The Times

Law Suit Challenges Coral Gables Golf Fees

A group of five Coral Gables residents have filed suit in Circuit Court charging that the City's municipal golf fees discriminate against Gableites who do not belong to the Coral Gables Country Club. The suit is aimed at establishing identical fees for all residents, whether they belong to the Country Club or not. Plaintiffs are Harry Dillon, 1301 Salzedo, president of the 125-member Granada Golfers Association; Col. Alfred S. Knight, 415 Cadima, a retired Army officer; Hermas Gibeau, 4110 University Dr., a Montreal, Canada, restaurant owner; Charles S. Broward, 1091 Galiano, a retired accountant; and Bernard B. Weksler, 435 Luenga, attorney, founder and past president of the 345-member Biltmore Men's Golf Association. Weksler first attacked the fees several months ago when the City Commission adopted a whole new system of recreational charges. A reshuffling of some fees resulted, and the Commission appointed a golf advisory board on which some of the litigants served. But the main objection, unequal fees for residents not belonging to the Country Club, continued to simmer when the Commission stood fast. "The suit is not aimed at the Country Club of Coral Gables as the plaintiffs believe that the fees charged Country Club members are fair and reasonable," Weksler said Wednesday before filing the suit. "It is not intended to increase the Country Club fees at all, Weksler said. "However, the plaintiffs sincerely feel and believe that the fees charged them should not exceed the fees charged the Country Club members. "All residents and non-residents alike should be treated the same way, whether we speak of golf course fees, tennis court fees, garbage taxes, ad calorem taxes, parking fees, etc. "All residents should pay the same fee and all non-residents should pay the same fee," Weksler said. The attorney, who has been at odds with the Commission on several issues in the past several months, contends that approximately 60 percent of Country Club members do not reside in Coral Gables. "The plaintiffs believe that the City Commission should not discriminate in favor of and pass special interest legislation for one private group. The plaintiffs are violently opposed to special interest favoritism of this nature," Weksler said. The group of litigants said that they hope the City Commission will reconsider its resolution and pass a new resolution reducing the fees of all residents who are not members of the club to the same as those who are members. That resolution is described in the suit as "illegal, unconstitutional and void in that it purports to give a certain class of persons, i.e., members of a private social organization, a grant of special privileges." If so, this is generally described as "class legislation," which has been declared unconstitutional by the high courts.

Plans Afoot For 8-Story Gables Hotel

Plans are afoot to construct a $2 million, 8-story hotel in the 1500 block of Avenue Madruga in Coral Gables. Interior plans for the new 140-unit high riser were aproved by the Board of Architects Dec. 21, but the board rejected the exterior design as too extreme. The architects, William Martin and Gilbert Fein, are now working on a new design for the hotel building for Coralaire Corp., which would also operate the facility. Proposal Rejected A recent proposal to build a 13-story apartment building for elderly couples at virtually the same site was rejected unanimously back in August by the City Commission. The new plan, which includes a mezzanine floor for the hotel, a banquett hall, a dining room, a barber shop and beauty salon, has not quite jeiled, Martin indicated Monday. The hotel would either be placed on the north side of Madruga, with pool and cabana facilities across the street, or vice versa. Martin said that either an underground tunnel or overhead span would link the two pieces of property. But first, approval for the design must be obtained. The next step will be to go before the Zoning Board and finally before the City Commission, which must approve all buildings over three stories in height. Heated Opposition Last fall's proposal to erect the 13-story, 120 unit apartment, aimed primarily at senior citizens, met with heated opposition from area homeowners. The City Commission recently approved a 12-story apartment at the corner of Biltmore Way and Cardena. This action produced a law suit which is now in Circuit Court. Martin and Fein are no strangers to controversy. They designed the new apartments at Douglas Entrance which were delayed a year by the city and a group of apartment owners who sued to block construction.

Thieves Open Yule Presents

The "petty cash" stolen from a Coral Gables home between Friday and Saturday was annoying enough, but what really irked the Orrin Wills, of 2000 North Greenway Dr., was the Christmas presents that were opened and some stolen. The "petty cash" amounted to $1000 in $100 bills, Coral Gables police said. But the chaos created by having all the presents opened, identifications lost, and wrappings strewn all over was particularly irksome. A 17-inch portable television set was also stolen from the home, ransacked while the Wills were visiting friends.

Thieves Loot Home On Sunset Drive

Some $625 in various articles were stolen from the home of Margo DeWolf, 6290 Sunset Dr., Wednesday night, Dec. 21, following a breakin at the home. According to South Miami police, entrance into the residence was gained by intruders removing a jalousie and cutting a screen. Taken were a television set, a portable radio, a vacuum cleaner, a sewing machine, a silver fox stole, a mixmaster, a toaster, 3 blankets and a hair dryer.

PREPARING for its second consecutive post-season bowl game is this 115 lb. South Miami football team which meets a similiar weight team from Waycross, Ga., in the first annual South Miami Youth Charity Bowl Game. The contest will be played at 2 p.m. Saturday at South Miami Junior High School Field. Last year this team played in the Bronx, N. Y., Turkey Bowl. South Miami team coaches are Clyde Taylor and Bill Whately.

Youth Charity Bowl Game Waycross, South Miami Will Clash

By EDWIN KNIGHT South Miami's first annual Youth Charity Bowl Game, with a South Miami team playing host to a Waycross, Ga., team, will be played at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at South Miami Junior High School Field. According to South Miami Recreation Director Charlie Skalaski, about 2500 spectators are expected for the game which will pit the South Miami 115 lb. Grey Ghosts against the Waycross Bulldogs. The South Miami team is coached by Clyde Taylor and Bill Whately. This is the same team which last year played in the Bronx, New York, Turkey Bowl. "We hope to make this game an annual event," Skalaski said, "with the South Miami team playing a representative team outside the state." Skalaski said that if some musical units could be arranged, there would be a parade through South Miami prior to the game. The 29-member Waycross team will arrive Thursday afternoon and receive a police motorcycle escort from the Broward County line to South Miami City Hall. The contingent will be greeted there by South Miami Mayor Paul U. Tevis and members of the City Council and receive orange juice and cookies. Coming from Waycross will be the team, Waycross city officials and Georgia's entrant in the Miss America pageant. The Georgia team members will stay with members of the South Miami team at South Miami homes and go on a sightseeing tour Friday. Prior to the game, the Georgians will practice at UM football practice field and be introduced to members of the U. S. Naval Academy team which also is practicing at the University field in preparation for its Orange Bowl game Monday with University of Missouri. Following the South Miami game, a banquet for both teams will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Suniland Shopping Center. Monday, Jan. 2, one or both teams may be admitted to see the Orange Bowl game. Proceeds from the game will go to the March of Dimes. Sponsor of the game is the Dade County Civitan Club, with the South Miami Civitan Club doing much of the work.

Neighborhood Perks Up Mail Boxes For Yule

By RAYMOND LANG Does your mail box suffer from an inferiority complex at Christmas? If so, residents of Pine Acres have a prescription for this malady. It's simple. Decorate your mail box! Almost all residents in this Southwest area neighborhood adorned their somber-faced grey mail boxes this Christmas. "We had talked about this other years," pointed out one resident, Mrs. E. L. Throssell, 6201 SW 98th St. "We had said, 'Gee, We had better do something about the mail boxes—they look so dead.' "That was about two years ago. I guess the idea sort of pooped out!" But the idea had not "pooped out." It had sort of slept for awhile. But the idea woke up in time for this Christmas. " . . . One of the neighbors called," Mrs. Throssell went on, "And said it was decided to decorate our mail boxes. "We thought it would be nice if we all got together to show some Christmas spirit. "We had one postman who said it was a real cute idea. And you should see persons driving by!", the mother of two boys said in a surprised voice. "They stop . . . and look . . . and point in all directions." And just how do other postmen feel, plopping parcels into boxes adorned with pine needles and miniature Santas and Christmas tree balls? They love it! And the Pine Acres' resident to tell you that is Mrs. James W. Melvin, 9751 SW 63rd Ct. "I approached the mailman," she said, "with fear and trembling—I didn't know if it was legal or not! "I said, 'We want to decorate our mail boxes and if you have any objections, state them now.' "But he was very happy about it." A PUZZLED POOCH is Socks, the family pet of the E. L. Thressells, as he looks back over his shoulder and wonders what kind of a mail box this is. It's simple, Socks. It's a mail box decorated for Christmas. What Socks doesn't know is that almost all of the residents at Pine Acres decorated their mail boxes this Yuletide season. The Throssells, for example, dumped a barrel over their box, draped a sheet around it, put in acorns for eyes and a nose, a red ribbon for a tie. And you've got a snowman in the sunny Southwest section!

Services Held For Edwin Clark

Funeral services will be held today at 11 a.m. in the Combs Funeral Home in Coral Gables for Edwin Thatcher Clark, 2445 SW 32nd Ave., who died Dec. 26. He was 93. Mr. Clark, a commercial designer, came to Greater Miami in 1919 from Melrose, Mass., where he received his formal education. He was born in Chelsea, Mass. Mr. Clark is survived by two daughters. They are Eleanor Clark Linton, same address, and Mrs. G. O. Vaughan, of Alice, Texas. There are five grandchildren, three from Alice, one each from Orlando and Atlanta and a great grandchild from Alice Mr. Clark was a member of the Miami Advertising Club.