Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 07-14-1981 Regular — reading text

and I lost $ 3, 000 on one and there was... ( inaudible) twenty years. An another thing, I thank you for the God best want to City inspection... ( inaudible) After I spent about 6, 000 I was so moved, I lost about 3 or 4 thousand dollars. Still we got a wood building on Main Street, and that' s thirty years. Why? He won' t treat every- body equal, not the priviledged. That' s what we' re fighting for. I Mayor said, I really believe that Mr. Benaquis was not speaking the motion, to but I think he was speaking from his heart. I would like to go on record as saying a review of the occupational license in the City of Fort Walton Beach will be the first, one of the first orders of business that this Council will take up. I do not know why the merchants have stood still for the treatment they have received this long. I assure you, you will be one of the first things that we will take up in order of business for Council. 4 '4 7/ 14/ 81 A citizen said, Madame Mayor, may I speak. Mayor said, yes, please. The citizen said, I think it is a basic assumption inaudible) what is happening is that some good people decided to run for City Council, and now they are being intimidated and what the result will be is that nobody at that time really lacked... inaudible) system, no one will because they' d be afraid they' d be harrassed. Mayor said, would you please sit quiet as you can so we can hear everyone. A citizen said, Madame Mayor... ( inaudible) said and the main reason I' m standing up here is because I' d like to address Mr. Franklin in regards to the motion. Mr. Franklin, I don' t understand exactly why this motion is in front of the Council at this time, the motion to reconsider. I wonder if it is possible that you could kind of, it seems that be- cause of action that was taken hastily last Monday. I don' t understand the reason behind why you have to rehash that now. Mr. Baughman said, please let me say we' ve made it obvious that we want you to have a chance to come up here and tell us what' s on your mind. Mr. Franklin said, Mr. Baughman, also, I would like to have an opportunity after the people speak, to speak my piece. To tell you why I voted the way I did last week, and I hope the other Councilmen will do the same tonight. A citizen said, well then, will there be another vote, a revote on that or.... Mr. Franklin said, yes sir, we have a motion and a second and I believe, it has to be voted on. Herb Crane said, City Council, let me just say I' ve been a citizen eleven years, and I think this City and a lot of people are talking too loosely. inaudible) Mayor said, thank you. Madame Mayor, I' m Jim Harkins, from Fort Walton Beach for some 20 years now, I' m involved in poli- tics in this local area having pro' s and con' s of political life here having been involved in civic responsibilities and programs for amenity, I think I am in a position to speak for our new Council.  7/ 14/ 81 245 I believe that no one can deny this audience that we had a vote in City Council some month or so ago, which you people were elected, were unanimously elected to your office. I would like to state that as a fact, first. I would like to also state that if it would have been in my power, I would have gone a bit slower with the dissolving of positions in City Council. However, it has become quite apparent, that I you have stirred up a hornet' s nest of people who have their personal financial interests presently in an emotional state, or uncomfortable. I would say that you have stirred up some hornet' s nest to wit: that there might be some looks at ...( inaudible) in this City that are owned by these very wealthy in- dividuals who have taken it upon themselves to take over the rights of those of us of Okaloosa County and specifically, Fort Walton Beach. I would also like to ask some questions about the relationship, for in- stance, of Mr. Taylor to Mr. Ciano in Pensacola and other such..... Mr. Miller called point of order. I would like, if I may, talk to these of Mr. Miller. I would like to state a fact, that is, Mr. Miller, Mr. Sundy, and Bishop have publically made a sham of our City Council. I would respectfully request that these gentlemen resign from City Council immediately. Mayor said, I think it will help everybody regardless of which side you are on if we move a little forward if you would like to speak. Excuse me for the inter- ruption. My name is Jane Brock and my address is Fort Walton Beach. I would like to say I thoroughly approve of the actions taken by City Council in the Winston Walker case and I might encourage everybody who voted in that election and I believe that' s what we' re talking about here is to get citizen opinion about that issue. And I thoroughly approve of what was done last week. My is Tim Ray. name The question... ( inaudible) 1600 people in 72 hours, maybe a little bit more. Out of the 2400 that voted which one are you saying is wrong, four new or the three defending it? Reflect that also on Winston Walker, a man who has been in Fort Walton Beach for 23 years, built Fort Walton Beach into one of the few cities in Florida that is not in the red zone, which now will be put in the red zone because of the ruckus we have started here. This is the man who built Fort Walton Beach, and you' re gonna throw him out for no reason at all? Mayor said, I resent the implication, and it' s purely an implication, that we' re about to put this city into the red. 248 7/ 14/ 81 I' m Edward Maney and resident of Fort Walton I' m a Beach. I don' t have financial assests which any would benefit me one way or another. I thank the courts for that. But I can say that I don' t know any of the individuals who were dismissed or re- signed under protest well enough to form an opinion. I can also say that in my limited knowledge of the law, and to my limited experience, I have to second the comment that it is not what you did, it' s how you did it. I' d like to see everything out in the open, and I would hope that the individuals who were dismissed are vindicated. They may not be, but I' d like to have the right as a citizen and the priviledge of a citizen to know what they are quilty of. To know what they are accused of. I voted for some of the new members on the Council, I signed some of the recall petitions, because I think that when the facts are out, the recall petition will affirm the correct action, and will condemn the incorrect action. I' d like to see everybody come out in the open and discuss it all, lay it all out in a line, throw the rumors out the window and get down to the facts. Thank you. Mayor said, I don' t share your platitudes even if you... ( inaudible) of Council and I know that many of you are going to be quite surprised. I' m Buck a resident of Fort Walton Beach since Smith, 1945 and been a while. that' s I want to ask what Mr. Grant said last week. You know when you consider these motions of last week, I think it very... ( in- audible). I want to know what the Councilmen have against Winston Walker, or any other city employee. I was just a businessman in Fort Walton Beach since 1961... ( inaudible) 1943, 1944. I don' t know what they are talking about Mr. Walker doing all these favors, these people not paying taxes, all these special Looks to me like sometime between favors. then and now we would have an official smart enough to catch him at this. The very first person that would vote him out of the City of Fort Walton Beach, if they have got something against him that' s wrong, and in America, our Constitution says you' re innocent until proven guilty. And if I was sitting up there~__ and this was done, I would be a very sick person. And that' s all I have to say. I really want to thank Mr. Franklin for giving the people here, a lot of people out here whose toes have been stepped on, that' s been fired by some of the people in the city, would naturally look to Mr. Walker. And the next guy that we can get, whoever, he is, he' s not Mr. Walker, I would hate to be that fella. Would' nt you if you knew what it is today. Because an honest person, a sincere person who has got a good job don' t want this kind of job, reorganization of this  7/ 14/ 81 247 city. That' s it. If you' ve got something on him, lay it out in the open, I' ll be the first one to walk the