The Wilmington morning star., 1941-02-27
CITY Commission
HAS BUSY SESSION
Considers Police Pensions,
Ordinance, Revival OF
Planning Group

Police pensions, an ordinance re-
quiring spark arrestors on CONNER
cial smoke stacks, revival of the
city planning commission, establish
ment of a municipal traffic court,
filling Of vacancies on the city cleo
ton board and host Of other prob
lens occupied the city commission
in regular session yesterday.
Without a dissenting vote, but
not until after a lively discussion
Of the "inadequacy'' Of the police
pension fund, the commission adopt
ed an amendment, subject to ap-
proval by the state legislature, re-
moving the maximum amount the
city can contribute annually to the
police pension and retirement fund.
The amendment was requested by a
committee Of city policemen, repre-
sented by Attorney Aaron Goldberg.
Removes Limit
AS revised, the pension law, If
and when it receives legislative ap-
proval, permits the city commission
to contribute to the pension fund
any sum of money annually deemed
necessary to carry out provisions of
the act. At present the law limits
the city's contribution to a minimum
Of $500 a year and a maximum of
above $4,000 the commission deems
necessary. Actually, Attorney Gold
berg pointed out to the commission,
the amendment adopted yesterday
does nothing more than remove the
possibility that some future policy of
the city might interpret the act
to mean that $4,000 a year is tie
absolute maximum the city can give
to the pension fund, whereas such
is not the intent of the law
Discussion of the proposed amend
ment developed the fact that the
city is contributing nearly $1,000 a
month to the police pension fund at
the moment, having appropriated
s11, 900 for the fiscal year ending
June 80, next. Police contribute
flat two-per cent of their monthly
salary.
Ordinance Now Effective
The spark arrestor ordinance was
passed as public safety measure
on recommendation of Fire Chief
Ludie Groom. Provisions Of the
ordinance, effective Immediately,
require that owners Of commercial
smoke stacks equip the chimneys
with underwater approval combus-
tion chambers or arrestors. A $25-
a-day penalty is provided in the
ordinance for continued violation of
the law after warning by the fire
chief. Chief Groom said that there
are 12 commercial chimneys in Will
mington which will be affected by
the ordinance.
On the recommendation of H. r.
Emory, executive director Of the
Housing Authority of the City Of
Wilmington, the city commission
voted to revive the now-inoperative
city planning commission. Emory
stressed that the private building
boom now beginning in Wilmington
needed the cooperation and direction
of planning commission.
The matter of zoning restrictions
in the Greenfield Park area was
brought to the commission by
John Spill1nan, Of the Greenfield
Zoning committee, who asked that
the city commission instruct the
city attorney to draw necessary
ordinances to protect the beauti-
fled park area from unrestricted
development. The city attorney
was ordered to prepare an ordi-
nance for commission considera-
ton next week embodying these
two restrictions: Houses must be
built not less than Is feet from
side property lines; and construc-
ton costs must be above $4,000.
Possibility of the early creation
Of a municipal court where petty
traffic violators can submit to
specified fines for specific Of
fenses occurring within the city
was expressed by Alan Marshall.
assistant city attorney, who said
he was preparing necessary legisla-
ton for such tribunal. Marshall
revealed that he had been re-
quested to submit the draft by
Rep. Jask LeGrand, New Hanover
county assemblyman, for action
of the present session of the legis-
lature. Funds derived from the
collection of fines, Marshall told
the city commission, would divert
to the police pension fund. Similar
courts are in existence in Winston
Salem and Greensboro, Marshall