The Times

south miami report

. edwin knight

FPL franchise tax refund of $41,000 may be due city

An unexpected windfall of $41,000 in franchise monies from Florida Power & Light may mean the difference between South Miami continuing with its present budget and having to lay employes off to balance the budget. In a six month report to the city's council this week, Finance Director Charles Stamm reported that continued austerity and the large increase in revenue from FP&L could give the city clear sailing for the remaining five months of this fiscal year. "I am extremely pleased to report that the department heads have done an outstanding job of reducing expenses in the city. However this is not the time for them to relax this austere attitude," the finance director brought out in his budget report. "The increase in revenue results primarily from the estimated franchise tax from Florida Power & Light being raised from $154,079 to $195,000. This $41,00 [sic] increase in revenue is based on a telephone conversation. Until we have the check in hand, I do not believe we should put too much validity on this figure." The finance director said that if the added $41,000 from FP&L is not received, the city still might be forced to lay off employes to balance out the $41,000. Through cutting expenses to the bone and delaying until the next budget such expenses as new police cars and other vehicles, street repavings, overtime and the hiring of replacement personnel, the finance department has cut expenses by $103,719. With estimated funds available with the cutting of expenses, Stamm estimated that the city will have a surplus of $1,168 to carry over to the next budget, effective Oct. 1. With the probable addition of the $41,000, the city budget is in better condition than it was in February when Stamm told the city council that a major adjustment of the budget was needed to cut $151,023 from the expenditures column. The council approved the cutting of $77,264 of this amount, which left a further shortage of $73,760. The administration then found ways to cut $26,455 of this amount since February. This left a shortage of about $47,455, which may be recouped with the $41,000. Even before the budget went into effect last October, the finance director noticed that all funds needed were not available to support the budget. "... the city is faced with a drastic reduction in funds available to support the adopted budget and some very substantial increases in expenditures in certain areas beyond our control," the finance director told the council. The finance department found $96,000 in bills from the previous fiscal year which had not been paid. In addition, insurance costs during the current budget year rose considerably higher than budgeted estimates.

School board may help with field improvments

City of South Miami officials will not know until the Dade County School Board meets on June 9 what financial assistance the school board may offer toward the renovation of South Miami Field. The field, on the grounds of South Miami Junior High School, Ludlam Road at SW 60th Street, is jointly owned and used by the school and the city. The city is undertaking a complete renovation of the field, which will include the installation of new poles and lights, new sodding, the creation of new football fields, baseball diamonds and back-stops. South Miami Finance Director Charles Stamm, acting city manager during a week-long absence of City Manager Jack Present, met with area school officials Monday, May 10, to ask for school board help in the field's renovation. At the meeting were Fred Kline, assistant superintendent for support services and Robert Turner, Southwest District administrator. "They said they would recommend that the school board help with the field," the finance director reported. "We're hoping the school board will appropriate $20,000, which will be used for the repaving of the parking lot and the purchase and laying of new sod." Work is scheduled for completion in time for the coming fall football season. Most of the city's team sports are played at South Miami Field.

Legal gymnastics

A hearing May 6 on state charges against the City of South Miami of conducting unfair labor practices lasted the entire day, but produced little, according to South Miami Finance Director Charles Stamm. "It was a lot of legal gymnastics. Nothing was accomplished. There was a continuance, but I don't believe a new date has been set." said the acting city manager. The hearing was held before attorney Charles Adams, of the state's Administrative Services branch, who presided over the proceedings as a judge. Representing South Miami was City Attorney Edward Moore. Charges were brought by a union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees after the city, negotiating with the union for more than a year, failed to sign. The unfair labor practice citation included charges that the city donated turkeys to its 150 employes at Christmas at a cost of $900 after it had told the union that it didn't have funds enough for the percentage of raise that the union was seeking. The hearings are expected to bring the city and the union closer together on many of the points of the contract not previously agreeable to the city.

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