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I believe the ordinance passed by the City Council on May 2 2, 1928, includes the .same matters
<br />requested by Mr. Owens. A copy of the ordinance is attached."
<br />
<br />0n motion ordered filed.
<br />
<br />The following letter from the City Attorney was read:
<br />
<br /> ~In reference to the lette~ of ~. William H. 0ast, Judge of the Civil
<br />and Poli~ce Court of the City, referred to me at your last meeting, I find that two young men ~
<br />were tried inhis co,~rt and fin. ed ~280e and cost. One noted an appeala .nd a few days later the
<br />cases were re-opened and the f~ne was redu.ced~to $700. and ~Ar. Hudson pazd the fine for his so~
<br />T e z~ne of the other ~oung ma~ was not pazd. Judge 0as, z~orms me that a short tame azter thel
<br />_zne was paz~ owe other.yo'~tug men were brought before h~m and admit.~ed havzng commztted the
<br />offense for ~h. ich the fzrst two ~?r.e char~ed, ~nd upon their, confessmon ~ re-opened the cases
<br />against the fzrst two boys and dzsmzssed~hem. Judge 0asr ms very much in favor.of ref~uding
<br />the money to ~Ar. Hudson and s tares that he expects to make the ref~ud personally zf 'the City
<br />does not see fit to do so. -
<br /> The off?nse with which t. he.young men.were charged was a State offensei
<br />?nd not a Cit.y o.ffense, alt. hough ~e money was pazd ~uto the Cmty treasury. As the money was.
<br />zmproperly pazd into the C~ty Treasury, i reco~nend that the same be refunded to Judge~ 0ast in
<br />order that he may pay the same to ~. Hudson."
<br />
<br /> = ' ~ $10~.50 to make said reftu~d, was
<br /> Motion of i~. Wemseman to appropr_ate
<br />adopted and by the following vote:
<br />
<br />Aye s
<br />
<br />Nays
<br />
<br /> Fox, Barclay, Grimes, ~enderson, Howard, Stur~ev~t,
<br /> ~ren, ~eiseman, Wilson
<br />None
<br />
<br /> ~ appropriation of $5,000e00 for Virginia Public Assistance, placed
<br />on its first reading at last meeting, was taken up, and on motion of Mr. Sturtevaut, an appro-
<br />pr~atmon of $8~000~00 For said put-pose, was adopted~ and by the following vote:
<br />
<br />Ayes - Fox, Barclay, Grimes, Henderson,Howard, Sturtev~ut,
<br /> ~arren, Weiseman, ~ilson
<br />
<br /> The following letter was read and ordered filed:
<br />
<br /> "Following the recent resignat.ion of City~ I~ianager ~thur S. Owens, you
<br />are now faced with the grave responsibilityof selecting his successor.
<br /> The members of the Portsmouth Junior Chamber of Commerce being intense-
<br />ly interested in the welfare of our City, and at tho same timeaware of the tremendously impor-
<br />tant position which the City Manager's office occupies in promoting this welfare a~d prSvlding
<br />for the future growth of our City, wish to strongly urge that you weigh well e very factor be
<br />fore making your selection.
<br /> ~Iore specifically, we feel that now is the opportune time for the City
<br />to employ a ~career" City Manager, and begin to enjoy the benefits which are beaned toresult
<br />from having a man with the background and experience which have proven his qualif, ications for
<br /> · b
<br />~ch a ~o . ~?hen a personis ill, a physician is needed; when a large building ms consSructed,
<br />an engineer is needed; and when a City Manager form of government is to be properly adminis-
<br />tered, a qualified City i~ansger is needed. We believe that success i n some other field such as
<br />merchandising, property mauagement, or engineering d~e=not necessarily ~alify a man to b e a
<br />good City ~anager, and that you gentlemen of the City Council would make an .excellent invest-
<br />ment fo~ our City if you would now enrploy a professional City Manager, pay ~ba~gaina salar.YCmtyCOmmen-~!ana_
<br />surate with hisabilfty, and not, under any circumstances, consider hiring ahz~
<br />get".
<br /> The Czty of Ports~moutn recemv~s an~ual!y revenues mn excess of ~2,000,
<br />000.00. This is a big business. You, as councilmen., are its '~board of directors", and must
<br />now select its 'manager~ - a City ~Ianager. How much do you think the Y~nager of a private
<br />business of equal proportion would be paid?
<br /> Portsmouth is a growing City. We need a City Manager not ~ly with
<br />training and experience, but with vision and a knowledge of how to plan for the future. Some-
<br />one must be employed - why not a man with the qualifications?
<br /> Ther. e is such a thing as poor economy; therefore, we strongly urge you
<br />to fix his salary at not less than $18,Q00~00 pe~ year and then secure the services of a
<br />
<br />capable of properly admzn~sterzng the duties
<br />THE ~AN SEEK THE JOB.
<br />
<br />W.C.S~ence, Sec."
<br />
<br />of the office. LET THE JOB SEEK THE ~[AN, NOT
<br />
<br /> Respectfully
<br />
<br /> C.Hall S~e~lihgs, President.
<br />
<br />The Mayor was autho_ zzed to appo~ a Food Conservation Committee.
<br />
<br />The following letter from the C-sy Attorney was read and filed:
<br />
<br /> "Complying with your request that Z furnish you my opinion a s to the
<br />validity of an appropriation of $25,000.00 requested by the Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce to
<br />establish a fttud to bring industries to this City, I Beg to state that the City does not have
<br />a legal right to contribute either to suO2~_ a fund or to adv~c~e money for such purpose.
<br /> Section 185 of the State Constitution provides:
<br /> 'Neither the credit of the State, nor of ~ny Couaaty, city or t
<br /> shall be, directly or indireot!y~ under any device or pretense what-
<br /> soever, granted to or in aid of any person, association, or corpor-
<br /> ation, nor shall the State, or ar~ county, city or to~ subscribe
<br />
<br />
<br />
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