Minutes 05/26/2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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May 26, 2020 The following comments were submitted by citizens for the May 26, 2020 Virtual City Council meeting: 20-134 The executive brief for Item 20-134 asserts that the "athletic fields, parking lot and other amenities are complete at the Cavalier Manor Athletic Complex." In the "Discussion" section of the document are additional details of the improvements made in phases 1, 2a, and 2b. Unmentioned in that narrative, however, is the Cavalier Manor swimming pool. Based on my recollection of past conversations about that amenity, it has a few issues that, if unattended, would render it unusable. If that is the case, rather than scattering the residual $168,658 among various and sundry other outdoor recreation facility repairs in the city, I would prefer to see the funds expended to keep the Cavalier Manor pool in good working order. As one of only two public swimming pools in a city with many miles of waterfront, it is important not only as a recreational asset but also as a place to teach our people how to be safe in the water. I urge you, therefore, to prioritize any needed repairs to the Cavalier Manor pool ahead of deploying the remaining funds elsewhere. Please let me know if you need additional information. Yours truly, Mark Geduldig-Yatrofsky, PO Box 50141, Portsmouth, VA 23703-0141, 757967-7298 20-137 Items Submitted by Council Members 1) 1) This piece of new business should state which Councilmember made this proposal and which Councilmember seconded the motion so that the public will know who is putting forth this resolution for approval. 2) Recently in the case of the Armada Hoffler - City Hall relocation, the Council "put the cart before the horse" and failed to pole the sentiment of our citizens regarding whether they wanted demolition of the City Hall and its replacement by a commercial project on the waterfront, proposed by a particular group of developers, whose project the people had not been fully briefed on, nor had they been given a proper venue in which to respond or discuss the matter. This was a major project and would be a huge financial commitment and economic disruption in the downtown. In fact neither the new commercial project nor the new City Hall building had been shown to the Design Review Committee (because previously the Council had conveniently removed specific areas, by spot zoning, and rezoned these targeted sites to specifically eliminate such professional oversight and public due process.) In this instance, the Council chose to disregard the intelligence and sentiments of the public, by subterfuge, by presenting and voting on the relocation of the site first. An attempt was made to hoodwink the citizens into a commitment in which vast amounts of capital expenditure and taxes would be required. The people were astute and recognized the ploy and were clear in their response regarding this sleight of hand. They rejected the Council's overreach by public demand and outrage. Armada Hoffler recognizing the lace of public support removed their interest in the project. 3) In this instance the City Council has negotiated with a casino developer and previously voted to approve a casino on its own volition without consulting with the Citizens. The situation is similar to the previous one, cut behind closed doors with Armada Hoffler. This matter likewise involves large sums of capital and public commitment. This second matter also involves a commitment by the government in a manner that many citizens consider unethical, a dirty vice, and an area in which good government should not be a party to what-so-ever - Gambling. Many citizens do not want to see their tax dollars going to specifically, or even tacitly supporting, or encouraging such a vice. Many citizens feel the matter to be immoral on its own legs, while others see the association or the condoning of gambling by the government as being unethical. Many citizens recognize that gambling is a ruinous contributor to the undermining of families and family values, a promoter of ancillary crimes, and an invitation to other vices such as prostitution, extortion, panhandling, drugs and drug violence, money laundering (especially by