The Times

Coral Gables THE TIMES South Miami

the local community newspaper for all South Dade Vol. 35 No. 37 Second Class Postage Paid at Miami, Fla. Thursday, October 27, 1960 Published Weekly at 308 Aragon, Coral Gables, Fla. Price 10c

Mayor Tries To Bar Press From Conference

By MAURICE LABELLE Strong charges by attorney Bernard Weksler that the Doctors' Hospital tax exemption controversy is being whitewashed met with equally strong denials from city officials Tuesday. Meeting in a special conference following the regular meeting Tuesday, the City Commission directed City Attorney Ted Semple to write a denial of Weksler's allegation that the city ignored his charges when it met as a board of equalization in mid-July. After reviewing the series of incidents and letters between the city and Weksler, the Commission decided his complaint that the hospital did not warrant tax exemption had been considered by the city attorney prior to the Board of Equalization meetings, July 11, 12 and 13, and that Weksler had been informed it was Semple's opinion the hospital was entitled to exemption. The exemption has been estimated at approximately $10,000 to $15,000 a year. Weksler, they pointed out, failed to show up at the equalization meeting. Text of Letter Here is the text of Semple's letter to Weksler dated Oct. 26: "By direction of Mayor (John M.) Montgomery, I am writing this letter in reply to your letter to him of Oct. 21, 1960. "The answer to your question concerning the action of the City Commission with reference to Doctors' Hospital, is contained in your own letter of July 14, 1960, addressed to the City Manager. "'You will recall that on the afternoon of June 29, you were good enough to come to my office. We had a discussion regarding Doctors' Hospital, and I told you that I had invited you to come at the request of the City Commission. "'I then told you that you were welcome to go through my file on Doctors' Hospital, even to the extent of taking it with you; that my opinion as to its eligibility for tax exemption, based upon th decisions of the Florida Supreme Court, had remained unchanged; that I had so advised the City Commission." Press' Presence Tuesday, Mayor Montgomery sought to have the press barred from the special conference meeting set to discuss Weksler's letter, but Commissioner Joe Murphy argued in favor of having reporters present. It was finally decided to allow the reporter from The Times and a representative of WVCG to remain, providing the conversations leading up to the decision were not reported in it. The Commission has been vexed by Weksler's continuous attacks on their general policies which they say represents long established tradition. The attacks were touched off by the City's attempt to lease the Granada Golf Course to private interests for private use and have run the gamut from green fees to recreation activity fees. In his letter dated Oct. 21, Weksler charges that it was general knowledge that the city would do nothing about his tax freeloading charges against the hospital. "It was a matter of open and notorious knowledge throughout the community, and the consensus of opinion was that nothing would be done and that eventually everyone would forget about the issue," Weksler said. The Commission denies this and points out that the question may again be considered at next year's Board of Equalization meeting and taxes back assessed for three years, if it is determined by the board that the exemption is not warranted. Do Something "Although the city attorney has expressed his opinion that the city cannot do anything about the freeloading at this time and that the tax exemption should continue for another year, I suggest that you do something about it," Weksler said in his letter. "Since Doctors' Hospital did not file any tax exemption this year, or last year, it is not entitled to tax exemption and it is not in the position to complain. "I suggest and recommend that you direct the city manager and to direct th city tax collector to send an ad valorem tax bill to Doctors' Hospital for the current year and the past year. "If Doctors' Hospital wants to protest the bill, let them go to court and protest it. The burden of proving their right to tax exemption rests on the hospital, and since this is a clear cut case of the hospital failure to come within the statuary and constitutional exemption, the city cannot lose. "It is most unfortunate and regrettable that the city has had to gouge money from golfers, tennis players, school children riding the buses, elderly shuffleboard players, etc., and to deprive the policemen and firemen of long deserved pay increases, due to alleged budgetary limitations, and then permit Doctors' Hospital to freeload on the taxpayers of Coral Gables." Weksler said. Tax Assessor To back his charge, Weksler said that Tax Assessor Tommy Blount has repeatedly ruled that the hospital does not meet the requirements for exemption and that state law setting up exemptions has not been followed. (See Whitewash, Page 2)

Hospital Tax 'Whitewash' Charged

COLOMBIA BOUND is this specially made Coral Gables flag and seal which will be given to the city of Cartagena, Colombia, in return for a municipal drapeau of that Latin American city given to Coral Gables recently. Holding the city colors are Mrs. Ina Gilbert, left, and Mrs. Delores DeLozier, secretary and assistant secretary to the city manager.

'Good Will' E..try Wins Top Award

Coral Gables swept the field to win the American Municipal Association's annual award for public relations competition with its People to People program entry. The city topped them all in a division which had the most competition. Competing with cities in the 25,000 to 100,000 catagory, the People to People exchange program with Cartagena, Colombia, which was in itself a first, took the prize. The award will be made to May[?] John M. Montgomery Nov. 26 in Washington at the AMA's annual convention. The mayor received the news in a telegram Oct. 20. Coral Gables launched its cultural exchange program in 1958 after the way had been paved by the administration. While other municipalities throughout the country selected most European cities for their exchange program, Coral Gables was the first to select a Latin American city. Miami followed suit by picking another Colombian city.

Gables Grants Permit For 5-Story Building

The long-delayed proposal to build a fivestory building at the southwest corner of Ponce de Leon Blvd. and Alhambra Cir. was revived Tuesday when the promoters got a temporary six-month permit for the building. D. V. Renuart, who said he was making his first appearance before the City Commission in 37 years, sought the permit with architect Curtis Haley. They asked for a three-year "grace" period to get the building underway, but the Commission balked at that and granted a six-month permit instead. Haley told the Commission that $190,000 had been sunk into the venture already. He indicated that it would be a matter of a short time before enough mmitments could be received om potential renters to allow the plan to materialize. The owners had obtained a permit for the multiple-story structure back in 1957 and did a of preliminary work but the plan was delayed by economic considerations.

Country Club Prado Home Is Ransacked

The home of Mrs. Edgar Flowers, 2621 Country Club Prado, was ransacked sometime betw p Oct. 10 and 13 while she was away. Coral Gables police said that the extent of loss had not been determined pending a check of the home.

Hildreth Will Guide Public Relations Program

Robert Hildreth, vice president of Coral Gables Federal Savings and Loan, has been named chairman of a five-man committee to supervise expenditure of Coral Gables City funds for advertising and publicity. Other members of the special committee are Fred B. Hartnett Sr., of Hartnett, Inc.; Hamilton Hayes, of Daniels Department Store; Vernon C. Hill, former Grand Union executive; and Al Jacobson, owner of Rae's Stationers. Creation of the committee and appointment of a director was the upshot of a move by some merchants and the city to inject new life into a program many felt had lost effectiveness. The policy-making committee, which will supervise the activities of advertising and publicity director Bert Burris, held its first meeting Oct. 19. Appropriations Made At that meeting, the committee decided to appropriate $30,000 of the $65,000 budget set up by the city for newspaper and radio advertising. The advertising firm of Bishopric, Green, Fielden, Inc., was selected by the committee to handle the production end of the program. "An exciting campaign has been planned and is now in pro-duction," Burris said. "It is the kind of campaign that will be a source of interested conversation all over Dade County," he said. Main Goal Main goal of the program, Burris said, will be to entice greater Miami residents and visitors to come to Coral Gables. "All economic aspects of the city will be benefitted, but special attention will be paid to the superb shopping facilities, convenient and plentiful parking and other attractions of our central shopping district," he pointed out. "Many Gableites have forgotten, or perhaps have not been fully aware, of the mauy distinguished qualities about Coral Gables that make it a national symbol for gracious living and intelligent planning. A re-awakening of this awareness is part of our program," he concluded. The program is scheduled to get underway in late November or early December.

Crackdown

A crackdown on overtime parking in Coral Gables' downtown business district has been ordered by the City Commission. The enforcement order was issued Tuesday to go into effect Nov. 1 after the Commission heard complaints about merchants parking all day in front of their establishments and depriving shoppers of space. Starting Nov. 1, police will mark the tires of all parked vehicles and issue overtime tickets to all those found to be parked after the alloted time regardless of parking meter indications.

Janitors Find Cans Handy

Trash receptacles placed in the Coral Gables downtown area have proved practical, City Manager L. W. Robinson Jr. told the City Commission Tuesday. All the janitors are using them. Robinson said that the receptacles, designed to help keep litter from sidewalks and alleys, have gotten a wonderful reception from this group of individuals whose work of getting rid of trash has been made much easier. Despite the temporary setback, the Commission decided to push the project.

A Little Mistake

The trial of Coral Gables residents arrested in Coral Gables for traffic violations but tried in South Miami was all a mistake, City Manager L. W. Robinson Jr. told the City Commission Tuesday. Robinson said that Chief Metro Court Judge Jack Turner had been informed of the controversy and explained that there had been no intentional breaking of the agreement with Coral Gables.

Thief Rifles Machine

A thief found his way into a soft drink machine at the Riviera Country Club tennis courts one day last week and separated it from an estimated $50.

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