Джон Макдональд - A Flash of Green

“If you would gather around, gentlemen, you can see it better,” Burt Lesser said happily. “The news people too, if there’s no objection. This model was built by Costex Associates of Atlanta. All the engineering on the project has been done by them too. They were very excited by the possibilities here, and think this project will receive national attention and acclaim. Mr. Steve Kerr here, of Costex, was in charge.”

“Can Major Lipe and myself examine it?” Tom Jennings asked.

Makelder looked at the other commissioners and then at Burt. Burt nodded. “Come on right up, Colonel.”

There was general conversation around the display table. Horace Lander said, “Now Leroy, you know dang well there isn’t any zoning that far down Sandy Key to allow any shopping center.”

“Artistic license,” Shannard said, “plus a little plea for future dispensations.”

“Mr. Kerr,” Tom Jennings said sharply. “May I ask a question?”

“Yes sir.”

“This model seems to show a surprising amount of bay area surrounding the fill project. It seems to reach just a little more than half way to the mainland. According to the petition I heard read, Palmland wants the bulkhead line changed to include a little more than eight hundred acres of bay bottom. Is this model scaled to that request?”

“All the roads and canals in the project itself are to scale, sir.”

“Wasn’t my question clear? Is the project scaled to the area?”

“It’s to scale on the photo-map, sir, but not on the table model.”

Everyone turned and looked at the map the young men from Costex had put up. On that the red mushroom outlining the land requested filled the heart of the bay, reaching almost over to the channel markers along the mainland.

“We have some other things we would like to pass out to the commission and to the newspeople,” Burt Lesser said quickly. “I hope you will find them of interest. One is a study of what the project will mean to the area in actual dollars and cents, with a complete breakdown by types of retail and wholesale businesses. Bill, will you see that everyone gets copies, including the Colonel and the Major, of course. This second one shows the specifications as recommended by Costex. Roads, curbing, sea walls, elevations, sewage disposal system, street lighting, hydrants, drainage, underground conduits for power and phone. Please note, gentlemen, that in every single instance our specifications exceed county minimum standards for Class A Residential. What else do we have, Leroy? Oh, of course. This third study is an advertising and promotion plan, showing the dignified nature of the sales approach we will use. It shows the price range of the lots also. They will sell for a minimum of seven thousand up to a maximum of fifteen thousand five hundred.”

“How many lots, Burt?” Stan Dayson asked.

“Eight hundred.”

“If you average out at ten thousand, Burt, that would mean... eight million bucks.”

“Our expenses are going to be very heavy, Stan. They have to be, to make this a project the whole west coast will be proud of. If it was going to be anything less than perfect, I wouldn’t want anything to do with it. I might add that there has been a considerable investment in time, thought and money to bring the project up to this point of initial presentation. Beginning tomorrow this model of Palmland Isles will be on display in the Cable Bank and Trust Company, on the main floor. And right now I’d like to ask Mr. Martin Cable to say a few words to you about one aspect of this thing which may be bothering you.”

Chairman Makelder looked up from his examination of the model just in time to look directly into the automatic flash gun wielded by Stu Kennicott. Makelder scowled and said, “Boys, let’s all sit where we belong and listen to Mr. Cable.”

Martin sat at the small desk, arranged his notes and cleared his throat. “One of the matters which should legitimately concern any government body which must pass on any phase of approval of such a project is the question of financing. I am not here to make a firm commitment to you gentlemen or to Palmland Development. I can merely say this. All of Palmland’s plans and estimates have been examined by the loan committee of the Cable Bank and Trust Company. In the event — and let me stress this phrase — in the event all proper permissions are obtained by Palmland, and in the event there is no basic change in their plans of operation, the bank will be prepared to look favorably upon offering the financial assistance which will be needed to make this dream a reality. I... ah... speaking now as an individual, wish to add that my personal interest in this venture is attested to by my having made available to Palmland the necessary access land through approving an option, acting in my office as executor of my mother’s estate. That land is the portion on the map behind you cross-hatched in green. Thank you.”

“Thank you, Martin,” Gus Makelder said. “Any comment?”

“I just happen to have a little something to say,” Elmo drawled. “I just want to say I’m getting right confused here. Leroy certainly must know the public law on this thing. I’m not saying it’s a good project or a bad project. But I do know we’re sitting here, the five of us, getting buttered like breakfast hot cakes. Steve Merry, you being the county attorney, maybe you can straighten me out. We can’t vote on a damn thing, can we? This Palmland is supposed to present a petition and then we set a date for a public hearing. Isn’t the proper place for all this butter job the public hearing instead of now?”

Steve Merry adjusted his glasses and said, “Commissioner Bliss, I think these gentlemen were just explaining to the commission as a courtesy what they’re planning...”

“Steve, boy, I don’t want you telling me what you think they’re trying to do. I’ve got me a pretty good idea of what they’re trying to do. I want to know the law.”

“Properly, I suppose, this presentation should be made at the public hearing.”

“Where the folks on the other side of this question have a chance to make their objections?”

“Yes sir.”

“So what they’re doing is trying to get us all on their side before the other side has a chance?”

“I... I guess it could be interpreted that way.”

“Thank you, Steve. Gus, it looks to me as if we should just accept the petition and set a date for the hearing. I see no reason why the minutes should make any mention of all this other entertainment Burt and Bill and Leroy have given us.”

“Do you so move?” Gus asked.

“I so move,” Elmo said.

“Second,” DeRose Bassette said.

“Moved and seconded we accept the Palmland Development Company petition and proceed to set a date for the public hearing.”

“Mr. Chairman,” Burt said, “before you set the date, I’d just like to say that our timing on this whole thing is running very very close and we would appreciate your setting it for as soon as possible.”

“How soon can we do it according to law, Steve?” Gus asked.

Steve Merry bit his lip for a moment. “Two weeks has to elapse from the time of publication in the paper until the hearing itself. I could probably get the legal notification to the paper sometime tomorrow afternoon. That would put it in the paper Wednesday morning, the twelfth. The public hearing could be set for Wednesday, the twenty-sixth.”

“That’s real nice for Palmland, but how about the opposition? Gus, would it be out of order to ask Colonel Tom Jennings how this strikes him?”

“Colonel?” Gus said.

“Speaking as the President of Save Our Bays, Incorporated, I would respectfully request the Commission to give us a month to prepare our case against this bay-fill project. We did not even hear about it until last week.”