The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-06-02
KING AND ROBERTS

So-bstween for the city manager
and the tax collector"
II say to his face, he is a malic-
ious liar, " Roberts declared scorn-
fully.
This statement touched off a
spirited exchange between the two
executives in which King pointed
| out at that the real reason for their
clash was a $50 per month pay
raise he had offered Roberts who
scorned it as "being an insult to
his intelligence"
| Roberts asked for 500 and King
replied that he would be glad for
| him to have it if the city COM
mission would approve. 81 think he
earns every penny he makes, ("
King declared.
Roberts continued his attack say
ing that he has fought alone for
what he believes to be right. He
pointed out that he 'had opposed
the TOPPING deal and the Stadium
goodwill DEAL" He was speaking
of a $50, 900 contract the city faith
erS entered into with the TOPPING
Construction Company without cal
| ling for bids and the proposed pur.
chase OF the concessions at the
Wickers Field Stadium by the city
and writing off the expenditure as
for good will" Roberts has re.
peatedly said that while the moves
were not illegal they were highly
irregular.
sI'n fight any deal. l ask no
favorS and give none. I'll fight any
man who doubts my integrity, Mr..
King is clouding the issue for
months / have considered resign
ing, because of ill-health. am
thankful to have the confidence of
my people," Roberts declared.
The City Manager then picked up
the ball to clarity his move in re-
signing. "Your vote of confidence
means q lot to me-" he told the
commission, but I'm a married
man and no monkey business a.
bout it. / work at it. l don't go
to nightclubs and / don't drink.
/ love my home.
II gave up my home in Miami
Beach when moved here the first
time. / had a desire to do a job
| for the city. I brought a home
here on Avenue E and then l had
to resign when / lost my authori-
| ty. was approached three years
later and / returned to the city.
| | built a home on Stock Island and
then pressure was brought to en-
force state law and ! had to
move into the city to a hotel"
- can no longer produce"
King continued end my boss
(nY Wifel, has given me orders
10 return TO Stock Island on June
Is and I'm going to do IL. will
thereby lose my qualifications
for the lob. I'm going TO remain
IN Key West and do . little fish.
ing end . litfls playing. sppre-
ciaSe your support and conf
dsnee but on June Is, am going
back 10 Stock Island"
| Commissioner Delio Cobo then
moved acceptance Of the reSigna.
ton. II was voted unanimously af-
ter it was obvious that King was
Igoing to quit, regardless of what
the commission said.
Earlier, Commissioner Louis M.
J. Eisner, In explaining why he
had moved to accept Kings deci-
sion, said: 'Mr. King is the best
City Manager we could have had
but there Is an undercurrent of
dissension at this time. and some
thing must be done"
He pointed out that he was dis
satisfied with Kings conduct of
the police department saying that
at one time, he had asked the city
manager to check a local bar
where there was a ''dirty sinking
show" He said that King merely
issued four warnings and did not
arrest the proprietor as she should
have.
81 told Mr.. King to ignore a
Peeping Tom charge" Eisner con-
tinued. shut he followed through
and preferred charges against a
police officer he interfered In
private lives. | don't like that"
| There was larceny in the city
hall - money was stolen from the
taxpayers, King is the top man but
the woman worked here for more
than two years without being bond.
ed. Why didn't the top man
know?" he asked.
MY vote brought him here and
don't like TO see him go but
think that his resignation is in or
der" Eisner declared.
| The commissioner then asked
| for the resignation OF City Tax Col.
Hector Archie Roberts. as well.
Mayer c. 3. Harvey injected
another note into tia heated dis.
eussien when ha asked why, dur.
lnc the fse months THAT he sss
Investigating ire en,herxismens
in the Tax fsies. Roberts had
allowed the woman 10 make of
with mere mercy.