The Times

CORAL GABLES Shop in the City Beautiful

They can say 'yea' or 'nay' to charitable causes

By ERICA MEYER Staff Writer Mayor Robert Knight did not want to state publicially just who he was nominating to the Coral Gables Solicitations Advisory Board, so he got the city commission to simply pass a resolution authorizing him to make the three appointments. It wouldn't really a have mattered to the small audience in commission chambers last week if Knight had said he was appointing Nat Winokur, Robert Harcourt and James Barker, because few audience members had any idea what the Solicitations Board is or what it does. Although names of appointees and current board members are public record, available on request in City Clerk Loretta Sheehy's office, the ordinance setting up the board states that the names will be kept anonymous. In other words, no one talks about it but you can find out if you ask. The Solicitations Board rules on what charities will be allowed to solicit for funds in Coral Gables, based on the ordinance limiting solicitation to certain months and based on a lengthy application form filled out by charities applying for collection permits. The names of Board members are kept quiet because officials fear possible business or personal pressure on members from charities hoping for permits. The funny thing is that the Board rarely meets and is seldom called on to rule on permit applications. Any charity that has gotten a permit in the past is reissued one almost automatically and new charities applying can be ruled on by the city manager, who only calls on the Solicitations Advisory if there is some question and the charity demands a hearing. City Manager J. Martin Gainer said he has never had occasion to consult with the Board and he's been on the job more than a year. Miss Sheehy remembers that in 1960, a local jeweler was boycotted by a charity which was turned down when he was on the Solicitations Advisory Board, but no one can recall any other incident. The three new board members were appointed to fill the expired terms of Dick Bendinger, James Graziani and Mrs. Jack Power. Other current board members are Robert Moorman, James Hartnett and Dave Sharff. All are either Gables residents or have a business in Coral Gables. City Attorney Charles Spooner said May 26, that he recommended the city eliminate the provision that a Board member's name by anonymous. "I think it could be a violation," Spooner said. "I just don't believe you can legally have an anonymous board." Miss Sheehy said the jeweler who had been boycotted "said he was glad to do his civic duty but asked that we withdraw his name from this board. "Instead of taking his res ignation," she said, "The city made the board anonymous so groups that are refused can't cause trouble for people." Dick Bendinger, of Jephson's Pharmacy on Ponce, his third three-year term on the board just concluded, said the Board reviews new applications by passing them among Board members and that the group meets only once or twice a year to reassess procedures. "Every five years or so, we go through all the applications to catch up on the ones that have been renewed," Bendinger said. "We caught three or four who were keeping more than 25 per cent of the money for themselves. We found one woman who was keeping 70 per cent," he said. "Sure, I'm glad it (membership) was anonymous," Bendinger added. "It prevented pressure. We are supposed to be able to rule on these things, to keep charity solicitation from being abused. There are a lot of good charities but a few bad apples and this kept those out." The application form charities fill out maked them prove their tax-exempt status and account for the way the money they collect is allocated. Miss Sheehy said that former City Manager Jimmy Robinson only called on the board "when he was in a jam. It was very rare. It had to be a problem that couldn't be solved any other way." The Solicitations Board does not keep minutes. Apparently, the way to discover which charties have been accepted and which have been rejected, is to check with Winston Gill is the city's licensing department. Gill's meticulous records show that only one charity has been turned down since January 1, 1975. That was Coral Gables High School's Youth Week and the action was administrative. The teenagers had applied for a permit only four days before they wanted to collect and a 30-day waiting period is required. Former City Manager Jimmy Robinson only called on the board "when he was in a jam . . . it had to be a problem that couldn't be solved any other way." Loretta Sheehy City Clerk

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The Red Cross is offering free swimming lessons at Venetian Pool this month. Children's classes begin June 14 and run throughout the summer. Sessions for adults get underway June 15 until Aug. 12. For exact times of class beginnings, call 445-8835.

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