Published by former Mayor George Gardner May 7 2016
The Report is an independent publication serving our community
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Working together to 'reimagine
the Visitor Information Center'
 A year ago an advisory task force was formed to "reimagine the Visitor Information Center." "After the 450th what should it be? What are their thoughts on that?" Mayor Nancy Shaver asked as she announced an initiative with the (St. Augustine) Attractions Association and the VCB (Visitors and Conventions Bureau). A year later a laundry list of tweaks has emerged "of the original suggestions from the group shared with city staff," VCB Director Richard Goldman says - everything from reorganizing and expanding brochure racks to best location for signage with the international symbol for "Information." What wasn't imagined is a dramatic entry envisioned by Artist Alfred Simson seven years ago at the request of former Heritage Tourism Director Bill Adams. (See picture). "All-in-all my read of the Advisory Group's feelings about their work and the city's efforts at the VIC is that they are well pleased at the progress and openness with which their suggestions have been considered and acted upon," Goldman concludes.
"As for future major renovations, I think funding is the primary barrier," he adds.
The group, representing a wide spectrum of tourism interests, will continue to meet quarterly with VIC staff.
Read the committee's list here.
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High honors for
living historians
Four veteran reenactors will receive one of the city's two highest awards at Monday's City Commission meeting.
Robert and Gudrun Hall and Carl and Patti Rang will receive the de Aviles Award.
The Halls will receive the 2015 award and the Rangs the 2016 award under the award procedure of one award annually.
The two couples, considered among founders of St. Augustine's reenactment community, both date their involvement with living history interpretation here to 1972 and continuing since.
The Halls founded the Historic Florida Militia and the Rangs helped develop a fledgling fife and drum corps.
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Homelessness, Culture
added to strategic plan
 Newly appointed Director of Budget & Performance Management Meredith Breidenstein makes her debut presentation to the City Commission Monday, a "Strategic Plan Update including objectives Enhancing Community Partnerships in Regards to Homelessness and Arts and Culture Enhancement."
The regular commission meeting begins at 5 pm in the Alcazar Room at City Hall and is live-streamed on CoSA.TV Homelessness - "To ensure that all of St. Augustine's residents have the basic necessities of life. This is a long-term commitment that includes offering support to our homeless population, treating all with dignity and respect and the continuous education/ recognition of the needs of the homeless population."
Arts and Culture - "To be a more integral part of the community's rich arts and cultural scene. The City would like to play a more active role in the development of art and cultural programs that will educate both our residents and our visitors."
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"To ensure that City parks and other City facilities are easily identified and located by designating such areas with names that are consistent with the character of the City," commissioners Monday are expected to adopt a resolution regulating the naming of city parks and facilities.
The resolution is in the consent agenda, usually adopted without discussion.
The city would solicit suggestions for names from the community.
Among considerations: neighborhood or geographical identification, natural or geological features, a place or event of historical or cultural significance, the articulated preference of residents of the neighborhood surrounding the city park or facility, and a deceased person or persons who has made significant and outstanding contributions of public service to the community.
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Reserve plan for
Enterprise Funds
The City Commission Monday will consider a resolution establishing working capital reserves for the city's enterprise funds.
"This resolution adopts a policy that ensures the City maintains adequate working capital in its enterprise funds and mitigates any current or future risk related to revenue shortfalls, unanticipated expenses and emergency aid," says Financial Services Department Director Mark Litzinger.
The enterprise funds, designed to be self-supporting, include the Utility, Stormwater, Solid Waste, Municipal Marina, and Visitor Information Center Funds.
They'd maintain a minimum of 90 days of working capital.
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Graduating seniors to get
city Citizenship Awards
Nine graduating seniors at area high schools will receive Annual Citizenship Awards from the City Commission Monday.
Among the honorees:
- Nathan Campbelle McClintock, Allen D. Nease High School
- Matthew Scott Solof, Bartram Trail High School
- Chandler Crimmins, Creekside High School
- Quinton DeLong, Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, Blind Department
- Cody Lewis, Pedro Menendez High School
- Jessica Reade, Ponte Vedra High School
- Rebecca (Becca) Roberts, St. Augustine High School
- Parker Lucas DeMent, St. Johns Technical High School
- Jenelly Santiago, St. Joseph Academy
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Back to school for city commissioners
"Changes made to the ethics laws during the 2014 legislative session require Florida's elected municipal officers to take a minimum of four hours of ethics training each year, beginning January 1, 2015," Assistant City Attorney Denise May will report to commissioners Monday.
That training includes the Ethics in Government section of the Florida Constitution, the Florida Statutes Code of Ethics, and Public Records and Public Meetings - the Sunshine Law.
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Politics 101 for Youth in Government
 St. Johns County student Emma Loya presents her bill's closing statement on repealing the statute of limitations for rape. It passed in both chambers and was signed into law by the Youth Governor at the recent Youth in Government State Assembly in Tallahassee. Some 700 students statewide took part, serving in the actual Florida Senate and House chambers, the Cabinet and Supreme Court offices during the 3-day session, committed to "debate ideas not people."
The yearlong, nonpartisan program allows students to improve their public speaking and debate skills while they express their opinions, ignite change, and represent their generation.
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History's Highlight
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'Unexciting' St. Augustine
Excerpt from The Awakening of St. Augustine by Historian Thomas Graham
In 1847, Mr. B. E. Carr, the vigorous storekeeper, gave St. Augustine its best hotel to date when he erected the Magnolia House. By 1853 the Magnolia had forty-five rooms and had clearly established itself as the standard for judging the town's other houses.
 Guests at the hotel could enjoy the shaded grounds which faced on St. George Street. One young man, however, found reason to complain about the house's clientele: "It would seem that all the old women & ugly children in the United States come to Augustine; & the ugliest of them stop at the 'Magnolia'." Nonetheless, this gentleman remained at the hotel with the hope that the next stage from Picolata would bring a pretty girl. Other visitors found a wide assortment of complaints to lodge against the town. Travel arrangements were a favorite grievance, although the most certain adversity of travel - seasickness - was unavoidable. Some hearty sea voyagers coped with this routine difficulty by remaining drunk during the whole passage South.
Once settled in town for the winter, many individuals found the standard regimen insufferably boring, and time weighed heavily on them while they waited out their term in exile away from their homes.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, who tarried in St. Augustine in the year 1827 with a pain in his chest, was one of those who endured loneliness and homesickness. He spent his time sitting in the sun, strolling along the beach, visiting the town's antiquities, and sailing on the bay. The gentlemen among his fellow boarders whiled away the time whittling walking sticks from orange branches.
Meetings of the Bible society, temperance society, court sessions, election days, and slave auctions provided some relief to the dull fare of society.
For Emerson, striking up acquaintances with strangers proved to be an enriching experience. As he was leaving town Emerson discovered that one of his rooming associates was Achille Murat, a nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte who had come to try the pioneer life in Florida.
The young New England preacher and the French atheist enjoyed a stimulating fellowship during their sail North.
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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 a former newspaper reporter and editor. Contact the Report at gardner@aug.com or gardnerstaug@yahoo.com
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