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Decembe~ ~
<br /> _ 2o~h~ 19~9.
<br />
<br />Built 1,525 feet sea wall on water front to protect the
<br /> shore lines.
<br />
<br /> 7- Built the Armory, to.w~hioh the City contributed~$9,000.O0 of the cost.
<br /> 8. Built Spratley St. causeway ~ City's parZ of-the cost, $1,95Oo00.
<br /> 9. ~uilding stadium, to which the City is contributing $~O,0~OO Of the ce.afl
<br /> lO~ Established five summer playgrounds, three months in the summer, at a cost
<br />of $2~400.00 ~ year.
<br /> ll. Cut weeds on 450 vacant lots at a cost of $6~6oO0~
<br /> 12~ Lowered t ax rate fifteen 0enrac
<br /> 13. Raised pay of school teachers six per cent. TI~s was done through conces-
<br />sions we ~ere~able to obtain from the Virginia Electric & Power Co~oany - $20,000.00 a year
<br />for ten years.
<br /> 14. Raised pay of street hands ten per cent ~nd provided for~them to not lose
<br />time in bad weather.
<br /> 15. Raised pay of policemen and firemen five per cent and inaugurated~two-
<br />platoon system for the firemen.
<br /> 16. Raised pay of all other employees who received less than $2,000.00 a year
<br />five per cent.
<br /> l?~ Reduced working hours.
<br /> 18. Instituted~legal proceedings-as result of which we have caused to be re-
<br />habilitated twenty~five and demolished sixty-seven dilapidated~ insanitary buildings.
<br /> 19o The existence of insanita~ conditions was one of the mos~ difficult
<br />lems with which we had to dealo In 1938, we inaugurated the annual clean-up campaign, pu~t on
<br />an extra sanitary inspector, furnished lime and white-wash to all people unable to purchase
<br />same. This campaign was renewed in 1939 and will be followed up in 1940. With the assistance
<br />of the Garden clubs, Chamber of Commerce~ the press ~ud the people~ we have been able to bring
<br />about a great improvement along this line.
<br /> 20~ Assisted the School Board in finishing the negro high school, building
<br />annex gymnasium to Woodrow Wilson High School, and building a new school for negroes in
<br />~ermon~
<br /> 21~ Designated street names on curbing at each croesing~
<br /> 22. By fighting the Anti-Pollution Promotion scheme~ and through the help of
<br />Senator Hillard~ Hugh Johnston and the Manager~ who persuaded the Legislature, at last sss-
<br />sion, to give us a~u independent vote on this question, we have saved the property owners in
<br />Portsmouth, approximately $150~O00o00 a year, for the last two years. The same promoters
<br />and bonding companies ~re preparing to take their scheme before the Legislature again next
<br />session. If they can succeed in pa~sin~ t~e Bill to force our City to vote as a ward of Nor-
<br />folk~ it may cost th e property owners $150,000.00 a year for thirty years, which is the
<br />ation of the bond issue.
<br /> 23. One of the th~ngs of %~nioh I thir~ we all have Just cause to feel proud~
<br />is the renovation and rebuilding of the quarters for the old people at the Alms House~
<br />think the small amount o2 money we spent there~ to m~ke those old people mor~ comfort~ole,
<br />met with the approval of every b ody~
<br />
<br /> The plea of the Mayor to the Councilmen~ at.all times, has been for team work,
<br />and the plea of the Manager to all the employees in each department, has been continuously
<br />for te~m work~ and the Mayor, the Manager and the Council have worked shoulder to shoulder
<br />for the betterment of the Oity, during the whole three years.
<br />
<br /> ~e believe that tee~ work is just as necessary to success ~ business or in
<br />conducting the City's affairs, as it is in winning a football or baseball game.
<br />
<br /> In conclusion, I wi~u to thank the Mayor and ~he City Council for the consi
<br />derationshown me, and als~ thank the heads of departments and employees in each department
<br />for their loyalty and faithful service, and the people of Portsmouth, both white and colored,
<br />for the confidence sho~m in and support given to this administration. Without these things,
<br />no City administration can function successfully."
<br />
<br /> Mr. Lawrence stated ti~at while teamwork by the Council h~s been a great fac-
<br />tor~ the City Manager deserves credit for most of the a0complishments of thelast three years~
<br />and made a motion, seconded by Mn Warren, Mr. Hutchins and Er. Howard, that the Council go on
<br />record commending the Manager for the extraordinary accomplisttments made by the City in the
<br />last three years.
<br />
<br /> Remarks by the-City Manager - The City Manager st,a,~ed t~t while the progress during thel
<br />last three years~had been beyond his ~xPectation, it could have been accomplished only throughl
<br />team. work by the~,Mayor, City Council s~nd City Manager, and tha~ the Ea,-or and Council deservedl
<br />equal credi~ with the Manager.
<br />
<br /> The following ordinance placed on its f~r~t reading at last .~m eting, was taken
<br />uo and read:
<br />
<br />"AN ORDINANCE TO REQUIP~ THE CITY CO~J~CTORWHEN INFO~ED OF THE
<br />INTENTION OF ANY PERSON TO HEPIOVE FROM THE OiTM~ TO OOLLECT ALL
<br />CITY TAXES ASSESSED AGAINST S~CH PERSON,' AND.ALL~ WATER BILLS OWING
<br />BY HIM BEFORE NE REMOVES ~ROM TF~-CITY.~
<br />
<br />'vote:
<br />
<br />taken up
<br />
<br />On motion of Er.
<br />
<br /> Hutchins, said ordinance- was~ adopted and by the following
<br />
<br />Ayes: Leigh, Howard, Hutohins, Lawrence, Warren, Weiseman, Wilson - 7
<br />Nays: None
<br />following ordinance, placed on its first reading at last meeting, was
<br />
<br />
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