Portsmouth City Councilman Mike Mearan on Monday said he hopes the council passes an ordinance to vacate some streets so the city schools system can build an athletic complex near Waller Street.

City Council will give the ordinance a first reading at the July 9 meeting. It also could pass the ordinance then.

Mayor Jim Kalb said the schools system needs the ordinance passed so it can complete funding for the football and baseball stadiums, along with other athletic areas.

“There are no prospects to develop that property,” President Howard Baughman said at Monday's meeting. “But it does do something for the kids and city schools.”

He said the athletic complex would comprise a section of town that was once the city's prostitution area.

“We'll help in any way we can to make this happen as quickly as we can,” Baughman said.

He said the city and schools system still must negotiate who will be responsible for reconfiguring the infrastructure of the area.

The schools system decided to build the downtown complex after turning down an offer from the city to buy Spartan Stadium and Branch Rickey Park for $1.

In other business, City Council passed ordinances: