THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 14, 1996 TAG: 9604120232
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 174 lines
I was very much disturbed after reading Ida Kay Jordan's column in regard to Portsmouth's horticulturist who was fired. I can't imagine hiring a person trained in a certain field and then firing her for executing her professional knowledge.
Those responsible need to be investigated. I trust the respected out-of-town property owner will be held to strict requirements concerning the appearance and maintenance of his property. I think the citizens of Portsmouth and the garden clubs in particular should demand further consideration of this matter by the city of Portsmouth.
Frank Lindsay
Olde Towne
April 5, 1996 Red flag for Council
This letter is written in response to the article published in Currents, Saturday, April 6, concerning the slate of candidates the Retired Police Officers' & Fire Fighters' Association of Portsmouth chose to endorse for upcoming Council elections. This article left a question about who we, the association, feel is responsible for the shortfall of funds in our retirement system.
The fact that City Manager V. Wayne Orton became a member of the Police and Fire retirement system and would receive any new benefits should have thrown up a red flag to Council. However, instead of showing caution, several council members lobbied openly to place a third elected, high-salaried, official on the system.
Mr. Orton, plus two other political members, on the pension plan will receive in excess of $150,000 per year from our system. This does make us mad. This does make us bitter. To add insult to injury, once these political pals were in the system, Mr. Orton closed it to all future police officers and fire fighters, the very people that the system was created to benefit and protect upon retirement.
Let there be no doubt as to who is responsible. One of the duties of City Manger Orton was to properly inform council as to the projected cost the changes would exact on the retirement system. If Mr. Orton did inform council, then council must assume responsibility. If he failed to do so, council is still ultimately responsible. The city manager serves at the pleasure of council.
Let me state emphatically that we do not direct any of these negative feelings towards the active duty police officers or fire fighters. They are victims, too. They did not create this problem. We (association) have, in the past, and will continue in the future to support our active duty members whenever needed.
The fact is, it does no good to gain improved benefits just to have council take them away through rising inflation with no cost of living adjustments.
Richard C. Journee III
President
Retired Police Officers'
& Firefighters' Association
April 9, 1996 Seeing red - ink
Do you hear what I hear? Portsmouth City Council seemed stunned to learn that the police and fire retirement system is $1.8 million in the red! These council members are the people who approved the plan.
The former City Manager, V. Wayne Orton, had a lot to do with this. Not only did he do so much for the city, he also did so much to the city.
It's voting time, people of Portsmouth. I know where my vote is going!
Milt Monteau
Portsmouth
April 5, 1996 The Council's goof
Well, I read again another boo-boo - the City Council has goofed again in their estimate of what will cost the taxpayers more.
The ones to really benefit the most are V. Wayne Orton and Roy Cherry from their paid-up retirement.
The ones who suffer now are the younger employees. I hope they think about it for a while before they vote on another retirement system. They could vote for another $25 million-plus for schools.
Robert L. Wilson
Century Drive
April 8, 1996 Candidates isolated
In a recent edition of the Currents there was excellent coverage of people running for City Council and School Board in the city of Portsmouth. The article included pictures and information about these individuals along with their mailing address.
As I usually do, I wrote to several individuals and expressed my concern about specific issues. I asked questions and included my address in order to give them an opportunity to respond to my concerns.
So far, only one of the people running for office took time to answer my letter.
Mr. Frank Harte, who is a candidate for Mayor of Portsmouth was responsible enough and concerned enough to answer my letter. Mr Harte provided me with enough information to convince me that he will get my vote in the upcoming election.
I would never vote for an individual who lacks the common courtesy to answer an inquiry from a citizen they are supposed to serve. For example, I could not support or vote for Mr. Benn in an election.
I went to him for help with a school related issue three or four years ago and he assured me he would look into the matter and get back to me with an answer. He never contacted me about the issue.
I encourage citizens to contact the candidates and see what kind of response they receive. If there is no response, then there should be no vote for that individual.
Leo G. Ruffing
Doerr Road
April 10, 1996 Let us make decisions
Since the candidates started campaigning for City Council, a lot of information, thoughts and facts have been brought to the attention of citizens of Portsmouth. I have attended meetings, read the newspapers, talked to people and learned a lot while doing those things. It has been brought to my attention that the citizens still have strong feelings about the riverboat gambling issue.
When this issue was being debated over a year ago, the riverboat opposition consisted of a strange mix of folks including the religious community, political activists, horse-racing enthusiasts, neighborhood leaders and citizens just like you and me. They discussed the potential for political corruption, rising crime, families that could be torn apart by compulsive gambling and the loss of moral values.
Many of the citizens wanted to know about the local investors' connections and definitely did not feel that riverboat gambling is a family-oriented business.
All of the council's discussions about casino proposals had been conducted behind closed doors until Cameron Pitts decided to bring the deal out into the open for all citizens of Portmsouth to know what was being planned that would affect their futures.
And, the aftershock of keeping the citizens informed and trying to be their conscience cost him the backing of the Portsmouth Committee. This is a political action committee consisting of business people in the city of Portsmouth. They are trying to control who the citizens are going to have to represent them on council and decide what is good for them. Also, it seems to be a committee of select self-serving power brokers whose former chairman was a named investor in the riverboat partnership.
These people have not been given our permission to make our decisions. We, the citizens, are quite capable! I don't know about you, but I resent this concept. It makes me feel that, as long as we have Cameron Pitts on City Council, we have someone who is trying to insure that the citizens of Portmsouth have a champion for what is right.
Harvey Ackiss
Mallard Crescent
April 9, 1996 Pitts discusses issues
After attending forums and listening to the candidates running for City Council, I am confused. Whenever the issue of an ethics commission is brought up before the candidates, Cameron Pitts is the only one even willing to discuss the issue. Why is that? It could be this is the only one of the reasons that he is campaigning as ``Conscience of the Council.''
It is my belief we need people who are willing to support issues that they really believe in and will benefit the citizens of Portsmouth. All too often, people do what they think is expected of them and tend to ``follow the leader.'' This is not true of Cameron Pitts - as was his support for NOT closing the Caroline causeway. He was willing to let everyone know how he felt and wore a sticker to the council meetings stating his belief that the causeway should remain open.
In legislative bodies, it appears to take real courage to buck the trend and to vote on one side of an issue even if everyone else is going in the other direction.
If we reward winning at all costs, the price we pay will be in lost honor. Also, if we reward candidates who just ``go along,'' we cant't complain about a lack of integrity. We need a candidate, like Cameron Pitts, who is honorable and has been trying to get an ethics commission for the City of Portsmouth since 1993.
Carrie Byrum
Western Branch Boulevard
April 8, 1996 by CNB