Minutes 02-25-66Minutes of Special Meeting of the City Council, City Hall, Boynton
Beach, Florida, February 25, 1966 at 3:00 P.M.
PRESENT:
Walter A. Madsen, Mayor
Chas. N. Boos~ Councilman
Gilbert Collins, Counc~lm~n
F. T. Kain, City Manager
Gene Moore, City Attorney
Tereesa Padgett, City Clerk
ABSENT:
J. Allison Banks, Ceuncilman (out of town)
Frank McCoy, Jr., Vice Mayor (unable to attend)
Mayor Madsen called the meeting to order and the invocation was given
by Reverend Earl Downey of the First Presbyterian Church. The Mayor
recognized'the following gentlemen present in the audience: Councilman
James Jurney of Delray B~ach, Dr. A. D. Thorp of the County School
Board, former Boynton Councilmen John L. Archie and James J. ¥~honey.
Mr. Archie was present officially as Boynton Beach Chamber of Conm~rce
president, and Paul Mercer, former N~yer of~.Boyntoh Beach.
The statement of the Mayor is attached and labeled No. 1.
~. Kain gave some background noting that the city did, by Resolution
66-E adopted February 7, 1966, authorize conveyance of the land to the
Palm Beach County School Board. This resolution was passed unanimously
by the Council. The city manager acknowledged the assistance of Dr.
Thorp and M~s. Vi Holtberg in the gathering of material for this
meeting. ~. Kainthen read the '~eport to the Board of Public In-
struction of Palm Beach County from the Area Vocational-Technical
Center Site Su~ey Committee State Department of Education" dated
January il, 1~66, which is attached and labeled No. 2.
It was noted that t~e land adjacent to Boynton's 19~7 acre tract is
owned by Palm Beach County and there is more than seven acres available.
Mr. Kain also pointed out roads, water lines and sewer exbensions on
the photo map.
Mr. Madse~ ir~roduced from the audience Mr. William Wohtleb, Chairman
of t~e Planning and Zoning Board~ Clyde ~orretl and George Wilde of
the Industrial Committee and the Chairman, Hank Thompson; Harvey Oyer,
local realtor .and iusurance agent; Paul Harrington of the South Lake
Worth Inlet District; Charles Alden, Industrial Committee; Stanley
Weaver, Plann~ and Eoning Board; Bill Edellof Ocean Ridge; members
of the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce; Walter Dutch, Boynton Beach-
Ocean Ridg~.~eard of Realtors; Ken Elli~sworth, President of the
Delray Beaeh~J-r. Chamber of Commerce; and John Ross Ad=m~, City
Attorney of De~l~ray Beach.
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MINUTES
Special Meeting City Council
February 25, 1966
~UBLIC AUDIENCE
Q~. Thor0of the School Board brought out the following two points
for consideration: At School Board budget sessions in June when the
development of vocational centers at Seacrest and Carver High Schools
was discussed, it was decided $175,400 would be needed; but since
the Vocational-Technical Center was to be built in the south end of
the County, the Board agreed it would be foolish to go ahead with the
centers at these high schools. Dr. Thorp said the Board should be
asked what about this $175,~00 to build in the south end of the County?
The second question he felt the Council should put to the Board was
that there was a dateline of February lO, 1966 to accomplish selection
of a site and the funds were granted by the State for one building.
These funds w~tl not be available unless the School Board is committed
and under contract by August l, 1966. It is, therefore, important
that the Board get underway ~w. mediately or these funds will be ~e-
allocated to another County. Dr. Thorp pointed out that the taxpayers
of the County stand to lose funds now available because it will be
impossible for an architect to draw plans for an unknown site. It
will take about six months for an architeo% to draw up the plans,~so
if he started today the Board would Just about be able to get in under
the August 1st deadline. Dr? Thorp suggested Councils~nd a represen-
tative before, the School Board and present Shese questions.
Bill Edell of Ocean Ridge stated that he, as a taxpayer, had called a
melting forM arch 3 in the Boynton Council Chambers 4nd had invited the
Superintendent of Schools and ~he School Boa~and asked them to tell
the public why they had approved the location Of the first school in
the north end of the CoUnty.
~ank Thompson, Chairman of the Boynton Industrial Committee, expressed
that his committeewas verydisturbed and ~bsolutelyamazed at the
inane decisi°n of the SchOol Board~ and they are desparately seeking
~alter Dutch, Chairman, Boynton Beach-Ocean Ridge Board of Realtors,
felt this was a very unusua~ and unexplainable situation. He said
he had talked to some members of the School Board and that one member
had told him that the Boynton site was not adequate and also questioned
the legality of the city giving away property. Mr. Dutch said he
spoke to a second member wha stated that the School Board had planned
on the north end be/rig used for about a year, but accepting the site
in the south county made federal funds available. Howe~er, they had
planned all the tim~ to put the first school at the north end of the
county.
Mr. Dutch noted that Dr. Thorp had been credited with calldng the
Board's action "provincial" and Mr.i Kainwith terming it "dilatory
and said he felt stronger terms were necessary, hut he had decided
not to use the expressions h~ had intended.
MINUTES
Special City Cotmcil Meeting
February 25, 1966
.R..e....v. erend Earl Downey, President of the Boynton Beach Ministerial
Association, stated that the Association planned strongly and unani-
mously to protest to the ~Soh~o~l Bc~rd'~, that they were not happy
with the way this has come about.
Jim Jurney, CounciLman, City of Delray Beach, stated that his City
would act at their council meeting the sams evening. He said the
action was nothing but "plain political pt_~acy within the School
Board itself".
Leroy Merrit~ President, Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce, indicated
that their members had been polled by telephone and would assist
Boynton in bringing the school site back to Boynton Beach. The Mayor
noted that this was another illustration of the close cooperation be-
t~en the two cities.
Ralph Hughes, President, Boynton Beach Kiwanis, assured the council
that the Kiwanis would take any action within their l~m~%s to have
the School Board action rescinded.
Renice. Lansin~ Principal, Boynton Beach Junior High School, stated he
felt that the a~tion of the Bo~rd was a great mistake as we have ~s~y
students in this area that would benefit by this school. This south
county area might have potentially more students than the north end.
Lottie Pierce, .In~er~r~bis~ Cbm~ttee of Boynton Beach, representing
the colored~division of P~on Beach said this was the most uncouth
thing sh~ had e~er heard of and that the city should not fail to call
on them for any help they might render.
Paul.Harrington, South Lake Worth Inlet District, stated that there was
a practical way to bring pragn~tic pressure since some of the Board
members ~O10~ Up f~ re-election this year, we shoul~ smother
~hemwith petitions from Boca through Lake~orth. This school would
benefit older people ~ho~ish to utilize their nights. Stated even if
we don't win, somebody i~ going to lose.
Gi! Dresser, owner of Dresser Engineering, Inc., stated if we had a
vocational center h~re, apprentice trainers in the area could qualify
as journeymen.
BOb Kelly, C.P.A., stated he was heartily in accord with all that had
been stated and asked Er. Gene Moore what could now be done. He re-
quested that the School Board members be sent'bopies of the minutes
of this meeting. Also s~ggested smothering the School Board with
telephone calls.
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MINUTES
Special Meeting City Council
February 25, 1966
¥~yor Madsen assured Mr. Kelly that a copy of the minutes would be
sent to the School Board with a Resolution attached.
..Mr. s. Ella Bishop, representing the Ladies Auxilliary of the ViFoW.,
stated that they would give aid iu any way possible.
¥&r. Kain read a memorandum of January 3, 1965 to Mr. Robert ~i Fulton,
Superintendent of P~blic Instruction from Mr. Charlie T. Council,
Assistant Superintendent in Instruction on letterhead of The Board
of Public Instruction of Palm Beach County, Florida. Subject.' · Sites
for Area Vocation Schools. A copy is attached and labeled No~ 3.
Mr. main also gave the figures for shop capacity in the North County
as 50& as opposed to zero in the South County area.
N~. Edell noted that he had called a meeting of taxpayers for Thursday,
March 3, in the Council Chambers.
Helen Glass, Secretary of the Boynton Chamber of Commerce, reiterated
that the group was assembled to help the County and not the City of
Boynt0n Beach.
Mr. Boos recapitulated noting again the courses offered in the North
County at 50& as opposed to none in the South County. As a second
point he stated the fact that the professional on the Committee in-
cluding Mr. MacLean had recommended that the first County Vocational
School Should be built o~ the site here in Boynton Beach. He called
for a resolution to be drafted and requested Mr. Branch to present
the evidence that repudiated the reports of the professionals. This
was seconded by Mr. Collins and unanimously carried 3-0 Mr. Banks
was ut of town and Mr. McCoy was unable to attend.
Mr. Collins moved for an immediate meeting of council with the School
Board either this same evening or Saturday (2-26) morning. Motion
seconded by,Ir. Boos. The motion wa~ amended to read 'ts soon as
possible" by Mr. moos and N~. Collins approved. Unanimously carried.
Mr. Moore stated that he feltMr. Collins' recommendation had much
merit as the meeting should be held when public iudignationwas aroused.
Also, he said that the School Board attorneys had both passed on the
title to the twenty acres and they have an executed deed of conveyance
and the question now is whether or not the city w~uld go ahead and make
this conveyance regardless of what priority they place on the utili-
zation of the site we have tendered to them. Mr. Moore said that he
had instructed the School Board attorneys not to release the deed of
conveyance for utilization until the Council takes some action.
MINUTES
Special City Council Meeting
February 25, 1966
Discussions with the Board had established that this deed be given to
them as soon as possible. The Council had a special meeting and then
the deed was hand delivered to the Board so that they could proceed.
Time now is of the essence both from the standpoint of losing the funds
for this construction and also it is imperative that an immediate
meeting be held and they be given the opportunity to explain this to
N~r. Oyer expressed the hope that this meeting wo~ld be open to the
public as he felt that representatives of all local groups would want
to attend. Dr. Thorp said that the meeting should be a public one
because of the expenditure of the taxpayers money which is ~nvolved -
Over a quarter of a million dollars. The taxpayers of the entire
county have a stake in this decision. He felt that this public
meeting should be at the School Board meeting Wednesday ~_ight. Mr.
Kaib indicated that the city would seek time on the Agenda of such a
School Board meeting.
M~r. Moore reiterated his feelLug that the meeting should be held
immediately and the School Board should be invited to meet with~ council
Saturday morning (2-26) at 9:30 A.M. and see if they will. This was
agreed upon and Mr. Kain was directed to contact the members of the
Board ·
Meeting adjourned~
Attest:
Tereesa Padge~ C~ty Clerk--
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CITY of
BOYNTON BEACH
120 N.E. 2ND AVENUE
BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA 33435
STATemENT BY WALT~ Ao ~ADS~, ~AYOR
P~PJJARY 25, i966
This special meeting has bean called this afternoon in order
that the City Council of Boynton Beach may discuss the recent
action of the Palm Beach County School Board in authorizing
immediate construction of a vocational training center on a
tract of ian~ yet to be purchased in the north county. I
would like to open this discussion with a statement of my own
feelings in the matter.
The City of ~oynton Beach recently conveyed to the Palm E~-ach
County School .~oa~ a tract of city land al~oroximately t~en=y
acres in extent. This land is tooated near the south city
limits and is situated between Con~ress Avenue and 1-95 (photo
map wilt be available}. Local school admini~trators and repre-
sentatives from the $~ate Board of Education have both examined
this site and have i~dicat~ its suitability for the location
of a vocational training cente~. This report %;as filed with
the Palm Beach CoUnty School Board and also in the office of
the State S~Perintendent of Eduoation, Mr. Floyd L. Christian.
I am particularly disturbed bythe manner in~hich this impor-
tant decision was made inasmuch as this decision will involve
the //r~ediate expenditure of a large amount of ~ublic funds,
and I feel our Councilshares this feeling, that the subject
should have been placed on the age~da of the School Board and
the publicshoutd have had an opportunity to be heard. A11
public boards should hold open meetings when important policy
decisions are made, particularly those involving expenditures.
As evidence of the secretive manner in which this was h~led,
we have learned that one member of the Board did not even know
that this was coming up for decision until this was presented
on the flooro
I must voice my strongest protest to this action and I urge our
neighboring comm%Lnitiee to do the same. I would like at this
time to open this discussion, and I will call on my fellow Council
members for comment.
C
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REPORT TO
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC Ii~STEUCTIOF OF PAt~wt BE~CE COUNTY
FROi~i THE
~ VOCATION~TEC~JIC~ C~NTER SiTE ~JRVEY C0~E
STATE DEP~I~T OF ~UCATiON
(Jsiuua~y 1i: 1~66)
ir · ·
At.tho request of the Bomrd of.Public instruction o~ Palm Beach
C~nty: a study -~s made of proposed sites for the location of
area vocational-technical schools. The site study con~ittee was
mhgde up o~ Carl Bsrley, J. R. Barktey, Dr. G. S. Davis, Jr., and
M. D. 'Thornburg, ~ll fro~he State Department of Education.
The committee wishes to express its appreciation to Superintendent
Robert W. Fulton and members of his staff for their preparation for
.the site study and for their assistance to and cooperation with the
commitvee while working in the county.
Severs3~ ~actors should be considered %~nen plans are made to acq~re
a site for a vocational-techn$cal ~chool. A most important one i~
accessibility to the students the school.serves. As pupils from.a
wid~ area will attend theschool, it is very important to locate the
facility as near as possible to.the greatest number of potentisL
students--but giving due consideration to students living in the more
remote areas.
It was the understanding!of th~ committee that theBoard plans to.
· build two vocationgl~technical cenners: one ~o serve the north part
of the county andtheother ~o serve the south pa~ of the coun=y~
This pl.an to'establish the two cen%ers is in line with the recommenda-
tions o~ a vocational-techniC~l study conducted during the.week of
November 2-6, 1964.
~ne vocgtional-mechnic~i.school will serve a wide range of people~
pupils of senior high school .age as well as adults of all ages, and
will, of course, have ~o provide programs of training for rallying
interests. The school needs to be located in such a place that maximum
utilization csn be made of the facilities by the existing highschools.
If there is quick and convenient access ~om the va~ious high schools
to.the vocationai-tecl~uical school, the specialized facilities of the
cen~er can be used on a regularly scheduled basis mud, thus, these
ex_oensive facilities do not haveto be duplicated at all high schools.
~ne site should be well located in terms of major highways and arterial
streets. If possible, good access should.be had from several directions.
As the school will be in operation .durir~ night as~well as daytime.hours,
it should be located in an ~rea that would be conducive to attendance of
both w~lking e~d transported pupils.
--2-- '
· ~ The physical features of a site should be such that buildings can
.be located~thereon and the needed site development can be accomplished
with minim-~n cost. The t0Pograpb~v should be such as to enhance maxi-
mum utilization of total ~rea. ~ne land should be well drained and
preliminary tests should indicate favorable conditions for footings,
foundations'~ and: i ' -' ~
f requlree~ On-site se,~ge disposal systems.
It sho'0_ld be near the needed =~'-¢~' -
. gas, water, and sewerage--the availability of.these services may, to a
large degree~ deterf~ine the selection of a site. The total loo~-range
cost of a site should be a~n /mportanv consideration. All factors
concerning cost of locating schoo!~, site purchase, s'=~e develol~aent- and
Each of the two sites presented in PeCan Beach Co ~%~nty was visited by
the committee. I~ring and after each site inspection the committee -
members considered each parcel of land in terms '"~
oz the criteria used
and each member form-~lated his reactiona, and recommendations prior to
the preparation of the committee report. This report'.represents the
consensus of the co~mittee~s deliberations. The co ~m~mittee did no~ con-
sider any sites other than the' ones reported herein.
The committee .evaluation of each site is as follows:
SITE 1
~escription s~ud~ETalua,zon.- ~' ~T~is 25 acre site is located east qf Voss
Road at the north city iLmlts of M~ngonia Park. The site has suitable -
access ~o the major population centers via eohnections of Voss Road to
45th Street and. Blue Heron Boulevard. Approximatel~v 20 ac~es of the
site is well drained. There is a pond and low area of a ~ ' - -
pp~ox~uately
five acres on the east side. This low area mayrestrict maximnm utiliza-
tion.of the tota/ site area° Several high tension lines are located at
the north boundaz~y of the parcel. -%qese lines may cause problems in the
use of electronic equip~en~o County officials ~tated the site is zoned
R-2. Water. and sa~erage lines are in the area.
The survey co~ittee carei-~u_ll~- ~ -- - + ~
~onsz~ered ~h_s site ~ud is of the
~opinion.tha~ more desirable sites should be presented for consideration.'
As%he area north of M~ugonia Park ~ud Riviera Beach appears to be ex-
periencing rapid gro%~h: consideration should be given, to locating some
sites in the Lake Park area~ this, of course, assumes that convenient
access frc~ ~he arterial roads andstreets is available in Lake Park.
SiTE 2
and~aluation. This 19o7 acre site is located approximately
one-half mile eas~ of Southwes~ 15th Stree~ (Congress Avenue) and south
of the right-of-way of Lateral 28 of the Lake ~iorth Drainage District~
There is no.developed access to the property at this time; however, it
is %uuderstood that a street will be built from Southwest 15th Street
t? the property. ~Another possibility for_immediate access is the
extension of Southwest llth Street across the drainage canal to the
site. The general area of the site location is accessible to areas
south and north of Boynson Beach via Military Trail and Congress
Avenue to connectir~ streets ~ud Southwest .23rd Avenue fro~ Seacrest
Boulevard to Southwest l!th Street. Accessibility from areas outside
of Boynton Beach ~ll be greatly i~.proved if a convenient access becomes
avail~ole'to Interstate 95 whenit is completed in the'ar~a.
The sit% is generally well drained~ The 16cation of the nearby canal
provides a positive outfall'. Considergole site preparation to include
some.'fill will.be required. ~- ~
~a~er and sewerage will be avail~ole.
If f~--rm assurance is given that access streets ~¢ill be built to the
property, ~h~is site is app~ovgole for the location of a vocational-
technical sdhool.~~, recommended-the site.be =~xpanded
to.a~ least 27 acres.
THE
BOARD ON PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.
OF P2XLM BEACH COUNTY. FLOP. IDA ">-,~ ,'
. "~ .' ' i..WEST. _PALM.. BEACH, FLORIDA 33401
Ja~aary 5~ 1965
~0: ~Lr. Robert dj l~lton, Superintendent of P~btic InstrUction
FROM: k%r. 6T~Zrlie T..Co~cil~'Assist~t Supe~_ntendent ~ Inst~ation
SL~C~: Sites f~r ~ea Vocatior~ Sdnools ~
~ ~. Bill ~cLe~. ~k ],~q~s ~d i met relative to the location of the
~ea vo~a~on~ schbols, yV p~bse in ~iiing this memor~d~ is to ire ou
our ~es~ ~i~ relative to site's on the Coast. S~ce we are consid~
l~o~%n ~a Vocat~o~l School ~ a. South Area Voaatlo~t Sahoot~ we
ou~ options upon the ~st~ce from the schools to %he c~er ~d the accessi-
bi!try of the area vocation~ site %o a m~ ~e~t~ especially. 1-95.
It is o~ opi~on %b~ the si~e now u~der consideration~ located ne~ 45th
Street ~d St. ~'s Hospital, is not the desired location for the North~ea
,Voca~ion~ School site. T~s !cae%ion wo~d ~e it ~ost ~possible ~o
bri~ Jupiter students fo~.vocatio~i classes. ~so, it is o~y a~pro~ately
t~ee miles from the present vocatio~l plant at P~ ~ach ~JSchool
~In view of the fact t~t we c~ot cou~t on more th~ t~ity ~utes t~vel
t~e one %~ to se~e all of the schools in the N~th ~ea~ it is o~ concerted
option that the ~o~h ~ea Vocatio~ School~ site s~ ~ ~ ~ ~
- ............ ~ ~ ~i~a~ ~'r~l~ no f~her south %~ ~ue Hewn Ro~d
no ~ther no~h *~n ~one% Roa~. According_ to %he_ Co~ty ~neer~ the~e_
'~tl be accessibility to 1-95 am Blue Heron~ L~e P~k~ ~d Monet Roads.
Considerin~ the fact that Pa~ Beach Hi~ Roosevelt~ the new second~ school
~o'~d 45th Street~ ~viera~ JoPm ~. Keonedy, the prooosed P~ Beach ~dens
seconda~ school ~d Jupiter ~ll be the schools to b~ se~ed by the ~ea
Vocatio~ School, the ~e P~ Road area seems the most desirable iocation~
Forest Hills: due to easy access to 1-95 could go No~h or South.
/X ~he ~zon Beach area seems to be abou~ ~o~ohia~lv ~o~ec~ for ~ ...... ~
~e, ~a ~n~ agaept~ce of ~he ~on ~aah a~t{ s~ie ~11 ~ve to be based
kvT az ?. of op =o= chooZ :
~zn fge son~h ~ve. ~d no 'voca¢io~l ea~ca¢io~l oppor¢~¢ies~ ~e~am Che
.~nzzZ we c~ build the ~'orth Cowry 2rea Voca~ib~l School. ~
Since the, School ~d is considering possible sides-a% oresen~ you
~o bri~ to their attention these op~ons, ~ ~
Per~entage of enrollment taking vocational ~clasees.
~ .V. aca_ncie s
So~ County: ,
Carver High ScHool
h~orth County:
Roosevelt High'Sch~01
Palm Beach High School
35 37
94 50
· 262 232
Rdosevett High Schoo2 1~4
Palm Beach High School
~ o± 513 County except
~~ ~o ou~Count~
Total
School E~olL~snt
369
491
2~002
Ca~¢er High School
available
(Two ~&asses mn ~mpora~ ~uart=~\ ~ ~ ~
Minutes of Special Meeting of City Council~ Boynton Beach~ Florida
held in City Hall~ February 23 1966 at 7:00
P~S~T:
~falter A. Madsem Mayor
J. Allison Banks Counc51m~n
Chas. N. Boos. Councilman
Gilbert Collins Councilman
F. T. Kain~ City Manager
Tereesa Padgett~ City Clerk
Gene Moore~ City Attorney
ABSENT:
Frank J. McCoy~ due to illness
The mee~_ng was called to order by Mayor Madsen at 7:05
MATTER OF HUNNICUTT APPRAISAL SERPICM
Mr. Kain stated that this appraisal service could be retained for the
coming year for $2,800.00 and that they would deliver the roll by the
end of April. Mr. Kain stated that this is a reasonable price in
terms of what is added to the roll and that fnnds can be obtained.
By unanimous vote of council, Hunnicutt was rehired for the coming
year.
Meeting adjourned.
Attest:
Tereesa PadgetJCi~y Clerk
k~a!ter A~ Mads~n, Mayor
~. Allmson Banks, Councitm~u "
Gilbert