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Minutes 02-15-52~NUTES O~ A SPECIAL ~LEETING OF TP~ cITY CODNCIL OF TmS CITYa0F BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ON FEBRUARY 15, 1952 · A Special Meeting of the City COuncil of Boynton Beach, Florida, was called and convened in the City Hall at 7.30 P.~. on February 15, 1952, at which meeting the following Councilmen were present: Mr. F.L.Purinton, Mayor, Mr. C.H.Hood ~Mr. Alva Shook Mr. Arthur Fredrich Mr. Stanley ~¥eaver. The Mayor stated that the purpose of the meeting was for the further consideration of tax complaints, and turned the Chair over to M~. Paul Johnson, President of P0~MA. Mr. Johnson said he had a list of about fifty names to hand over to Hr.Harless and ~rs.'~/illiams. Some of these, he said, make no special complaints beyong saying that it was thought the taxes were too h~gh. These names represent only about half of the complaints. He asked whether his co~ents on the cards had proved correct, adding that these complaints had been hanging about zoo long and should be adjusted without further delay. Mr. Hatless said it was not up to him to say unless it was a matter of errors in measurements etc. He explained what errors had been made and sh~¢¢ed the revisions on the appropriate cards. ~M. ~ohnson asked v~ether a maximum height of ll feet for a one storey building had been adopted, and was told that it had not and that no taxes have been adjusted be- cause of hoight so far. ~M. Hatless said an appraiser cannot be told to make au appraisal and then be told how ~o do it. He thought a $ foot foundation filled in with sand is more valuable than the space above it. The size of the building must be shown and that if the Com~issioners want to make a reduction on account of unused space that is another thing. He added that if the Council agreed ~o accept a maximum height of ll feet, a man with a height of ll feet would object to being taxed at the same rate as one with 15 feet. Referring to I~.Schneider's case, ~ro~ohnson said he had built his house high to gez away from high water, and if he is given special consideration, then others should be given the same consideration. -2- _U~r. Hatless said he could not see why s difference in height should be considered ~ny more than a difference in width, adding that the general policy was to calculate dimen- sions from the ground foundation and not to include depth below the ground. If ~r.Schneider's house, which is 14 feet high, is cut down to ll feet, then someone with a house of I1 feet should be cut do-~. to 8_feet. There was a long discussion on /~r.Traylor's complaint that his house was unoccupied and still under coo~vruction. The appraisal had been made during the summer and figured on the assumption that it would be finished by the first of t he ye ar. ~r. Hatless said the house is figured on finished, and the valuation of $13,000 reduced as only 60% to $9,500. A discussion followed on the question of arriving at some system of fixing height for taxation purposes, the general opinion being that a height of ll feet should not be taxed the same as 15 feet. DEr. Shook said the average flat roof house is nov over l0 feet and thought the finished floor height should be the basis for calculation. Mr. Johnson said half the peak must be added and that the cards showed mostly ll feet. ~Ar. Hood suggested t~hat if foundations have to be run uo to avoid the water level, allowance should be made, with w~ich Mt.Shook agreed and thought that ll feet would be a safe estimate. Mr. Johnson s~id it would mean a great deal more work on the cards to figure from the floor up instead of from the grade as has been done. ~. Hood said it would mean more chances for mistakes if the cards Save to be revised aud would lead to many complications. After further discussion, ~r.~aaver made a motion, seconded by Er.Fredrich, that a maximum height of ll ft. should be adopted for houses for the purpose of taxation, with a half measurement for all additional heights. ~otion passed unmnimously. The City Clerk said a revised Tax slip would be sent out wherever revisions or changes had been made. 5~r. Johnson said he had a further list of complaints but ~d not bean able to gev vo them as his business takes so much of his t-ime, but he hoped to inspect the houses before reporting to the Council. He thought ~s.Klemons' house in colored town had been over-valued. -3- ~Ar. Lord said he represented Mr. Held of the Tropical Arboretum, in regard to his complaint. Hr.Harless said he would have made the necessary adjust- ment but had been unable to find Hr.Held's card, which he found ~r.Lord had taken from the file and still had in his possession. The ~ayor said he did not think it was a good thing to allow the cards to leave City Hall; that ®~!h complaint will have to be gone into, although no action can be taken on the simple statement that the tax is considered too high. ~r. ~ohnson said there was still a couple of weeks' work on the present complaimts and that more were still to be con- sidered. He recommended a progress report and said that I~. P~had promised to give a day to go round with the Com- mittee, and tha~ nothing had been done Nr. Eklund said he did not thin~ the same amoun~ of taxes should be collected on his property, where there are no usable roads, as on others in more acceptable locations. He was told that any adjustment possible would be made. There was a long discussion om the possibility of imposing a minimum tax for City services, irrespectii~e of homesteading. ~Ar. Shook suggested POIv~ do something about it and the Hayor suggested ~r. Yohnson tell that organization that several citizens at tonight's meeting considered that such a tax should be imposed, adding that Mt.Johnson might have a letter sent to all the members saying it was necessary to raise money to pay City expenses. In reply to a question 5~. ~ohnson was collection alone cost the City ~250 a week, He said he would bring the matter up at the told that garbage plus the truck. next meeting of Referring to s comp laint by ~rs.Yawke~,~ Hr.Johnson said she has a frontage on the highway and can't get into her back property excepting from t!e front, and thinks her property should be valued on the same basis as ~,~.Strosheim's. The City Clerk produced figures showing that, as a matter of fact, M~s.Yank~o was paying less than Mr. Strosheim. The m~tter of depreciation was again discussed. On the cards depreciation is sho~ as at the oresent ~ime and ~ll not be changed until the next valuation. Mr. Shook thought the suggested 2% would be difficult as a block house building will stand up twice as long as a wood one, and that depreciation should start from the present valuation. ~gr Hood pointed out that the taxes are needed to run the town and if depreciation is taken ay 2%, up will go the millage. ~.Eklund, as an expert, was asked for his opinion and said he thought 2% was, roughly, in order, and thav the 50% depreciation continued as long as the house could be lived in. The Mayor recommended adopting the 2% depreciation.~ ~. Weaver ~uggested not having s motion tonight but holding up the decision for further ~onsideration. In a discussion on the possibility of cleaning trash from empty lots, it was stated that there are about &,O00 such loys in the City and keeping them cleaned off would be too expansive. The City Clerk read e letter from the representative of the owner of Club Continental regarding the transfer of the liquor license. ~r. Weaver raoved, and Mr. Hood seconded, that the transfer of 'the liquor license from the former owners to present owner~ N~. Waskow, be approved. ~otion passed ~nanimously. the Mr. Weaver reported his findings regarding reserving a cart of the cemetery for Veterans, and said the _~merican Le~ion would do anything they could to help. He said he had selected sections of Blocks D. amd E. holding approxi- mately 200 lots, as bei~ suitable. ~r. Hood made a motion, seconded by Nr~Fredrich, that the sections of Blocks D. and E. chosen bY ~r. Weaver, be set aside as a burial,place for veterans. ~otion passed Enanimously. In a discussion on City-owned lots adjoining the rail- road, Mr. Shoo~ recommended that the business proper~y facing the railroad in Arden P~rk be not put on the ~market at this time, saving some for bnsinesses t~t submit offers for the to~s with definite and irm~ediate building plans. The selling price of $6 @ front foot was set on Arden Park lots ov~ed by the City facing Australiau Boulevard, and $4 per front foot for side street lots West of Australian Boulevard. ~Y~. Hartess made an offer of $1,000 for the City-owned lots in Ridgewood. After prolonged discussion no action was taken. -5- The~e being no ~djo~rned. further business, the meeting was Ci't~ Clerk.