Published by former Mayor George Gardner June 23 2012
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George Gardner 57 Fullerwood Drive St. Augustine FL 32084 |
Galimore CRA on city agenda | |
A request for $75,000 goes before the City Commission Monday to begin the process of establishing a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to support the Galimore Center and pool.
That support might be slow in coming. City Comptroller Mark Litzinger says the area proposed for the Lincolnville CRA had decreased values by another $2,577,003 from June's preliminary numbers, and the taxable value of the area will remain flat or show a minimum growth in the near future.
CRAs are based on the incremental increase in property values from the time the CRA is created. A flat or dropping tax base essentially generates no funds.
"Assuming an average growth rate of one and a half percent per year over a ten year period," the comptroller said, "the potential CRA funds collected would be approximately $916,000. This represents $537,000 in city funding and $379,000 in county funding." The CRA collects from both city and county property taxes.
City Building and Planning Director Mark Knight says $55,000 of the requested funds will go toward community meetings and processing and $20,000 for access to government data and legal review. The costs can be recouped from CRA collections.
City Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline urged a CRA as the commission two weeks ago heard a consultant's report on potential improvements and uses for the Galimore Center and pool. |
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More than St. Johns sheriff for two decades, more than a progressive law enforcement officer who brought his department into the 21st century, Neil Perry was a homegrown model of the best in community citizenship.
Gradute of St. Augustine High School and St. Johns River Community College before going on to higher education and law enforcement, retired colonel in the Florida Army National Guard, past president of St. Augustine's Kiwanis Club and member of Ashlar Masonic Lodge, chair of numerous causes and recipient of numerous awards, Neil Perry set a high bar for love of, and service to, our community.
That is the legacy Sheriff Neil Perry leaves us. |
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Fire equipment, digital history grants sought |
A request for $140,000 in a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters grant goes before the City Commission Monday for approval. FEMA is the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
"The grant will allow the Fire Department to upgrade the current low pressure SCBA air packs to high pressure air packs," Fire Chief Mike Arnold says. "The upgrade will allow interoperability with surrounding counties' equipment," he added. The City's portion of the grant would be ten percent, $14,000.
The item is in the Consent Agenda, which includes items the city manager considers routine and is not normally discussed during commission meetings.
Also on that agenda is a request to submit a grant to the State Bureau of Historic Preservation forSmall Matching and Certified Local Government (CLG) funding to create the St.Augustine GIS Historic Resource Inventory.
"The project will provide a public accessible website with Florida Master Site File forms and current building photographs displayed on a GIS map," Building and Planning Director Mark Knight says. No matching funds are required. |
Battle highlights black history conference |
The National Park Service annual Underground Railroad Conference at the St. Johns County Convention Center through Sunday has an added dimension: today's reenactment of the Battle of Bloody Mose on the original site of Fort Mose, off US 1 north of St. Augustine.
It emphasizes the conference theme: resistance to slavery through escape and flight to and from the South from the 16th century to the end of the Civil War. This raises a new national awareness that, long before the Underground Railroad headed north, it came south to Spanish St. Augustine, where freedom was promised to those fleeing English plantations.
"Wherever slavery existed, there were efforts to escape, at first to create communities in remote or rugged terrain on the edge of settled areas," Freedom Road Trail's Derek Hankerson says. He's cofounder, with James Bullock, of the organization highlighting Native and African-American contributions that have been overlooked in historic accounts.
A full day of activity is planned at Fort Mose today, with battle reenactments at 11:30 and 2:30. |
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Professionals at work |
Team assembles Drake's Raid Exhibit
A team of professionals created the stunning Art y Facts of Drake's Raid Exhibit at the St. Augustine Art Association, a St. Augustine 450 legacy project open for viewing at 22 Marine Street Tuesday - Saturday, noon to 4 pm, Sunday 2 to 5 pm. Admission is free.
Featured are artifacts uncovered by City Archaeologist Carl Halbirt on the art association site he relates to the 1586 raid by Sir Francis Drake on St. Augustine. Look for a Layers of History Quilt by fiber artist Mary Rhopa La Cierra with stratigraphic archaeology and real artifacts embedded in the fabric layers, and a charcoal portrait of Drake - the charcoal from the underground burn layer of the 1586 attack.
"The charred layer of 'de facto' refuse discovered at the Art Association had 49 different vessels--the best 16th century deposit found here," says Halbirt. "What we uncovered is an archaeological signature of Drake's attack." Visit www.staaa.org (904) 824-2310
Muralist recaptures '50s motif at Vilano motel
St. Augustine mural artist Susan Mele (http://www.susansfinedesign.com/) was among the craftspeople who restored the 1950s Magic Beach Motel at Vilano Beach, opened this week.
She restored the numerous wall murals in guest rooms, originally painted "back in the day" by a resident in lieu of rent.
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16th century comedias on St. George |
Dianne Jacoby as extravagant lady, outlaw cutpurse, Maggie Thierrien as naughty servant, clever wench, and Margaret Kaler as not so clever thief, foolish  daydreamer, and Lily Parsons as crying daughter, "Rat" from the Indies, offer authentic historical comedies written by Spanish playwright Lope de Rueda (1513 -1565) "about foolish people getting into crazy trouble -- just like today," Dianne promises.
The St. George Players will be on stage at the Spanish Bakery on St. George Street Saturday, June 30 and Saturday, July 7 at 8 pm, together with Spanish Bakery Tapas of the day. $10 Adults, $5 kids (under 6 free).
Their story is they're a traveling theatre troupe which left Spain to perform in the great theatres of Mexico City. An unfortunate encounter with pirates leaves them stranded in St. Augustine. "The Owner shares our view of life in St. Augustine and the history of the plays. The comedias present characters in timeless human conditions: Star-crossed lovers, bad working conditions, thieves, and trickery," says Dianne. |
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History's Highlight |
July 1821, Florida's transfer 3 years, 2 months, 17 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
The transfer of the Spanish territory of Florida to the United States July 21, 1821 was the result of the Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819, which also set out a boundary between the U.S. and New Spain (now Mexico). It settled a standing border dispute between the two countries and was considered a triumph of American diplomacy.  
The treaty was signed at Washington, February 22, 1819, by John Quincy Adams, secretary of state, and Luis de Onís, Spanish minister. Ratification was postponed for two years, because Spain wanted to use the treaty as an incentive to keep the United States from giving diplomatic support to revolutionaries in South America.
Once signed, the U.S. Senate ratified unanimously; because of Spain's stalling, a new ratification was necessary and this time there were objections. Henry Clay and other Western spokesmen demanded that the Spain also give up Texas. This proposal was defeated by the Senate, which ratified the treaty a second time on February 19, 1821.
The U.S. did not pay Spain for Florida but did agree to pay the legal claims of American citizens against Spain, to a maximum of $5 million.Pinckney's Treaty of 1795 between the U.S. and Spain was to remain in force. Spanish goods received certain tariff privileges in Florida ports.
There was no great exodus from Florida following the transfer as had occurred following similar changes in 1763 and 1783. Times were different and few of the present settlers perceived a religious or political threat from the new rulers of Florida.
Most of the territory's residents had homes and businesses to protect, and many had nowhere to go. The Menorcans and Greeks, brought to Florida by the English, were well established and wanted to stay.
The chaotic years of war and revolution in Spain and the wars of independence in Spain's New World territories had destroyed most of Spain's empire. Thus, neither the Spanish-speaking countries on this side of the Atlantic nor even of Spain itself were attractive goals of emigration.
A few Spanish Floridians removed to Cuba, but they were a distinct minority. Most of the Spanish residents simply stayed where they were. Of course, by 1820, the majority of the residents in Florida were English or Anglo-Americans from the states north of Florida's borders.
It was a small and polyglot population that saw the Stars and Stripes raised over St. Augustine's Fort, now named Fort Marion.
Images: Luis de Onís (left) and John Quincy Adams
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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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