Minutes 09/22/1925 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

September P,~, 1925 The increase iu the appropriation for Recreation Is caused partiCularly by the transfer of the cost of maintaining Washington St., Fourth St., and the small boulevard park to its propersave ourheadtrees.tParks' and by provisions for sprayl~g~ machine which is necesssmy in order to The imcrease in Charities and Corrections is caused by a greatly increased number of Prisoners in the Jail and a~ increased ~umber of gratis prescriptions and ~u increased number of pauper burials. This increase is _unavoidable. year. The increase in miscellaneous expenditu~es is due to the greater cost of elections for the The very ~arge increase in Interest and Sinking Fund is due to the fact that for the ~6_ ~xA p~ac~xce zrom ~ne Proceeas of bond issues. Th vision must be made for it from current 2~v~,,o ,~ ~ .- ........ i~ year pro- ........... .~aA ~u~ge~ ~or ~e City ~orpo~ate,' however, shows a decrease as compared with The large increase for the Water Department is due to the necessity of making provision for ~mmual payments on 0a~italAccoumt and Interest Accoumt to the .Federal Gove~nmento A statement showing estimated income from all sources except real estate is a~tached. It is evident to exactly baianoe the budget that $~20 1 .0 taxation of real est . . ..... ,9 9 0 ~mst be realized from'the ate_ In addition, however, ~o oaAanox the bu should be a reserve of at least ~ ~- · ...... = ...... ---nS- , dget, I believe that tt~ere amount to be realized from the taxation of re~ ~_itx .... ~ _ ~_ If this ~m be added the It is a matter of deep regret to me to recommend radical cmrtailments in manX departments and I realize that decreased efficiency smd lesms~tisfastory service must necessarily result. Personally, ! feel that the pay of heads of Depart~nents is too small and were Sur finances in better shape, l~ould be glad to recommend increases in several community is now suffers from a - ~ . Snst?nces..This general . . ~ . ~g period of depression .fret exces my opinion will be overc me in a *~w ~=.o .. _.. .... siva mnflatiom, which in ties of the City corresp~d~l~.--- ~'--" ,. wz~ ~aen ce possible to e~t~and the aotivi- Particular attention is called tO our very large expenditure for interest and sinking fu~d which amounts practically to one third of our entire budget. This unfortunate condition of affairs has of c~urse come about as a result of the policy pursued in Virginia of paying for all improvements from bond issues. Had a 'pay as ~ou go' policy been followed even in In general, I have avoided recommendations for reductions in pay except where duties have been decreased in scope. It seems to me better to accomplish economies by reductions in force rather than by reductions in pay, as I do not believe, considering the present day conditions that the pay of any City e~loyee is excessive. In considering the budget, it is recommended that the heads of the several departments concerned be called before the Finance Committee in order that the 0ommitteemay correctly hear their views as they do not in all cases correspond with mime. These variations are howeve~ caused by economical oonsideration~ on my part rather than from differences of princi- ple. The adoption of the budget as submitted is recommended, e ~nd.commmnicatiom On motion, the budget/w~r~eferred te~he Fimamce Committee. UNFINISHED BUSINESS The following communications were read from the 0Sty Attorney: Hon. Oity Council, Portsmouth, Va. Gentlemen:-- "Ports~ohth, Va., September 21, 1925. Sometime ago Messrs. G. F. and W. H. Brown presented a claim to the Oity for alleged damages to their crops in the year 1922, they contending ~t--.that time that after the dam in the ditch cut'by the Board of Water 0ommissioners through the Dismal Swamp broke their farm was flooded by water. This matter was discussed in theFinance Committee meeting and I was directed to take the matter up with Mr. G. F. and W. H. Brown. These persons ha~e. signified their willingness to sign an agreement releasing the City from all past and future damages to theLv farm for the sum of Five Hundred Dollars provided the ditch is not filled morth of their farm imto Deep Creek. I believe the City would save money by entering into ~his ~settlement, and request that this matter be referred to the Finance Committee for an appropriatiom of Five HuncLred Dollars. Yours very truly, R. C. BAROLA¥, OityAtto~ney.# On motion, the communication was refer~ed to Finance 0ommit~ee. Hon. Oity Council, #Portsmouth, Ports~yath, Va. Gemtlemen:~ I have been ~otified Va., September 21, 1925.