ANGUS W. GRAHAM


JAMES R. KEELINGD


9-6509


G EN ERAL COjNTRACTOR
71N E. 2lsr STREET April 19, 195j0
MIAMI 37, FLORIDA ]].i. ._ .. .'~ i8aig ir0Zrica.

The City EdiLtor,
c/o Mdrs. Farrington,
S9 N. W. 10th Street,





Unfavorable publicity of school Doard members participatting~ in
contracts and sales to the schools for profit is demorls~ing-, unbecoming,
sad trends to destroy confidence ~in the gov~erningZ board of our schools Such
publicity aggrva~tes the tax-payer whose money is being spent and throws
general suspicion on the operation of one of our most important public
welareas ousb Public Schools. The newspapers, however, are to be commaended
for bringing such law violations into the open.

School lawa of the stateB of Florida prohibit a S~tate or Coumty
officer or member of the County Boards from purchasing supplies or materials
for use, from himself or anyr firs or corporation in which he is interested
or in any manner shardag in the proceeds of' auch transactions. This law
should be so strictly adhered to by members of the Johool Board that
publicity of this kind would not have an opportunity of being m~ade subject
matter for the nowapapers. There is an old saying that where there is amnoke.
there enet, be some fire. Such publicity is a definite sign that the laws
are being tampered witth.

A prominent dainly newspaper of our Counrty on Sept. 7, 196r9r displayed
this headline R2 on school Yoard Gjiven~ Business of Schoolsr', The article gboes
into detail regarding tine participation of these twol Boardl members in the
School work contracts. It states "Both hasthd a hand in school joba through
their private business intereast" Another article in the same paper stated
that school wrork was admiatted by a member of the School loarud. it stated
that het charge s ere understood to hatve been an oult-grrowh of a controversy on
the contractual work on the Booker T. i'aaningtonc School and brought out
participation in the plumbing contracts ait the Andrew Jackson HigTh School.
Ag~ain on ;lept. 8, 1969, headlines stated nSpecifications gavred on Paint for_
Schoole. Father unf~avorable publicity came on Dec. 76 1969, regarding a
sub-contract by a tirm owned by a m~ember of the rLade County Board of Public
last~ruc tion.

These contractual pjarticipations caused wide spread unfavorable
publicity and were explicit examp~les of whrat a Iloard toember should not do

Ons April 13, 1950O, the Mtiami Iaily Newes and tuiani tierald quoted
SAttorney rieneral hichard 31. Ervin wInth respect to violations of the school law.
Hie is reported too have said that when he receives audit reports showing
glaring failuzz to followr the school lawr ot" somebody using his political
situation to make a profit" he has no alternative but two take actions Hfow
mucn more glaring canl a report, 'e than an admissrion of a member of the schooll
idoard that he has participated in school contractat Rant violations of the
Florida law can be violated without the Attorney General taka~n6e~ action?


How long after a report is filed is action taxed4 Does it depend











The.i. .dtor ;2. Aprl. 19,I 150





instructional hars :ac t yet ben apanefd to public ~ninapeCt)an


ha:r~d L'rom thzree di?'E-striata on !iay 2nLd. '?e rmt:e t:ntLe to4 knowPI nowI -
mort a''rr: eleasi3n -~ wha~t, hei~ curet rept I~LSS a ~.oiS.





Very tr a., yres,~




the8 2nd intrict.













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