Published by former Mayor George Gardner June 9 2012
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George Gardner 57 Fullerwood Drive St. Augustine FL 32084 |
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Jones a late qualifier in lone city race
Mayor Joe Boles and Commissioner/Vice Mayor Leanna Freeman have no opposition in this year's city elections, while Commissioner Errol Jones filed for qualification in the closing hours of the qualifying period Friday to face three challengers.
Unchallenged candidates do not appear on the November ballot. Potential write-in candidates face the same qualifying procedure as others, Elections Supervisor Vicki Oakes says.
Boles will enter a fourth term in his quest to be mayor through the 450th commemoration. Freeman enters a second four-year term.
Jones, beset over the past year by a conviction on misdemeanor obstruction of a police officer without violence, and a temporary injunction on a charge of inappropriately touching a female, has been on the commission since 2002.
He'll face three challengers in an August 14 Primary - the top two vote-getters moving on to the November election unless one candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote.
Former Planning and Zoning Board member and chair Deltra Long, architect Roxanne Horvath, and former County Commissioner and chair Bruce Maguire will also be on the August ballot. |
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Nine graduating seniors from St. Johns County high schools will receive Citizenship Awards at Monday's City Commission meeting.
The honorees are nominated by student organizations and decided by school administrators.
The 2012 Citizenship Award recipients are Gabrielle Garrad, Allen D. Nease High School; Madelynn "Maddie" Kay, Bartram Trail High School; Greta Mosteller, Creekside High School; Erica Swartz, Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind/Deaf Department; Katherine Wyble, Pedro Menendez High School; Elizabeth Egan, Ponte Vedra High School; Olivia Hutcherson, St. Augustine High School; Holly Woodle, St. Johns Technical High School, and Matthew Corrigan, St. Joseph Academy. |
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Pat Croce wins
Spanish Quarter |
Look for representations of four eras of St. Augustine history, perhaps including a British pub to join the Spanish taberna, when the former Colonial Spanish Quarter reopens later this year.
Pat Croce, whose Pirate and Treasure Museum adjoins the property, beat out two competing companies to take over the quarter, closed by the City Commission last year for lack of funding.
Ed Poppell of the University of Florida (UF), now managing 34 state-owned historic properties here, will update city commissioners Monday on the selection process and future development.
The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum was dropped for lack of capitol, General Services Director Jim Piggott says, while Historic Tours of America, operators of the sightseeing green trolleys, was dropped in a final consensus of a seven-member review panel. The panel included four UF and three city representatives.
Piggott said Poppell will bring the Croce plan to the university's direct support organization for final approval, and the original timing - July 1 for contract award and October 1 for reopening - may be pushed later to complete all the paperwork.
But "Croce is ready to go," he said. |
Galimore Center proposals
go to commission Monday |
Restoration of the pool at Galimore Center is expected to be endorsed by consultant Jerry Dixon as the potential future of the Galimore Center and pool is presented Monday to city commissioners.
General Services Director Jim Piggott says that, while he hasn't seen the final report, he understands Dixon will suggest both six and twelve month pool operation alternatives, as well as renovations of the center and operational costs for each.
A Flagler College team directed by Dr. Casey Welch did extensive surveys, finding:
ü Strong support for opening pool and swim lessons, valuing the pool as a community asset, not just a personal resource.
ü Strong support for more activities in the Center, including youth tutoring, college prep, summer reading; exercise classes, fitness training, yoga, self-defense, and certification programs for life guard, CPR, and baby sitters.
ü Consistent preference for community use and public access, with reduced or free access for low-income people or groups.
ü 20% of the respondents did not know a community pool had existed in Lincolnville, indicating that marketing of the Center and Pool to area residents may be a good avenue to increasing use and revenue. |
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Breaking up the homestead on appeal |
The two homes at 10 and 12 Lovett Street have been a family homestead for decades. Brother and sister, Siree Safwat and Mildred Baldwin, inherited the property from their mother.
Today, Mrs. Baldwin wants to sell her home, but the lot has to be subdivided to do it - and that means creating two lots below the minimum size allowed by city code.
The Planning and Zoning Board in May decided, "practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship is so substantial, serious and compelling that relaxation of the general restrictions should be granted."
The Planning and Building Department might agree, emotionally, but city codes have no emotion, so the department has made appeal to the City Commission, which will hear arguments and decide the matter Monday. |
| Also on Monday's agenda
Modern trucks, old street - City Manager John Regan will discuss with commissioners large vehicle control on Aviles Street, following the collision of a truck with the balcony of the Fatio House earlier this week.
The arguably oldest street in America features narrowness and overhanging balconies which don't sit well with modern trucks.
Better broadcasting - On the consent agenda, Commissioners will consider investing up to $50,000 to upgrade the audio/visual equipment which carries the city's commission and lower board meetings.
"Some of the equipment has been in use for more than 15 years and is in need of replacement, if not in totality" Planning and Building Director Mark Knight will tell commissioners. "The proposed upgrade/replacement will provide for automatic sound mixing and a digital format system that can result in a saving of staff time allocated to producing meetings for viewing by the public."
Regulating tour vehicles - City Attorney Ron Brown will open discussion on traffic regulation of tour vehicles.
Landscaping San Marco - On recommendation by the Street Tree Advisory Committee, commissioners will consider agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation to install the palm and crepe myrtle trees on the east side of San Marco Avenue between Williams and Ballard streets.
Cooking oil collection winner - The Florida Industrial Pretreatment Association will present the City with an award for collecting the most used cooking oil during the first Semi-Annual Residential Cooking Oil Collection Competition. The City successfully collected 16 1/2 gallons of used cooking oil April 15-21 at its Wastewater Treatment Plant drop off location. | |
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Preparing for "The Season" | |
Got the plywood ready?
That special season afforded Florida residents is upon us, and preparations have taken a new turn in some households and businesses.
We were prepared to ditch the heavy slabs of plywood for hurricane shutters when we chanced upon another option, that folds into a manageable light package - hurricane fabric.
AstroGuard, distributed by The Home Depot, won't save a window, but it'll stop a 2x4 at high speed and prevent opening the property to roof-blowing winds. Cost of fabric and fittings for our front windows and doors, $1,000. Convenience, priceless.
The American Red Cross offers these tips as for the hurricane season:
Ø Know all evacuation routes to get out of the storm track
Ø Have plenty of batteries and flashlights
Ø Stock up on water and non-perishable foods
Ø Have your first aid kit stocked
Ø Use your phone or other device to video or take pictures of your home and personal items such as clothes, TVs etc.
Ø Have a storm plan and familiarize your family with it
Ø Have a storm plan for your pets
Ø Be ready to put up any hurricane shutters or other protective devices
Ø Locate St. Johns Emergency Management and American Red Cross chapter ahead of time |
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History's Highlight |
Hurricanes shaped our founding
3 years, 3 months to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
But for hurricanes, St. Augustine would have been an also-ran for the title of nation's oldest city - if it were established at all.
Tristan de Luna was totally prepared to succeed in 1559 where Spain's previous settlement expeditions had failed. His thirteen ships carried fifteen hundred soldiers and settlers, building and farming implements, and food enough for a year.
He anchored in Pensacola Bay August 14, 1559, forty six years after countryman Ponce de Leon discovered La Florida.
Supplies were left aboard his ships in the bay while land was cleared and shelter built.
One month later, on September 19,a hurricane struck. After 24 hours of pounding, most of the fleet and its stores, and many of the Spaniards, were lost - one caravel being hurled into a grove some distance on land.
The remnants of the expedition struggled through the following winter, then abandoned this effort to establish Spain's first settlement in the new world.
Six years later, Pedro Menendez de Aviles had his test in a hurricane as well. He too was fully prepared to "explore and colonize Florida," but also on instruction from his king, "if there be settlers or corsairs of other nations not subject to Spain, to drive them out."
France's Jean Ribault's fleet was laden with supplies and reinforcements for the French settlement of Fort Caroline, near present-day Jacksonville, and both fleets arrived within days of each other in early September, 1565.
Again, a week after Menendez planted the Burgundy cross on our shore, a hurricane struck.
Ribault decided the storm would cover a surprise attack by sea on St. Augustine. Menendez thought better. Creating this land's first militia to guard the newly founded settlement, he led his troops over land in the driving storm to a defenseless Fort Caroline, while Ribault's ships were scattered by the hurricane's fury along the coast south of St. Augustine.
Image: De Luna Landing, watercolor by Herbert Rudeen, Pensacola Historical Society |
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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 |
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