Published by the Department of Public Affairs, City of St. Augustine. Florida March 29 2011 |
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$6 million 'too much' for utility | |
City/county workshop to discuss West Augustine service
The county has rejected a city offer of its West Augustine utility service area for $6 million, Assistant City Manager Tim Burchfield told city commissioners Monday.
"The county said it was out of their ballpark," Burchfield said, "and the possibility of swapping service areas won't work either, so we're looking at a joint venture to seek funding, and a joint workshop the end of April."
The announcement came at the end of a meeting shortened by the absence of two of the five commissioners, which brought a tabling of a public hearing and final action on a proposed horse carriage ordinance. |
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Frog Watch
at Fort Mose
Frogs take center stage Thursday, April 7, as Fort Mose Historic State Park offers the
Association of Zoos and Aquariums' flagship citizen science program.
The nighttime interactive program (7 to 8:30 p.m.) will introduce local frogs and toads and includes site visits in the park to put participants' knowledge to use. Bring flashlights.
FrogWatch USA is the association's citizen science program that allows individuals and families to learn about the wetlands in their communities and help amphibians by reporting the calls of local frogs and toads.
Contact AmeriCorps Environmental Education Member Carly Swatek 904.823.2232. |
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Galimore pool also on
Joint workshop agenda | |
Long-delayed action to extend city sewer and water utilities along county-owned West King Street, as well as the county's offer of $400,000 with the city taking over the Galimore Center pool, will likely be the major topics on a joint workshop agenda expected by the end of April.
The workshop will likely have a large audience from West Augustine and Lincolnville, whose residents gathered last week at a "Coming Together Community Forum" at New St. James Missionary Baptist Church.
Jobs and infrastructure dominated that forum, led by half a dozen ministers, one of whom said, "We spiritual leaders have to get beyond our egos, and if we can't get together, the community still has to move forward."
Carriage hearing April 11
With Mayor Joe Boles and Vice Mayor Leanna Freeman both absent, Boles on a self-paid trip to Spain and Freeman on a scheduled family vacation, remaining commissioners were unable to take legislative action like the carriage ordinance without unanimous votes.
City Attorney Ron Brown explained the charter requires a vote of three-fifths of the commission on any legislation, "which means any action you take will have to be your unanimous three, not a majority of tonight's quorum."
"Given the level of public interest (in the carriage ordinance) we should have the benefit of (Boles' and Freeman's) thoughts and comments," Commissioner Bill Leary said.
After brief discussion, commissioners decided having the public hearing now and commission discussion and vote two weeks later would not make sense, apologized to citizens who had come to speak, and voted to table.
HARB incumbents reappointed
Incumbent board members Les Thomas and Paul Weaver were reappointed to the city's Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) by commissioners Monday.
Historic Florida Militia founder Robert Hall, who also applied for a seat, will have another opportunity if he applies for a HARB vacancy left by Ken Smith, who has resigned for personal reasons. That vacancy will be filled at the commission's April 11 meeting. |
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Andrew Young marker described | |
A six-foot wide, 25-foot long section of paved walkway in the southwest corner of the Plaza de la Constitución in tribute to Andrew Young was outlined to city commissioners Monday - a concept favored by all but at a price opposed by Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline.
Splitting a vote which defeated authorization of up to $10,000 for the work, Sikes-Kline said the project "has become too elaborate."
Jeremy Marquis of Halback Design Group, who developed the design pro bono, showed commissioners a proposal for bronze footsteps suggesting Young's path when attacked during the 1964 Civil Rights Movement, with his quotes along the path under the headings Justice, Non-Violence, Equality, and Freedom. |
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Fire hydrant testing under way | |
There may be some discoloration in your water, or you may wonder why those guys are flushing fire hydrants on non-watering days.
It's all part of a required annual hydrant inspection to make sure both water and pressure are there if you need it.
Daytime flow testing along San Marco Avenue has been difficult with heavy traffic, so firefighters will be conducting those tests after 7 p.m. this week.
The St. Augustine Fire Department (SAFD) conducts fire hydrant tests and inspections twice annually, including a flow test and hydrant flush. Static pressure, flow pressure, and residual pressure are all parts of hydrant operation. Contact the St. Augustine Fire Department business line 825.1098. |
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Historic Marineland bar seeks new home
Russia's Amber Room, the Portuguese Mahogany Ship, and Victoria's Parliamentary Mace - they're all lost history, as might be Marineland's Rocking Ship Bar unless someone can provide a  new home for the 42 by 10-foot watering spot for the rich and famous.
From Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings to Ernest Hemingway, from Charles Evans Hughes to Eleanor Roosevelt, they all quenched and dined at the historic bar, which actually swayed like a ship, Friends of A1A Program Administrator Sallie O'Hara says.
Removed by new owners of the historic marine attraction, it now sits in storage, awaiting a savior.
"Friends of A1A preserves, protects, promotes, and enhances intrinsic resources along the 72-mile byway," Byway Sallie says. "This is a treasure to save!"
Contact Sallie at 904.540.0402. | |
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Searle's raiders praise police | |
St. Augustine's police drew praise from reenactors for their assistance in their presentation of Searle's Raid March 5.
Along with a page of pictures came a comment, "Searle's Raid of 1668 was absolutely the biggest and most successful we've ever held. Note all of the young kids amongst the veterans who took part!
"St Augustine - what an amazing place - where the police actually facilitate a reenactment of a historic 'pirate raid' . . . they help with the crowd control & street closings that actually allow the event to unfold in a safe fashion, allowing the public to enjoy an 'up close and personal' environment." |
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History's Highlight
'Illustrious Captain Pedro Menendez' 4 years, 5 months, 11 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
Pedro Menendez, finding that the interests of his colonies were neglected at the Spanish Court, and that their maintenance was daily impoverishing him, resolved to return permanently to Spain, where he hoped his influence would accomplish more for the Florida undertaking than from his presence in the territory. 
Leaving the province under the command of his nephew, Don Pedro Menendez, he sailed for Spain in 1572. Upon his arrival all the honors of the court were lavished upon him and his counsels were eagerly sought in the various affairs of state.
In the two years following the founding of St. Augustine, Menendez had established seven settlements along Florida's east and west coasts. His grateful king created for him the title Captain General of the West and named him Governor of Cuba.
Further exploration and settlement of the vast new world awaited him, but holding the areas he had settled, and administration at Havana, also demanded attention.
Within a year of his return to Spain, four of his seven settlements had been destroyed by hostile Indians and French corsairs, and promised supplies and troops were not reaching the other beleaguered settlements.
Funds promised to Menendez were not forthcoming, and he spent what wealth he had accumulated supporting the Florida garrisons.
In 1573, King Philip announced Menendez would become Captain General of Spain's greatest armada, one hundred and fifty ships and twelve thousand troops. Menendez exhausted himself organizing the armada, and his heart was breaking as the work he had done in Florida was disintegrating.
September 17, 1574, at the armada harbor of Santander near his birthplace of Aviles, Pedro Menendez de Aviles y Alonso de la Campa died. He was 55 years old.
Inscribed on his monument:
Here lies buried the illustrious Captain Pedro Menendez de Avilés, a native of this City, Adelantado of the Province of Florida, Knight Commander of Santa Cruz, of the Order of Santiago, and Captain General of the Oceanic Seas, and of the Armada which his Royal Highness collected at Santander in the year 1574, where he died on the 17th of September, of that year, in the fifty-fifth year of his age.
Image: Statue of Pedro Menendez in a park near his crypt in San Nicholas Church in Aviles.
A replica stands before St. Augustine's City Hall. |
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The St. Augustine Report is published by the Department of Public Affairs of the City of St. Augustine each Tuesday and on Fridays previewing City Commission meetings. The Report is written and distributed by George Gardner, former St. Augustine Mayor (2002-2006) and Commissioner (2006-2008) and a longtime newspaper reporter and editor. Contact The Report at gardner@aug.com |
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