Minutes 10/28/1947 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ard to our Water Department, and to that end, I am recommending that our existing ordinance not be amended." Inclosure - ~Receipt is gcknowledged of your letter under date of the 4th requesting our opinion ~oncerning the safety ~f the proposal involving the installation o f additional ~mder- g~ound storage ta~ks in the vacant lot adjoining the present oil storage station and diagon- ally across from the Municipal Water Supply Pumping ~tation. ~ ~hile it is true that underground storage is the safest method of stor~g inflammable liquids of any kind, the fact remains that in the case ~mder consideration, the proposal-means the concentration of additional storage at a site that is relatively close to a u''.~zlmty' that is of f_rst~ importance to the welfare of the community. V~hile it is true that safe practice in the general ha~dlimg and operation of this oil storage station might prevent any serious occurrence, it is likewise true that this concentration of storage creates a ver~y potential hazard. The danger arising from the opera, ion o f a station o f this kind arises primarily fr~m the attendant vapor factor. This will b e better understood when we point out that when these tanks are filled,t~e vapor within the tank is farted out through the vents and is spread over the immediately adjacent premises. The~e a~e msmy cases on the records where vapor thus escaping from~ents has spread dista~css in excess of B00 feet before it ignited and flashed back to its source. Another featUre of the vapor hazs_vd is the fact that being approximately B~ times heavier than air, it tends to collect in low spots, pits and dep~es - sions where it may remain for a considerable tim~e bar°re it diffuses safely in the air. Another feature in connection with this proposal is the fact that the con - centration of additional storage means more f~eq~ent tardc truck visits to that location. As the~e is alv~ys a certain amounto f traffic hazard in the vicinity of such stations, there would be an increased possibility of d~ger due to the additional t~nk tz~uc$ operations. In view of the foregoing we are of the opinion that the City would be l~lly ~ustified in prohibiting the installation of additional storage tanks at the plant in question ~ours very truly, H. E. Newell, Assistant Chief Engineer.~ Motion of M~. Warren to concur in the Manager's recommendation,was adopted. 7th - ~InApril of this year, the State Corporation Conmuission allowed the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company an increase in their rates which reflects back in our costs of telephone service for the yea~ 194V. In o~m franchise, we are allowed forty-two telephones or $4,064.00 worth of telephone service per year which was based on the need in 19~, when ou~ population wa-s approximately 4~,000. Today~ we believe, the population is approximately sit,y-five to seventy thousand people and with g~eatly expsmded services, we now have avout sixty-five tel- ephones~o The increase in rates-allowed by the Telephone Company has reflect- ed back in an increased cost' ~ the City Goverrment for the year and I am requesting you~ au - thority to transfer $~00.00 from Accoz~nt 90~ "Ration Board~ to pay for the telephone service now due the Company.~ Motion o f Mr. Warren that the City Manager be granted Kuthority to transfer $500.00 from Account 903 - Ration Board, to pay telephone bills, was adopted. Motion of Mr. Weiseman that the Mayor, i _ Cty Mar~ger smd City Attb~ney at t~d the State Corporation Co~mission hearinE in Richnuond, on November 8th, 1947, to protect the City's interest in reference to the increase in telephone rates,~s adopted. 8th - "Mrs. Florence Hayes and her daughter, Miss Joyce Hayes, have made the City an offer of $~0.00 a month each for the use of the upstairs rooms Ln the fire station on Coo~t St., ~ud I am re'commending that I be authorized to rent the rooms, subject to a thirty day recapture clause at any time, by the City.~ adopted. Motion of Mr. ~eiseman to concur in the ~anager's reco~endation, was Meti~n o f Mr. Howard that thB Manager and City Attorney be authorized to dispose of four lots on the south side of Detroit St. near the overpass, was adopted. The following o~dinance, placed on its first reading at last meeting, was taken up: ~ ~AN 0RDiN-ANCE DEBIGNATi~G THE VOTING PLACES IN TEE CITY~ Motion of Mr. Weiseman that the orc~ nance be laid on table, v~s- adopted, an~ by the following vote.* Ayes: Fox, ~clay, Grim~es, Henderson, ~a~en, Weiseman, Wilson Nays: None Howard, Sturtevant, Motion of Mr. S~urtevant that a proper resolution be d~awnregarding the death of Mr. Brinson's daughter, was adopted. C o~_nqil meeti~ Approve[ 'l~e Chair asked that the City ~'~anager present resolutions at the next was adopted. Motion of Mr. Weiseman that the Council go into a conferenoe,was adopted. On motion adjourned.