Minutes 06/12/1923 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~mne 12, !~23 The act provides that a petition which complies with the article as to form and nmmher of signers and manner of execution shall be accepted as prima facto st~fficient. The petition must contain a statement in not more th~n two ht~udred words, giving the petitioners reasons for the adoption of repeal of the ordinances, and if signed by electors e~to fifteen per cent~m of electn~s voting for governor ir,~ the last p. reoe~ed.ing gub?rnat..orial election and contains a request thzt the ordinance be submitted to a vote oz' the psopze,~ Council shall ei~her,L(a) pass the proposed ordinance without alteration~, or repeal such exist- lng or.din~nce within ten days after determining the sufficiency of the petition, or (b) within said ten days call a special election (unless a general election be held at least thirty days and wkthin ninety de, ye thereafter). The Council may in its discretion propose an ordinaries for substitution, and (although the language of the Act reads ~or') submit such proposed ordinance to the electors at the same eleotion~ If m ~jority of the qualified electors voting on a proposed ordinance shall vote in favor thereof, it shall become a v~d mud binding ordinance of the City, and can not be repeal- ed or suspsnded, except by a vote of the electors within two yea~e thereafter. if the majority of the qualified electors shall vote in favor of the repeal ~f an exist- lng ordnance it shall become of no force and effect. In reference to these petitions, i find they a~e signed by 1036 people, and are acknow- ledged before Notaries Public. The petitions mrs in the form as set forth in the Act of the General Assembly. The requisite r~mber cf signers were Owing to the fact that the Council ~tly received a qualified bid on the two franchised ordinances which the Council proposed, which can not be accepted without making a substantial change in ~he frauohise, it is apparent to me that these two ordinances will become a n~llity in themselves and there will be no necessity for submitting them to m vote of the people. As~to the third ordinance which the petitioners propose to initiate, a great deal may be said. In the first place, the question arises as to whether or not it is a frmnohise, and in the second place,~as to whether or not it can become operative if passed. The Hustings Court of Richmond, and I understand, the Oorporation Commission, have decided that jitneys running in prescribed routes are not required to obtain franchises. The ordinance provides for permits and other things to be issued by m Transportation Supervisor, and m~kes no pro~ vision for the appointment of such ~n officer, while the Council is precluded from making any changes or amendments to the ordinance. I wou~l suggest that the Council before passing on these petitions would either ~old speciml meeting or consider them ms a committee where I can better explain the m~tter and the course of motion can be determined. Respectfully submitted, R. C. Barclay, City Attorney." On motion of Er. ~fhite, the communication was referred to a special meeting of the Coun- cil, to be called by the Chair. The regular reports of the City Treasurer, City Collector, and City Clerk & Auditor for the month of May, 1923, were presented and were referred to the~Finance Committee. NEY~ BUSI!~SS~ A request of the City Cl~rk & Auditor for a ten days ie~ve of absmnce,on motion of ~. was g~anted. A co~i~ation was remd from the City Clerk & Au~tor attachi~ bills contracted by the Portsmouth W~ History Co~ission to ~t of $t36.95, for which there is ~ appropriation to On motion, the co~cation wms ~ef~red to the Fiance Con, nitres. A petition of J. A. B~Ittl~ham mud others ~t that portion of No,th street, P~k View, begi~i~ mt ~tton street and ~nning t~gh to Cooke St., be pmvedZ was referred to the City~ger. A c~nicmtion from J. A. ~th=le concerning the cost'of mmki~ c~el in Scott's 0reek for the purpose of m ~Small Boat H~b~~ for Norfolk mud Portsmourh, wms referred ~o the A co~unication from the Yellow Cab Company of Norfolk, Va,, Inc., concerning operating its busses ~ou~ Portsmouth, was ~eferred to the City The followir~ r~solution was read f~om the EighZh Ward Civic Learns, s~me h~ng been u~mously adopted J~e 5th, 1~23: ~l~erems, The Supreme Co~t in the ~nexation proceedings d~c=~ed that the work of con- struotion~d inst~ling the sewer,s syszem in the eighth and ~nth w~rds ~h~!d not the completion of the sewerage syst~ in the sixth and seventh w~ds. Resolvedthmt the Cimy be requested ~ot to print or issue the eighth wmrds bo~s until such time as it will be con- venient for the Hono~mble City council mud City ~ge~ ~o grant representatives of this On me,ion of ~. ~ith, the p~ivile~e of the floo~ w~s ~ted to members of the Eighth Vf~d Civic League a~ oZher~ interested. (I~. Brooks excused from f~thsr atten~nce)