Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 3, 1990 TAG: 9007030501
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium
Aubrey V. Watts told the City Council Monday that the money was spent for preparations for the weekend. Last year's holiday was marred by violent confrontations between police and young people after looting broke out along the resort strip.
This year, the city has taken an active role in the planning of the weekend, appointing a citizens' committee to arrange activities for the young people. City leaders have promised no tax money would be spent to entertain the guests.
Nevertheless, the city is paying for necessary improvements, such as satellite parking lots and overtime for city workers. Some of the costs are expected to be recovered from parking fees.
Watts said he had no firm figures on what the total cost to the city would be.
"I hope to give you some idea in the near future of the financial impact of this," Watts told the council. "It will be significant. But we need to provide the most complete levels of security and preparation."
Last year, the city spent about $1 million on Labor Day. That included $385,000 in police overtime and $300,000 paid to a media consulting firm that is still on the job.
Watts said 819 city workers have volunteered to work over the holiday weekend.
"None of those 800 people have been absolutely ordered to work," Watts said. "They all agreed to work. The only people ordered to work are department heads, division heads and public safety personnel."
Meanwhile, a man injured in last year's rioting has dropped a lawsuit against Virginia Beach and may have to pay the city nearly $46,000 for its defense against the civil rights action.
Dwight K. Cowell asked Monday that his suit be dropped. He said witnesses to an alleged police attack on him had not come forward.
In his lawsuit, Cowell said he was attacked and beaten by police and bitten by a police dog during the violent confrontations between police and young people.
Cowell claimed he was singled out because he was acting as a volunteer observer for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
In his original suit, Cowell accused members of the City Council, the city manager and the police chief of having a "plantation mentality" and encouraging "the racist customs of the Jim Crow era."
Cowell asked for $10 million in damages.
U.S. District Judge J. Calvitt Clarke Jr. earlier dismissed the city officials as defendants in the case, and narrowly limited the scope of the lawsuit to the officers involved in the episode.
Gregory N. Stillman, a private attorney representing the city in the matter, asked that Cowell and his attorney, Paul E. Sutton, be ordered to pay the city's $43,875 in attorney's fees and $1,984.19 in costs. Clarke ordered a hearing on the matter for Sept. 9.
Cowell can refile his lawsuit but cannot name City Council members as defendants, according to Clarke's order dismissing the suit.
by CNB