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December
<br />
<br />At a regular meeting of the City Council held on December 12~h, 1933, at 8:00
<br />
<br />P.M. there were- present:
<br /> Leslie T. ~Fox, W.R. Hutchins, S.Bo Moore, J. Alden Oast, Archibald Ogg, Oity Nanage~
<br /> Minutes of regular meeting held November 28th, and special meeting held December
<br />5th, we-re' read and approved.
<br />
<br /> The following communications from the City Manager were-r ead:
<br /> 1st - "I submit herewith an ordinance, the adoption of which I recommend, entitled:
<br /> "AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANOE OF SIXTY-SIX
<br /> THOUSAND AND FIVE HUi~RED DOLLARS OF REFUNDING BONDS
<br /> OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, MAKING PROVISION
<br /> -FoR THE FOP]/ OF SAID BONDS AND FOR.THE PAYNENT THEREOF."
<br /> Proceeds from the sale of these bonds will be used in retJiring a like amount
<br /> of bonds falling due during 1935 as noted in the ordinance."
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Hutchins to place the recommended ordinance on its first reading,
<br /> was adopted.
<br />
<br /> 2nd - The ~anager stated in connection with the employment program under the Gi-
<br /> vil Works Administration, that approval had been received for the following four projects:
<br /> 1st - Grading unimproved streets, trimming trees on streets, in
<br /> cemeteries and parks and improving golf course and tennis courts in
<br /> the Oity Park.
<br /> 2nd - painting and repairing public buildings, including the
<br /> Municipal building, Court House, Jail, Marke~, Fire stations, etc.
<br /> 3rd - Rehabilitation and extension of sanitary sewers in Port
<br /> Norfolk and on County St. west ofI Effingham St.
<br /> $th - painting and repairing school buildings.
<br /> O~her.projects have been submitted to the District Oivil ~orks Administra-
<br /> tor and approved by him, and approval of Richmond is-expected in a few days.
<br /> One project has been submitted for the rebuilding of public library and
<br /> Commissioner of Revenuers office building and ~ormitories for colored inmates of the City Home.
<br /> Additional materi~ls will be ree. uired in the reconstruction of these buildings and the Manager
<br /> requested authority to demolish the old Armistead Building and the building formerly occupied
<br /> by the Independent Fire Engine Company, in o~der that the materials in these.buildings could
<br /> be used in rebuilding of the buildings for the Public Library, Commissioner of Revenue, Super-
<br /> intendent of School~ and colored in_~ates of the' City Home.
<br />
<br /> On motion of Mr. Moore, the reQue~ of
<br />Building and the building formerly occupied by the
<br />provSd, and by the following vote:
<br />
<br />Ayes: Fox, Moore, Cast, Ogg, $
<br />
<br />the Manager to demolish the Armistead
<br />Indeoendent Fire Engine 0ompany, was ap-
<br />
<br />Nays: Hutchins, 1
<br />
<br /> 3rd - The Manager stated that he and the 0ity Attorney attended hearing before
<br />the State 0orporation Oommission in Richmond on Monday, December llth, in connection with the
<br />investigation of rates being charged by the Virginia Electric & Power Oompany. The cities
<br />served by the Virginia Electric & Power Company were represented at the hearing by Dr. John
<br />Bauer. The Manager s rated that Dr. Bauer very ably represented the cities and that his re -
<br />~ort dealt principally with the valuatio'.n and rate figures submitted by the Savill. e relSort.
<br /> · Bauer brought out e. xamples in which ~t was clearly shown that the valuation, fzgures used
<br />by the Virginia EleotrzC & Power 0ompany and accepted by Nm. Saville, were ent'zrely tod high
<br />and did not represent actual e~xpendit~ures or real values. Dr. Bauer stated that the valua -
<br />tion of the Virginia Electric ~ Powe~ Oompany~s properties for rate-making purposes should be
<br />$25,305,571.00 compared with Mr. Saville's valuation of $45,317,$?$.00, and that'the revenues
<br />of the Virginia Electric & Power Oompany could be reduced approximately 26% and the company~
<br />still earn a fair return of Z%. This question is still before the State Oorporation 0ommig-
<br />sion aud additional hearings' Will be held in the near future.
<br />
<br />On motion ordered filed.
<br />
<br />The following letter from the Oity Attorney was 'read:
<br />
<br /> "At your meeting held on November 28, 1933, you referred to me a letter from Mr.
<br />Hunter J. powell, requesting a rebate of $2.65 on his 1933 city taxes.
<br /> I find that Mr. Poweli built a new house in 1932 and obtained a building permit
<br />for $3,000.00. During the early part of 193~, he went to ~r. John G. Niemeyer, the then Com-
<br />missioner of the Revenue, and ~e~uested of him the amount which wodld be assessed against the'
<br />house, stating that he desired 'to pay his taxes by the pre-payment tax-plan. Mr. Niemeyer gave
<br />hLm a slp ox, oaper-showzng that. the house Mould be assessed for $2,000.00 and the land for
<br />$12OO.00, ~witn-a total tax of $8~80. Mr. Powell paid $~1.50 bythe pre-payment taxx plan. He
<br />found at the end of the year tha? hi.s building}vas assessed for $21OO.OO inst~ead ox $2000.00
<br />and the total amount of tax was $8~.~5, or $2.65 more than Mr. Niemeyer had p~eviously calcu-
<br />lated. He was allo~ed $2.35 for interest on the pre-payment of taxes and paid the remaining
<br />$13.60 on December 4th.
<br /> ~Lr. R.L. Hutchins, the present Oommissioner of the Revenue, verifies the above
<br />as being correct and states that he thinks that had Mr. Niemeyer remembered what.he had told
<br />
<br />
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