The Times

Coral Gables THE TIMES South Miami the local community newspaper for all South Dade

Vol. 35 No. 52 | Second Class Postage Paid at Miami, Fla. | Thursday, February 9, 1961 | Published Weekly at 308 Aragon, Coral Gables, Fla. | Price 10c

Coral Gables Reinstates Blount Long Controversy Is Brought To End

By EDWIN KNIGHT Thomas C. (Tommy) Blount, Coral Gables' demoted tax assessor, has his job back. In a surprise move Tuesday, Coral Gables City Commission voted unanimously to reinstate the tax assessor who was set down seven years ago for insubordination and personality clashes with former City Manager William T. McIlwain. The Commission passed on first reading the ordinances reinstationg Blount to department head status after a discussion of some 45 minutes. Introduced by Murphy The ordinance was introduced by Commissioner Joseph Murphy who tried last July to have the same ordinance passed. The ordinance was seconded by Commissioner James Hess after several questions regarding Blount's pay status. Mayor John Montgomery, ironically partly responsible for the demotion of Blount in 1954, was a strong backer of the reinstatement. "The man has in every respect been doing the job of tax assessor since 1954," the mayor said. "We have called upon him at times to render his opinion as the city's assessor and I feel he (Blount) should be reinstated to the dignity of the office." Little Change City Manager L. W. Robinson at first recommended against the reinstatement, but later granted that it would make little change in his administrative family. Since 1954 Blount has been in charge of the city's assessment program, working under the city's finance director. With the passage of the reinstatement ordinance, Blount will again become head of the tax assessor's office on equal status with the head of the finance department. The finance director, Kenneth Allyn, also serves as tax collector. The action was taken at about 7 p.m. Tuesday long after most other Commission business had been transacted. Blount had stayed over in his office at the request of Commissioner Murphy to hear of the Commission's action. Upon hearing of the reinstatement, he came into the Commission chambers and was warmly congratulated by the Commission and a handful of spectators. Short Tenure Although Blount will again become a department head, his position with the city is not expected to last long. Metro is expected to take over the assessment and collection of all municipal and county taxes before the end of 1961 thus putting Blount and other municipal tax assessors and collectors out of business. The Commission action is expected to help Blount seek a better position either as an assessor or in any other field he may enter. Blount was appointed tax assessor in 1946 by then city manager McIlwain. There were differences between the two almost from the start. Blount went methodically about his business of determining the city's tax rolls. Troubles Began In 1953 his troubles began. Blount at that time reevaluated numerous personal property holdings in the city, many of them belonging to prominent citizens and a few of them to city officials. When the increased tax bills were received a howl went up that was heard all over Dade County. The tax assessments were challenged. City Attorney Ted Semple backed Blount's opinion but was overruled by the Commission. Others then sought to have their taxes reduced. Blount refused to change the assessments, thus setting the stage for the ouster. Blount's controversy with McIlwain then came into the open when McIlwain interceded for the reduction of some assessments. Blount protested loudly about the interference with his tax rolls and said so. The gap between the assessor and the commission and the city manager widened. Blount Fired Blount later was fired by McIlwain who listed eight charges of inefficiency and insubordination. Bitter hearings were held before the city's five-man trial board, which in the end, determined that McIlwain was as much to blame as Blount. Blount was found guilty of insubordination but not of inefficiency. The board criticized McIlwain for weakness in management. Following this, there were big shakeups in City Hall. And as an aftermath of the trial board hearing, Blount's department head status was abolished and Blount, on Aug. 17, 1954, was reduced to a clerk status, and was placed under the city finance director. He has been there ever since. Blount asked in November, 1957 to be reinstated to his status. His request was denied. Ira Willard was city manager at this time. Finally, it took Commissioner Joe Murphy to rally votes to have the controversial Blount reinstated.

Gables Changes Mind About Interest Conflict

Coral Gables Commission Tuesday passed on first reading an ordinance tightening up on the city's conflict of interest provisions. The ordinance, some two pages in length, deals with the definition, purposes, scope and violations of conflict of interest and gives the city more of a tool in controlling violations of conflict of interest not only on the Commission but on the advisory boards and by city employes. Conflict Defined According to the ordinance, conflict of interest is defined to be the having of a direct financial interest of any kind in the outcome of any act taken by a person connected with the operation of the city which will aid or benefit that person. Any willful violation of the ordinance shall constitute malfeasance and shall result in the forfeiture of office, appointment, position or employment. The city's trial board will have the final say-so on the malfeasance of an employe. The Commission will have the final word on the malfeasance of a commissioner or a board member. By Kerdyk The ordinance was introduced by Commissioner Frank Kerdyk and was unanimously passed by the Commission. A proposal introduced in December to put a conflict of interest provision before the voters in the upcoming April 11 elections was voted down by the Commission. At that time the Commission felt that present Charter passages on conflict of interest were adequate. However, those provisions do not affect city employes and board or agency members. The ordinance provides that any person having a conflict of interest shall state so at the beginning of a discussion of an item and refrain from participation in the business of that item.

Citizens Association Will Meet Friday

The Coral Gables Citizens Association, a newly organized group that is striving to maintain the high zoning restrictions in Coral Gables, will hold its meeting on Feb. 10, at 8 p.m., at the Youth Center, according to Carl Turkington. Turkington, an executive of the International Petroleum Co., Ltd., lives at 5660 Granada Blvd. He is the first president of the recently formed Association.

THE HEART and questions about that all-important organ will be answered during a Heart Forum at 8 p.m., Feb. 23, in the Coral Gables High School auditorium. The forum, sponsored by The TIMES and the Heart Association of Greater Miami, will answer questions that have come in through the mail and those asked by the audience. Looking over some of the questions are the four doctors who will be on the panel. Left to right are, sitting, Dr. John B. Liebler and Dr. Robert V. Edwards. Standing, left to right, are Dr. William M. Straight and Dr. Louis Lemberg.

Send In Your Questions Forum Will Answer Queries About Your Heart

As a public service, The TIMES and THE GUIDE, with the cooperation of the Heart Association of Greater Miami, is co-sponsoring a free Heart Forum at the Coral Gables High School Auditorium at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23. At this Forum, to which the public is invited, five eminent heart specialists will answer questions from the audience on the prevention, care, and cure of heart and blood-vessel diseases, including high blood pressure. Serving as moderator will be Robert V. Edwards, M.D. Panel members include: DeWitt Daughtry, M.D., Louis Lemberg, M.D., John Liebler, M.D., and William Straight, M.D. In addition to the question-and-answer period, there will be a 1/2-hour sound motion picture shown. Titled "Take Three Hearts," the movie has been produced by the American Heart Association, and shows three aspects of heart disease—each with a hopeful ending. Heart disease, which kills 2500 Americans every day of the year, is a condition which affects more families than all other diseases combined. If you have any questions about the cause, prevention, care, or cure of heart or blood-vessel diseases, address them in writing to "Heart Forum, care of THE TIMES and THE GUIDE, 308 Aragon, Coral Gables, Fla." Then attend the free Forum and learn the answers. As many questions of general interest as possible will be answered by the panel of specialists who have volunteered for this duty as a public service.

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Armed Robbers Pull Holdup At Liquor Store

An undisclosed amount of cash from a cash register and two wallets were taken during an armed robbery of Washbish Liquors, 5858 So. Dixie Hwy., Saturday night, Feb. 4. Two men armed with snub nose revolvers took over the store about 10 p.m., South Miami police said, forcing the store clerk, Archie Speranza, to the back room. Speranza was forced to lie down on the back room floor while the bandits were robbing the cash register. A customer, Henry F. DiFrancesco, 7100 Sunset Dr., entered during the holdup. He, too, was motioned to the back room and forced to lie down. Cash from both wallets was taken. The two men escaped with a bagful of money and headed through an alley to Sunset Dr.

Ben is back at Ben's Shell Service Sta., 9330 So. Dixie. adv

Watch For Money Bunny, Feb. 23