The Coral Gables Times

4 CORAL GABLES TIMES Thursday, February 1, 1962 And Our Mailbox Overfloweth Today

Why Can't the Public Be Let In?

None of our City Commissioners would approve of a man being found guilty without knowing the evidence which convicted him. Or would they? Actually, we think they wouldn't. They're fair men, we believe. Yet, they have done this; in fact, they have just done it twice. Our City Commissioners have turned down two building proposals in recent weeks. The primary basis of their decision, we are informed, is a yet to-be-made-public report on land use. Commonly, it is called the Rader Report, after the firm making it. We approved of having the study made. We approve of making use of it. But we disapprove and disapprove strongly of the Commission's action on the basis of contents not yet made public. They have declined to give them to The Times "until completed." Still, they act, on incomplete information? True, in time — shortly — we all shall see. But meantime, the Commission should either defer decision or let us all in on its secrets.

Button Popping, And Well Justified

There was general jubilation last week when the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce added 168 new members. It was justified button-popping for nothing of this magnitude has occurred in our Chamber before. The increase in membership represents a jump of 38 per cent. The magnificence of the drive was due first to the leadership offered by Joe Murphy. But neither he nor his Chamber assistants would claim the victory as theirs. Rather, it was a joint affair. It was shared with the nearly 80 people — women as well as men — who donated time in mid-week to sell something they believed in. The Times is proud of the accomplishment. We are proud but not surprised. When free men join in common purpose their achievements generally are limited only by the height of their aim. It is one more demonstration of why our town is different from other towns, towns next door or towns across the nation.

After the Party, A Sober Reflection

This week our Gables Chamber of Commerce has a peculiar responsibility it did not have 10 days ago. In its phenomenal membership drive, it brought nearly 170 new faces into the fold. Thereby develops this responsibility we're talking about. In our opinion, the Chamber has never been so much on trial as it will be in the coming year. Not only does it have obligations to its old members, but to new forces it must show the vitality of program, the progress of outlook and the warmth of cooperation which are the essentials which convinced these people they should join this organization. The heart throb of a Chamber comes from its committees. Tightly organized, empowered with authority, these are the groups which clear the underbrush, be it projects or public issues. President Hamilton Hayes recognized this from the beginning, we believe. Unfortunately, many committee chairmen have failed to fulfill their function. So, we would say that as the Chamber readies itself for a new Administration in a few months that it needs to develop a stronger program of work than in the past and then assign it to committees which will pursue it with vigor. The responsibility, of course, is yours and mine.

Seadade -- See More

Being for industry and for wildlife is a pretty safe platform. But you can't always find the two compatible. We still have our doubts about the announced safeguards of the proposed South Dade oil refinery. We appreciate the sincerity of those who say it won't harm us at all. But if this is such a certainty — and if the refinery is to be such a blessing, which most certainly it could be — would it not be a worthwhile investment of the peoples' money to investigate more thoroughly than has yet been done? Why can't Metro detail one of its bright men to spend several weeks or a month if necessary visiting many other localities, inquiring into their situations. Let's find out the experience of a variety of others. Let's profit by their mistakes and not live possibly to regret our own, mistakes we might not have made had we shouted less and searched more.

EDITOR:

Here is a copy of a letter I have sent to the Coral Gables Police Department. Enclosed herewith you will find my check in the amount of $8. This check covers overtime parking violations Complaints No. P-2-624245; P-2-624883; P-2-624004; P-2-624412, all which were gracefully collected by the people at this office which is located at 2148 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, in the City Beautiful, Coral Gables. The reason I have taken the liberty at this time to write you a letter in addition to my usual check, is because I feel that I should join the City of Coral Gables in any bankruptcy proceeding I might file on behalf of my business. We have been at this location, 2148 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Coral Gables, 34, Florida, since August, 1961, having moved here from 2618 Galiano, same City and State, due to our need for increased facilities. Upon arriving here we noticed, much to our chagrin, Coral Gables' answer to the Las Vegas one arm bandit, the only difference being not only does the house make its percentage, but when the jackpot is hit, the house collects the dividends. Pardon me if I sound a wee bit bitter, but I have just finished sending in checks to the City of Coral Gables for City occupational licenses for a law office and also for a title company, which under the Code of the City of Coral Gables, requires a permit and a separate license even though the actual services performed are the same. My landlord advises me that he pays real property taxes on the premises that we lease from him, and I also noticed that I pay a personal property tax for the privilege of having a desk on the premises that I rent. I am located in a building which was constructed many years prior to the advent of the popularity of the parking meters, and also prior to planning boards which make parking facilities a necessity for buildings at this time. Since we have moved to this office in August, 1961, we have been unable to locate any off street parking facilities, and for that reason, are forced to park at meters either directly in front of our building or on the side streets by our building. We have on our secretary's desk a special container for nickels for the bright, shiny parking meters, and amongst her other duties, our secretary is entrusted with the honor of running out each and every hour and feeding the hungry little monsters. This she does quite efficiently and courageously, however, there are times when she becomes so engrossed in unimportant things like producing work for the office, that she may be anywhere from five to ten minutes late for feeding time. We are still waiting for the day that she is not greeted on these auspicious occasions by one of your blue on white Complaints. Please do not consider this a plea for passion, because we are beginning to spend more of our time worrying about whether or not we will beat your efficient force to the parking meter than we do about our business. In the event any changes were made such as annual rates for parking stickers for business people in the Gables area, or some other means of providing this facility to the taxpayers and licensees in this beautiful City, I am sure you would make a great many friends and would induce business men into the area, or as in my case help keep them here. Thank you for taking the time to hear my complaint. I could no longer bear the thought of keeping this secret all to myself. I further am sending this letter so that I will have a record in my file to show the little man from the Internal Revenue Department when he questions the excessive amount I am writing off for parking expenses this year, which are in excess of the amount I am paying for rent. MALCOLM H. FRIEDMAN 2148 Ponce de Leon Blvd.

FACES IN OUR TOWN by INK

Arthur LUNDEEN PRESIDENT OF CORAL GABLES FIRST NATIONAL BANK IS A HOMETOWN PRODUCT. HE WAS GRADUATED FROM PONCE DE LEON HIGH IN 1940 WHERE WAS VALEDICTORIAN AND SALUTATORIAN OF HIS CLASS. IN THE LATE '1940'S AFTER A SERVICE INTERRUPTED TRY AT COLLEGE, HE GRADUATED CUM LAUDE FROM U of M. LAW SCHOOL. ARTHUR AND HIS LOVELY WIFE ISABELLE RESIDE AT 8900 S.W. 62 ND AVE. THEY HAVE FOUR CHILDREN-MITCHELL 8, SCOTT 7, VALERIE 5 AND MARC 5 MONTHS ARTHUR'S FAVORITE SPORT IS GOLF

EDITOR:

A double Hibiscus (Florida's equivalent of a Winchell orchid) to the Coral Gables City Commission for its giving Sanitary Sewer priority to the industrial and so-called Negro areas. Those of us who have taken a civic interest in this neighborhood, fully understand the urgency of this program. Now it remains to be seen how civic minded will be the absentee ownership and management. I do not see how they, in good conscience, can possibly claim (1) that there is no need for it (2) it would work an economic hearship. All of this brings to mind a survey made some few years ago on layout of roads, curbs and sidewalks and lights. Isn't this the time to accomplish these improvements? The combined project would decrease crime better health condition and above all, help to create a civic pride in those who live there. It is bound to spread to better ground care, less rubbish accumulation and the use of an extra can of paint, etc. CHARLES H. FINKELSTEIN 815 Catalonia Ave.

EDITOR:

On one or two occasions your editorials on Metro have come to my attention. You are carrying on a splendid fight, but somehow Dade County has missed out in the last election, when it voted for Metro. I am sending you several booklets which appeared in the American Mercury Magazine. Perhaps you are familiar with them and Joe Hindman. I just moved away about five miles away, from White Plains, where I lived for forty years. They are undertaking in that city. MARIE KENEDY SCHWARTZ Rye, N.Y.

EVERYBODY'S Business By Rolfe Neill

They're Ours We all have a sense of proprietorship in Coral Gables High School and rejoice in its successes. I wonder, though, if we're aware of just how much non-Gables areas contribute to it? I was stuck last week as I looked over that admirable list of Westinghouse Science Talent winners from here. Out of the 13 Cavaliers on the list — third highest of any school in the nation — only three students live in the Gables. The other 10 are from around us. * * * Parking, Parking Arlington Heights, Ill., is a suburb about 30 miles out of Chicago. Like most smaller towns, it's beset with parking problems and its meters are cursed. The community is blessed with an excellent weekly newspaper and in last Thursday's issue of the Arlington Heights Herald I read about how some 15 businessmen — including two attorneys — have done something about meters. The group paid the town $981.50 for 12 months' rent in advance on meter spaces. The meters were taken down and two-hour free parking for shoppers put in effect. "Ask any housewife," said an appliance owner. "The biggest objection she has to shopping downtown is the parking meters. They'll drive five miles to get away from parking meters." * * * Idea for Us? The town's police will check the two-hour zones and enforce the limitation at Arlington Heights. The money collected from the merchants, on a front foot basis, will go to retire parking meter bonds. Recently, I asked the City what it estimates our parking revenues in the Gables to be a year. I was told that on-street parking is expected to take in $116,573 this year and net $74,089. Off-street facilities will gross $69,937 and net $31,261. The total net is about $105,000. Parking meters are one of the most-discussed matters in town now. Which reminds me of a plan conceived by Frank Bollinger Associates: Bollinger proposes that Miracle Mile have the center strip taken out, meters yanked from place and the whole street made into a parking lot. What do you think?

Coral Gables TIMES

Established Jan. 15, 1926 Published Weekly at 364 Seville Ave., Coral Gables, Fla. Second Class Postage Paid at Miami, Fla. ROLFE NEILL ........................................Editor & Publisher JOHN T. WATTERS ........................................President Robert Collins ........................................Advertising Manager Murry Evans ........................................Circulation Manager Maurice Labelle, Raymond Lang ........................................Reporters Mrs. Kay Squires ........................................Classified Manager Miss Helen Reynolds ........................................Society Editor Mrs. Dorothy McCreary ........................................Office Manager Subscriptions: $4.20 year by mail anywhere