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05-27-46 Regular ':'"1") , ,)....,'-l COUNCIL CHAMBER May 27, 1946 The Council met in regular session at 7 P.M. with the following members present: Hr. Butler. Mr. DeWitt, Mr. Hill, Mr. McNeece. and Attorney Nowlin. Mr. Vfuite was absent. Mayor DeWi tt asked if anyone in the the minutes of mee ting hel d May 13th. read. minutes were approved as written. Councilman Butler reDorted that the Fin~ce COlmnittee had contracted with the Delray Beach News for the printing of City Code, and charter, as per their bid of $885..also that they had agreed to allow the News to set the code up in double columns which would reduce t~, bid of $885. from between $175 to $200. 225 copies of code will be prepared. audience wished No one did, so By motion regularly made, seconded and unanimously carried, the following Ordinance was re-passed on its second am. final reading: ORDmANCE NO. G-I AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIl. OF THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA. ADOPTING A CODE OF CIVIL AND CRTh!INAL ORDTI\]ANCES, PROVIDING FOR THE PRINTING THEREOF AND FOR THE REPEAL OF CERTAIN ORDINANCES. Next a letter from Sidney Zuckerman requesting abatement of 1945 personal property tax to the amount of $21.60 was read. The business was closed in 1944 and therefor should not have been taxed. By motiam regul~ly made, seconded and unanimously carried, the Clerk was instructed to abate this charge. Letter from Mrs. Ella Benjamin offering three sfuigle plots in cemetery for sale was read. The Attorney instructed. the Clerk to advise 1~s. Benjamin we will make a notatiom on the cemetery plat that she has these lots for sale, and if anyone in the future is interested. she can make her deeds to same to'the purchasers. '. -' .".: :]]9 Clerk reported having received notice from Insurance Company that nine persons were injured illur ing the pas t, year in the city employ. Bid from L.J.Nichols of $2,000. for all of lot 14, and the .~ of lot 13, Vista Del Mar SiD was read. Attorney Nowlin advised that the ci~ needed part of the west lot for the widening of Andrews Avenue. This was turned over to the City Manager for investigation and report. By motion regularly made, seconded and unanimously carried, request from Jno.Kabler for settlement figure on taxes which have been delinquent for over fi fteen years was denied. Next request from C.W.Garner for chang!mg zoning of all property in the street known as Bellview Court from its present status to residence "Ai. was read. Required fee having been posted, this matter was ordered turned' over to the Zoning Commission for their study and recommendation. Clerk reported having received lengthy letter from Electrolux Corp. in which they claimed their agent working in . thi.s city was not supposed to secu;re an occupational licenae in that he only took orders and materials were Shipped to him from out of the state. Two members of the Council stated the man had sold them parts for their machines. He took their order and went to his automobile, secured the part, and installed same. By motiop regularly made, seconded and unanimously carried, the Clerk was instructed to reply to the letter and advise the firm their agent will have to take out a license to operate in this city as he had sold a part for a machine on May 27th. which he secured from his automobile. The part was not ordered from New York, after order was taken. By motion regularly made, seconded and unanimously carried, the Clerk was ordered to issue occupational license to ~he following:- Leonard Trade Stores, H.S. Richardson, and L.L.Ashley. Mayor DeWitt advised the Council he had checked with attorneys regarding Ashley license, and found license would have to be issued. Leon Snow's employment as maintenance man at the cemetery, and other duties which manager saw fit to have him perform, was ppproved by the City Council. He is to receive a salary of $100 per month, and be a full time employee. The Clerk was.instructed to secure $1,000. surety bond for Deputy Clerk Margaret Minachke. '" " ., "\'''110 ) j Mrs. Strong reported having received l,213 homestead exemption applications, 13 disability exemptions and 211 widow exemptions. The following Ordinance was adopted on its second and final reading, by motion regularly made, seconded and unanimously oarried: - , I AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA PROVIDING THAT CERTAIN BUSINESSES MUST BE OPERATED ifITHIN BUILDINGS WITHIN THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA. ORDINANCE NO. G-4. . The Mayor d&clared the next matter of business was the appointment of a City Clerk. He reoommended that Mr. Edmond aot as Clerk, antl a Mrs. Ruth Smith, who has had thirteen years experience in the tax office at Miami Beach be employed as Deputy Clerk, until such time as the Counoil sees fit to make the Deputy a Clerk. Counoilman McNeece stated he thought the matter sfuould be left up to Mr. Edmond. Mr. Edmond stated Mrs. Smith's letters of recommendation were o.k., and that he wished the Council would appoint Mr. Greenwood to aot as Tax Assessor, Tax Collector. Clerk to be responsible for funds collected bu tje Tax Collector. Mr. Greenwood could assist Mr. Seeley on the 194& tax roll. Attorney Nowlin advised the titles of Superintendent of Public Works and City Clerk might confliot with the City Charter. By motion regularly made, seconded and unanimously carried, ~s. Ruth Smith was appointed as City Clerk and Treasurer, to take that office on June 15,1946, at a salary of $200 per month. She to start VIOrk in the offipe on June 1, 1946, acting as ~ Deputy until the 15th. A~. Albert L. Greenwood was appointed as Tax Assessor,Tax Collector. To take office of Collector on June 15th., and office of Assessor, after Mr. Seeley has completed the 1946 Tax Roll. He will start work assisting Mr. Seeley, on June 1,1946 at a salary of $200 per month. Letter Signed by Luke McCloud and six other taxi cab operators objecting to the method in which the Bus Line is only operated over the week-end was read and turnved over to the manager for investigation and report. The manager was ire trucLed to have Flor ida Power and Light Co. install a street light at S.E.lst. Ave. and SlE. 4th. St. . ~.~! :; ,:::. Attorney Nowlin agreed to prepare Resolution permitting City to accept lower electricity rates from the Florida Power & Light Co. By motion regularly made, seconded and unanimously carried, the following Resolution was adopted. RESOLUTION NO. 59I . A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNC lL OF THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, AS TO THE CANCElLATION OF THE CONTRACT ;[ITH GULF STREAM ENGINEERS AND AS TO THE LIABILITY OF I{ARYLAtID CASUALTY CQf::FANY ON CONTRACTORS BOND. County Commissioner'C.y.Byrd uresented the Council wfrth check to the amount of $3,010.61 being the city's portion on County Sale held September 20, 1945. Dr. W. C.,lil1iams asked the Council to put in a ro ck road to his prope rty situated in the Southwes t part of town. The 1 and is of no value to him as it is with no road. 1Ia:for De.lHt informed Mr. Williams that the City has. no funds with which to do this 'M:!rk, but if the County would do it, the City had no objections. Manager Edmond agreed to check the property and determine the cost o~ a rock road. Next Dr. Williams informed the Council he thought he should be refunded the 5% Attorney fee he pa id when he paid his delinquent taxes to the City Attorney. Mayor DeVli tt adviaed Dr. Williams this fee was just, and was provided. for in the City Charter. He told Dr. Williams the Council met as an Equalization Board in July, and if he thinks his assessed valuations are too high, to come before tha t Board and express himself. Mr. W. A. Jacobs requested permission to address the Counc il,and said there were no personal or political meanings in the questions he wished to ask, but there were several questions. he wisaed answered. Mr. ~acobs said, last year when the Budget was set, ample funds were provided for the various departments. On May 1st. he had been informed there was about $26,000 left in the Operating Fund. The City is spending from $12,000 to $15,000 per month. By July 1st. Mr. Jacobs stated, the City will be broke, and he wondered what source the additional f,mds needed WOUln be dervied from. He asked if taxes, occupational licenses, and water rates would be increased. He asked what had been done with reference to the cemetery, and why, if the funds are low, is the city having the Golf Course property surveyed, and what benefit ~ll be gotten . from funds spent for Engineering Fees on work Grover Baker had contemplated doing. Mayor De;litt told Mr. Jacobs, when the ilater Plant Inprovement work was considered, the Council had been informed '"\ i' ~ ,. <, ':' :.;: ~-, (; " I ~, '," (. there was $137,000 which could be used for this purp.ose, now the Counci finds thl!!'re is only $97,000. He advised, taxes would perhaps be a little higher, an<\ somE of the business occupational licensEs which are now too low, will be increased. If the proposed new improvemEnts to the water plant are made, the City will have to increase its water rates. The reason for surveying Golf Course was due to the fact that the corner posts had never been established before. The Mayor said the money spent for plans and specifications on proposed road \~rk would hot be wasted, in that the City would have the papers to use when they can go ahead with the work. Mayor DeWitt stated, nothing had been done, with regard to the cemetery, as ye t. Bills # 3379-3423 amounting to $9,887.81 having been approved bY.the Finance Committee, were ordered paid. The hour of nine o'clock having arrived, Mayor DeWitt invited members of the audience to express themselves regarding :\The proposed a,jditional improvements to the water plant. He . said it would take about $350,000 more to improve the plant to the extent whereby public demands for water could be met. Mr. DeWitt stated if materials were available now for bw.lding, the number of new homes would require mODe water than the present plant could furnish. The City Manager gave an outline of the costs as follows:- Total- $30,000 50,000 110,000 135,000 25.000 350,000 New wells New distribution improvements, to improve pressuDe in the northern section Additional elevated storage One million gallon treatment plant Legal fees He said ther~ were individual filters which could be installed where consumers desired them for softening the water used in the homes, which would rent for about $2.00 per month. This would be a savirlg to the city providing too many persons did not request the service. ~f a majority of the water .users wanted the filters, it would be less expensive for the city, to have the softening done. at the water plant. .lf softening is done at plant, 3 million ,~ gallons of water could be softenen per day. Mayor DeWitt advised that 1 a"14-~!ft~h'bUl in Delray'Beaj)h Woula':oo.liltl'.10~'3in"tlie cnext cheap-.~ est rated town on seheduleel1'gineers preparea. An $11.50 bill in ~ Delray Beach would cost $28 in West Palm BeaCh, $17.50 in Sarasota, t and $23.50 in J!ort Myers. ' { Mr. Jacobs asked if water revenue certific~tes could be issued without a vote of the D€ople. Attorney Nowlin advised they could be. . v . ," ., "1 ) ,d Attorney Nowlin advised that the certificates could not sell for less than 95% and the maximum rate of interest is 6%. ~he Mayor said the Manager and Attorney had worked out an amortization schedule, and over a period of 25 years the high- est principal payment would be $20,000. Interest would be in addition to this amount. Mr. Jaoobs expresser himself as not favoring the 25 year period of time, he thought 15 years would be long enough, and did not think water rates to small conS\llner should be in- creased. ~he Clerk reported no complaints had been received through the mails. Kenneth Montgomery asked the Mayor if maintenance and repairs to new improvements had been included in the $350,000. Mayor DeWitt advised this had been t0ken into consideratimn. . Chas. Senior, Mgr. of the l'la. Power &. Light Go. said he thought the Council should go ahead on the improvements, for when building picks up, the homes 'vill have to be supplied with water. Mr. Jacobs said it would be nice to have a treatment plant if the city c~n afford it. Otherwise that part of the work should be postponed until a later date. Mr. Edmond said by not putting in the softening plant the work could be reduoed about $100,000. . . The Clerk was instructed to advertise for bids on water revenue certificates in the next two issues of the ~ond Buyer and in two issues of the Delray Beach News. Bids to be received up to 8 o'clock P.M' Eastern uaylight Saving ~ime on the 18th day of June, 1946. Mayor DeWitt reported that alleys and garbage cans as well as the City Disposal Dump grounds are be ing spra~d~ with D.D.T. There being no further business to come before the Council, Council adjourned. Attest: 1, "'" ..,.:. 2", ~n ""'\0 City Clerk ,