HERITAGE PRESERVATION, INC.

Minutes of Meeting, 3-24-08

 

Those present:  Bob Torbert, Vince Brewton, Jerry Dowd, Iva McClure, Hester Cope, Betty Champion, Jim Ingrum, Mike Pretes, Dick Jordan, Doris Grimes, Billy Warren

 

  1. It was noted that item #8 in the minutes of the 2-25-08 meeting should say that Lee Freeman seconded the motion made by Betty Champion and that it passed unanimously.  With that change, Vince Brewton made the motion that the minutes be approved.  Jim Ingrum seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

     
  2. Billy Warren presented this treasurer’s report:
    1. Checking Account Balance                                        $4,151.53
    2. FDR Fund                                                                     5,000.00
    3. Forks of Cypress Project                                               3,234.78
    4. Bailey Springs Cemetery Project                                  1,843.65

       

Bob Torbert made the motion that the report be approved.  Vince Brewton seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

 

  1. Bob Torbert reported that the work on restoring the Wilson Family Cemetery has not begun because the owners of Florence Marble Works are in the process of moving their business to Greenhill.  The move is consuming their time at the moment, so they have not had spare time to work on repairing gravestones in the cemetery.

     
  2. Iva McClure and Billy Warren stated that they will attend the breakfast meeting at the Holiday Inn on Tuesday, March 25, 7:30 a.m., to assist in planning the upcoming convention of the Alabama Historical Association (April 17-19) in the Shoals.

     
  3. Billy Warren reported that he attended a planning session at the public library on Wednesday, March 12, to assist in the final plans for the Alabama Historical Association’s annual convention.  He stated that all aspects of the plans appear to be coming together quite well.

     
  4. Billy Warren reported that he made presentations on local history as a representative of HPI at the following places and times:
    1. Youth in Government Day (City Hall) – Tuesday, March 18, 8:30 a.m.
    2. Senior Adult Group (Woodmont Baptist Church) – Thursday, March 20, 11: 30 a.m.

       
  5. Billy Warren announced upcoming walking tours which he will direct as a representative of HPI at the following places and times:
    1. Walnut Street Historic District (Delta Kappa Gamma) – Tuesday, April 1, 4:15 p.m.
    2. Upper North Court Street (an opening activity for the Alabama Historical Association’s convention) – Thursday, April 17, 5:30 p.m.
    3. Upper North Court Street (an activity in Billy Reid’s media weekend) – Saturday, April 19, 10:00 a.m.
    4. Upper North Court Street (sponsored by the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Bureau) – Saturday, June 7, 10:00 a.m.
    5. Walnut Street Historic District (sponsored by the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Bureau) – Saturday, June 14, 10:00 a.m.

       
  6. Betty Champion and Billy Warren, representing the Florence Main Street Design Committee, announced that the Committee will present to the City of Florence a second gift of public art (the first was the marble medallion – ten feet in diameter – embedded in the floor just outside the bookstore entry at the public library).  The second gift will be a 4’ x 8’ granite replica of the 1852 map of Florence.  It will be installed in the sidewalk on the southwest corner of Court and Tennessee Streets, an appropriate location since the former First Southern Bank building is now a public building owned jointly by  Florence and Lauderdale County.

     
  7. Lee Freeman (in absentia) and Billy Warren reported that they attended the meeting convened at the public library on Sunday, March 16, regarding the establishment of a Florence-Lauderdale County archival center.  Billy then distributed and reviewed copies of an email that he sent to Mayor Bobby Irons on Monday, March 17.  Basically, it asked that space be allotted in the former First Southern Bank building to house the records from the Circuit Court Clerk’s office that are now stored in a non-heated/non-cooled building.  Further, it asked for staff and equipment to digitize those records, with a copy of all digital records going to the Local History/Genealogy Room at the public library.  Under this plan, the digitizing process would be under the direction of staff at the public library, with overall supervision of the project under the aegis of the Board of Directors of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library.

     

After a discussion by everyone in attendance at today’s meeting, Bob Torbert made the motion that the Board of Directors of HPI give approval to Billy Warren’s proposed plan as outlined in his email to the Mayor.  Betty Champion seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

 

  1. In a discussion of the upcoming Cemetery Stroll on Saturday, April 26, 10:00 a.m. (rain date: Sunday, April 27, 2:00 p.m.), these people volunteered to assist:  Betty Champion, Hester Cope, Doris Grimes, Billy Warren.  Though they weren’t present at today’s meeting, Brett Wood and Mary Peck had already volunteered.  Billy Warren stated that he will email other HPI members and ask them to help.  Bob Torbert agreed to secure a porta-john for the event.

     
  2. Jerry Dowd reported that he has not been able to deliver the three G. W. Landrum portraits from the Maos’ future gift shop location to Bill McDonald for possible identification.  Jerry will delivery them soon.

     
  3. Billy Warren distributed and reviewed copies of an email from Lee Sentell, Executive Director of the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel.  In the email, Mr. Sentell invited people to submit electronic photographs of beautiful homes in historic districts for possible inclusion in a brochure on Alabama’s beautiful neighborhoods that will be published as part of the 2009 celebration of small towns and downtowns in Alabama.  It was noted that a professional photographer will be in town soon and will be working with Debbie Wilson, Executive Director of the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Bureau.  Dick Jordan volunteered to call Debbie to see if the photographer might also take photographs of houses in historic districts for the statewide brochure.  Dick will call Billy Warren to tell him Debbie’s response.

     
  4. Billy Warren distributed copies of a flyer inviting everyone to attend an Open House at the Shoals Theater on Saturday, April 12, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.  This event is to celebrate the purchase of the theater by Shoals Community Theater, Inc., the umbrella organization of both Zodiac Theater and Gingerbread Playhouse.  Billy encouraged everyone to attend this historic event.