Minutes 11/01/1927 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

November l, 1927 The following communications were Hon. City oouncll, Portsmouth, Va. read from the 0fty Attorney: ~October 24, 1927. Dear Sirs: A~ you~ last meeting you referred to me a request from Mrs. sarah R. 0odd, widow of William J. Oodd, for a deed to be drawn for lots S35 and 837 Avenue H plat Oak Grove Cemetery. I find f~om the 0ounoil records that Nr. William 2. Oodd bought the two above lots on July 25, 19lO, and at the meeting of the Common 0ouncil on August 9, l~lO, a deed was rested to be-drawn for the two lots. I presume the same was drawn and lost. Hence I am re~rn- lng herewith a duplicate deed to the heirs of Mr. Codd and suggest that you authorize the same to be executed and delivered. Yours very truly, R. C. Barclay, 0ity Attorney." On motion of Mr. duplicate deed. M~upin, the proper Oity Officials were authorized-to execute the said "October 24, 1927. Hon. City 0ouncil, Portsmouth, Va. Gentlemen: Concerning the petition of certain ~esidents of Lee Ward to have the position of Justice of the peace now held by J. D. Norris declared vacant, I-beg to report. Justices of the peace of the city are elected under authority of Section 75 of the Oi~y Oharter, which provides: ,There shall be elected by the qualified voters of each ward in the 0ity of Portsmouth, on the Tue-~day after the first Mond~yJin November, nineteen hundred and nine, and every fou~ years thereafter, one Justice of the Pe~oe. They shall be residents of the ward from which elected, and shall hold office for the term of four years, ~d until their successors shall~be elected and qualified. Their terms of office sh~ll begin on the first day of Jazaaary immediately succeeding ~ ~heir eleotion~ Removal from the ward from w~ich~hey are elected~shall vacate their said office.~ This section is modified to the extent that when the Oity adopted the 0ity Nanager form of goverBment all charter Provisions in conflict with the Gods provisiomsrelating to the Oity Manager form of government were repealed. That po=rich of the charter provision re- lating to the election and term of office is modified by sections 29~5 and 29~7 Of the Oode. Seetio~ 29~5 provides that judicial officers sh~ll be elected by the City Council. Section 2~$7 gives the Oity Oou~ncil.the right ~c remove all officers at pleasure~ Therefore under section 7~ of the Oity Charter Mr. Norris has vacated his office if he has remove~ from the ward for which he was elected. Upon inquiry I am told that Mr. Norris has secured a concession with a travelling show, and h~s been engaged~in this wor~ during the summer months and will probably return to the 0ity during the winter. His brother is living in his~home in Lee Wsmd and taking care ~f his two children. His wife is travelling with him. In law a man,s domicile is largely dependent upon his intention. Whether Mr. Norris has changed ~his residence, from ~ee ~ard I am unable to say. The Oouncil, however, under the provisions of .section 29~? of ~he State Code has the right ~to declare the office vacant and elect another in. the place of Mr. Norris if i~ see~s fit to do so. Yours very truly, R. O. BAROLAT, 0ity Attorney." Mr. Maup~n moved that th~s m~tter be l~id on the ~able, and that the 01erk interview Mr. Norris and find out his intentions in reference to his residence in Lee Ward. The motion was adopted. NEW BUSINESS The foilowi~zg communication from Kemp Plummet, lately elected member cf t~e Norfolk-Portsmout~ Freigh~ Traffic Oem~mission, was ordered to be filed: "Portsmouth, Virginia, October 15, 1~27. ~r. L. O.~B~inson, 0i~y 01erk & Audito~, ~icipal B~ilding, Portsmouth, Virginia. Dear Sir:- 2.am in reoeip~ of your oommunic~ti~m of October 12~, ~vising me of my election as a member of the Norfolk-Portsmouth Freight Traffic ~ommission, ~t a meeting of the 0ounoil of ~he City of Portsmouth, October llth, 1927. Kindly convey to the members of the 0ity Council my ~opreciation of the Boner and