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HomeMy WebLinkAbout19340625_REGULAR42 Pdinutes of the regular meeting of the Council of the Village of Edina held in Grange Hall at 8 PM, onrJune 25, 1934. The meeting was called to order by the President and all members of the Council were found present except Trustee Prescott mho mas out of the Vilfage, Mr. A. C. Statt presented liability bond to the Village of Edina in amount $10000000 covering liability in the re- building and moving of cess pool serving the Gountry Club and located on the Sunny Slope section and Vest 50th Street. After examination it was moved Blackburn the bond be accepted, seconded by Villson and carried. Trustee Villson presented a bill from H, V. Darr in amount $l8,OO for storage of three lam mowere, vheel barrow, garden nose and several other pieces of minor park board equipment for period November 1, 1938 to July 1, 1934, and moved the bill be paid. Uotion seconded by Blackburn. Those voting Age being McGuire, Blackburn and Oillson, voting No, Eoore, and so derllafed carried. Application in form for building permit by Ernest 8. Hans011 to build a 22 x 24 frame construction private dwelling on Lot 3,. Section 33 and located 150 feet n0ri;heast of inter- section Hanson Road and &I. N. & s. Ry. Company. It vas thereupon moved Billson apalication be granted, Motion seconded by Blackburn and carried. Trustee Billson presented a bill of Ernie E. Davis in amount $20.00, the same being for privilege of using his property for village dump, for rubbish removed during Village Clean Up Veek Yor the years 1933 and 1534 at $10.00 per year, and moved the bill be paid. BSotion sec- onded by Blackburn and carried. Ur. Frank Voods appeared before the Gouncil sT;atmg that Hennepin County, during the improving of County Highway 39, had changed the course of the road and as a re&ult had caused him to lose some raspberry bueaes, strawberry plmts and oak trees and that he mould apmeciate the Council's assistance in the settlement of his clarm against the County. It mas agreed to leave the matter Pith tne Rec- order for such results as he might be able to accomplish. The minutes oT the regu1a.r meeting of the Council held on June 11, 1934 mere read, on motion Billson be &pr>roved as read. Seconded by Blackburn and carried. It vas suggested by the Hecorder for tne purpose of per- manent-record and for future relterence that the letter dated Nay 23, 1934 by the Honorable A. G. Bainbridge, Mayor of tne City of Hrnneapolis, reply by Ben B. Hoore, Village Recorder of Edina, dated June 2, 1934, and ack- nowledgment to aoove reply dated June 12, 1934, all re- ferring to the matter of' locati-on and operation of vlotion Picture Theatre in the neighborhood of France Avenue and Vest 50th Street, be incorporated in the minutes. Vnere- qon it was maved Blackburn that the Recorder's suggestion be concurred in. Eotion seconded by Billson and carried. They are as 3011oms: Hay 23, 1Y34 Eon. Dan S. Baguire, IdayQr, and Embers of the Council, Village of Edina, Minnesota, 43 Gentlemen: hly attention has been directebl, througa newspaper comment and otherwise, to the situation which has unfortunately arisen in the Tnrrteench sard, over %he queszion of moving picture tneatre licenses. 1% appears %hat parties anaffiliated $.. witn any of the inQerests at the present time operating motion picture theatres in Minneapolis have found a way to outwit the opposition of the residents of the Thirteenth Ward, and have ad- ' roitly maneuvered with your Council and officials to secure a license for the operatfon of a theatre- within a stone's throw of the dividing line De- tween your district and the City of Minnea2olis. - If it were the intention of the prorzloters of the Edina theatre to serve exclusively the res- idents of that district, no objection could be offered, as such license would be well within the rights and privileges of your ConnCil; but as it . is the intention of the promoters, througa your ' licensing, to force a theatre on the residents of the Thirteenth Ward, ignoring entirely tneir de- sire or feeling in the matter, I question ser- iously the ethics ana propriety of such action. I hold no brief at this time for or against the motion picture as an institution, but I do definitely hold a brief for the. residents of the Thirteenth Bard, aisubs3antial majority of whom are apparently unreceptive DD the grantfng of more theatre licenses in that district. The Minnesota Amusement Coapany has a site at 43rd and Upton, purchased some years ago, upon which a con- siderable amount has been paid in tax, 0s over a term of years. This company has anticipated development of its site for theatre use when the sentiment of the people in the Thirteenth Ward and the Upton Avenue district would warrant such con- sideration. I am advised also that Xr. W. R. Frank and associates, who operate a group of theatres in Ninneapolis, including the Boulevard, are applying for a license at 50th and Ewing. Both of these iq8erests are predicating their app- lications for license upon the fact that your Board has granted a license in the Edina district. Both concerns mentioned contribute substantially to the payment of taxes in the City of Ninneapolis, and are entitled to consideration as relates to the threatened invai3ion of their business. The City of Minneapolis has evidenced an unusual. degree of neighborliness toward the Edina dis&Pict, and has assisted materially in aaking it possible for your village to meet its sewage problems, and, at a time when the water supply of our city is conceded to be inadequate, has or proposes to extend, unusual consideration to your Village in thar; connection. If does appear, therefore, inconsistent on the part of the officials of Edina that, mith- out consulting the wishes of the Aldermen of the Thirteenth Ward or the officials of the City of Minneapolis, they took the action that recently transpired. The citizenry of the Thirteenth Ward - at least a substantial majority of them, as I understand it, and especially the ministry - are up in arms over your action. I sympathize 44 with them, and in all frankness say to you that same can be considered only as a gesture of unfriendliness toward your neighbors across the line, as your action complet82y ignored their thought and feeling in this matter. If this is your attitude I must say your policy is a short-sighted one, and will through tile years reflect to your disadvantage. In relation to questions of tneatre licensing or otner matters of common interest, there should be no attempt o~ the part of this city to force conditions upon your district that are undesirable or kwelcome, nor should your Vilaage take action against the rrishes of the City or Ward. All matters that arise affecting interests in common should be con- sidered, discussed, and mutually determined upon. My concern is more definitely that of building up the friendly relationship oetaeen your Village and this City than that of any induvidual or corporation affected by the re- suits of your licensing action. Out of the resentment that now exists will grow hostility that, you mill concede, mill prove destructive to the interests of your Village and to this municipaii ty. I sincerely trust that you have not gone so far in this matter but that the license can and will be revgited, and if granted, that the parties to whom it has been given will be advised that it mill not be extended beyond the period oi one gear. I am advised that it the Edina license is revoked, the two appli- cations now pending before the City Council for the locations in the Thirteenth Ward nil1 be Pithdram. In the future, as relates to the matter of theatre licensing and other interests in common, you should work with the Aldermen of the Thirteenth Vard, vho are as proud as you are of . the splendid development that Has been made in the Country Club District, and are as anxious as you are to preserve its DeaUtY, advantages, and desirability as a residence district, so definitely enjoyed through its being a restric&ed area. I am sure that such interest and cooper- ation as you extend at this time mill be repaid a hundred-fold in the future. - Respectfully Submitted, A. G. Bainbridge MAY OR City of Minneizpolis Village of Edina Hennepin County, Minnesota June 2nd, 1934 Hon. A. G. Baifibridge, Xayor of :Minneagolis , Hinneapolis, Minnesota Dear Mr. Ba.inbridge; 45 Your recent letter to the &fayor?of-~the Village of Edina loith reference to the license issued by the Vilkge for a movie tneatre on 50th Street near France, was feferred by the Nayor to the Village Council at its meeting last Hon- day night. The letter was read, placed on file. and a notation of its reading entered in the minutes of the council proceedings. Further action along the lines suggested in your letter is not, and as you should readily understa.nd, cannot be taken. However, permit me to go somewhat into de- tail in the history of the movie theatre in our village. We are inclined -Go a courteous reply to your letter because of the long series of pleasane relations between the City of Minneapolis and our village. We have heretorore found it a pleasure to work with the representatives of your city in our mutual problem. Several years ago it was stated to the writer tnat the 13th Ward was not and probably mould not be open to theatres and in as much as the 13th Ward was adjacent to our village, it was suggested that %he village, so far as its council was concerned, adopt the same attitude. In the following year the village did exactly thrs and a,t> one time refused a citizen of our own village a license for such a theatre, on the ground tnat the’ 13th Ward did not care tor xnese theatres, amd i% ’ was so entered in the minutes of the council meeting. From titme to time people claiming to be interested in such theatres, but not actually making appli- cations for a license therefor, were InTormed of . this attitude. mithin the last year, however, such a theatre was licensed in the adjacent village of Morningside, this theatre to face France Avenue directly across the street from the 13th Ward. ’ So far as the writer is concerned, no echo of neighborhood dissatisfaction reached him, nor did he glean from the publicrpress that any objections were entertained by the City of Minneapolis to thiS theatre located on its border. The writer attribu- ted this to the fact that in the meantime a %heatre, had been-duly licensed and was erected and operating in the 13th Ward;;: and gained tne impression that such theatres in the l3tn Ward were no longer under the ban of the cizy fathers. kt was, thererore, with no thougnt of affecting the friendly relations between our village and the city tnat %he license under discussion was granted. Because of %he long delay in taking ad- vantage of the license issued in Morningside, one of the stipulations was tnat %he licensee in our own case must move promptly and a failure 20 begin work at once would result in a revocation of the license and The issue of a new license to otner . applicants wno had stated zney were ready to proceed immediately if a license were granzed. tions for otaer licenses in %ne 13tn Ward came at a time which, together vita tne pubiicizy concerning fine same, impresses us vim xne zmught Tnat tne . applican%fs ultimate object was tne one suggested . in your Honor’s lerrter, tnat js, ne elimination of %ne tneatre in the Village of Edina. It should be The accrvicy resulling in recent applica- 46 easily understood by all persons concerned, tnat . tne progress already made in tne nay of purchase. of land, preparation or plans and consummation of' various concracts, involve mucn large sums of. money taat it would be impracticable, to say the. least, to consider a revocation of znis part;icuiar license, even ix 13 could legally oe done. We trust you sill read tms letcer in me spirit in micn iz is mitten. We cali 'GO your ahention tnat many substantial business men,. maintaining and conducting 'Gneir Dusiness in -Gne cAty, live in zne Village of Edina, and part- icularly in the Country Club District, and me feel this additional fact merits consideration. With kindest personal regards, I am, Yours very respectfully, VILLAGE RECORDER, VILLAGJi OF EDIKA i June 12, 1934 Mr. Ben Eoore Village Recorder, Village of Edina, 4605 gooddale Avenue Bennepin C oun-cy , Minne sot a Dear Elr. Uoare: I want to thank you very much for your very kind letter in answer to my communication to the ldayor of your Village. I have redd your letter with considerable interest and mas very happy to hear your side of the story. Again thanking you €or your courtesy, I remain Yours very sincerely, A. G. Bainbridge MAYOR It was moved billson that the usual advances be made Village road crem and police officers as noted by the Recorder in the Time Book. Notion seconded by Blackburn and carried. It was moved i7illson that the Judges and Clerks acting in the June 18 State Primary Election be paid as indicated by the Recorder ia the warrant book. Notion seconded by Bla.ckburn and carkied, No further business to come before the Council motion to adjourn carried at 10:15 PM. Village Recorder