Minutes 08/11/1953 - Laserfiche WebLink

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August llth, 1953. At the regular meeting of the City Council, held on August llth, 1953, thee were present: Fred A. D~ke, George L. Grimes, R. E. Hawks, C.C. Houghton.Jr., James N. Howard, Edgar W. Lawrence, R. Irvine Smith, E. R. Sturtevant, C.E. Warren, Pearls J. Wilson, I.G. Vass, City ~ianager, and R.C. Bar~lay, City Attorney. Minutes of regular meeting of July 28th, 1953 were read and approved. Motion of Mr. Sturtevant ro suspend the rules b hear from W:T. Parker, representing the Retail Grocers, was adopted. Mr. Parker spoke requesting the Council to relieve the retail grocers of paying the $5.00 meat permit charged by the City. Motion of Mr. Howard t~ refer ro the City Manager for a report ro the Council, was adopted. The following reports from the City Manager were read: 1st - "I s~bmit the following ordinance providing for a Supplemental Retirement Plan for the em - ployees of the City of Portsmouth except those in the Police and Fire Departments and recommend that it be placed on its first ' ~' readlng~ AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE A SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR CITY EMPLOYEES" Motion of Mr. Howard to place said ordinance on its first reading was adopted. 2nd - '~t a former meeting you referred to me the question of an additional taxi-cab for the City of Portsmouth to be located ar Alexander'sCorner. I have investigated this matter and I find that there is no City taxi-cab located in this area and there is apparently a need for taxi-cab service in this area. I therefore recommend that the Code of the City of Portsmouth be amended to authorize an additional taxicab in the City to be operated by a white person." Motion of Mr. Houghton ro place the following ordinance on its first reading, was adopted: "AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND RE-OP~AIN SECTION 27-36 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, 1951~ REIATING TO THE NUMBER OF TAXI-CABS" 3rd - "I submit the ~o~!gwing information concerning the City Park Bridge: Notices were issued by the Office of the Army Engineers that opposition to the proposed City Park Bridge improvements should be filed at the office of the Army Engineers by not later than July 17,1953. Not having been advised the outcome of the report, I telephoned Mr. Clary., Bridge Engi- neer wi*h the Department of Highways, for information. He advised me that he had not received information from the Army Engineers coneerning this request for a permit to construct the bridge, but that plans for the bridge were progressing. I then called the office of the Army Engineers and talked with I~r. Prince who advised me that a peiition signed by J.S. Whitehurst and eighty four other people had been filed ~n opposition ~o the bridge Forty of the petitioners owned small boats, thirty of which were outboard motor boats and then the Army Engineers had made a further study of the location and determined that a tidal range of 2.7 feet existed at this location and ~hat if a fill were made leaving an opening of only seventy-five feet of bridge span, it would cause a tidal flow of four feet per second which would undoubtedly cause a scouring effect on the bridge fill that would requir~ heavy maintenance and the Army Engineers had recommended that the opening should be 150 feet rather than 75 feet which would reduce the flow to 1.5 feet per second. Mr. Prince informed me that he would take the matter up im - mediately with ~he Highway Bridge Engineer and after discussing the matter with him, his report would be sent to Washington for final consideration." On motion filed. 4th - ~t a previous meeting of the Council, the question of the extension of sanitary sewers in Arcadia Heights and alsoWestern Branch Road west of the A~lantic Coast Line, was referred to me. ~ have ascertained from the City Engineer thatLthe present plans provide for the exten- sion of sewers on Western Branch Road west of the Atlantic Coast Line, but the plans do not provide for the exten- sion of sewers in Arcadia Heights; however, the City Engineer is e~deavoring to work out a plan whereby the sewers can be extended in thi~ area. The presently located sewers adjacent to this property are not of sufficient depth ro extend them to the area without providing some gyps of Pumping station. This we are endeavoring to do." On motion filed. 5th - '~t a previous meeting of the City Council a resolution was passed directing the City Man- ager to take action concerning a damaged building located at 980 Western Branch Road in the City. I am attach- ing hereto copy of a letter from F.J. Bergeron, City Engineer, which I trust will solve the problem." Attached - "This is to confirm our telephone conversation of Monday evening, August 3, 1953, when you agreed ro have the fire damaged building owned by you, located at 980 Western Branch Road in the City, repaired and placed in presentable~ liveable condition. The City Manager and members of the City Ceuncil have received many complaints regarding the unsightly and hazardous condition of this building. At a recent meeting of the City Council, a resolution was passed instructing theCity Manager to take the necessary procedure to have this building properly repaired or to have it removed. I reported to the City Manager after our telephone conversation that you had promised me you would start at once and place it in proper condition. For your information,.you obtained a building permit from this office on July 27, 1950 to make repairs. It has been so long you should have ihs permit renewed. Thanking you for your co-operation." On motion filed~ 6th - "I submit the attached letter from X. D. Murdeu, Superintendenz of the Water Department and concur in his recommendation concerning the retirement of Madison Hunter."