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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06061983 GCMINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING OF GOLF COURSE BOARD OF DIRECTORS - JUNE 6, 1983 MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY CHAIRMAN ARTHUR TROWBRIDGE AT 4:00 P.M. PRESENT: CHAIRMAN ARTHUR TROWBRIDGE, VICE CHAIRMAN DON LIVINGSTON, HARRY MORRIS, CLAY PRICE, DONALD VICKERS, DAVID NISBET, CARROLL SIMES. ABSENT: DANIEL MELIA (VACATION), THOMAS LOUGHLIN. ALSO PRESENT: MAYOR PAT FLOOD, JR., CITY ATTORNEY DANIEL KILBRIDE, RAY LADD. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE ANNOUNCED THAT THIS MEETING WAS FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING A LETTER DATED JUNE 1 FROM MAYOR FLOOD TO CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE. THERE WILL BE NO OTHER BUSINESS DISCUSSED EXCEPT THIS LETTER AND THE DETERMINA- TION OF THIS LETTER. THE BOARD SECRETARY READ A LETTER DATED JUNE 2 FROM DANIEL MELIA. MEMBER OF THE G_O_LF COURSE BOARD OF DI RECTORS , AS FOLLOWS: "I AM SORRY I CAN'T BE WITH YOU IN SEBASTIAN FOR THIS SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. I WISH THIS LETTER TO BE READ INTO THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING. I HAVE READ MAYOR FLOOD'S LETTER AND I THINK HE IS RIGHT IN BRINGING THIS SITUATION TO A HEAD. I DON'T THINK OUR GOLF COURSE WILL RUN SMOOTHLY UNTIL WE GET A 'PRO' WHO WILL CO- OPERATE WITH US. IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT MR. LADD HAS NOT PRESENTED ME WITH ANY PURCHASE ORDERS TO BE SIGNED, MR. LADD HAS NOT PUT UP THE SUGGESTION BOX, HE HAS NOT PUT UP THE SIGN NOTIFYING OUR PLAYERS THAT THE RANGERS WOULD BE CHECKING THEIR RECEIPTS, HE HAS NOT PROVIDED RAKES OR RAKE HOLDERS FOR OUR NEW CARTS, AND MR. LADD DOES NOT SPEND NEARLY ENOUGH TIME AT THE COURSE. WHEN WE CUT DOWN ON MR. LADD'S DUTIES, WE DID NOT CUT HIS SALARY. THUS, HE SHOULD BE DOING A MUCH BETTER JOB WITH THE PRO SHOP AND WI TH THE CARTS. I THINK THIS IS A BAD TIME TO ASK MR. LARD TO LOOK FOR A NEW JOB, BUT I THINK IT IS NECESSARY AND I WOULD VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE IN THIS MATTER. I WOULD ASK THE BOARD TO CONSIDER HAVING THE GOLF COURSE PAY FOR MR. LADD'S HOSPITALIZATION UNTIL HE GETS A NEW JOB OR PERHAPS FOR A DEFINITE PERIOD OF TIME." CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: IN READING MAYOR FLOOD'S LETTER - IS MAYOR FLOOD PRESENT? YOU HAVE JUST THREE THINGS HERE. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THIS LETTER? MAYOR FLOOD: JUST FOR THE RECORD I WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS UNDERSTOOD. THIS IS JUST NOT FOR THESE THREE ITEMS THAT I MADE THIS RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD. IT STARTS BACK A YEAR AGO MAY AFTER THE PRO AM. MR. LADD WAS TOLD IN MY PRESENCE THAT HE WAS NOT TO BUY ANYTHING ELSE AND HE HAS AGREED FOR OVER A YEAR NOT TO BUY ANY MORE STUFF FOR THE GOLF COURSE. I LIKE MR. LADD AND I GO ALONG WITH MR. MELIA' S RECOMEENDATION THAT WITH THE SICKNESS IN HIS FRMILY WE. * SHOULD_ MAIA- 1 TAIN HIS HEALTH INSURANCE BECAUSE I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD RAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY THERE. ALL I'M REALLY ASKING THE BOARD TODAY IS TO SUPPORT MY LETTER OR DENY IT. AS FOR PUBLIC INPUT, THAT CAN BE SET UP AT A LATER DATE. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: DO ANY OF THE ..BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MAYOR FLOOD? MR. VICKERS: I WOULD SAY THAT IF OUR ONLY PURPOSE IS TO CONSIDER THIS LETTER, I THINK IT SHOULD BE READ INTO THE RECORD. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: YES, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. THE BOARD SECRETARY WAS ASKED TO READ THE LETTER INTO THE RECORD, AS FOLLOWS: "AFTER A LOT OF DUE CONSIDERATION FOR THE FAMILY AND HIS WIFE'S CONDITION, I FEEL FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE GOLF COURSE, RAY LADD SHOULD BE RELIEVED OF HIS POSITION AS A PROFESSIONAL OF THE SEBASTIAN MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE. MY REASONS ARE: 1. MR. LADD WAS TOLD INNUMERABLE TIMES NOT TO ORDER ANYTHING FOR THE PRO SHOP WITHOUT APPROVAL OF THE BOARD. ON MAY 27, 1983, WHILE LOOKING THROUGH THE PURCHASE ORDERS WE FOUND ONE FOR 45 PAIR OF SHOES FOR A TOTAL COST OF $1,612.80. THEY WERE TO BE DELIVERED IN OCTOBER AND BILLED IN DECEMBER. 2. BACK IN THE SPRING, HE WAS TOLD BY THE BOARD ANY SPECIAL ACTIVITIES ON SATURDAY, SUNDAY OR HOLIDAYS HAD TO BE SUPPORTED BY AN AD IN THE PRO SHOP AT LEAST ONE (1) WEEK IN ADVANCE. ON SATURDAY MORNING HARRIS CORPORATION HAD A GROUP OF' PEOPLE HERE, NONE OF THE MEMBERSHIP, INCLUD- ING PAT FLOOD, KNEW THAT THEY WERE BEING BOOKED FOR SATURDAY MORNING. 3. I FEEL THAT RAY LADD HAS NOT RESPECTED THE BOARD'S WISHES IN THE PAST NOR WILL IN THE FUTURE, SO WITH THIS I RECOMMEND HE BE DISMISSED FROM HIS JOB." CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: DOES ANYONE ON THE BOARD HAVE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? MR. NISBET: ARE WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT EACH OF THESE SPECIFICS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER OR IS IT JUST GOING TO BE A VERBATIM DISCUSSION? CHAIRMAN,~TROWBRIDGE: IT'S GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTION YOU HAVE ON ANY ONE ISSUE, WE WILL DISCUSS IT. MR. NISBET: ON ITEM NO. 1, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE SHOES WERE ORDERED PRIOR TO THE APRIL LETTER TO MR. LADD WHICH INSTRUCTED HIM NOT TO ORDER AND TO FURTHER REDUCE HIS INVENTORY, WHICH HE DID DURING THE MONTH OF MAY FROM $25,000. TO $19,000. THESE SHOES HAD TO BE ORDERED, AS I UNDERSTAND IT FURTHER, FOR THE NEXT WINTER SEASON WHICH WOULD BE DELIVERED AND BILLED IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. IN ADDITION, DURING THIS MONTH OF MAY, THERE WAS A PURCHASE BY OTHER THAN MR. LADD AND AS I UNDERSTAND HE WAS NOT EVEN CONSULTED - ABOUT $1500. IN_SHIRTS WHICH ADDED TO HIS iNVENTORY. THIS IS JUST TO COVER THE FIRST ITEM. MAYOR FLOOD: MR. LADD WAS TOLD A YEAR AGO MAY, NOT JUST PRIOR TO APRIL, THAT HE WAS NOT TO ORDER ANYTHING. MR. LADD HAS CONTINUALLY DONE SO AT HIS WILL AND HAS NEVER APPROACHED THE BOARD TO MY KNOWLEDGE. ALSO, HE WAS TOLD LAST YEAR WHEN THE AUDITOR WAS HERE THAT HE SHOULD REDUCE THE PRO SHOP AND AT THAT TIME HE WAS TOLD AGAIN NOT TO ORDER ANYTHING AND MR. LADD JUST CONTINUES ON. JUST TO BRING YOU UP TO DATE., ON THE COMPUTER AT BOSTONIAN SHOES RIGHT NOW, ON MARCH 24 OF THIS YEAR, ON THE COMPUTER AS OF 2:30 TODAY, THERE'S 75 PAIRS OF SHOES SUPPOSED TO BE DELIVERED THE 25TH OF OCTOBER. IT'S NOT LIKE MR. LADD HAS NOT BEEN TOLD TIME AND TIME AGAIN NOT TO ORDER. THERE WERE SOME SHIRTS BOUGHT - MR. JIM SHIRTS - THEY RUN FROM $12. TO $15. THERE WAS A CHANCE TO BUY THEM FOR $5. A PIECE. MR. LADD DID NOT LIKE THAT. - 2 - MR. NISBET: I WAS JUST REFER~BG 20 THIS ONE STATEMENT, MR. MAYOR, NOT COING BACK INTO THE PAST. MAYOR FLOOD: JUST WANT TO GET THE RECORD STRAIGHT THAT HE WAH TOLD PRIOR TO THE APRIL LETTER.NOT TO BUY. A MEMBER OF THEi'AUDIE~CE_.~ASKED_IF THE MEBTING WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ]~2~D WAS INFORMED BY CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE THAT THE MEETING WAS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. WE ARE DISCUSSING THIS AMONG THE BOARD MEMBERS. MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE: IS MR. FLOOD A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS? CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: WE ARE DISCUSSING MR. FLOOD'S LETTER. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE ASKED MR. LADD IF HE HAD ANYTHING TO SAY. MR. LADD: I HAVE A LOT TO COMMENT ON. IiFEEL AS THOUGH THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN IS JEOPARDIZING MY CAREER AS A GOLF PROFESSIONAL AND IMPEDING MY PRSGRESS IN GETTING AHEAD, AS FAR AHEAD AS ONE PERSON CAN GET AT MY AGE. I FEEL AS THOUGH THEY'RE BEING VERY DETRIMENTAL TO MY ECONOMIC FUTURE AND ONE OF THE REASONS I CAME TO SEBASTIAN WAS TO SLOW DOWN AND TAKE THINGS EASY. NOT HAVE TO WORK QUITE .SO HARD AS I HAVE WORKED HERE. I AM NOT GOING TO TELL YOU THAT .THIS DISCOURSE OF MINE WILL TAKE FIVE MINUTES. I'M GOING TO BE LENGTHY AND I HOPE YOU WILL BEAR WITH ME. PRIOR TO ANSWERING MR. FLOOD'S LETTER, IT IS IMPERATIVE AND I AM ADAMANT THAT THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HBBE, WHETHER YOU ARE FOR OR AGAINST, AND SOME ARE AGAINST, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU HEAR ALL THE REMARKS THAT I HOPE EVERYBODY WILL COME FORTH WITH. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT SINCE MY EMPLOYMENT IN OCTOBER, 1982, OM BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN, I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A FEW THINGS. I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT THESE THINGS ARE IN ORDER, THAT THEY WER~J~ACCOMPLIS.. . ._.HED IN THI~ ~EEKOR ON THIS DAT~, BUT ROUGHLY I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT THIS IS WHAT I HAVE DONE FOR YOU. THE STANCHIONS~WHICH YOU SEE ON EVERY HOLE ON THE GOLF COURSE WERE SUPPLIED TO US BY AN ADVERTISING AGENCY AND HAVE A VALUE OF $5400. THEY COST THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN NOT ONE PENNY. THE INUENTORY THAT WAS PURCHASED FOR THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE OPERATION WAS PURCHASED FROM THE FORT LAUDERDALE COUNTRY CLUB THROUGH A CONTACT OF MINE IN BOYNTON BEACH. WE PURCHASED THE ENTIRE INVENTORY FOR A FIGURE IN THE VICINITY OF $6000. THAT'S THE FURNITURE, THE DINING FURNITURE, THE BAR, AND A LOT OF THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE EQUIPMENT. WE SPENT LESS MONEY TO EQUIP THE DINING ROOM AND THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE OPERATION THAN WE DID TO EQUIP THE LITTLE SNACK BAR AT THE END OF 9 HOLES OUT THERE. THE DESIGN OF THE FOOD AND~BEVERAGE OPERATION, ALTHOUGH IT IS AT TIMES INADEQUATE, WAS DESIGNED BY ME. WHEN I BECAME YOUR GOLF PROFESSIONAL IN OCTOBER, 1981, YOU HAD 181 MEMBERS. I TOOK YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO 400, OF WHICH I AM SURE THAT THAT DIFFERENCE I RECRUITED MYSELF 90% OF THOSE PEOPLE. I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT THE PERSONNEL THAT WAS HIRED EXCEPT FOR THE GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENET WERE ALL HIRED BY ME, INCLUDING SOME GOOD PEOPLE - MARTYN REECE, MIKE CLEDES, AND FLORENCE ZUKOWSKI. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL HAD A BID IN WITH 3 GOLF CART COMPANIES TO BUY THE E-Z GO GOLF CARTS AT $207~. AND AFTER MUCH RUNNING BACK AND FORTH I'.WAS ABLE TO GET THAT PRICE REDUCED TO $187~., A SAVING OF $200. PER CART TIMES 60 CARTS WAS A SAVINGS OF $12,000. TO THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN. THE WARRANTY ON THE CARTS ~RIOR TO MY ARRIVAL WAS FOR ONE YEAR. I INCREASED THAT WARRANTY TO 2 YEARS, A SAVINGS OF INNUMERABLE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS JUST ON PARTS AND LABOR. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT SINCE THE GOLF COURSE WAS OPENED I HAVE CONDUCTED AND RUN SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY OF ~0 GOLF TOURNAMENTS AND THEY DON'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT I STARTED A JUNIOR GOLF PROGRAM, , THE FIRST IN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, AND IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. - 3 IT WAS BACKED BY THE MEMBERSHIP. WE PLAN TO RUN IT AGAIN. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT I SPOKE APPROXIMATELY 20 TIMES AT DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS THROUGHOUT THE IMMEDIATE AREA REPRESENTING YOUR CLUB, TO DIFFERENT~ AND VARIOUS ORGANIZA- TIONS, MEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATIONS, WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATIONS, ETC. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT DU;~ZN~.~.THE 6~ ~.M~NTHS FROM FEBRUARY 1982 UNTIL JULY 1982 MY aVERaGE WORK WEEK AT THE SEBASTIAN MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE WAS 77 HOURS A WEEK. ~'H~A~TH~'TI~ME 'TH~AT ~RR~.VED AND THE TIME I WENT HOME. I SUCCESSFUL/~Y HAVE RUN TWO PRO-AMS AT~ THE GOLF COURSE AND I THINK THAT YOU KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL, THANKS TO MY PEERS IN THE PGA WHO HAVE BROUGHT AMATEURS AND HAVE PAID ENTRY FEES OF $100. A PIECE. THE ADMINISTRATIVE SET-UP A~ THE GOLF COURSE INCLUDING CART RENTAL TICKETS, DAILY SHEETS AND DAILY CONTROL SHEETS WERE ALL FURNISHED BY ME. THE MARQUEE IN THE HALL THAT WE USE FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS I ALSO SECURED. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF ARRANGING TO TO HAVE A COLORED SCORE CARD MADE FOR THE GOLF COURSE. IT WILL BE DONE IN 3 COLORS WHICH WILL SAVE THE CITY OVER $3000. A YEAR. THE COUNTER~ D~SfUNED AND BU$~T~.~N THE.?_~PP~gLSHOP.~. ~¥NOW ZN.~' THE_~EOOD~'AND~ BEVERAGE OPERATION, WERE DE- SIGNED BY ME AND BUILT BY OUR MAINTENANCE MEN. THE FIXTURES IN THE PRO SHOP AND THE CLUB SURGE AREA I PURCHASED. THE SCOREBOARD WE USE I SECURED THROUGH THE WONDERFUL DONATION OF MR. AND MRS. HARRY WILLEY. THE ENTRANCE SIGN WHICH IS OUT IN FRONT OF THE GOLF CLUB I SECURED. I FOUND A PAINTER AND HAD HIM DO THAT SIGN. THE GOLF COURSE HAS BEEN PUBLICIZED WORLD-WIDE. FOR A WHILE WE THOUGHT WE WERE THE SMALLEST GOLF COURSE IN THE WORLD IN THE SMALLEST CITY._ WE FOUND OUT WE WERE THE SECOND.SMALLEST CITY TO OWN THEIR OWN GOLF CLUB, BUT I HAVE PUT THIS GOLF COURSE IN THE PAGES OF THE USGA JOURNAL, THE NATIONAL GOLF FOUNDATION GOLF WEEK, THROUGH. MY CONTACTS. THESE MAGAZINES GO ALL OVER THE WORLD. ALL THE ADVERTISEMENT THAT HAS BEEN DONE FOR THE CLUB SINCE DAY ONE I HAVE DRAWN UP. NOT ONE OTHER PERSON_HAS DONE IT. SCHEDULING OF ~MPLOYEES IN THE GOLF SHOP OPERATION AND IN THE CARTS I HAVE DONE. AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THAT JOB, I WANT YOU TO KNOW SOMETHING NO~.~ TH~S IS VERY IMPORTANT, I LOVE WHAT I DO. IF I DIDN'T LIKE WHAT I WAS DOING, _I WOULDN'T DO IT. I GET BY THE CITY ENOUGH MONEY., I HAVE NOT COMPLAINED ABOUT MY SALARY EVER. YOU NEVER HEARD ME COMPLAIN ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY I MAKE, .DESPITE THE5FACT THAT THE CITY HAS HAD TWO PAY INCREASES AND I WAS NEVER INCLUDED. I DIDN' T DESERVE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FIRST ONE, PERHAPS IN THE_.SECOND. THE WORK THAT I DO I LOVE TO DO. IT TAKES TIME. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT SINCE WE OPENED THE GOLF COURSE ON DECEMBER 12, 1981, ~HAT ALL THE MONIES, ALL THE DEPOSITS, EXCEPT FOR A VERY FEW DAYS, I HAVE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT. I HAVE HAD TO DEPOSIT. IT ISN'T THAT YOU WORRY ABOUT IT, BUT AS A GOLF PROFESSIONAL, YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE MONIES, AND THEN BE ABLE TO SAY THAT ONE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES DIDN'T DO HIS JOB, DIDN'T LOCK UP THE FILING CABINET, DIDN'T GET THE MONEY INTO THE BANK. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I'VE TOLD MY WIFE AT 10:30-11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT THAT I'VE GOT TO GO TO THE CLUB AND GET THE MONEY. LET THE RECORDS REVEAL I HAD TO CALL THE PEOPLE IN CONNECTICUT, THE SECURITY PEOPLE, THAT I'M COMING IN FOR A MINUTE, I'M GOING OUT TO PICK UP THE MONEY AND DEPOSIT.~-IT. HAVE ASSISTED MR..PRICE WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR. I HAVE HANDLED ALL THE MEMBERS' PROBLEMS AND THEY' VE BEEN INNUMERABLE. I'M PRESENTLY WRITING A WEEKLY ARTICLE FOR YOUR MAGAZINE, THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER WHICH COMES OUT EVERY WEEK. DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE ONLY MARKED UP THE MERCHANDISE 25-26%, I HAVE SHOWED THE CITY A PROFIT ON THAT MERCHANDISE. THE FACT THAT MAYOR FLOOD AND THE HONORABLE DIRECTOR BOUGHT SOME SHIRTS DOESN'T AMOUNT TO MUCH, _.BUT WHEN YOU BUY 300 SHIRTS AT $5. A PIECE AND THOSE SHIRTS ARE ROLYESTER SHIRTS - YOU DON'T BUY POLYESTER SHIRTS IN FLORIDA, 100% POLYESTER. THEY JUST DON'T SELL. ANOTHER THING, I HAD THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO BUY THOSE SHIRTS AT $4. AND THEYi PAID $5. I TURNED THAT GUY DOWN. IT'S DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET HOW PERSONALITIES END UP GETTING INVOLVED WITH YOUR CAREER, BUT I'M PRETTY MUCH~CONVINCED THAT MY BEING HERE TODAY IS JUST A STRICT CONFLICT OF PERSONALITIES AND I'M HOPING THAT IT CAN BE RESOLVED. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT SINCE OCTOBER, 1981, I HAVE TAKEN ONE WEEK-END OFF. I MEAN A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY THAT I HAVEN'T GONE TO THE CLUB. LET THE RECORDS REVEAL THAT I HAVE TAKEN LESS THAN ONE WEEK'S VACATION SINCE I ARRIVED. I HAVE NOT LOST A DAY'-.S WORK BECAUSE I' VE BEEN ILL. I DID TAKE SOME TIME OFF WHEN MY WIFE WAS VERY SERIOUSLY ILL. I ARRANGED FOR THE CITY TO SECURE A CONTRACT WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED "FLAG". THAT ORGANIZATION HAS GIVEN THE CITY TWO DONATIONS - $1000. AND $500. THE FLAG PEOPLE WHO HAVE PLAYED HAVE LEFT US MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN GOLF CART REVENUE. THE ANNUAL PROGRAM WHICH IS DONE FOR THE PGA TOURNAMENT EVERY ARTICLE IN THEIR WAS EITHER DONE BY MYSELF OR LARRY BUSH. MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME WHY I DIN'T PUT MY OWN PICTURE IN THAT PROGRAM. I DIDN'T THINK IT BELONGED THERE, SO iT'S NOT THERE. AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE THE BOARD HAS ELECTED TO CALL THIS MEETING, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT AS A FORMER OFFICER OF THE PGA, I FELT VERY HURT. I FEEL HURT NOW THAT I HAVE TO CALL ON ALL THESE PEOPLE AND ASK YOU TO COME HERE TODAY AND SUPPORT ME. I DID MENTION DURING THE PGA TOURNAMENT THAT I WAS HAVING~SOME TROUBLE WITH THE CITY FATHERS. I MENTIONED IT TO ONE GOLF PROFESSIONAL. THAT GOLF PROFESSIONAL CARRIED MY WORDS ON TO THE PROPER OFFICES OF THE PGA, INCLUDING THE NATIONAL PGA. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT THE TWO GENTLEMEN WHO ARE HERE TODAY ARE HERE ON MY BEHALF. BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMEN - ONE GENTLEMAN HAD TO FLY IN, ONE HAD TO DRIVE HERE FROM MIAMI - THE PGA IS PAYING THEIR EXPENSES. PRIOR TO ATTACKING THE LETTER AND GOING INTO A DISCOURSE ON THE LETTER, AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THE PRESIDENT OF THE FLORIDA SECTION OF THE PGA, MR. JOHN LAPONZINA. MR. LAPONZINA: LET ME SPEAK BRIEFLY TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE AND I GUESS THE ADVISORY BOARD OF THE GOLF CLUB, THAT AS PRESIDENT OF THE PGA IN FLORIDA, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 1200 MEMBERS. I HAVE ONE OTHER GENTLEMAN HERE WHO IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL PGA, AND HAS COME IN ALSO TO HEAR THIS HEARING AND SPEAK IN BEHALF OF MR. LADD - MR. BOBBY GOODMAN. I WANT TO MAKE MY REMARKSt TO THE POINT IF I COULD, I WANT THE PEOPLE OUT THERE AND I WANT YOU PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH CITIES AND MUNICIPAL:OPERATIONS AS I AM A GOLF PROFESSIONAL ON A MUNICIPAL COURSE CALLED PEMBROKE LAKES COUNTRY CLUB WHICH IS OWNED BY THE CITY OF PEMBROKE PINES, AND I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES AND SOME OF THE B.UREAUCRAC¥,.TH~,~GOESOALONG'i~. WITH CITIES FOR QUITE A LONG TIME SO I'M SPEAKING FROM SOME EXPERIENCE AND HOPE THAT WE CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON SOME OF THE MATTERS HERE TODAY. IN ADDITION TO THAT AS PRESIDENT OF THE PGA..IN~ FLORIDA I HAVE HAD ACQUAINTANCE WITH MR. LADD FOR PROBABLY 15-18 YEARS. HE IS A FORMER OFFICER OF THE PGA OF AMERICA. WE FEEL AND I AM SURE IT IS EXEMPLIFIED BY THE PEOPLE HERE TODAY THAT THE COMMENTS I HAVE HEARD SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, THAT HE IS AS FINE A GOLF PROFESSIONAL AS THE PGA OF AMERICA HAS TO OFFER. THE POINT HAS BEEN MADE THAT MR. LADD WAS GIVEN SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS NOT TO ORDER ANY MERCHANDISe, WHO AS THE GOLF PROFESSIONAL SHOULD BE THE PERSON WHO IS MOST FAMILIAR_'WITH INVENTORY, .'WHAT SEL'LS, 'WHAT DOESN'T SELL, HIS CLIENTELE. IT'S FUNNY THAT AFTER BEING GIVEN SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE YOU TO INVENTORY, THAT MR. FLOOD TAKES IT UPON HIMSELF TO ORDER $1500. WORTH OF POLYESTER SHIRTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE.'SUMMER ON HIS OWN MERIT. I FIND THAT HARD TO UNDERSTAND. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU DO OR IF THIS BOARD DOES, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THAT POINT IN THE LETTER, I THINK THE PERSON TO BE QUESTIONED SHOULD BE MR. FLOOD - ON WHOSE AUTHORITY DID HE ORDER THESE SHIRTS WHEN THERE WERE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS THAT NO INVENTORY WOULD BE ADDED TO THE PRO SHOP. LET ME TELL YOU HOW BUREAUCRACY IN A CITY GOVERNMENT WORKS, IF I CAN. YOU ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE CONCERNED WITH. THESE PEOPLE REPRESENT YOU. THE MAYOR REPRESENTS YOU, THE BOARD REPRESENTS YOU, AND ITS THEIR PURPOSE TO SATISFY THE WISHES AND INTENT OF THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY. AM I CORRECT IN THAT? YOU BACK'ME, O. K. LET'S TALK ABOUT MERCHANDISE AND ORDERING. I HAVE THE SAME SITUATION IN MY CLUB WITH MERCHANDISE, BUT MY FIRST PRIORITY IS SERVICING THE MEMBERS. I DON'T WANT TO RUN OUT OF GOLF BALLS, I DON'T WANT TO RUN OUT OF HATS, I DON'T WANT TO BE EMBARRASSED. THEREFORE, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I HAVE TO NOT GO THROUGH THE PURCHASE ORDER SITUATION TO SERVICE MY MEMBERS AND HAVE MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE FOR THEM. THEY HAVE MONEY COMING IN GIFT CERTIFICATES. THEY H~VE A BIG OUTING COMING IN. ALL KINDS OF REASONS WHY WE NEED MERCHANDISE. AT~ TIMES THERE HAVE BEEN SITUATIONS~WHERE I HAVE HAD TO ORDER MERCHANDISE AND EXPLAIN WHY. THE PEOPLE I SPOKE TO AND THE PEOPLE I ADDRESSED FOR FHAT MATTER UNDERSTOOD THE PURPOSE OF THAT. IT'S TO SATISFY THE MEMBERS AND THE RESIDENTS IN SERVICING THEM AND IF YOU WENT TO THE GOLF COURSE AND COULDN'T BUY A GOLF BALL BECAUSE OF THE BUREAUCRACY OF WAITING FOR IT TO BE APPROVED YOU'D PROBABLY BE VERY UPSET SO WHAT I 'M SAYING IS THAT THERE ARE TIMES AND THERE ARE SITUATION$~THAT COME UP WHEN ITS NOT AVAILABLE. THERE ARE FWO POINTS IN THE LETTER, ~'MR..~LADD.~.-, THAT MR. FLOOD OBJECTED TO. ~ THE FIRST IS ORDERING MERCHANDISE. LET ME EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU IF I CAN. MR. LADD ORDERED MERCHANDISE THAT WAS TO BE DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING OCTOBER, THE FOLLOWING SEA~ON. HE WAS NOT ORDERING INVENTORY. THAT ORDER COULD BE CANCELLED ANYTIME. MR. FLOOD SAID IT WAS IN THE COMPUTER. YOU CAN CANCEL THE COMPUTER WITH A 24 HOUR NOTICE. HE WAS~'~ORDERING MERCHANDISE FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR. NOW_~WE DO THAT ALL THE TIME ~N~'~PLANNiNG OUR INVENTORY YEAR. YOU HAVE TO GIVE ORDERS SOMETIMES 6 MONTHS IN ADVANCE FOR THEM TO BE MADE UP PROPERLY, SO I CAN SEE NO WRONG-DOING ON THE PART OF MR. LADD ORDERING MERCHANDISE. THE ONLY WRONG-DOING I SEE AT THIS POINT IN ORDERING MERCHANDISE WAS MR. FLOOD ORDERING $1500. WORTH OF SHIRTS WITH NO AUTHORITY TO DO SO AFTER HIS INSTRUCTIONS TO KEEP THE INVENTORY DOWN. WHAT WAS THE OTHER POINT, MR. LADD? MR. LADD: THE OTHER POINT WAS THE GROUP PLAYING GOLF ON SATURDAY. MR. LAPONZINA: LET ME GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. IN THE PGA OF AMERICA WE REPRESENT EVERY GOLF CLUB IN THE UNITED STATES. THERE iS NOT ONE GOLF CLUB IN THE UNITED STATES. TO3~OUR KNOWLEDGE, AND WE LOOKED IT UP IN THE NATIONAL GOLF FOUNDATION AND WE ASKED THE PGA OF AMERICA TO LOOK INTO IT, WHERE THE GOLF PROFESSIONAL HAS TO PAY FOR HIS CART WHEN HE GOES OUT TO PLAY. LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY. I SOLICIT MEMBERS. WE SOLICIT PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND PLAY, GO OUT FOR 3-4 HOLES. NEW MEMBERS, PICK THEM UP AND PLAY 9 HOLES. THIS IS THE JOB, TO PROMOTE. SOMETIMES WE LIKE TO THINK OF THE PGA AS PROMOTING GOLF IN AMERICA. THIS IS THE GOLF PROFESSIONAL'S JOB TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE COURSE, PLAY A FEW HOLES WITH THE MEMBERS ON SATURDAY, BRING NEW PEOPLE OUT AND INTRODUCE THEM TO THE COURSE. THIS IS THE ONLY GOLF COURSE IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE THE GOLF PROFESSIONAL HAS TO PAY FOR HIS OWN CART. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS RULE AND WHOEVER MADE THIS RULE, I WOULD LIKE TO QUESTION HIM AND CHALLENGE HIM AS TO THE PUBLIC RELATIONS THEY'RE CREATING WHEN YOUR OWN GOLF PROFESSIONAL WHO GOES OUT AND PROMOTES YOUR BUSINESS HAS TO PAY FOR HIS CART. THERE'S NO SUCH THING IN THE UNITED STATES. THOSE WHO MADE THE RULE ARE IGNORANT OF THE RULE. THERE IS A REASON WHY YOU HAVE 400 MEMBERS TODAY. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE OF MR. FLOOD AND WITH DUE RESPECT TO THE BOARD, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS. IT HAPPENED BECAUSE THE GOLF PROFESSIONAL W~S THERE, GREETING PEOPLE, INTRODUCING PEOPLE, INVITING-PEOPLE, ACTIVITIES. THE PGA JUST TOLD HIM TWO HOURS AGO THAT WE'RE WILLING TO SPEND $2000.-$3000. OUT OF OUR FUNDS THIS~YEAR TO DONATE TO WHAT WE THINK IS THE FINEST JUNIOR GOLF PROGRAM IN THE STATE. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN, I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF YOU. I' VE NEVER BEEN HERE'. IT'S A MAgNiFICENT LITTLE PLACE. I TOOK A TOUR. BUT,?.SZNCE. RAY~LADD2.'HAS~BEEN HERE, HE RUNS THE PRO-AM, HE RECRUITS FROM THE WHOLE STATE, DIGNITARIES, PRESIDENTS OF CORPORATIONS, IMPORTANT PEOPLE COME TO THE LITTLE OLD SEBASTIAN MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE AND PLAY IN HIS PRO-AM AND I CAN'T TELL YOU THE COMMENTS AND THE RAVES ON THE WAY HE CONDUCTS HIMSELF, THE WAY HE CONDUCTS THE GOLF TOURNAMENT, AND THE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE ON THE BASIS OF RAY LADD BEING HERE. LET'S._~'TALK ABOUT GRouPs NOW. I WANT TO GET THE PARTICULARS. ONE OF THE WAYS YOU GET PEOPLE TO COME TO YOUR GOLF COURSE, YOU GET MEMBERS AND YOU GET PLAYS AND YOU GET ACTIVITIES BY INVITING PEOPLE OUT. ONE OF THE RESOURCES WE HAVE IS GROUPS. BI_~ COMPANIES - IN OUR AREA EASTERN AIR LINES PLAYS AT OURCCOURSE. THAT ONLY BENEFITS ONE ITEM. THEY BRING REVENUE TO YOU. FOR THE FUTURE, POSSIBLE MEMBERS. IT's A WAY OF PROMOTING A GOLF COURSE. MR. LADD, I UNDERSTAND, HAD A GOLF TOURNAMENT AT THE CLUB AND BECAUSE HE HAD SHORT NOTICE OF THE TIME OF COMING, WAS NO.T ABLE TO AMPLY ADVERTISE THIS GROUP, WHICH IS YOUR REQUIREMENT. I RESPECT YOUR REQUIRE- MENT AND BELIEVE rT'S CORRECT, BUT THERE HAS TO BE SITUATIONS THAT COME UP. FOR THE 40 PEOPLE THAT WERE iNVOLVED ON SHORT NOTICE, WOULD YOU TURN THEM DOWN? - 6 THE REVENUE IS GOING TO THE CITY. THE REVENUE HELPS KEEP YOUR COSTS DOWN. THE REVENUE PAYS FOR THE GOLF COURSE. HE DIDN'T PUT THE MONEY IN HIS POCKET. IT DIDN'T GO TO HIM. IT NEVER WENT TO HIM. HE DID IT FOR THE CITY. HE TRIED TO BRING PEOPLE TO THE GOLF COURSE. THERE'S A RULE ABOUT SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS. IS THERE A RULE IN YOUR CLUB THAT NO TIME ~ RESERVED? NO ONE HAS TO CALL IN ADVANCE? CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: 48 HOURS. MR. LAPONZINA: I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE MAYOR AND FOUR PERSONS WHO HAVE HAD STARTING TIMES CONTINUOUSLY ON SATURDAY MORNINGS FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A' HALF IF HE OR ANY OF THE GROUP HAVE CALLED INFFOR ONE. IT'S ALL RIGHT FOR HIM TO HAVE TIME RESERVED. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: WHOA. MR. LAPONZINA: 'I'D LIKE MR. LADD TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. MR. LADD, WOULD YOU RESPOND TO THAT? CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: I THINK YOU'RE ACCUSING THE MAYOR. HE CAN,~RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION. MR. LAPONZINA: MR. LADD, WILL~.~OU RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION? MR. LADD: THERE IS A GROUP THAT PLAYS ON SATURDAY MORNING COMPOSED OF X AMOUNT OF MEMBERS. THEY PLAY EVERY SATURDAY MORNING. WE MARK THE TIMES OUT FOR THEM. MR. LAPONZINA: DO THEY CALL FOR THE TIME? MR. LADD: NO, SIR. MR. MORRIS: THAT'S NOT TRUE. I CALL EVERY THURSDAY. MR. LADD: MR. MORRIS MAY HAVE CALLED ONE TIME. MR. LAPONZINA: LET ME GO ON RECORD BY SAYING THIS. IT IS OBVIOUS FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE THAT THERE IS A PERSONALITY CONFLICT. IT'S POLITICS. IT'S A DIRTY GAME. THIS GOLF COURSE IS FOR YOU. IT'S FOR THE RESIDENTS. LET ME TELL THE MAYOR AND THE BOARD WHAT THE PGA PLANS TO DO IF WE DON'T THINK MR. LADD IS TREATBD._,FAIRLY. NO. 1 - WE THINK HE IS AN EXCELLENT GOLF PROFESSIONAL. IF HE ORDERED SHOES FOR NEXT OCTOBER, YOU SLAP HIM ON THE HAND AND SAY "DON' T DO THAT ANY MORE". THAT ALSO APPLIES TO MR. FLOOD AND HIS POLYESTER SHIRTS. LET'S GET ON AN EQUAL BASIS. HE'S GOING TO BE GONE ~BOA ~E~ OR TWO. YOU'LL HAVE A NEW MAYOR. MR. LADD IS GOING TO BE HERE FOR A LONG TIME. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: JUST A MOMENT. LET'S KEEP THINGS ON A BASIS CONCERNING THIS QUESTION, YOU'RE GETTING INVOLVED IN POLITICS AND WE DON'T WANT - MR. LAPONZINA: I DON'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS. MR. L~FSNGSTON: CAN I ADD ONE POINT, PLEASE? WHEN YOU SAID THE MAYOR PLAYS ON SATURDAY MORNING - HE DOES. NOT. MAYOR FLOOD: MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME FOR ME - MR. LAPONZINA: LET ME FINISH MY REMARKS. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: JUST STAY OUT OF PERSONALITIES. MR. LAPONZINA: IT IS OBVIOUS FROM THE FEOPLE HERE WHO COUNT THE MOST, THE RESIDENTS AND MEMBERS WHO PLAY GOLF HERE, THAT MR. LADD DESERVES TO KEEP HIS JOB AND I ASK THE BOARD TO REFLECT THE SENTIMENTS OF THE HERE, YOUR RESIDENTS, YOUR TAXPAYERS, AND THE PEOPLE WHO PLAY YOUR CLUB, TO REPRESENT THEM AS YOU HAVE BEEN ELECTED OR ASKED TO DO SO AND JUST FOR THE RECORD AND FOR THE MEMBERS HERE SO YOU WILL KNOW, I KNOW THE~JOB RAY LADD DOES FOR YOUR CLUB AND YOU KNOW THE JOB HE DOES. IF THE BOARD FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH THIS PROCEDURE, NO. 1 THE PGA WILL NOT PERMIT ANOTHER PGA' GOLF PRO- FESSIONAL OR APPRENTICE TO TAKE THIS JOB.~ THIS JOB WILL ABSOLUTELY BE SUS- PENDED FROM ANY PGA PROFESSIONAL. THAT'S A REFLECTION ON YOU. THERE ARE OTHER THINGS INVOLVED. .THERE WILL BE NO MORE PRO-AMS PERMITTED. WE WILL SUSPEND ALL ACTIVITIES OF YOUR CLUB INCLUDING JUNIOR CLINICS, SENIOR GOLF' TOURNAMENTS AND WHATEVER ELSE THE P@A..CAN. DO TO SUPPORT YOUR GOLF PROFESSIONAL. THERE WILL BE NO PGA PROFESSIONAL PERMITTED, AND OTHER ACTIONS MIGHT BE CON- SIDERED BY THE PGA OF AMERICA IF THEY THINK THIS MAN IS UNFAIRLY TREATED. THANK YOU. MAYOR FLOOD: NO. 1, BEFORE YOU GOT UP HERE, YOU SHOULD HAVE GOT YOUR FACTS A LITTLE STRAIGHT. MR. LAPONZINA: WELL, STRAIGHTEN THEM UP FOR ME. MAYOR FLOOD: I'M JUST FIXING TO. MR. LAPONZINA: LET MR. LADD COMMENT BEFORE YOU TALK. MAYOR FLOOD: NO. 1 - I DID NOT ORDER THE SHIRTS FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND. IT WAS NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER. I THINK THEY WERE BOUGHT BACK IN MARCH. THAT'S SPINGTIME. MR. LAPONZINA: WHO ORDERED THE SHIRTS? MAYOR FLOOD: NOBODY ORDERED THEM. I WAS ASKED AND THE FINANCE DIRECTOR WAS ASKED IF IT WAS ALL RIGHT TO BUY THEM AND WE SAID YES. MR. LAPONZINA: WHO O.K. 'D THE PURCHASE ORDER? THEY DIDN'T COME BY ACCIDENT. MAYOR FLOOD: WELL, O.K. I'LL ACCEPT THAT. MR. LAPONZINA: FINE. RETRACT YOUR STATEMENT. MAYOR FLOOD: I'~M NOT - 7 GOING TO RETRACT MY STATEMENT. MR. LAPONZINA: WHO ORDERED THE SHIRTS? CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: THEY WERE NOT ORDERED; THAT'S WHAT HE'S TRYING TO TELL YOU. MAYOR FLOOD: NO. 2 IS - HEY, I LISTENED TO YOU CRITICIZE SO JUST KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT, O.K. ~ OR I'LL HAVE YOU OUT THE DOOR IN ABOUT TWO SECONDS. MR. LAPONZINA: I UNDERSTAND YOU DO THINGS LIKE THAT. MAYOR FLOOD: JOHN, I WANT HIM OUT AND NOT BACK IN THE DOOR, NOW. ARE YOU GOING TO SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET? MR. LAPONZINA: NO. (MR. LAPONZINA AND MEMBERS OF AUDIENCE STARTED TO LEAVE. ) IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE STATED THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN THROWN OUT. MR. LYNCH (GOLF COURSE MEMBER): I LOVE SEBASTIAN. I LOVE PAT FLOOD AND I LOVE RAY LADD AND I THINK YOU'RE ALL WASTING YOUR TIME HERE, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY AND FOR PAT, IT'S TOUGH TO SIT THERE AND LISTEN; NOW, HE'S GOT TO LISTEN TO YOU. MAYOR FLOOD: THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. MR. LYNCH~:: I THINK YOU OUGHT TO SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO EVERYBODY BECAUSE WE WANT A GOLF COURSE. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: I WILL ASK YOU TO BE SEATED. I WILL ASK YOU TO LISTEN TO MR. FLOOD WITH NO REMARKS, PLEASE. HE LISTENED TO~YOU. O.K. MR. FLOOD, GO AHEAD. MAYOR FLOOD: YOU MADE A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS. YOU SAID MR. LADD IS A HURRY UP JOB. MIKE CLEDES HAS BEEN GONE NOW FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS AND HE WAS ASKED TO PUT ON A BAR-B-Q TWO OR THREE WEEKS AGO SO I DON'T THINK HE HAD AMPLE TIME TO PUT ANYTHING ON THE BOARD. ANOTHER THING - PAT FLOOD AND HIS CREW ON SATURDAY MORNINGS. I PLAYED ONE TIME. IT HAPPENED TO BE THE LAST SATURDAY MORNING THAT I PLAYED ON THE SEBASTIAN MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE WITH THIS GROUP THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. MR. LADD SAID I PLAYED WITH THEM. MR. LADD SHOULD HAVE ~.OLD YOU THE TRUTH. YOU SAID THAT MR. LADD MIGHT BE HERE LONGER THAN I AM. THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, BUT IT JUST SO HAPPENS, MAYBE JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND MAYBE MR. LADD SAYING THAT HE GOT THE GOLF COURSE IN THE FLORIDA GOLF MAGAZINE, BUT IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT MR. JOHN VAN ANTWERP AND I ARE THE TWO WHO FOUGHT TOOTH AND NAIL TO GET THIS AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE HERE TODAY OPPOSED THE GOLF COURSE AND NOW ARE SAYING "LOOK WHAT WE'VE GOT, PROTECT IT". AS FAR AS A PERSONALITY CONFLICT, I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE WHO ARE PGA PROEESSIONALS THINK THAT THEY ARE GOD, BUT I THINK YOU THINK SO AND SO DOES MR. LADD AT TIMES. I HAVE TALKED TO MR. LADD AND TRIED TO GET HIM TO SETTLE DOWN AND I TOLD HIM THAT AS LONG AS HE DID WHAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO~D HIM TO DO, AS LONG AS I WAS HERE HE WOULD HAVE A JOB. I THINK IF HE KNEW TWO WEEKS AHEAD OF TIME THAT A GROUP WAS COMING, THAT WAS ADEQUATE TIME TO PUT IT ON THE BULLETIN BOARD. THERE HAVE BEEN TOURNAMEN~S~"~iBEO~LEEHA~E? C~tLLED~EOR~;~TEE..'~MES~'A~D WE~E'i~I~EN TEE TIMES AND Ii~HAD~TO ~ET ~B. LADD OFF THE GOLF COURSE PLAYING GOLF ONE MORNING FOR HIM TO COME BACK AND STRAIGHTEN THE MESS OUT BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE BACKED UP. WE GAVE THEM BASKETS OF BALLS AND EVERYTHING ELSE TRYING TO STRAIGHTEN THE MESS OUT. THIS WAS NOT.~'JUST ONE TIME, IT WAS ABOUT THREE OR FOUR TIMES. I THINK I HAVE BENT OVER BACK- WARDS AND I'D DO ANYTHING IN THE WORLD.~'PERSONALLY FOR MR. LADD NOW, BUT AS FAR AS THE CITY AND AS FAR AS YOU TRYING TO BLACKMAIL THE BOARD SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE AWAY THE PGA AND ALL THAT',¥THAT'S YOUR PRIVILEGE. MR. LAPONZINA: THAT'S TRUE. MAY I RESPOND? CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: NO, NOT UNTIL HE'S DONE. MAYOR FLOOD: I WILL TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SHIRT ..SITUATION, BUT AT LEAST THERE'S ONE THING ABOUT IT. WE'VE GOT OUR MONEY BACK OUT OF IT ALREADY. THERE WERE A LOT OF THEM SOLD. IT WAS NOT A MONEY LOSER. IT JUST COST US OVER $100. TO SEND SHOES BACK THAT WERE ORDERED LAST YEAR. WE TRY TO KEEP OUR PRO SHOP STOCKED. IT ALWAYS GOES BACK TO MR. FLOOD THIS AND MR. FLOOD THAT. YOU'VE GOT YOUR OPINION AND I'VE GOT MINE. TODAY HE HAS HIS CROWD HERE. MR. LADD HAS MADE A STATEMENT TO ME THAT IF I COULD GET 25% OF THE. MEMBER- SHIP TO SIGN THAT THEY DON' T LIKE HIM, HE WOULD GIVE IT UP. IF THAT IS WHA~ IT TAKES, I WOULD BE GLAD TO DO IT NOW. I DID NOT GO INTO THAT BEFORE. AS - 8 FAR AS INSTRUCTIONS TO MR. LADD, HE'S HAD A FREE HAND OUT THERE UNTIL RECENTLY. HE SA~D.~'HE,~'SHOWED.~'~,'P;~OF~ ~N~i~HE3RI~ST~'SIX.~MON~HS ~ROM DECEMBER 12 UNTIL R.,~H, 1982; THERE WAS 1% ~RgFI~T. AT THAT TIME HE WAS MARKING THE PROFITS UP. ~T~'S A~"MATTE~-'6F ~oRD.''"' "<~" DO~' T LIKE IT WHEN THE PGA COMES HERE .AND THINKS THEY'RE GOING TO DOMINATE THIS LITTLE GOLF COURSE AND AS FAR AS A SENIORS' TOURNAMENT, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN STOP US FROM HAVING A SENIORS' TOURNAMENT OR ANYiTOURNAMENT WE WANT. IT MIGHT NOT BE APPROVED BY THE PGA, BUT ATLfJ~2ST WE CAN HAVE ANY TOURNAMENT WE WANT AND THE PGA CAN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT, RIGHT? MR. LAPONZINA: ARE YOU ASKING ME THE QUESTION? MAYOR FLOOD: YES. MR. LAPONZINA: HERE'S WHAT I 'M SAYING THE PGA .IS PLANNING TO DO~rF WE FEEL MR. LADD IS BEING TREATED UNFAIRLY.BECAUSE OF PERSONALITY CONFLICTS. HE HAS MADE MISTAKES. AT HIS JOB. I HAVE MADE MISTAKES AT MY J~B~'. IF HE'S MADE MISTAKES, I SUGGEST YOU ADDRESS THEM AND HAVE THEM CORRECTED. ALL THAT I 'M SAYING TO YOU IS THAT IF WE FEEL, CAN YOU HEAR THIS, IF WE FEEL THAT HE HAS BEEN UNFAIRLY TREA~ED BY THE COUNCIL OR BY THE MAYOR OR WHOEVER ELSE IS INVOLVED, WE PLAN TO TAKE ACTION. THIS IS NOT BLACKMAIL; IT'S NOT EVEN A THREAT. YOU CAN WRITE IT DOWN AS FACT. THERE WILL BE NO PGA PROFESSIONAL PERMITTED TO COME BACK TO THIS JOB OR APPRENTICE ACCEPTED. YOUR AMATEURS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO PLAY IN ANY PRO-AMS OR AMATEUR EVENTS THROUGHOUT THIS STATE. WHATEVER THE PGA~?CAN DO TO PUT SANCTIONS AGAINST YOUR GOLF CLUB, WE'LL DO AND THEY> WILL DEFEND MR. LADD'S RIGHT TO HAVE HIS JOB AS LONG AS HE IS DOING A GOOD JOB.'_.AND NOT IN YOUR OPINION, MR. FLOOD, IN THE O~NION OF THE PEOPLE HE HAS SERVED AND WORKS FOR AND REPRESENTS EVERY DAY, IN THEIR OPINION THAT HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB BE~USE YOU ARE ONE OPINION AND YOUR OPINION SHOULD NOT BE THE FINAL SAY. YOU WORK FOR THEM. YOU REPRESENT THEM. YOU DON'T REPRE- SENT YOURSELF. YOU REPRESENT THE WISHES OF THESE PEOPLE. IS THAT CORRECT? MAYOR FLOOD: YOU ARE CORRECT - THE ONES THAT LIVE IN THE CITY.OF SEBASTIAN, BUT I LOOK AROUND HERE AND THERE ARE A LOT HERE WHO DON'T LIVE IN THE CITY. MR. LAPONZINA: WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE IT UP TO THE PEOPLE? MAYOR FLOOD: BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE WITH MR. LADD'S STACKED DECK. MR. LAPONZINA: I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU CONSIDER STACKING THE DECK's. WHEN YOU T~E A POLICEMAN DOWN AND BREAK INTO THE PLACE TO SHOW UP MR. LADD AND WHAT AN INEFFICIENT JOB HE'S DOING WITH SECURITY. MAYOR FLOOD: JOHN (MELTON), WOULD YOU BRING UP THAT FOLDER. I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS GENTLEMAN HERE - MR. LAPONZINA: I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THAT'S STACKING THE DECK AND THAT'S BLACKMAIL. MAYOR FLOOD: LET ME ANSWER THAT SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP. MR. LAPONZINA: ARE YOU GOING TO THROW ME OUT AGAIN? I'M TAKING A FLIGHT OUT OF HERE FAST. MAYOR FLOOD: NO. I LISTENED TO YOU. SINCE YOU BROUGHT THAT UP, YOU SAY YOU'RE THE PRESIDENT, TAKE A LOOK AT THE POLICE REPORTS. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF A MAN REFUSED TO COME OUT AND SHUT UP HIS PRO SHOP? MR. LAPONZINA: LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. HAS THERE EVER BEEN ANY VANDALISM AT THIS GOLF COURSE/~SINCE IT OPENED? HAS THERE BEEN ONE ACT OF VANDALISM. POLICE CHIEF MELTON: YES. THEY' RE LISTED HERE BY DATE, NUMBER AND TYPE. MR. LAPONZINA: BESIDES MR. FLOOD'S BREAKING AND ENTERING? CHIEF MELTON: YES, SIR. MAYOR FLOOD: DON'T SAY MR. FLOOD'S BREAKING IN. MR. LAPONZINA: WOULD YOU READ THEM TO ME, OFFICER? I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THEY WERE. I CAN TELL YOU THIS. AS A MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE, WEE'HAVE VANDALISM. WE HAVE ALL THE SECURITY, LIGHTS AND BARS2~.YOU CAN HAVE. WE ~UE~A~E PROBABLY 3-4 TIMES A MONTH. MR. GOODMAN OWNS HIS OWN GOLF COURSE. HE AVERAGESJ-~'8-10 TIMES' A MONTH - KIDS, BIKES, RIDING THROUGH THE SAND TRAPS. MAYOR FLOOD: JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE REPORT. MR. LAPONZINA: WOULD YOU READ THEM TO ME, SIR? MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE: TO WHAT DOES IT PERTAIN? MR. LAPONZINA: WELL, IT PERTAINS - YOU'RE BLAMING HIM FOR VANDALISM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY CAN - MAYOR FLOOD: MR. LADD MUST HAVE TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS. MR. LAPONZINA: MR. LADD SENT ME A NEWSPAPER CLIPPING. MAYOR FLOOD: YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY THE HAS NOT BEEN LEFT OPEN OR<ANY WINDOWS LEFT OPEN SINCE THEN. FHEi~ROLICE HAVE HAD AT LEAST 100 COMPLAINTS AND THE REASON WE HAVE NO HAD VANDALISM OUT THERE IS BECAUSE OUR POLICEMEN GO OUT THERE QUITE FREQUENTLY. IT'S NOT BECAUSE MR. LADD'S OUT THERE ALL THE TIME. MR. LAPONZINA: WHERE WERE THE POLICE THE NIGHT YOU BROKE IN? MAYOR FLOOD: ARE YOU ACCUSING ME OF BREAKING IN? - 9 - CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: LET'S DROP THIS, PLEASE. MR. LYNCH REQUESTED 30 SECONDS TO SPEAK, BUT WAS DENIED SINCE NO ONE ELSE FROM THE AUDIENCE HAS BEEN ALLOWED. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: I WOULD LIKE TO ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. MR. LADD: I'M NOT THROUGH. I HAVE NOT DEFENDED MY SITUATION YET. I WOULD LIKE TO READ TO YOU TWO LETTERS THAT I RECEIVED..~ THE SECOND LETTER HAS BEEN READ INTO THE RECORD SO I WOULD LIKE TO_READ THE FIRST LETTER TO YOU FROM CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE, DATED APRIL 25, 1983: ".?.AT THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SEBASTIAN MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE ON APRIL 14, 1983, IT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN COOPERATING FULLY WITH THE BOARD. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN THE AREA OF THE INVENTORY OF THE PRO SHOP AND IN THE SECURITY OF THE BUILDINGS ON THE COURSE. THIS LETTER IS BEING WRITTEN WITH THE UNANIMOUS CONSENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. IN THE FUTURE YOU ARE TO COOPERATE 100% WITH THE BOARD. IF YOU CAN'- NOT DO THIS, THEN YOU ARE ADVISED TO START LOOKING FOR A NEW~;POSIT3~ON. AT THE END OF APRIL AND AGAIN AT THE END OF MAY WE EXPECT A LARGE REDUCTION IN THE INVENTORY. ALSO, IN THE FUTURE, NO MERCHANDISE SHALL BE ORDERED WITHOUT THE SIGNATURE OF EITHER MR. DANIEL MELIA OR CHAIRMAN ARTHUR TBOWBRIDGE. YOU ARE TO CONSIDER THIS AS A FINAL WARNING. IF YOUR COOPERATION IS NOT 100% IN THE FUTURE, THEN YOUB POSITION WILL BE TERMINATED. " THIS LETTER WAS SENT OF COURSE TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND THEN PASSED ON TO.ME. SOME MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD DID NOT SEE IT. I HAD TO SHOW IT TO THEM. I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE NEXT TO LAST PARAGRAPH AND COMMENT ON THAT. THE INVENTORY TODAY IS $19,700. IT'S PROBABLY A LOT LESS BECAUSE WE'VE SOLD A LOT OF MERCHANDISE IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, SO WE HAVE REDUCED THE INVENTORY OVER $10,000. QUOTING FROM THE PARAGRAPH "ALSO, IN THE FU~,HRBONO.~.MERCHAND~SE SHALL BE ORDERED WITHOUT THE SIGNATURE OF EITHER MR. DANIEL MELIA OR CHAIRMAN ARTHUR TROWBRIDGE". NOW SOMEBODY MUST THINK THAT RAY LADD DIDN' T GRADUATE FROM THE SIXTH GRADE BECAUSE WHEN I RECEIVED THAT LETTER I D~DN'T ORDER ANY MORE MERCHANDISE UNLESS WE NEEDED GOLF BALLS OR SUMMER CAPS AND THAT'S IT. THiS LETTER READS: .".ALSO, IN THE FUTURE, NO MERCHANDISE SHALL BE ORDERED WITHOUT THE SIGNATURE OF EITHER MR. DANIEL MELIA OR CHAIRMAN' ARTHUR TROWBRIDGE." THE GOLF SHOES WERE ORDERED ON TUESDAY, MARCH 15, AT 10:00 A.M. WHEN THE BOSTONIAN SALESMAN CALLED ON,ME. THIS IS ONE MONTH BEFORE I RECEZ~;ED THIS LETTER. HE CALLED ON ME FOR TWO HOURS. HE SPREAD OUT THE SHOES. I HAVE 11 PEOBLE WHO WILL VERIFY THAT THAT IS THE DAY HE WAS AT MY GOLF SHOP. THAT ORDER REACHED THE COMPUTER ON MARCH 24 LIKE MAYOR FLOOD SAID. I AGREE WITH THAT. I SAID TO MY BOOKKEEPER TODAY, "FLORENCE, TELL ME, HOW DID THAT PURCHASE ORDER REACH CITY HALL WITHOUT DAN MELIA OR BUD TROWBRIDGE'S SIGNATURE?" SHE SAID: "IT DIDN'T. THEY TOOK IT OUT OF MY OFFICE. IT DID NOT GO TO CITY HALL. THEY TOOK IT. ': MR. TROWBRIDGE IS IN HER OFFICE 24 HOURS A DAY. NOW I MUST TELL YOU SOMETHING. I HAVE A FAMILY TO PROTECT. I NEED THIS JOB. IF. YOU THINK FOR A SECOND THAT I WAS GOING TO ORDER THESE SHOES AFTER RECEIVNG THIS LETTER YOU' VE GOT TO BE CRAZY. I WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I WOULDN'T JEOPARDIZE MY POSITION. I WOULDN'T DO ANYTH~TNG AGAINST THE WILL OF THE BOARD. THEY HAD NO RIGHT TO GO IN AND TAKE THAT PURCHASE ORDER. IT HAD NO SIGNATURE. I HAD IT ON MY DESK AND WENT TO LOOK FOR IT AND IT'S GONE. I WONDER WHERE IT WENT. MR. TROWBRIDGE TOOK IT OUT AGAIN. CHAIRMAN.~TROWBRIDGE: I BEG'YOUR PARDON. MR. LADD: WELL, SORRY, MR. TROWBRIDGE, IT'S NOT THERE. CHAIRMAN.~'TROWBRIDGE: YOU TOOK IT OUT YESTERDAY YOURSELF. MR. LADD: NO, SIR, I HAVE NOT SEEN IT. SOMEBODY BROUGHT IT TO MY OFFICE 3 DAYS AGO~.~AND IT WAS SIGNED BY DAN MELIA. IT SEEMS THAT SEBASTIAN DOES NOT WANT TO BE IN THE SHOE BUSINESS. THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. IF THEY DON'T WANT THE SHOES, CANCEL - 10 THE OBDER. IT'S' NO BIG DEAL AND WE'RE OUT OF THE SHOE BUSINESS. IT SHOULD NOT WARRANT A LETTER OF MY DISMISSAL. ALL YOU DO IS CANCEL THE ORDER. AS MR. LAPONZINA SAID IT'S A QUESTION OF PICKING UP THE PHONE, CALLING THE BOSTONIAN NATIONAL SALES MANAGER, GENE KLEIN, A GOOD FRIEND,~OF MINE, AND SAY, GENE, I'M SORRY. I REALIZE YOU GAVE US $t000. WORTH OF SHOE$ FOR THE PRO-AM AND THIS ORDER FOR $1400. - I KNOW YOU CAN' T GET EVEN WITH 'THIS ORDER, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GO EXCLUSIVELY WITH BOSTONIAN BECAUSE YOU WERE SO GOOD TO US AND GAVE US $1000. WORTH OF FREE SHOES DURING THE PRO-AM. IF YOU DO NO~ WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN, THAT'S UP TO YOU. WE'RE JUST A SMALL LITTLE GOLF CLUB AND THAT ORDER ISN'T GOING TO MAKE OR BREAK THE BOSTONIAN SHOE COMPANY. THAT PURCHASE ORDER HAS NO VALIDITY UNTIL IT CARRIES MR. TROWBRIDGE'S SIGNATURE OR MR. MELIA'S IN ACCORDANCE WITH THiS LETTEB, SO ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS APPROVE IT OR DISAPPROVE IT. THEY DISAPPROVED IT, THEN WE'RE OUT OF THE SHOE BUSINESS AND IT CERTAINLY DID NOT WARRANT THIS LETTER. RELUCTANTLY, THE SALESMAN WHO SOLD THE SHOES AND HAD TO HAVE THE NAMES OF THE? WINNERS OF THE $1000. WORTH OF FREE SHOES THAT THEY GAVE US DURING THE PRO-AM DID NOT COME BACK TO SEBASTIAN UNTIL AROUND THE 20TH OF MAY, AT WHICH TIME HE GAVE ME THE FINAL PRICES OF SOME SHOES WHICH WE DID NOT HAVE PRIOR TO ORDERING THEM. I LIKED THE SHOES BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE EXACT PRICE. WE KNEW WITHIN $2 .-$3. WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO COST SO HE WALKED IN WITH THE EXACT PRICE AND THEN THE PURCHASE ORDER WAS TYPED. I BELIEVE IT CARRIES THE DATE OF MAY 27, BUT THE SHOES WERE ORDERED ON MARCH 15. I WOULD LIKE NOW TO COMMENT ON THE LAST PARAGRAPH AND TELL YOU THAT AT A MEETING AT THE OLD CITY HALL, AND PLEASE FORGIVE ME, MR. LIVINGSTON, BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THE WORLD I DON'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN, IT'S YOU, BUT MR. LIVINGSTON SAID TO ME: "RAY, HOW MANY GOLF TOURNAMENTS CAN WE EXPECT YOU WILL RUN THIS COMING SUMMER. WE'RE CONFRONTED WITH A BAD SUMMER." I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD TRY TO RUN AS MANY TOURNAMENTS AS LAST YEAR WHICH WAS OVER 40 AND I WOULD TRY TO DO THAT AGAIN THIS SUMMER, WHICH MEANT I HAD TO HAVE GROUPS LIKE HARRIS, THE CHAMBER, WHAT- EVER CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO COME. YES, THEiHF~gRIS?.GROU~kD!D~'~AUA~E~'- TEE FROM 9:00 A.M. UNTIL 10:15 - 10 TEE TIMES - SO THAT'S 70 MINUTES OF TEE TIMES ON THAT PARTICULAR SATURDAY. RELUCTANTLY, YOUR MAYOR COULD NOT,GET A TEE TIME ON THAT DATE. HOW DO WE HANDLE SITUATIONS LIKE THAT? SOMEBODY ASKED ME THAT LAST NIGHT. WE HANDLE THEM AS FOLLOWS: WHEN A GROUP CALLS US AND SAYS THEY WOULD LIKE TO PLAY 40 PEOPLE, WE BLOCK OUT 10 TIMES.. A MEMBER CALLS AND SAYS': "I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY, GOLF ON SATURDAY MORNING", I SAY: "ALL RIGHT, SIR, WHAT TIME WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY? WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY AT 11:307 FINE, YOU'RE IN." THE NEXT GUY CALLS. HE SAYS: "I'D LIKE TO PLAY AT 9:'30." I TELL HIM: "I'M TERRIBLY SORRY, SIR, BUT THOSE TIMES ARE TAKEN, BUT WE CAN GLADLY GIVE YOU A TIME AT 10:20." WE DON'T TELL THEM THAT THE HARRIS CORPORATION IS COMING OUT BECAUSE WE NEED THEIR REVENUE.. ALL WE NEED TO DO IS TELL THEM WE WAVE A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE OUT THERE. THESE PEOPLE WILL COME BACK WiTH 2, 3, 4, ANSWERS AND SAY: "WE'RE NOT GOING UP THERE TODAY. THERE'S A TOURNAMENT THERE TODAY. THEY'LL DRIVE US CRAZY" AND THEY WILL NOT SHOW UP, AND IF WE POST THIS IN THE PRO SHOP, I PROVED THAT TO MR. MELIA, IF WE POST A NOTICE THAT SAYS: "GOLF COURSE CLOSED NEXT SATURDAY FROM 9 UNTIL 10:10 FOR HARRIS CORPORATION", 4-5 PEOPLE COME IN FROM THE OUTSIDE, THEY SEE THAT. DURING THE WEEK THEY CALL THEIR BUDDIES AND SAY: "LET'S GO PLAY GOLF, BUT WE CAN'T GO TO SEBASTIAN. THEY HAVE A TOURNAMENT THERE THIS WEEK-END". THEY DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THE 9-10:10 TIME WE HAVE UP THERE. YOU MUST BELIEVE ME. I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. I REALLY DO. IF YOU LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO RUN A LOUSY TOURNAMENT FOR 1 HOUR, WHICH GENERATES OVER $1000. INCOME TO US, YOU MUST LISTEN TO ME, I KNOW WHAT I'M DOSNG. WE ACCOMMODATE SOME PEOPLE. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T TELL YOU THE TRUTH. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER MR. MORRIS CALLS ME OR NOT, WHICH HE DOES, INCIDENTALLY, WE DO BLOCK OUT TIMES FOR PEOPLE ON SATURDAY MORNING, 16 OR 20,BECAUSE WE WANT THOSE PEOPLE TO;PLAY. WE DON'T WANT TO TURN THEM AWAY. WE NEED THEIR MONEY SO WE BLOCK THAT TIME OUT FOR THEM. I DO IT BECAUSE I WANT TO KEEP THESE GUYS HAPPY. 4-5 PEOPLE COME UP FROM VERO BEACH. WITH A LITTLE BIT OF INCENTIVE THEY WOULD PROBABLY TEE OFF AT DODGER PINES OR SOME PLACE ELSE. WE NEED THEM. THAT'S WHY WE DO THAT. - 11 - I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT WE BLOCK OUT TEE TIMES EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, NOT JUST SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS, AND HOLIDAYS. WE DON'T WANT TO BE CALLED ON THE CARPET AGAIN. ON MONDAYS WE HAVE A GROUP OF ABOUT 16-20. THEY PLAY EVERY MONDAY. SOME OF THEM ARE SITTING AT THIS TABLE. ON TUESDAYS WE HAVE THE LADIES GOLF ASSOCIATION. WE BLOCK OUT THEIR TIMES. ON WEDNESDAYS WE HAVE. THE MENS GOLF ASSOCIATION. ON THURSDAYS WE HAVE THE ORGANIZATION OF FLAG MEMBERS. ON FR]~DAYS WE HAVE ANOTHER GROUP OF MEMBERS, 16-20, AND WE BLOCK OUT THEIR TIME. NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE NEED THAT REVENUE. I HOPE YOU WILL BEAR WITH ME AND WE CAN FUNCTION WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. RELUCTANTLY, MR. FLOOD COULD NOT GET A TEE TIME ON THAT DAY. I'M SORRY, BUT THERE WILL BE TIMES, MR. FLOOD, WHEN YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO TEE UP. TIMES WHEN I CAN'T TEE UP. I DON'T PLAY TOO MUCH, AS YOU KNOW. THE GOLF COURSE IS BUSY. I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT I DON' T MAKE MISTAKES BECAUSE I MAKE MISTAKES EVERY DAY. IN THE FUTURE, IF IT IS THIS BOARD'S WISHES, AND IT IS, WE WILL POST THOSE GROUPS AND YOU WATCH THE REVENUE, YOU WATCH WHAT HAPPENS. AT~_THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY PERSONAL SITUATION. I AM 49 YEARS.OLD. I'M MARRIED. I HAVE A LOVELY WIFE AND I HAVE 6 BOYS THAT I HAVE TO SUPPORT. I SUPPORT THEM. I LOVE THEM. 3 OF THEM ARE NOT MINE, BUT I LOVE THEM JUST AS MUCH AS I DO MY OWN. I NEED THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN AT THIS TIME. THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN MAY NOT NEED ME, BUT FOR ME TO GO OUT AND TRY TO FIND ANOTHER JOB AT THE AGE OF 50 IS NOT EASY. I CAME HERE AND TOOK A BIG DROP IN SALARY. THE PEOPLE ASKED ME AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WHEN I WAS INTER- VIEWED FOR THE JOB IF I COULD AFFORD TO TAKE THE JOB. I SAID I~?WAS COMING IN AT A LOT LESS BUT I'M COMING IN BECAUSE THIS WAS A QUIET COMMUNITY. I LIKE TO FISH. I WANT TO RAISE MY FAMILY HERE. AS A PGA MEMBER I BELIE.YE THAT I HAVE DONE A BETTER THAN AVERAGE JOB. I DON'T FEEL AS IF I HAVE TO TAKE A BACK SEAT TO ANYONE. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A GOLF PROFESSIONAL IN THIS AREA, I DON' T CARE WHO HE IS, THAT WORKS AT HIS JOB ANY HARDER THAN I DO. PERTAINING TO MR. MELIA'S LETTER THAT SAID I HAVEN'T BEEN THERE OF LATE, DURING MY WIFE'S OPERATION I.~.WAS NOT THERE.. I'LL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT. I OPEN THAT GOLF COURSE ON MONDAF.AND~'F~DA~.~F~R~M~i~ ~..gi~AND I CLOSE IT ALMOST EVERY NIGHT. I COME IN ON SATURDAY, GET THE MORNING ACTIVITIES GOING, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING' S RIGHT. I' M THERE TO ORGANIZE THE TOURNAMENTS, I IM THERE WHEN IT FINISHES, I MAKE THE DEPOSITS WHICH MEANS THAT AT 8 OR 9 O'CLOCK ON SATURDAY NIGHT I'M STILL WORKING FOR THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN. ON SUNDAY MORNING MY WIFE SAID TO ME RECENTLY: "I'D LIKE TO ROLL OVER IN BED ONE TIME AND FIND YOU THERE." I'M NEVER THERE. I'M AT THE SEBASTIAN MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE. I'M ASKING YOU AS THE MEMBERS AND AS THIS BOARD TO KINDLY~'NOTICE THIS PERSONALITY CLASH WHICH MR. FLOOD AND I HAVE. IT'S DRASTIC. IT'S BZZARRE. AT TIMES IT'S BEYOND THE REALM OF IMAGINATION. MR. FLOOD AT TIMES HAS BEEN GREAT TO ME. WE'VE NO OSRECT COMMUNICATION HEAD TO HEAD. I WENT IN TO TRY TO SHAKE HIS HAND. HE'S NOT THE TYPE OF GUY THAT YOU COULD SHAKE HIS HAND. I DON' T CARRY CHIPS ON MY SHOULDER. I BELIEVE THAT AS YOUR GOLF PROFESSIONAL I DO A MORE THAN ADEQUATE JOB. I'M ASKING THIS BOARD IF IT CO~ES TO A VOTE~ TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE WORK THAT I HAVE PERFORMED. AT THIS TIME LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME .-PE~gPLE~'OUT THERE THAT CARRY A LOT OF NEGATIVE FEELINGS FOR MR. LADD. I KNOW WE HAVE 400 MEMBERS, AND FOR ME TO TRY TO MAKE ALL 400 MEMBERS HAPPY AND TO.. DO EVERYTHING 24 HOURS A DAY TO MAKE THEM HAPPY IS CLOSE TO IMPOSSIBLE. 2Q~. PEOPLE A DAY TIMES 30 DAYS, THAT'S 6000 ROUNDS, TIMES 12...'MONTHS, THAT'S 72,000 ROUNDS OF GOLF. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN HANDLE THAT MANY PEOPLE WITHOUT HAVING SOME PROBLEMS, FORGET IT. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE PROBLEMS. I TRY TO NIP THOSE PROBLEMS iN THE BUD. RELUCTANTLY, IF I HAVE STEPPED ON YOUR TOES, I'M SORRY. IF I HAVE GONE BY YOU IN THE HALL AND HAVE NOT SAID GOOD MORNING, I'M SORRY. I'VE TOLD OTHER PEOPLE THAT'S MY NO. 1 ELAW IN MY CHARACTER. I'M VERY BUSY. I HAVE A'~MILLION THINGS ON MY MIND. I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TO OFFER AT THIS TIME. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. GOODMAN, MR. LAPONZINA. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE COME HERE TODA]~' 'ON MY BEHALF. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY WIFE FOR PUTTING UP WITH ALL MY NONSENSE, - 12 - AND I'LL TELL YOU THIS. WE'VE BEEN DOWN. WE MIGHT BE DOWN AGAIN, BUT WE WILL RECOVER. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: MR. LADD, I WANT ONE THING CLARIFIED. YOU HAVE ACCUSED ME OF CARRYING A PURCHASE ORDER TO CITY HALL. I DID NOT. I BROUGHT THAT PUR- CHASE ORDER THAT WAS IN QUESTION TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE MR. MELIA LEFT A NOTE ON IT. I HANDED YOU THE PURCHASE ORDER. YOU THREW IT DOWN ON YOUR DESK. THAT'S THE LAST TIME I SAW IT. I DID NOT CARRY THAT PURCHASE ORDER OUT OF THERE AND I DON'T WANT TO BE ACCUSED OF IT. MR. ~-L~D~: ALL RIGHT, MR. TROW- BRIDGE, I TELL YOU I MAKE MISTAKES. WE CANNOT FIND, MRS. ZUKOWSKI AND I LOOKED VERY HARD TODAY, THAT PURCHASE ORDER. I'M SeRR¥. IT WAS ON MY DESK AND HOW MR. FLOOD EVER~_ GOT TO SEE THAT PURCHASE ORDER IS WAY BEYOND' ME. IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE REACHED MR. FLOOD'S OFFICE. CHAI, RMAN TROWBRIDGE: I BELIEVE MR. FLOOD SAW THE PURCHASE ORDER AT THE GOLF COURSE. MR. LADD: IT DIDN'T CARRY ANY SIGNATURE. IT WASN' T APPROVED. IT SHOULD HAVE DIED A NATURAL DEATH RIGHTiTHERE, SIR. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: WELL, THERE ARE MANY PURCHASE ORDERS THAT DIDN'T CARRY A SIGNATURE AND THE MERCHANDISE HAS COME INTO THE PRO SHOP. HOW DOES THiS COME ABOUT? MR. LADD: WELL, RELUCTANTLY, AS I TOLD SOME PEOPLE IN THE LAST 48 HOURS, SALESMEN ARE CALLING ON US. NATURALLY, THEY'RE NOT CALL- ING ON ME BECAUSE WE TELL THEM WE'RE IN A NO-BUY SITUATION. WE PLACE ORDERS IN MAY, JUNE AND JULY AND AUGUST FOR DELIVERY IN OCTOBER, NO~EMBER, DECEMBER AND JANUARY. IT'S CALLED PROGRAMMED BUYING. MANY TIMES, THE MANUFACTURERS DO NOT LIVE UP TO THEIR COMMITMENTS. THE NET RESULT IS, LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST MONTH, IN APRIL AND MAY GOODS CAME IN THAT WERE ORDERED LAST JULY AND AUGUST. IN MOST INSTANCES WE TRY TO RETURN THAT MERCHANDISE. THE.~SHOE BUSINESS,FOR US, INCIDENTALLY, YES, WE PAID MONEY TO RETURN THE SHOES, BUT THE SHOE BUSINESS ~OR US WAS EXCELLENT. WE SOLD AN AWFUL LOT OF SHOES. WE RETURNED SOME SHOES. WE HAD THE SHOES IN UNDER A CONSIGNMENT PROGRAM. IF THE SHOES WERE MARKED UP 40% OVER COST AND THE SHOES COST $30., RAPIDLY WE MADE $12. A PAIR. WE SOLD THE MAJORITY OF THE SHOES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TRY TO DO IN MERCHANDISING IS BUTVSM~LL AND BUY OFTEN. WE TRY TO BUY 36 SHIRTS, 72 SHIRTS, NEVER MOBE THAN 72. AT TIMES WE CANNOT BUY AS SMALL AS WE LIKE BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER HAS A MINIMUM ORDER. FOR INSTANCE, LOGO SHIRTS. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SEND US JUST ONE DOZEN LOGO SHIRTS BECAUSE. IT COSTS THEM MONEY TO MAKE THEM UP. TODAY ONE OF THE MEMBERS CAME TO ME TODAY AND SAID: "RAY, IS THIS ALL THE SHIRTS YOU HAVE?" WE HAVE ABOUT 10 SHIRTS LEFT WITH LOGOS ON THEM. I SAID: "YES, SIR, THAT'S PROBABLY ALL THE SHIRTS WE WILL HAVE UNTIL THE FALL". I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I~M TRYING TO REDUCE THE INVENTORY. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: ONE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IN MIND. HAVE YOU EVER APPROACHED ME WITH A PURCHASE ORDER THAT WE NEEDED THAT I REFUSED TO SIGN? HAVE YOU EVER APPROACHED ME WITH A PURCHASE ORDER? MR. LADD: MR. TROWBRIDGE, LET ME TELL YOU ONE THING. ALTHOUGH YOUR PHILOSOPHY AND MY PHILOSOPHY AT TIMES HAVE NOT AGREED, YOU HAVE BEEN A GENTLEMAN WITH ME. I WANT THE PEOPLE SITTING OUT THERE TO KNOW THAT. YOU'VE BEEN HONEST WITH ME. AT TIMES~OUR PHILOSOPHIES DID NOT AGREE. I MUST GIVE YOU THAT MUCH CREDIT. YOU'VE ~EEN VERY HONEST WITH ME AND YOU HAVE HELPED ME BY SIGNING PURCHASE ORDERS FOR MERCHANDISE THAT WE NEEDED. GOLF BALLS, SUMMER CAPS, ETC. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: DOES ANYONE ELSE ON THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THEY WOULD LIKE TO ASK? MR. MORRIS: I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.TO THE GENTLEMEN FROM THE PGA. I WONDER IF YOU'RE AWARE OF WHY WE HAVE THE ONLY GOLF COURSE WHERE THE PRO MUST PAY TO RIDE THE GOLF CART. YOU DON'T KNOW THE BACKGROUND. I DON'T LIKE IT ANY MORE THAN HE DOES OR YOU DO. MR. LAPONZINA: BEYOND BEING .TH~ ONLY GOLF COURSE I KNOW OF, I JUST FELT AND THE PGA FEELS THAT, AND ANYONE IN THIS ROOM MIGHT FEEL, IF THE GOLF PROFESSIONAL HAD A LITTLE MORE ACCESS TO THE GOLF COURSE, IT WOULD HELP THE GOLF COURSE, HELP THE CITY, PROMOTING - 13- J MEMBERSHIPS, GOING OUT AND PLAYING WITH THE MEMBERS. THE GOLF PROFESSIONAL SHOULD BE DOING THOSE THINGS FOR YOUR INTERESTS SO I THINK THAT, ALTHOUGH I ~E RESPECT FOR THE COUNCIL AND THE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS AND ALL THE POLITICIANS INVOLVED WHO MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT WANT TO BE PLAYING FREE, I BELIEVE IN THIS CASE, AS IT IS IN MY CASE, THE GOLF PROFESSIONAL SHOULD BE GIVEN A CART TO USE IN PUBLIC RELATIONS, TO ENHANCE MEMBERSHIP AND TO GET REVENUE. IF THE.MAN FROM HARRIS CORPORATION WANTED TO GO OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE GOLF COURSE, I THINK YOURs_GOLF PROFESSIONAL SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO OUT, PLAY 9 HOLES OF GOLF WITH HIM, SHOW HIM THE GREENS, THE FAIRWAYS, THE LAYOUT, AND NOT BE CHARGED FOR IT. I RESPECT THE RIGHT OF YOUR BOARD TO DO IT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S IN YOUR BESTi-'INTERESTS. MR. TROWBRIDGE: WELL, YOU ARE MISINFORMED IN THIS POINT, I THINK. YOU'RE BLAMING THIS SITUATION ON THE BOARD AND THE CITY FATHERS AND IT IS DEFINITELY NOT OUR FAULT. IT IS NOT OUR DECISION THAT THIS BE THIS'.~WAY. MR.MORRIS: AND, SECONDLY, IF THE CASE THAT YOU JUST OUTLINED, IF THAT WERE TO COME UP, I'M SURE IT HAS COME UP, AND I'M SURE THAT MR. LADD KNOWS, IN FACT THE REGULATION IN THERE ALLOWS FOR THAT, BUT IT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR HIM OR ANYONE ELSE FREE USE OF A GOLF CART. MR. LAPONZINA: LET ME GO BEYOND THAT POINT. DO YOU GENTLEMEN AGREE THEN, AND LET'S GO BEYOND THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OR INTRODUCING MEMBERS OR ENTERTAINING PEOPLE, IS IT PART OF THE GOLF PROFESSIONAL'S RESPONSfBILITY TO BE A GOOD PLAYER AND TO HAVE ABILITIES AND PLAY WITH THE MEMBERS? MR. LIVINGSTON: WE DON'T QUESTION THAT. ONE THING THAT YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW. I~'S IN THE.~BOND THAT NO ONE CAN USE A CART. IT'S THE BOND INDENTURE, NOTHING WE MADE UP. MR. LADD: EXCUSE-ME, MR. LIVINGSTON, LET ME TRY TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. IT IS IN THE BOND INDENTURE THAT N~BODY IS ENTITLED TO A FREE GOLF CART. MR. LAPONZINA, MR. GOODMAN, PLEASE CARRY THIS BACK.TO THE PGA. THIS IS A COMMON-SENSE ISSUE. THIS CALLS FOR A LETTER OR THE APPEARANCE OF US OR SOMEBODY TO THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOLDING THE BOND.' I COULD WRITE THEM A LETTER AND I'M RELUCTANT TO DO THAT, BUT DON'T THINK IT DIDN' T ~;TER MY MTND. ALL WE NEED TO DO IS WRITE THEM ONE LETTER EXPLAINING IN FIVE OR SIX PARAGRAPHS THAT THIS INDENTURE THAT YOU HAVE, THIS RESTRICTION THAT YOU'RE PLACING ON THE GOLF PROFESSIONAL, FORCING ME TO PAY FOR A GOLF CART, IS COSTING YOU $9000.-$10,000. BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COME IN AND PLAY. I CAN'T GO OUT THERE AND PROPERLY HOST THOSE PEOPLE. I CAN SAY: "WHY CAN' T YOU BE HERE TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND WE'LL GO PLAY". CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: WAIT A MINUTE, MR. LADD. YOU'RE SAYING THAT AN EFFORT HASN'T BEEN MADE TO RECTIFY THIS SITUATION. IT HAS. I TALKED TO THE BOND INDENTURE PEOPLE, MR. MELIA - MR. LADD': NO, SIR, IT HAS NOT BEEN DONE. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: I BEG YOUR PARDON. MR. LADD: I CALLED UP THERE. I HAVE THE DIRECTOR AND THE DATE. I CALLED UP'~THERE. NOBODY HAS EVER MENTIONED THE GOLF PROFESSIONAL YET. THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW MY NAME. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: THIS WAS DISCUSSED AT A MEET- ING WiTH THE INDENTURE PEOPLE FR~M WEST PALM BEACH. I WAS THERE. MR. MELIA WAS THERE. MAYOR FLOOD WAS THERE. AM I NOT CORRECT? MR. LAPONZINA: AS FAR AS THE COMMITTEE USING THE GOLF CARTS. CHAIRMAN TROW~RIDGE: NO. NO. WE DIS- CUSSED THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAD WITH OUR PRO NOT BEING ABLE TO USE THE GOLF CARTS. IN FACT AT THIS MEETING, I CAN'T RECALL, DO YOU-RECALL THE MAN'S NAME? HE WAS FROM THE BONDING COMPANY. MAYOR FLOOD: HOUGH AND ASSOCIATES. CHAIRMAN TROW- BRIDGE: YES, WE HAD A MEETING WITH HIM IN MAYOR FLOOD',S OFFICE, I,",~THINK~SOME- ONE ELSE WAS THERE, BUT MR. MELIA, MYSELF, AND MAYOR FLOOD WERE THERE AND THIS WAS MENTIONED..~ NOW WHETHER HE TOOK IT BACK TO HIS COMPANY OR NOT I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT WAS BROUGHT TO HIS ATTENTION AT THAT TIME. MR. LARONZINA: IT'S IRONIC BECAUSE OUR GOLF COURSE WAS ALSO DONE WiTH A BOND ISSUE BUT THERE'S NO CLAUSE LIKE THAT IN THERE. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: WELL, THERE IS DEFINITELY A CLAUSE. I DON'T WANT THE BOARD OR THE CITY FATHERS TO BE BLAMED TO THIS SITUATION BE- CAUSE IT ISN'T THEIR FAULT THIS SITUATION HAS COMB UP. IS,...THERE ANYTHING ANY OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WANT TO ADD? - 14 - CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: BOARD MEMBERS? MR. FLOOD? DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? MAYOR FLOOD: THERE'S ONLY ONE THING THAT BOTHERS ME ABOUT THIS WHOLE SITUATION. I'M NOT SAYING I'M WRONG BECAUSE I THINK i'M DEAD RIGHT AND I'LL STAND THAT WAY. WE'RE SPENDING SOME MONEY.WITH AN ATTORNEY HERE TODAY AND I'VE GOT THE BOARD HERE ON A SPECIAL MEETING, BUT WHAT GETS ME IS THAT, I'M GOING TO SAY SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T THINK I'D SAY TODAY. I'M PROBABLY GOING TO LOSE A LOT OF FRIENDS AND I'M NOT GOING TO GAIN ANY, BUT.~I DON'T APPRECIATE REALLY, MR. LADD GOES OUT AND GETS THE PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE ME.ALL THE TIME, 99% OF THE TIME THEY OPPOSE ME, HE GOES OUT AND GETS THEM HERE TODAY, BUT, MR. LADD, I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW THAT LETTER, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING AND I'M GOING TO TELL THE PGA, BECAUSE THEY DON'T IMPRESS ME AT ALL. I'M HERE AND I'M THE HEAD OF THE CITY AND YOU CAN THREATEN ALL YOU WANT TO THREATEN. MR. LAPONZINA: I'M LEAVING. THANK YOU. MAYOR FLOOD: NO. YOU CAN SIT THERE. I DIDN'T RUN YOU OUT. MR. LAPONZINA: MY PURPOSE HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. THANK.YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YOU DON'T HAVE TO THROW ME OUT NOW. MAYOR FLOOD: I WONfT THROW YOU OUT. AS A MATTER OF FACT YOU'RE WELCOME BACK TO SEBASTIAN ANY TIME. MR. LAPONZINA: I'LL BE BACK. THANK YOU. MAYOR FLOOD: MR. LADD, IT'S GOING AGAINST MY GRAIN TO DO THIS AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, A WHILE AGO YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT CHIPS. MR. LADD, I DON'T HAVE TO CARRY CHIPS ON MY SHOULDER. IF I WANTED TO GET RID OF YOU, I COULD HAVE GOT RID OF YOU BEFORE YOU GOT HERE GOOD. YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT. BUT I'M GOING TO WATCH YOU. OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR IS GOING TO WATCH YOU AND I'M GOING TO HELP YOU IN ANY WAY I CAN AND I'M GOING~O~SIT THERE WITH YOU AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS COURSE EITHER GO, AND I GUARANTEE YOU NEXT TIME I'M NOT GOING TO ASK THIS BOARD FOR A MEETING LIKE THIS BECAUSE I DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY AND I HAVE THAT AUTHORITY UNTIL NEXT MARCH. I'M NOT GOING TO CALL THE BOARD TOGETHER AGAIN. IT'S GOING TO BE YOU AND ME BECAUSE I DON'T APPRECIATE WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE TOD~Y. I LOOK AT THEIR FACES AND THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF ANGUISH. THERE'S FOUR REASONS WHY I'M DOINGs'THIS AND I'M CUTTING MY OWN THROAT. I'M SAYING IT'S GOING AGAINST MY GRAIN, BUT THERE'S A YOUNG BLONDE OUT THERE I THINK A LOT OF AND YOU'VE GOT THREE SONS. MR. LADD, I'M GOSNG TO BE WITH YOU NIGHT AND DAY AND YOU AND I ARE GOING TO WORK OUR PROBLEMS OUT ON THIS GOLF COURSE OR I WILL GO GET THAT, YOU MADE ME A PROMISE, IF I GOT 25% OF THE MEMBERSHIP AGAINST YOU, BUT WE'RE GOING TO WORK. AND I'M GOING_"TO TRY. I'VE GOT SOME PEOPLE PRO AND CON. I'VE GOT PEOPLE ON ONE SIDE WHO KEEP BEATING MY BRAINS OUT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GET RID OF YOU. I'VE GOT PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE BEATING MY BRAINS OUT TO KEEP YOU. PEOPLE SIT OUT HERE AND THEY SAY WHAT A TEMPER I'VE GOT. I'VE GOT ONE. YOU SAY YOU OFFERED YOUR HAND. I SHOOK YOUR HAND AND WE SAT THERE AND I TOLD YOU WHILE WE WERE SITTING OUT AT THE CLUB ONE NIGHT AS LONG AS WE TRIED WORKING TOGETHER AND WITH WHAT THE BOARD WOULD SAY OR DO, I SAID I'D BE HERE AND WE'D WORK TOGETHER AS FRIENDS. ISN'T THAT WHAT I TOLD YOU THAT NIGHT? I DON'T LIKE BACKING DOWN. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW I WENT THROUGH LAST YEAR AS FAR AS SOME OF THE BUDGETS. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH IT AGAIN. AND, BOARD~ I APOLOGIZE TO YOU AND I KNOW THAT MAYBE I MIGHT LOSE FACE WITH YOU. I'M SORRY FOR THAT ALSO. I MIGHT LOSE FACE WITH SOME P~OPLE AND I MIGHT EVEN LOSE FACE WITH SOME OF MY FELLOW PEOPLE I WORK WITH EVERY DAY IN CITY HALL, BUT MY HEART TELLS ME ONE THING TO DO BECAUSE OF HIS FAMILY. I'VE MADE THIS STATEMENT AND IT STILL STANDS. I THINK MR. LADD IS ONE OF THE BEST PROMOTERS ON A GOLF COURSE I'VE EVER SEEN, BUT AS FAR AS A MANAGER, IT STILL STANDS WHAT I SAID IN A CITY COUNCIL MEETING. I DON'T WANT TO PUT THE BOARD THROUGH THE PRESSURE, THE ANGUISH. I WILL HELP MR. LADD, BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, AS FAR AS ME GOING OUT THERE LAST SATUR- DAY TO PLAY GOLF, I HAD NO INTENTION OF PLAYING GOLF BECAUSE I SIGNED UP WITH A SCRAMBLE AT_lO O'CLOCK. YOU CAN'T PLAY AT 10 AND AT 12:30 TOO. SO, MR. LADD, YOU AND I HAVE A LOT OF LONG, HARD TALKS AHEAD OF US. O.K. AGAIN, BOARD, I APOLOGIZE FOR BRINGING YOU TOGETHER. - 16 CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: BOARD MEMBERS? MR. FLOOD? DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? MAYOR FLOOD: THERE'S ONLY ONE THING THAT BOTHERS ME ABOUT THIS WHOLE SITUATION. I'M NOT SAYING I'M WRONG BECAUSE I THINK I'M DEAD RIGHT AND I'LL STAND THAT WAY. WE'RE SPENDING SOME MONEY WITH AN ATTORNEY HERE TODAY AND I'VE GOT THE BOARD HERE ON A SPECIAL MEETING, BUT WHAT GETS ME IS THAT, I'M GOING TO SAY SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T THINK I'D SAY TODAY. I'M PROBABLY GOING TO LOSE A LOT OF FRIENDS AND I'M NOT GOING TO GAIN ANY, BUT I DON'T APPRECIATE REALLY, MR. LADD GOES OUT AND GETS THE PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE ME ALL THE TIME, 99% OF THE TIME THEY OPPOSE ME, HE GOES OUT AND GETS THEM HERE TODAY, BUT, MR. LARD, I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW THAT LETTER, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING AND I'M GOING TO TELL THE PGA, BECAUSE THEY DON'T IMPRESS ME AT ALL. I'M HERE AND I'M THE HEAD OF THE CITY AND YOU CAN THREATEN ALL YOU WANT TO THREATEN. MR. LAPONZINA: I'M LEAVING. THANK YOU. MAYOR FLOOD: NO. YOU CAN SIT THERE. I DIDN'T RUN YOU OUT. MR. LAPONZINA: MY PURPOSE HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YOU DON'T HAVE TO THROW ME OUT NOW. MAYOR FLOOD: I WON'T THROW YOU OUT. AS A MATTER OF FACT YOU'RE WELCOME BACK TO SEBASTIAN ANY TIME. MR. LAPONZINA: I'LL BE BACK. THANK YOU. MAYOR FLOOD: MR. LADD, IT'S GOING AGAINST MY GRAIN TO DO THIS AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, A WHILE AGO YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT CHIPS. MR. LARD, I DON'T HAVE TO CARRY CHIPS ON MY SHOULDER. IF I WANTED TO GET RID OF YOU, I COULD HAVE GOT RID OF YOU BEFORE YOU GOT HERE GOOD. YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT. BUT I'M GOING TO WATCH YOU. OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR IS GOING TO WATCH YOU AND I'M GOING TO HELP YOU IN ANY WAY I CAN AND I'M GOING TO SIT THERE WITH YOU AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS COURSE EITHER GO, AND I GUARANTEE YOU NEXT TIME I'M NOT GOING TO ASK THIS BOARD FOR A MEETING LIKE THIS BECAUSE I DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY AND I HAVE THAT AUTHORITY UNTIL NEXT MARCH. I'M NOT GOING TO CALL THE BOARD TOGETHER AGAIN. IT'S GOING TO BE YOU AND ME BECAUSE I DON'T APPRECIATE WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE TODAY. I LOOK AT THEIR FACES AND THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF ANGUISH. THERE'S FOUR REASONS WHY I'M DOING THIS AND I'M CUTTING MY OWN THROAT. I'M SAYING IT'S GOING AGAINST MY GRAIN, BUT THERE'S A YOUNG BLONDE OUT THERE I THINK A LOT OF AND YOU'VE GOT THREE SONS. MR. LADD, I'M GOING TO BE WITH YOU NIGHT AND DAY AND YOU AND I ARE GOING TO WORK OUR PROBLEMS OUT ON THIS GOLF COURSE OR I WILL GO GET THAT, YOU MADE ME A PROMISE, IF I GOT 25% OF THE MEMBERSHIP AGAINST YOU, BUT WE'RE GOING TO WORK AND I'M GOING TO TRY. I'VE GOT SOME PEOPLE PRO AND CON. I'VE GOT PEOPLE ON ONE SIDE WHO KEEP BEATING MY BRAINS OUT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GET RID OF YOU. I'VE GOT PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE BEATING MY BRAINS OUT TO KEEP YOU. PEOPLE SIT OUT HERE AND THEY SAY WHAT A TEMPER I'VE GOT. I'VE GOT ONE. YOU SAY YOU OFFERED YOUR HAND. I SHOOK YOUR HAND AND WE SAT THERE AND I TOLD YOU WHILE WE WERE SITTING OUT AT THE CLUB ONE NIGHT AS LONG AS WE TRIED WORKING TOGETHER AND WITH WHAT THE BOARD WOULD SAY OR DO, I SAID I ' D BE HERE AND WE'D WORK TOGETHER AS FRIENDS. ISN'T THAT WHAT I TOLD YOU THAT NIGHT? I DON'T LIKE BACKING DOWN. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW I WENT THROUGH LAST YEAR AS FAR AS SOME OF THE BUDGETS. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH IT AGAIN. AND, BOARD, I APOLOGIZE TO YOU AND I KNOW THAT MAYBE I MIGHT LOSE FACE WITH YOU. I ' M SORRY FOR THAT ALSO. I MIGHT LOSE FACE WITH SOME PEOPLE AND I MIGHT EVEN LOSE FACE WITH SOME OF MY FELLOW PEOPLE I WORK WITH EVERY DAY IN CITY HALL, BUT MY HEART TELLS ME ONE THING TO DO BECAUSE OF HIS FAMILY. I ' VE MADE THIS STATEMENT AND IT STILL STANDS. I THINK MR. LADD IS ONE OF THE BEST PROMOTERS ON A GOLF COURSE I'VE EVER SEEN, BUT AS FAR AS A MANAGER, IT STILL STANDS WHAT I SAID IN A CITY COUNCIL MEETING. I DON'T WANT TO PUT THE BOARD THROUGH THE PRESSURE, THE ANGUISH. I WILL HELP MR. LADD, BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, AS FAR AS ME GOING OUT THERE LAST SATUR- I40111) DAY TO PLAY GOLF, I HAD NO INTENTION OF PLAYING GOLF BECAUSE I SIGNED UP WITH A SCRAMBLE AT 10 O'CLOCK. YOU CAN'T PLAY AT 10 AND AT 12:30 TOO. SO, MR. LADD, YOU AND I HAVE A LOT OF LONG, HARD TALKS AHEAD OF US. O.K. AGAIN, BOARD, I APOLOGIZE FOR BRINGING YOU TOGETHER. - 16 - MR. CY LYNCH, A MEMBER OF THE GOLF COURSE, WAS GIVEN PERMISSION TO SPEAK. MR. LYNCH: MR. CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AS YOU KNOW I'M A RECENT ARRIVAL IN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY. MY WIFE, BARBARA, AND I ARE THRILLED TO DEATH TO BE HERE. WITH REGARD TO THIS MEETING TODAY, I'M THRILLED TO BE HERE AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHY. I'M ALSO DISAPPOINTED IN BEING HERE AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHY. FIRST OF ALL, IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW,THERE ARE TWO OUTSTANDING PEOPLE, COURAGEOUS PEOPLE. SITTING IN FRONT OF ME HERE IS MAYOR FLOOD AND JOHN VAN ANTWERP. IF THEY DIDN' T HAVE THE COURAGE OF CONVICTION, AND THREE DOZEN OTHER THINGS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE A GOLF COURSE IN SEBASTIAN. THAT'S A FACT. WE CAN APPLAUD THEM, FINE, BUT IT WENT BEYOND THAT. IT TOOK THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. THEY WERE ALMOST STONED AND RUN OUT OF THIS CITY, AS YOU WELL KNOW. WHEN IT HAPPENED, THEY BECAME INSTANT HEROES. I LOVE PAT FLOOD. WE DON'T GET ALONG ALL THE TIME. I PLAYED WITH HIM. HE PICKED UP AND WALKED OFF. ONE HOUR LATER HE SHOOK MY HAND AND WE HAD A BEER TOGETHER. THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S WHAT GOLF DOES. THAT'S WHY IT'S EXCITING. THAT'S WHYiI'M THRILLED TO BE HERE, BECAUSE OF PAT_ E~]OOD, JOHN VAN ANTWERP AND THEIR COMMITTEE. WHAT THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH. I WAS. A LITTLE BOY WHEN THEY STARTED THIS IDEA. DID YOU KNOW THAT? I'M 65 YEARS OLDm. NOW WE'VE GOT A GOLF COURSE. WE DON'T WANT THE CITY TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR IT. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO? WE'VE GOT TO FIND ANOTHER OUTSTANDING, COHRAGEOUS HUMAN BEING WHO'S FULL OF COLOR, FULL OF LIFE AND CAN MAKE THINGS HAPPEN AND, DARN IT, PAT FLOOD DID IT AGAIN. HE WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO FIND A LITTLE IRISH KID FROM BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, WITH THAT MOXIE TO COME DOWN HERE WITH US GOOD OLD COUNTRY FOLK AND MAKE IT HAPPEN. AGAIN YOU CAN APPLAUD. NOW, IF THEY HAD CORRESPONDING PERSONALITIES, THEY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN MARRIED. THAT GOLF COURSE IS SUCCESSFUL TODAY BECAUSE THEY DON' T HAVE CORRESPONDING PERSONALITIES, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FALL IN LOVE WITH ONE ANOTHER, BECAUSE IT'S ALL NEW. PAT FLOOD'S NEVER BEEN IN THE GOLF COURSE BUSINESS BEFORE. AND, DOGGONE IT, IF ~ BOBB~',~OODMAN,, '~PROBAB~Y'.'_ ONE OF~'THE'.~.' ~OST EXPERIENCED GOLF PROS IN SOUTH FLORIDA, FIRST TIME AT IT, HE FUMBLED JUST AS MUST AS THEY FUMBLED. HE WOULDN'T BE ASHAMED OF IT, BUT I TELL YOU ONE THING, HE WOULD NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE TWICE,AND I DON'T THINK PAT~FLOOD HAS AND I DON'T THINK RAYMOND LADD HAS. NOW I WANT TO TELL YOU WHY I'M ASHAMED TO BE HERE. I KNOW DEEP IN MY HEART~ THAT THE FEELINGS BEING EXPRESSED HERE RIGHT NOW ARE DEEP IN YOUR HEART. WE LOVE TO PLAY GOLF. IS THAT RIGHT? SURE WE DO. THZS IS AN OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY. THESE GENTLEMEN COME FROM MANHATTAN SOUTH. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? WHEN I FIRST MOVED~I~HERE, THERE WERE 60,000 PEOPLE IN BOBBY'S COUNTY. YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE THERE NOW? 1,300,000. YOU KNOW HOW MANY GOLF COURSE THEY'VE GOT IN BROWARD COUNTY? 100. I'M DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS AND SIT HERE TODAY~' REALLY. I THINK IF WE PUT FLOOD AND LADD IN A ROOM, THEY'RE GOING TO WORK IT OUT. I RESPECT THIS COMMITTEE. I DON'T THINK ANY ONE OF THESE GENTLEMEN CAN RUN THE GOLF COURSE. THEY"RE SITTING UP HERE FOR FREE AND THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST POSSIBLE JOB THEY CAN. I HEARD SOME COMMENTS BEFORE ABOUT MAKING MISTAKES. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE SUPREME EXAMPLE AND YOU CATHOLICS ARE NOT GOING TO LIKE IT. IF JESUS CHRIST CAME DOWN HERE AND WAS THE GOLF PRO, THERE WOULD BE A DIS- CONTENTED PART OF THE GROUP. NO QUESTION IN MY MIND. I BELIEVE IN MY HEART AND MIND, AND MY GOLF EXPERIENCE, WHO WAS THE AMATEUR OF TH~ YEAR IN 1976 IN B~)W~D COUNT~' - CV r. vmc~ - I WAS THRILLED TO DEATH. I REALLY FEEL ASHAMED THaT WE ~]IJ~ W~V~7 Tn T~FF=_T,J,4~-E OUT FOR BITCHING AND SIT HERE WHERE WE COULD RESOLVE IT BY GETTING FLOOD AND LADD TOGETHER. HE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY ATTACWED TO HIM. NO QUESTION_,' HE DOESN'T KNOW THE WEIGHT ON THIS MAN'S SHOULDERS. HE DOESN'T GET HIT WITH THE STONES THAT HE GETS HIT WITH BECAUSE OF HIS POLITICAL POSITION, HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT I THINK THAT IF WE AS A GROUP COLLECTIVELY COULD PUT...THEM IN A ROOM, MAYBE WITH A NEUTRAL SECRETARY, LOCK THE DOORS FOR A BIT, WE WOULD NEVER AGAIN HAVE TO COME TOGETHER AS WE HAVE TODAY AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH 'FOR LISTENING TO ME. - 15 CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: HOLD IT JUST A SECOND IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? MR. GOODMAN, MR. GOODMAN: I'M BOBBY GOODMAN AND I'M A NATIONAL OFFICER. I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I HAVE TO COMMEND MR. FLOOD. I'D COME BACK UP HERE AND VOTE FOR HIM FOR MAYOR. I REALLY WOULD. WHEN I ARRIVED HERE., I'M OBSERVANT, I DO A LOT OF STUDYING. I AM IN THE GOLF BUSINESS. I OWN THREE GOLF COURSES. I'M A DEDICATED PROFESSIONAL. I'VE BEEN THIRTY SOME YEARS IN THE PGA. I WANT TO TELL YOU IT TAKES A BIG MAN TO COME UP HERE, ESPECIALLY A MA~OR. I CAME UP HERE NOT TO REALLY SAY ANYTHING. I'M JUST SORT OF COMMENTING ON SOME OF HiS REMARKS. IF HE REMEMBERS, I THINK HE PROBABLY HAS A LETTER FROM ME AND I WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING MR. LADD THIS JOB. I THINK THAT'S WHY I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THESE FEW THINGS. I WOULD COME BACK HERE AND FIRE MR. LADD AS A PGA OFFICER IF HE DIDN'T OBEY AND DO HiS JOB RIGHT AND I THINK WHAT MR. FLOOD HAS DONE HERE, GIVING HIM ANOTHER CHANCE, I THINK HE OUGHT TO SERVE HIM AS A GOLF PROFESSIONAL IN EVERY CAPACITY AS THE MAYOR. IF I COME BACK THE NEXT TIME, I WOULD NOT COME BACK TO SUPPORT MR. LADD AND I MEAN THAT SINCERELY, BUT I WOHLD VOTE FOR MR. FLOOD FOR MAYOR. HE HAS SHOWN THAT IT TAKES A BIG MAN TO STAND UP HERE AND SAY HE'S PROBABLY WRONG, BUT IT TAKES A BIGGER MAN TO ADMIT IT AND THAT'S WHAT HE HAS DONE. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: I WOULD LIKE TO ASK MR. LADD IF HE THINKS THE BOARD IS UNREASONABLE IN THEIR REQUESTS UP TO NOW AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK HIM IF HE WILL COOPERATE WITH THE BOARD IN FRONT OF EVERYONE. MR. LADD: MR. TROWBRIDGE, FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, FELLOW MEMBERS, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. I'M ASHAMED THIS AFTERNOON. I REALLY AM. IT'S A PA~F'~OF MY CAREER I DON'T LIKE. I WILL DO MY VERY BEST TO COOPERATE WITH YOU PEOPLE AND THE MAYOR, AND IF I DON'T COOPERATE, I GUARANTEE YOU THAT THERE WILL BE NO0 OTHER MEETING LIKE THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE REQUEST. I WOULD: LIKE YOU TO GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO FUNCTION AS YOUR GOLF PROFESSIONAL WITHOUT THE INTERFERENCE OF ALL POLITICAL RHETORIC THAT TRANSPIRES. I MUST TELL YOU THAT FOR ME TO DO MY JOB RIGHT .IS DIFFICULT, BUT EVERYBODY COMES TO ME EVERY DAY AND SAYS: "LET'S DO THIS; LET'S DO THAT". I AM NOT A3POLITICIAN LIKE BOBBY GOODMAN. THAT'S WHY HE'S A NATIONAL OFFICER. AND I GOT OUT. I WOU~D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANKiGOD FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY AND I WILL TRY MY DAMNEDEST TO COOPERATE. THANK., YOU. CHAIRMAN TROWBRIDGE: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? (A MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE WAS GIVEN PERMISSION TO SPEAK.) LEW KOVAC: MY NAME IS LEW KOVAC. I'M A MEMBER. I LIVE IN VERO BEACH. I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT AT NO TIME HAS ANYONE PROVEN OR SHOWN THAT RAY LADD DID NOT O00PERATE. WITH THE BOARD OR THE MAYOR. CHAIRMAN TROWBRiDGE: WELL, LET'S NOT GET BACK INTO THIS. MR. LADD: EXCUSE MR, LEW. I ADMIRE FOU.. i RESPECT YOH>AS ONE OF MY BEST MEMBERS. WE'VE HAD SOME TALKS ABOUT PERSONAL: PROBLEMS THAT DID NOT PERTAIN TO GOLF. THAT'.S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS JUST REFER- RING TO. I'M SO THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE ON MY BALL TEAM. I LOVE YOU, BUT POLITICAL RHETORIC I DON'T NEED. I MUST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN THE GOLF COURSE, FORGETTING PERSONALITIES AND TRYINGC. TO DO THE JOB TO THE. VERY BEST OF MY ABILITY AND IF I CAN'T PERFORM TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, THEN YOU HAVE THE EXTREME RIGHT TO LET ME GO. THANKS AGAIN. THANK,YOU, MR. KOVAC. MEETING ADJOURNED AT 5:37 P.M, - 17-