The Times

Saturday, August 28, 1976, page 19 (of 26)

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Personality conflict at heart of lease problem?

From Page 1 one disgruntled patron of the restaurant. "The American Legion is performing a disservice to the people who work around here," said Marsha Lee, a steady customer at Murrays who works across the street from the restaurant. "They have home cooking here that you just don't find anywhere in Coral Gables. It's close, convenient, the prices are reasonable and the food is great," she said. "Where are we going to go when they close?" Ms. Lee, along with Joanne Smith, who also works close by, were trying to get a petition going in an effort to keep the restaurant open. But Murray is doubtful that anything will make the American Legion change its mind. "It's ironic that seven years ago they asked me to open a business here," said Murray. "I moved in and paid a backlog of bills for repairs — to the tune of $1,500 — on the assumption that I had a continuous lease. The agreement was for a three-year lease with the option to renew. "The second year I was here, they started giving me problems because they claimed I had made up a phoney lease. (Al Gordon, the legionnaire who signed the original lease had passed away). "The Board of Trustees tried to break the lease with me but I took them to court and I won. Now, they are trying to get back at me for beating them in court. Sal Perratta, Adjutant for Post 98, said there is no personal vendetta against Murray. He said the post's general membership voted not to renew the lease because they "want to take over" the facility. "It is really none of your business what we are going to use that space for. The general membership voted not to renew, and that's that," Parratta told The Times-Guide. Manny Menendez, former past commander of the Coral Gables Post, and Roberto Camunas, past adjutant and past judge advocate of the veterans organization, both said there was not a quorum the day the decision was made not to renew Murray's lease. "We had been trying to negotiate another lease for Mr. Grossman, but the members of the Board of Trustees would not consider any reasonable negotiation," Camunas said. "They didn't give him a chance because all they wanted was for Murray to get out. There is a personality conflict and they wanted to get back at him," the legionnaire said. "This type of action does not comply with the preamble of the American Legion, which says 'we should have devotion to mutual helpfulness for our comrades,'" Camunas said. "There is nothing to justify this action because we don't need extra space. We barely have a quorum of 20 at meetings. We don't need an extra hall." Murray, who is also assistant district commissioner for the Boy Scouts, said he is trying to find another place in Coral Gables for his restaurant, but is having a hard time. In the meantime, he is donating his air conditioner to the Boy Scouts, and the tables and chairs to a charity group. "They loused up my retirement," said Murray, who ran Julie's Dive-In on Flagler and 16th Avenue for about 15 years prior to moving to Coral Gables. "This place kept my wife and I busy five days a week and we really enjoyed it. But now they are taking it away from us. The people of Coral Gables are truly beautiful and we want to find another place nearby, and we haven't had much luck." According to Menendez, the Board of Trustees of the Legion read their decision not to renew the lease before a group of 18 members, two short of meeting the forum requirements. "Some of the nicest people in Coral Gables are in the Post and we are going to bring charges against those who might dirty the name of the American legion." said Camunas. "They are not only hurting Murray, they are also hurting seven more people who will be unemployed on Monday," he added. Ruth, who works as the restaurants's cashier, felt very sad about the closing of the restaurant. "It's a terrible thing what they are doing to us. And just to think, it's one veteran hurting another." Photo by ELIZABETH OWEN May Clarke serves up last 'donut special'

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