Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Headlines through the years

By Times Staff
Published November 27, 2005

Mayor pushes 10 percent raises for Christmas gifts

NOV. 28, 1959 CLEARWATER - City employees drawing less than $250 per month may receive a 10 percent pay increase as a Christmas gift from retiring Mayor Harry D. Sargeant.

This happy development was predicted at City Hall today following last night's meeting of the City Commission wherein the mayor won another major objective in his determined battle to fatten pay envelopes before he leaves office on Dec. 31.

Mayor Sargeant opened the discussion by advising the board that a special committee, appointed to consider ways and means of financing the "across-the-boards" salary boost, had not been able to hold a meeting.

"I have been assured by the Bank of Clearwater," the mayor said, "that the city can float a loan of $35,000 to pay these pay increases. The money would be borrowed on an eight-month note."

Commissioner E.B. Casler moved that action be tabled pending a meeting of the special committee. But the mayor, refusing to be headed off, promptly called a committee session for Thursday noon at a downtown cafeteria. The bank loan will be discussed then and unanimous committee approval is anticipated.

The other two members of the committee - Commissioners Leland Drew and Herbert Brown - are rival candidates for the mayor's job in the Dec. 19 election.

Nov. 27, 1950 CLEARWATER - Frost fingers stretching from the weekend Florida cold wave lightly brushed Pinellas County's multi-million dollar citrus and winter vegetable crops. Growers today reported no damage to tangerines, oranges and grapefruit and only nominal losses to garden produce.

The lowest temperature recorded in the Clearwater area was reported by Herbert Mayers, a citrus grower in the Keene Road section who got a 26 degree reading on his thermometer at 6:15 o'clock yesterday morning.

Average temperatures in the Pinellas citrus belt ranged between 29 and 31 degrees and the low readings were of brief duration.

Many citrus growers spent Saturday setting up grove heaters or preparing wood fires for ignition if temperatures dropped to the danger point. But the only instances of "firing" were reported by growers of exotic tropical fruits. Retired Attorney Charles E. Ware heated his Chinese lichee grove.

Nov. 19, 1953 CLEARWATER - Directors of Morton Plant Hospital decided Tuesday night to have an architect draw plans for remodeling the old section of the building so that it will compare favorably with the new wing to open shortly after Christmas, according to Ted Jacobson, hospital administrator.

The old part of the building will be remodeled to include a modernized lobby, offices, gift shop and snack bar, Jacobson said.

Reporting for the finance committee, H.M. Turnburke gave construction costs of the new wing as $338,000 and costs of furniture and equipment at $25,000.

The new construction will increase the institution's capacity to 135 beds.

Nov. 27, 1928 CLEARWATER - The prodigal sons have returned and there is rejoicing in Palm Harbor. A state-wide alarm was sounded when Richard Doud and Douglas Kersey ran away from home on Friday last. The boys were picked up at Weekiwachee Spring and Mr. and Mrs. H.L. Grider, uncle and aunt of the Kersey boy, brought the youngsters back home.

Both Doud and Kersey admitted they were sufficiently amused with rambling.

[Last modified November 27, 2005, 01:18:21]