The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page 110

C2 Tht Pest, Friday, Septembers 1981 Chief County Lifeguard Plans To Fight for His Job By Jim Reeder Put staff WrHw JENSEN BEACH Chief lifeguard Jack Cammack said yesterday he will fight any move to fire him after 12 of his employees complained about his performance to acting County Administrator Roger Nichols and Public Safety Director Bill O'Brien Wednesday. "Certainly I will have to fight if there's any effort to fire me," Cammack said. "Everybody has a right to give their side." The employees' allegations include charges that Cammack diverted county equipment and funds to his own use, forced lifeguards to work at his house on county time and falsified payroll and other records. Cammack said he has been advised by an attorney not to comment on the accusations. Nichols late Wednesday told Cammack he was suspended with pay until an investigation of the charges is completed, but reinstated him yesterday on advice of the county attorney.

"The attorney said I had exceeded my authority," Nichols said. "But with the allegations we heard, I thought I had no choice at the time." Nichols and O'Brien are collecting written statements from lifeguards to determine what action to take. "I'm still in charge," Cammack said yesterday. "I have complete authority to direct the beach patrol as I have in the past." He said he has no intention to take reprisals on lifeguards who complained about his performance. Cammack admitted keeping some county beach equipment at his residence, but said he did so to protect it from vandalism and theft if left overnight on county property.

He refused to comment on charges he had lifeguards working at his house on county time or that he was at the beach under the influence of alcohol. "I'll leave that one go on the advice of my attorney," Cammack said. "This came up once before." Lifeguards met Tuesday night to form a united front for their Wednesday session with Nichols and O'Brien. "It came from years of this stuff," Mike Holliday said. "It just can't go on." He said he knows of at least four employees who peformed chores for Cammack on county time.

"We don't want to file criminal charges against Cammack," one lifeguard said. "We just want to get rid of him." Some lifeguards said they aren't out to get Cammack, but want better pay and improved conditions at the beach. 'Tni not against you," lifeguard Tim O'Brien told Cammack. "I just want more money." One complaint from lifeguards was that Cammack attends Miami Dolphins football games when he's supposed to be at work. "I'm on salary and work holiday after holiday," Cammack said.

"I always re-. port I'm taking compensatory time, when I go to the ball games." Monday and Tuesday are normally his off days, while the games are on Sunday. Cammack supervises eight full time, lifeguards, a captain and more than 15 parttime lifeguards at Jensen, Stuart-and Hobe Sound beaches. The pay ranges from $3.90 per hour' base pay for parttime guards to per hour for top fulltime guards. Mfwmt New Fees Upsetting Officials mi Mlhi '4 St 4 Ok tvi -Sfc, 4.

A baby alligator pokes its head above the surface as it glides through the water at Jonathan Dickinson State Park r- 11 z. rin State Park Is A Great Spot For Picnickers I ---raBar v- 'm mSkl ii immt jt -aX'J'i-. ip-tr. -w Stiff PhotM by Piul Dunn Jason Middleton (left), 8, and Trevor Thorpe, 7, play in swimming area By Chris Kelly Pnt Stiff Wrttar HOBE SOUND There's the scent of pine needles in the wind, wild flowers are sprouting along the road and the air is clean and fresh from recent rains. The place is Jonathan Dickinson State Park a refuge for bobcats and deer and an occasional panther as well as a favorite gathering spot for campers and picnickers.

The park, bordered on the east by U.S. 1 and bisected by the Loxahatchee River, once was the hunting ground of the legendary eccentric Trapper Nelson. The leathery pioneer a tree trunk of a man who stood 6-foot-4 and weighed 240 pounds used to hunt in the western fringes of the park. His log home and the zoo he ran for years still stand and are open for tours. This and other attractions such as the 135 camping sites, the rental cabins, stables where riders can rent horses, canoes for a leisurely trip up the river and playgrounds will draw an estimated 2,000 people to the park Labor Day weekend, according to John Fillyaw, assistant superintendent.

They'll come for the 8-mile backpacking trail that winds through the park and ends at a primitive camp site. Others will walk the nature trails that lead through the pine flat woods and sand pine scrub. The landscape, dotted by palmettos with a few turkey oaks, is the habitat for the deer, bobcat, possum, the gopher tortoise and the endangered Florida scrub jay. Others will take the trail by the river where the banks are fringed by mangroves. It's the haunt of the alligator, heron and egret.

They'll paddle south by canoe from the headwaters of the Lozahat-chee River where a primeval forest of bald cypress, untouched by man for more than 100 years, rises up to form an overhead canopy. The clear amber water will carry them east on a narrow winding path that cuts through the 70- and 80-foot trees. By daylight, the barred owl hides there amidst the towering cypress. Low ferns have sprung up in the cool dimness. Oaks, red maple, hickory and sweet gum blend into the wall of foliage that crowds to the river's edge.

The trip is a silent one, punctuated only by the water dripping from the canoe paddles. A little beyond the midpoint of their journey to the concession stand, they'll come upon Trapper Nelson's where they'll meet others who made to buy supplies. As word spread about this strange man, people began making the trip to his hideaway. Nelson began accommodating the visitors, building a zoo and providing picnic space. By 1966 "he had become pretty popular," according to Fillyaw.

People were coming in droves and the Health Department moved in and closed him down for inadequate sanitary facilities. After the incident he withdrew, shutting himself off from the outside world by toppling cypress trees across the river. He wanted to be left alone. Then, in July 1968, he was found shot to death. It was ruled a suicide by the coroner, but there are many who believe he was killed.

"I don't believe he was the kind of man who would have done that," Fillyaw said. His legacy still is alive, the buildings he left behind. Two cabins, one for guests and another for himself, stand along with a chicken shelter, two docks and a boathouse. There are cages scattered about the grounds and in one area there's an old alligator pit. Nelson apparently had a passion for chopping firewood.

Huge piles of it are everywhere, enough to keep a man warm for a lifetime. Picnickers who arrive at the park by car are charged 50 cents a person. An overnight campsite with electrical hookup runs $7.28. Rental cabins go for $28 a night. the voyage west by outboard or took the tour boat Loxahatchee Queen.

A ranger will show them around Trapper Nelson's and they'll leave wondering about this man who died so mysteriously from a shotgun blast an enigma who trapped his own food, shunned civilization and yet never missed a chance to read the Wall Street Journal. Official accounts vary, and rumors about the man abound, but apparently he moved to his river home in the mid-1930s after living near the inlet. He was a loner, a trapper who lived off the animajs he caught. He supplemented his diet with fruit from the trees he cultivated on his property. He'd sell the furs and occasionally paddle 9 miles up the river By Jim Reeder Pnt stiff WrHw SEWALL'S POINT Mayor Ed Gluckler calls it a "county ripoff." County Commissioner Alex Haynes calls it "the price you have to pay for progress." Both were talking about a large increase in connection fees now that Martin County has taken over the water system serving Sewall's Point and Hutchinson Island.

Gluckler told town commissioners Wednesday night that two builders recently were charged more than $1,000 to connect to the water system. "Last month before the county took over they would only have paid $90," Gluckler said. "The county charge is a ripoff." He said some Sewall's Point developers are, in effect, paying twice because they donated water lines to Southern Gulf Utilities, which sold them to Martin County. The county is collecting from the same developers a second time through the high water connection fees, Gluckler said. "I've never been known as particularly sympathetic to developers, but I've suddenly become their friend," Gluckler said.

"They should be treated fairly." Martin County Public Works Director Harry Fowler said the connection fee includes a $225 connection charge for a -inch water meter. The fee is more for a larger meter. In addition to that charge is a $715 "system capacity charge" to help finance future construction of a well field, treatment plant and water lines in the Jensen Beach area. "That helps ensure Sewall's Point will have water after 1984 when the City of Stuart quits supplying water to the system," Haynes said yesterday. Consulting engineer Buck Weaver said the connection fees for new customers help hold down the water rates charged present ones.

"It keeps the county from charging present customers higher water bills to pay for future construction," Weaver said. Town Atty. Jim Knight will check legality of the fee schedules to see if the town should file a formal protest with the county. Knight questioned whether the connection fees are really impact fees and if they meet legal requirements. Sewall's Point officials said residents also have complained about higher than usual water bills since the county took charge.

Fowler said there is little difference in the old Southern Gulf Utilities water rates and those charged by the county. He said the big difference is due to minimum monthly charges for each customer based on the size of meter at each house. "Our minimum monthly rates are based on meter sizes," Fowler said. "If someone has a larger meter than they need, we will install a smaller one at no charge." He said most homes need only a -inch meter with a minimum monthly charge of $7.70 for the first 4,000 gallons of water. Some houses, however, are equipped with 2-inch meters with a charge of $61.60.

Fowler said houses with the larger meters have the potential to put a larger strain on the water system, although they may actually use no more water than other customers. In other business at Wednesday night's Town Commission workshop meeting, officials indicated they will hire Ernest R. Dyke Jr. as town engineer to replace Richard Hellstrom, who resigned. Formal action is expected at Wednesday's regular meeting.

Commissioners also agreed to advertise their intention to levy a property tax of $1.50 per $1,000 assessed value, a slight increase over last year's $1.40. Administrator Says More Money Needed New Advisory Board To Hear Mobile Home Park Disputes 7 just don't know where we can cut. There are certain things we have to do. If we don't have an increase (in money) we might have to lay off people and cut services. That would Neil Nelson VERO BEACH Indian River County Administrator Neil Nelson said yesterday the county must bring in more property taxes during the budget year starting in October.

But yesterday he couldn't say how much more will be needed or what the increases will do to taxes. He has to review the county's new property tax roll and talk with county commissioners during a budget hearing Sept. 14, he said. The county's preliminary budget includes $1 million more in property taxes for countywide services and $1.2 million more for services to unincorporated areas. Last year the county spent $4.4 million in property taxes for countywide services and $1.4 million on the unincorporated areas.

The Sheriff's Office asked for a $850,000 budget increase earlier this year and recently announced that state-ordered improvements to the jail will cost an additional $250,000. Nelson said more money is VERO BEACH The Indian River County Commission has tentatively approved the creation of an advisory board to hear complaints about mobile home parks. Parties to a dispute would have to voluntarily agree to appear before the board. Its authority would be limited to providing a public forum for discussions and giving the commissioners information, the commissioners said. The proposed board could not arbitrate disputes and County Atty.

George (Joe) Collins said state landlord-tenant laws should be excluded from an ordinance that would establish the board. A public hearing on the ordinance will be held later this year. Creation of the board was recommended by a committee the commissioners appointed in January to study complaints of excessive rent increases, poor maintenance and power-lessness of residents at the county's mobile home parks. Parties to a dispute would have to voluntarily agree to appear before the board. Its authority would be limited to providing a public forum for discussions and giving the commissioners information, the commissioners said.

'Maybe we're just going to have a wailing wall but we need an committee spokesman John Sullivan said. Residents said it is too expensive to move to another park from a park that has problems and that park owners won't allow old mobile homes to move in. "I feel I have failed the residents by not getting something in about rent control," committee spokesman John Sullivan told the commissioners. Representatives of park owners on the committee vetoed rent controls, Sullivan said. "Maybe we're just going to have a wailing wall (the board) but we need an outlet," Sullivan said.

needed for road work, maintenance and expansion of services to meet growth. "I just don't know where we can cut. There are certain things we have to do. If we don't have an increase (in money) we might have to lay off people and cut services. That would hurt," he said.

Commissioners have quietly passed the word to administrators that there should be no tax increases, county officials said. And county Finance Director Jeff Barton is recommending cutting $1 million in expenditures for the unincorporated areas. Included under that proposal are the Sheriff's Office budget and courts funding. Customs Agents Seize Piper Aztec After Chase; Pilot Flees Area News Fort Pierce Drive-In: Dusk to dawn horror show 5 movies Sunrise Theatre: "Zorro" 7, 9 Village Theatre "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" 7:30, 9:30 Village Theatre II: "American Werewolf in London" 7:30, 9:30 OKEECHOBEE Brahman Theatre: "Stripes" 7, 9 Skylake Twin "Flesh Grinders" "Blood Thirsty Butchers" "Tool Box Murders" "Torture Dungeon" "Man With Two Heads" at dusk Skylake Twin II: "Sensuous Vampires" "Come Play With Us" at dusk. Area Deaths Detweiler, Eleanor 85, of Conquistador Condominium, 1800 SE St.

Lucie Stuart. Aycock Funeral Home, Stuart. Funeral at 4 p.m. today at First United Presbyterian Church of Stuart. Engel, Thomas infant son of John P.

and Kathleen Engel. Aycock Funeral Home, Stuart. Funeral at 12:30 p.m. today. Movie Clock FORT PIERCE Centre West Theatre "Empire Strikes Back" 6:45, 9 Centre West Theatre II: "Heavy Metal" 7, 9:15 OKEECHOBEE Customs agents seized a twin-engine airplane in Okeechobee County Wednesday night after a long chase through the Caribbean.

Nothing was found aboard the Piper Aztec and its pilot escaped, but Customs agents said a large bundle was pushed out of the plane after it was unable to elude a Customs' air support patrol plane. "The air support plane was on patrol at about 5:30 or 6 (p.m.) when it spotted the plane about 78 miles southeast of Bimini," Customs spokesman Kitty Pryor said in Miami. "The Piper Aztec apparently saw our plane and took evasive action, flying in and out of clouds and doing what we call 360s. It apparently couldn't get away and our men saw a bundle discharged into the (ocean)." Ms. Pryor said the Customs plane was joined by another air support plane when the Piper Aztec came over Florida south of West Palm Beach.

Sheriff's deputies in Okeechobee and Glades County saw the Piper Aztec land on a grass airstrip at River Acres near the Kissimmee River about 7 miles southwest of Okeechobee, but could not get to it before Its occupants fled on foot..