12-06-49SpMtg December 6th, 19~9.
A Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of Delray
Beach was held in the Co~u~cil Chambers at 7:30 p.m. with ~ayor
J.L.Saunders in the Chair, and City Attorney John i-~oore, City idan-
ager Charles E. Black, and the following Councilmen present: L.H.
Brarn~on, John N. Kabler, Neil E. i~aci~illan, and Ualter A. Roth~ a
quorum being present.
Proof of publicztion of Proclamation by the Mayor, calling a
General Election, to be held December 6th, 19~9, to elect three
Councilmen; and also to approve or reject a Civil Service Act, and
a Pension and Retirement Act for City Employees, was read and spread
upon the minutes as follows:
PROCLA~ITION BY Ti-~ ~:~YOR.
~?HEREAS, the Charter of the City of Delray Beach,
Florida~ provides for a General Election to be
held for the purpose of electing three City Council-
men in the odd numbered years ,and
!i~?IEREAS~ pursuant to the provisions of said Charter,
a General Election for the year 19~9 shall be held on
Tuesday December Sth, A.D.19~9, between the hours of
sunrise and sunset, and
t:E{ERE. AS~ the proposed Civil Service law for employees
of the City of Delray Beach, Florida, provides that
the approval or rejection thereof shall be submitted
to the qualified voters of the City of Delray Beach,
Florida~ at a General Election~ said Civil Service
law being an Act entitled "AN ACT CP~TING A CIVIL
SERVICE FOR T~ E~.~PL0~EES OF T~ CIT~ O~ DELSEY BEACH~
~AL}.[ BEACH COU~[~Z~ FLORIDA: CRE.2TING A CIVIL SERVICE
BOARD ~0R ~AID C±~Y~ D~ II, IhG ITS
AI,~ DUTIES: DESIGNATING T~ E~IPLOYEES %~{0 ARE UITHI~
T~ TE~ OF THIS ~CT: DEFI~Ii',[G CERTAIN TE~ 07 T~IS
ACT: PROVIDING FOR i REFEP~i'~D~.~I ~i,~ ~ TI~ %'~i~ THIS
ACT SibLLL T~ EFFECT~ Ai,~ OT~R I,~T~RS
TH~T0~" and
%~EREAS~ the Retirement Law for all employees of the
City of Delray Beach, Florida, provides that said law
shall become effective upon its ratification by a
majority of the electors residing in the City of Delray
Beach, Florida~ voting upon the question of the approval
or disapproval of the law at a Special or General Election
not later than December, 19~9, said law being an Act
entitled "AN ACT ~ROVIDIi~[G FOR T~ RETIREmeNT 0~~ ALL
Ei[PLOYEES OF Ti~ CITY 0F DELRAY BE~iCH~ PAL~I BEACH COUNTY~
FLORIDA; CREATING AND ESTf~LIS~.IING A PEI~SIO]~ ~%~ RELIEF
FU~ ~MD A BO~tD 07 TRUSTEES FOR T-~
T~H~REOF~ Pi~0VIDI~G h SOURCE O? P~VE~ ~ REVE~E FOR
T~ PAYmeNT 0F INSURAlqCE ~.~ A~UITY BEI~FiTS TO ALL
.~]~T~t,OYE~S OF ~ CITY OF DELR~Y BE~%CH; PROVIDI]~G FOR
THE o~L.~CTI01~ OF T_~ ~I~a~o. 0]? SUCH 'BOARD$' PROVIDING
FOR P0~.~RS A]~ DUTIES OF SAI.~$ A}~ PROVIDIIIG T]~ RULES
!2/6/~9 cont.
G0~ING T!B DISTRIBUTIOL~ OF SUC}! PUi,~ OR
FUlfDS AL~ DEFINING RHPLOYEES AUD 0Tier TiIINGS~
.H'~ PROVIDING P0R A ~FE~I,~."
}JOL'[} [~1- N1'~3pn~D~~. ~. ~z~ ~ I ~ J.L. S~U!'~ERS ~ as Mayor
of the City of Delray Beach~ ~'lorida~ do hereby
call for such General Election to~ be held on
Tuesday, Dec ember 6th~ A.D.!959~ between the
hours of s~r!se ~d s~se~, at the Community
Civic Center ~uilding~ 1~ o.E.$th Avenue~ in
the City of De!ray Beach~ Florida.
All quzlified electors of the City of
Delray Deach~ Plorida~ shall be qualified to
vote in said election for the p~poses above
stated.
Dated at Delray Beach~ Florida~ on this
the 22nd day of November~ A.D.1959.
J. L. SANDERS
Kayor
City of Delray Beach~ Florida.
Pub.Nov. 22,29 ~19~9.
An affidavit of the Clerk and Inspectors of the General
Election held on this day was also spread upon the minutes as
follows:
~:G~PiDAVIT 0F CLEF0( AND IUSPECT0iS
0F GE!'YSRAL ELECTION T0 BE
D~E!~ER 6th~ 19~9. :
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY 0P PAL}.! BEACIt
CITY OF DELRAY BEECH
Before me, an officer capable of administering oaths,
personally appeared B.F.Szundy, Clerk, and Miss Hiriam Brown~
Hrs. i'iamie Deaderick~ James Jol~nson, ~qrs. J.I.Hurst, and
L.F.Ranson, Inspectors, who after being duly sworn depose
and say, each for himself, that they will perform the duties
of Clerk and Inspectors at the General Election to be held in
and for the City of Delray Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida,
on the 6th day of December, 19~9~ and that said duties will be
performed according to law~ and ~at they will endeavor to
prevent fraud, deceit or abuse in conducting the same.
IN ~/fiTt,NESS '.fFE.~0F~ they have herunto prescribed their
respective names:
CLE~{ - B.F..Sundy .
INSPECTORS - Mamie M. Dearie. rick
Hiriam N. Brown
L.F.Ranson
12/6/49 cont.
James J~ Johnson
','_~i!e. na .E~. Hur s t
Sworn to and subscribed before me this the 6th day of
December~ A.D. ~ 19l~9.
Ruth R,~ ~mith
C'i6y '~l~rk.
Certification of the votes cast in this election, signed by
the Clerk and Inspectors of the Election Board, was then read,
as follows:
CERTIFICATION OF VOTES CAST AT
GENERAL ELECTION ~IELD DECE~fBER
6th; 19~9. .
Mayor and City Council
Delray Beach~
Florida.
We, the Clerk and Inspectors of today's General Election,
certify to the following results:
MACHI .NE... N.O, ~6351+ I~CHIifE NO. ~63~9 TOTAL
Robert Fleming 1~5 Absentee 178 ~
James W. Galloway 226 I 238 l~6~
R. J. Holland 330 ~ _385 719
W. A. Jacobs 280 319 599
John N. iLabler 360 .. i ~17 778
James R. Nieder 2~6 2 300 5~8
CIVIL SERVICE ACT
For 211 _ ~ 23?.. ,¥~'2
Against 180 203 383
PENSION AI~D RETIPdI~NT ACT
~or i26 3 i38 ,267 ....
Against 151+ 1 17~ _ 329
TOTAL VOTES CAST ..... 1302
12/6/49 cont.
CLERK: B, ~ , Su. ndy
l'.~iiriam N. Bro~
~.'filena E. H~st
James J. Jonson
L. F, Rahs on
A motion was made by Co~cilman Bra~on~ seconded by Co~cilman
1.~cMillan~ that fl~e three c~didates receiving the highest n~ber of
votes~ namely Jo~ N. Kabler~ R.J.Holland~ and W.A.Jacobs~ be certi-
fied as elected City Co~cilmen~ for a term of two years. Upon call
of roll the motion carried ~animously.
Upon motion of Co~cilman ~.'hcMillan~ seconded bM Comucilman
Bra~on, ~animously carried, the Pension and Retirement Act was
certified as having lost.
t~fith reference to. the Civil Service Act~ City Attorney Moore
stated that in his opinion this Act did not pass, as according to
the wording of the Act it required a majority of ~e people part-
icipating in the election to vote in favor of the Act.
Attorney Moore read from portions of the Civil Service Act
pertaining to its ratification by the voters, as follows:
Section 18. The approval or rejection of this Act shall
be submitted to the qualified voters of the City of Delray Beach
If at said election a majority of the quali-
fied voters voting therein shall approve this Act, the same shall be
of f~l force ~d effect in said M~icipality. In the event a majority
of the qualified voters voting in said election disapprove this Act~
~other election to approve or disapprove the same shall not be held
for a period of two years after ~e date of said election.
Co~cilman Bra~on stated that ~der the General Election law~
where a Bill similar to this is submitted for ratification, even
though it may be classified as ~biguous, a majority of votes for or
against the Bill is a deciding vote on that meas~e. Mr. Bra~on,
having prepared the Act~ further stated that it was his intention
that a majority vote on the Bill, either for or against, would prevail.
Comncilman Roth and Co~cilman Sanders both stated that when the
Comcil originally approved this Act, it was their ~derstanding that
if a majority of the people voting on it~ voted in favor of it~ the
Bill would be passed.
As the Comcil is allowed three days to certify the results of
an election, the City Attorney suggested that this portion be held
in abeyance at this time. He also stated that he felt if it were
taken to the Court for a declaratory judgment, the Court wo~d look
back to the intent of the Com~cil in submitting the Act originally.
12/6/49 cont.
Councilman Brannon moved that the Civil Service Act be
certified as passed and adopted by a majority of the voters ~o
voted on it~ as it was the Council's intention that the majority
of votes cast on the ~easure would prevail. There was no second
to the motion.
After further discussion~ a motion was made by Co~mciiman
Saunders~ seconded by Councilman Roth~ that the certification of
this issue be held in abeyance until a special meeting of the Council
is called~ within two days~ to allow the City Attorney time for further
consideration before giving his final opinion. Upon call of roll
the motion carried unanimously.
A communication from the Board of Electrical Examiners~ with
re~erence to the grading of examinations taken by applicants for
Contractors licenses~ was read as follows:
BOARD OF ELECTRICAL EXAMIneRS
City of Delray Beach
Delray Beach~ Fla.
December 6~ 1949.
The City Council
City of Delray Beach
Delray Beach~ Florida.
Gentlemen:
In accordance with your request th~ Board of Electrical
Examiners has studied Ordinance No. G-87 wita respect to two
~pplicants for electrical Contractor's Licenses~ who have failed
to pass the examination of this board. This board has been un-
able to assign a n~merical grade to experience or letters of
recommendation. For this reason the board is unable to arrive at
an average numerical grade for the applicants. We~ therefore~
are submitting only the actual grades made on the oral and written
examinations and the findings of the Boar~ on the experience and
letters of recon~endation. ~e make no f~ther recommendation with
respect to the applicants~ but pass the following information to
the Council whose perogative is the final granting or denial of
electrical contractors licenses.
Name of applicant - Lonnie ~. Cook
Grade obtained on oral examination - 8~
Grade obtained on written examination - 63
Letters of recommendation and experience record
indicate good ~maowledge~ and close contact with
electrical work several years. Off-hand contact
is indicated more recently. ~riters of letters of
recommendation indicate unstinted support of this
applicant.
Name of applicant - E. L. Davis
Grade obtained in oral examination - %2.~
Grade obtained in written examination -
Letters of recommendation and experience record
indicate limited knock,ledge and experience in all fields
12/~/~9 cont.
of electrical wiring. Writers of letters of recom-
mendation seemed reluctant to give much information.
Ail letters were very brief. Two letters used exactly
the same wording.
The Electrical Board is unanimous in its belief that
it will be impossible to do a conscientious and effective job
of ~ ' '
e~amznzno applicants under the ordinance as now ~,~itten. It
is difficult~ if not impossible to assign a numerical rating to
letters of reference and experience ratings. There is no com-
parison in the time and knowledge required to pass the written
and oral examinations. For this reason it is not right to assign
equal value to these parts of the e:~aminations. The board feels
that the present ordinance pertaining to the Board of Electrical
Examiners as amended by Ordinance No. G-S? is impractical smd
unworkable and should be restored to somewhat its provisions as
they existed prior to the passage of Ordinance I~[o. G-S7. It is
respectfully requested that due consideration be given to this
condition before this board is asked to e:~amine another appli-
cant for an electrical contractor's license.
Respectfully submitted
C.?f. Trieste, President,
Board of Electrical Examiners.
A motion was made by Cotmcilman Mac~.[illan that Lonnie ?f. Cook
be granted a license, as the average of his grades was 7~ and in
view of his qualifications and past experience. The motion v~as
seconded by Councilman Roth, and upon call of roll carried unanimously.
A motion was then made by Councilman MacMillan~ seconded by
Cotuacilman Kabler, unanimously carried, that license be denied
E.L.Davis~ as the average of his grades %~as only ~0[~ and also
for lack of further information.
Upon motion of Councilman Mact~illan, seconded by Councilman
Brannon: and unanimously carried~ the matter of revising the Elec-
trical Ordinance to meet the approval of the Electrical Inspector
and the Board of Examiners, was referred to the Electrical Inspec-
tor and the City Attorney~ their reco~uendations to be brought
back to the Council for final approval and action.
Upon motion of Councilman 1.[acl.~illan, seconded by Councilman
Brannon~ and ttnanimously carried, an application for the construction
of a second story on existing building o%-med by ~.M.~[c~nrrian, located
on Lots 1 and 2, Block 29~ of West Atlantic Avenue~ to be used as a
storage space~ %.~as apy~roved~ subject to compliance with all require-
ments of the Building Inspector as to reinforcement of ~e building.
City Manager Black presented two bids received for ~e construct-
ion of a rock sidewalk on West Atlantic ~kvenue~ from ~th Avenue to
12th Avenue as follows:
1. Jack E. Carver -
2. ~'~. J. Snow - ~6.00
12/6/49 cont.
Jack E. Carver
P.0.Box 1766
Delray Beach~ Florida
December 6,19~9.
City Council,
City of Delray Beach~
Delray Beach~ Florida.
Gentlemen:
Please consider this bid for the construction of
2320 feet of ~ foot side walk from 5th Avenue West to 12th
Avenue on Atlantic Avenue.
Walk is to be made of ~ inches of compressed shell
rock. My price for this work is ~792.80.
Yours very truly,
Jack E. Carver.
W. J. SNOW
Post Office Box 724
Delray Beach, Florida.
December 6, 19~9.
Mr. C.E.Black, City Mgr.
Delray Beach,.Florida.
Dear Sir:
Please be advised I will furnish all labor,
material and equipment to place shell rock sidewalk
five (~) feet wide on West Atlantic Avenue from N.W.
Fifth Avenue to N.W. twelfth, a distance of approximately
two thousand three hundred and twenty (2,320) lineal feet
for the susa of eight hundred and zmfty-o~x dollars (~6.00).
Respectfully submitted~
~,~. J. Snow.
Upon motion of Councilman Roth, seconded by Councilman
Brannon, unanimously carried, the low bid of Jack E. Carver,
in the amount of ~792.80 was accepted, work to start within the
next few days.
City Manager Black announced that the N.E.lst Street cross-
ing of the Florida East Coast railroad tracks had been completed
and the official opening would be the following morning, Dec-
ember 7th~ at 9 o'clock.
The City Manager advised the Council that the Florida
Power and Light Co. proposed to install seven additional street
lights on the north side of ~est Atlantic Avenue~ west of ~th
1216149 c ont.
Avenue~ at a cost of ~20.00 per light~ and that they proposed to
rent the seven poles to the City for ~ij2.00 each per year~ ~.zith no
installation charge.
A motion was made by Co,macilman Y~acMillan~ that the lights be
installed inm~ediatelY. Councilman Roth seconded the motion~ ¥;hich
was unanimously carried upon call of roll.
?[ith reference to markers showing the iDrockway line on the
Seacrest Hotel property~ the Council and City Attorney agreSd to
inspect this situation the following afternoon~ December 7th~ at
~:30 p.m.
City ~anager Black informed '~e Council that I[r. O. Helland
had made signs for each hole on the Golf Course, sho~.~ing the Number
of the hole, the yardage~ and Par, and suggested that the Council
give him a vote of thanks for his excellent work.
Upon motion of Cotuncilman Mac~'"i!!an~ seconded by Councilman
Roth~ unanimously carried~ the Clerk was instructed to write a
letter of appreciation to ~.[r. Hellm~d on behalf of the City Co%mcil.
City Manager Black then suggested that all vehicles set up in
the current budget~ and not yet purchased, be ptu-chased at this time
as they are badly needed. He stated -that the low bid on the Chevrolet
Pick-Up truck had been withdra~m, as delivery could not be promised
in the near future~ but that the bid on the 19~0 model Ford sedan
was still goody and by purchasing this vehicle one Pick-Up truck
could be released for other work. He asked if this bid could still
be used~ as the next lo%~z bid.
The City Attorney advised that as no time was stipulated for
the acceptance of a bid~ the next bid would now be low.
After consideration by the Council, a motion was made by Coau~-
~ that the bid of the
ci!man Roth~ seconded by Councilman .~ab!er:
Delray Beach Motors, Inc. ~ to furnish one Eordor Sedan for the sum
of ~i~! ~'~ ~28.00~ plus ?~71.00. additional for ~ cylinder motor, be accepted.
Upon call of roll the motion carried, Cotu~cilmen Brannon, Kabler, Roth
and Saunders voting in favor of the motion~ and Co'macilman i~ac~illan
voting against it.
Councilman Mac?~mllan explained his vote bM stating that he felt
a six cylinder motor would be adequate.
City Manager Black replied that he had found an 13 cylinder motor
to be more durable than a six cylinder motor.
The o~.~aer of Lot 17~ Block 70~ appeared before '~ne Council
complaining of the valuation of ~8~210.00 placed on this property
on the t9~9 Ta:.~ Roi1. He stated that the house ~,~as one of the oldest
in the City, and was in poor condition~ also that Mr.
member of the Tax Co~mmittee~ had rechecked the assessment and had
found an error had been made in figuring the cubic footage of the
building~ his revised figure being
Upon advice of the City .Attorney that a mathmatical error can
be corrected at any time, a motion ~as made by Councilman Brarn~on~
seconded by Councilman Roth, that the City Manager and City Clerk
be authorized to correct any errors in computation of cubic footage
on the Tax Roll. Upon call of roll the motion carried unanimously.
12/6/~9 cont.
Upon motion of Councilman MacMillan, seconded by Councilman
Brannon, unanimously carried, the City
~vianager was instructed to
~ ~ 4th ~venue~ which were damaged by ~he
have the driveways on o.~.
installation of storm drains on that street, repaired.
~.~. John Thieme~ representing '~e Beach Improvement Co~ittee
of ~he Chamber of Co~mmerce~ then addressed the Council~ outlining
the improvements they proposed to make On the beach by planting
shrubbery and grass~ and installing showers and a sprinkler system.
He asked if funds set aside as a disaster fund for storm damage
could be used for some of this work.
City ~'~Ianager Black advised Mr. Thieme and the Council that
600' of pipe, which had been salvaged from the replacement of water
lines, had been laid on the north end of the Beach~ and this line
would be extended as soon as more of this second-hand pipe was avail-
able, probably within a week, and that ~. Fred Beever was furnishing
shower heads. The only cost of the installation of showers, therefore,
would be for labor and a few fittings. He suggested that any planting
be deferred until at least April 1st.
Councilman Kabler felt that whatever was planted would possibly
be washed away next year, and he recommended that the sand shoulSers
be left as they have been pushed back, and if washed out they can be
again pushed back next year. He claimed that a ba~ of sand was the
best protection against the force of the waves~ and that bathers en-
joyed the sand bardcs more than they would dangerous shrubbery.
The Council discussed the project further, but no action was
taken at this meeting.
Mr. Thieme asked that holes in the pavement in front of his
property on West Atlantic 'Avenue, located on the west 1/2 of Lot l~,
Block 25, be filled by the City, as they had been caused by the lay-
ing of a watermain about two years ago. ·
Upon motion of Councilman MacMillan, seconded by Councilman
Roth, unanimously carried, the City Manager was instructed to have
this street repaired where it had been damaged by the City.
The meeting then adjourned.
Ruth R. Smith
City' Clerk.