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08-25-48SpMtg AUGUST 25TH, 1948 A Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of Delray Beach was held in the Council Chambers at 3 P. N. to consider requests received from local organiz- ations for financial assistance, before the adoption of the City's operating budget for the next fiscal year, with Mayor L. H. Brannon in the Chair, and City Manager Charles E. Balck, and the following Councilmen present: N. ~{. DeWitt, John N. Kabler, Nell E. MacMillan, and C. J. White, a quorum being present. Mr. John K. NacNab, President, and Mr. Herbert L. Hively, Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce were present, and explained to the Council that their request for a contriSdtion from the City of $ 5,774.00 was in addition to their request for a one mill tax levy. They also stated that the beautification and restoration of the Beach was their ~o.1. project, as they realize the importance of the qeach to every businessman in the City, and that they expected to furnish ~ 20,000.00 for this progress through the drive they are now conducting. They stressed their efforts in improving summer business, and their cooperation with the American Legion Convention to be held in Miami in October, stating that they were contrbuting $ 1,OO0.O0 toward establishing this information Booth, which the City might other- wise have been asked to donate. City ~anager Black reminded the Council that the good will from satisfied employees should be considered, also stating that the normal operation of the City should be provided for, before large amounts were donated for publicity. He rec- ommended salary increases for City employees of at least lO~. Councilman MacMillan sug:Tested that the millage rate be determined, and then the budget figures and donations to be allowed, be adjusted to that figure. Counc~]man White urged that the Beach restoration work be completed, feeling that the Beach is the City's best investme~nt. ~(r. Edward R. Pendergraft, President of the Junior Chamber of Comrme. rce, stated that his organization would be grateful for whatever the City could give them, and they wauld do the best they c~uld with it. Mr. Raleigh Fountain, President of the Commmnity Recreation Association, offered to cut their budget estimate from $ 5,500.00 to ~ 4,800.00 if their secretarial work could be handled by the Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, or of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. He also stated that their Director of Recreation could draw up activity schedules for the colored recreation group, and bring their budget down from $ 3,300.00 to $ 2,400.00. Mr. John A. Thayer, President of the Board of Directors of the Delray Beach Public Library Association, presented the following annual report of this organi- zation, and a request for financial assistance for the coming year, wh~.ch was read a s follows: "August 25, 1948 Honorable Mayor and City Council, City of Delray Beach, Florida Gentlemen: - As the end of the fiscal year approaches, the Directors of the Library AUGUST 25TH, 1948 ~sociation take pleasure in reporting that the operation of the Library during the past year has been within the budget allowance set at the beginning of the year. This is in spite of the fact that the activities of the Library have increased- and, with these activities- its needs have also increased. The end of th.is month will show a total circulation for the period be- ginning December 1st 1947 and ending August ~31st 1948 of 17,305. This is a gain of 781 over the same period the preceeding year. During the Summer, 79 different children have attended the story ho'~,rs for children of which there have been 9. These hours have been most popular with the youngsters with an average of 40 children attendLng. Other activities during the past nine months have been: a Grade School reading Club: loans of pictures and books to other organizations; a School free card for co-operation with teachers, and a Calendar of Events for all organizations and churches. Despite very successful operation of the Library by Niss Norris and her assista~ts, 'the Library has been in a somewhat precarious state during the oast year - and is now facing a serious problem. The Woman's Club, our generous land- lord, logically wishes to sell its building and erect a new club house. This means that the Library must move - and probably very soon. Throught the far-sighted generosity of the City Council the Library has acquired an ideal site for a new building on a long term lease. The Board has conferred with several architects and has selected a plan for a new Library building which will adequately serve the needs of the reading public - not only for the Present - but for the Delray Beach of the. future. It will be a beautiful and useful building and a great credit to this community. An elevation showing the general appearance of this new building will soon appear in the local news- paper. To build and equip this new Library will cost approximately ~ 55,000. The Library has but small funds to launch such a project. Two recent contributions have produced $ 1100. This added to ~155.50 previously in the Fund, plus $7000 in War Bonds, none of which reach maturity till 1956, is all the Library has available for a new building. It is the hope of the Board that the main section of the Library may be erected by late Fall. In considering what it is willing to do for the Library during the coming years the Board hopes that the City Com~cil ~'~!! take .~nto due consideration the following: that the Library is now past the stage where it can be operated or expanded on the public subscription basis. It is tr~ly a public institution in every sense. It is an institution which belongs to the people and is necess- ary to the~. We could not operate without City support- and certainly we can't progress without general public support. To depend upor~ seasonal "drives" is speculative and entirely un-satisfactory. We believe that a modern, beautiful and useful Library is a necessity to the community and will be a great credit to it. We earnestly and respedtfully request that the City Council give due consideration to placing the De]ray Beach Public Library on a millage basis. It seems to us a logical step in the progress of the City. One mill would not only provide adequate operating f,ands for the Library but would also provide funds for e~.cting the new building. Further, were the Library on a City millage basis, we feel that financing could be arranged to complete the new Library at an early date. AUGUS T, 2-~5 TH, 1948 The Board is extremely grateful for the loyal support of the City in the past and offers the plea that it assist it in the futmre in order that this community may have a Public Library at the earliest possible date which will fill the needs of the community. Very respectfully yours The Board of Directors The Delray Beach Public Library Association By: (Signed) John A. Thayer, President BUDGET 1948 DELRAY BEACH P!~LIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Estimated Receipts l~embership $ 2636.00 City 3000.O0 Niscellaneous 600. OO Total ..... 6{~6. O0 Disbursements Salaries ~ 3600. OO Janitre ss 200. OO Books 1200. OO Newspapers, Nagazines 200.00 Postage 70.00 Stationery & Supplies 200.00 Furniture & Fixtures 150.00 Re pairs 200. OO Lighting 100. OO Te le ph one 80. O0 NAs cellaneous 100. OO Social Security 36.00 Total ~ 623~. OO" ~r Thayer then addressed the Council, stating that the?- were not asking the City for help in their operating budget, but for a one mill tax levy to assist in the building of a new Library bui!dirJg. He explained that the plans as approved by the Board of Directors were for a buildirg to cost approximately ~ 55,000.00, and only ~ 6,000.00 was available at the ~resent time. He asked for this tax levy to enable them to obtain a long term financing arrangement, and complete the building at an early date. It was explained to Nr. Thayer thet the Council ~ould not levy one ntill without approval of the freeholders at a special election. AUGUST 2~, 1948 ~r. Thayer believed that if the Co~ucil would contribute the equivalent of a one mill levy they would be able to start the constructioe of a oortion of the buildir~, and possibly be able to complete ~the buitdi~g with funds received from donations. It was the consensus of opinion of the Council that ~ 10,OO0.00 should be included in the budget for the Library Association, to assist them in the construction of a new Library building. After consideration of all request for donations, the follow~.ng amomnts were tentatively agreed upon by the Com~cil: Chamber of Commerce - g 5,000.00 Jr. Chamber of Commerce - 2,500.00 Recreation Association - 4,800.00 Colored Rec~ation Association 2,400.00 Library Association - 10,O00.O0 Beach Imp~oveaent Program - lO,O00.O0 ~ 34,700.00 The Council then considered the oroposed operating budget as submitted by the City Manager, and adjustments were made reducing the total estimated budget to $ 107,087.00 plus donations of $ 34,700.00, or a total of $ 1&1,787.00. The operating budget for the Municipal Swimming Pool was increased to ~ 10,O00.OO to cover cost of improvements to meet State Board of Health requir- ements, with the understanding that the City would then be able to lease the Pool to a private individual. Trash collection~ was decreased to one collection a week instead of two. This cut down the cost of operating One truck~~ and the salary of three men. The following tentative millage was considered, but no action was taken at this meeting: ll Mill levy for Operating and Naintena~ce 6 Mill levy for Debt Sevice 2 Mill Special Services levy on the entire Tax Roll, to cover donations, including the Beach improvement program. City Manager Black recon~ended an increase in water rates of 30~ to cover increased cost of materials, equipment and service, but no action was taken at this time. With reference to the request of the Palm Beach County School Board for water service to the ~ew High School building to be constructed between Delray Beach and Boynton Beach; after discussion by t~? Council the City Manager was instructed to advise ~r. Wortman of the School Board that the City of Delray Beach will finance one-half of the cost of the pipe line extensions to the school, if the School Board will finance one-half of the cost, the estimated total cost being $ 20,000.00. Mayor Brannon then explained a special lO~ tax on tobacco which is being adopted by several Cities in the County, which would provide from $ 25,000.00 to $ 30,000.00 a year in additional revenue. .~{e also stated that the State would probably levy this tax on tobacco if the ~ities did not do it. AUGUST 25TH, 1948 The Council .nanimously voted to pro¢laime the first week in September "Clean-Up"Week" in coorperation with Disaster Committee. Upon motion of Comac~.l~aa DeWitt, seconded by Comacilm~n White, unanimously carried, the City Attorney was instructed to prepare an Ordinance, in accordance ~dth the Ordinance recently ~assed by the City of West Palm Boach, to levy a 10~ tax on all tobaccos sold in the City. The Comacil then adjourned. (Sig, ned) Ruth R. Smith City Clerk