Published by former Mayor George Gardner October 26 2011
Contributions in support of the St. Augustine Report are greatly appreciated |
Major step for West Augustine
Funding approved for sewer project feasibility study
Greg White of the West Augustine Community Redevelopment Agency Steering Committee and Pastor Trudy Thompson of Dawson Chapel led the pleas, and the City Commission heard them, approving Monday $390,000 in funding for a feasibility study that can lead to a $20 million sewer line project for West Augustine.
With West Augustine community leadership by his side, Mayor Joe Boles signed the formal paperwork in an interlocal agreement with the county commission shortly after the unanimous vote.
The study is required to qualify for $1.8 million in State Revolving Fund monies for pre-construction planning. Should the project prove unfeasible, the county will share the $390,000 expense provided from the city utility reserve fund.
A major hurdle is a thorny issue that's plagued city and county officials throughout the decade-long effort - a requirement for mandatory connections by properties along the sewer line. There is resistance to the hookup expense as well as monthly billing homeowners with wells and septics don't pay now.
County Commission Chair Ken Bryan, speaking at Monday's meeting, said grants are being pursued to assist with those costs. | |
|
|
Sutler for
Oldest City
A sutler for the ages - colonial - has set up shop at 58 St. George Street, tucked away just north of Cuna Street.
Jon and Gidget Williams, reenactors for 20 years and provisioners in colonial wear and accoutrements for the past 11, are open 10-5 Tuesday thru Thursday and Sunday, and 10-6 Friday and Saturday.
The fitting shop for a 450-year-old city carries craft items, unique colonial items, and an array of linen and wool fabric. In fact the other day, Jon says, a woman browsed the fabrics - not for a reen-acting outfit but for drapes she was making. |
|
|
High tech replication for Plaza monument | |
Look for lasers around the Constitution Monument in the Plaza.
John Finotti of Access Public Relations, charged with developing funding and programs for the Spanish Constitution bicentennial next year, told city commis-sioners Monday that monument replicas promised to Aviles and Cadiz, Spain, will begin with laser scanning the monument to create molds from computer models.
Finotti said using the computer technology can also allow creation of smaller replicas to raise revenue during the commemoration.
Other developments from the 450 workshop before Monday's regular commission meeting:
- Casa Monica Hotel is interested in partnering with the city to manage the annual Noche de Gala in February, and Destination Planning of Jacksonville is offering partnership for corporate programs and events in the Visitor Center;
- Commissioners Bill Leary and Leanna Freeman called for a business plan, outlining proposed event costs and return - Freeman saying she wants to see that before hiring an executive director;
- Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline suggested the Visitor Center and parking facility should be multi-use, offering event space as well as exhibits, and multimodal use for cars, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, and sightseeing vehicles;
- Mayor Joe Boles urged exploring restoration of properties as legacy projects through corporate sponsorship and possibly hospitality houses for other states and countries;
- Leary suggested groups representing various nationalities, periods, and culturesform committees to develop programs - he's already started with a British committee "because I have a deep command of that language . . ."
|
|
|
|
|
Resolution to support Galimore |
Responding to concerns that revitalization of the Galimore Center is being forgotten, City Manager John Regan plans to introduce a resolution at the November 14 City Commission meeting formally committing a $400,000 county payment to the center and setting a deadline for proposals to manage the center.
A Galimore citizen advisory committee, meeting recently, felt the City Commission ignored a program plan it had developed when the commission voted $40,000 to keep the center open only for current programs. There was also concern that $400,000 paid by the county when it discontinued management of the center October 1 would be directed to other city uses.
Oops! Pool won't fit
Flagler College students, developing a survey of community support for the Galimore Center, discovered in talking with swim team coaches at the new Solomon Calhoun Center that its pool is not regulation size - making swim meets impractical there.
The Galimore Center pool is regulation size, but the city has rejected its rejuvenation due to high costs of restoration and operation the city would have to bear. |
|
Spanish Quarter negotiations in January |
Negotiations with three companies interested in developing programs for the Colonial Spanish Quarter are expected to begin in January, after allowing time for notifications and responses, Assistant City Manager Tim Burchfield told city commissioners Monday.
Pat Croce & Company, St. Augustine Historical Tours, Inc., and Orlando Dinner Entertainment, Inc. have each presented qualifications to the city for possible public/private operation of the Colonial Spanish Quarter, closed October 1 in the face of a projected $700,000 operating deficit.
Burchfield said an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) suggested by the University of Florida will allow more flexibility to measure each bidder against criteria developed by the city. |
|
Market a community happening |
 Organizers call the first Sunday Lincolnville Farmers Market a success, helped in no small measure by sunny skies and mild temperatures.
The location, off Riberia Street south of the Galimore Center, rims the back edge of the Eddie Vickers Field, along a paved walk set years ago for jogging around the field.
Set up were two dozen vendors, offering crafts, fresh veggies, dried fruit, and baked goods - surprise!! Kari, granddaughter of the founders of the former Peterson's Bakery on King Street was there with DoRego's Bakery! A little blonde miss drew patrons with a sign on her shirt: "DoRego's Bakery, and Peterson's too, we have the sweets for you!"
The Lincolnville Farmers Market is scheduled for Sundays 11 am to 3 pm. |
|
San Marco a stepchild no more |
 "With crosswalk signs, new Uptown signs at each intersection, planter boxes (many more to come) and this weekend's work, San Marco begins to look more like a destination than a stepchild."
A proud Rhey Palmer, chair of the First City Beautification Committee, reflected on a busy past weekend with clean-up and planting along the Uptown business district - even a repainting of Bill and Mary Ann Rosenthal's Antiques Emporium at Cincinnati and San Marco.
Rhey says the committee is now under a 501(c)(3) "with an official name, tagline, logo and soon a website."
Trees get $1,000 boost; city adopts red cedar
The City Commission Monday approved the Southern Red Cedar as the city's official tree, and to support it and other tree planting thoughout the city, Gina Burrell of the city Street Tree Advisory Committee announced she's donating $1,000 to the effort.
"Our trees are such an important part of our community," she told commissioners. "I hope others will come forth to support this effort."
Looking for garden judges
Burrell, chair of the city Street Tree Advisory Committee's Beautification Subcommittee, has put out a call for Master Gardeners and Garden Club members to join her group, focused on recognizing gardens in our community.
Awards are given for eco-friendly, aesthetic, and organic gardens. Three gardens in the north city were honored recently, and nominees are being gathered now for Lincolnville.
Contact Gina 825-6746. |
|
Vets dedicated to first-hand war stories |
Retired schoolteacher Michael Rothfeld found 34 World War II vets in his Coquina Crossing neighborhood alone, creating the inspiration to capture on film war stories of our fighting men and women.
Prisoners of War: Stolen Freedom, being premiered November 6 at Anastasia Baptist Church from 2:30 to 4:30 pm, is the fourth in a documentary series that includes World War Two, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, all featuring local Florida veterans.
Honored guests November 6 will be Chief Petty Officer William Ingram, World War Two, Cpl. Richard Bassett, Korea, and Col. Hal Kushner and Capt. Giles Norrington, Vietnam.
Rothfeld's non-profit Florida Veterans Program and Projects, Inc. has planned a full afternoon for the free event, with Florida National Guard Mixed Services Color Guard, musical and essay tributes, Remembrance Ceremony, the Traveling Vietnam Wall, and a Service Salute performed by the Coquina Chorale with the students of the St. Augustine Community School for the Performing Arts.
The project website says it all: www.AnyVeteran.org/ |
|
Casey | | Sally and I thank the many folks who responded to news of Casey's passing. We are consoled in the confidence that she has introduced herself to Shamus and Zeb at the Rainbow Bridge and is getting a good workout. |
|
History's highlight
The Battle of Bloody Marsh | |
3 years, 10 months, 14 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
An account drawn from Our Georgia History
Considered the decisive battle for control of "the debatable land" of Georgia, the forces of Britain's James Oglethorpe, who had attacked St. Augustine in 1740, and Spain's Manuel de Montiano, in retaliation, met in the Battle of Bloody Marsh, July 7, 1742.
Fort St. Simon and Fort Frederica lay about 7 miles apart on St. Simon Island. Between the two a "military road" ran, a path one wagon wide, along which the army and nearby settlers in Frederica could receive supplies from Ft. St. Simon. 
Manuel de Montiano, governor of La Florida, rode the tide into St. Simon on July 5, 1742, sailing under the firing guns at Fort St. Simon, bypassing the fort and landing more than 50 ships near higher ground. Oglethorpe withdrew from the fort before the Spanish could mount an attack.
With some 3,000 troops of his estimated force of 4,500, Montiano took the fort the following day and began to scout the island on foot for Oglethorpe and his men. They quickly found the military road between Fort St. Simon and Fort Frederica, but dismissed it as a farmer's path.
The Spanish began searching the leeward side of the island, completely ignorant of the existence of Frederica. After realizing their mistake, Montiano ordered more than 100 men to scout the road, looking for evidence of English forces or Frederica.
Oglethorpe had chosen Frederica because of its location - it was surrounded by marsh, and there were only two ways to attack by land, through the dense forest to the north of Frederica or along the military road to the south of Frederica.
Sticking to a defense planned 8 years earlier, Oglethorpe stationed a small group of Highlanders, Rangers and marines under the command of Noble Jones to defend the road. Jones caught the Spanish skirmishers at the head of the formation by surprise.
Jones ordered his men to fall back as he rode off to find Oglethorpe. When notified of the engagement, Oglethorpe, according to legend, jumped on the first available horse and rode off down the road to St. Simons.
At Gully Hole Creek, Oglethorpe halted the orderly retreat of Jones' combined force and led them in an attack against the advancing Spanish, routing de Montiano's men in a furious battle.
Knowing the Spanish would continue the attack, Oglethorpe followed the retreating enemy to an open area in a marsh. Placing his men carefully around the open field as the Spanish regrouped, Oglethorpe left to rally more support.
A much larger Spanish force appeared and engaged Oglethorpe's men. The colonists tore into the superior Spanish force, forcing them into a haphazard retreat and ending Spanish efforts to control the debatable land.
British accounts say the name Bloody Marsh came from the marsh running red with Spanish Blood. But a similar name is also recorded, from an earlier encounter between Oglethorpe and Montiano, June 26, 1740, the Battle of Bloody Mose, in which the British were routed.
Image: Site of the Battle of Bloody Marsh, from Rootsweb |
|
|
|
The St. Augustine Report is published weekly, with additional Reports previewing City Commission meetings as well as Special Reports. The Report is written and distributed by George Gardner, St. Augustine Mayor (2002-2006) and Commissioner (2006-2008) and a former newspaper reporter and editor. Contact the Report at gardner@aug.com |
|
|
