Minutes 09/22/2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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September 22, 2020  Casey Shaw, 154 Rolfe Terrace , Portsmouth, VA 23707  David Savige, 5661 Craneybrook Ln , Portsmouth, VA 23703  Kathleen Foster, 4727 River Shore Rd, Portsmouth, VA 23703  Sandra Wilson, 509 Bobby Jones Ct, Portsmouth, VA 23701  Elizabeth Respess, 3321 Carney Farm Lane, VA 23703  Kathy Batkin, 5629 Springwood Dr, Portsmouth, VA 23703 2. As the subject resolution succinctly states, offshore wind development would benefit our city and the wider world in numerous ways. I urge you, therefore, to express your concurrence with its objectives by adopting the resolution. Mark Geduldig-Yatrofsky PO Box 50141 3. This email is being sent to encourage city council members to vote in favor of the Offshore Wind Resolution - item #20-225 on the agenda for September 21, 2020. This project will be beneficial to Portsmouth in supporting efforts to ensure that future generations are able to thrive in a healthy and clean environment. Also, more than 14,000 jobs will be created that Portsmouth residents can obtain securing their future and the future of generations to come. In addition, renewable energy has the potential to lessen the effects of climate change and sea level rise - an issue Portsmouth should be focused on considering its long history of flood problems. Please vote yes to this resolution as a critical step toward an environment that metts our future needs. Tanya Hodnett 3604 Blaine St, Portsmouth, VA 23703 20-230 – Non-Agenda Items: 1) I just wanted to inquire about the hazard pay that the Case Management Dept for the Portsmouth Department of Behavioral HealthCare Services was not included on. I am a Case Manager and have been with this agency for almost 4 years now. My understanding was there are some staff at the agency that received this hazard pay and it was kept quiet and the rest of us didn’t receive. We have been on the frontline since the COVID-19 pandemic begin on March 2020. We have done Food Drive Thrus as well as delievered food to our clients in their homes during this pandemic. We have also worked the Security Desk Coverage for the agency during this time and have been exposed to the virus through our work. We still have come into the office to do paperwork and help however we can. I think we deserve this pay especially since we are underpaid. Not only that we have had no raises since 2018 or bonuses. I believe very strongly we deserve this and more. Some companies have even given there employees raises because of them risking their lives. I feel like if the City of Portsmouth took better care of their staff in terms of better pay equal to their education to build their morale the turn over rate would not be high and they would be able to keep their staff therefore spending less by retaining them versus training them and they leave and then they have to train new staff again. I believe there’s been mismanagement of money over time because we are underpaid. Other surrounding CSB’s such as CIBH, Virginia Beach CSB and Norfolk CSB pay their employees better than Portsmouth. The salaries at PDBHS are not comparable to the above mentioned CSB’s. Thank you for considering our agency in your meeting. Jennifer Kirinda-Bell, MS QMHP Mental Health Case Manager Department of Behavioral Healthcare Services Mental Health Crisis-Outreach Service 1811 King St. 2) Good afternoon to all present and thank you for allowing me this opportunity to address concerns I have regarding two major issues currently provoking much frustration among the citizens of Portsmouth. 1. Cares Act/$1500.00 Hazard Pay 2. Racial Tensions in Our City