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At a meeting of the
<br />there~ were ~resent:
<br />
<br />City Oouncil held November 14th, 1933 at 8:00 P.M.,
<br />
<br />Vernon A. Brocks, Leslie T. Fox, W~R. Hutchins, Arthur Mayo, S.B'. Moore,
<br />J. Alden Oast, Archibald Ogg~ City Manager.
<br />
<br />Minutes of regular meeting held October 24th were read and approved.
<br />
<br />The following communications from the City Manager were read:
<br />
<br /> 1st - "I regret to advise that police Officer Cassett McCoy resigned his
<br />position, effective October 24th, 1933, on account of ill health. Mr. McOoy~s services as a
<br />police o~ficer were very satisfactory.
<br /> Mr. UmH. Reid, who has served as a substitute pclio~ officer since
<br />Feb.llth, 1930, in a very acceptabIe manner, was appointed to the regular force effective
<br />October 30th, 1933, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Officer McCoy.,
<br />
<br />On motion same was ordered filed.
<br />
<br /> Pud - "t submit herewith an ordinance, the adoption of which is recommended,
<br />entitled "An Ordinance Prohibiting EngagimE in the Business of Buying or Selling or the Of-
<br />feting to Buy or Sell Unused POrtions of Non-transferable Railroad or Steamship Tickets and
<br />Providing for its Violation.,
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Fox to place the recommended ordinance on its first reading,
<br />was adopted.
<br /> 3rd - "I submit herewith an ordinance to regulate motor passenger buses, the
<br />adoption of which I reogmmend, entitled "AN ORDINANOE TO REGULATE MOTOR PASSENGER BUSES OPER-
<br />ATINGFROM POINTS WITHIN TO POINTS BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THE 0ITY, ETO."
<br /> .... The-motor bus lines are paying very little for doing business"in
<br />portsmouth and I have f'ound it most difficult to collect the small tax now imposed. This ordi-
<br />nance will permit a better reEulation of buses and the collection o f taxes due. I have inves-
<br />tigated this thoroughly and find that a large number of the principal cities throughout the
<br />country, including several of the larger cities in Virginia, have already adopted similar
<br />rules and regulations pertaining to buses.
<br /> In view of the present unsatisfactory condition pertaining to buses in
<br />P6rtsmouth, I consider some re~alation of this kind necessary.,
<br />
<br />was adopted.
<br />
<br />Motion of Mr. Mayo to place the recommended ordinance on~ its first reading,
<br />
<br /> ~th - ,Interest allowed on prepaid taxes for the year 1932, amount $~,6~6.2~,
<br />and for the year 1933, amount $8,103.79, has not been properly accounted for in the records,
<br />and I find, tkrough oversight, this amount was not included in the budgets for these years as
<br />interest charges, it does not represent an actual cash exoenditure, but th~ amount should
<br />be properly recorded on our records.
<br /> Therefore, I request a special appropriation of $!2,Y90.03 to cover
<br />the interest allowed on prepaid taxes during 1932 and 1933, this amount to be credited to
<br />'Taxes - City Oollector' and charged to 'Interest on prepaid T~xes' on City's records."
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr~ egg that an appropriation of $12,790.03 fe~ said purpose be
<br />laid on table until next meeting, ~as adopted.
<br />
<br /> 5th'- "The investigation of electric rates ch~rgedby the Virginia Electric
<br />& power Oompany, recently made by A~len J. Saville, for the State 0orpcration Commission, has
<br />progressed to the point where the f~e major cities served by the Virgini~ Electric Power
<br />Company consider it advisable to employ, through the League cf Virgini~Municipalities,~an ex-
<br />perienced p~olic utilit consultant, in order
<br /> .y ..... ~that the cities~ interest will best be protected.
<br /> ~ ~ Du~ng the past week, I attended a conference in Richmond with repre-
<br />sentatives from Richmond, Norfol~ Petersburg and the Secretary of the League of Virginia Mu-
<br />nicipalities, and after thoroughly considering this matter, itwas unanimously decided that
<br />the cities should employ an experienced utility rate expert and tentative arrangements have
<br />been made through the League of Virginis Municipalities to e~ploy Mr. John Bauer at a~ cost not
<br />to,exceed $~,00~.00. This amount to be paid by the cities and communities served by the Vir-
<br />ginia Electric & Power Oompany, on a population basis. Portsmouth's share of thie~expense will
<br />not exceed $450~-00, and I recommend that Portsmouth participate in this expense, with the un-
<br />derstanding that it will not-exCeed $450.00, t~he~ref0re~request~a~special appropriation for
<br />this purpose.
<br /> I have given this matter considerable S~udy and am convinced that this
<br />expense will be a good investment for the Oity, for it~appears that if the cities are to se-
<br />cure an equitable~adjustment of this matter they will have to employ competent people to pre-
<br />sent their case before the state 0orporation Commission. The State Corporation Commission
<br />pears to be more in favor of the utilities than the people..
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Ogg to appropriate $450.00 for said purpose was adopted, and
<br />by the following vote:
<br />
<br />Ayes: Brooks, ~ox, Hutchins, Mayo, Moore, Oast, Ogg -
<br />
<br />Nays: None.
<br />
<br /> 6th - "The driveways in Olive Branch Cemetery are in need of repairs and
<br />as this cemetery is being extensively used, I recommend that the main driveway through the
<br />cemetery and the driveway through the City Park to the cemetery, be paved with penetration
<br />macadam. These driveways ean be paved at a cost of $3,350.00, as some of this work can be
<br />
<br />
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