HERITAGE PRESERVATION, INC.

Minutes of Meeting, 4-28-03

Those present:  Margaret Taylor, Judy Tiffin, Hester Cope, Betty Champion, Susan Hargett, Mary Peck, Jim Ingrum, Lee Freeman, Lindsey Stricklin, Bill McDonald, Tom White, Billy Warren

1. Bill McDonald made the motion that the minutes of the 2-24-03 and 3/17/03 meetings be approved.  Lindsey Stricklin seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
   
    
2. Lindsey Stricklin gave this treasurer's report:
   1. Checking Account                    $1,517.22
   2. Savings Account                       $5,099.28 + 11.40
   3. Fords of Cypress Account             226.38

Bill McDonald made the motion that the report be approved.  Margaret Taylor seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

 

3. Billy Warren, Hester Cope, Tom White, Betty Champion and Bill McDonald reported that the meeting sponsored by Florence Main Street Downtown Florence Unlimited and Heritage Preservation, Inc. held at the public library on April 8 was a great success.  Billy urged everyone to attend the next session on Tuesday, May 13, 5:15 p.m., at the public library.  At that time, the group will be subdivided so that everyone can work with others with similar interest in the designated categories.  He further stated that a new organization will not be formed as a result of these meetings; rather, the ideas and human resources will be folded into the three sponsoring organizations.  In addition, he shared copies of a multi-page document that summarizes the ideas for improving downtown Florence that were generated at the April 8 meeting.
   
    
4. Billy Warren distributed copies of the Resolution adopted at the 3-17-03 meeting asking the City Council to rename the Waterloo Road Bridge the T. S. Stribling Bridge.
   
    
5. Bill McDonald shared a draft copy of a list of potential champion trees that he and Leon Bates have identified.  More work will be done on this project by Bill and Leon at a later time.
   
    
6. Regarding the proposed video on the history of Florence and Lauderdale County, Bill McDonald made this report:
   1. The committee has interviewed two video producers, resulting in these two proposals:  Shane Wilson - $60,000 for a 60-minutes video; Steve Viall - $500 per minute,
   2. Representatives from various local organizations interested in the history of Florence and Lauderdale County are serving on the committee.
   3. The committee has $25,000 in hand, with the promise of an additional $35,000 by October 1, 2003.
   4. The next meeting of the committee will be Wednesday, May 7, 12:00 noon, at the public library.
      
       
7. After some discussion, Jim Ingrum made the motion that we invite Melissa Bailey, the new Planning Director for the City of Florence, to meet with us on Monday, June 23.
   
    
8. Billy Warren reported that Lee Sentell, the new director of Alabama's Bureau of Tourism and Travel, is building on the success of guided walking tours in Huntsville.  Across the state there will be seven Saturday morning walking tours (2 in May, 4 in Jun, 1 in July), with Florence being one of the cities.  Billy Warren will guide the tours in Florence.  He will represent HPI in this project.  These will be advertised statewide, with people from across the state attending them.
   
    
9. Margaret Taylor suggested that someone from the Times-Daily be added to HPI's Board of Directors when a vacancy occurs.  Everyone agreed with her suggestion.  Then it was further suggested that we invite a newspaper reporter to our monthly meetings even before a vacancy occurs.  Billy Warren will do that.
   
    
10. Bill McDonald reported that he and Lee Freeman are set to entertain some African-American people from Michigan who are descendents of former slaves on the Sweetwater plantation.  A date has not yet been established.
    
     
11. Hester Cope reported that the Board of the Shoals Theatre received a $10,000 grant for renovation work on the theatre.  After the Board spent its own matching money (which it was required to do in order to receive the grant money), Governor Riley froze all grants.  This situation has caused a financial strain on the Board, of course.  Hester asked that HPI draft a Resolution testifying to the historical authenticity of the Shoals Theatre building and to authorize Billy Warren to write the Governor requesting that the grant money be released.  Bill McDonald made the motion that both documents be prepared and sent to Montgomery.  Mary Peck seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
    
     
12. These people volunteered to assist with the Upstairs in Downtown tour on Saturday, June 21:  Lindsey Stricklin, Betty Champion, Mary Peck, Billy Warren.  Hester Cope reported that the owners of these locations have already agreed for their properties to be on the tour, with more to follow:
    1. Two apartments owned by Cliff Coldiron (next door to the former Lamar's Furniture Store);
    2. William Long's townhouse (over Studio 124 on east Tennessee Street);
    3. Jimmy Neese's offices (corner of Court and Tennessee Streets);
    4. Limestone House on North Wood Avenue; and
    5. Jim Nippers two apartments (next to Smokehouse Billiards on Tennessee Street.
       
        
13. Lindsey Stricklin distributed copies of a flyer advertising Waterloo Heritage Days on May 24-25 and urged everyone to attend.
    
     
14. Billy Warren distributed copies of an article in the Times-Daily on 3-23-03 written by Bill McDonald about "Chubby" Stewart's ancestor whose home was located near the present-day Trowbridge's on Court Street.
    
     
15. Bill McDonald distributed copies of a document which lists those who are buried in the Bradley Price Cemetery on Bellview Road.  As a representative of HPI, Bill has launched a project to restore old cemeteries within the city limits of Florence.
    
     
16. Bill McDonald announced that his newest book, Civil War Stories, will soon be on the market.
    
     
17. Regarding the former site of the Coca-Cola plant on South Court Street, Hester Cope made this report:
    1. All of the complex of buildings are being razed except the warehouses at the rear of the property.
    2. The warehouses have been leased to a new tenant, with a portion to be renovated for office space for the tenant.
    3. A new building will be constructed on the site previously occupied by the razed buildings, but a tenant for it has not yet been secured.
    4. The historic Coca-Cola sign (it's on the Alabama Register) has been placed in storage.  It is hoped that the tenant of the new building will allow it to be erected on the building's roof, with, perhaps, Coca-Cola paying an advertising fee.
       
        
18. Because Memorial Day occurs on our scheduled meeting day in May, our next meeting will be Monday, May 19, 12:00 noon, at Richards Center.
    
     
19. Because of time constraints, no further work was done on the list of local craftspeople.