Published by former Mayor George Gardner July 23 2016
The Report is an independent publication serving our community
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Mobility workshops to reach
into city's neighborhoods
A series of Mobility Workshops "to provide meaningful input into the on-going Mobility Study being done by Littlejohn Consultants" has been organized by the city and Neighborhood Council of St. Augustine.
"The purpose of these workshops is to give all St. Augustine residents direct input to the ongoing mobility process and help augment the work of the Mobility Task Force," according to a press release, "so that everyone has an opportunity to be part of the solution."
The initiative follows a series of three online surveys and criticism of City Manager John Regan's appointment of the mobility task force without neighborhood input.
"The City Manager, John Regan, will be available at the workshops to listen, take notes, provide information and answer questions," the release says. "Neighborhood Council Representatives will facilitate the workshops."
The schedule:
- North City for Fullerwood, Nelmar Terrace and Uptown associations Thursday, July 28, 7-8:30 pm at Christ Our Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church on Milton Street.
- West Augustine area Tuesday, August 2 7-8:30 pm at the Solomon Calhoun Center.
- Downtown for Old City South and Lincolnville associations Thursday, August 4, 7-8 pm at the Galimore Center.
- Flagler Model Land association Thursday, August 11, 6-7:30 pm at Maple Street Biscuit Company on Cordova Street.
- Anastasia Island for North Davis Shores and Lighthouse Park associations Tuesday, August 16, 5:30-7 pm at R.B. Hunt School.
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St. Augustine has a new city website.
"What's new?" asks its Welcome. "There's a new look, there's lots of new content and a there's new address: www.StAugustineGovernment.com is now www.CityStAug.com.
"CityStAug has information unavailable from any other source and so will work to make that information available in easily accessible ways to the widest possible audience."
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Lobbying for bed tax
help for preservation
Mayor Nancy Shaver will discuss with fellow commissioners Monday a proposal to add a one percent bed tax exclusively for historic preservation in St. Augustine.
The commission meeting begins at 5 pm in the Alcazar Room at City Hall and is live-streamed on CoSA.TV.
"Monroe County has a 1% tourist impact tax specific to a special taxing district - Key West," The mayor says, "to mitigate impacts to the natural environment.
"This effort could fund our historic preservation trust fund which will likely be a part of our historic master plan."
The County Commission is in the process of reviewing allotments in the county's 4% bed tax, this year estimated at $9,233,064.
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Fire fee increase returns
to commission Monday
A Fire Assessment Fee Resolution returns to the City Commission Monday with "various options ... to show different percentages" to reach a commission goal of 50 percent of fire service costs being paid by the fees, according to Budget Director Meredith Breidenstein.
Proposed are annual fire fee increases from 6 up to 7 cents a square foot for residential and up to 12.7 cents a square foot for non-residential properties.
Breidenstein has scaled levels ranging from 24% up to 52% of fire service costs. The current fees cover 30%.
The fee since 2009 has been 6 cents a square foot for all properties, bringing in some $976,000; a maximum increase would bring in some $1.68 million.
Once commissioners have decided on an increase level the resolution will go to a public hearing and final action.
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One-ways proposed
for Lincolnville streets
Commissioners Monday will consider creating two one-way streets in Lincolnville to "improve safety and traffic flow within these narrow streets."
Moore and Pomar streets - bracketing the Excelsior Museum and Cultural Center - would become one-way, Moore westbound and Pomar eastbound between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Riberia Street.
A survey along the streets drew 10 responses in favor and four opposed to the plan.
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Chimes for Hayling Park proposed
 Compassionate St. Augustine will present to city commissioners Monday a proposal for a Let Freedom Ring chimes project at Robert B. Hayling Freedom Park - the chimes ranging from 7 to 9 feet tall.
Caren Goldman, Executive Director and Founder of Compassionate St. Augustine, will seek commission approval of the project and acceptance of the work as a gift to the City on its completion.
"Keep Riberia Pointe Green (KRPG) and Compassionate St. Augustine are now working together towards the successful implementation of the Let Freedom Ring chimes project" says Goldman. "Overall, the driving force and beauty behind this process has been the cooperation, collaboration and communication that has spontaneously advanced a multi-faceted community-based effort from careful planning to the first developmental stage."
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Flagler professor looks at law enforcement
 The problem is not the police. The police are responding to the problem.
In the wake of national outrage at police involved shootings and fatalities at the hands of shooters, Dr. Joe Saviak, assistant director and associate professor in Flagler College's Public Administration Program, posted on social media his research and findings.
"Justice is best served when we allow a complete and highly competent investigation to render full factual findings and legal conclusions," Dr. Saviak says.
Image: Police mourning badge
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History's Highlight
National sentiment for Seminoles
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Second of two accounts from Red Patriots: The Story of the Seminoles, written in 1898 by Capt. Charles HE Coe. Andrew Foster, great grandson of the author, will discuss background and times of the Red Patriots at the 9th annual Dade Ceremonies August at the St. Augustine National Cemetery.
Complete text of Red Patriots here.
We have said that the leading sentiment of a majority of the American people favored a discontinuance of the Seminole War and a settlement on the basis of justice to the red men. But it must be remembered that Florida in general, and to some extent adjoining states, formed an exception to this rule.
General Thomas Jesup was therefore severely censured for his efforts to terminate the war by allowing the Seminoles to remain in the Territory. In a long editorial relating to the correspondence between the General and the Secretary of War, the leading newspaper in the Territory thus expresses the sentiments of its readers:
"From the confidence with which General Jesup expresses his views of the policy to be pursued toward the Indians, we should suppose he had entirely mistaken the nature of his mission to Florida. We presume the General Government will feel under no obligations to him for spending their money in constant negotiations with the enemy whom he is sent to subdue, whilst an army of 10,000 men is kept in pay merely to witness his rare talents for diplomacy.
"And we are sure the people of Florida will not thank him for his assiduous efforts to barter away their lands to their savage enemies .... In whatever light the proposition is received, it is abhorrent to every man endowed with the common feelings of humanity."
General Jesup's suggestions were opposed by many on the ground that the national "honor and dignity" were involved. On this point another journal says: "The people of Florida will not submit to it ... The national honor and dignity are too deeply concerned for it to listen for one moment to the proposed arrangement."
It did not seem to occur to these writers that, in truth and justice, the lands occupied by the Seminoles belonged to them; or that thousands of American citizens in other sections of the country could also claim "the common feelings of humanity." Clearly, in the opinion of such editors and of many of their readers, the red man had "no rights which the white man was bound to respect."
Before the war was over, however, the majority of the genuine settlers in the Territory were ready for peace on any terms.
The expression of General Jesup's views in his recommendations to the Secretary of War do greater credit to his head than his heart. He argues on the ground of governmental policy and economy, but has nothing to say of the rights of the Indians as human beings. In all his dealings with these unfortunate people, he seems to have regarded them as savages, not as fellowmen to whom the Golden Rule applies.
Image: General Thomas Jesup
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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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