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August 10, 2021 <br /> <br /> Vice Mayor Barnes spoke on the following: <br /> <br /> <br />-Portsmouth Public Schools Retreat. <br /> <br />-Portsmouth Police Swearing in Ceremony. <br /> <br />-Freshman/Sophomore orientation. <br /> <br />-Reimplementing the Youth Advisory Commission. <br /> <br />-National Night Out. <br /> <br />-Community Day Event. <br /> <br />-Give Back to the Block Event. <br /> <br /> Mr. Moody provided an update of the Military Affairs Committee and spoke on the <br /> <br />st <br />celebration of the 231 Anniversary of the United States Coast Guard. <br /> <br />21 - 218 - Report on Pending Items <br /> <br />There were no pending items. <br /> <br />21 - 219 - Non-Agenda Speakers <br /> <br />1. Barry Randall, 1515 Camden Avenue, voiced his concern with the lack of unity among <br />City Council. <br /> <br />2. Donald Everett, 2212 Greenwood Drive, voiced his concern with the deplorable <br /> condition of the Lincoln Memorial Cemetery. <br /> <br /> Dr. Whitaker asked that there be a strategy put in place to take care of the over all <br /> <br />condition of Lincoln Memorial Cemetery. <br /> <br /> <br /> Interim City Attorney Stromberg informed City Council that this was a privately owned <br />cemetery but would come back with a report back on the city’s options. <br /> <br />3. Kathrin Howell, 4 Treakle Terrace, voiced her concern with the housing crisis and gun <br /> violence. <br /> <br />4. Deanna Stanton, 101 Poplar Lane, voiced her concern with the violence in the city. <br /> <br />5. Shirley Cherry, 949 Vermont Avenue, spoke on the correlation between poverty and <br /> crime. <br /> <br />6. Darrell Redman, 4305 Stowaway Lane, voiced his concern with the lack of respect <br /> shown by members of Council for each other. <br /> <br />7. Harry Taylor, 957 Green Street, offered solutions on how to lower crime rates in the <br /> city. <br /> <br />8. Edrika Oliver, 2512 Evergreen Place, spoke on negative effect crime has on <br /> businesses and suggested that the city declare a State of Emergency. <br /> <br />9. Saran Day, 1509 Prentis Place, asked that City Council get on one accord and <br /> suggested that the city declare a State of Emergency. <br /> <br />10. Laquita Reese, 603 Jefferson Street, voiced her concern with the violence in her <br /> neighborhood. <br /> <br /> Mr. Woodard asked if there was a way to get privately owned communities to provide <br /> <br />security to their residents. <br /> <br /> City Manager Jones informed City Council she would provide a report back on the <br />city’s options. <br /> <br /> Ms. Lucas-Burke asked that City Manager Jones and Interim City Attorney Stromberg <br /> <br />bring back information on what City Council can declare as a state of emergency. She <br />also asked for a report back on policy and/or charter changes with regards to curfews. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />