NP Delays Club Debts Action (Post-Times) 3-14-65-Y
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The county club' s_--nuagef- or
$344y600 was approved. It is
e er separate frorr. the village bud-
get. Councilmen hope during
the next year the club can start
operating in the black. At pre -
Absent As sent one-third of the village's
real estate tax revenues go to
the country club to pay off back
and current debts.
�'e S Il*t Paul Emond asked from the
P71. !
audhence -what the council J
NORTH PALM BEACH tended to do if the country club
With one member absent, the; does not break even. Lewis said
village council Tuesday night 'that if the club is not in the
. black by May he will recom-
split 2-2 on whether the tax rate',
shouldmend the golf course be operat-
, be raised to quickly pay ed separately, the dining room
off $100,000 in back debts of the
village -owned North palm be turned into a recreation hall
Beach County Club. and the swimming pool be ope-
The question will be decided rated 01i a fee basis.
next Tuesday night When the The proposed village budget
absent member, Councilman for departments now stands at
Les Churchill, is present. $337,350, compared to $360,632
Mayor Harold W. Beery and before Monday night's cuts.
Councilman Herb Watt .by their This year's budget is $348,444.
vote indicated they favored rais- Cuts included $13,400 from the
in,-- the millage while Vice department of public -safety, in -
Mayor Thomas F. Lewis and eluding $12,000 for hiring three
Councilman Thomas Bell voted fire dispatchers, $550 from legi-.
for next . year's budget as now slative, $850 from administra-
worked out with $20,300 in bud- tive, $500 from civil defense,
get cuts and the current nine $2,100 from public works, $2,500
mill tax rate. from recreation and $400 from
The mayor said he unders- the art center.
tands, Churchill, as of Monday Lewis moved and Bell second -
night when budget items were ed his proposal to accept the
slashed, would favor a hi4ogher budget as now writ -ten, keeping'
tax rate. the nine mill tax levy. Lewis
"But he could change his refused to accept an amend -
mind and it is only fair to hold ment to his motion that would
up linei-.1 action on the budget raise the millage to ten.
until he can vote," the mayor "I feel the residents of this
said. village should not be fined for
Churchill is out of town on the poor management of pre -
business. vious councils," Lewis said. "I
The council had intended to don't think any additional mfl-
delav a votO on the budget lage should be put on. By frugal
resolution until Churchill return- operations, we will be able to
ed but decided to hold the vote pay off the old debt."
which ended in the deadlock Lewis said he didn't think the
,after persons in the audience village should try to wipe out in
said they expected budget ac- one year county club debts that
tion last night. 'have piled up for three years.
Those in the audience who "A levy for the country club
spoke after the vote indicated should have been made when
they were against a tax hike to 'the club was purchased," Lewis
said. "I feel the village will
pay off the old county club , continue to grow and we will
.debts. The budget as voted on take in more taxes under the
contains a, $20,000 item for pay -
present levy so the deficit car,
.fiscal year beginning Nov. 1.
ment of that amount during the be eliminated in two or th . re(
years.
Watt said that was optimistic
thinking. "I don't think increas-
ing taxes by one mill will be
fining the people but just pick-
ing up an assessment they
should have had before," he
said. He had proposed a one
mill levy for two years.
Beery said it seemed more
sound to him to pay off the
country club debt as quickly as,
possible.
Emond said he thought resi-
dents should have the right to
vote on a tax village increase.
The council deferred action on
purchasing two police patrol
cars until after the budget is
passed.
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