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R.C.P
<br />
<br />July 17, lgl7
<br />
<br />on the amendment to Sec. ~51 of the Pl~umbing Cods as submittsd by the Department of Hsalth
<br />allotting the use of Ventilated Latrines by the said Dsp&rtmsnt I beg to a ·
<br /> , s y.
<br /> "That I consider all latrines unsanitary and thinz it. would be a stsp backwards in
<br />sanitation to allow ta~m to be installsd in our Public Schools. The improper flushing due
<br />to corrosion of perforated flush pipss, the lmrge fouling surface, the chance of not having
<br />a fire in ventilating ~lue, the sxcrsts sticking to sides of latrinss, e~ud the impsrfsct
<br />draught due to seat or covsr not bsing closed, are my chief objsctions to ~l latrines. And
<br />I hope it will be your plsasurs not to adopt this ordinance,
<br />
<br /> "t have sixty letters and opinions from Sanita~ry Enginssrs, Plumbing Inspsctors, East~r~ ~
<br />Plumbers, s~ud Health Officers, and wil~ submit thsm if you care to have a committee take up
<br />this matter.
<br /> "Yours vsry truly,
<br />
<br /> "J. W; Mathews, Inspsctor of Plumomno.~ ' ~
<br /> The privilege of the floor was granted to the School Board and others prssent who might
<br />desirs to speak on the subject.
<br /> The propossd amendment was discussed by the Health Officer, Inspector of Plumbing, Prssi-
<br />dsnt of the School Board, Supsrintendsnt of Schools, and Er. Parsons of the Navy Yard.
<br />
<br />vote:Fin~lX~ Mr. Norris moved to adopt the ordinance and same w~s mdopted by the following
<br /> Ayes--Bunting, Claud, Dashisll, Hanvey, Morris,-Cutpepper, 6.
<br /> (Nr. Hsrbert bsing excused from voting).
<br /> The following noticss of appointments by the City E~mager were referred to the Public
<br />~f~t~ Department: ~eorge CJ~t~ntey a~ 0hi~f ~f ~he Fire~Dep~rtment for-a probationmry Period
<br />O~ bOd~ys from'midnmght ,July l~th,Jan~ ~ssignment of W. L. Sykss as a regular policemmn.
<br />
<br /> A notics from the City Manager that he has accepted ~Lr. E.LJ~S~kes,~ resignation ms
<br />chief~ of the Firs Departmen$~w~s rsfsrred to the ~blic Safety Department.
<br />
<br /> The following opinion was read from the City Attornsy:
<br />
<br />"To Hon. City Council,
<br />
<br />"Portsmouth, Va., July 16, 1~17.
<br />
<br /> "Portsmouth, Va.
<br /> "Gentlemen:--
<br /> "At a spscial mseting of the City Council, held July 12, 1~17,' I w~s
<br />structed ~o give the Council my written opinion as to the following:
<br />
<br /> "lst. Was the special meeting o~ ~he O0uncli on June 25th a legal me~ting under the
<br />follbwing call for same?
<br />
<br /> ~"'D~ar Sir:- You are requestsd to attend a special conferencs meeting of the City
<br />Council mcr monday, June 25, mt 8 o'clock P.
<br />
<br /> "'2nd. Was the action of the Council at s~id me~i~g, ~une 25th, in dismissing the
<br />City Eanager, TYT$11 B. Shertzer, from the ssrvmces cz the City a~fter July 31st, a legal act?'
<br />
<br /> "It will be Obssrvsd that the notlcs as set forth above doss not stats what businsss is
<br />to be transacted, this is in violation of ruls 4 ~uich w~s adopted at m meeting of your body
<br />held September l~, l~t6.
<br />
<br /> "The ruls is as follows: 'Rule ~. No business shmil be transacted at ~ special meeting
<br />which is not distinctly and specifically set.forth in the notice of such meeting.'
<br />
<br /> "Further your meeting w~s behind closed doors; this is in vi~lation of our Charter,
<br />section 18, as well as the general law ~r the government of cities, section lO15g of the
<br />Code of Virginia, both of ~nich provide, that meetings of the Council, 'shall be open, ex-
<br />cept when by a recorded vote of two~thirds of those members present, the Council shall
<br />clare tha$ the public welfare requires secrecy.'
<br />
<br /> "No such dsola~ation was m~de, nor w~s any such recorded vote had.
<br />
<br /> ,But whether theea violations~m~ke your meeting of June 25 illegal and y our action in
<br />dismissing the City E~uager v~id is unnecessmry for me now to determine as by your subse-
<br />quent action, at your meeting held July 12, which w~s a leg~2 meeting, you curzd whatever
<br />error there was by adopting a resolution dispensing with the services of Mr. ~ertzer as
<br />City E~nager.
<br />
<br />"Respectfully submitted,
<br />
<br />"Jno. W. Happer, City Attorney."
<br />
<br />NEW BUSINESS
<br />
<br /> A communication w~s read from The American LmFrancs Fire Engine Co. saying that it has
<br />placed an order i~n its shops for the material missing ~hen the motor d~iven fire ~pparatus
<br />w~s delivered to the City; but no action w~s taken on same.
<br />
<br /> The following matters were referred to the Finance Department:
<br />A petition of Octavia
<br />Banks ~o be refunded $7.20, paid in error for soil tax for the years 1~13-1~-i5, Sixth ~ard.
<br />
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