Priorities In Newport News

Following are two articles/letters. The first it where the Daily Press stands on the Deep Creek Pier. The second is a rebuttal from a citizen.

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Source: dailypress.com

November 20, 2007

Where the Daily Press stands

Priorities

Newport News should focus on essentials, not the Deep Creek pier

With all the needs facing Newport News taxpayers, now and in the foreseeable future, there’s one that doesn’t seem to rise high on the priority list: rebuilding the pier at the end of Deep Creek Road. Or at least not high enough to claim scarce dollars when the city is facing much more significant needs, among them homeowners who want any relief they can get from the tax man.

The pier’s history is complicated. Back in the 1930s, Warwick County, now part of Newport News, agreed to build a public pier in exchange for some land that gives access to the waterfront at the end of Deep Creek Road. For decades, that deal worked out well. Watermen got a place they could dock and work on their boats, at no charge. People, primarily those living nearby, got a lovely place to commune with the James River.

But the pier has deteriorated. Now it’s unsafe, and the city has started dismantling it.

That has sparked some outrage — from watermen and those who support them, from some area residents, from members of the family that originally made the deal with Warwick County.

But there is a large group that isn’t being heard from. It’s all the taxpayers who would have to pay for a new pier, a cost that would approach $700,000 to $1 million to do it right (which means with the parking and restrooms a public amenity requires). It’s all the people who realize that doesn’t make sense when there’s another, better-equipped city-owned pier across the creek.

It’s all the citizens who question the cost-benefit ratio of a costly new pier that would primarily benefit a handful of watermen and a limited neighborhood, for relatively few others trek all the way down Deep CreekRoad to enjoy it. It’s all the citizens who question whether they should have to provide free dockage for boat owners.

And the biggest group not being heard from: all the citizens who look at the price tag for a pier done right and would rather put that money into something that’s more pressing or would reach more citizens — like the new fire station and recreation center that are needed. And while a new pier would be a capital expense, spread over so many years it would have an imperceptible effect on tax rates in any given year, the city would be hard pressed to convince taxpayers who are feeling beleaguered that it needs every dollar it’s collecting if it were spending some of them on something so obviously unnecessary.

“Keep the promise” is the cry of some who want the Deep Creek pier rebuilt, referring to the promise the county of Warwick made and the city of Newport News inherited to maintain a pier in exchange for the gift of land (the specifics aren’t entirely clear, in the absence of documentation). But sometimes promises, whether made by people or cities, can’t bind forever.

Things change. The people who gathered in Bonniebelle Melzer’s kitchen seven decades ago probably couldn’t foresee the conditions that prevail today: that only a few watermen now use the pier regularly. That the bustling oyster-harvesting industry is largely gone, along with the oyster population in the Chesapeake Bay. That the city has grown and sprawled out, and most of its residents live far from Deep Creek.

Do the citizens of Newport News really want their city bound to a 70-year-old deal that will cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars, when there is a more cost-effective alternative: move operations to the Menchville side of the creek, and see what can be done to address boat owners’ concerns that the Menchville side is less protected in storms? It makes more sense to invest in this facility, because it already has the necessities (parking and bathrooms).

As for keeping the spirit of “the promise,” Newport News has done more than many localities to support the seafood industry. It operates the Small Boat Harbor and developed the Seafood Industrial Park there to provide the facilities commercial fishermen and processors need. And it’s improving the Menchville facility.

As for local residents’ desire for a pier where they can enjoy sunsets and time with their kids, there are a couple of possibilities worth discussing. The city could build a scaled-down pedestrian pier. Or the neighbors could get together to see if they could build a neighborhood pier on their own, if they could work out the access and ownership issues. This area is dotted with private piers.

But what doesn’t make sense is for the city to spend a lot of taxpayers’ money on something that is not essential, not a priority, and not going to benefit more than a few of those who will have to furnish those tax dollars.

The Rebuttal

NN Priorities

Source: dailypress.com

November 30, 2007

Your editorial “Priorities,” Nov. 20, was interesting. Unfortunately, you failed to discuss and reveal other priorities of Newport News City Council. Instead, you chose to attack the Deep Creek pier.

Where is your outrage at the $275,000 paid for a few steel beams that attempt (miserably) to glorify the airport? Why do you not mention the spending plans for “cultural” facilities during the next five years –– $2,500,000 for the USS Monitor Center, $900,000 to the Peninsula Fine Arts Center, $200,000 to the American Theatre in Hampton, which are not “priorities” for most Newport News residents who worry how they will pay next month’s rent or mortgage.

How about questioning the $5,570,000 planned for “golf course renovation”? Is this a priority so that unemployed residents can distract themselves? Finally, why not question the “priority” of giving $22,500,000 to wealthy developers, businessmen and lawyers under the guise of “economic development projects” over the next five years? All of the above are paid by our tax dollars.

Rather than explore these “giveaways,” you prefer to attack watermen, a group of hardworking people who have little political or economic power. Your “priorities” need another look.

John J. Procyson

Newport News

Award Winning Plan for Deep Creek/Menchville

(click on title to see plats) The following article was contributed by Carol Hogge. I’m sure the City was proud of this plan, and with good reason. It was an award winning effort and stood to benefit the entire Chesapeake region, not just Deep Creek and Menchville. For the Deep Creek side the plan included: Seafood Harvest, Support Facilities, Parking, Boat Mooring and Marine Service. The watermen’s needs were taken into consideration in this plan. You can tell by the talent and effort brought to this plan that the Deep Creek/Menchville area was viewed as a valuable asset to the City. The text has been transcribed below for convenient reading.
Source: Metro Magazine
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The Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association has selected Newport News “Deep Creek/Menchville Plan” for recognition as part of its 1990 Planning Awards Program. The plan, prepared by staff of the Department of Planning and Development, is the culmination of months of research and labor.

After meeting with the approval of the City Planning Commission, it was forwarded to the City Council which, at a recent meeting, also approved it unanimously. Most importantly, the plan has been met with overwhelming support from citizens and residents of the Deep Creek/Menchville area. Major Components of the plan call for:

• Creation of a major community park overlooking the James River.
• Development of a center for seafood activities on Deep Creek Harbor
• Preservation of the historic character of the area
• Protection of the natural environment
• Development of a re-usable site for disposal of dredge spoil from the harbor entrance and channel.
• Reclaiming of sanitary landfill property for active and passive recreational use

The “Meritorious Award” for demonstration of excellence in the application of professional planning methods recognizes both the designs of the plan and the fact that the implementation will positively impact the entire Chesapeake Bay region.

Presentation of the award will take place at the VAPA Spring Conference, in the Omni Hotel Waterside, on May 14, 1990. Director Paul Miler will accept the award on behalf of the Department.

Deep Creek 1905

[click on post title to view photo] The following five photographs, offered by the one who posts as “Harris Store,” are something quite special, but this one is perhaps the crown jewel. Harris Store writes, “I believe it to be the oldest of Deep Creek in existence. It was taken in 1905, looking toward the river. Menchville can be seen to the right. The boats are log canoes, distant fore-runners of the Chesapeake Bay Deadrise.”

I don’t know about you, but the more I learn about the rich history of Deep Creek, and the determination of its people, the deeper appreciation I have for what we were fortunate enough to call home. We can not let this pier pass in the night like Harris’ Store did. Haven’t we learned that if we do not fight the fight that is given to us today, there will be nothing left for our children to fight for?

Deep Creek 1905

View of Lozar’s Store

[click on post title to view photo]

This photograph, taken in the 1950s, was taken from Menchville looking across Deep Creek. Frank Lozar’s store can be seen on the opposite shoreline.

View of Deep Creek from the Menchville side.

[click on post title to view photo]

Menchville looking easterly across Deep Creek. The channel marker shown has been removed.

Dredging in Deep Creek

Source: Daily Press 12/20/90

Caption was:

An employee of the Norfolk Dredging Company takes a sounding in front of Herman’s Harbor House Restaurant at Deep Creek in Newport News to measure water depth where maintenance dredging is being done.

Harris Store

[click on post title to view photo]

The following is an offering from the one who posts as “Harris Store” on the forum.

“This is Linda Harris at the lunch counter of Harris Store. At extreme left is the wooden refrigerator. This contained deli meats that were sliced on the chopping block under Linda’s meat cleaver. To the right is a roll of butcher’s paper.

As we remember, the floor of Harris Store was somewhat out of level. Notice the wooden blocks under the chopping table.”

NN surplus: Spend or save?

Source: dailypress.com

Newport News will draw up plans for the new pedestrian pier and hold public meetings about the design of it, officials said.

By SABINE HIRSCHAUER 247-4536

November 28, 2007

NEWPORT NEWS – — A new Deep Creek pier — or at least a shorter, pedestrian version of it — may become a reality next year, courtesy of the city’s $15.9 million extra cash.

During a work session Tuesday, most City Council members informally agreed to have the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department draw up plans and schedule neighborhood meetings next year for a 150-foot pedestrian pier that would replace the already partially demolished, more than 60 year-old pier on the end of Deep Creek Road.

“Doing a pedestrian pier would keep the faith with the community,” said Mayor Joe S. Frank, who initiated the discussion during the work session to use the city’s surplus for rebuilding the controversial pier. “I think this is a compromise that makes sense.”

Considering other priorities on the city’s shortlist, this would still leave about $8 million in surplus money, which council could return to the taxpayers in the form of a real estate tax cut rate next year. The $8 million in remaining extra cash would equal to an about 6-cent tax cut, said City Manager Randy Hildebrandt.

From the surplus so far, the city earlier set aside $1.2 million for the renovation of the Rouse Tower, the building that houses the city’s Human Services Department, and $3.5 million to come in compliance with a federal order that recently forced cities and counties in Hampton Roads to study the integrity of their sewer systems.

“This is not something we had planned,” said Frank about the recent order from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “But it is what it is.”

The new Deep Creek pedestrian pier would cost about $230,000, officials said.

Other priorities paid by surplus money include $600,000 for a temporary fire station in Denbigh at the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport and $500,000 for renovating City Hall and the second floor of the former Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board building. The temporary fire station in Denbigh would improve fire and ambulance service in that area and give Newport News some financial breathing room — about 10 years — to find money for a permanent station.

The renovation of the old community services board building, which needs a new roof and elevators, will soon be occupied by about 70 people from the sheriff’s administration personnel. It will also allow for about 40 inmates to move into dormitories on the jail’s second floor and somewhat reduce the overcrowding in the city’s jail.

Another $400,000 will get used for parks and recreation projects such as replacing the 30 year old wooden outdoor stage at Newport News Park and the aging docks at the Denbigh Park boat ramp and stabilizing the eroded lake shoreline at Newport News Park. About $250,000 of surplus money should add more parking to downtown once the new federal courthouse opens in the spring.

Hildebrandt also asked for $550,000 as an annual fund to support an array of special city events such as the Denbigh or Southeast Community days or the Port Warwick Arts and Sculpture Festival. Councilwoman Madeline McMillan criticized the fund for not equally spreading city dollars.

“The majority of the money is going to events that are being held at City Center,” McMillan said. “To me this is not balanced.”

Council is finally scheduled to vote on what to do with the surplus money during its next meeting Dec.11.

From The Forum

The following is an offering from Deep Creek Pier and Civil War ~ Carrolton, VA

During the siege of Yorktown, Deep Creek was heavily fortified. This is because the creek was at the end of the first Confederate defensive line for Richmond. The Union advance was bogged down as both sides sought advantage. Toward this end, both the Union and Confederates used helium balloons for troop observation and map making.

We are aware that the Confederate tug/escort/gunship Teaser was dispatched up the James River to act as a platform for balloon flights over the mouth of the Warwick River, Deep Creek, and Mulberry Island.

This was the world’s first aircraft carrier, and it happened right here.

And there’s reason to believe the Confederate balloon was landed at Deep Creek from the Teaser. Exactly where is unknown, but there’s a good chance it could have been the first Deep Creek Pier.

The upshot of this is there may be much more than oysters under the Deep Creek Pier.

Bernard Rowe and Sallie Bet Rowe

[click on post title to view photo]

I received the following poem from a friend and it seemed appropriate to publish it along with these wonderful photos from Carol Hogge. Mrs. Sallie Bet Rowe (pictured above on right) wrote it about Harris’ Store sometime in the 1950s. Her husband, Mr. Bernard Rowe, is pictured on the left. (I’m not sure how to spell Miss Sallie Bet’s name. I noticed that it’s spelled Sally under the photo but Sallie on the poem)

Country Store

There is a place I love to go,
And sit there by the hour.
To talk about the spinach crop,
And buy a bag of flour.
It is the country store you know,
Where all the men do go.
It’s where the longest fish are caught,
And the largest tatters grow.

There is a place I love to go,
And lean against the rail.
To talk about the greatest hound,
That scents the hardest trail.
It is the country store, you know,
Where all the men do go,
It’s where the largest coons are skinned,
And the most famous rabbits grow.

There is a place I love to go,
And shoot a lot of bull,
It’s where the wife don’t have the say,
And the man’s got all the pull.
It is the country store you know,
Where all the men do go.
It’s where the air gets awful stale,
And the room gets awful full.

Written by childhood friend and neighbor,
Sallie B. Rowe, in the 1950’s about Harris’ store.