07-23-1942 Special MeetingMINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING OF
MIAMI SHORES VILLAGE COUNCIL
JULY 23, 1942.
The Miami Shores Village Council held a business meeting
a few minutes before the public meeting at the Community House,
July 22, 1942. Present were Mr. Arnold, Mr. Dooly, Mr. Earnest
and Mr. Childress, and the Village Attorney.
The Mayor presented a letter from V. Meade Stockdell
resigning from the Village Council, said letter being attached
to and made a part of these minutes.
Upon motion of Mr. Dooly, seconded by Mr. Earnest, the
Council by a 3/4 majority, with Mr. Childress dissenting, accepted
the resignation with regrets and directed that a letter be written
Mr. Stockdell expressing appreciation for his services as
councilman.
The Council then voted 2-1, with Mr. Arnold not voting
and Mr. Childress dissenting, to omit the reading of Mr. Stockdell's
letter at the public meeting.
Mr. Earnest then moved that John G. Thompson be appointed
to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Stockdell.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Dooly, and Mr. Thompson was
elected by a 3/4 majority with Mr. Childress dissenting.
Mr. Dooly, Mr. Childress and Mr. Arnold voted thanks and
appreciation to Mr. Earnest for his services as Mayor for the past
year.
Mr. Thompson was telephoned, and he came to the meeting
where he accepted the appointment.
The Mayor then opened the public meeting which was attended
by a small number of Village citizens to discuss the tentative
budget as adopted by the Council for the operation of the Village
Page No. 2
7/23/42
during the coming fiscal year August 1, 1942 - July 31, 1943.
Each item of the budget was fully explained by the Mayor, and
several questions were asked but no objections were voiced to any
of the items.
Mrs. Ritter requested that funds be provided for the
establishment of a library in the Village, and introduced Mrs.
C. D. Van Orsdel who explained the operation of the Little
River Library, and offered to help in the establishment of a
similar library program in Miami Shores Village.
The Council then resolved itself into an Equalization Board
and moved to the Village Office to hear and consider objections
to the tax assessment roll for 1942.
Letters requesting reductions on assessments were received
from W. W. Lee,
Lester Meister,
Frank G. Menke,
owner of Lot 13, Block 73, Miami Shores; Dr.
owner of the property at 10317 N. E. 2nd Avenue;
owner of property at 75 N. E. 104th Street;
but the board felt that the assessments on these properties were
correct and comparable to the assessment on other property in
these areas.
The Board of Ecualization then recessed until 7:30 P.M.,
July 23rd.
The assessment on the property at 842 N. E. 96th Street,
owned by J. A. Garfield was
Mr. Dunning, of Dunning
Board and the Board reduced
reduced to $9,000.00.
Properties,
assessments
Inc., appeared before
the
on his property as follows:
Lots 1 and 2, Block 19, M. S. -reduced to total $15,238.00
Lots 3-4-5, Block 18, M. S. -reduced to total $18,567.60
Lots 1 and 2, Block 18, M.S. -reduced to total $ 7,857.20
Page No. 3
7/23/42
Mr. Lester Mitchel, of 1000 N. E. 95th Street, appeared
before the Board and requested reduction in assessment of the
property atthis address, but the Board declined to change the
assessment.
The Board of Equalization was then disolved, and the members
of the Council upon motion of Mr. Thompson, seconded by Mr.
Dooly unanimously instructed that credit be given Mr. Arnold
for overpayments of Personal Property taxes for the past 2
years due to error in assessment.
The Council unanimously approved the appointment of a committee
by the Mayor to study and recommend to the Council the
proposed program for establishing a library in the Village.
Upon motion of Mr. Dooly, seconded by Lir. Earnest, the
budget ordinance No. 118 was adopted with Mr. Childress dissenting
because of the increase in the manager's salary.
Upon motion of Mr. Thompson, seconded by Mr. Dooly, ordinance
No. 117 was unanimously adopted, said ordinance being to adopt
the 1942 real and personal property tax roll as adjusted by the
Board of Equalization.
After which the meeting was adjourned.
Vi age onager an Clerk
APPROVED BY COUNCIL:
MIAMI,FLORIDA,JULY 22-1942
To THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF MIAMI SHORES '`
AT THE MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL HELD ON JULY 20TH.,1942 THE COUNCIL
BU UNANIMOUS VOTE DECIDED TO REPRIMAND THE VILLAGE MANAGER FOR HIS UNAUTHOR—
IZED LEASING OF VILLAGE PROPERTY ANO HIS HANDLING OF THE RENTAL IN SUCH A
WAY THAT NO RECORDS WERE KEPT OF THE IMC TRANSACTIONS ON THE VILLAGE BOOKS,
BUT A MAJORITY OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL THOUGHT MR.MCCALL'S CONDUCT WAS NOT
SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT HIS DISMISSAL.
HOW OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL VOTE IS A MATTER FOR EACH MAN TO DE—
TERMINE FOR HIMSELF AND I NEITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLY ANY CRITICISM OF THE
6OUINCILMEN WHO VOTED TO RETAIN MR•MCCALL.
SO FAR AS I AM CONCERNED,HOWEVER,MR.MCCALL'S ADMISSIONS CONVINCE ME
THAT HE SHOULD NOT BE TRUSTED WITH THE FUNDS OF THE VILLAGE,THE SAFETY
OF WHICH IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO THE
CITIZENS OF THE VILLAGE.
I CANNOT SHARE THIS RESPONSIBILITY WHEN,IN MY OPtN10N,TH(e VILLAGE HAS
A'VILLAGE MANAGER WHO IS UNTRUSTWORTHY. ADDING TO MY CONVICTION
CONCERNING MR•MCCALLIS DISQUALIFICATION FOR HIS PRESENT POSITION OF
TRUST IS THAT HIS STATEMENTS MADE AT THE COUNCIL MEETING OF JULY 2OTH.,1942
CONCERNING HIS HANDLING OF THE RENTAL MONEY WERE DIFFERENT FROM HIS
STATEMENTS TO ME WHEN I WAS INVESTIGATING THE BOOKS OF THE VIL AGE.
OBVIOUSLY C CANNOT TRUST A MAN WITH >« THE VILLAGE'S MONEY WHE+E IS
WILLING TO CHANGE HIS STORY TO ONE WHICH LATER APPEARED WERE BENEFICIAL
TO HIM.
UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES I FEEL COMPELLED TO RESIGN FROM THE COUNCIL AND
I HEREBY SUBMIT MY RESIGNATION KKRHICZXXXKXX EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.
W.MEADE STOCKDELL
I,
CY:171CM p Ito ,J do solemnly swear that I
will support, protect and defend the Constitution and
government of the United States and of the State of
Florida; the Charter and laws of Miami Shores Village,
a municipal corporation; that I am duly qualified to
hold office under the constitution of the state and
the laws of the Village applicable thereto; and I
will well and faithfully perform the duties of Council-
man on which I am now about to enter - So Help Me God
SUBS CR IBED AND
74'6 v l l A.D. 191.
efore me this 18th day of
(Notari Rublic St e of Flor is
at Large.
t9n p'. t cr31f Ot •Or ] at .1
_,,t. 12, 1=t
,• by Amer ,:u Surety Ge ^f In