Minutes 09/28/1926 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

September 28, 1926 has been completed. The administration and re~ords of~ the Engineer Department have been greatly improved. Yet, with these many changes s~ud improvements, the cost of the a~minis- tration a~d operation of the Engineer Department is less thau ii was in 1920. In the Oity M~na~er ~s Office, a male secretary has been employed who handles the pmrchasing for the City and acts as paymaster. Two employees in his office are now performing the duties which required the i~ll time of two and part time of a third in 1920. In the financial department, improvements have been made in the issu~ng of licenses by which the labor has been reduced by two-thirds. The collector has also made changes in his method of keeping records which render much easier of ascess the record of collection of b~ek taxes. The Auditor has also made many improvements ink,the way of the introduction of modern blanks and methods in his records ~and in his fina~eial statements. A full time license inspector has been authorized resulting in s~vings to the City far in excess of the cost of the new office. .... ~A ne~w jail has been built ~wh~h~i~s reputed to be the best in the State and h~s been ~rn~e~s~_ec~ o~.~m~h fa~vor, ab~l~e com~en~ Zrom.~-h~. State Department ~of ~blie ~elfare. Ads,ate ~-~55~5 ~T ~c~n~a~e ~ ~n~ way om eo~ ro~ ~d o~fiees for the 0~vil 0o~t, the ~mr~m~ oo~m ~a ~ne Pomade court. On the r eeom~nd~tmon of the 00uneml, the Civil ~d Police Oo~ts.~ve, by ~tio~ of the State Leg~l~re, been combined with ~ prob~le s~v~g of $3,000.00 per year to the City. The Police Deponent ~s been p~rtly mot~rized renderl~ it possible to reduce the fores by five men. A modern system of crimi~l record and i~n~i- fiemtion h~s been installed. The de~eetive force has worked e~fteiently and has smeeeeded In reeover~ a very large percentage of stolen goods. The control of traffic ~s been ~eh t~r~ed a~ ~shroom traffic lights installed a~ ~.uy busy intersections. A ~ode~ traffic control l~ht, glvl~ ~s~ satisfactory results, has been i~talled at High and 0o~t ets., and it is hoped that ~dittonml l~hts of the s~e or si~r ~hmract~ be provided for ~ the next ye~'s Under the Department of ~bli~ Welfare, a m~e~id p~k, be~utlfmlly l~id out and ~lanted, two p~y~o~ds for white children and one for colored children ~ve been and ~e a so, ce of great joy to those of o~ citize~ who patronize th~ ~ Increased each year. A ~de~ la~ratory has ~en established which h~dtes without chugs, bacterio- logical wo=k for the ~ater ~D~tment, ~lk tests ~ dia~ostie bacterial s~dies fo~ t~ physlci~s of the Otty. It, In addition, ~es tests of the pavi~ ~terial for the Ep~ineer De~ent. T~o~h the efforts of the ~p~*tment o~ eitize~ are beeoml~ ~re ~d more eo~ineed each ye~ of the ~e of vaccination, t~hoid Incarnation ~d i~zation ag~ins~ diphtheria. As a result, smallpox hms practically dis~ope~ed from the Oily, the m~er of diphtheria eases ~s been largely decreased, ~d in the past ye~ the ~er of t~hoid cases has been the lowest ~ the history of the Oity. The valme of preventive methods in medical ~eienee is bei~ tmp=essed mdcD o~ DooDle as never before. As a resul~ ~e death r~te sen in 5 yem=s reduced f~m ~-5 ~e tO.S per 1000. ~is me~s ~ m~mal sav~ of 21y lives. In addition, ~ baby elint~ w~s ~thorimed dmring the past year and is now bei~ operated successfully. ~y wise ~nit~y laws co~erlng milk ~d food ~spe~tiom,~weed ~tt~g, e~., h~ve been enacted. A modern ~rket h~s been bmil~. In the Fire Deponent, &wo new fire stations ~ve be~ eo~leted ~ the let for the thi=~ The Department is efficient ~d mp to date. Its efficiency*has been ~eat~y increased by the installati~ of l~rger water ~s ~d mamy additional new hy~ants m~ fi=e mla=m boxes. The Water Department has been kept self-supporting, in spite of many heavy exoendi- totes conme¢~ed with~ar adjustments and the extension of new mains and installation Of'new -hydrants. In the six year period, many mites of main, 6 in. or lar~er and i1~ hydrants have been placed. Improvements by the Eederal Government to the Department which cost the Govern- merit in rom~d nzuubers $2,225,000.00 were acquired by the City, after an appraisal ~onducted by 0ity employees~ for $~04,~00.00. O~ educational system, in spite of small per capita expenditures, compares favo~ abtyi~ its product with the best schools of the State, as is shown by the nmmber of scholar- ships secured by Portsmouth s~dents and the records of those s~mdents at various higher stltutions of learning. Since 1~20, additions have been m~de to the High School, to the Jeffe~ son St. School and two splendid new sehools have been ~onstrusted in Monroe Ward and Lee Ward. Taking stock at the present, the belief may be confidently expressed that t~ne Oity has weathered the crisis due to the defl~tion which necessarily followed the period of excessive inflation incident to the War. We stand today with many improvements and necessities of life p~o.v~ded for?ti classes icl citizens, with our m~ina~teries of +~raffic paved, the traffic ro- b~em,~, settle~, a reasonable tax rate, omr ferry and Water ~a~tme~ ~1~ o~++~.~ ~ p f~r~y, operated by Zts owners and a splendid asset of ~he Ci-~.--~ i-~~ mnlsmered, of handsome and ~ncrea$in~ returns: the ~ B ~m~ ~o ~w~ ..... ,~ effieiently m~aged. A cot S of IO1 al · ' the C~t-'- ~ ....... P- ~ ~ ,. ffmc}~nt and contented employees whose interegt is- m y ~ zn~reS~, wore anG p~an x'or ~er wellare. I think it not mnfair to point out at this time that if the 1927 budget is kep~ to approximately the same figures as for 1926, a s~bstantiat surptms shOmid be shown on December 31st, t927.- Our expenditures~ with due economy, should not exceed $1,350~000.00. ~ income, with the increased tax rate ox twenty five cents already imposed, with the transfer of the t~x of twenty five cents to the City treasury, with the increamed income from the ~erries, pre- vided they are eontinmed on a business b~sis, with increased income from licenses and from public utilities should be about as follows: Tax Levy Ferries Licenses Mis. income $975,ooo,0o 200,OOO.O0 175,000.00