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March 28th, 1~33.
<br />
<br /> At a reg~tlar meeting of the City Cotn~ci~ held ~arch 28th, 1933 at 8:00
<br /> there were present: ,
<br />
<br /> Vernon A. Brooks, Leslie TI Fox, W. R Hutchins, Arthur Mayo, S.B. Moore, J.Alden
<br /> Cast, Archibald Ogg,
<br /> A-~ City Manager.
<br />
<br /> Minutes of regular meeting held March 14th were read ~nd approved.
<br />
<br /> The following-communications from the 0ity Manager were read:
<br />
<br /> 1st - "I submit herewith an ordinance entitled,
<br />
<br /> 'AN ORDIN~OE PROHIBITING THE SALE OF FLOWERS, BULBS,
<br /> PLANTS, TREES, AND SHRUBS FROM STANDS, BOXES, BASKETS AND
<br /> OTHER OONTAIt~RS UPON THE STBEETS OF THE CITY, AND PROVID-
<br /> ING PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATION THE~REOF,,
<br /> Merchants who pay license for selling flowers, plants, bulbs, etc., have
<br /> complained to me recently about flowers, plants, bulbs, etc. being sold on the streets-in
<br /> the downtown section, without a license.
<br /> In view of this, and the fact-that provisions are made for selling flowers,
<br /> plantS, bulbs, etc., at the City Market, I feel that such sales in the business district
<br /> should be restricted to the market place of the-City. I therefore recommend ~doption of the
<br /> attached ordinance.,
<br />
<br /> On motion of Mr. Moore, the ordinance was placed on its first reading.
<br />
<br /> 2nd - "Please ~ a~yised that I approved the recommendation of Chief R.A. Alex-
<br /> ander on March 14th, for ~ne ~msmissal of G.H. Pope, Jr., f~om the Substitute list of the
<br /> Fire Department, for conduct u~oecoming a member of that department.,
<br />
<br /> On motion, ordered filed.
<br />
<br /> 3rd - "Mr. H.H. Holcomb made application on February 24~h to install two tanks of
<br /> 550 gallons capacity each, for the storage of gasoline for sale on prooerty located at the
<br /> northwest intersection of Washington and Ming Sis.
<br /> I approved this application, p~olished it in the Portsmouth Star; as pro-
<br /> vided by ordinance adopted on June 28th, 192y, and received objection~ from the f611owing to
<br /> the establishment of the station proposed by'Mr. Holcomb$ Mrs. Annie Scher, Robert Scher,
<br /> H.A. Hunt, tup~. of Schools, M.H. Jacobsen, C.E. Jacobsen, Mrs. Mildred Goodman Levin, Briggs
<br /> Home and ~Chool League, and E.T. [~ite, representing owners of the Professional Building.
<br /> I. am attaching ne origins~l apo!ication together with the objections ~e-
<br /> ceived, fo~ your consideration, as Mr. Holco~o advised under date of March 23rd that he de-
<br /> sired to appeal this application to you and asked that I arrange to have the matter brought
<br /> before you. I assume you will wish to advise Mr. Holcomb and those objecting to the estab-
<br /> lishment of the station, that this matter will be considered at the nex~ meeting of the Coun-
<br /> cil, and that they will be given the privilege of the floor at that time, for the purpose'of
<br /> presenting their views in favor of or against the application.,
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Fox to lay on table until next meeting was adopted.
<br />
<br /> ~th - "In the accident on FebrUary 22nd of the Assistant Chief of the Fire Depart-
<br /> ment, his car was damaged to such an extent that I do not consider it advisable to have it
<br /> repaired.
<br /> In view of this and the necessity for the Assistant Chief. to have an auto-
<br /> mobile in the performance of his duties, I find it necessary to recommend the purchase of an
<br /> automobile for the Fire Department. A suitable automobile can be purchased at'a cost of
<br /> $1232.O0, which I recommend be done, as it is absolutely necessary that a car,be provided for
<br /> this service. I hope to-recover a good part of this cos2 from the parties responsible for
<br /> thi~ accident.,
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Hutchins to place an appropriation of $1,232.O0, for the purchase of
<br /> automobile, on its first reading, was adopted.
<br /> 5th - ~I submit herewith' License Tax Ordinance for the year beginning May 1st, 1933,
<br /> the ad~otion of which is recommended.
<br /> There are numerous minor .changes in the attached ordinance compared with the
<br /> ordinance now in effect. There are also some additions covering certain b~sinesses which are
<br /> not now being taxed, but which are being taxed in Norfolk and other cities.
<br /> One of the principal changes is in the method of taxing automobiles. The at-
<br /> tached ordinance provides for a $10.00 minimum on private automobiles weighing three thousand
<br /> pounds or less, a~d seventy cents for each one hundred pounds in excess of three thousand
<br /> pounds. This change ds made in order to facilitate the issuance of licenses, and in my opin-
<br /> ion makes'a more ecluitable basis, as under our present basis, some of the lightest oars take
<br /> the highest license cha~ge, while the heavier cars t~ke the.minimum charge. Under our present
<br /> method it is difficult in some eases to determine the horse power of automobiles when they get
<br />· old. State~ license card which everyone is required-to show when purchasing city license shows
<br /> the weight of the oar, but does not show the horse power of the oar. The State, and a majority
<br /> of cities in the State, ars using the weight basis in assessin~ license on automobiles. The
<br /> proposed rates will yield about the s~me ~evenue as the presen~ rates.
<br /> I have the petition signed by a large number o~ the smaller grocery mcr -
<br /> chants asking for relief f~om the merchant, s license taxes. In order to comply with this re-
<br /> quest a~ far as possible under our present budget, I have recommended the reduction of $1.O0
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