HERITAGE PRESERVATION, INC.

Minutes of Meeting, 8-27-07

 

Those present:  Hester Cope, Carolyn Waterman, Brett Wood, Amy Montgomery, Cathy Wood, Mary Peck, Judy Tiffin, Betty Champion, Lee Freeman, Billy Warren

 

  1. The group welcomed Amy Montgomery to her first meeting and encouraged her to attend all monthly meetings of HPI.

     
  2. Betty Champion noted that the spelling of Pat Counts’s name to be corrected in item #12 of the minutes of the 7-23-07 meeting.  With that correction, Mary Peck made the motion that the minutes be approved.  Carolyn Waterman seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

     
  3. Billy Warren presented this treasurer’s report:
    1. Checking Account Balance                               $4,730.03
    2. Forks of Cypress Account                                3,234.78
    3. FDR Fund                                                        5,000.00
    4. Riverview Historic District                                      82.43
    5. Bailey Springs Project                                       1,505.19

 

Carolyn Waterman made the motion that the report be approved.  Judy Tiffin seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

 

  1. Lee Freeman reported that the tentative title for the research paper that he will propose for the Alabama Historical Association meeting in April, 2008, is:  “John Campbell, Charles Oliver and the Wilson Murders of 1865.”

     
  2. Billy Warren noted that the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity operates a “thrift” store in a commercial building on Royal Avenue in East Florence.  He encouraged everyone to patronize this store to support the great projects in the community that the Habitat group does.

     
  3. Billy Warren announced that Walnut Street Historic District has contributed $100 to HPI. With the contribution came a letter from Jimmy Hill, treasurer of Walnut Street Historic District, thanking HPI for its fine work.

     
  4. (drum roll, please!) Carolyn Waterman announced that Limestone House Bed and Breakfast will be one of 12 B & B’s in Alabama to be featured in a special program on Alabama Public Television.  She further stated that the film crew made footage of local points of interest (e.g., the Rosenbaum House, Ivy Green, the Natchez Trace) as well as Limestone House.  Everyone gave Carolyn and Dan Waterman a round of applause for their being selected!

     
  5. Billy Warren shared copies of the tentative wording that will appear on the marker at the entry of the Walk of Honor which will be part of the new Riverwalk near the Marriott Hotel and Spa.

     
  6. Hester Cope made this report for Main Street:
    1. The new owners of the former Stephano’s Restaurant building on North Court Street are now moving to Florence from California with plans to complete the renovation of that building and to open an art gallery/art studio on the second floor.
    2. The Dish, a lunchtime restaurant (with great food!), has opened in the former location of LeCrumbs on West Mobile Street.
    3. Firenze, the gift shop on West Mobile Street, has a really handsome new façade that is done in a classic design.
    4. The renovation of the new office building (with apartment spaces on the second floor) on East Tennessee Street is now completed.  It houses the law offices of Robert  Bunch and Joey James.
    5. Chris and Angela Webb, owners of Shaolin Computers on North Court Street, are opening a second business on Mobile Plaza specializing in home entertainment centers.

       
  7. Billy Warren distributed copies of an email from John Harris describing the current exhibit done by the Lauderdale County Chapter of the American Red Cross.  This very interesting display will be in place through September 14 in the Pocket Museum on East Tuscaloosa Street.  Billy encouraged everyone to visit this exhibit.

     
  8. Lee Freeman announced that an exhibit related to the Alabama Renaissance Faire will be mounted in the Pocket Museum on September 15 and will remain in place through October 31.

     
  9. Billy Warren reported that the home of Jeanne and Billy Reid (507 North Walnut) and their business (Billy Reid at Pickett Place) will be featured in the December, 2007, issue of Country Living magazine.  That’s great publicity for Florence!

     
  10. Lee Freeman distributed copies of an insignia almost identical to the one on the upper floor of the exterior of the building that houses Fred’s Dollar Store downtown (corner of Court and Tuscaloosa Streets).  The insignia is the logo of the old Dodge Brothers Automobile Company, an indication that the building formerly housed a Dodge Automobile dealership.

     
  11. In a discussion about the recently-released report from the Town and Gown Committee (a joint committee of UNA officials and local community representatives), these observations were made:
    1. Carolyn Waterman, a member of the committee, noted that every attempt was made to create a balanced report that reflects the needs of both the university and the broader community.
    2. It is important that everyone study the report since it is now available to the public.
    3. It is also important that everyone stay abreast of the implementation phase of the report and to attend public forums and town hall meetings related to it.

       
  12. Billy Warren reported that the planners of the Alabama Historical Association’s meeting in April, 2008, will use a 30-minute version of the “Follow the River” video at the opening reception on April 17 at Coby hall.  The cost for modifying the 60-minute video to a 30-minute format (29 minutes, if we are successful in getting it aired later on APT) is $300.  Betty Champion made the motion that HPI donate $150 toward this cost and that HPI receive a copy of the modified video.  Brett Wood seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

     
  13. Billy Warren reported that the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Bureau recently paid $500 toward the $1,000 needed to reprint 7,000 copies of the walking tour brochure of historic Florence created by HPI.  Billy will send a thank-you note on behalf of the HPI Board to Debbie Wilson at the Tourism Bureau office.

     
  14. Billy Warren distributed copies of a letter from Dr. Darrel Russell dated 8-11-07 and an attached proposal regarding a Florence-Lauderdale County Archival Center in the First Southern Bank building when the city and county take possession of that building.  Following a discussion, Lee Freeman made the motion that Billy Warren draft a suitable response to Dr Russell (with copies to the people to whom his letter and proposal were sent), stating that HPI would prefer to participate in a meeting with all interested parties and to develop a joint proposal as a result of that meeting.  Carolyn Waterman seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

     
  15. Lee Freeman distributed copes of a flyer advertising a presentation by Dr. Ken Johnson at the public library on Sunday, September 2, at 2:00 p.m.  The presentation is entitled “From Slavery to Citizenship:  Local African-Americans in the Civil War and Early Reconstruction.”

     
  16. Billy Warren circulated a copy of an article from the 8-22-07 issue of the Courier-Journal which notes HPI’s involvement in the Davis Faulkner project to expand the Bailey Spring Cemetery restoration into the erection of a historic marker at Camp Westmoreland.