Lodge offer stands, developer tells Elks

By Jeff Mangum, Sun staff writer
Clearwater Sun - January 28, 1983

Despite a vote by Clearwater Elks to sell their downtown lodge to the Church of Scientology, an attorney for local developer Charles Rutenberg said Thrusday a counter-offer to buy the building still stands.

Should a panel of Elks grand trustees reject the sale to the church, lawyer Timothy Johnson Jr. said, Rutenberg's offer to buy the lodge for $230,000 will remain open until Feb. 28.

"I'm sure anybody who is interested in buying something would leave the option open," Clearwater Elks Exalted Ruler Edward G. Stein responded. "It's common sense."

On Tuesday, Clearwater Elks voted 74 to 15 to sell their lodge at 516 Franklin St. to the church for $240,000. If the deal is approved by the national board, the Elks will make $228,000 from the sale. About $12,000 will go to their Realtor.

The church's offer was accepted, and Rutenberg's offer rejected, partially out of fear of being sued by the sect, according to several Elks members.

Church spokesman Hugh Wilhere said Rutenberg's latest offer is "totally up to the Elks Club."

"This thing about us filing a suit or anything is totally out of the ballpark," Wilhere added.

Hoping to prevent a church purchase of the lodge, the Clearwater City Commission issued $600,000 in industrial-revenue bonds to Rutenberg's company on Jan. 20.

The bond issue does not pledge city money, but allows the bonds to be sold under the city's name at reduced interest rates.

Clearwater residents and officials Thursday flooded Elks national headquarters in Chicago with phone calls hoping to persuade the organization to refuse to sell the lodge to the church.

"I could tell that the people were emotionally upset," said Stanley Kocur, grand secretary for the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at club headquarters in Chicago.

Kocur said letters and telegrams sent to Chicago will be forwarded to the three Elks trustees who have final say on the sale.

According to Kocur, Elks lodges selling property in Florida first must apply to a trustee in Tennessee.

That trustee then contacts two of the eight grand trustees living in states across the country, Kocur said. When all three agree, a sale is finalized.

"We have had no calls yet from the Clearwater lodge," Kocur added.

The grand trustees generally review the financial standing and the vote tally of a lodge wanting to sell property, Kocur said. A final decision is usually rendered by the panel within two to six weeks.

Kocur said he had no idea when the trustees will rule on the church's offer, because no formal application has been filed by the Clearwater Elks.

Greater Clearwater Chamber of Commerce President Jack Russell Jr. Thursday sent a letter to Robert Grafton, grand lodge sponsor for Florida, that called for denial of the sale to the church.

"...we believe that approval of this sale will not prove beneficial to the reputation of the Elks here in Clearwater or the image of Elks nationally," Russell wrote.

Church officials contend their ownership of the lodge will bring more parishioners to Clearwater, meaning additional customers for downtown businesses.