DATE: Wednesday, August 27, 1997            TAG: 9708270577

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B11  EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY TERRI WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG                      LENGTH:   79 lines

PORTSMOUTH OFFICIALS DRAW A BLUEPRINT TO PROMOTE THE CITY'S FUTURE SUCCESS THE KEY, THEY SAY, IS RENEWING AN IMAGE AND SETTING FIRM PRIORITIES.

The notebooks at the Portsmouth City Council retreat read: ``Portsmouth On A Roll.''

It was an apt theme. For three days, city officials grappled with setting priorities that they hope will change Portsmouth's image from an economically blighted, crime-ridden city to one that is prosperous, livable and safe.

City officials met at Williamsburg Hospitality House Hotel Sunday and ended their workshops Tuesday. This week's retreat allowed the council and department heads to do a progress check on Portsmouth's challenges and its direction.

Included in the blueprint for their future success, say officials, are a number of priorities: neighborhood quality, Vision 2005, financial planning and economic development.

There was some good news.

In the past 18 months, city businesses have added 400 new jobs. A regional partnership is in the works with Suffolk, and city staffers report that many citizens are becoming more empowered in ridding their neighborhoods of crime and blight.

But, city officials say, there is work to be done in several areas:

Economic development: Matthew James, economic development director, said his department has reorganized in order to become more active in recruiting businesses. James' push is to attract businesses to the Airline Boulevard/Tower Mall corridor, Midtown, Churchland and Cradock, not just Old Towne. James said there are challenges in attracting businesses to some of the more blighted areas, but he's banking on nearby Interstate 264 as the draw.

``Old Towne is ahead of the game,'' said James. ``The challenge of economic development is matching the prospect with the need.''

Councilman Bernard D. Griffin Sr. stressed that James won't be able to attract more businesses if officials don't find ways to curb crime and begin a dialogue with the schools.

``Matthew's job becomes doubly hard when there aren't many good things said about education and public safety,'' said Griffin. ``We're going to have to continue the dialogue with the school system and the police.''

City Manager Ronald W. Massie said communication is forthcoming.

``I can assure you we plan a dialogue in the next 30 days,'' he said.

Neighborhood quality: Fred R. Brusso Jr., the city's neighborhood quality services manager, said officials are working to improve relationships with citizens through the Neighborhood Enhancement Action Teams, which pairs police and code enforcement officials to fight city code violations.

Councilman C. Cameron Pitts said the city staff needs to look at ways to deal with handling apartment evictions and stray animals. Pitts asked whether any city codes exist dealing with landlords who do not remove a tenant's property in a timely manner. Pitts also said stray dogs have become a concern in some parts of the city.

``We look like a poor town that cannot pay our bills,'' said Pitts, referring to the way evictions are handled. ``How can you live in a neighborhood and worry about being bit by a dog?''

Pitts also said the city needs to include in its neighborhood quality mission statement the word ``livability.'' Such language, he said, invites more citizen input and removes a bureaucratic barrier.

At the council's February retreat, officials drafted a mission statement that pledged the creation of city-citizen partnerships to improve neighborhoods.

City staffers said they will update the mission statement to include the term ``livability'' and present it for council's review at its next meeting.

Vice Mayor Johnny M. Clemons suggested the city find ways to improve the Jordan Bridge, which he called an eyesore.

New challenges: Plans are in the works to give citizens more input and definition for their roles on various boards and commissions that solicit their feedback for Vision 2005, the city's economic development plan. City Manager Massie stressed that his goal is to make sure citizens have more ownership in the process.

At the end of September, a community reuse plan for the old I.C. Norcom High School will be ready, said Douglas L. Smith, the city's chief plans and policy officer.

Councilman P. Ward Robinette Jr. said the hurdle facing the council now is making sure there's a process in place to keep the momentum going.

``The question is, what do you do at 2006 and beyond? That's the challenge of this council,'' Robinette said. KEYWORDS: PORTSMOUTH CITY COUNCIL

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu