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<br />
<br />At a regular meeting of the City Council held on December 8, 1981, there were present:
<br />
<br />Jack P. Barnes, Ben A. Beamer, Sr., J. Robert Gray, Edward L. Oast, Jr.,
<br />Gloria O. Webb, Morton V. Whitlow, G. Robert House, Jr., City Manager,
<br />Steven hieberman, City Attorney.
<br />
<br />Absent: J. E. Johansen
<br />
<br />Vice Mayor Beamer presided in the absence of the Mayor.
<br />
<br /> Rev. W. Joseph Winfree, Pastor, Asbury United Methodist Church opened the meeting with
<br />prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
<br />
<br />Fiche Mayor Beamer welcomed all VlS~tors in attendance.
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Gray and seconded by Mr. Whitlow, minutes of the called meeting of November
<br />24, 1981; minutes of the regular meeting of November 24, 1981, to be approved as received, and
<br />was adopted by unanimous vote.
<br />
<br />81-438 Public Hearing Proposed Charter Amendments:
<br />
<br />"Section 2.02:1. The adoption of a section designated 2.02:1 entitled 'Special
<br />Service Distriet'will authorize the establishment of a Special Service District
<br />in the downtown business area. Under said section, the Council would have author-
<br />ity upon receipt of a petition of fifty (50%) percent of the property owners of the
<br />proposed district, and after a public hearing on the question of the proposed
<br />district, to create such Special Service District, which would provide, among other
<br />things, the right to levy and collect an annual tax upon any property in the District
<br />to pay, either in whole or in part, the expenses and charges for providing addition-
<br />algovernmental services and facilities in such District. The proceeds from this
<br />annual tax would be segregated so as to enable the same to be expended only in
<br />the district from which collected.
<br />
<br />Section 2.09. The proposed amendment would substitute a two~thirds requirement
<br />the present three-fourths requirement of all members elected to the City Council
<br />for the sale of City property. Amendment of this provision to. two-thirds would
<br />permit the sale upon the affirmative vote of five (5) members of Council.
<br />
<br />tO
<br />
<br />Section 3.10. The proposed amendment would bring the provision of the City Charter
<br />relative to compensation for the Mayor or Members of the City Council into tenform-
<br />ity with the existing State law and read as follows: 'The City Council, shall
<br />grant and pay to the Mayor and to the other members of the City Council as com-
<br />pensation for their services such amounts as the Council may determine, not to
<br />exceed such amounts as provided by general law.' Section 14.1-47.2 of the Code
<br />of Virginia, 1950, as amended, authorizes cities to set salaries for mayors and
<br />council members based upon the population of said cities and supersedes any
<br />current Charter provisions establishing such salaries."
<br />
<br /> The following citizens spoke in support of the establishment of the Special Service
<br />District:
<br />
<br />Milton M. Phillips, 221 High Street, representing Downtown Portsmouth Association ~
<br />Leggetts.
<br />Arthur Siegel, 701 High Street, representing~Do~t~Portsmouth Association.
<br />BernardRivin, 220 Washington Street, representing as a businessman and resident.
<br />Peter Crockin, 211 High Street, representing M. M. Crocking Company and Downtown Merchants
<br />Association.
<br />Leslie R. French, 208 Glasgow Street, representing Olde Towne Civic League.
<br />Jim Dunn, 4513 Templar Drive, representing Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce, presented the
<br />following statement:
<br />
<br /> "The Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce appreciated the action of City Council in def-
<br />ferring a vote on the parking meter conversion and increase in rates on March 10, 1981,
<br />~n order to permit more thorough review of this proposal by the Chamber and other inter-
<br />ested parties.
<br />
<br /> As a result of meetings with the Chamber-City Relations Task Force and members of
<br />the Downtown Portsmouth Association, and while considering the tight fiscal situation
<br />facing both City Council and the Portsmouth Parking Authority, the Chamber Board of
<br />Directors voted unanimously to support the position of the Downtown Portsmouth Association
<br />and recommends to City Council that action, as may be required according to law, be taken
<br />to establish a special taxing district within the City of Portsmouth. This district is to
<br />consist of the property bounded by London Boulevard and Queen Street on the north, Chestnu
<br />Street on the west, County and Crawford Streets on the south and Crawferd Street on the
<br />east.
<br />
<br /> The establishment of special taxing districts in other communities has been in re-
<br />sponse to declining downtown areas, encouraging downtowns to help themselves and be able
<br />to finance specific improvements over and above those normally provided by the City.
<br />
<br /> Generated additional tax may be used to provide services such as parking, sewage,
<br />garbage removal, public transportation, fire and police protection, and downtown promotion
<br />and beautification.
<br />
<br /> The Chamber has placed a high priority on image building in Portsmouth for 1982. A
<br />decision favoring the establishment of a special taxing district will give downtown mer-
<br />
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