[Call to Order]
[00:00:02]
ALL RIGHT. WELCOME TO THE ORDER. OKAY. HAS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE
[Approval of Minutes]
MINUTES FROM THE LAST BOARD? AND IF SO, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.IF THERE'S NO CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS.
I MOVE THAT THE MINUTES BE ACCEPTED AS IS. I SECOND.
OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY.
IT ALL CARRIES. OKAY, NOW WE ARE AT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND I HAVE
[Public Comment]
MISS CATHY, IF YOU WANT TO COME ON UP. OKAY. HI.MY NAME IS CATHY CASS. NOT ONLY AM I A RESIDENT OF CLAY COUNTY, BUT I'M A GENEALOGIST, AND I DO CEMETERY RESTORATION. AND MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT IT APPEARS THAT AT SOME POINT, THIS THE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION BOARD USED TO BE THE HISTORICAL. EXCUSE ME. COMMISSION.
COMMISSION? YES. AND PART OF THAT USED TO BE CEMETERY RESTORATION.
AND BETTY SPENCER WAS A BIG PART OF THAT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH HER, BUT SHE WROTE A, A BOOK CALLED THEY ARE HERE, AND HERE. AND SHE WENT AROUND TO ALL THE CEMETERIES IN CLAY COUNTY AND DOCUMENTED A LOT OF INFORMATION BACK IN THE 70S AND OVER THE YEARS. THE CEMETERY COMMITTEE OF THIS COMMISSION HAS GONE AWAY, AND I THINK THAT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN OUR COUNTY. CEMETERIES ARE A HUGE PART OF THIS.
THERE'S A LOT OF THEM AND THERE'S A LOT OF THEM THAT ARE STILL NOT DOCUMENTED.
I'M I'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH MY HUSBAND AND SOME VOLUNTEERS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON ONE IN ORANGE PARK. STEVE HERE HAS BEEN WORKING ON PLEASANT POINT.
THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER OF US THAT ARE VOLUNTEERS, AND WE'RE RUNNING INTO ISSUES ALL THE TIME.
IN FACT, I WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THE OTHER DAY THAT THERE'S A GENTLEMAN THAT'S BUILT A HOUSE ON A PROPERTY IN MIDDLEBURG AND PROBABLY DOESN'T KNOW THAT THERE'S BURIALS ON ON HIS LOT. SO I WANT TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE CEMETERY THE PRESERVATION HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE TO HAVE A CEMETERY COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE INVOLVED, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE KIND OF DISJOINTED, AND THERE'S A LOT OF US THAT HAVE TAKEN AN INTEREST IN THIS, AND THIS IS A BIG PART OF OUR HISTORY HERE IN CLAY COUNTY.
YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. I, I KNOW, I BELIEVE I SAW YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE OR POST ABOUT THE CEMETERY. YOU'RE ASKING FOR SOME HELP.
AND SHE SAID AT THAT TIME, WE COULDN'T USE FUNDS FOR THAT, BUT SHE WAS LOOKING AT SOME OTHER THINGS AND WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED BACK WITH HER ON THAT YET. SO THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT GETTING VOLUNTEERS.
WHAT I'M WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF LEGWORK THAT'S BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, AND STILL SOME DOCUMENTATION THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND WE CAN WE CAN SOLICIT FOR VOLUNTEERS. AND THAT REALLY HASN'T BEEN A HUGE ISSUE.
AND WE'VE GOTTEN DONATIONS TO HELP US BUY THE SUPPLIES WE NEED FOR THE ONE WE'RE WORKING AT NOW.
WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WILL BRING US TOGETHER AND HAVE IT BE MORE COHESIVE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS TOLD ONE OF THE LADIES THAT IS VOLUNTEERING THAT SHE HAD NO IDEA THAT THERE WAS A A BURIAL ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY OVER THERE WHERE THEY WERE DEVELOPING ACROSS FROM MIDDLEBURG HIGH.
[00:05:02]
I JUST THINK WE NEED THE PRESERVATION BOARD TO BE KIND OF OUR FOOTHOLD AND HAVE A COMMITTEE OF OF PEOPLE THAT CAN COME TOGETHER AND MANAGE THAT INFORMATION. SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU'RE ASKING REALLY FOR THE COMMISSION TO HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE.CORRECT. THAT WOULD DO THE WORK OF FOCUSING ON YOUR CAUSE.
YES. ON THE CEMETERIES IN CLAY COUNTY? ABSOLUTELY.
AND AND I THINK WHAT'S TO BE HONEST IS WE'RE ALSO SPREAD THIN IN, IN SO MANY OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES DOING PRESERVATION IN SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS.
BUT I HEAR YOU. I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING.
YOU JUST NEED A LEADER ON THIS END TO WORK WITH YOU.
YEAH, WE WANTED TO TO SEE THAT THIS IS MAYBE PART OF THE PRESERVATION CHARTER AND HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT THAT DOES THAT KIND OF WORK, LEG WORK. I MEAN, I'M INVOLVED WITH FPN. I MEAN, WE'RE DOING ALL THIS WORK ON OUR OWN.
WE REALLY NEED TO BE MORE FOCUSED WITH THE WITH THE COUNTY.
I UNDERSTAND, AND MAYBE A A VOLUNTEER FROM YOUR GROUP TO JOIN THIS BOARD OF VOLUNTEERS WOULD BE THE PERSON TO BE THAT PERSON WITH THE CENTRAL FOCUS, BECAUSE THERE'S ALSO THE ISSUE OF TRAINING AND WHAT PRODUCTS ARE BEING USED.
AND CEMETERY LAW, WHICH IS VERY STRINGENT, STRINGENT AND CAN BE ONEROUS.
IT'S EASY TO MAKE MISTAKES. AND I THINK WE'VE ALL HEARD THOSE STORIES.
SO SO YOU'RE RIGHT. CEMETERIES ARE A BIG PART OF WHAT WE WANT TO PRESERVE HERE.
AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE WORKING ON ON THAT.
RANDY HARRIS HERE, AND CYNTHIA CHEATWOOD UP IN ORANGE PARK.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW WITH THE MAGNOLIA CEMETERY AND OTHERS.
THE FOREMAN CEMETERY OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MIDDLEBURG.
AND SO I WENT AHEAD AND I WORKED WITH THE ARCHIVES, AND SHE HELPED US COORDINATE WITH FPN TO DO A CEMETERY WORKSHOP LAST SPRING. YEAH. WHICH WHICH I ATTENDED, BUT I ALSO WENT TO ANOTHER ONE IN APALACHICOLA.
I'VE ALSO HAD FAN OUT TO OUR CEMETERY DOING STUFF.
I'M I'M NOW A HERITAGE MONITORING SCOUT FOR FPN.
SO WE ARE VERY WE'RE TAKING IT UPON OURSELVES AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP AND GET OTHER PEOPLE TRAINED.
AND I JUST NEED WE NEED WE'RE KIND OF SCATTERED, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A FOCUS TO SAY, HERE'S HOW WE'RE PRESERVING THIS GREAT PART OF OUR HISTORY IN THE COUNTY.
RIGHT. SO MAY I ASK IF YOU WERE TO SUGGEST US TO NOT TRIP OVER EACH OTHER AND JUMP KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY WORKING ON? WHERE DO YOU SUGGEST THAT WE START? FROM THE BOARD SIDE? WELL, LIKE I SAID, I THINK I REALLY WOULD LIKE US TO HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT SAYS, HEY, OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD, PART OF OUR CHARTER IS CEMETERIES. AND JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND THEN WE CAN START PULLING SOME THINGS TOGETHER WITH WHATEVER COORDINATION WE NEED WITH THE BOARD, WE CAN WE CAN HAVE STAFF LOOK AT OUR CHARTER AND SEE WHAT JURISDICTION THIS BOARD HAS ACTUALLY HAS OVER CEMETERIES AND HISTORICAL OR I SHOULD SAY HISTORICAL CEMETERIES, NOT NECESSARILY THE CURRENT, YOU KNOW. RIGHT. COMMERCIAL ACTIVE CEMETERIES.
BUT THE YOU KNOW, THE HISTORICAL ONES. I THINK RANDY HAS BEEN WORKING ON SOME OF THOSE.
YEAH, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S WORKING ON IT AS PART OF THE COMMISSION OR JUST AS ON HIS OWN.
CORRECT. SO THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO FIND OUT FROM STAFF WHERE OUR JURISDICTION LIES.
PART IN HERE WHERE WE DO DO CERTIFICATES. YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT IF SOME, SOME PROPERTY HAS A HISTORICAL CEMETERY ON THE PROPERTY, THEY HAVE TO COME TO US TO GET SOME SORT OF CERTIFICATE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR JURISDICTION ALLOWS OR IF WE HAVE TO GO TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO ASK FOR THAT TO BE PUT UNDER US, OR YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THAT SO MUCH IS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF THESE CEMETERIES ARE NOT OWNED, RIGHT. THE ONE I'M WORKING ON, WE'RE WORKING ON IN, IN ORANGE PARK WAS DEEDED AS A CEMETERY IN 1884.
IT'S NOT OWNED. IT'S MANAGED BY VOLUNTEERS AND TRUSTEES.
[00:10:03]
RIGHT. SO IF IT'S ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, THEN YOU HAVE TO CONTACT THE HOMEOWNER TO GET ACCESS TO IT.AND AND I'M FAMILIAR WITH, YOU KNOW, THE LAWS.
I DON'T THINK YOU NEED NEED THAT. I'LL BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS IT WITH BETH IN THE MORNING.
SHE'LL BE BACK. SHE'LL BE BACK? YEAH. OKAY. I LEFT HER A MESSAGE THE OTHER DAY AND REALIZED SHE WAS OUT OF TOWN, SO. BUT ANYWAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY.
STEVE. GRIFFITH. GRIFFITH. THANK YOU. I'M A CLAY COUNTY RESIDENT, AND I'M A RETIRED CLAY COUNTY TEACHER, AND I'M CURRENTLY PRESIDENT OF THE CLAY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
AND I'VE WORKED WITH KATHY ON GRAVEYARDS. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS KIND OF GRAVEYARD DAY FOR YOU GUYS, I THINK. I'VE BEEN WORKING ON PLEASANT POINT GRAVEYARD, RESTORING IT, BUT NOT AS PART OF THE HISTORIC SOCIETY.
I TOOK THIS VENTURE ON FOR MYSELF AND I HAD EMAILED BETH, AND I'M BASICALLY HERE JUST FOR ONE MISSION, AND THAT'S TO SEE IF YOU'D ACCEPT THE PAPERWORK TO GET THE PROCESS STARTED, TO APPLY FOR A HISTORICAL MARKER.
STATE HISTORICAL MARKER FOR PLEASANT POINT. YOU CAN TURN IT IN AND WE CAN MAKE COPIES AND LET THE BOARD UP HERE, TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND WE CAN, ONCE THE BOARD HAS A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE APPLICATION AND EVERYTHING, THEN WE CAN MAKE A DECISION ON IT. I MEAN, WE CAN ACCEPT IT FOR REVIEW AT THIS POINT, BUT I CAN'T SAY WE ACCEPT IT TO FOR A MARKER AT THIS POINT. THAT'S ALL I CAN ASK.
AND IF THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE INTERESTED, THERE'S GOING TO BE A DISPLAY IN THE COURTHOUSE FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH DURING FEBRUARY, AND IT'LL BE ON THAT CEMETERY. AND IT WAS ALSO WRITTEN UP IN CLAY TODAY, ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO.
IT WAS A FRONT PAGE ARTICLE. THEY ASSIGNED A DATE.
SAY THAT AGAIN. HAVE THEY ASSIGNED A DATE FOR THE EXHIBIT OR.
I THINK THEY'RE GETTING IT SET UP NOW. AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO GO GO THROUGHOUT THE MONTH.
BUT I CAN FIND OUT THROUGH VICHY. WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE OFFICIAL.
THAT'S IT ON MY END. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SIR.
THANK YOU. MR. JACKSON IS HERE. SHE JUST WALKED IN.
DAVID HAMM IS BACK THERE, TOO. I DON'T KNOW IF HE SIGNED UP.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK TO THE BOARD? I'LL COME IN ADVANCE. MY NAME IS DAVID HAMM. I'M ALSO WITH THE LAW OFFICES OF DAVID LEE HAMM JR, P.A. I'M A CLARK COUNTY RESIDENT. AND WHAT I'M MOST PROUD OF IS THAT I AM THE SON OF MAUDE BURRIS JACKSON, WHO IS JOINING US HERE TODAY. I BELIEVE THAT THE BOARD WAS TAKING UP THE FINAL TEXT OF THE HISTORICAL MARKER FOR THE MIDDLEBURG COLORED SCHOOL AND HILLTOP AREA OF MIDDLEBURG, FLORIDA. AND IT'S A VERY SPECIAL PLACE THAT HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE HEART OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, BUT ESPECIALLY MAUDE BURRUS JACKSON, WHO ATTENDED THAT ONE ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE ONLY PLACES IN WHICH AFRICAN AMERICANS COULD RECEIVE A FORMAL EDUCATION DURING THE TIME THAT SHE GREW UP. SO SINCE WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH US WHO HAS LIVED THE EXPERIENCE AND CAN TELL THE STORY, I THINK IT WOULD BE BEST FOR ME TO SIT DOWN AND ASK HER TO COME UP.
DURING THE PRESENTATION. IT CAN ALL BE TOGETHER.
YEAH, WE CAN COMMENT. THAT WAY SHE CAN TALK LONGER. YEAH.
OKAY. WELL SHE'S COMING UP. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
BUT THEN I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE DISCUSSION ON THIS SO SHE COULD SPEAK VERY WELL.
SO I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND OPEN UP THE UPDATES ON HISTORICAL MARKERS.
[Old Business]
[00:15:07]
AND FIRST UP IS THE MIDDLEBURG COLORED SCHOOL.MISS JACKSON, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK JUST A LITTLE BIT.
IT IS SO NICE TO BE HERE. I FEEL SO GOOD SEEING SO MANY FACES THAT I'VE KNOWN FOR QUITE A WHILE.
I WENT TO SCHOOL THERE. I STARTED SCHOOL THERE WHEN I WAS LIKE FIVE YEARS OLD.
NOW I'M 83 YEARS OLD. I THINK ABOUT THIS SCHOOL ALL THE TIME, AND I THINK ABOUT HOW MY DAD TALKED TO ME ABOUT THAT SCHOOL. AND WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG MAN, HE HAD TO QUIT SCHOOL AND GO TO WORK TO HELP TAKE CARE OF HIS PARENTS CHILDREN. AND MY BROTHER, MY OLDEST BROTHER WAS ONCE IN CHARGE OF ADULT EDUCATION IN CLAY COUNTY. AND THAT SCHOOL WAS UNDER HIS DIRECTION.
AND THEY WERE ABOUT TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL DOWN.
AND DURING THAT TIME THEY TALKED ABOUT BURNING THE SCHOOL DOWN.
BUT. MY DAD, WHO AT THAT TIME WAS PROBABLY IN HIS 90S, AND HE WENT AND REGISTERED FOR THE ADULT PROGRAM SO THEY WOULD HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE AND COULD NOT BURN THE SCHOOL DOWN.
THEY HAD TO CONTINUE ON WITH THE CLASSES THEY WERE HAVING.
SO THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OF MY RELATIVES IN THAT SCHOOL FOREVER AND LOOK LIKE WE'LL BE FOREVER, BECAUSE I HAVE MY ONE GRANDSON THAT'S ON THE FIVE, WHAT, 18 NOW? AND HE DIDN'T GET TO GO TO THAT SCHOOL FOR CLASSES, BUT HE USED TO LIKE TO GO OUT THERE IN THE AFTERNOON AND JUST BE AROUND THAT BUILDING.
IT WAS SOMETHING MAGICAL ABOUT IT, AND WE ALL STILL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL COME OUT THERE AT SOME POINT IN TIME AND JUST FALL IN LOVE WITH IT LIKE WE DID. AND I HAVE HAD PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO JUST SPEND THE NIGHT THERE WORKING THROUGH THE NIGHT.
LET US CLEAN THE BOOKS. LET US CLEAN THE WALLS.
LET US DO WHAT? NO. IT'S ONLY SO MUCH WE CAN DO.
AND THE REST? WE HAVE TO GET PERMISSION TO DO IT.
BUT THAT'S ALRIGHT TOO. WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY.
AND THIS WE FOUND OUT. AND ONE THING I USED TO DO WITH THE CHILDREN WHEN THEY TOLD US WE COULDN'T BE ON THE PARK ONE YEAR, WE SAID, WELL, THAT'S ALL RIGHT. THEY'RE THE TREES.
THEY'RE THE BRIDGES. THEY'RE THE WOODS. THERE'S WHERE THERE'S A WILL.
THERE'S A WAY. WE WILL SHOW HER TO HAVE SOMETHING GOOD TO DO.
AND I REMEMBER ONE SPECIAL THING WE WERE DOING ON SOME PROPERTY OF MY OLDEST BROTHER.
WE'D GONE OVER TO MY HOUSE, MY DAD'S HOUSE, MY BROTHER'S HOUSE.
AND WE DID IT. WE DID IT. AND I REMEMBER ONE DAY VERY, VERY SPECIAL.
MISTER MYERS, JACK MYERS, THE OLD MAN, HE CAME BY THERE ONE DAY AND WE WERE SITTING OUT IN THE YARD.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF CHAIRS, SO WE TOOK A LOT.
WE HAD A LONG STEPLADDER AND WE PUT, YOU KNOW, SOME BLOCKS.
HE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOUNG LADY? YOU HAVE A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PROGRAM GOING ON HERE.
DON'T GIVE UP. AND EVERYBODY CAME BY AND ENCOURAGED US.
NURSES NEVER GIVE UP. KEEP ON WORKING ON IT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ASKING TONIGHT.
LET US JUST KEEP WORKING ON IT. EXCUSE ME. BUT AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE IN THE PAST. AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN KEEP THE SAME THING BECAUSE OF THAT LITTLE OLD SCHOOLHOUSE.
I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE ON IN COLLEGE. I GOT A MASTER'S IN EDUCATION, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT ANYWHERE OTHER THAN RIGHT OUT THERE IN MIDDLEBURG.
[00:20:06]
BUT I MADE IT DOWN IN MIAMI AND NORTH CAROLINA AND MANY DIFFERENT PLACES I'VE BEEN.BUT THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, NO MATTER HOW FAR AWAY YOU ROAM.
SO WE'RE ASKING YOU ALL TO STAND UP FOR A HILLTOP ALICE E HALL.
OF CALAIS COUNTY AND OUR YOUNG CHILDREN PROGRAMS THAT WE STILL LIKE TO HAVE OUT THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND WE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN.
AS I SAID BEFORE IN THE PRIOR HEARING, MY NAME IS PAMELA MONK.
I'M MRS MARDI GOD DAUGHTER AND SORORITY SISTER OF ZETA PHI BETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING THAT MISS MAUREEN HAS DONE.
YOU'RE WONDERFUL. YOU'RE A GODSEND, AND WE LOVE YOU.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY I USED TO BE ON THIS BOARD.
TO PUT THIS MARKER UP IS NOT JUST ABOUT SOMETHING FOR TOURISTS TO SEE.
IT'S EDUCATIONAL FOR THE STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO SEE IT.
I GOT TO TELL YOU, I HAVE HAD MY CLASSES COME AND DO FIELD TRIPS WITH MAUDE.
IT IS A WHOLE EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE FOR THE KIDS.
THEY SEE WHAT IT COULD BE AND THEY SEE WHAT THEY HAVE.
AND MAYBE IT MAKES THEM APPRECIATE A LITTLE BIT MORE HOW FAR WE'VE COME.
SO I WANT TO APPLAUD YOU FOR BRINGING HILLTOP BACK TO THE EYES AND EARS OF CLAY COUNTY.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS.
WELL, I WANT TO WELCOME EVERYONE WHO SHOWED UP TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF CLAY COUNTY HISTORY AND IN SUPPORT OF OUR BELOVED LOCAL HERO, MADERAS JACKSON. SHE'S BEEN RECOGNIZED HERE BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND OTHERS FOR HER SERVICE IN CLAY COUNTY IN SO MANY WAYS, AND SHE SPENT 30 YEARS TO SAVE THE LITTLE WOODEN SCHOOLHOUSE THAT WE ARE HERE TO RECOGNIZE TONIGHT.
SHE, ALONG WITH EIGHT BROTHERS AND SISTERS, ATTENDED MIDDLEBURG COLORED SCHOOL, THE ONLY SCHOOLHOUSE IN THE MIDDLEBURG AREA FOR GENERATIONS OF BLACK STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. THE SEARCH TO DOCUMENT THIS SCHOOL LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF ABOUT 30 OTHER SEGREGATED BLACK SCHOOLS FOUNDED IN CLAY COUNTY BEFORE 1960 AS THE LAST ONE ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE STILL STANDING IN CLAY.
MIDDLEBURG COLORED SCHOOL REPRESENTS ALL THOSE OTHER SCHOOLS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES THAT HELPED BUILD THIS COMMUNITY IN THIS COUNTY INTO WHAT WE HAVE TODAY AND WHAT WE CARE SO MUCH ABOUT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT AS IT'S BEEN SUBMITTED TO YOU, ALONG WITH THE REFERENCES TO DOCUMENT THE STORY OF MIDDLEBURG COLORED SCHOOL? I DON'T HAVE ANY.
YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR SUCH A LONG TIME.
WE HAVE READ EVERY RENDITION. FOR YEARS.
YOU'VE DONE AN AMAZING JOB. AND WE ACTUALLY STARTED OUT IN 2021 NOT KNOWING IF THE COUNTY ACTUALLY OWNED THE BUILDING OF MIDDLEBURG COLORED SCHOOL.
[00:25:02]
WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IS DOCUMENT ITS WHOLE HISTORY RIGHT UP UNTIL TODAY.AND WE'RE PROUD TO SAY THAT IT IS A COUNTY BUILDING.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'M JUMPING THE GUN ON THIS, BUT THE FLIER THAT I FOUND WHEN I CAME IN TODAY HUNTER DOUGLAS PARK, WHERE THE LITTLE SCHOOLHOUSE NOW LIVES IS HAVING A CELEBRATION FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH, AND MAUDE IS GOING TO BE AMONG THE LEADING WOMEN OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN CLAY COUNTY HISTORY.
ALRIGHT, SO HAS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO READ OVER THE MARKER TEXT AND IS THERE ANY OBJECTIONS CORRECTIONS ADDITIONS, SUBTRACTIONS. AND I NOTICED ONE TYPO, BUT IT'S SINCE BEEN CORRECTED SO IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S LETTER PERFECT.
SAME. OKAY, THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE TEXT AS WRITTEN AND APPEARING IN THE AGENDA FOR MIDDLEBURG COLLEGE SCHOOL, THAT IT BE MOVED TO THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS OF APPROVING THE OFFICIAL STATE HISTORIC MARKER FOR THE SCHOOL. I'LL SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
EVERYBODY IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SO CARRIED.
EXCUSE ME, I HAVE A QUESTION. WHAT'S WHAT IS THE THE FISCAL SHAPE OF THE BUILDING? AND IS IT IN NEED OF ANY TYPE OF WOOD REPAIR OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT? THE CONDITION REPORT THAT WAS DONE LAST SPRING OUTLINES ALL THE NEEDS OF THE BUILDING AND THE NEXT PHASE IN THE GRANT.
WRITING, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS TO ACTUALLY CREATE THAT PRESERVATION PLAN.
OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT UP ON THE AGENDA IS REPORT NUMBER 11. AND I KNOW WE HAVE MISS MURPHY DOWN AS BEING THE SHEPHERD, BUT JERRY HAS WE ACTUALLY ON BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE JERRY'S BEEN WORKING ON THE TEXT, SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO HIM FOR AN UPDATE ON THE TEXT, WHICH WE ALL SHOULD HAVE. WELL, I GUESS I DIDN'T BRING EVERYBODY WHO'S SITTING HERE TODAY.
YES. IF IF THERE'S NOT A LOT OF URGENCY, I WOULD STILL LIKE TO REVIEW ALL THE THE TONS OF POST RETURNS AND EVERYTHING THAT KEVIN HOOPER AND I FOUND IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS UP IN THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES. BUT THIS TEXT THAT I'VE DISTRIBUTED WOULD PROBABLY DO IT.
JUST THE WAY IT IS. I MEAN, I, I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF, NOT THE REST OF THE BOARD.
RIGHT? I'D RATHER BECAUSE THIS STUFF IS CAST IN METAL.
IT'S JUST THAT I WOULDN'T LIKE TO MISS ANYTHING JUICY THAT I HAVEN'T FOUND YET.
BUT. OR TO LOSE ANY DEADLINE OF GETTING THE THING IN THE PIPELINE FOR THIS YEAR.
REALLY? SO WELL, I GUESS THAT'S SORT OF GOOD.
[00:30:05]
IT. I MIGHT MENTION JUST IT'S NOT DIRECTLY OPPOSITE TO THIS THING, BUT WHEN I FOUND THIS CONTEMPORARY MAP THAT I COPIED YEARS AGO, NOT KNOWING THAT IT WOULD BE HANDY FOR THIS, THE THE MAP OF SQUARE NUMBER 11 DOES SHOW BETWEEN THE FORT AND THE THE SIDE OF THE FORT AND THE LAKE. AN INDIAN MOUND, WHICH OUGHT TO BE, IF IT'S NOT ALREADY BEEN LEVELED COMPLETELY TO THE GROUND.YOU START LOOKING AROUND FOR A MOUND AND SEE, SEE, YOU KNOW, BRING IN SOME ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY PEOPLE AND SEE WHAT THEY MIGHT FIND. BUT THAT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING OTHER FEATURE TO THAT AREA.
SO JUST. ALL RIGHT. SO I GUESS YES. WE'LL LET YOU HAVE MORE TIME.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION FOR ANYBODY ELSE ON THE BOARD, YOU HAVE MORE TIME TO DO MORE RESEARCH.
VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NOW WE GO TO MISS MURPHY AND THE KEYSTONE MARKER.
AND WE'RE JUST WAITING AT THIS POINT FOR APPROVAL.
AT THE STATE LEVEL I LEFT MESSAGES FOR JEREMY THIS MORNING TO SEE WHAT I NEED TO DO AT THIS POINT.
EVERYTHING FROM THE APPLICATION TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT.
LET ME SEE HERE. THE RESOURCES, THE DESCRIPTION, THE BIBLIOGRAPHY, THE GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES, THE MARKER TEXTS.
ACCESSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC. SINCE KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, THE CITY OF KEYSTONE HEIGHTS OWNS THE PROPERTY.
I DO HAVE APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL OF CITY WITH THEIR THE MINUTES AND THE SIGNATURE FROM THE MAYOR. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN COMPLETED. JUST TO MAKE A NOTE THAT THIS WILL BE FUNDED FROM THE HERITAGE COMMISSION OF KEYSTONE HEIGHTS AND NO LONGER FROM THE CLAY COUNTY PRESERVATION BOARD.
BUT I DO WANT TO BRING NEXT MONTH TO YOU ALL OF THE INFORMATION SO THAT YOU CAN YOU CAN LOOK OVER IT, BUT IT BASICALLY IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE. TERRIBLE INFORMATION THAT WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM AT THE TALLAHASSEE LEVEL TO APPROVE ANY MARKERS, BECAUSE WE ARE READY TO GO ON THAT.
EVERYTHING. EVERY EYE HAS BEEN DOTTED, SO. OKAY, THAT'S NOT GOOD NEWS, BUT.
OKAY. OKAY. NOW THEN MOVE BACK TO THE MIDDLEBURG MUSEUM AND CIVIC CENTER. DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATE ON THAT? YES. THE THE PROPONENTS OF THE OF THE SIGN HAD BEEN WORKING WITH ME, AS YOU, AS YOU KNOW, AND ONE, ONE STEP IN THE DIRECTION OF GETTING THIS THING DONE WAS TO PUT ASIDE THE MASONIC LODGE AS PART OF THIS THREE BUILDING THING, BECAUSE IT REALLY IS NOT OF THE SAME HISTORICAL VINTAGE AS THE OTHER TWO.
ALTHOUGH THERE IS A MASONIC LODGE WHICH DESERVES COMMEMORATION THAT'S CONSIDERABLY OLDER.
IT'S 19TH CENTURY, BUT IT'S FARTHER UP MAIN STREET AND A LITTLE OFF THE ROAD, UNFORTUNATELY.
SO ANYHOW THE THE PEOPLE WHO WHO DESIGNED THE PROPOSED MARKER DID SUBMIT IT TO ME FOR REVIEW THE DAY OF THE LAST BOARD MEETING.
AND SO THERE WASN'T ENOUGH TIME TO TO TWEAK IT.
SO I, I REDID IT. THEY SAID THAT WAS FINE. I REDID IT AND DISTRIBUTED IT TO MOST OF YOU TODAY.
AND I GUESS THE STATE, BY ITS DEFAULT, HAS GIVEN US A LITTLE MORE TIME.
[00:35:08]
PROVIDED FOR THE DIRECTION OF THESE TWO BUILDINGS.CERTAINLY THE NEWSPAPERS WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO OF ITS SUPPOSED CONSTRUCTION DID INDICATE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A WPA PROJECT. BUT WE CAN'T FIND YET ANYTHING IN THE COUNTY RECORDS.
THEY'VE GOT TO BE THERE SOMEWHERE. BUT THIS WILL GIVE US A LITTLE MORE TIME TO GO BACK AND LAY SIEGE TO MORE OF THE THOUSANDS OF PAPER PAGES OF FILES IN THE ANNEX OF THE ARCHIVE.
YOU KNOW, DOWN BY THE OLD COURTHOUSE AND THE JAIL.
SO BUT THIS ONE THAT I DISTRIBUTED, I THINK WOULD, WOULD BE ADEQUATE IF WE NEVER DO FIND IT BECAUSE INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, A PARTICULAR PART OF THE FEDERAL PROGRAM, IT HAD TO BE A FEDERAL PROGRAM BECAUSE THE COUNTY DURING THE DEPRESSION WAS PRETTY MUCH BROKE.
BUT WE DON'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING DEFINITE. THAT TURNS OUT TO BE ANOTHER PART OF IT.
SO I, I MODIFIED THAT A LITTLE TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, JUST SAY FEDERAL FUNDS AND SO FORTH, AND, AND ALSO TO CORRECT WHEN THE WHEN THE MUSEUM MIDDLEBURG MUSEUM WAS INCORPORATED, IT WAS EARLIER THAN WAS STATED IN THE PREVIOUS TEXT. SO ANYHOW, THIS WOULD THIS WOULD DO IF WE HAD TO.
BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE IF I COULD FIND THE SMOKING GUN AS TO WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM.
EXACTLY. SO I SEE NO REASON FOR YOU NOT TO HAVE THE TIME WITH THE ISSUE AT THE STATE LEVEL.
SO. YEP. DOES ANYBODY OBJECT? NOPE. OKAY.
OKAY. THAT'S IT FOR ALL THE HISTORICAL MARKERS UPDATES.
ANY NEW BUSINESS? ANY ANYBODY ON THE BOARD HAVE ANYTHING NEW THEY WANT TO BRING UP?
[New Business]
I WAS AWAY PART OF THE FALL FOR ATTENDANCE. I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SAINT MARY'S MARKER IS STILL IN THE PIPELINE SOMEWHERE. IT HAS BEEN TURNED OVER TO BETH AND THE STATE, I BELIEVE, LAST I HEARD.GOOD. WE HAD. WE GOT THE LOCATION FOR THE MARKER PARKER AND EVERYTHING, AND IT HAS GONE TO BETH FOR FINAL SUBMISSION. BY THE WAY, IS IT KNOWN WHEN BETH IS RETURNING FROM HER CONFERENCE OR WHATEVER? SHE'S. SHE'LL BE BACK IN THE MORNING. SHE'S DRIVING BACK TONIGHT. OH, GOOD.
START PESTERING HER WITH EMAILS. SO I READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE A LITTLE BIT ON THE CHARTER.
AND THERE WAS A COUPLE DUTIES THAT WERE ON THERE, AND I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE DUTY TO ANNUALLY UPDATE EXISTING SURVEY AND INVENTORY OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS, AREAS AND ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES.
WELL, I DO KNOW BETH HAS ACCESS TO THE MASTER FILE FROM THE STATE, AND IF WE NEED TO FIND IF WE NEED TO COMPARE SOMETHING, WE HAVE TO GIVE HER THE INFORMATION. SHE COMPARES IT.
I BELIEVE THAT'S HOW IT WORKS. SO I'M NOT SURE IF BETH MAINTAINS THAT LIST OR NOT.
SO? SO PASS THAT ON TO HER. OKAY. YEAH, I'D LIKE TO FIND OUT.
I THINK IT'D BE GOOD. MAYBE I COULD FOCUS IN ON TRYING TO GET US A UP TO DATE INVENTORY.
SO THINGS LIKE THE CEMETERY AND WHATNOT COULD BE FIND OUT WHAT'S ACCOUNTED FOR, WHAT'S NOT ACCOUNTED FOR, AND WHETHER IT FALLS INTO THAT HISTORIC OR, LIKE YOU SAID, MORE OF THAT PRIVATE UP TO DATE.
YEAH. OKAY. ANY IF THERE'S NO OTHER NEW BUSINESS FROM THE BOARD, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT. ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO SPEAK?
[Public Comment]
CAN I COMMENT ON WHAT HE JUST MENTIONED? SO YOU ASKED ABOUT THE MASTER.YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE MINE. IT'S OKAY. IT'S BEING RECORDED.
WE HAVE TO GET YOU. I'M SORRY. YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE MASTER SITE FILE.
[00:40:03]
THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE NOT. SO WE ARE WORKING TO TRY AND GET THEM ON THERE.OBVIOUSLY WE HAVEN'T GONE THROUGH THE LIST BECAUSE IT'S HUGE.
BUT I ALSO BEING A ON THE FAN SITE, I CAN PULL UP WHAT THE MASTER SITE FILE NAME IS FOR CEMETERIES, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OTHER HISTORIC BUILDINGS, BUT I CAN'T SAY THAT IT'S FULLY COMPLETE.
IT ISN'T. THEY DON'T MESH BETWEEN THE FAN SITE AND THE FLORIDA MASTER FILE, BUT THEY DO CHECK BETWEEN THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT ONE GETS ADDED TO THE OTHER.
OKAY. AND AS FAR AS WHAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON, IS IT ALREADY ON OR IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ADD THEM NOW TO THE FILE. SO THERE ARE DESIGNATED. SO THE ONES THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON, THE FEW THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, WE'VE MADE SURE THAT THEY ARE. THEY ALREADY WERE ON THERE.
IT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE, YOU KNOW, CIVIL WAR TIME.
IT WAS NOT ON THE FLORIDA MASTER FILE. SO WE NOW HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT AND GOT THAT SUBMITTED.
SO AS WE DO OUR RESEARCH ON THE CEMETERIES, WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE ON THE MASTER FILE.
OKAY. I'D LIKE TO GET THAT UP TO DATE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO THEN WE CAN KIND OF STAKE THAT GROUND AS, AS DESIGNATED AND THEN WE'RE AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, PROTECTED, AND THEN WE CAN MOVE. YEAH. I MEAN, THERE ARE SO MANY.
OKAY. EXCUSE ME. IF THEY'RE ON THE MASTER SITE FILE, ARE THEY PROTECTED ON A FEDERAL LEVEL FROM ANYBODY COMING IN AND DECIDING THEY WOULD RATHER HAVE A HOUSING PROJECT THERE OR OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE? THAT'S THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE I. BEFORE YOU CAME IN, I MENTIONED THAT WE RAN INTO AN ISSUE WHERE THERE'S A HOUSE BUILT ON PROPERTIES WHERE THERE ARE BURIALS. AND I DON'T THINK THE PEOPLE WERE MADE AWARE THAT THERE WERE BURIALS THERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS REGISTERED. WELL, IT HAPPENS.
IT HAPPENS ALL TOO OFTEN. YES. AND THAT'S WE'RE WE'RE A FAMILY.
LAYS THEIR MEMBERS TO REST. SHOULD BE SACRED GROUND.
AND NOBODY SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY. ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S. YOU MISSED MY WHOLE SPEECH, RANDY. I'M SORRY.
THOSE BACK ROADS FROM MIDDLEBURG TO HERE. MY GOSH, I WOUND UP IN GEORGIA.
SOMEONE. COULD I DO A FOLLOW UP TO CATHY? YES.
IT'S ON THE MASTER FILE. OH, GOOD. THAT'S GOOD.
DID YOU ALREADY SPEAK ON BEHALF OF PLEASANT POINT AND EVERYTHING ELSE? WELL, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT STEVE HAS BEEN WORKING HIS FINGERPRINTS OFF BACK THERE. I'VE BEEN OUT THERE ABOUT THREE TIMES HELPING THEM.
THERE HAS JUST BEEN A LOT OF OVERGROWTH, THINGS THAT NEED TO BE PULLED AWAY AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND HE HAS BEEN GIVING IT A LOT OF HOURS. AND I'M REALLY I'D LIKE TO COMMEND STEVE FOR ALL THE WORK HE'S DONE BACK THERE BECAUSE THANKS TO RANDY, OR I WOULDN'T HAVE EVEN KNOWN IT WAS OUT THERE.
SO THANK YOU. WELL, ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING BACK THAT BACK ROAD BACK THERE, AND I SAW THIS THIS ARCHWAY, THIS CONCRETE ARCHWAY, AND I SAID, THAT'S ODD.
WHAT'S WHAT'S THAT? SO I PULLED OVER AND WENT BACK THERE AND THERE WERE SOME HEADSTONES BACK THERE.
AND A YEAR WENT BY OR SO AND THEN FINALLY GOT ON THIS HISTORICAL SITE AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND GOT TO KNOW STEVE, AND I TOLD STEVE ABOUT IT. HE SAID, WELL, CAN YOU SHOW IT TO ME? I SAID, YEAH, I TOOK HIM OUT THERE AND WE LOOKED AT IT, BUT FROM THE TIME THAT I FIRST FOUND IT, UNTIL THE TIME THAT I TOOK STEVE OUT THERE, MOST OF THE HEADSTONES AT THE FRONT PART OF THE CEMETERY WERE EITHER BROKEN OFF OR DISAPPEARED OR WHAT HAVE YOU. AND IT JUST I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT BECAUSE IT WAS THERE WAS A LOT MORE GRAVES OUT THERE WHEN I FIRST FOUND IT AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO I HATE TO DRAG THIS OUT, BUT I WANT TO THANK KATHY CASS BECAUSE SHE'S DID THE RESEARCH THAT'S NOW WE WENT FROM SIX KNOWN BURIALS NOW TO 33, I BELIEVE, THANKS TO HER RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION.
AND PERSONALLY, I THINK THE COUNTY, CLAY COUNTY WOULD LOOK REALLY AWESOME AND
[00:45:09]
EVERYBODY WOULD REALLY BE PROUD OF THEM IF, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD SEE IT IN THEIR HEARTS TO POSSIBLY PROVIDE THE FUNDS FOR A GROUND PENETRATING RADAR. THOSE THINGS THAT YOU CAN YOU CAN GO ACROSS THE GROUND AND SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING DOWN THERE.AND ACTUALLY, THE STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT IN SAINT AUGUSTINE WITH THE FLORIDA UNIVERSITY HAS ALREADY SAID THEY'LL COME OUT IF WE CAN GET THE GROUND ACCESSIBLE FOR THEM. SO THANKS, STEVE. IS THAT F PAM YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FM OR.
OH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. OKAY. OTHER STAFF COMMENTS.
[Staff Comments]
WE'LL BE BACK TOMORROW. I'M SURE SHE'LL BE IN TOUCH. I'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH HER AND MAKE YOU KNOW WHAT WAS BROUGHT UP TONIGHT.OKAY. BOARD COMMENTS. WE'LL START AT YOUR END, AND WE'LL WORK OUR WAY DOWN.
[Board Member's Comments]
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT THE CHARTER IS INTERESTING.I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S DESIGNATED HISTORIC. I'M NOT SURE. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO CATCH UP TO SPEED A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT EXACTLY JURISDICTION WE DO HAVE AND LATITUDE TO MOVE WITHIN THAT. AND SO I THINK MY FOCUS WILL BE TRYING TO JUST GET MY FEET ON THE GROUND BEFORE I CAN REALLY PROBABLY CONTRIBUTE TO SOME OF THE STUFF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME. FANS A GOOD PLACE TO FIND CERTAIN DIRECTIONS AND DOCUMENTS LIKE THAT THAT LET YOU KNOW WHAT EXACTLY CAN BE CONSIDERED AN HISTORIC SITE.
AND AND IF YOU DO FIND THE FACTS THAT THAT DESIGNATE CAN BE DESIGNATED AS A HISTORIC SITE, THE PROCESS TO GO THROUGH TO TO HAVE IT. IS THAT AN ACRONYM? I'M SORRY, IT'S AN ACRONYM FOR SOMETHING? YES.
FOR WHAT? FLORIDA PUBLIC ARCHEOLOGY NETWORK OKAY.
YEAH. THAT'S IT. THEY HAVE ACTIVE FACEBOOK PAGE.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE TEXT. DO YOU NEED IT FROM ME, OR DOES WHO DO I SEND IT TO FOR THAT? SEND IT TO BETH.
YEAH. AND THERE WON'T BE ANY CHANGES? YEAH, THERE'S NO CHANGES.
JUST EMAIL BETH. THE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING WITH IT WILL DO.
OR. BETH. BETH LOVES EMAILS. YEAH. I WILL DO IT.
THANK YOU, MISS MURPHY. OH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WITH REGARDS TO THE KEYSTONE HEIGHTS MARKER, IT IS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. AND WE KIND OF KIND OF PIGGYBACKED HERE ON THE KEYSTONE HEIGHTS HISTORIC COMMISSION AND TAKE IN THAT MARKER OFF OF OUR OUR PAGE, IF YOU WILL.
HOWEVER, I DO WANT TO BRING ALL THE INFORMATION ON NEXT MONTH THAT I DO HAVE SO THAT YOU CAN ALL SEE THE THE COMPILATION OF EVERYTHING THAT WENT INTO PUTTING THAT ALL TOGETHER.
AND THEN JUST BECAUSE IT IS DISTRICT FOUR, THAT'S WHAT I REPRESENT.
WE HAD SIX HOMES AT CHRISTMAS THAT WE HAD A TOUR INSIDE THOSE HOMES.
WE HAD OVER 150 PARTICIPANTS GO THROUGH ALL SIX HOMES.
IT WAS QUITE AN EVENT AND IT WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING TOGETHER A CHAUTAUQUA AND A POP UP MUSEUM FOR MARCH 8TH AND NINTH THAT SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OF THIS YEAR. AND THE CHAUTAUQUA EVENT WILL BE BRINGING TOGETHER A GROUP OF ARTISTS, POETS, POETS, MUSIC TOGETHER WITH ALL OF THE ARTIFACTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN COMPILING
[00:50:06]
IN KEYSTONE OF ALL THINGS THAT WE WOULD EVENTUALLY BE PUTTING INTO A MUSEUM.SO WE'RE HAVING AN ENTIRE WEEKEND OF OPENING UP TO THE PUBLIC AND INVITING EVERYONE.
WE WILL HAVE SPEAKERS, WE'LL HAVE A BAND. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FULL DAYS EVENT.
AND WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR CENTENNIAL IN 2025.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A CULMINATION OF ALL OF THESE THINGS HAPPENING AT ONCE.
SO THAT'S THE REASON ALSO FOR WANTING TO GET OUR MARKER IN PLACE IN 2025.
WE DO NOT EVEN HAVE A MARKER FOR THE WHOLE THE CITY.
AND NOW THAT I'M HEARING WE'RE WE'VE HIT KIND OF A ROADBLOCK, YOU KNOW, AT THE STATE LEVEL, THAT'S A LITTLE DISCOURAGING, BUT WE'LL MOVE FORWARD, I GUESS.
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT DATE ONE MORE TIME? IT'S MARCH EIGHTH AND NINTH.
SO WE'LL HAVE SPEAKERS INSIDE. AND THE MUSEUM PIECE WILL BE INSIDE THE PAVILION.
THANK YOU. DOES THAT BUILDING ALWAYS HAVE DONUTS? ALMOST. ALMOST ALWAYS. IT SHOULD BE AN AMAZING EVENT BECAUSE IT'S CELEBRATING.
AND HOPEFULLY FOR OUR CENTENNIAL, WE'LL HAVE ALL THIS TOGETHER.
WHEN IS THAT DATE AGAIN? THE EIGHTH AND NINTH.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. MARCH. I'M SORRY. MARCH.
OKAY. ONE THING I'D LIKE TO. ONE THING I'D LIKE TO MENTION TO YOU.
YOU'RE ON FACEBOOK, RIGHT? OKAY. YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT CLAY COUNTY, FLORIDA HISTORY FACEBOOK GROUP? THAT'D BE A GOOD PLACE TO DESIGN A POSTER, A ONE PAGE POSTER, AND SAVE IT IN EITHER PDF OR A JPEG FILE AND JUST POST IT ON THERE AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS IT STAYS THERE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SEE THIS.
WE ARE GOING TO PUT THIS AS KIND OF OUR POSTER.
IT'S LIKE AN OLD TIME RENDITION OF ALL THE EVENTS THAT WE'RE HAVING, THE SPEAKERS, THE HISTORY OF KEYSTONE, ART, MUSIC. THAT'S KIND OF OUR POSTER. I'M SORRY YOU ALL CAN'T SEE IT, BUT IT'S VERY COOL.
MR. GOULD, HAVE YOU LEARNED ANYTHING ADDITIONAL ABOUT THIS OPTION WE WERE TOLD ABOUT RECENTLY? WITH THE COUNTY CAN CREATE SIGNS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE SOME TEXT IN THEM, OR HOW MUCH TEXT WE CAN GET.
YES. WELL, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING A SIGN UP, SAY LIKE SAY LIKE FOR THE MIDDLEBURG COLOR SCHOOL UNTIL WE COULD ACTUALLY GET THE STATE MARKER IN PLACE, WE COULD MAKE A SIGN WITH THIS TEXT ON IT AND HAVE IT PUT UP AND HAVE IT THERE UNTIL THE ACTUAL STATE MARKER IS APPROVED AND MADE AND PUT IN.
BUT YOU COULD WE COULD NOT PUT THIS TEXT ON A SIGN AND PUT IT OUT THERE ON BLANDING BOULEVARD.
BUT WE CAN PUT THIS TEXT ON A SIGN AND PUT IT NEXT TO THE BUILDING.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO KEEP IT OFF THE THOROUGHFARE.
YES, BUT IF IT. I MEAN, SO FAR OFF THE THOROUGHFARE OF THE PEOPLE WON'T SEE IT.
WELL, I MEAN, AGAIN, THIS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS INSTEAD OF PUTTING THE ACTUAL.
WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH SIGNS ON THE ROADWAY, YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET.
YOU CAN'T EXPLAIN THE WHOLE STORY. YOU JUST HAVE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT IT'S A HISTORICAL SITE.
SO IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO PUT UP A COUNTY SIGN WITH MORE TEXT IF IT'S NOT A TRAFFIC HAZARD.
[00:55:06]
IS THAT. YES. SO WE COULD. YES, YES. OKAY, GOOD.SO AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, A STATE MARKER COST AROUND FOR TWO SIDE OF THE ONE.
I ONE. I WON'T SAY IT WAS LIKE 2900. WELL, YEAH, MAYBE.
BUT NOW WITH INFLATION, WE USED TO BE A LITTLE LESS THAN THAT FOR FOR ONE CIDER.
NOW THE ONE SIDE I THINK WAS LIKE 2400. YEAH, YEAH.
OKAY. BUT THE TWO SIDED ONE IS LIKE 2900. YEAH.
AND I CAN THE CLAY COUNTY SIGN SHOP CAN MAKE THAT SAME, HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION ON THE SIGN, AND IT BE DONE FOR LESS THAN $150. WOW. SO YOU KNOW AGAIN IT'S TEMPORARY.
WELL I MEAN WELL IT'S NOT METAL. NO IT IS METAL.
IT'S METAL. WELL I MEAN IT'S NOT METAL AS IN THE MARKER.
IT'S ALMOST ALUMINUM. YEAH, IT'S ALUMINUM WITH PRINTED.
WE PRINT THE STUFF ON THE A MATERIAL AND THEN IT ADHESIVES TO THE METAL BLANK.
DOES IT HAVE AN ORANGE BACKGROUND? NO. OH IT DOESN'T.
NO. I MEAN IT WOULD HAVE WHATEVER BACKGROUND WE WOULD WANT LIKE OKAY.
GOOD. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF WE CAN DO.
BUT AGAIN, IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT THIS BOARD AND WHAT WE CAN GET WITH THE COMMISSIONERS TO APPROVE A CERTAIN DESIGN THAT WE CAN USE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY FOR HISTORICAL SITES.
SO IT'S ALL UNIFORM. GOOD. WELL, MAYBE TO ATTRACT MORE, MORE PEOPLE TO STOP AND READ IT.
WE COULD MAKE THEM ON STOP SIGNS WITH THE TECH SHOT, I DON'T KNOW.
NEVER MIND. WITHDRAW. OH, BOY. I SEEM TO RECALL THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THE SIGNS LIKE THAT DESIGNATED AN HISTORIC SITE, IT HAS TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A DITCH. IF THERE IS A DITCH THAT'S GOT TO BE ON THE SITE, AND USUALLY ON THE PROPERTY THAT THE SITE IS DESIGNATED FOR, THAT MAY HAVE CHANGED.
BUT THAT'S THAT'S THE WAY THAT IT USED TO BE.
YOU COULDN'T HAVE IT NEXT TO THE ROAD UNLESS THERE WAS.
SIGNAGE HAS TO BE ON THE PROPERTY WHERE THE EVENT OR THE STRUCTURE OR WHATEVER IT IS.
IT CAN'T BE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY OR THAT KIND OF THING OFF SITE.
THE WAY I HEARD IT. YEAH. WELL, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS SIDE OF THE ROOM? YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. THE INDIAN BURIAL GROUND.
INDIAN MOUND. INDIAN MOUND? YEAH. TERRY. THERE COULD BE.
I'M SORRY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR MIC TIME, SIR. WHAT? SHE WAS JUST LETTING ME KNOW TO SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE, BUT.
OH, YES. INDIAN MOUNDS WERE FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES.
SOME WERE FOR BURIALS, OTHERS WERE MIDDEN HEAPS, AND OTHERS WERE CREATED TO BE A PLATFORM FOR A COUNCIL HOUSE, YOU KNOW. SO THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF. WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL A THERE'S ANYTHING LEFT OF IT AND IT'S DETERMINED.
AND OF COURSE, SOME ARCHEOLOGISTS INVESTIGATE WHAT'S THERE.
OF COURSE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW. I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF A MOUND.
ARE THERE ANY RISES BETWEEN THE SITE OF WHERE THE FORT WAS AND.
AND THE POND? NO. AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THE EXACT SITE OF THE FORT.
WE HAVE AN ESTIMATION OF WHERE THE FORT IS LOCATED.
RIGHT? WELL, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY AS CLOSE AS YOU'RE GOING TO GET, BUT.
RIGHT THIS MAP. BUT THERE'S HOMES BUILT THERE.
YEAH. SO BUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THESE BODIES, LITTLE BODIES OF WATER ARE STILL THERE, BUT IF THEY ARE, THE BODIES OF WATER ARE STILL THERE.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW. BIG SANTA FE POND. ISN'T THAT KEYSTONE LAKE? KEYSTONE LAKE WAS SOLDIERS LAKE. YES. OKAY, WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THESE OTHER ONES WERE THERE BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THIS.
[01:00:04]
BUT IT'S REALLY HARD TO SEE IF THERE'S A MOUND THERE NOW.HOMES ALL AROUND. THAT LAKE. WELL, JUST HAVE TO RUN THOSE PEOPLE OFF SO WE CAN LOOK.
THERE USED TO BE MOUNDS, I THINK. QUITE A BIT IN THIS COUNTY.
WAY OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOODS. YOU'D, YOU KNOW, YOU'D BE HIKING ALONG OR WHATEVER.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN. THERE'S A MOUND RISING UP.
AND FROM WHAT I LEARNED THE. THOSE THAT STAYED ON TOP OF THE MOUND, IT WAS IT WAS MORE OF A DEFENSIVE MEASURE. AND ON ONE SIDE OF IT, THE BACK SIDE OF IT WAS WHERE THEY THREW ALL THEIR TRASH AND DISCARDED STUFF.
AND THAT WAS USUALLY THE PLACE WHERE ARCHEOLOGISTS LOOKED FOR, YOU KNOW, RELICS AND EVERYTHING.
THAT'S WHERE THEY WOULD FIND STUFF LIKE THAT. MOST OF THEM IN THIS AREA WERE WERE BULLDOZED YEARS AGO BECAUSE OF THEY USED THEM FOR ROAD BUILDING MATERIAL. ONE OF THE MAJOR AVENUES IN JACKSONVILLE WAS CALLED I FORGET WHAT IT'S CALLED NOW, BUT IT WAS CALLED SHELL ROAD BECAUSE THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY TOOK THESE BIG MOUNDS OF WHICH WERE MOSTLY MOLLUSKS, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE MOUNDS WERE. AND THEY JUST PAVED THE ROAD THAT RAN FOR A FEW MILES.
AND YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW MUCH DESTRUCTION OF THESE THINGS THERE WERE.
THERE WAS. SORRY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE I ADJOURN? ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT? CAN I JUST SAY YES, MA'AM? I WANTED TO JUST. I'VE GOT A MARKER IN THE WORKS WITH THE STATE THAT I PUT IN IN OCTOBER, AND I COMMUNICATED WITH THE STATE, AND THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING, THAT THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL THEY GET THE FULL COUNCIL THAT MAKES THOSE DECISIONS.
AND MEANWHILE, WE'RE FIXING TO RUN OUT OF A MAYOR WHO'S SUPPORTING MY PROJECT.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE ALL OVER THE STATE. THAT PROBLEM.
I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR FLORIDA SITE.
THAT FLORIDA SITE FILE IS GROUND ZERO AND YOU'RE AT THE RIGHT PLACE.
WHEN YOU ASK, HOW DO WE DO THAT? THEY HAVE MADE THAT WAY MORE COMPLICATED LATELY.
WHEN I FIRST DID ONE IN ORANGE PARK YEARS AGO, IT WAS HALF THE WORK THAT IT IS NOW.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE SO MUCH STATISTICAL INFORMATION AND IT ISN'T EASY TO FIND.
AND THOSE PEOPLE DON'T WANT IT ON THE LIST THERE ON THE MASTER FILE.
NOW MELANIE, SHE GAVE IN OKAY. THAT'S NICE. THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.
AND I DID WANT TO SAY IF YOU DID NOT GO TO KEYSTONE'S OPEN HOUSES, YOU NEED TO GO NEXT TIME.
IT WAS FANTASTIC. THANK YOU ALL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THAT.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.