|
<br />January 11. 2005
<br />
<br />. it is important to the public interest that these consulting and planning services be
<br />provided at the earliest possible opportunity, so as to realize significant economic
<br />development opportunities in our downtown area. These opportunities may be lost
<br />if there is significant delay.
<br />
<br />. Urban Design Associates is uniquely qualified to provide these services promptly
<br />because it already has extensive familiarity with downtown Portsmouth from prior
<br />consulting and planning work done for the City.
<br />
<br />. Urban Design Associates possesses unique skills of the type needed by virtue of its
<br />extensive prior experience with comparable projects in Virginia, throughout the
<br />United State, and throughout the world.
<br />
<br />The Manager is also directed to use prudence with regard to overseeing the cost of this
<br />contract, and the City Attorney is directed to review and approve the contact terms
<br />prior to its execution, and was adopted by unanimous vote.
<br />
<br />'" Motion by Mr. Moody, and seconded by Ms. Randall, to add to the agenda the
<br />resolution in support of retaining the USS John F. Kennedy as a commissioned aircraft
<br />carrier, and was adopted by unanimous vote.
<br />
<br />'" Adoption of a resolution in support of retaining the USS John F. Kennedy as a
<br />commissioned aircraft carrier.
<br />
<br />Motion by Mr. Moody, and seconded by Mr. Whitehurst, to adopt the following
<br />resolution, and was adopted by the following vote:
<br />
<br />"A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF RETAINING THE USS JOHN F. KENNEDY AS A
<br />COMMISSIONED AIRCRAFT CARRIER.
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Navy has need of maintaining twelve aircraft carriers around
<br />the world for strategic operations; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, carriers serve not only a strategic military role but also a
<br />humanitarian role, as recently evidenced by the deployment of the USS Abraham
<br />Lincoln (CVN-22) to help with relief efforts in the Sri Lanka area; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, decommissioning is presently being considered for the carrier USS
<br />John F. Kennedy (CV 67), commonly known as "Big John"; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Kennedy and its crew form the centerpiece of a carrier strike
<br />group, which includes an air wing, two cruisers, four destroyers, two attack
<br />submarines, and a fast combat support ship; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Kennedy, named for the 35th President of the United States,
<br />was built in the region, at Newport News Shipyard, and was christened in 1967 by
<br />former President Kennedy's daughter Caroline, then age nine; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, in the course of its legendary career, the Kennedy has won many
<br />awards, including Battle Efficiency, Golden Anchor, Battle "E," Silver Anchor, Carrier of
<br />the New Millenium, the Battenberg Cup for being the overall best ship in the Atlantic
<br />Fleet, and a 2002 Meritorious Unit Citation; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Kennedy's seventeenth and most recent deployment was in
<br />2002, to the North Arabian Sea in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where the
<br />ship and its air wing dropped more than 64,000 pounds of ordnance on Taliban and al
<br />Qaeda targets, and its air wing flew day and night missions over Afghanistan,
<br />supporting American and coalition Forces on the ground with close air support; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, a major overhaul of the Kennedy has been planned at Norfolk
<br />Naval Shipyard, with an estimated cost of approximately $350,000,000, and this
<br />overhaul will have a significant effect on the regional economy and on defense industry
<br />contractors whose long-term stability is essential to the national defense; and
<br />
|