The Times

6 TIMES/GUIDE Weekend of January 1/2, 1977

opinion

• editorials • commentary • letters

Matter of degree

It has been brought to our attention by the Coral Gables Police Department, that the Junior Orange Bowl Parade attracted more viewers this year than in any other year to date. This does not really surprise us since anyone who has ever had the good fortunre to participate in or be an observer of said parade, knows that it gets bigger and better every year. However, what does surprise us is that the police also reported that on this lovely Coral Gables day, with the temperature hovering around 70 degrees, at least five young ladies from Kansas and Kentucky who were marching in the parade, collapsed from heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion? Many of us were wearing sweaters on this coolish day (for these parts). But then, we must remember that these visitors came from "up north" and though it may have seemed cool to us, it must have been almost sweltering to them. Which leads us to believe that perhaps the grass is greener in our own back yard after all. We certainly hope the young ladies recovered quickly and we wish them and all our visitors and residents, the happiest of New Years.

Why, it's a 'Y'

The YMCA is such a worthwhile organization and serves so many people in so many ways and in so many areas, it came as a big surprise to us when we heard this week that there was not a "Y" in sight south of Kendall Drive. It must have been disturbing to members of the board of directors of the YMCA as well, for the South Dade area now does have a branch of the "Y". It's located on South Dixie Highway on the old McArthur Dairy office building site and includes an additional nine acres of land. Due to the perseverance of some dedicated South Dade citizens, this dream has come about. The programs for the potential facility had been envisioned for some time and come Jan. 3, they will be put into effect. Maybe not all of them right at the start, but there are meeting rooms for planning and these plans include much for the residents of South Dade. Maybe even an after school facility for working parents. The name of the game is community and citizen involvement and the end result is something for everybody who wants a part of the action.

We resolve to . . . oh, forget it

eye on south dade . . . bea moss Ah, yes, it's that time of year when all of us are tempted to make New Year's resolutions but hesitate a lot because if we're honest with ourselves, we know we won't keep them. At least most of them. But we continue with the charade by making resolutions that we know we'll never have to deal with like, "I'm giving up spending all my money on Jaguars, trips to the Orient and Robert Redford (or Ali McGraw as the case may be). Some of the more simple resolutions like giving up drinking, smoking or staying out late on work nights, one can carry out with a certain amount of zeal for say, two or three weeks, but then it's back to sin and corruption once again. So with this in mind, knowing full well that I probably will not keep any of my own resolutions for more than two or three days, I've decided to suggest some resolutions for a few of our local citizens and groups of citizens. The State Road Department will resolve to stop tearing up Coral Way, Galloway Road and every other road in Dade County and start planning a few roads they won't have to tear up. The Miami Hurricanes under the leadership of their new coach, will resolve to win four games and have at least one quarterback with a name like Francis or Bert. South Dade residents will be pleased to hear that Florida Water and Utilities will see that their water is not rusty at least one day a week. . .but they'll have to pay more for it. Someone will resolve to stop trying to have large areas of South Dade rezoned for highrises or shopping centers but only in self defense because we'll soon be squeezed out. At least one thief will resolve to stop robbing Farm Stores allowing employes to breathe easier one day out of the year. The Dolphins will put in a call to Jim Del Gaizo. The health department will make a joint resolution to tell the public that there actually WAS a connection between swine flu shots and "coincidental" deaths. Coral Gables city fathers will resolve to stop deferring the Biltmore question from one commission meeting to the next and actually defer it to every other meeting. Someone will actually resolve to DO something about the Biltmore (sometime soon). Coral Gables High School students will resolve to sit on the lawns in front of every third house on the block during lunch hour. Residents in homes bordering Coral Gables High School will make a resolution to turn on their sprinklers during lunch hour. Commissioners will decide to allow campers to park in drive-ways in the City Beautiful. . .when letting people open the doors to get out. There will not be a bicentennial celebration. Long-time Coral Gables City Clerk Loretta Sheehy, Finance Director Kenneth Allyn and Venetian Pool Manager John Rosasco resolve that they MAY tell their replacements where everything is filed. South Miami Police Chief Sal Vizzini will resolve that he may or may not fire a police officer. South Miamians will pray a lot. . .to ward off higher taxes. And last but not least, someone will resolve to find out why no one checked the original plans for the Coral Gables Police and Fire Station and they'll definitely discover where the leak is. . .the water one. Outside of that, the resolutions are up for grabs. Let's try to keep them all this time.

Code of ethics clear in Florida law

reader response EDITOR: Having read an item in your newspaper by staff writer Edwin Knight on Nov. 27 and a follow-up editorial on Dec. 1 relative to Mayor Jack Block of South Miami, I am enclosing a copy of the Ethics Commission advisory opinion issued to Mayor Block and referenced in the above news stories. As you can see from the opinion, Florida law specifically provides that "(n)o public officer shall be prohibited from voting in his official capacity on any matter." The statute goes on to state, however, that any public officer voting in his official capacity upon any measure in which he has a personal, private, or professional interest and which inures to his special private gain or the special gain of any principal by whom he is retained shall, within 15 days after the vote occurs, disclose the nature of this interest as a public record in a memorandum filed with the person responsible for recording the minutes of the meeting, who shall incorporate the memorandum in the minutes. Mayor Block's voting on the expenditure of public funds for his wife's travel expenses was found by the Ethics Commission to constitute a voting conflict of interest requiring such disclosure. The Commission on Ethics is statutorily charged with the responsibility to issue legally binding advisory opinions as to the applicability and interpretation of the law to a public officer or employe who requests such opinion based on particular circumstances affecting him. I emphasize that the Commissions's opinions are interpretations of LAW rather than philospophy. Further, our jurisdiction is limited to Chapter 112, Part III, Florida Statutes, commonly known as the Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employes. Finally, I would call your attention to the closing paragraph of the opinion to Mayor Block wherein we advise that we have no authority to rule on the possible applicability of Florida Statute 112.061, relating in part to authority to incur travel expenses, to the South Miami ordinance permitting public funds to be expended on travel for a public official's spouse. DONALD H. REED, JR. Chairman Florida Commission on Ethics

the gables publishing company

serving south dade and coral gables since 1926 jim storey general manager bea moss managing editor bob levine advertising manager bill mc hugh circulation manager address: 4627 ponce de leon blvd. coral gables, fla. 33146 telephone: 666-7981