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October 9, 1928
<br />
<br /> At a regular meeting of the 0ity Oouncil held October 9th, at 8 p. m., there, were
<br />present:
<br />
<br /> Messrs-- Vernon Brooks, J. 0. Dunford, E. W. Maupin, ~.,
<br /> J. Alden Oast, J. R. Stewart, L. G. Whi~e,-
<br /> Also the City Manager.
<br />
<br /> The minutes of the regular meeting September 25th and joint meeting with the Board of
<br /> Supervisors October 9th, at 11 a. m., were read sad were approved.
<br />
<br /> On motion, the privilege of the floor was granted to a Committee from the Advertising
<br /> Boe~rd of the Norfolk-Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce.
<br /> Messrs. C. W. Johnson, Moss Armstead, Norman Cassell, and J. Davis Reed spoke, asking
<br /> the Oouncil to appropriate $3,000.00 per year for three years beginning with the year 1929,towards
<br /> Fund. On motion of Mr. Oast, the matter was referred to the 1929 Budget.
<br />
<br /> The following communications were read from th~ City Ea~uager:
<br /> 1st. "I beg to report
<br /> progress in regards to the phone toll between this 0ity and Ocean View.
<br />
<br /> I now have this matter up with the Teleohone Company and exoect to make a complete report
<br />at the next regular meeting of the Cotuucil..~ ~ -
<br />
<br /> On motion, the communication was ordered to be filed.
<br />
<br /> 2nd. "There has been discussed at the League of Virginia Municipalities recently the
<br />q~estion of cities receiving a portion of the gasoline tax revenue now collected by the State
<br />and disbursed to state highways and local co-~uty roads. There will be a discussion of this
<br />important matter at the League's annual Convention to be. held in Newport News on October 17th
<br />and 18th and the officers in charge of this particular discussion are veery ~nxious that the
<br />councils of the cities throughout the state be informed of their position in the matter and
<br />their efforts to have a portion of this tax allocated to the cities. They are asking that
<br />a resolution ~etting forth the views of the Oity 0ouncil on this matter be passed by the
<br />Portsmouth council ~ud that the Committee have it in hand in time for the convention.
<br />
<br /> Personally, I have always felt that those streets running through our cities which
<br />are designated as state highways, should receive a portion of this tax for the extra cost of
<br />upkeep due to heavy traffic, extra cost of policing, etc. It certainly appears to be a just
<br />reason for this claim, in my opinion, tn other words, practically all of the cost of traffic
<br />control and street maintenance falls on the city and we get nothing in return at present from
<br />the tax."
<br />
<br /> Mr. Stewart moved that the Council go on record as favoring a just proportion of the
<br />gas t~x being returned to the cities. The motion was adopted.
<br />
<br /> 3rd. "Attached you will find a statement from Mr. W. L. Davis, Supt. Water. Department,
<br />relative to a change in water rates. The statement shows a distribution of annusl revenue
<br />as to the several classes of consumers at the proposed rates and the cons,mmers who will be
<br />benefitted by the reduction in ra~es.
<br />
<br /> This statement furnishes you with sufficient information, I believe, to enable
<br /> the Co'~ucil to vote on new rate, considering, of course, at such time as bond market may be
<br /> in such shape that bonds~wilt bring an attractive figure, if possible,by January 1st, 1929."
<br />
<br /> On motion of Er. Maupin, the matter was laid on the table.
<br /> 4th.~-"At a join~ meeting of the members of the Police and Fire Departments held at fire
<br />headquarters several months ago, several amendments to the present Pension Fund Ordinance were
<br />adopted and it is reouested that the City ~ ~,,~ ~ o ~ .... ~ ·
<br />~_~ ~ ~ ~ ~. ~ ~ . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~meno~en~s ~ael~ serzous considera-i
<br />~u~. a copy cz ~ne changes ms mnclosed for eac~ councilman in order that they may be-studied.
<br />Oe~a~n i_nf~rmation i$ atsg~furnished by them whmch they claim backs up thei~position in the
<br />m~me~. I nave gone over ~nis ~estion on several occ~ion~ ~ ~=~+~..~,Z ....
<br />tmon ~o Section ~1 where the words 'fmve years contmnuous service, are changed to read 'ten
<br />years service.~ In Section ~2, the word 'discharged, is omitted. The firemen and policemen
<br />are of the opinion that this is confusing as it apparently intends to mean discharged so ~r
<br />as his application for retirement is concerned or it may menu discharged from the force. They
<br />suggest that the word be eliminated entirely.
<br />
<br /> In Section ~3, the word ~continuous' is struck out and the word 'total' substituted.
<br />It seems a~ if this would affect quite a few men in our departments at this time, whose names
<br />are attached. It affects nine police officers and five firemen. I feel this change is just
<br />for the reason that should a man leave the service honorably or be discharged and his case
<br />reconsidered and he be returned to duty, he should not losecredit for his-former years of
<br />servi~e. He should be returned and re-instated with full rights as heretofore unless some
<br />special provision should ~e made to take care of special cases.
<br />
<br /> In Section ~3 the words 'have been, are struck out sad it is ~o' read 'who shall
<br />be or become totally incapacitated.,
<br />
<br /> A new section to be numbered ~ is suggested, as ~ollows:
<br />
<br /> Sec. ,- Any policeman or fireman who has served twenty or more
<br />and have arrived at the age of fifty-five years, may at his own request be
<br />during the term of his naturs~l life, in accordance with the rate of pay as
<br />set forth in Section 3 of this ordinance.,
<br />
<br /> Their contention is ~that any man who had given twenty years of
<br />
<br />years of service
<br />retired, for and
<br />prescribed and
<br />
<br />servi~e could not
<br />
<br />
<br />
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