 | Board of Visitors minutes November 4, 1938 |  |
A special meeting of the Board of Visitors was held on this date at 10 o'clock
to consider the question of the inclusion of the University grounds in the corporate limits
of the City of Charlottesville, and such other matters as may be presented.
There were present, the Rector, Fred. W. Scott, Visitors Corbitt, Garnett, Hall
Lewis C. Williams and R. Gray Williams, and President Newcomb.
The President reported that he had signed contracts for construction of the
Neuro-Psychiatric Addition to the Hospital, whereupon the following resolution was
adopted:
RESOLVED, by the Board of Visitors of The Rector and Visitors of the
University of Virginia that the sigining of the contracts of behalf of this
Board with John C. Senter, The Williams Company, and The salem Foundry and
Machinery Works, on PWA Project Va. 1101-F by J. L. Newcomb, President, be
and the same is hereby ratified and confirmed in all respects.
The President reported to the Board that he has just learned that the Special
Court now sitting in the matter of the proposed annexation of additional territory to
the City of Charlottesville has of its own motion decided to consider the advisibility
of embracing within the corporate limits of the City of Charlottesville the grounds
and buildings of the University of Virginia.
The Petition of the City of Charlottesville on the subject of annexation of
territory does not include a request that the University's property be included within
the boundaries of the City. In the previous annexation proceeding whereby the City
extended its corporate limits in 1916, a similar proposal was made and on June 15, 1914,
the following resolution was adopted by this Board:
RESOLVED; That this Board has learned with great regret and disapprobation
that the City of Charlottesville has instituted legal proceedings
to enlarge the boundaries of the said city so as to include within its corporate
limits, the grounds and buildings of the University of Virginia; and that
this Board regards with grave apprehension, and as seriously jeopardizing the
welfare and best interests of this institution, the consummation of this proposed
scheme.
RESOLVED: That the Executive Committee of this Board, be and they are
auhorized to retain the services of a competent attorney to be associated with
the Hon. John B. Moon, attorney for the Board, to resist in court the efforts of
the said City of Charlottesville to take the grounds and buildings of the university
of Virginia into the corporation limits of said city, said assistant attorney to
be employed at a compensation not to exceed $500.
The order of annexation entered at that time expressly excluded the grounds
and buildings of the University of Virginia from the territory then annexed, and these
grounds and buildings have always been within the political jurisdiction of the County
of Albemarle and not within the political jurisdiction of the City of Charlottesville.
A full discussion of the whole situation was had by the Board and the
following resolution was adopted:
RESOLVED that this Board regards with grave apprehension and as
seriously jeopardizing the welfare and best interests of this Institution the
proposal that its grounds and buildings be included within the corporate limits
of the City of Charlottesville and within the political jurisdiction of said
City; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Rector and President, for the Board, with the
Attorney for the University, be and they are hereby requested to report
the situation at once to the Attorney General, requesting him to proceed at once to
present the University's protest to the Court and do all things that may be
necessary to prevent the inclusion of the grounds and buildings of the University
of Virginia within the corporate limits of the City of Charlottesville.
Mr. Gray Williams brought up the question of making needed repairs to the Miller
property, located at Elkton, Va., and stated that Mr. Bowen, the life tenant of the property,
was willing to have the necessary lumber cut and sawed from timber on the property, and
make the needed repairs if the University would agree to permitting the timber to be cut.
After some discussion, a special committee was appointed, with power to act, composed of
the President and R. Gray Williams, to either grant permission to cutting of the timber, or
to purchasing the necessary lumber to make the needed repairs.
The following resolution was adopted:
RESOLVED by the Board of Visitors of The Rector and Visitors of the
University of Virginia that the Rector and President be and they are hereby
authorized and empowered to employ special counsel in the annexation proceedings
now pending before a Court in Charlottesville if, after conferring with the
Attorney General they deem the employment of special counsel to be necessary
in order to protect the best interest of the University.
Upon motion the meeting then adjourned.
RECTOR.
SECRETARY.
| Board of Visitors minutes November 4, 1938 | |