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1981.09.29_TC_Minutes_RegularTOWN OF HIGHLAND BEACH, FLORIDA Minutes of Meeting of Town Commission • Public Hearing September 29, 1981 5:05 P.M. Mayor Horton announced that, according to State Law, a Public Hearing is to be held regarding the taxes for the coming Fiscal Year which starts on October 1, 1981. Those in attendance at this Public Hearing were: Mayor Louis Y. Horton, Vice Mayor Harold C. Storm and Commissioner John J. Basso. Also in attendance were: Elaine W. Roberts, Town Manager, Thomas E. Sliney, Town Attorney, Police Chief Kenneth Jones and Jane E. Barker, Town Clerk. Absent were: Commissioners Mary Louise G. Blosser and Edward J. Sullivan. There were many interested Townspeople in the audience. Channel 12 of West Palm Beach was televising the meeting. Mayor Horton first read a letter from Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Mandel of Regency Highland protesting the proposed taxes and stating they could not attend the meetings but wished to go on record as objecting to the proposed property tax. .Commissioner Basso • questioned which tax they were referring to and Mayor Horton stated that. he imagined it was the County tax. Mayor Horton then proceeded to read his memo of September 28, 1981 addressed to the Town Commission for the record. His memo concerned the salaries of the policemen for the coming year. He made mention of the fact that, according to .former Commissioner Genovese, fifteen days' notice should be given to place an item on the agenda, in order that the Town Commission would have an opportunity to study the subject matter. This, Commissioner Genovese introduced as a MOTION and it was carried unanimously. He went on to state that the recommendations made to the Town Commission on Friday afternoon, September 25th, had never been the subject of study by the Town Commission before that date. He, therefore, felt that the matter of revised police salaries should be held in abeyance until the Commission had a chance to study the matter further, and in the interim, the Police Department should be given • the standard cost of living increase received by all other employees. ~J Minutes Highland Beach Town Commission Public Hearing September 29, 1981 Page 2 of 5 Mayor Horton then announced that in a Public Hearing people from the audience could speak by coming to the front, introduce themselves and speak once for three minutes only. He then said, that after that, the Town Commission would go into executive session and take action. Mr. Ed Schmidt, of Bel Lido, spoke of the necessity of keeping the Town's qualified policemen and that he was concerned about the safety of his family. He was most anxious that the police force was paid on parity. Mr. Lowell Blum, Chairman of the Police Committee, addressed the Town Commission stating that he thought the entire matter had been settled after the joint meeting of the Financial Advisory Board and Police Committee on Friday morning, September 25, 1981. • Vice Mayor Storm then proceeded to inform everyone that the Financial Advisory Board and the Police Committee are strictly advisory committees, cannot make final decisions and can only recommend their suggestions to the Town Commission for the Commission's action. He further stated that the Town Commission is restricted by State Law as to what it can do as far as budgets, tax rates and millage are concerned, and reminded Mr. Blum that no decision had been reached by the Town Commission. Vice Mayor Storm also mentioned the misquoted figures for the Town of Gulfstream and said that the Town had been given inaccurate figures. Chief Jones stated that the figures obtained from Chief Greer of Gulfstream were effective October 1, 1981 and the figure was $16,800 and correct. Mary Ruckman of the Montery House addressed the Commission regarding the proposed budget. Mrs. Roberts answered Mrs. Ruckman's questions. L J Mayor Horton explained that some Towns hire policemen for a "job" and they remain at that same salary for their entire period of employment. The Town of Highland Beach works on a 5-year plan and feels that a man's value to the Town increases as he gets to know his beat and the residents, and therefore, earns merit increases. Minutes Highland Beach Town Commission Public Hearing September 29, 1981 Page 3 of 5 He again stated that the Commission would give this matter further study and if it should be decided to change the pay scale, the changes could be made retro- active to October 1, 1981. He further stated that he did not feel that the Commission would be doing a reasonable job for the people of Highland Beach if they received an -item on Friday afternoon and were expected to make a decision that same afternoon. Mrs. Jane Rayner, a member of the Financial Advisory Board, spoke .next, saying that she had given a lot of study to the matter prior to attending the meeting Friday morning, only to get to the meeting and find out that the information she had studied was incorrect. Mayor Horton explained more facts for the benefit of all. :7 Mr. M. H. W. Dent, a Town resident, spoke regarding the Police Department. Mr. Harry Walker, a member. of the Financial Advisory Board, reminded the audience that neither Mayor Horton nor the Commission had turned down the police department's request and asked that they be given the time to study this matter. Mr. Dent asked that another Public Hearing be held after the Town Commission had decided formally on this matter. He was informed that this would be done by means of either a Special or Regular Meeting. Vice Mayor Storm again explained the sequence of letters received from the police department. Patrolman Jack Oehl then addressed the Commission and the audience saying that sometime ago a meeting was held in the police department with the policemen, Mr. Lowell Blum of the Police Committee, and the Town Manager. He stated that at that time he stressed communications should be kept among the policemen, the police committee and the Town Manager. Mrs. Roberts stated that she would obtain comparable figures from towns in the nearby areas and get back to the policemen. Mr. Oehl stated that the Town Manager did not get back to the men and that that is the reason they requested Chief Jones to look into the matter. • Mr. Lowell Blum again addressed the group in great detail. • Minutes Highland Beach Town Commission Public Hearing . September 29, 1981 Page 4 of 5 Mrs. Roberts stated that she would continue meeting with the police department, but was unable to make a promise that she could not keep. In other words, she could not promise a raise to anybody until the Town Commission passed the budget and set the millage by ordinance. Mr. Ed Schmidt spoke again regarding his family's safety. Mayor Horton then stated that if there were no further comments from the audience, the Town Commission would go into executive session for the purpose of adopting two ordinances concerning the budget. Commissioner Basso stated that he would like to have the information he requested from Mrs. Roberts at the Special Meeting of September 25 regarding the amount of money it would cost if the increased; monies were paid to the police department. Mrs. Roberts said that she spent the entire weekend working on these figures and she did have them. She said she has a lot for the Commission to study, even a three year plan which she worked out as an alternate to the four year plan. • Proposed Ordinance No. 427 - To effect a tax levy based upon the 1981 Tax Roll of the Town of Highland Beach. Proposed Ordinance No. 427 was read in full by Mayor Horton. MOTION by Vice Mayor Storm/Commissioner Basso that this ordinance be approved as read by Mayor Horton. In polling the Commission, the vote was as follows: Mayor Horton - Aye; Vice Mayor Storm - Aye and Commissioner Basso - Aye. The Ordinance was adopted unanimously. Proposed Ordinance No. 428 - Appropriating funds for the Fiscal Year 1981-82 beginning October 1, 1981 and ending September 30, 1982. Proposed Ordinance No. 428 was read in full by Mayor Horton. Minutes Highland Beach Town Commission Public Hearing • September 29, 1981 Page 5 of 5 MOTION by Commissioner Basso/Vise Mayor Storm that this ordinance be approved as read by Mayor Horton. In jpolling the Commission, the vote was as follows: Mayor Horton - Aye; Vice Mayor Storm - Aye and Commissioner Basso - Aye. Public Hearing ADJOURNED at 6:25 P. M. APPROVED: A,[ Louis '~ Haro~„d C., S J. rton, Mayor Vice Mayor Commissioner ' (Absent) Mary .Fw'C[~se G. Blo~ser, Comm. Absen ) Edward J. S i an, Commissioner C: ATTEST: own Clerk DATED: 0~~, ~ , / / ° / •