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At a regular meeting of the Oity Council, held on June llth, 1935, at 8:00 P.E.,
<br />there were present:
<br /> Vernon A. Brooks, Leslie T. Fox, ~.R. Hutchins, S.B. Noore, J~ Alden Oast,
<br /> J.Ro Stewart, City Ean~ger.
<br />
<br /> Einutes of regular meeting held Nay 2Sth were read and ~oproved.
<br /> The following communications from the Ci~y N~uager were read:
<br /> 1st - The Eanager presented the following ordinance:
<br /> "AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE PURCHASE AND ACQUISITION OF OLD GOLD,
<br /> OLD SILVER, AND SECONDHAND GOLD AND SILVERWARE, iN5) PROVIDING A PENALTY
<br /> FOR ITS VIOLATION".
<br />
<br /> On motion of Nr. Oast, said ordinance was plaaed on its first reading.
<br /> 2nd - "In ~he matter of negro school conditions, called to the 0ouncil~s at-
<br /> tention, in a petition dated~arch 12th, 1935, signed by Thomas Reid, and others, mud refer-
<br /> red to me, I wish to report as follows:
<br /> We have approximately 3,700 neg~o ~school children, many of whom are
<br /> housed in imp~-ovised buildings, entirely inadequate, poorly lighted, miserably heated, ~nd
<br /> without sewerage facilities. If a remedy is possible, these conditions should not be per-
<br /> mitred to exist.
<br /> Superintendent Hunt has proposed clans for adequately remedying the ex-
<br /> isting conditions, which plans provide forgo twenty four room building, with equipment and
<br /> site, to take care of the down-town section, at an estimated cost of $195,000.00 ~nd an eight-
<br /> room building, with equipment and site to take care of the ~t. Hermon Section, at an estimated
<br /> cost of $55,000.00.
<br /> The City c~u not issue bonds with which to raise the funds, nor could it
<br /> afford to appropriate the annual interest charge mlnecessary sinking fund to carry a bond is-
<br /> sue, were a bond issue possible.
<br /> As I see it, the only possibility of carrying out this most needed and
<br /> worthy program, is'the securing of a direct grant of Federal Funds, which I am advised are
<br /> available, for worthy projects, in certain cases where funds can not be raised otherwise,
<br /> and where ls~bor enters largely into the project.
<br /> I recommend that an effort be made to secure direct grants of $195,000.00
<br /> and $55,000.00 for the purposes as se~ forth hereinabove;"
<br />
<br /> In oormection with the said letter,~the Manager recommended the adoptioD of the
<br /> following resolution:
<br />
<br /> "RESOLUTION
<br /> WHEREAS, the negro school facilities, within the City, are
<br /> sadly inadequate, and in a deplore?cie condition, which con-
<br /> dttion should be'remedied; if possible, bef6re next school
<br /> session, or as early thereafter as may be practicable, and
<br /> WHEREAS, the City of Portsmouth has reached its bond limit
<br /> and therefore is not in a position to issue bonds, but were
<br /> it possible to issue bonds, the 0ity~s financial condition
<br /> would prevent an appropriation for carrying charges,
<br /> NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT B~SOLVED, that the City Manager is
<br /> hereby authorized ~nd requested to make every effort ~o se-
<br /> cure an outright Federal Grant of $195,000.00 for the put -
<br /> chase of a site and the erection~of ~ tw~n%y~four reO~Bui~ld-
<br /> ing and equipping the same~ ~o relieve conditions i~n theNor-
<br /> c%~ down-town school; and $55,000.00 for the purchase of a
<br /> site and the erection of an ei~ht room building, and equip-
<br /> ping the same, for relief of conditions in the Et. Hermon
<br /> School."
<br />
<br />On motion of Er. Stewart, the resolution was adopted, and by the foIlowing Vote:
<br />
<br />Ayes: Brooks, Fox, Hutchins, Moore, Oast, Stewart - 6
<br />Nays: None.
<br />
<br />- UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
<br />
<br /> The followimg communication from the City Nanager, laid on table at last meet-
<br />lng, was ~aken up and read:
<br />
<br /> "Owing to the limited amount of funds available last August, when the High St.
<br />paving was projected, it was decided to leave the old asphalt on the strips of concrete next
<br />to the gutters, merely patching these sections and bringing 'them up to grade.
<br /> Although these sections will be used almost exclusively for parking purposes,
<br />however, joining of-the new to the old asphalt will not make a pleasing looking Job.
<br /> The old asphalt surface is now thirty thre6 years old snd will, no doubt, need
<br />considerable repairing long before the new will show any signs of age or wear,
<br /> ~ There is now available for patching the old st~i~s, $2300.00 and the Resident
<br />Engineer of the Highway Department informs us that there will be an additional $1200.00 avail
<br />able for additions~ asphalt left over f~om the 10% which the Commission reserved on the Job.
<br /> The cost of resurfaeing these strips (viz. 3540 sq. yds. ~ ~1.30 is $~600.00.
<br />Deduct from this amount the $2300.00 and the $1200.00 above referred to ~d the net additional
<br />cost is $1100.O0.
<br />
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