|
                         
|
Civic Association Gains Support of City Councilby Bill Warren (Tampa Tribune, 2/8/79)The Golfland Civic Association received the unanimous support of the Tampa City Council today in its effort to save a portion of the Babe Zaharias Golf Course. About 30 residents from the Forest Hills area came to the council chambers to voice their opposition to city plans to sell 16 lots adjacent to the aging course. Association treasurer Fred Schippnick warned the council that sale of the land would ruin the "aesthetic value" of the course and the action would be an "irredeemable loss. This action would create a completely undesirable setting for our golf course," Schippnick said. The city periodically sells what it regards as surplus land. The golf club area residents say the lots in question provide an effective buffer zone in connection with the links. After listening to the arguments against the sale the council decided to ask Mayor Bill Poe to appear before the council and explain his side of the story. However, he did not accept the offer and sent a message to the council that he may reconsider the sale after all the bids come in. The deadline for bid submission is Wednesday. The council then voted unanimously to request a study of the proposed sale to see it if will adversely affect the golf course. In addition, Council Chairman Lloyd Copeland told association members the final approval of the sale rests with the coundil and that the mayor's decision to sell the property will probably be overturned by the council. "My opinion is the lots won't be sold," Copeland said. The lots are located in two sections of the golf course in north Tampa,11 along Oregon Circle adjacent to the eighth hole and five across the street from the facility's clubhouse on Country Club Drive. In other council action today, representatives from Ippolito's Restaurant on Kennedy Boulevard just east of City Hall complained to the council that a memo distributed by the mayor asking city employees not to leave City Hall for breaks is hurting the restaurant's business. The memorandum reportedly tells city employees it is "preferable" that all 15-minute breaks be taken on City Hall premises. In addition, the delivery of newspapers to individual work stations has been prohibited, the council learned. Councilman Charles Spicola called the memo an "implied threat" on an employee's freedom. "In my opinion this type of threat is not a morale builder," Spicola said. The council voted 6-1 to ask the mayor to remove the restriction. Chairman Copeland cast the dissenting vote, saying it was strictly an administrative matter.
|
|
|
|
Our
Forest Hills.Info 
