Minutes 07-12-58MINUTES OF A SPECIAL E~ET!NG OF THE CITY COUi~CIL OF BOTNTON BEACH
V~ITH A DEIEGATION FRO~ TH~ CIVIC ?~.~GUE (COL0~D) HELD AT CITY
HALL, BOYNTON ~CK,
L. S. Ohadwell, ~ayor
liartin D~rkin, Vice
~tt Partin
Har~ey 0yet
James J. Mahoneyo
Vernon Thompson~ 211 N.~V. 10th Avenue.
Edell Hester, £B5 N.E. llth Ave~e.
Thomas E. l~mshing. &l& N.E~ 10~h Avenue
~re. Coleom, 1~£ N.E. !2th AvenAe
Benjamin Cain, Ecl N.E, l£th Avenue.
The ~yor called the meeting to order at 1.15 P.E. and said it had
been arranged at the request of the Oivfc 5eagle (colored) of Boynton
Beach to discuss recreational facilities, more especially a beach, for
the use of colored ~i~izene.
Thomas Rushing said he had been appointed spokesman for the delega-
tion and said they w~nt a beach for the colored people of Boynton
Beach, and that there a~e no recreational facilities available for their
children.
The ~*~yor invited the other member~ of the delegation to express
their vie~, and Vernon Thompson, saying he had eight children, stressed
the need for recreatioP~l facilities for the occupants of colored town.
Edell Kester, school teacher, said he thought there should be some
place for their children to go other tha~ the streets. It was hoped some
arrangements can be made to provide s~vi~ing for the~.
~re. Coisom said she had been a citizen of Boynton for 21 years
and asked the Cou~ucil to do whatever is ~ossible to meet the needs of the
colored children.
Benjamin Cain said he had been a resident of Boynton for 23 years
and urged the need for recreational facilities for their children.
In reply to a question from ~r~ ~honey as to the ~r~mber of active
members in the Civic Lea~e, Thomas Eushins said approximately ~00.
2~r. Chadwell said he vould like to see every child have a place to
swim and outlined in detail the present impracticability of providing
an extra beach.
Thomas Rushing said they did not come to t~y to force at, thing
and agreed ~th what the ~yor had said. He said the Civic League had
other ideas in mind. but at present a beach is the No.!
~r. 0yet said it seemed to him there ~ras no land available for a
colored beach but that it ~y be possible for the City Council to
consider a poe!. He asked v~_ether the Civic Z~ag~e was out for a
chance to have good swimming facilities, or v~rs askin~ for a beach on
an e~otior~l basis.
Rushing said "We actually came to~tay to s~peak for a beach".
The ~yor asked Wether they had ar~ idea of how this could be
obtained or paid for.
Bushing said they had no~ definitely seen any land and would not
like to go into it so far'without cons-~lting City officials.
The Ea~vor said Boynton does not o~m a.~v beach, it belongs to
Ocean Ridge, and Mr. Oyer said Ocean Ridge has no colored population
and Would not allow land to be purchased, even if available, for a
pubiic beach without the proper~y ev~ers agreeing, and they cf course
would not.
He s~oes~ed a pool rather than a beach, to orovide a good form of
recreation, and asked whether this would not meet the result desired.
The ~yor said we ca~not integrate this beach, but if and when
the Federal Government m~kes a rulih~$~t~ cannot do anything but co_~orm.
Cain said "Either integrate, which we do not ~,~nt, or provide
100 feet of beach.'~
~!r. Oyer explained in detail V~%at the results on the City's economy
would be, and said it v~s not a queswion of whether the City v.~nts to
provide a 100' beach. He said that if a pool could be ased, it would
be a solution to the problem. There are four to five times as many
white as colored, and they are putting on pressure for a pool for their
children.
Rushing said they ¥~ould go back and meet with the Civic League and
~_ them what the Council has said, and ask if the group will accept
a pool.
~r. Oyer said if a pool will ~eet the needs cf the people, we
should know about it soon so that ~ can arrange ~or it in the next
budget. "If your group, or a ma~ority of the colored people w~ll
say a pool will satisfy them, I am sure the Council will help all they
can. It cannot be promt~ed for next year or any definite date as
there are a ~ttmber of ether important things to be done. It sometimes
can take several years to ~ass enot~gh money from taxes.~
Mr~ Chs~i~ll said the whites do have a piace to swim and he ~_~ped
they will think the colored should have priority ~*~th a peele He added
that taxes were so small from colored town that they were not snfficient
to pay for one colored policeman and upkeep of car. If they get a
pool the white people will have to pay for it.
~r. Durkin said, bei~ a lawyer, he could see both sides. He did
not thi_~k there should be a~y delay in providin~ a swi,~u~ing pool with
arrangements f~r mothers and yo~g children to bathe in ~he pool rather
than struggle over So ~he beach. He thought a swi~ing pool should be
a.prioeity to be arrar~ed for a~ soon as practical. He would like to
see it as soon as the mon~ can be provided.
~r. Partin and ~r. ~?~honey agreed.
The ~J~ayor said a pool within the City limits~ is necessary for
mothers and you~_~ c~h~ldren, to avoid the necessity for transporta~iono
~ir. Durkin expressed pleasure that there had been no dispute and
hoped they would gebb~ck te their people and d~iscues the preferability
of a pool. Ee thought their people ~outd use ~it more ~han if a beach
could be provided.
The ~ayor asked them to tell their Lea~e wh~t they had heard this
afternoon, and ,&T~t they think is possible, and to return and let the
Cornel! ~ow the result. He said it had been a great pleasure to
meet with thee and they h~d al~ been very nice about it.
Rushing said it had been a pleasure to attend the meeting.
The ~ayor adjourned the meeting at 2.&5 P.5~.
Eayor
City Clerk