The Coral Gables Times

Much Talk, No Change On City Retirement

(Editorial on Page 4) By MAURICE LABELLE Times Reporter For weeks the City Commission has pondered changing the policy under which its employes are retired. But in the end it made no changes. It had considered liberalizing its retirement policies. As a result, Lt. Robert H. Bell, the first man who might have been affected, will be retired tomorrow (Friday) as recommended by City Manager L. W. Robinson Jr. The 62-year-old Bell, who completed 25-years service last March, had been extended nine months, but Robinson refused to extend him any longer. Bell was being retired, the city manager said, because his time is up. Nothing personal. SIX OTHERS Six others have passed normal retirement and are working on borrowed time. They are — Director of Public Works Harley Pittman, Transportation Director Lee Davis, Purchasing Director Clyde H. Wiggings, Mrs. Jessie B. Lewis and Roy Harvey. Five others affected are Police Chief William Kimbrough, scheduled to retire Aug. 1; Librarian Margaret Beaton, April 1; Labor Foreman John Futch, April 1; Fire Captain William Wood Sr., March 1; and Fred Cavallero, July 1. Unless extended, they too could be retired at that time. TWO DECIDE The decision to extend is in the hands of the city manager and the Retirement Board, made up of two city employes elected by them, two appointed by the City Commission and a fifth member appointed by the other four. If the decision is to extend by both the city manager and the board the matter is a simple one. So it is if both agree that extension should not be granted. But it's different if either the city manager or the board disagree. According to Robinson, who serves as board secretary, employes who reach age 55 with 30-years service; those who are 60 with 25-years service and all those 65 are eligible and are retired unless it is recommended by the city manager that they be extended. CAN OVER-RULE But if the Retirement Board wishes to retire a man, it may still do it over the city manager's recommendation, Robinson said. City Attorney Ted Semple indicated, however, he was not so certain about the provisions of the retirement ordinance. "It's a hot potato," said Semple. "I haven't been asked for an opinion." Semple said he would have to restudy the long, complicated ordinance, drawn by actuaries, before he could give an opinion. But the matter involves more than the ordinance. The recent loss of the Capt. Floyd Brasher case by the city established the fact that the state's presumption statute — which automatically gives to a disabled fireman or policeman the right to claim that disability is service incurred — just about killed off long extensions after normal retirement.

Committee Maps Action On Sunday Selling in Gables

(Continued from page 1) Stores, making a final request that he close his Miracle Mile store on Sunday. If he says no, the full committee voted unanimously to take action at the consumer level, asking that patronage be withdrawn. 2. Former Mayor Keith Phillips will confer with Mayor Robert Searle this week and express the committee's wish that the Gables City Commission draw up a Sunday closing law. The committee hopes to have the draft presented at next Tuesday's Commission meeting. Were it passed then, it would have to come up for second reading on Dec. 12 and then if passed would become law Jan. 12, 1962. 3. The committee will ask Metro to pass a Sunday closing law. All but two of the 15 members were at the organizational meeting at the Chamber of Commerce building Tuesday night. The group is headed by Fred B. Hartnett, also a former mayor. Other members are Robert Brinkman, president of the Coral Gables Apartment Owners Association; W. L. Gray Jr., attorney; Mrs. Joe Fitzgerald, businesswoman; Gilbert Renuart, manager of Renuart - Bailey - Cheely Lumber & Supply Co.'s Ponce de Leon yard. Rolfe Neill, editor and publisher of The Coral Gables Times; Mrs. Enoch Erickson, president of the Coral Gables Home Owners Association; Mrs. John Worley, president of the Coral Gables Woman's Club. Mrs. E. J. Tilton Jr., president of the Coral Gables Junior Woman's Club; T. M. Johnston, attorney; Keith Phillips, insurance man; Nat Winok, merchant. Willis G. Van Devere, attorney; Mort Guilford, president of the Coral Gables Jaycees, and Hamilton B. Hayes, president of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce. Sunday opening of retail establishments became an issue here a few weeks ago when Jackson's-Byrons opened its Miracle Mile store. Jefferson's followed and others talked of it. Jackson's closed voluntarily after protests from local citizens but Jefferson's, thus far, has said it will remain open.

BOOK DONORS

During the past week the Coral Gables Public Library has received gifts of books from Mrs. Katherine Y. Guess, 4470 SW 14th St., American Red Cross, Dade County Chapter, R. G. Jenkins, 547 Giralda Ave., Mrs. D. W. Matson, 532 San Esteban Ave.; and Mrs. Edward Strickland, 804 Majorca Ave.

TALKING OVER strategy Tuesday night are members of the Committee to Preserve Our Traditions. Left to right are Rolfe Neill (back to camera), Nat Winokur, Mrs. Joe Fitzgerald, Bob Brinkman, Hamilton Hayes, Mort Guilford (finger raised), Lee Smith, Mrs. Enoch Erickson, Keith Phillips and Tom Johnston (back to camera). Chairman Fred Hartnett is out of range between Johnston and Phillips as are some other members. (Staff photo)

Agents Oppose UM Office

(Continued from Page 1) sity and its students their largest single customer, were asked to bid on the ticket office, which UM previously has operated. Delta, National and Eastern came up with a cooperative venture and will provide the service at their expense, Bohlen said. This touched off strong reaction from Jacques Melloul and other Gables travel agents. Some of their best business has been in foreign trips made on University contacts. Melloul charged that UM officials are "commercializing the campus." "It's a rather involved situation," said Melloul. "Our battle is really with the airlines." A meeting with them is being worked out, he said. Melloul saw the precedent as leading to more commercial enterprise at UM in competition with other merchants. He said he wished to keep his opposition to the ticket office, but that other Coral Gables and South Miami merchants were concerned. Bohlen said it is premature to discuss the establishment of barber shops, beauty shops and other ventures, but the possibility of their establishment has not been ruled out. Chamber of Commerce President W. Hamilton Hayes said the squabble was new to him, but that the development interests him because of its implications. "No one's come to me," said Hayes. He said he would reserve comment until he had investigated the matter.

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