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1977.03.11_TC_Minutes_Special1 • TOWN OF HIGHLAND BEACH, FLORIDA Minutes of Meeting of Town Commission Special Meeting March 11, 1977 3:00 P.M. Mayor Gilday called the Special Meeting to order at 3:00 P.M. Present were: Mayor Morton E. Gilday Vice Mayor William S. Hults Commissioner Leslie W. Joy Absent: Commissioner Ruth E. Mumford Commissioner Robert D. Clark Also present: Elaine W. Roberts, Town Manager • Absent: Kathryn M. Borgemenke The Mayor stated that this meeting had been called by him to consider reports which he had received of various improprieties in connection with the current election. The Mayor went on to explain that he received a telephone call this morning (March 11, 1977) approximately 10:00 A.M. from Mrs. Leslie W. Joy advising him that her husband, Commissioner Joy, was on his way down to Town Hall to withdraw from his campaign by reason of the fact that he and she had been harassed, annoyed and threatened in a series of telephone calls; threatening dire consequences to the Commissioner if he persisted in continuing with his campaign. In addition, Mrs. Joy informed the Mayor, that their son, when he was down here visiting recently, had been in at the bar of the Holiday Inn and heard two or three individuals discussing the campaign and before they realized the relationship between the son and the gentleman they were talking about (inaudiable) what was going to happen to • Commissioner Joy if he persisted. Minutes Highland Beach • Town Commission Special Meeting March 11, 1977 Page 2 of 3 Mrs. Joy also related to the Mayor that Mr. Joy had received a telephone call from one of the other candidates directing that he was out to get him and that the campaign would be very severe and if he thought (Mr. Joy) he was a sick man before he would get a lot sicker before the thing was over. Discussion relative to those conversations followed and it was determined that Mrs. Joy had received approximately 4 calls, Mr. Joy's son had received 1 call and Mr. Joy had received 1 call only and that was from Mr. Dent. Mayor Gilday noted that Commissioner Joy had made a complaint to the Police Department and through them the phone company was notified. Mayor Gilday then noted that on several occasions Mr. • O'Grady made Commissioner Joy a gift - one during the time that Mr. Joy was in the hospital, he brought up a bottle of whiskey and the other time was when he met Commissioner Joy in the Holiday Inn restaurant and bought him one drink there. Mr. Horton noted that these were occasions when Mr. O'Grady was still employed with the Town. Discussion regarding Mr. O'Grady and Commissioner Joy followed. The Mayor stated that what was needed is publicity that such attempts to intimidate have been made within the Town relative to the upcoming election; and an end will be put to the phone calls. Vice Mayor Hults stated that Commissioner Joy should follow through on the telephone monitoring through the Phone Company. Mr. Horton agreed with the Vice Mayor. • Commissioner Joy stated that at this time his formal withdrawal had not been submitted. He stated he would hold off for a few days. Minutes Highland Beach • Town Commission Special Meeting March 11, 1977 Page 3 of 3 Discussion followed on how to compile a Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate these matters. The following names were proposed: Retired Judge Robert V. Santangelo, Warren Vedder, former Vice Mayor; Milton Beekman, former Town Clerk and Commissioner; and Mr. Peter Genovese, retired attorney; and former Mayor Louis Y. Horton. • MOTION by Mayor Gilday/Vice Mayor Hults: "I move that we appoint an Election Practices Monitoring Committee with the duty to investigate improper practices which have been reported as being going on during the current campaign and perhaps to come up with some recommendations to be adopted by the Commission in the future; to avoid recurrence of such situations in future elections". ROLL CALL on the Motion Carried 3 - 0. MOTION by Vice Mayor Hults/Commissioner Joy: "To have the Mayor appoint the aforementioned members to the Committee". ROLL CALL on the Motion Carried 3 - 0. Mayor Gilday asked the Town Manager to contact these people so that he can inform them of their appointments. Mayor Gilday stated that it is the Town's intention that the Town Commission receive a report from this Committee as often and as quickly as possible. Thi~,way the Town Commission can be guided accordingly. ,,,~j~ Meeting ADJOURNED at 3:45 P.M. APPROVED: • ATTEST: :- '` Town anager C ~ - `"~ Morton f~'i y, Mayor ~~~V.~rC William S. Hults, DATED: April 1, 1977 Recorded on Tape 1, Side 1 (Absent) e Mayor Ruth E. Mumford, Commissioner Leslie W. Joy, mmissioner (Absent) -Hobert D. Clark, Commissioner