07-22-1949 Informal Meeting 151
INFOHWAL METING
July 22,1949
On July 22, 1949, the Miami Shores Village Council held an informal
meeting with the Golf Club Committee to discuss a proposed ordinance for the
operation of the Club. All members of the Council were present and those present
of the Committee included W. H. Walker, Jr., President, J. N. McArthur and P. Z.
Willits, Vice Presidents and Harry Karber, Chairman of the Membership Committee,
as well as, several other golf-playing members of the Club.
Mayor Frix opened the meeting with the following statements:
"First, I would like for all present here tonight to know that
this Council is just as interested in a playable Golf Course as
anyone in the audience. Four-fifths of your Council are golfers
and pay for golf playing privileges at the Golf Club. Second,
I would like for you to appreciate the fact that we, as your
Village Council, represent the taxpayers of Miami Shores Village,
all of them. I would like to call to your attention that out of
3550 freeholders in Miami Shores Village, only 346 pay golf
playing privileges or, roughly, one tenth.
"I would also like to call to your attention we have had,
informally, many complaints about the financial operation of
the Golf Club. I do not say that those complaints were justi-
fied or unjustified.. I merely make the statement that the
taxpayers who do not play golf have complainAd to your Council.
"I would also like to say that since Mr. Walker was apprised
that there possibly might be a change in the Golf Course ordinance
that rumors have been flying around as rumors will. Yon start
out with one the size of a marble and in 24 hours you have one
the size of a tremendous snowball. That happened in this case,
as in every case. Your Council has been misquoted. Individuals
on your Council have been misquoted. Every one of those rumors
is without any foundation whatsoever. We asked Mr. Walker Tues-
day night to ask the other members of the Executive Golf Comi.ttee
and the Chairmen of the standing committees of the Golf Club to
meet with us on a common ground to work out a solution. Those
are the facts, regardless of what any of you have heard.
"I would also like to go on record as saying this proposed
ordinance does not imply or intend to give any authority to
Mr. C. Lawton McCall, the Village Manager. Mr. McCall will act
as liaison officer, if you please, or, go-between, between the
Golf Committee and the Village Council. We felt that we are
obligated to keep our people informed as to the operation of the
Golf Club. It is their money we are handling, not ours.
"How.. I would like for us to take up the proposed ordinance
which we have drafted....."
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Then Mayer Frix read through the complete ordinance after which each
section was discussed separately. Various additions and deletions were made on
recommendation of the Golf Committee.
A lengthy discussion followed on the advisibility of the Village
Parkway Department handling the Golf Course maintenance. It was the opinion of
all members of the Committee., as well as.. Club members present, that a greenskeeper
was necessary on the course and that it would be too great a risk to allow the
Parkway Department to take over this specialized job. It was finally decided
that responsibility for the greens would be vested in the Greens Committee and
the Council will accept their recommendations as to how they wish to effect better
grooming of the course.
This proposed ordinance is to be rewritten in its amended form for
further consideration at the next regular Council meeting.
As there was no further business at hand, the meeting adjourned.