HERITAGE PRESERVATION, INC.

Minutes of Meeting, 8-24-09

 

Those present:  Betty Champion, Ashley Winkle, Laura Connolly, Iva McClure, Carolyn Waterman, Lee Freeman, Charlotte Dean, Judy Tiffin, Andy Betterton, Hester Cope, Billy Warren

 

  1. Vince Brewton made the motion that the minutes of the 7-27-09 meeting be approved.  Charlotte Dean seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

     
  2. Billy Warren presented this financial report:
    1. Checking Account Balance                            $3,033.13
    2. Forks of Cypress Account Balance                $3,234.78
    3. FDR Fund Balance                                         $5,000.00
    4. Bailey Springs Project Balance                       $3,209.90

 

Charlotte Dean made the motion that the report be approved.  Iva McClure seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

 

3.      Billy Warren reported that HPI has placed the book, The Notebooks of Leonardo

daVinci edited by Edward MacCurdy, in the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library in memory of Elizabeth Dabney (“Liz”) Gerber, the late mother of HPI Board member, Betty Champion.

 

4.      Billy Warren circulated a thank-you note to the HPI Board from Betty Champion

for the book donated to the public library in memory of her late mother, Liz Gerber.

 

  1. Billy Warren offered a tribute to the late Liz Gerber.  He reminded everyone that Liz gave the Koger house and four acres of land to HPI.  In turn, HPI gave it to Nancy O’Neal who did a magnificent job on the house’s complete restoration.

     
  2. Billy Warren distributed paper copies of an email that he wrote to Mayor Bobby Irons and Debbie Wilson, director of the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Bureau, asking that the 4’ x 6’ granite map embedded in the sidewalk on the corner of Court and Tennessee Streets be featured in future brochures and other promotional pieces for Florence.

     
  3. Billy Warren distributed:
    1. Paper copies of an email that he wrote to Mr. John Horton, president of the Plantation Springs Neighborhood Association, describing the restoration work completed recently by Bob Torbet and co-sponsored by HPI and the city of Florence at the Wilson Family Cemetery; and
    2. Copies of a letter he wrote to Mr. Horton thanking the Plantation Springs Neighborhood Association for its $100 donation to HPI.

       
  4. Billy Warren distributed copies of a letter that he wrote to Senator Richard Shelby in which he asked Mr. Shelby to bring the proposed Historic Homeownership Assistance back to life by serving as its sponsor once again.

     
  5. Billy Warren distributed paper copies of an email that he wrote to all HPI members which reports that the four framed prints that HPI purchased from Habitat Restore in July (a painting by Oscar Lewis of Lauderdale County’s first Courthouse; another by Oscar Lewis of Lauderdale County’s second Courthouse; a large photograph of the current Courthouse; and a signed, numbered montage by Tommy Thompson of local historic buildings) have been given to the city of Florence to be hung in the Mayor-Council Chambers of the city-county government building.

     
  6. Billy Warren distributed copies of the letters that he wrote to Mayor Irons and Dewey Mitchell, chairman of the Lauderdale County Commission, asking that a Florence-Lauderdale Archival Center be established and that it be named the William Lindsay McDonald Archival Center in honor of the late, beloved Bill McDonald.

     
  7. Lee Freeman reported that a successful conference on genealogy sponsored by the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library was held on Friday and Saturday, August 21 and 22, at the library.  Featured speaker was nationally-known genealogist, Mr. J. Mark Lowe.

     
  8. Charlotte Dean gave this report on Sweetwater:
    1. There has been a great deal of conversation recently with the owner of Sweetwater.
    2. There was a meeting recently in Mayor Iron’s office of a group of people who have an abiding interest in the future of Sweetwater.
    3. Plans are being considered for some restoration work to be completed at Sweetwater.
    4. Conversations are in motion with a local contractor for restoration projects.
    5. Consideration is being given to the development of the acreage surrounding Sweetwater.

       

The group thanked Charlotte for the report and offered assistance in whatever way possible to move the restoration project forward.

 

  1. Ashley Winkle made this report for Florence Main Street:
    1. UNA has announced a promotional campaign called “Purple Reign” through which businesses are urged to develop in-store displays, streetside windows, etc. to reflect UNA.
    2. Volunteers are encouraged to meet downtown on Saturday, August 29, 9:00 a.m. – noon, to paint purple paws in the streets.
    3. On Thursday, September 3, there will be a huge pep rally for UNA on Mobile Plaza.
    4. The Book Shoppe has closed, but there are already some potential tenants for the space.
    5. Karen’s Corner, a clothing store, is opening in the building next to Guns ‘n Such on Court Street,
    6. Ashley has been invited, courtesy of the Marriott Hotels, to go to Birmingham on Thursday, August 27, for a gathering of event planners.
    7. The revitalization of the Alabama Main Street office is being made possible because Florence Main Street has maintained such meticulous records since its inception in 1992.  Records reflect public dollar investments in downtown Florence for each year, as well as private dollar investments, jobs gained, etc.

       
  2. Lee Freeman announced that the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library is sponsoring “Walkin’ With Outlaws,” a walking tour/re-enactment of legendary Tom Clark’s confrontations with particular people in Florence.  It will take place in downtown Florence on Monday and Tuesday, September 7 and 8, beginning at 6:30 p.m. each evening.

     
  3. Lee Freeman expressed public words of thanks to the officials of the Newman-Culver Museum in Waterloo for lending a collection of artifacts to display in the cases on the second floor of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library.