HERITAGE PRESERVATION, INC.

Minutes of Meeting, 9-24-07

Those present:  Lee Freeman, Jerry Dowd, Judy Tiffin, Amy Montgomery, Charlotte Dean, Hester Cope, Betty Champion, Iva McClure, Bob Torbert, Carolyn Waterman, Billy Warren

1. Bob Torbert made the motion that the minutes of the 8-27-07 meeting be approved.  Carolyn Waterman seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
   
    
2. Billy Warren presented this treasurer’s report:
   1. Checking Account Balance                            $4,235.63
   2. Forks of Cypress Account                                3,234.78
   3. FDR Fund                                                         5,000.00
   4. Bailey Springs Cemetery Project                      2,141.14
   5. Riverview Historic District                                    79.43

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

 

3. Billy Warren distributed copies of the Town and Gown report prepared by a joint committee from the city of Florence and the University of North Alabama.  He briefly reviewed portions of it and encouraged Board members to read it in its entirety.  He also encouraged members to attend public forums and//or town meetings related to it as they are scheduled.
   
    
4. Bob Torbert made this report related to the Cemetery Project and Habitat for Humanity:
   1. A family in Rogersville says that it knows the location of the grave of the illegitimate son of Jesse James.  Bob hopes to get a newspaper article written about this story.
   2. Plans are being made to work on the Wilson Cemetery next to the Blackberry Trail Golf Course.  There are two grave markers in particular that he hopes to restore.
   3. The Habitat for Humanity retail store on Royal Avenue in East Florence has two goals for the money it takes in:

1.      To pay the overhead expenses for the Habitat office; and

2.      To help with the funding of future Habitat houses.

4. People who must do community service in lieu of incarceration pick up and deliver items for the Habitat store.
5. These plans are underway for future Habitat projects:

1.      A group home (the fifth one!) for Arc of the Shoals; and

2.      Replacement houses for the current Detention Homes (girls’ home in Florence, boys’ home in Sheffield).

6. Florence Marble Works is willing to make a simple grave marker for unmarked graves at a cost of just $25.  The marker contains this information:  the person’s name, date of birth and date of death.
7. The Mt. Zion AME Church is in the process of restoring the cemetery next to it, with Bob’s assistance.
   
    
4. Billy Warren distributed copies of the letter he wrote to Dr. Darrell Russel on behalf of the HPI Board in response to Dr. Russel’s request that HPI join him in pursuing a Florence-Lauderdale Archival Center in the First Southern Bank building.  Board members agreed that we need additional information from Mayor Irons and County Commission Chairman Dewey Mitchell before we go further.
   
    
5. Billy Warren distributed copies of an article that appeared in the 8-31-07 issue of the Times-Daily regarding the theft of artifacts from Pond Spring, but he also noted that actual restoration work has now begun the buildings at Pond Spring.
   
    
6. Billy Warren announced that the Alabama Historical Commission is once again without an executive director as a result of the recent resignation of Col. Neubauer.
   
    
7. Billy Warren distributed copies of a CD created by Ralph Wallace on 9-1-07 of the Bailey Springs Cemetery. Billy will write a thank-you letter to Ralph for his thoughtfulness and generosity.
   
    
8. Carolyn Waterman stated that the program on twelve bed and breakfasts in Alabama will air on APT in the spring of 2008 (actual date TBA).
   
    
9. Billy Warren distributed copies of a letter which he wrote to Lee Sentell, Executive Director of the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel.  Billy wrote the letter and sent it, along with a copy of the DVD of “Follow the River,” asking Mr. Sentell to assist HPI in getting “Follow the River” shown on Alabama Public Television.
   
    
10. Hester Cope stated that the themes to be promoted by the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel will be as follows:
    1. 2008 – The Year of Alabama Sports,
    2. 2009 – The Year of Alabama History, and
    3. 2010 – The Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns.
       
        
11. Hester Cope made this report for Main Street:
    1. Two people from the Alabama Historical Commission were in town recently to look at these four structures whose owners are applying for Tax Act benefits:

1.      Dwelling/apartment house at 520 North Walnut Street,

2.      Stephano’s building on North Court Street,

3.      Brad and Goode Dethero’s building on upper North Court Street, and

4.      Smokehouse Billiards building on East Tennessee Street.

2. Mobile Plaza is getting nearer to the time that its restoration will begin.
   
    
12. Following a discussion of the matter, Carolyn Waterman made the motion that HPI present a gift subscription to the National Trust magazine to the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library.  Betty Champion seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
    
     
13. Billy Warren reported that Nancy Gonce would like HPI’s assistance with the National Heritage Area project, which is also tied to the digital records project of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library:
    1. Access to private collections of old documents and pictures;
    2. People who are willing to do interviews of oral history; and
    3. People who are willing to complete forms related to private collections.
       
        
14. Lee Freeman:
    1. Distributed copies of the September issue of Kidsville News which contains articles on local history and pirates written by Billy Warren and Lee Freeman;
    2. Distributed copies of a flyer advertising a lecture entitled “The James Boys Strike Back:  The Muscle Shoals Paymaster Robbery of 1881” which he will present at the public library on Saturday, October 6, at 2:00 p.m.