In what she called a step toward creating a more inclusive city, St. Augustine Vice Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline prefaced a birthday celebration for the city’s founder with a recognition of Native Americans who inhabited the land before him.
The city typically reads a proclamation honoring Pedro Menendez de Aviles every year next to his statue in front of City Hall.
Sikes-Kline requested at Monday s Commission meeting to do things differently this year by having the land acknowledgment statement in recognition of indigenous people. All commissioners gave their support.
Sikes-Kline said the move is in line with an objective in the city s strategic plan: diversity, equity and inclusion, which was added in 2020. The addition came around the time of national and local protests over the death of George Floyd; the protests also led to the removal of the city s Confederate memorial.
St. Augustine city leaders raise concerns about Sebastian Inland Harbor proposal
Among the concerns raised by the commissioners were parking, traffic and flooding impacts. Another concern is shared by nearby residents: short-term rentals. Author: Jessica Clark Updated: 6:45 PM EST January 26, 2021
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. A major development planned for the edge of downtown St. Augustine did not pass muster Monday night with city commissioners.
The Sebastian Inland Harbor project is a 13-acre proposal along King Street and Ribera Streets. The project was approved more than 10 years ago for a hotel, apartments, commercial space and a marina. However, it never got off the ground, and the land remains vacant.
City commissioners consider public meeting options under Florida s in-person mandate
St. Augustine city leaders are looking for workarounds in order to have safe meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Author: Jessica Clark Updated: 8:51 PM EST December 16, 2020
ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. Decisions on everything about how to spend your money, to where to build the newest housing development or mall are made inside of city meetings.
And while they make look dull and sometimes even sound dull, they are critical to everyday life.
That s why they must go on in the midst of a pandemic.
The question is: how to do it safely when the governor is mandating those meetings take place in person?
St. Johns County s Legislative Delegation for the Florida Legislature is scheduled to hear from dozens of speakers Friday on a wide range of topics, including mental health, infrastructure and schools.
The delegation ― made up of State Sen. Travis Hutson, delegation chair and State Rep. Cyndi Stevenson and State Rep. Paul Renner, all Republicans ― holds meetings to hear from locals about their priorities and to discuss upcoming legislative issues.
The next regular session of the Florida Legislature begins on March 2.
The Legislative Delegation meeting will take place from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the St. Johns County auditorium at 500 San Sebastian View in St. Augustine. While the meeting is open to the public, seating will be limited because of COVID-19.
With COVID-19 cases on the rise, St. Augustine commissioners are asking the governor to give them the flexibility to meet remotely again.
Gov. Ron DeSantis had suspended laws requiring local elected bodies to meet in person. That exception has expired, even though the state of emergency in Florida has been extended because of COVID.
At Monday s organizational meeting, commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution urging DeSantis to reinstate the executive order that allowed the Commission to meet via Zoom.
City Hall’s meeting room, The Alcazar Room, is part of a building that was one of Henry Flagler’s historic hotels. The city has stepped up sanitization and safety protocols, including requiring masks in the room and limiting seating.