Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 07-06-1981 Special — reading text

r,.,. ,." 7/ 6/ 81 I.. 1 .1. Back in February of 1981 in a letter to the editor of the Playground Daily News, he wrote in his own handwriting I assume, or typed it, and signed it, a letter talking about the need to change the City Council. " I' m talking about the City Council-- this is a quote. Not the appointed City adminis- 1 tration, which I consider one of the most effective and efficient administrations in Florida. I would actively oppose any change in the current adminis- tration based on current performance." Maybe we have changed that current performance since Feb- ruary. I haven' t observed it. Going further as a quote, " For once, stand up on your own feet and leave Winston and Charlie ( and they refer to City Clerk Clerk- Finance Director) Evans out of it. They are doing a very good job. We are not. Their job would be a whole lot easier if we started sup- porting them by doing ours." Now, I attempted to tender my resignation to keep from hurting the City of Fort Walton Beach. I considered it before the election. I talked to members of the administra- tion. Some of the people sitting on this Council knew it. But I felt it would be in the best inter- est of the City to wait until the election was over and the new Council could then appoint the City Attorney. I did this, not for myself, but for the City as a whole. Now, I also made it the 25th I think, of July to afford you an opportunity at your regular meeting which is scheduled on July 14, to appoint and consider during this time I assumed an effective appointment on the 14th of July. This would afford me approximately ten days to coordinate the existing work that is going on as City Attorney. Now, ya' ll may have some outstan- ding lawyer or lawyers to help you. I think you are going to need them. But I will say this. I cannot coordinate what I have been doing for the past twenty years in exactly one second. So with that, you' ve got my resignation, and with it Mrs. Mayor and Mr. Grant, Mr. Baughman and whoever else, here' s one that is a closing tomorrow if the people are ready in the Industrial Park. That is eminent. Here' s another one, an appeal before the District Court of Appeals where a brief has 1 already been filed by the appellant testing the constitutionality of an ordinance of the City where I' ve got a reply brief, I don' t, your attor- ney has, within twenty days, and approximately two weeks of that time is left. I hope he is astute enough to get an extension or to file his brief. And with that, Mam, you can have it and you can have City Attorney and believe me there will be an awful lot of people watching you.  r".. 1.L 7/ 6/ 81 Jerry Miller stated, resolution. I oppose Mr. the Smith has done an for the city for outstanding jOb a long per~od of time. I honestly to each of you believe that he deserved better. I am ashamed of this disposition. I' ll vote against the resolution. r~; ;~ o~~ s~ a~ has dedicated ~ i~: e~~ ~~ l~a~~ i~~~ t~: Question was called for and motion carried with Franklin, Thornber, Grant and Baughman voting AYE; and Miller, Sundy and Bishop voting NO. 81- 21 RESOLUTION Pay Thornber moved that the Council adopt the fol- TO APPOINT AN lowing resolution: ACTING CITY ATTORNEY RESOLUTION 81- 21: WHEREAS THE COUNCIL RELIES UPON THE OFFICE OF CITY ATTORNEY FOR LEGAL COUNSEL AND ADVICE, AND WHEREAS IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNCIL TO RECEIVE SUCH COUNSEL AND ADVICE WITH CONFIDENCE, AND WHEREAS OFFICE OF CITY ATTORNEY IS NOW VACANT, THE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA HEREBY APPOINTS MICHAEL MEAD ACTING CITY ATTORNEY AND HE IS HEREBY APPOIN- TED FOR 90 DAYS OR UNTIL THE COUNCIL COMPLETES ITS SEARCH FOR A PERMANENT APPOINTEE TO THE OFFICE OF CITY ATTORNEY IF SAID SEARCH IS COMPLETED IN LESS THAN 90 DAYS." Motion was seconded by Mr. Baughman. Mr. Sundy asked if Mr. Mead lives inside the City of Fort Walton? Mayor replied, NO. Mr. Sundy asked, does he practice in the City of Fort Walton Beach? Mayor replied, I don' t think his office is inside the City of Fort Walton Beach. Mr. Sundy said, I strongly oppose this appointment. Mayor replied, we have no neighboring city who has a City Attorney residing and practicing within the limits of those cities. So we' re not breaking a precedent. Mr. Miller stated, I believe there should be three criteria for the Attorney who serves the City. . I have made this clear to each member of Council individually. attorney for I believe that the professional the City should live within the City limits, should practice within the City limits, and should be competent to handle and dispose of the J.,. affairs of the City. Those three criteria should be carefully examined before we appoint any attor- ney to represent the City' s interest. Mayor stated, this appointment is temporary until we find a permanent one. There is nothing in the