[00:00:02]
>> ARE WE READY TO START? >> THE MEETING IS NOW CALLED TO
[Call to Order]
ORDER. EVERYBODY HAS HAD A CHANCE TO READ OR REVIEW THE[Approval of Minutes]
MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING? >> YES.
>> IT WASN'T THERE, SO I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO SAY. I DID NOTICE WHAT I WAS ABLE TO REVIEW THAT I HAD MADE COMMENTS AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING, BUT I WASN'T THERE AT THE NOVEMBER
MEETING. >> I HAVE NO OBJECTION MYSELF
FOR THE MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER . >> I WILL NEED A MOTION.
>> I WILL MAKE IT. >> SOMEBODY WAS THERE.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION . DO I HAVE A SECOND? WERE YOU HERE FOR
>> ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. WE WILL VOTE . ALL IN FAVOR? APPROVED. NEXT , PUBLIC COMMENT . IS THERE ANYBODY HERE FROM
[Public Comment]
THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME?>> YES, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DAVID. I GUESS I'M STANDING IN FOR JUNG . THIS IS FOR THE SCHOOL APPLICATION FOR A HISTORICAL MARKER AND I'M ALSO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY MOTHER . SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW WHO SHE IS AND HER INVOLVEMENT IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND GOING TO JAIL WITH DR. KING. SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING THE SCHOOL FROM ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION TO ITS PRESENT LOCATION IN HUNTER DOUGLAS PARK IN 1994. HAS AN ENTIRE OUTLINE HERE OF HER MOST RECENT UPDATE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE TIME OR OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO READ IT INTO RECORD, BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE STILL ARRIVING WHO WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE UP TO THREE MINUTES SPEECH IN FAVOR OF GRANTING THE HISTORICAL MARKER. WE HAVE A PETITION THAT HAS BEEN CIRCULATING AND SIGNED . I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO SUBMIT THAT INTO THE RECORD.
THIS ONE THAT I HAVE WITH ME IS NOT THE FULL PETITION. I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE TIMEFRAME IS UP FOR SUBMITTING THOSE SIGNATURES , BUT I BELIEVE THE BOARD IS FAMILIAR WITH THE SCHOOL LOCATED IN HUNTER DOUGLAS PARK IN THE HILLTOP AREA . THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1897 , ALTHOUGH THE SCHOOL WAS BUILT IN EARLY 1900S. THAT PROGRAM WAS THE LOCATION WHERE AFRICAN-AMERICANS COULD GET A FORMAL EDUCATION IN CLAY COUNTY . MY MOTHER THAT I MENTIONED WAS ONE OF THE STUDENTS AS WAS HER SISTER AND FAMILY . THEY WENT THROUGH THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM HAVING TWO AT A DESK ALL IN ONE SCHOOL ROOM WITH GRADES FROM EARLY ELEMENTARY ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL . THEY HAD SO MANY WONDERFUL STORIES TO TELL ABOUT THAT TIME, BUT THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE LEFT TO TELL THE STORY. MY MOM IS ONE OF THE VERY FEW WHO CAN TELL THAT STORY. SHE DID INTEND TO BE HERE TONIGHT AND I DON'T
[00:05:04]
KNOW IF SHE WILL MAKE IT BEFORE THE MEETING IS OVER, BUT I WANT TO GIVE MY STRONG ENDORSEMENT, AS WELL AS FOR MY ENTIRE FAMILY. I AM ALSO A RESIDENT OF CLAY COUNTY IN MIDDLEBURG, FLORIDA. THE ADDRESS IS HERE, AS WELL. I WOULD ALSO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE MIGHT HAVE . THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIMEONCE AGAIN. >> IF YOU WOULD FILL OUT THE CARD FOR US AND IF ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, THEY WILL NEED TO FILL OUT A CARD, AS WELL. IF THERE IS ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME .
>> GOOD EVENING , LADIES AND GENTLEMEN . MY NAME IS RONALD WHITE. THAT IS MY AUNT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. I GREW UP IN CLAY COUNTY. I GREW UP IN ORANGE PARK WHEN MY COUSIN DAVID SPEAKS OF AND OTHER EDUCATORS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR UPBRINGING. SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THIS PARTICULAR MEASURE THAT HE IS TRYING TO IMPLEMENT, WHEN YOU SEE US, YOU SEE THE PRODUCT OF THIS PARTICULAR MEASUREMENT FROM THE ELDERS WHO CANNOT BE HERE. MANY OF THEM ARE NOT ALIVE, BUT WE ARE A PRODUCT OF THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT CERTAINLY HAS EVOLVED TO THE CLAY COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM AND STATE OF FLORIDA SCHOOL SYSTEM. THERE WAS A TIME WHERE BLACKS AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS ONLY HAD VERY LIMITED OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATION . THIS PARTICULAR MARKER FOR SOME OF US REPRESENTS A PARTICULAR TIME OF ACHIEVEMENT WHEN IN THE CLAY COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY , THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS LIKE JACKSON , KEYS AND OTHER EDUCATORS YOU MAY KNOW FROM THE GREEN COVE AND ORANGE PARK AREA THAT SPROUTED OUT OF THIS PARTICULAR SEED .
IF NOT FOR THAT, YOU WOULD HAVE US. THEY WENT ON TO BE COLLEGE GRADUATES . WE WENT ON TO BE COLLEGE GRADUATES. WE WENT ON TO BE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THE CLAY COUNTY COMMUNITY , AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE GONE ON TO WORK VERY HARD TO PROGRESS NOT JUST OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THE COMMUNITY OF EDUCATION OVERALL. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT MARKER FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE CAME FROM AND TO BE ABLE TO PASS THAT ON TO THE GENERATIONS BEHIND US , SO THEY WOULD HAVE MORE OF A FOUNDATION AND UNDERSTANDING WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO STRIVE HARD , WORK HARD AND BE CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS AND TO BE EDUCATED MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY . IT GIVES US A PLATFORM TO INTRODUCE THE IDEAS AND MOTIVATION TO YOUNGER PEOPLE TO SAY , THIS IS WHERE THIS WAS. THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE, AND THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. NOW TO MOVE FORWARD FROM HERE. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I AM THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH LOCATED UP ON 2703 IN MIDDLEBURG, FLORIDA NEXT TO DOUGLAS PARK . I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN THE AREA FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS IN GETTING TO KNOW THE PEOPLE AND FELLOWSHIP IN
[00:10:01]
FINDING OUT THEIR CONCERNS. WHAT I'M SEEING HERE THAT WE DO HAVE IS JACKSON WHO IS VERY ACTIVE IN HISTORY AND HAS BEEN WORKING IN HISTORY FOR MANY YEARS.SHE COOK FOR HIM AND SHE CONTRIBUTED A LOT . THERE ARE OTHERS WHO WORKED TOGETHER IN THE HISTORICAL PARTY. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT I FEEL IS REALLY NECESSARY FOR THE COMMUNITY. FROM MY OWN VIEW AND UNDERSTANDING, THERE IS A LOT OF HISTORY . A LOT OF HISTORY FROM MIDDLEBURG , BUT NOBODY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT. NOBODY HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
CONVERSATION IN HOUSE WITHIN THEMSELVES. IT WAS A CONCERN TO ME. LET'S BRING THE PEOPLE TOGETHER. LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY DO HAVE A VOICE. ALL OF THE HARD WORK AND THAT THINGS FOR OUR ANCESTORS IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE IT AS GOOD AS WE HAVE IT TODAY. THEY NEED SOME SIGN TO SEE WHERE THEY COME FROM. TODAY, KIDS DON'T APPRECIATE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM , BUT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND NOTHING ABOUT A SCHOOL WITH JUST ONE ROOM AND TWO PEOPLE AT THE DESK AND DO HAVE ELEMENTARY UP TO HIGH SCHOOL IN THE SAME ROOM. THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW BLESSED THEY ARE . IF THEY SEE THERE IS SOMETHING TO SHOW THEM WHERE I COME FROM, IT WILL HELP THEM APPRECIATE WHERE THEY ARE AT TODAY , SO WE NEED SOMETHING AS A CONSTANT REMINDER TO PUT THAT THERE AND ALSO RECOGNITION FOR THE SISTER AND SAVING THAT SCHOOL. IT WAS A PROJECT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS A TRAINING PROJECT THAT BURNED DOWN.
SUCCESSFUL AT GETTING THE SCHOOL MOVED , SO COULD MAKE IT INTO A HISTORICAL BUILDING. I HAVE BEEN THERE AND SOMETHING THAT JUST TOUCHED MY HEART MYSELF AND MADE ME APPRECIATE WHAT THE LORD HAS PLACED ME AS BEING COMMUNITY. IT IS SO FULL OF HISTORY AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE PART OF IT. IT'S MY TIME? I WANT THE PEOPLE THERE TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE, BECAUSE THAT'S -- THERE AIN'T NOTHING CAN HAPPEN. THEY DON'T HEAR US. , THAT'S A CHANGE . I WANT THEIR VOICE TO BE HEARD. I WANT TO SHOW EVIDENCE THAT WHEN THEY SPEAK, SHOW EVIDENCE THAT YOU WILL ALL ARE LISTENING. I FIGURE IT'S A GOOD THING TO HAVE FOR THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> ANYBODY ELSE? >> MY NAME IS PAM. I'M A MEMBER OF INCORPORATED AND ALSO THE SORORITY SISTER OF JACKSON AND PROUD TO BE CONSIDERED HER GODDAUGHTER. IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO STAND HERE AND RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS HISTORICAL SCHOOLHOUSE . THE SCHOOLHOUSE IS MORE THAN JUST WALLS AND A ROOF. IT'S EDUCATION , PERSEVERANCE AND COMMUNITY . MOST IMPORTANTLY, COMMUNITY. FOR GENERATION, THE SCHOOL SERVED A BEACON OF HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY WHEN OPPORTUNITY WAS SCARCE. WITHIN THOSE WALLS, YOUNG MINDS WERE SHAPED. DREAMS WERE NURTURED AND THE FOUNDATION FOR BRIGHTER FUTURES WERE REALIZED. IT STANDS IS A REMINDER OF THE PROFOUND VALUE THAT EDUCATION HAS IN TRANSFORMING LIVES AND
[00:15:06]
UPLIFTING THE COMMUNITY. I SLOWLY HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER MAKING THIS A REALITY FOR THE COMMUNITY. HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY AS LONG AS MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME TO SEE THE SCHOOLHOUSE BECOME A REALITY AS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN LOOK AND SAY, WOW.THIS IS HISTORY. WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE HISTORY WHEN AT ONE TIME IT WAS REQUESTED FOR IT TO BE DEMOLISHED. SHE SAID NO. SHE STOOD UP AND SAID NO. NOT MY SCHOOLHOUSE. NOT WHERE I WAS TAUGHT. NOT WHERE I LATER CAME BACK AND PULLED OTHER CHILDREN. SHE SAID NO. WE ARE HERE ASKING THAT YOU ALL SAY
>> MY NAME IS FELICIA LEWIS AND I AM A PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATOR AND I HAVE KNOWN HER FOR 20 YEARS NOW. WE WENT TO SCHOOL TOGETHER. WHEN I FIRST MET HER, SHE WAS AN INSPIRATION, BECAUSE SHE WAS THE KEEPER OF HISTORY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REMARKABLE, BECAUSE NOT ALL SMALL TOWNS HAVE THE ABILITY TO KEEP THEIR HISTORY . YOU SEE A LOT OF HISTORY THERE AND THIS IS A UNIQUE AND SPECIAL PLACE DEAR TO MY HEART. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS MARKER IN THE SCHOOL. AS AN EDUCATOR, IT IS NEEDED. ONLY A SELECT FEW AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE REPRESENTATIONS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE A HISTORY AND NEED TO SHARE. THANK YOU AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL DO THE RIGHT THING.
>> ANYBODY ELSE? >> AM I ALLOWED TO MAKE A
SECOND OR FINAL COMMENT? >> I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH
IT. >> I JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR ITS TIME AND CONSIDERATION. SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE HISTORICAL MARKER AND YES, DR. MAUREEN JUNG SAID THAT SHE'S NOT ABLE TO BE HERE FOR HEALTH REASONS TONIGHT , SO I WILL SUBMIT THE LETTER FROM HER , AS WELL .
I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE HISTORICAL SHEET MUSEUM IN PLACE , BUT THIS IS THE LANGUAGE OF THE SCHOOL AND CLAY COUNTY BOARD CONSTRUCTION FOUND IN 1897 . THE COUNTY'S 10TH BLACK PUBLIC SCHOOL WAS ONE OF ABOUT 30 ESTABLISHED DURING THE CENTURY LONG TERM CROW ERA .
THE STUDENTS MET UNTIL 1908 WHEN THEY MOVED INTO A NEW BUILDING ON 4003 EVERETT AVENUE . BLACK WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH SMALL WOODEN HOUSES FOR THE EMPLOYERS .
OWNERS OF LOCAL TIME AND OPERATIONS. THE NEW MIDDLE BURG PUBLIC BUILDING FOLLOWED A STANDARD SET OUT THE 1880 WITH A 20 BY 30 FOOT SCHOOL CLASSROOM BUILT OF HEART PINE WITH LIGHT POWERED AND EIGHT WINDOWS. I WON'T GO INTO MUCH MORE OF THAT, BUT IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF ARCHITECTURE FROM A TIME THAT IS RELATIVELY UNIQUE NOW THIS DAY AND AGE AND SEPARATE ABOUT 1950S THE MIDDLEBURG SCHOOL WAS NEARING ITS END OF LIFE AS A SCHOOLHOUSE DESPITE THE UNANIMOUS 1954 U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION AND BOARD OF EDUCATION FLORIDA AND OTHER STATES THAT WERE SLOW TO CHANGE BY LATE 1950S . THE SCHOOL BOARD NAMED A NEW ROOM CEMENT
[00:20:04]
BLOCK SCHOOLHOUSE TO REPLACE THE MIDDLEBURG SCHOOL . THE ELEMENTARY WAS NAMED FOR A LONG TIME , SCHOOL TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL IN 1962 TO THE MIDDLEBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT BOUGHT THE SCHOOL PROPERTY , BUT EVENTUALLY ABANDONED IT.THE BUILDING SET UNTIL 194 WHEN THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO POUR BURNED THE BUILDING FIREFIGHTER TRAINING EXERCISE HEARING OF THAT PLAN FORMER STUDENT LED BY CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND EDUCATOR MOBILIZED THE COUNTY AND SAVE THE SCHOOL. THE MIDDLEBURG VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT DONATED THE BUILDING TO THE HILLTOP COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO BECOME THE HISTORIC SCHOOLHOUSE MUSEUM .
THERE IS MORE TO IT. RUNNING OUT OF TIME, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE THERE IS TREMENDOUS SUPPORT AND EVEN MUCH MORE SUPPORT EXIST , WHICH YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE TODAY. EVERYONE YOU SEE HERE TODAY LEARNED ABOUT THIS MEETING WITHIN A WEEKS TIME , SO GIVING MORE TIME, YOU WILL SEE MUCH MORE SUPPORT . I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND URGE YOUR GRANTING OF THE HISTORICAL MARKER, BECAUSE IT WILL SERVE ALL PURPOSES, AS MENTIONED , AS WELL AS WHAT RONNIE WHITE MENTIONED UNDER RECOGNITION OF THOSE WHO ATTENDED AND WENT THROUGH MIDDLEBURG COLORS
SCHOOL. >> THANK YOU. JUST FOR Y'ALL'S INFORMATION, I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS BASICALLY APPROVED THE MARKER . IT'S JUST NOW WORKING ON THE TEXT OF THE MARKER, THEN ONCE THE TEXT OF THE MARKER GETS APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE , THEN IT GETS PLACED IN LINE WITH THE OTHER MARKERS WE HAVE IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE PROCESS , THEN IT GOES TO THE STATE FOR APPROVAL. I MEAN, IT BASICALLY IS APPROVED, BUT NOT OFFICIALLY , I GUESS. THE BOARD HAS ACCEPTED IT AS A MARKER, BUT WE ARE STILL EARLY IN THE PROCESS.
IT HAS BEEN APPROVED AND WE ARE STILL A LONG WAY FROM SETTING THE MARKER UP AND GETTING EVERYTHING PHYSICALLY IN PLACE
>> WE SHOULD ALSO COMMAND THE PEOPLE TOOK THE TROUBLE TO COME OUT HERE AND TALK ABOUT THEIR CONCERN FOR THIS PROJECT. IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST PEOPLE I HAVE SEEN FOR A LONG TIME FOR A PARTICULAR REASON BEFORE THE BOARD. BY THE WAY, HAS THE BOARD SHOWN THE COPY OF THE PROPOSED UP TO NOW?
>> THAT IS WHAT WAS SHARED WITH OUR CLERK AND I WILL GET A COPY OF THAT AND DISTRIBUTE IT TO YOU ALL AND YOU CAN DISCUSS IT.
WE HAVE NOT. SHE HAS BEEN DOING RESEARCH.
>> WORKING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS TO GET TEXT TOGETHER.
>> WE KIND OF ENTRUSTED THIS AND NOW THAT WE ARE OUT IN THE
OPEN A LITTLE FASTER. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO
[00:25:01]
SPEAK? THERE IS. >> I'M WREATH FROM MIDDLEBURG AND THE MIDDLE MUSEUM AND CIVIC ASSOCIATION. WE STARTED WORKING ON THIS IN 2023 . AT THE END IT WAS OCTOBER, SO WE ARE THINKING ABOUT HAVING THREE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ON THE CORNER OF PALMETTO AND SECTION STREET IN MIDDLEBURG TO RECEIVE A HISTORIC MARKER , BUT WE HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE LODGE IS COVERED AND THEY ALREADY ARE AND HAVE MOVED TO THE OLD BUILDING TO ANOTHER LOCATION . WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE MIDDLEBURG CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND MIDDLEBURG MUSEUM . I BELIEVE I SAW JERRY PASSING OUT WHAT WE WROTE FOR VERBIAGE TO GO ON THE MARKER. WE HAVE HIT A SNAG AS FAR AS OFFICIALLY DOCUMENTING THAT IT WAS A WPA PROJECT . WE HAVE REFERRED TO IT AS THAT IN NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AND THERE WAS A FORMAL APPLICATION FOR A MARKER YEARS AGO AND IT WAS STATED THAT IT WAS WPA, BUT WE ARE NOW GOING WITH WHAT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN A WPA PROJECT. THAT IS WHERE WE ARE. DO WE HAVE SUFFICIENT DOCUMENTATION? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO FROM HERE?
>> AM GOING TO BOW TO JERRY HERE, BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE.
>> , C RESEARCH AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THERE IS MORE MATERIAL AWAY OF THE ARCHIVES OF THE COUNTY. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT IT'S NOT ORGANIZED IN ANY EFFECTIVE WAY . IF WE DON'T FIND IT, I THINK IT'S CERTAINLY FAIR TO SAY OR TAKE THE IMPLICATION THAT FEDERAL MONEY CERTAINLY WAS RESPONSIBLE SINCE THE COUNTY WAS BROKE. JUST TWEAKING SOME LANGUAGE THAT WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO MAKE IT WORK . WE'VE ALL JUST RECEIVED THIS PROPOSED TEXT AND PRETTY CLOSE TO THE MARK, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON IT A LITTLE MORE AND SEE WHAT THE PROPONENTS AND ALSO THIS COMMITTEE THINK OF THAT, SO WE COULD HOPEFULLY PUSH IT FORWARD. ELIMINATING THE PROBLEM , WHICH IS A MUCH MORE MODERN STRUCTURE IN THAT PLACE THEN THE TWO BUILDINGS THAT ARE NOW FEATURED BY DEFAULT.
DEFINITELY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP , TIME AND FUNCTION AND PURPOSE , SO I WOULD RECOMMEND WE KEEP IT ON THE AGENDA AND DO WHAT I CAN TO WORK ON AN ALTERNATIVE OR RATHER AN AMENDED VERSION
AND SEE WHAT EVERYONE THINKS. >> THANK YOU.
>> ANYBODY ELSE WANTING TO SPEAK? CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[Old Business]
WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE PROJECT UPDATES . WE KIND OF ALREADY COVERED THE MIDDLEBURG COLORED SCHOOL AND SINCE DR. MAUREEN JUNG ISN'T HERE, WE WILL USE IT FOR THAT. SINCE MS. MURPHY ISN'T HERE AND I HAVE NO UPDATES --.>> DEIRDRE MURPHY DID MENTIONED THAT ON NOVEMBER I WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO BE HERE . SHE DID MENTION HOW I WAS WORKING ON AN
[00:30:09]
AMENDED DRAFT OF THE LANGUAGE AND SINCE THAT TIME -- IN SEPTEMBER , I CAME UP WITH THE FACT FOR THE BOARD THAT WE HAD FOUND NEW INFORMATION AND I HAD UNCOVERED A MAP THAT I COPIED YEARS AGO FROM THE ARCHIVES OF NUMBER 11 AND ITS POSITION ON WHAT THE CAMPAIGN WORKED OUT FOR THE DEFENSE OF FLORIDA GETTING IT IS COMING BACK AND PUMPING MORE . SINCE THAT, I WENT ON AN EXPEDITION . KEVIN UBER TO THE ARCHIVES AND RECOVER A SLEW OF INFORMATION ON STAFFING AND HISTORY , SO IT IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT THERE IS PLENTY OF INFORMATION. IF THERE WAS TIME PRESSURE TO HAVE IT RIGHT NOW, THAT COULD BE DONE. IF WE GET MORE TIME, IT COULD BE EVENBETTER. >> 411 IS WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO WORK ON. THE CITY MARKER HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A TIME CRUNCH TRYING TO GET IT IN THE 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY , SO THEY WERE TRYING TO GET THE MARKER IN PLACE FOR THE CELEBRATION THIS YEAR , BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE I KNOW OF THAT IS UNDER A
TIME CRUNCH. >> IF YOU NEED MORE TIME.
>> WHEN WE WERE THERE IN SEPTEMBER , KEVIN AND I FOUND OVER 50 PAGES OF STUFF FOR STAFFING AND EVERYTHING ELSE .
THERE ARE EVEN STORIES TO TELL IF THEY COULD BE DEVELOPED FOR WHAT HAPPENED AT THE SITE AFTER IT WAS ABANDONED . IT STILL SERVED AS A LAUNCHING PAD FOR SETTLEMENT AND IT'S A STORY WORTH TELLING , BUT IT COULD BE TOLD EVEN BETTER IF WE HAVE TIME TO TIE IT ALL TOGETHER WITH THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF SPACE WE GET TO TELL THESE STORIES.
>> KEYSTONE HEIGHTS MARKER . MISS MURRAY IS IN HERE, SO WILL PASS ON THAT ONE. I THINK WE COVERED THE MIDDLEBURG MUSEUM CIVIC CENTER . DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY NEW BUSINESS?
[New Business]
>> I WAS KIND OF CURIOUS . I'VE TOLD THAT KEYSTONE HAS A MARKER PROGRAM FOR THEIR HOUSES AND YOU CAN GET A KEYSTONE MARKER SIMILAR TO THE RIVERSIDE . I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN DO HERE , BUT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT IT OUT THERE IF WE COULD MAYBE MARK SOME OF THOSE HOMES THAT ARE HISTORIC TO THE
AREA. >> IF YOU GET ADEQUATE FINANCING FOR A LOCAL MARKER, YOU DON'T NEED THE INTERVENTION OR SUPERVISION AND SO FORTH. I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD ALTERNATIVE IDEA AND CERTAINLY POSSIBLE TO PRIVATELY RAISE FUNDS AND THERE IS ALWAYS CONCERNED THAT THEY WOULD BE HISTORICALLY ACCURATE, WHICH WE ARE OVER THE YEARS AND URBAN LEGENDS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF A PLACE IS, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS QUITE RIGHT , SO THAT IS A VERY GOOD IDEA TO BRING IN ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF FUNDING AND SPONSORSHIPS FOR THESE WERE
THE PLACES. >> MAYBE YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD BEFORE ABOUT POTENTIALLY GETTING THE OLD JAIL AND NATIONAL REGISTRY. I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY THE LOGISTICS ARE.
>> IF YOU DO GET OUT. >> I THINK SHE IS THE ONE WHO
MENTIONED IT TO ME. >> IT IS ONE OF THE OLDEST
[00:35:03]
SURVIVING IN FLORIDA JAILS . THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO SEEM TO HAVE AN INTEREST , HISTORY OR LEGENDS. SOMEBODY WILL JUST HAVE TO COME UP WITH PROPOSED TEXT TO GET THINGSMOVING ON THAT. >> THAT TAKES CARE OF THE HISTORICAL PROJECTS AND BUSINESS. WE HAVE NO CERTIFICATES FOR APPROVAL. WE OPENED FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. SEEING NONE. I WILL CLOSE IT. WE WILL GO TO
[Staff Comments]
STAFF COMMENTS. >> I HAD A COUPLE OF THINGS. I CHECKED YESTERDAY WITH THE STATUS TO SEE OF THE OLF MARKER TO SEE IF IT HAD A DATE SCHEDULED FOR THE COUNCIL.
THEIR OFFICES AWAITING OF OUR HISTORICAL COUNSEL . WE ARE DELAYED WITH THAT AND WE WOULD BE DELAYED UNTIL I'M SURE THEY ARE BACK LOGGING UNTIL THEY GET THEIR FULL COUNSEL ESTABLISHED , SO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT . WITH THAT, WE HAVE TALKED IN THE PAST ABOUT THE COUNTY SIGN AND DESIGNATION. THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAYS YOU CAN DO A ROAD SIGN, WHICH ARE SIMILAR TO THE BONE MARKERS WITH THE WHITE TEXT , BUT THERE ALSO COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY AND I'M JUST GOING TO BRING THIS UP TO SEE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, BECAUSE THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT DELAYS WITH THE STATE HISTORIC MARKERS TO SEE IF THE BOARD HAD AN INTEREST IN DEVELOPING A HISTORIC MARKER FOR THE COUNTY LEVEL . YOU PROBABLY HAVE SEEN IF HE DIDN'T GO TO THE DEDICATION FOR THE HIBERNIA MARKER THAT WAS DONE RECENTLY BY THE COLONIAL SOCIETY , IT'S A VERY NICE MARKER THAT WAS PUT UP . YOU CAN PROBABLY CONSIDER DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR AND WE COULD RESEARCH PRICES AND SEE HOW THAT'S PALATABLE TO YOU WITH YOUR LIMITED BUDGET. I'M JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE IF YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT. COME BACK AND DISCUSS IT FURTHER NEXT TIME OR DIRECT ME TO DO ANYMORE RESEARCH.
>> I WOULD GO AHEAD AND DO RESEARCH AND PRICING , SO THAT WE CAN COMPARE THE TWO MARKERS . WE ARE STILL PAYING FOR IT EITHER WAY, THEN ONE MIGHT BE BETTER DEALS SINCE WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE STATE . TO GET US ALL THE INFORMATION AND WE WILL
TRY ON THE BOARD FOR. >> SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THERE WAS AN INTEREST ON THE PART OF THIS BOARD AND HAVING COUNTY MARKERS AS AN ALTERNATIVE. AT THAT TIME, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE COUNTY POLICY WAS TO LIMIT THE WORDING TO SUCH A NARROW SCOPE THAT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE WE COULD PUT ON THE MARKER. I'D BE INTERESTED IF THEY HAVE A SECOND LOOK AND ARE WILLING TO BE MORE GENEROUS WHAT WORDING COULD GO ON, SO THAT SEEING IT WOULD HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT.
>> I WASN'T HERE FOR THE DISCUSSION, BUT JUST LOOKING BACK , IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT STREET SIGNS.
OBVIOUSLY, A STREET SIGN WILL BE LIMITED FROM THE SIZE OF THE
LETTERING. >> I GUESS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT STREET SIGNS, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO DIFFERENTIATION MENTIONED AT THAT TIME BETWEEN THAT AND THE COUNTY MARKER.
THAT SEEMED TO BE ALL THERE WAS . AT THAT TIME, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE MARKER COULD EXCEED 12 CHARACTERS.
>> I WAS WORKING AT THE TIME AND WHAT IT IS , IF YOU ARE WILLING A ROADSIDE MARKER , THEN YES IT IS LIMITED IN SPACE . IF IT'S WITHIN A FEW FEET AT THE EDGE OF THE ROAD . IF YOU
[00:40:01]
WANT SOMETHING FOR MIDDLEBURG AND SAY THAT WE WANT TO PUT THIS ON THE SIDE, I CAN PUT THIS ON THE SIDE, THIS WHOLE THING AND PUT IT RIGHT NEXT TO THEIR BUILDING . YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT SIGNS. ONE IS AN INFORMATIONAL SIGN NEXT TO A BUILDING AND THE OTHER IS A BLURB TYPE SIGN SAYING, THIS IS A HISTORICAL POINT. LETTING THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT IT IS A HISTORICAL INTEREST AREA AND YOU ARE NOT TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE STORY OF THAT HISTORICAL INTEREST .>> THAT'S FINE. THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT WAS PUT OVER TO US AT THAT TIME, SO I'M GLAD -- DO WE HAVE A REGULAR FULL-BLOWN COUNTY SIGN THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE?
>> YOU CAN SEE THE HALSEY PLANTATION.
>> THERE IS A FULL-BLOWN COUNTY SIDE AND THAT WAS RIGHT AWAY .
>> WE READ IT AND IT'S ON THE OUT CORNER OF 218.
>> VERY GOOD. WE WILL SCOPE IT OUT. ONE OF THE THINGS MENTIONED AS A FEATURE TO HELP AMPLIFY INFORMATION ABOUT THESE MARKERS WAS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO POST ON EACH MARKER .
IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER TO ME. A CORRESPONDING WEB PAGE COULD TELL MORE BACKGROUND ON THAT . I HAVEN'T NOTICED IT APPEAR ON ANY OF OUR MARKERS FOR THE COUNTY.
>> LAST TIME, ME, BETH AND KIMBERLY WERE OVER TOURISM. WE HAD A MEETING AND DISCUSSED IT . THERE WERE OTHER ISSUES THAT CAME UP AND THOSE HAVE NOT BEEN RESOLVED AT THIS POINT AND WE ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.
>> COUNTY OFFICIALS? >> THERE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE SOME SORT OF COUNSEL, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT. WAIVER SIGNS OR
SOMETHING. >> WERE TALKING ABOUT FINDING SIGNS FOR THE COUNTY , BUT I'M NOT SURE THE STATUS AND I THINK HER FOCUS SHIFTED TO THE TRAIL , SO WE MAY HAVE TO REVISIT THAT AND SEE WHERE WE CAN GO WITH IT.
>> I APPRECIATE IT. LOOK INTO THE STATUS OF THAT.
>> ALSO, WHEN I'M LOOKING INTO THE PLAQUES AND SIGNS, I WILL LOOK INTO A PLAQUE. I ASSUME YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A SIMPLE SIGN THAT SAYS ESTABLISH WHATEVER YEAR AND MAYBE THE
NAME OF THE HOUSE OR SOMETHING? >> USUALLY AN ACRONYM FOR WHATEVER THE BOARD IS CALLED AND JUST SOMEONE CAN PUT THAT ON THE HOUSE AND ESSENTIALLY SAYS THAT THIS IS HISTORIC AND THAT IT'S PART OF THE COMMUNITY. IT'S USUALLY AN IMAGE AND ACRONYM. THEY DO IT IN RIVERSIDE AND I WAS TOLD THAT KEYSTONE DOES IT, AS WELL. IT'S SIMILAR. ONCE IT GETS ESTABLISHED, THOSE ARE THE ONES YOU HAVE TO WORK AROUND A LITTLE BIT MORE CAUTIOUSLY AND DEMOLISHED OR WHATEVER THE CASE
IS. >> IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE
HOMEOWNER HAS TO REQUEST? >> IT IS SET UP IN RIVERSIDE, SO I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT OPERATES.
>> RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THE CERTIFICATES IF SOMEBODY REQUESTS FOR A PLACE BEING RECOGNIZED AS HISTORICAL. THAT IS WHAT THE CERTIFICATES ARE FOR.
>> THE CERTIFICATES ARE ACTUALLY IF A PROPERTY WERE DESIGNATED AS HISTORIC BY THE COUNTY COMMISSION , THEN IF ANYONE WERE TO DO ANY RENOVATION, YOUR ROLE AS THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE TO REVIEW THE CHANGES THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO MAKE TO THAT STRUCTURE AND ASSESS WHETHER IT IS AN APPROPRIATE RENOVATION OR PROJECT TO MAINTAIN THE
[00:45:09]
HISTORIC CHARACTER OF THE PROPERTY , SO THAT IS WHAT THE CERTIFICATES OF APPROVAL ? NORMALLY THEY ARE CALLED CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS.>> HOW DOES GET THE HISTORICAL DESIGNATION?
>> THEY WOULD HAVE TO REQUEST THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONSIDER DESIGNATING THEIR PROPERTY.
THEY HAVE TO VOLUNTEER TO DO THAT AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING
WE HAVE -- CAN DO. >> IF THE PROPERTY WANTED TO BE RECKONED , THAT IS WHEN THEY WOULD GET THE PLAQUE IS WHAT I
WAS TRYING TO GET TO . >> IT COULD MAYBE THEN BE THAT NOW THAT IT HAS BEEN SUBJECT, COULD WE COME BEHIND AND FIND A WAY TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT'S THE CASE OR IS IT JUST A CERTIFICATE THEY GIVE PERSONALLY?
>> THE CERTIFICATE IS IF THEY GO TO RENOVATE THEIR PROPERTY.
THE DESCRIPTION OF THE APPLICATION THAT YOU ALL WOULD BE REVIEWING TO SEE IF THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS KEEPING WITH THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THE HOUSE. IT'S NOT A CERTIFICATE DECLARING IT HISTORIC OR SOMETHING . IT'S LIKE A BUILDING PERMIT, BUT DESCRIBED DIFFERENTLY , BECAUSE IT'S THE
HISTORIC PRESERVATION. >> IT'S SIMILAR TO THE STATE MARKER PROGRAM AND CERTAINLY THE OWNER CONSENT IS NEEDED, BUT SOMEONE ELSE OR A GROUP COULD INITIATE THAT AND GET THE
CONSENT. >> IF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DESIGNATED THE PROPERTY AND THE PROPERTY OWNER VOLUNTEERED , IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE A PLAQUE AWARDED AT THAT TIME . IT WOULD BE THAT THE PROPERTY WOULD BE DESIGNATED AS HISTORIC, THEN IT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO LIMITATIONS ON WHAT CAN BE DONE TO RENOVATE IT, BUT THERE IS ALSO EXCEPTIONS IN ZONING CODE THAT BECAUSE IT'S HISTORIC THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS I BELIEVE TO PARKING STANDARDS AND A
COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS. >> MY QUESTION WAS, COULD THE COMMISSIONERS OR OTHER GROUP OF THE BOARD INITIATE THAT REQUEST AND GET THE HOMEOWNERS PERMISSION ?
>> YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THEIR APPROVAL . MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE COULD BE A DISTRICT ESTABLISHED, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS OR A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER . IT'S NOT REALLY SOME THAT YOU CAN DO ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE ELSE'S PROPERTY. AS FAR AS RIVERSIDE BEING A 501(C)(3) , SPRINGS HISTORIC COMMISSION OR COUNSEL AND I'M NOT SURE THEY'RE TRUE DESIGNATION. ARE THEY A 501(C)(3)? IS IT JUST A LOCAL ORGANIZATION?
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THAT DESIGNATION. WE HAVE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SINCE THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE A STANDING
OF THAT RESPECT . >> ALSO, WE DO HAVE PROPERTIES DESIGNATED . DO WE KNOW IF THERE IS A MIDDLEBURG HISTORIC
SOCIETY IF IT IS A 501(C)(3)? >> THE MIDDLEBURG MUSEUM IS A 501(C)(3) AND THEY ARE TRYING TO HAVE GENERAL JURISDICTION OVER ALL MATTERS , BUT GETTING LOCAL HOMEOWNERS TO OPERATE IS
ANOTHER THING . >> I WILL DO SOME RESEARCH AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE AND SEE IF WE HAVE ANYTHING MILLER AND ALSO DOWN THERE AND SPRINGFIELD. I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER.
[Board Member's Comments]
>> BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS? >> I THINK I'VE SAID ENOUGH
FOR ONE MEETING . >> ALL RIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.