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April i6th~ 1941.
<br />
<br />City Manager:
<br />
<br /> "AN ORDiNANOE TO A~ND AND RE ORDAIN SECTION ~4 PARAGP~_~H
<br /> ~!3 OF ~
<br /> A2~ OP~IN.~CE IMPOSING A LICENSE T~ FOR T~
<br /> OF PORTSMOUTH, V~GINLA, ~R T~ ~R BEGinNING ~y lst~
<br /> 194t, ~OPTED ~L 8th~ 1941'."
<br />
<br />~d that a committee be ~poin~ed So confer with the co~ittee representing the moving
<br />ture owners in ~eferenoe to same, was a~pted~ ' -
<br />
<br /> The O~i~an appointed the follox~ing co~i~tee to act in both cases:
<br />
<br /> Messrs. Fr~ D~Lawrence, Jas. N. Ho~z~d and Geo. L. ~imes
<br />
<br /> Mr~ Ovsrton presented the following comm~ication, which was referred to the
<br />
<br /> "~GR~TIOt~
<br />
<br /> April 15th~ 1941.
<br /> A meeting was held in the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce on Friday, Aoril
<br /> l!th, 1941, at 3.30 o-
<br /> ' ~ .M., to initiate plans for Portsmouth,s participation in community-ac
<br /> tivities relative to the e~ense Program
<br /> Mr. Arthur H. Jones, Regional Recreational P~presentative was oresent, s~ud
<br /> gave a very comprehensive-plan of~the kind of program which would meet the approval of the
<br /> Defense Agency.
<br /> There was a large~gatheri~ng of_person~ present, With reoresentatives from
<br /> the City Government; %~elfare Dep~rtment, Y.M.O.A.; Salvation Army; Y.k~C.A.; Travelers
<br /> Aid Society~ Portsmouth Library Assoelation~ Navy Yard, Civic Clubs, Business and Profession-
<br /> al Women's Club, ~inisterial Union, Chamber of Commerce, Retail Merchs~ts Association Hamp-
<br /> ton Roads Regional Defense Council and others.
<br /> Mr. Jones states thatSee~on~' ~3 of the Lanham Act provides for an appropria-
<br />tion of $150~OO0,OOO.O0. One of the items in this Bill is to provide recreational facilities
<br />for defense workers and men of the Army and Navy, while off the preserve. It is thought that
<br />a service club or community center-where all needs of the men could be taken care of when off
<br />duty, was essential in Ports~uouth. Generally speaking, there is a pressing need that is
<br />growing every hour, as the Army and Navy increases its activities, for quarters to serve this
<br />purpose, and local resources can~ not supply these requirements. There is need of sleeping
<br />accommodations for men' in uniform~ w~i~ing rooms, where they can write to their oeople back
<br />home; lunch rboms wh~e fb~od may be obtained at falr prices, game rooms, locker ~aeilities~
<br />libraries, and other facilities. Also deduce ~mlls, comfort stations, athletic fields, etc.
<br /> · ~ . Host of the cities in cong~st.edareas, brought about by the defense orogram,
<br /> are not f~n~nc~ally able to pay for these &.~ccommOdations and as they are not responsible for
<br />conditions, the govemmen~, therefore, feels that it should b~ar the major part of expenses
<br />necessary for such a program, snd~does not expect the~ municipalities to contribute any large
<br />sums for this purpose.
<br /> The Lanham Bill is now before the Public Buildings and Gro-~uuds Committee of
<br />Congress,~ a~ud it is taken ~o~r gremted that at such time as the Bill comes out of committee,
<br />it w~_~l be passed.
<br /> We are reliably informed by government representatives that if the City of
<br />Portsmouth will officially agree to participate io~ ~his program tha~ a large aoprooriation of
<br />Federal funds will be recommended for this 0ity. ~
<br /> It has been officially stated by certain government agents tnat~ if Portsmouth
<br />will officially enter an~ agr~em~ent to partieipate~ and if the Mayor~ or other official body
<br />will ~esi~at~ a eommit~ee el ~ive or seven persons to make a study of ~his matter, ~_ud if a
<br />sum ef money is made available~ that the federal government will provide the bal~uce whereby
<br />defense workers and men of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps will be ~rovided with prooer
<br />c~eationa! facilities. ~
<br /> At the meeting referred to in the first paragraph of %his letter, a committee
<br />consisting of Dr. T.A. RUssell and J.M. Overton was appointed to- present this matter to the
<br />City Manager and the Honorable City Council with the request tPmt a ~ommittee be ~opointed at
<br />once to -study this matter, and to report to the City the result of this investigation.
<br />the commi%tee, therefore, request your favorable consideration of this request.
<br />
<br />Respectfully submitted,
<br />
<br />On motion adjourned.
<br />
<br />Appro veal ~
<br />
<br /> President.
<br />
<br />J.M. Overton, Chairman
<br />Rev. T.A. Russe!l.~
<br />
<br />City Clerk.
<br />
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