The Times

Wednesday, December 29, 1976, page 1 (of 34)

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Times Guide Serving The City Beautiful Since 1926 4627 Ponce de Leon Boulevard • Coral Gables, Florida 33146 Florida's Best Suburban Newspaper • Phone 665-7981 40 Pages Vol. 50 No. 105 Wednesday, December 29, 1976 ** 10 Cents

inside

Metro signs lease with Gables for local county courtroom

By ANA MARIA ALVAREZ Staff Writer The second floor of the new Coral Gables Police and Fire Station will soon be the home of a full county court facility. On Tuesday, Dec. 21, the Metro Commission allowed the county manager to sign a lease with the City of Coral Gables for space in the building, located at 2801 Salzedo St. "It will take some time to get everything completed, but we are hoping they will be able to move in by May," said Coral Gables City Manager Martin Gainer. In the meantime, the Clerk of Court will have an interim operation in the basement of the police department, said Gainer. The new court facility will replace the Coral Gables' municipal court, which will be phased out next month. Under the new five-year lease agreement, the city, which is now spending $38,000 for the municipal court, will rent out the second floor of the police building to the county for $1 a year. The temporary clerk's office in the building will help make the transition from the municipal court facility to a full county court easier, said city officials. When completed, the Coral Gables Branch Court will have a judge's chamber, a courtroom, secretary's office, separate rooms for the State Attorney and Public Defender, a holding room and office space for the County Court or six additional staff members. The city will provide the partitions for the rooms, air conditioning and heating for the area. The county will provide carpet for the office space and furniture for the entire courtroom and adjacent offices. Metro will also pay for the janitorial services, electricity and go half and half with the city for the maintenance of the lobby and restrooms. "The interim facility will provide many services offered downtown, but it will not be as extensive as when they open the larger one in May," said Gainer. "It'll take some time to get everything completed, but we are hoping they will be able to move in by May." Martin Gainer

the year in review The Biltmore, police scandals grab Gables attention

By ANA MARIA ALVAREZ Staff Writer The most pronounced issue on the minds of Coral Gables officials at the beginning of 1976 will be the same one when 1977 rolls around. The Biltmore and all the problems surrounding that historic hotel complex were to receive top priority in 1976. And although some progress has been made, the big decisions were postponed and will hopefully be made in the New Year. Another sex scandal rocked the City Beautiful — this one involving several police officers. Two of the suspended policemen resigned rather than face the Trial Board, another was fired after the board found him guilty of several accusations involving a minor female, and the fourth officer was reinstated. The following are some of the events which took place in 1976: January The city acquired Merrick Manor for $21,000 and a promise to restore the building for use as the Coral Gables House. . . The Coral Gables Times Guide celebrated its 50th anniversary. . . The Coral Gables police recovered 23 tons of marijuana, one of the biggest drug hauls in South Florida, at Gables-By-The-Sea. The Biltmore . . . continues into the New Year February University of Miami students staged a large protest against a $400 a year tuition increase. . . Col. Tom Chegin was named executive director of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce. March The State Attorney's Office began an investigation into the March 21, 1975 robbery at a Coral Gables bank in which a police informant was killed and two robbers wounded. . . Residents whose homes border Coral Gables High School petitioned the commission for protection from students who use their yards as a meeting play. April Coral Gables Fire Department personnel were on stand-by to fill in during the Randall-Eastern Ambulance driver's strike. . . A $2.016 million suit was filed against 10 Coral Gables and South Miami police officers by the family of the police informant killed during a bank robbery in the Gables. May The camper debate raged amoung the Gables citizenry. . . Dwight Small's dismissal as Coral Gables personnel manager See BICENTENNIAL, Page 2