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At a regular meeting of the 0ity Council, Held December 22nd, 1936, at 8:00
<br />P.M., there were present:
<br />
<br />John P. Leigh, Leslie T. Fox, George L. Grimes, J~mee N. Howard, Frank D.
<br />Lawrence, C.E. Warren, H. Earl Weiseman, Pearle J. Wilson, City Manager.
<br />
<br />Minutes of regular meeting held December 8th, were read and.approved.
<br />
<br />The following communication from the City Manager was read:
<br />
<br /> let - ~The Seaboard Air Line Railway Company, under the date of November
<br />21st, 1936, filed an application with the 'State Corporation Commission of Virginia, for a
<br />reduction of the assessment made by the Commission for~the year 1936.
<br /> The Commission is petitioned to .educe the 1936 assessment, of approxi-
<br />mately $1,500,OO0.00, to $260,000.00; which, if granted, will result in a loss to the City,
<br />in net income, of $32,800.00 annually.
<br /> I have already reported to you, the systematic annual reduction in the
<br />Seaboard Air Line Railway's assessed values, which has been going on through the cast five
<br />years, aggregating a lose in net revenue of $20,435.00 annually. Add this sum to the $32,800.
<br />now pro~osed, and the City will sustain an annual shrinkage in tax receipts, from the Sea -
<br />board Air Line Railway, of $53,235.00.
<br /> The pending ~oplication constitutes a serious menace to the financial
<br />structur_e of the City and should, by all means, Be opposed to the limit of the City's ability,
<br />and to that end, I recommend that the City Attorney be not only requested to oppose the peti-
<br />tion most vigorously, but also to m~ke every effort tO prevail upon the State Corooration
<br />Commi~sion to restore the Seaboard Air Line Railway's assessed vaIues to those which pre
<br />vailed in 1931.
<br /> That the Attorney be authorized ~o employ such means, as in his Judg -
<br />merit may be expedient, for the City's protection in the circumstances."
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Lawrence to concur in the Manager's recommendation, was adopted.
<br />
<br /> 2nd - The Manager stated that the State, City of Norfolk, Norfolk County, and
<br />a number of industries and stores, have declared a holiday on December 26th, and he would
<br />recommend t_hat we do the same.
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Howard to concur in the Manager's recommendation, was adopted.
<br /> The following comm~uuioa~ionsfrom'the City Atl~orneywa~eread:
<br />
<br /> 1st - ~I respectfully report that the City has acquired title to the 39 lots
<br />of land purchased from Messrs. W.K. Hedges and H~ A. IrvLug on Camden Ave. and Rutter St.,
<br />and the deed has been recorded.
<br /> In the letter of Mr. E. B. Hawks, City Manager, addressed to you, on
<br />this subject, there appeared the following paragraph:
<br /> 'There i~ ~ t~angular strip of land 23.2 feet wide,
<br /> beginning at the no~h limits of the above-described
<br /> land and running south along Elm Ave. ~95 feet, to a
<br /> vanishing point. I~ is essential that this strio of
<br /> 1And be acquired, and I further recommend that
<br /> owner be offered $600.00 for the said strip and
<br /> should the price be not satisfactory, then the City
<br /> Attorney be authorized to enter condemnation proceed-
<br /> ings.~
<br /> According to the records of the City Council no ac~tionv~s taken on
<br />this paragr~oh. As it is necessary to acquire this strip of land, I respectfully request
<br />that I be authorized to offer to Miss Virginia M. Cooke, the owner, the sum of $~O0.00 as
<br />mentioned in the letter of Mr. Hawks ~ud in the event that the offer is refused, that I be
<br />directed to enter condemnation proceedings for the acquisition of the land."
<br />
<br />Motion of Mr. Fox to concur in the Attorney's recommendation, was adopted.
<br />
<br /> 2nd ~In reference to the letter of Mr. J. S. Hathaway, referred to me, at
<br />your last meeting, I find that on the land book of 19~2, Mr. Hathaway was charged with a
<br />building on property assessed to him as 1/2 lot 7 #6~7 E.S~ Chautauqua Ave., at the valua-
<br />tion of $1OOO.00. The building was not assessed for 193!, and was left off the land book
<br />for 1933, and ap~rs to have' been placed on the 1932 land book by error. From what I ,mu -
<br />derstand there has never been any building on the land. Mr~ Hathaway recently paid all
<br />taxes against his property, Without interest and penalties, and should be refunded the sum
<br />of $26.50 Out of the money segregated under the recent ordin~uce of the City of Portsmouth
<br />to the paymen~ of the flo~ting debt.~
<br />
<br />~otion of Mr. Howard to concur in the Attorney's recommendation, was adopted.
<br />
<br />- UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Fox to appropriate $9,000.00 for land for new school, laid on
<br />table at last meeting, was taken up.
<br />
<br /> On motion of Mr. Fox, said a.~propriation for $9,000.00 was made, and by the
<br />following vo~e:
<br />
<br />Ayes: L~ikh, Fox, Grimes, Howard, ~awrence,
<br /> Weiseman, Wilson 8
<br />Nays: None.
<br />
<br />Warren~
<br />
<br />
<br />
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