THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 23, 1995 TAG: 9511230547
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
City employees will have Friday off after a slim majority of the City Council voted to approve the impromptu holiday.
At a staff picnic last week, Suffolk Councilman Thomas G. Underwood announced that city employees would have Friday off, though they were scheduled to work the day after Thanksgiving.
Underwood's announcement caught many off guard. The holiday had never been formally approved by the council, and neither the city manager nor the mayor were aware of Underwood's plans.
Underwood said later he had found a majority of council members who supported the idea. No vote, however, was taken. Despite that, Underwood announced the holiday then hastily called Wednesday's special council meeting.
The vote was 4-1, with Mayor S. Chris Jones and Councilwoman Marian ``Bea'' Rogers not attending the meeting.
The extra holiday comes months after the City Council approved adopting the state's holiday calendar. The extra day off will cost the city an estimated $12,000, according to Councilman Richard Harris, the only member to vote against the holiday.
``Council, the administration and employees must never lose site of our purpose, and that is to serve the public,'' said Harris. ``If we, as public servants, are not comfortable with this, then we have the opportunity to go elsewhere.'' by CNB