Minutes 01/14/1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

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January 14, 1992 "In response to changes made in both the Federal Safe Drinki~ng Water Act and the Commonwealth of Virginia's "Waterworks Regulations," Portsmouth is required lo modify Backflow and Cross Connection Ordinance. Portsmouth's ordinance was originally adopted in 1973 and these required changes represent the first, major modifications made since that adoption. its The Backflow and Cross Connection~Program is~directed at preventing the-entry of~contaminated water back, into the City's water mains. Portsmouth's Public Utilities Department administers this program with asSistahce~ from'the City's Plumbing Inspector. Portsmouth's program is very effective and is a model throughout the Tidewater'Area.. tThe Public Utilities Department~conducts-a yearly short school to certify plumbers, industrial plant personnel and others, in the proper installation andmaintenance of the devices required.to prevent backflow. This school is nationally listed and is currently only one of two recognized courses of this type in Virginia. The Utilities Department staff (Water Quality Division) rewrote Portsmouth's ordinance to bring it into compliance and the Director of Public Utilities has reviewed the document and recommends its approval. I concur in this recommendation." Motion of Mr. King and seconded by Mr. Epperson, the following ordinance was adopted on first and final reading, by the following vote: and "AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTIONS 38-166, 38-169i 38-170, 38-172, 38-174 (c) AND (d), 38-176, 38-177 (b)~38-179, 38-180, 38-183, 38-184 (a), (b) AND (d), 38-1~5, 38-136 (a), (b) AND (e) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, 1988, RELATING TO WATER BACKFLOW PREVENTION AND CROSS-CONNECTION CONTROL." Ayes: Clemons, Corprew, Epperson, King, Hawks, Williams, Webb Nays: None 92-20.- Letter from the City Manager recommending adoption of the following resolutions pertaining to the issuance of ~eneral obligation bonds: (A) A resolution authorizing the issuance of $23,035,000 of General Obligation Public Improvement Bonds for the purpose of providing funding for various Capital Improvement Projects, and fixing the form and providing for the sale of such bonds. (B) A resolution authorizing the issuance of $7,615,000 of General Obligation Public Utility Bonds, as approved by the voters, and fixing the form and providing for the sale of such bonds. "The economic and ~inancial news for the past year has not, to say the least, been comforting. We read daily in both the national and local newspapers and journals of the poor activity of our economy and the need for action on a national level to stimulate economic activity. One of the results of this has been the reduction in interest rates steered by the Federal Reserve Board's decision to lower the discount rate charged to member banks. While the poor economic activity causes ccncerns on the budget side, the resulting decrease in interest rates makes it attractive to sell bonds.