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HomeMy Public PortalAbout1953-12-21 Meetingadjourned. Ma or Attest:; Clerk December 21, 1953' The Council of Bal Harbour Village met at the Administration Building, Monday, December 21, 1953, at §;00 o'clock P. M. There were present: Dr. Leonard and Messrs. Beatty, Collins and Stokely. Absent: Mr. Harry, Brown Also present were.W. H. Webb, Village Manager; Mary Wetterer, Village Clerk ;.and Fred Baisden,.Village Attorney. The minutes of the meeting of November 16, 1953 were approved as,read. The minutes of the meeting of December 70 1953 were submitted and after, correction were approved on motion of Mr. Beatty, seconded by Mr. Stokely. Also presented were the minutes of December 8, 1953 and approved as read. Mr. Walter Ziegler app ared before the Council and said he wished to make a formal complaint against I%% Webb as Village Manager for the manner in which he was treated when he asked to.have two trees Abved in"front of the Landis residence. ".He stated that Mr. 'ebb had been most discourteous to him at the time and then moved the trees, but refused to place them where he asked them to be put. Mr. Webb explained that all trees in the parkways in Bal Harbour were placed according.to "a landscape plan and that if Mr. Ziegler. would notice the houses in that locality he would see that all the treea'were placed similar to those in question. It was moved by Mr. Stokely that the Council accept Mr. Ziegler's com- plaint and that Council would visit the scene of the tree moving and take fur - ther action after viewing same. The motion was setonded by Mr. Collins and unan- imously voted. j It was moved by Mr. Beatty, seconded,by Mr. Stokely that after approved } the minutes of this meeting, from this point one be mailed to all registered voters of Bal Harbour and unanimously voted. DECEMBER 21 1953 The purchase of the Village municipal site was brought before the Council and Mr. Webb restated Mr. Graham's offer of $35,000.00 for 100 feet on 96th Street and 150 feet on Bal Bay Drive. Mr. Collins asked Mr. Stokely if he had seen Mr. Graham abot4t get- ting a lower price. Mr. Stokely said he didn't believe that a lower price could be ob- tained. Dr. Leonard and Mr. Beatty both agreed that they felt this:w"_ the lowest price we were going to get. Mr. Stokely said that the Council had three alternatives. One to take the offer; Second to just wait and see what would happen; and Third, to start condemnation proceedings. Mr. Webb said that Mr. Graham had mentioned that if.they let.the offer expire that`he would 'appoint an appraiser and the Village could do likewise and then a'figure could be agreed on. Mr. Stokely said he thought the price too high,. but didn't see how it could be gotten for less. Mr. Beatty suggested that perhaps,the.Village could :obtain a lot in between buildings after the business section was started. Dr. Leonard said this had been mentioned before, but it was not a workable plan due to so many tradespeople, etc. needing access to the Village -Hall. Mr. Beatty said that he thinks the price is too high and that Mr. Graham-will have to provide a place for us. He said he would still 11ke,to'have a Town Meeting. This was discussed and it was decided this would not bp pos- sible due to the time element involved. Dr. Leonard said Mr. Harry Brown had suggested in a letter that being unable to attend some of the meetigs perhaps the Council would like to appoint someone to fill his place. No act on was taken on this. Mr. Stokely said that there wasn't much the Council could do but ex- press'their displeasnre and buy it. It was.moved by Mr. Stokely that Dr. Leonard appoint a Committee to see Mr. Graham and ask for an extension on the purchase date and discuss a lower price,; and failing a decision, that a Town Meeting be held on .thirty days notice so that the voters and taxpayers could be made aware of the price to be ':paid for the Town.Hall Site. The motion was seconded by Mr. Beatty and carried. Mr. Beatty said he wished to point out that if we picked out some land and started condemnation proceedings that the shopping center could not he built until it was all settled, and that Council had a powerful weapon in this and shouldn't forget it. De. Leonard asked if Mr. Beatty and Mr. Stokely would serve as the Committee to see Mr. Graham. Mr. Beatty said he was sorry, but that he was too busy. Mr. Stokely said he would not-be available until the weekend. After dis- cussion it was agreed that Mr. Stokely and Dr. Leonard and Mr. Collins would act DECEMBER. 21. :1953 t as the Committee to see Mr. Graham about an extension and a lower price. Mr: Stokely said that before the Council proceeded to new business he would like to go on record as being very distressed to learn of the action of the Council at last Tuesday night's meeting. That the Council had discussed matters and acted on what had been discussed at meetings on December ,3rd and a Special Meeting on December 7th and another Special Meeting called "on Dec - ember 8th. That for the December 8th meeting he had been called at 4:'45 for a 10:Q0 P. M. meeting. He said he felt that on matters of public importance that the Mayor had a definite responsibility to see that as. many members are " present as can be. He felt that the action of the Mayor.in calling the meeting - when one member was away and one couldn't attend and the Mayor and Mr. Collins' " voting on it was acting in a very irresponsible manner. Dr. Leonard as Mayor said he was called from Mr. Beatty's office in Ft. Lauderdale and from the conversation he,had with Mr. Beatty "he:was of the opinion that Mr. Beatty would be glad to attend a meeting at?any time. He.said he was sorry that evidently there was a misunderstanding regarding the meeting. Mr. Webb said that an explanation of.the pension insurance-plan had been prepared for the Council but that the 'man was ill who would explain it. He gave the members an explanation sheet for study before the next m*ting. Mr. Webb said he had been contacted by the National Airline Helicopter Service asking for landing space in Bal Harbour. He said he had advised them to make the request in writing.` j The clerk said the Dade County League of Municipalities bad requested iJ a resolution covering Bal Harbour Village joining the organization. Thereupon Resolution No. 22 was read by the clerk and on motion of Mr. Stokely, seconded by Mr. Beatty, -the resolution was tuanimously voted. Dr. Leonard said the next order of business was thg acceptance of the audit for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1953. Mr. John Canfield asked if he eould'ask some questions regarding the audit. He said there was.a difference in some of the summary figures in the total receipts and disbursements.` Mr. Webb explained 41 was'.dve to discounts and abatements. He suggested that Mr: Canfield stop in the.office at his eon- venience and talk over his suggestion of adding a footnote to the audit figures for future years. After consideration on motion of Mr. Beatty, seconded by Mr. Collins the audit was unanimously accepted. Mr. Baisden "said before the meeting adjourned he had a letter he would like to present to Council. The Mayor then read a letter from Mr. "Baisden sub- mitting his resignation from the position of Village Attorney and Judge due to the press of other matters. After discussion on motion of Mr..Stokely, second- ed by Mr. Beatty it was unanimously voted that Mr.�Baisden's resignation be accepted subject to such time as we can employ anbther attorney. Mr. Stokely said that he. thought that Mr. Webb should separate from the Club entirely and that the Village should meet his combined salary'. Mr. Webb said that some time ago he had sent a letter to the Club asking that he be relieved of his duties, but the Board hadn't seen fit to act on it. It DECEMBER 21. 1953 was suggested by Mr. Beatty that Council get together after the first of the year and work out the problem. There being no further business before the meeting on motion duly made, seconded and carried the meeting was adjourned.. 0 Attest: Clerk December. 31, 1953 The Council of Bal Harbour Village met at the Village Hall, Monday, December 31, 1953 at 9:00 o'clock A. M. for a Special Meeting. There were present. Messrs. Collins and Stokely and pr.- Leonard Absent: Messrs. Beatty and Brown. Also present were 14. H. Webb, Village Manager; Mary Wetterer, Village Clerk; and Thomas H. Anderson. On motion of Mr. Stokely, seconded'by Mr. Collins the reading of the minutes of December 21, 1953 was postponed until the regular meeting.. Mr. Webb informed the Council that Mr. Thomas H. Anderson had consent- ed to act as Village Attorney,and he was thereupon sworn in as Village Attorney by the Village Clerk. Mr. Webb said he would then like to recommend that Mr. Tom J. Lummus be appointed as Village Judge which appointment was approved by the Council. Dr. Leonard asked Mr. Anderson if he had studied the agreement between Robert C. Graham and Sons and Bal Harbour Village regarding the Village Hall Site purchase. Mr. Anderson replied that he had 19oked it over and that it was somewhat of an.irregular deal, but he was sure the agreementsas valid. He pointed out that under Section 4 of our Charter any purchases made payable over a period of more than one year had to be ratified by the freeholders at an election. It was then decided by the Council that a date.for this election would be set at the next meeting. After further discussion it was moved by Mr. Stokely and seconded by Mr. Collins that the agreement between Robert C. Graham and Sons and Bal Harbour Village to purchase 100 feet of land on 96th Street DECEMBER 31. 1953 t ;