Minutes 03/08/1921 - Laserfiche WebLink

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"Gentlemen:- At p~esent the various activities of the City such as Stables, Asphalt Mix- ing Plant, Garages, Shed for vehicles~and maohine~y, a~e either scattered in different places or altogether lacking. For good administration, it is essential thmt they be concentrated in one place, where they cmn be properly supervised and maintained~ The owners of the Porzsmouth Cotton Mfg. Co. are, I understand, willing to sell their property ko the City at Chestnut and Duke Stre.ets, for $~$,000. and it is possible that it may be sea, red for $40,000. This purchase would give the City an excellent building,. the upper part of which could be either converted into a jail at a small expense, or used as an auditorium or a~mory. The lower part would give ample room for a drill shed for Grimes Battery, and the present Stables could be used for housing the horses of this organization. The rest of the lower floor would give ~p~e for automobile g~rages and repair shop. The va- cant plat to the south of the building could be used for the asphalt mixing plant and City Stmbles. It may be readily reached by two railroads, one of which now extends along the south side of it' and the other a spu~ from the Seaboard Air Line Railroad could be readily carried across Duke Street to the plat described. On this vacant plat could also stored, s~nd~ stone, ~sphalt material and coal. City machinery and carts could be stored in existing sheds~or on the grOund floor of the main building. The City is at present paying~$~O0o rent on str~ctures occupied~by City plant, and approximately $360. for garages. It is in additio~, costing in the neighborhood of $.50 per yar'd for the re-handling of material for~asphalt, making a total annual expendi- ture of approximately $4,O00. This capitalized at 5~ would justify an expenditure of $80,000. Considering therefore, these items alone, it would pay the City tO purchase the propsrt% even though it had to take the money out of a bond iesue~ This, however, is not neoessary,~ the g~ound occupied by the present pumping plant and the j~il lot a~ High and W~shington Streets, would sell for more than enough to pay cmsh for the property, and to modi£~ so ~s tO ~dopt it to City use. In other words, hy an exchange of property which is now n~n-~oduc~ive, the City would come into possession cZ propert~ which would result in a saving for all ~imeo ~t is tr~e that the taxes on the property would be lost, but this would be at least partly off-set immediately by taxes on the High Street property~ especially as there woul~ be every possibility of that property bein~ promptly improved and the income from ~axes thereon much In view of the foregoing, I recommend that the City pu~hass this property, selling the jail lot and the sewerage pumping station to meet th~ espense, If, however, it ~s not desired to sell City proper~y a~ the present time, I understand ~he owners of the Cotton Mfg. Co. are ~illing ~o accept m cash payment of $10,000~ and City bonds for the balance. ~Tours very truly~ J. P, Jervey, City Manager." 9th. P~esented the following ordinance, which had been revised by the Director of Public Nelfare, in accordance with resolution of the Council February 25th~ An Ordinance Defining Milk and its Properties, Re~uiating the Production arid Sale of Milk in the City of Portsmouth, and Prescribing Penalties for Violation Thereof'. On motion, the ordinance was placed on its first $~eading. UNFINISHED BUSINESS The re~la~ report of the City Clerk & Auditor and City Collector for the month of Feb- ruary, l~21,w~ presented and ~a~e~e~ed to the Finance Committee. The reports of the Library for the months of January and February, $921,, were presented and were referred to the City Manager. on NEW BUSINESS A bill of H~ L. Hudgins, City Treasurer, to amount of $1543.00, for 1/$ of .1% commission $Syy,OOO.O~,~alo/~aSdde=ived from bond issue, was referred to theFin~noe Committee. A notice from the Civil Justice of appoihtment of Miss Ella Stuart Gre~sham ~s Clerk to to the Civil Justice of the City of P~rtsmouth, at a salary of $90. per month, was referred to the Finance Committee. A list of warrants were read, as reported by the City Auditor ~mounting to $55.20, City having been un~bte to locate parties to whom d~awn; and recommending that same be led. On motion~ same were referred to the Finance Committee. the c~ncel- Mr. Broo~m presented the following resolution: "WHEREAS, On February 22, 1~21, there ap- peared before us the Dire.o~orrof Public Welfare of this City in an honest effort to present the City's and public's side of a pending milk ordins~uce, and "WHE.~F~AS, This C6uncil has gone on record upholding and protecting its O. ficzals in the discharge of their public duty~ "BE IT, _THEREFORE, RESOLVED, That this Council ga on record deploring and condemning the ..unm~nl~n~ unwmrrante~ assmult by Attorne~ G. Hatton on our Director of Public Welfare, Dr.