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01-20-60SpMtg JANUARY 21ST, 1960, A Special Meeting of the City Council was held.in the Co.uncil Chambers at ll:OO A. M., wi~hMayor Glen_n.B. Sundy xn the Chair, City M~.naser W. E, Lawson Jr., City Attorney Richard F. Z~mmemman and Com- missioners Col. Dugal G. Campbell, Charles H. Harbison, John A. Thayer and George V. Warren being present. Mayor Sundy called the meeting to or,er announcing that same had been scheduled for the purpose of discussing the City Manager's pgsi- rich, and for any other business which might come before the meeting. Co~issioner Thayer then stated that it is the feeling of t~e majority of the members of the City Council that we discharge W' ' llllam E. Lawson Jr. as City Manager effective immediately. I feel sure that he has had sufficient opportunity to resign as offered to him. Thi~ Council decided to give him that privilege in view of his long servlee to the City, but he has not made up his mind to do se. However, since he does not elect to resign, which is the will of the majority, im the best interest of the City and because I feel that in the operation of a million dollar a year business, he is not the man to direct it, I move that the services of Ni~. William E. Lawson Jr., as City Manager be terminated and that he be paid severance pay at his ~resent salary rate through April 1st, 1960. Motion seconded by Commissioner Warren. Commissioner Harbison, addressing the Chair, stated - I am at a loss to understand just why the situation has taken this turn. It It was my opinion that's majority of the Council were in favor of continuing withMr.o. Lawson and getting him ko possibly make some changes in the policy of administration a~d I believ~ he has made eVery reasonable effort to. try to accomplish that. It is ~ust little beyond my comprehension to see the full reason for dismissing him at this time. You will now understand myway of voting on the motion. M~. Lawson.stated - I ca~ understand ~he motion made by Mr. Thayer. There is ~ust one thing I would like ~o in~ect, and that is, I do not feel that I made an agreement at the informal meeting the other night. I do feel that ~ delibe~atly left the impression in or- der to give me time to talk wlt~mywlfe before ~ecidingwhat I was gging to do. I talk?d to her ~nd that is the reason I took the tlon I did Tuesday night. I didn't intend to go back on any agree~. ment or anything like that. It was only to give me a chance to dis- cuss the situation with her. Upon Call of Roll, as requested by the Chair, Commissioners Campbell, Thayer ?d.Warren, tggether.withMayor SUndy, voted in fa- vor thereof, Commissioner Harblson being opposed. Motion carried. Commissioner Campbell then read the following: "The Miami Herald of Jan, 20th reported that Police Chief Croft had called on the County Solicitor for help in rooting out possible bolita operation in. our city, He further said that if.there is any bolita, ~we'll.get it", and further, that "all I hear is rumors. ' That is really a remarkable statement to come from a police chief, who is supposed to know what is going on in his town. It is common knowledge that we have bolita in Delray Beach. Just what does M~.. Cnoft w~nt? Does he expect to have the job done for him? He ad- mits that his Department has bee~ trying.for $ years to pin something on.the man wh? Monday told the City Commission that he had been oper- ating ~bolita in I~lray for several years, both as an independent, running two games - the Saturday Night Special and the Sunday Special and with these, as part of a combine, operating the so-called "Cuba Gamett.~ JANUARY 21st, 1960. If Croft has tried for S years to pin something on this bolita operator, Mr. Cartwright, his trying must have had some foundation. t~y did he wait for $ ~ears to cry for help to the County Solicitor? Could it be this move is made now, only because the Commission had asked for action? -We have many fine men in the police department. Could it be they needed support in this situation that was not forth- coming? If undercover men were needed, why didn"t Croft bring them in? Does the answer actually lay outside the City? On wonders why it is so difficult to pin something on this man Cartwright' who c~rries enough cash in the trunk of his auto to per- mit him to pay a $$00o00 service billwit~out delay..Am an who car- riss boltta bags openly in the same trunk'of his auto, or didn't the Chief know about this? It m~y well be that bolita has gone underground - tempor~rily. But it is more important to determine why the ring has not actually been smashed, before now, than to catch a few runners. Will the fact that Chief Croft has now asked.for help be eval- uated at its true worth? One cannot help asking the question why is there now a need for face-saving. It may be too late for that. The Chief seems proud of the fact that in 1957 he issued an or- der that belita must. be stopped - 2~ years ago. Since .th~n he has given a verbal order, once a year. He stated'that it might be neces- sary t? make sg~e changes in his Department. Why blame subordinates for th~s situation?" Commissioner Warren then moved that under Section 28 of the City Charter an office of "Acting City Manag?" be created to exist until such time as a permanent City Manager x~ appointed, such of- lice to have the sam? powers as that of the C~ty Manager. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Campbell and unanimously approved. Commissioner Campbell then mo~ed.for the appointment of R. D. ~orthing as Acting City Manager. Not,on was seconded by Commissioner Thayer. C~ssioner Campbell, concerning the motion, asked .Mm. Worthing if he would accept such appointment, the latter replying "I sincerely.regret the circumstances under which this action arises, however, I w~ll accept the temporary appointment to said office sub- ject to such assignment not jeopardizing nor affecting in any manner my position as Tax Assessor for the City of Delray Beach. Commissioner Harbison stated- I think this is a hurried step and I believe is deserving of some consideration and would like to have a few hours to study. Upon Call of Roll - Commissioners Campbell, Thayer and l~arren, togs}her withNayor Sundy, voted in favor thereof, Commissioner Harb~son being opposed. Commissioner Warren then suggested that the Council Members, if agreeable with Mr. Worthing, make use of the CityManager's office a few hours each day' to aid and accomplish the desires of the Council which we believe to be right. City Attorney Zimmerman ~ead~ the following 'Excerpt' from Sec. 13 or Article III, of the City Charter: SEC_. 13. 0t'FICERS AND DEPARTMENTS ENUMEP~TED - POWERS OF COUNCIL - TO CREATE AND CHANGE. "The legislative, executive, administrative and judicial powers o~ the city not otb?wise ~rovided for shall be vested in and exer- cised by the followzng offxcers and departments: JANUARY 21st, 1960. /it i _~_syo.r-Councilman {ii i City Tax Assessor · A City Council A City Tax Collector A C.ity Manager A Police Department i!} I City Clerk 110/ A Fire Department A C~ty Attorney 11 A Department of Public A City Treasurer ~orks (12) A Municipal Court. Two or more offices or departments may be held By or headed By the same individual, except that councilmen, the city judge and the city attorney may not hold any other city office," MEETING ADJOURNED on motion of Commissioner Thayer seconded by Commissioner Warren. ,~ R. D.~ WORTHING APPROVED: city C'i~rk JANUARY 21st, 1960.