|
Share your Report with friends on these social networks
|
|
Published by former Mayor George Gardner August 10 2013
The Report is an independent publication serving our community.
Contributions are greatly appreciated.
or mail to
George Gardner 57 Fullerwood Drive St. Augustine FL 32084
Click to order St. Augustine Bedtime Stories -
two sets of twelve, $15 each set
|
|
7-Eleven
Park idea draws financial pledges
One suggestion that the proposed 7-Eleven store site at busy May Street and San Marco Avenue could be taken by the city through eminent domain, and another that a recent powerball winner could make it a park in her name, have brought forth four $1,000 pledges from the community.
"I and my husband personally would donate $1,000 toward the purchase of the land," wrote one. "Yes, we would put in one grand for the property too instead of having 7-11! Drum up more support please," wrote another. And both a business and its managing partner made $1,000 pledges, saying, "progress is good, but be careful what you wish for."
He also owns a business near the newly opened Mellow Mushroom on Anastasia Blvd., and says "so far, it's a traffic nightmare."
Concerns and commitment have been passed along to City Manager John Regan and City Attorney Ron Brown, noting, "no one's been able to determine whether the property is purchased or under option or contract with contingencies. These folks and the concerned community need your help to pursue the property status and ideally to explore any means of putting the site into public hands." 
Improving appearances
The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports "Sunoco Inc. is building a one-of-a-kind gas station in Ormond Beach. In addition to a 12-pump filling station, crews will construct a coquina rock wall around the perimeter with a clock tower at the corner of the intersection. The coquina ties in with the city's old firehouse and columns found at Andy Romano Beachfront Park." The city planning director said the gateway sign was a result of negotiations on compliance with city zoning codes.
Photo: Daytona Beach News-Journal from Cornerstone Consulting Engineers and Architects
Community spirit
And the Bangor (ME) Daily News reported that powerball winner 84-year-old Gloria MacKenzie, now living in the Jacksonville area, has offered to donate $2 million to repair her hometown high school's roof in East Millinocket. A suggestion has been made here that she might consider buying the 7-Eleven site as a city park in her name.
|
|
|
|
Mumford
positive
Amid concerns about the September 13-14 Mumford concert, there's good news for at least one local non-profit.
"The Children's Museum of St. Johns (CMSJ) has been presented with an amazing fundraising opportunity!" Volunteer Coordinator Kathy C. Weed says. "CMSJ will be staffing all of the drink stands at the two day concert - some alcoholic, some not.
"We need volunteers!!!"
Kathy says 150 volunteers are needed to man 15 drink booths from 1:30 pm to 12 am over the two day period. CMSJ will get 30 cents for every drink sold. Volunteers will take four hour shifts.
The Children's Museum hopes to have an online volunteer registration system by Tuesday with more detailed information on schedule, parking and volunteer registration forms. Visit the CMSJ website.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
My husband & I have been residents of St. Augustine for 21 years. The statement made by City Manager John Regan, in a press release to the St. Augustine Record, defending expenses for the Picasso exhibit and upcoming Mumford concert "to support and recognize the importance of arts and culture as the backbone of our town" was inappropriate.
The backbone of our town is not the arts. The backbone of our town is our history. While the arts are important they are not the backbone of our town.
The reason so many people enjoy St. Augustine is that the people are friendly and it still has that small town feel with free concerts in the Plaza & Pier, craft fairs, Farmer's Markets, holiday parades & lights and most of all, for our historic buildings, forts, St. George Street, etc.
We are, after all, the Oldest City. We are not Party Central.
The city fathers need to consider what our city is known for and build on that. It should be our HISTORY, not over the top concerts.
This upcoming concert could possibly give St. Augustine a bad name & deter visitors if it is not done right.
We have no business trying to run a 30,000 person concert. We don't have the funds or appropriate venue, to say nothing about parking and transportation. We have the Amphitheater for concerts, in sizes we can manage.
What's next? How about putting in a bid to have the Super Bowl here. We can hold it at Pedro Menendez football field !!!
Millie Hammel
|
|
|
|
|
Sewer line help for West Augustine
|
Three areas of West Augustine have been targeted for sewer line improvements at a cost of $1.5 million "which could be funded using State Revolving Fund monies if so desired by the City," Public Works Director Martha Graham will report to city commissioners Monday.
The commission meeting begins at 5 pm in the Alcazar Room at City Hall.
The projects include:
- Installation of gravity sewer on West 5th Street addressing requests due to failing septic tanks
- Force mains on N. Volusia Street to address an immediate request for service
- A portion of W. King Street and South Woodlawn Street which would help to spur economic development along W. King Street
Commissioners will be asked to add a Clean Water Facilities Plan Addendum to the May 2010 West Augustine Community Development Area (CRA) Water and Sewer Master Plan, a requirement of the funding program.
|
|
Plan moves from horse stables to station
|
Following negative reaction to developing carriage horse paddocks adjacent to the Lincolnville Farmers Market and Community Garden, city officials now propose a "transfer station" south of the Wastewater Treatment Plant on Riberia Pointe, adjacent to the fire tower.
Carriage businesses "would trailer in the horses on a daily basis and use the transfer facility as a starting point for their operation," Assistant City Manager Tim Burchfield will tell city commissioners Monday at the commission's regular meeting. "The only items to be stored at the transfer facility will be carriages and tack for the horses."
As in the earlier proposal, the cost of the transfer station is estimated between $90,000 and $100,000, and potential lessees "indicate all are amenable to a payback of the capital outlay over a specified period of time," says Burchfeild.
Lincolnville residents raised a stink in May about potential stink from the horses.
Fire Chief seeks new engine
Fire Chief Mike Arnold will make the case to commissioners Monday to replace a 1998 pumper with a new engine at a cost of $290,000 under 5-year lease purchase agreement.
"Several years ago a capital outlay program was developed to replace fire trucks every 15 years, based on the standard recommendation by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Fire Apparatus Association," Arnold will tell commissioners. "Once this truck is replaced, the City will be in compliance and will not need to replace any apparatus until fiscal year 2019/20."
|
|
News & notes
Budget calendar - City commissioners will meet in budget workshop Thursday, August 22, at 9 am, while public hearings on the proposed budget will be Thursday, September 5, at 5:05 pm and Thursday, September 19, at 5:05 pm, times prescribed by state law. All meetings will be in the Alcazar Room at City Hall.
 | |
Fronds await sizing, placing
|
16th century roofing - The nonprofit St. Augustine Maritime Heritage Foundation is ready for a "palm frond assembly line" of volunteers to size, cut and install fronds on the roof of the shipwright's building at its boatyard in the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.
The building is adjacent to the boat shed completed last year and housing the frame of a 16th century chalupa. The project began Friday and continues Tuesday and Wednesday 9-noon. Contact Linda Allen 904-794-1531
Tapping Nutcracker - The seasonal favorite Nutcracker is adding a new twist - or tap - to this year's performance - a tap-dancing scene. "Every year I like to change portions of the ballet to keep it fresh and interesting," says Artistic Director Luis Abella. "Tap in one of the scenes is one of the many changes we're making."
Auditions for experienced tap dancers, 8 to 18, open August 24 at Abella's School of Dance at 1711 Lakeside Avenue, Unit #9, off SR 312. Contact Joy D'Elia and visit the website.
|
|
History's highlight
Ponce fountain search not likely
|
2 years, 1 month to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
According to a popular legend, Ponce de León discovered Florida while searching for the Fountain of Youth. Though stories of vitality-restoring waters were known on both sides of the Atlantic long before Ponce de León, the story of his searching for them was not attached to him until after his death.
 In his Historia General y Natural de las Indias of 1535, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés wrote that Ponce de León was looking for the waters of Bimini to cure his aging. A similar account appears in Francisco López de Gómara's Historia General de las Indias of 1551.
Then in 1575, Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, a shipwreck survivor who had lived with the Native Americans of Florida for 17 years, published his memoir in which he locates the waters in Florida, and says that Ponce de León was supposed to have looked for them there.
Though Fontaneda doubted that Ponce de León had really gone to Florida looking for the waters, the account was included in the Historia general de los hechos de los Castellanos of Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas of 1615. Most historians hold that the search for gold and the expansion of the Spanish Empire were far more imperative than any potential search for the fountain.
There is a possibility that the Fountain of Youth was an allegory for the Bahamian Love Vine, which locals brew today as an aphrodisiac. Ponce de Leon could have been seeking it as a potential entrepreneurial venture.
It's also possible Indian servants brewing a "brown tea" in Puerto Rico may have inspired Ponce de Leon's search for the Fountain of Youth. Arne Molander has speculated that the adventurous conquistador mistook the natives' "vid" (vine) for "vida" (life) - transforming their "fountain vine" into an imagined "fountain of life."
Image: St. Augustine's Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park stakes its claim to a fountain of youth spring.
St. Augustine Bedtime Stories - Dramatic accounts of famous people and events in St. Augustine's history - in booklets designed for quick reads before bed. Information here.
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
