Henry Daily Herald

HAMPTON — Though other governing bodies throughout the Southern Crescent have considered raising taxes, the City of Hampton promptly rejected the idea.

That is because the city council voted to maintain its current millage rate, at zero, according to Hampton City Manager Andy Pippin.

The millage rate declaration, approved in a 6-0 vote, was among the council’s discussions and actions during its regularly scheduled monthly meeting Tuesday.

• The six-member body also heard from citizens Hilda Henrique and Jorge Gonzalez, who proposed the council pursue investing in soccer goals for McBrayer Park, in Hampton.

The pair said many youngsters in their neighborhood use the city’s public recreation spaces to play and practice soccer. Gonzalez said children have been using trash cans as makeshift goals for playing in the city’s public greenspaces. He appealed to members of the council to provide the public with soccer goals at one of its downtown parks to better serve the youngsters who frequent the area.

City Councilwoman Mary Ann Mitcham said the city has been discussing getting soccer goals for the past two years. During Tuesday’s meeting, she voted with the council (6-0) to move forward with the investment, expected to be worth roughly $1,150.

• The municipal body discussed the use of its utility deposits, and whether to expand the period of time a customer can be refunded their deposit.

Currently, utility customers in good standing qualify to be refunded their deposits after a year’s time with fewer than two late payments.

Pippin said the discussion was aimed at addressing the issue of delinquent utility accounts. Pippin said the goal of the discussion was to find a way to recoup monies lost from utility bills left outstanding even after deposits have been refunded.

The council also unanimously passed the second reading of three ordinances.

Ordinance No. 370, represented an amendment to the city’s operating budget for Fiscal Year 2012. Ordinance No. 371, effectively amended to bring city code into compliance with a long-established date and time for municipal court sessions.

A subsequent decree, Ordinance No. 372, recognized the establishment of the Office of Prosecuting Attorney of the Hampton Municipal Court. The measures, according to city officials, were formality.