HERITAGE PRESERVATION, INC.

Minutes of Meeting, 11-24-03

 

Those present:  Betty Champion, Mary Peck, Iva McClure, Judy Tiffin, Lee Freeman, Bill McDonald, Hester Cope, Vince Brewton, Billy Warren

 

  1. Bill McDonald made the motion that the minutes of the 10-27-03 meeting be approved.  Iva McClure seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

     
  2. Lindsey Stricklin (in absentia) gave the following treasurer's report:
    1. Checking account balance                                 $1,540.59
    2. Savings account balance                                     5,107.53  +11.40
    3. Forks of Cypress account balance                      3,223.38

       

            Bill McDonald made the motion that the report be approved.  Vince Brewton seconded

            the motion, and it passed unanimously.

 

  1. Lee Freeman and Bill McDonald made this report on the status of the film on the history of Florence:
    1. The film is almost completed; just a few additions/corrections are needed.
    2. A small group of people previewed the film several days ago (Lee and Bill were in the group) and declared it to be of very high quality.
    3. At least 100 prints of the film – in either VHS or DVD format – will be made for free distribution to local schools and public libraries.

       
  2. After the group discussed the future of the film on the history of Florence, Bill McDonald made the motion that we send word to the ad hoc committee that oversaw the film's creation that HPI is willing to assume responsibility for the film following its premiere.  Hester Cope seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

 

Lee Freeman agreed to talk with the ad hoc committee about the possibility of an HPI copyright notice's being added to the film so it will be less likely to be pirated.

 

  1. Mary Peck reported that work has not yet begun on the photographs of Wood Avenue houses that are to be added to HPI's web site.

     
  2. Billy Warren reported that he led 69 sixth graders on a walking tour of Wilson Park and the buildings surrounding it. The tour occurred on Friday, November 21.

     
  3. Vince Brewton:
    1. Reported that minutes of  HPI's monthly meetings between April and October, 2003, have been added to the web site;
    2. Reported that our web site is now linked with Collier Library's;
    3. Stated that he will check with John Patrick, webmaster for the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, about the possibility of our linking with that site;
    4. Stated that he will link our site with Limestone House's site; and
    5. Stated that the application for joining HPI is now on our web site but that he thinks it's a better idea for a personal invitation to be mailed to prospective members.

       
  4. Billy Warren:
    1. Reported one Gold membership ($100) to HPI directly from the web site;
    2. Complimented Vince Brewton for the fine job he is doing as HPI's webmaster;
    3. Reported that officials at the Shoals Chamber of Commerce have agreed to link our web site with the Chamber's;
    4. Reported that officials at the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Bureau have agreed to link our web site with the Bureau's; and
    5. Reported that we must pay membership dues of $150/year to link our site with the North Alabama Tourist Association (an agency that covers 14 counties in North Alabama).

       
  5. Vince Brewton made the motion that HPI pay $150 in annual dues to join the North Alabama Tourist Association (NATA).  Hester Cope seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

     
  6. Billy Warren distributed copies of the letter which Mary Peck (and he, to a lesser extent) wrote to Mayor Dick Jordan and City Council members requesting that an ordinance be passed requiring a public hearing before anyone can raze a building listed on the National Register.  Billy noted that Mayor Jordan has already expressed his own verbal approval of such an ordinance.  Billy will make an appropriate follow-up with the Mayor and Council members.

     
  7. Billy Warren distributed copies of the letter which he wrote in support of the Archives Action Team's search for a building to store archival materials (either on a permanent or temporary basis) from Bradshaw and Coffee High Schools.  Billy reported that Hollis Wilson has offered the team a choice of either of two buildings that he owns.

     
  8. Bill McDonald made the motion that subscriptions to the National Trust's magazine be renewed for Gary Williamson and the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library.  Judy Tiffin seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

     
  9. Bill McDonald made the motion that the book, Saving America's Treasures by the National Geographic and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, be placed in the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library in memory of Marie Shanks.  Mary Peck seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

     
  10. Bill McDonald reported that the Florence Historical Board has established a bank account for the preservation of archival materials.

     
  11. It was agreed that appropriate certificates of appreciation be created for Nelson Starkey, Bobby Denton and Lynn Greer for their assistance in acquiring funds for the film on the history of Florence and Lauderdale County.

     
  12. Bill McDonald made the motion that the annual meeting of HPI be held on Sunday, January 18, 2004, at the Shoals Theater and that the premiere of the film on the history of Florence and Lauderdale County constitute the program for that meeting.  Mary Peck seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

     
  13. A review of minutes of the November, 2002, meeting of HPI revealed that these people were chosen to receive the Capital Award at the annual meeting in January, 2003:
    1. Residential – Mary and Tom White
    2. Commercial – Bo Osborne
    3. Individual – Jim Ingrum

 

These people were also nominated:  Ronald Pettus, Cliff Coldiron, Pat Mahan, Tom Hendrix, David Tomlin, Susan and Billy Hargett, Jackie and Jim Noles.  To this list, at today's meeting were added these names:  Lindsey Stricklin, Iva McClure, Jerry Dowd, the University of North Alabama (for the pedestrian walkway using the plans done by Ohlmstead in the 1920's).

 

  1. It was agreed that our December meeting will be held at noon on MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, because of the holiday schedule.

     
  2. Bill McDonald:
    1. Announced that work has begun on the replacement of the library at the Handy home and Museum (at a cost of $200,000);
    2. Announced that the Alabama Historical Commission has named Bob Torbert to be the representative to the AHC in behalf of cemeteries in Lauderdale County; and
    3. Suggested (and all agreed) that we ask Bob Torbert to meet with the HPI Board to discuss cemeteries in Lauderdale County.

       
  3. Lee Freeman suggested that we sponsor a program on cemetery restoration and that we invite a representative from ADAH to lead the program.

     
  4. Because of time constraints, no further work was done on the local craftsperson list.