of Mr. Breedlove, the rules were suspended to hear from interested parties.
<br />
<br />The following spoke: Mr. VonPears~ull, Mr. C.M. Davenport and Mr. ~ilton Green.
<br />
<br />following vote:
<br />
<br />Motion of Mr. Smith to concur in the Manager's recommendation was adopted, and by the
<br />
<br />Ayes: Bartlett, Breedlove, Seward, Smith, Weiseman
<br />Nays: Baker, Walker
<br />
<br /> 59-91 - "On April 8th, 1959, bids were opened for curbs and ~utters on .streets adjacent
<br />to the Mid City Shopping Center. Three proposals were received as follows:
<br />
<br />streets:
<br />
<br />Roland B Hart, Portsmouth, Va. $15,917.50
<br />Aldo Engzneering & Construction Co.,Portsmouth, Va.ll,256,00
<br />Viola Brothers, Portsmouth, Va. 10,878.00
<br /> The~work comprises 5,700 lin. feet~of curb and gutters located on the following
<br />
<br /> Race St. between Loudoun Ave. and Frederick Blvd.
<br /> Loudoun Ave. between Race St. and Airline Blvd.
<br /> Bart St., between Loudoun Ave. and Fauquier Ave.
<br /> Fauquier between Bart and South Sts.
<br /> South St. between Airline Blvd. and Frederick Blvd.
<br /> I recommend that the contract be awarded to Viola Brothers, they being the
<br />low bidder in the amount of $10,878.00f'
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Breedlove ~o table until the next meeting of the Council, was adopted,
<br />without dissenting vote.
<br />
<br /> 59-92 - "I submit the attached Mutual Aid Agreement between the City of Norfolk and
<br />the City of Portsmouth. T~is agreementis in reference to fire fighting equipment responding to alarms between
<br />the City of Portsmouth and the City of Norfolk. This is the same type of agreement the City has with the Norfolk
<br />Naval Shipyard. I recommend that the proper city officials be authorized to sign this agreement.
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Breedlove to concur in the Manager's recommendation, was adopted, without
<br />dissenting vote.
<br /> 59-93 - "I recommend that. the City NLanager be authorized ~o readvertize for public aucM
<br />tion, city property at 528 ~ueen Street."
<br />
<br /> Motion of NLr. Bartlett to concur in the recommendation of the City Nanager was adopted,
<br />without dissenting vote.
<br />
<br /> 59-9~ - "I am submitting the attached report from the City Attorney concerning the
<br />Single Assessor System."
<br />
<br /> Attached - "At the request of Councilman A.C. Bartlett, I submit the following written opinion con
<br />cerning legal requirements for reinstatement of the system of annual assessment of real estate, which was re -
<br />pealed in accordance with ?.the referendum held on June 10, 1958.
<br /> For convenient reference, I attach a copy of my letter of May 27, 1958, in response
<br />~o certain questions put to me_by'Councilman R. Irvine Smith. This letter is set forth werbatim in the minutes
<br />of your meeting of Nay 27, 1958. I quote f3~om this letter as follows:
<br />
<br />'Should the single assessor ordinance be repealed by referendum,~it is
<br />my opinion that the City Council may not en~c~ a new assessment or -
<br />dinance of similar n~ture within two years unless ~uthority is conferred
<br />by ~ vo~e of the people~'
<br />
<br /> On at least two prior occasions, I have verbally stated to the Mayor in office at the
<br />time, my opinion that City Council has no authority to submit any question to the people in a referendum unless
<br />
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