|
FebruaM~ 27th.
<br />
<br /> At a regular meeting of theCity Council,- held February 24th, 1942, at 7~OO
<br />there were present:
<br />
<br />John Po Leigh, Leslie T. Fox, George L.Grimes, Russell Mo Hal!,
<br />James N. Howard, U. R. Hutchins, Frank D. Lawrence-, C. E.Warren,
<br />Pearls J. Wilson and RiO. Barclay, Acting City Manager.
<br />
<br /> Minutes of regular meeting held ~Feb~Gary 10th and adjourned renu!ar meeting
<br />of February I3th were read and approved.
<br />
<br />The following communications from the City Manager were read:
<br />
<br /> let - "Under date of February 14th, 1942, I appointed Mr. F.J. Bergeron,
<br />City Engineer, a~ an annual salary of $3,600,OO.~
<br />
<br />On motion ordered filed.
<br />
<br /> 2nd - "As soon as I was notified of the signing of the Civilian Defense
<br />Act by Governor Darden, I appointed J.L. Smith Co-Ordinator of CivilianDefense in the City of
<br />Portsmouth and I placed him in supreme command of the 0ivili~n Defense workers, in case of an
<br />air raid or other emergency.
<br /> Col. Hart of the U.S. Army requested that some one be placed in
<br />supreme command, and the Act of the General Assembly of Virginia named the Executive Officer
<br />of the 0ity as Civilian Defense Director. Mr. Smith previously held the position under the
<br />former set-up inaugurated by Governor Price."
<br />
<br />Motion of Mr. H,' ''
<br /> u~cnins to approve and file, was adopted.
<br />
<br /> 3rd "On Eebruary lSth, between the hours of 12;O1 and 5:OO P.M., sche-
<br />dule of buses was made aZ Hartford St. and Mt. Vernon Ave., on the Port Norfolk bus and the
<br />Port Norfolh-Pinners Point bus, and a~ Duke St. and Elm Ave., on the Prentis Park bus.
<br /> The longest interval between buses on ~he Port Norfolk line was
<br />fifteen minutes, but the interval was generally ten minutes or less.
<br /> The longest interval between buses bn the Port Norfo!k-Pinners
<br />Point line, was twenty seven minUtes.
<br /> The longest interval between buses on t he Prentis Park bus was
<br />fifteen minutes, but the interval was generally from eight to ten minutes."
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Fox to refer to the special committee on buses and for the
<br />Manager to furnish the committee all information he ha~ on the subject, was adopted.
<br />
<br /> 4th - ,,A request has been made to the Works Progress Administration to
<br />furnish all labor, tools, and equipment necessary for the removal of the street railway rails
<br />on High St.~ and also labor and concrete necessary to fill in the area caused by the removal.
<br /> The City's responsibility will be .to reolace the asphalt surface,
<br />using W.P.A. labor. The rails will be the property of the City, to be sold to any agency des-
<br />ignated by O.P.M., at the prevailing selling price for rail of this type. If this request is
<br />granted, considerable improvement can be made to the pavement on High Street."
<br />
<br /> Notion of Mr. Grimes to concur in the Manager's recommendation was adopte~.
<br /> 5th - "A representative of the Unitea~ States Department of A~icu!ture
<br />left with me this afternoon a letter and blue print in connection wi~h the trailer csmo and do~
<br />mitory site to be established near Truxton, Just beyond the City limits. The purpose of his
<br />visit was to secure water and sewerage facilities for the project.
<br /> · As the project is ~ar the City limits, I believe from a hes~th
<br />standooint, it will be adv,.sable to permi~ connection with the City sewers at Truxton. ~ne sew-
<br />er pi~e ~ll extend along the Gosoort Roae from Dale St., to the City limits. R.W.Strange, the
<br />reonesentati~e, is anxious to get-a commitment from the City at once, in order that the plans '
<br />may be perfected.
<br /> I recommend that the request be granted under a suitable contract
<br />permitting the City to tap into the pipe and to pay a reasonable cb~rge for pumpage. If you
<br />will approve .this recommendation, the contract may be prepare~ later."
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Fox to concur and that t~e contract be approved by the City
<br />Attorney, was adopted.
<br />
<br /> 6th - The Manager presented the following letter; addressed
<br />
<br /> ~Due to an extremely crowded docket I have been delayed in getting out this
<br />letter but I want you and the other City officials to know that we sincerely appreciate the
<br />splendid spirit of co-operation shown by you and particularly Captain Warren and the City Po-
<br />lice force in handling the threatened bus strike situation on the morning of February 16th.
<br />Throug_hpersona! inspection I !~uow that Captain Warren had his men on the alert and situated
<br />the bus garage in Port Norfolk when the buses came in at midnight and that he personally, with
<br />several additional men on ~his force, was oresent when the buses were sent out starting at 4:30
<br />in the morning. Lu addi~n to that, Captain Warren arranged for smd hsd ready the State Police
<br />to re-enforce his own squ~d if that became necessary,
<br /> In my opinion the emergency was adequately prepared for so far as the Ci
<br />of Portsmouth was concerned and I again want to assure you that we thank you for the so-opera-
<br />rive spirit shoWn.
<br /> Yours truly,
<br />
<br />F.U. Ross~ Manager.~
<br />Virginia E!ec~ric & Power
<br />
<br />
<br />
|