Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 08-04-1953 Regular — reading text

102 I Minutes of Regular Council meeting held August 4, 1953. Present: W. B. Williams, Theo Bass, W. B. Harbeson, W. C. Stacy, O. M. Earley, JQmes E. Miller, and W. J. Roberts Jr. Absent: Mayor Thomas E. Brooks Visitors: The Board of County Commissioners, Board of Hospital Trustees, R. C. Clements, Wayne Bell, Percy Hamilton, and others The meeting was called to order at 8 P. M. The Clerk advised the Council that Mayor Brooks was in the hospital and that Mr. Stacy as Mayor pro- tern would preside. Mr. Stacy asked for someone to open the business. Attorney Anderson advised the County Commissioners as to what he had received on the Hill- Burton Fund and advised that this meeting was called to disauss the proposed hospital. Attorney Amos asked the County Commissioners Chairman, C. L. Fleming, what they thought about the hospital plan. Mr. Fleming advised that they had not discussed it too much but the architect who drew the pilians for the County Court House advised it might be possible to build two small hospitals if they got a~ other 200, 000. The County Commissioner said they would have to have another election to raise the milage from 3 mills to 5 mills to be able to get enought money. to build two hospita! s. He said the general opinion was if the town built a hospital here it might the county' s priority on the Hill- Burton Fund. Me advised the Council the architect had advised that a hospital could be built for $ 200, 000 in Hill- Burton Funds. Dr. Wilson was asked if he had talked to anyone on the suhject of the Hill- Burton Funds. Dr. Wilson advised he had talked to a Dr. Payne from Pensacola who said that the mOB~ y was ready under the Hill- Burton Act but that it would not be split up there would only be one hospital in a County under the Hill- Burton Act. He said the money would be allotted on the 15th of August if plans and everything was ready and if not allotted at that time would go back into the funds. Dr. White advised the Council that something should be done tongght because if they did not make up their minds they were heopardizing the chances of Okaloosa County getting a hospital at all. Attorney Anderson asked Dr. White if he thought that the ~ ill- Burton Fund would be cut off if the hospital plans were net ready by August 15 and Dr. White advised that he did not mean that August 15 was a deadline. Mr. Fleming advised that he 000 to build two hospitals thought it would take more than $ 400, J  103 Mr. Roberts asked when the County would get the mOBey and was answered that it was ready by August 15 according to Dr. Wilson' s conversation with Dr. Payne in Pensacola. I Mr. Stacy asked Mr. Fleming if the County Commissioners would be willing to split the money and build two hospitals. Mr. Fleming advised the Council that he could not make a statement on spliting the money or funds until he met with the entire board of County Commissioners. He could not speak for the Commissioners as a whole, that he did not believe that they could build a hospital for $ 200, 000. He advised that they could ra~$e more money that he thought the Commissioners would agree to split the money. Mr.Stacy advised Mr. Fleming that he thought the Council had the hospital motion tabled until they could find out what the Commissioners were going to do. Mr. Fleming said if KkK every board got together and discussed he situation something CQuld be done. That he believed that the Commissioners would send out invitations to all the various boards to hold this meeting. He advised that he was not against the Bay Area but he wanted the county to get a good hospital. Mr. Fleming was asked if the Commissioners would divide the money which was available. and present this to the state for approval. Attorney Amos advised the Council that there was a question as to whether the County could put the money into two hospitals and I it would have to be ruled on by the Supreme Court. County Commissioners would have to file for a clear He advised the court judgment. Mr. Nelson Davis advised that the mOBey had already had been split up in Florida in certain counties for two hospitals and Attorney Amos Advised Mr. Davis that this may have been done by a special law. After discussion the Council requested that the Courity Commissioners give them the action of their board as soon as possible. A motion was made by Theo Bass and seconded by O. M. Earley to pay the Street Paving Project Estimate # 6 on Smith Engineering and Construction Company plus $ 8, 581. 43 on Estimate # 7. Vote Aye Unanimous. A motion made by W. was J. Roberts and seconded by W. B. Williams to turn the sewage over problem over to the Water and Sewer Committee for their action. Vote Aye Unanimous. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned. ADOPT$ D: ATTEST: APPROVED~~.~ ~ I CITY CLERK M'