Boles showed bias – retaliated against UF

Historic City News would like to point out thirty-six reasons that St. Augustine Mayor Joseph L. Boles, Jr., has for giving the University of Florida the lowest score of any rater in a recent evaluation of their capability to manage a grant program and to market St. Johns County as an art, cultural, and heritage destination for the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council.

The revenue from these thirty-four buildings and two state-owned parks used to flow to the City of St. Augustine.

Mayor’s 36 Reasons to punish University of Florida

• Ribera House
• Ribera Kitchen
• Public Restrooms
• Salcedo House
• Salcedo Kitchen
• Arrivas House
• Parades Dodge Outbuilding
• Parades Dodge House
• Rodriguez House
• Sanchez De Ortigosa House
• Coquina House
• Callegos House
• Gomez House
• Triay House
• Florencia House
• Gonzales House
• Gonzales Restrooms
• New Blacksmith Shop
• De Hita House
• De Mesa Sanchez House
• Peso De Burgo/Pellicer House
• Peso De Burgo N Outbuilding
• Peso De Burgo S Outbuilding
• Haas House
• Cerveau House
• Sims Outbuilding
• Sims House
• Benet House
• Harness Shop
• Old Blacksmith Shop
• Joaneda House
• Government House
• Spanish Military Hospital
• Watson House
• Henhoeffer Property – Park
• Beville Property – Park

In November 2005, Former Mayor George Gardner sought enough money for preservation by proposing a “preservation fee” on narrated tour tickets, such as that levied in Savannah and Charleston. The following February, Gardner announced development of a lobbying team for the Legislature.

In July 2006, Proctor wrote Boles to tell him UF President Bernie Machen was interested in the university becoming the “fiscal agent” for state funds designated for the properties. The following month, a Gardner news release said the city and St. Augustine Foundation would present a program to UF regarding “maintenance and interpretation” of the properties.

On January 19, 2007, State Representative Bill Proctor wrote Boles a letter enclosing a copy of the legislation to be filed in the Florida House confirming that the late Senator Jim King would file a companion bill in the Senate.

In April 2007, Chapter 267.1735 F.S. was enacted to provide for contracting with the University of Florida to assume management responsibilities for certain historic properties located in St. Augustine, Florida. The goal of this action was “to ensure long-term preservation and interpretation of state-owned historic properties in St. Augustine while facilitating an educational program at the University of Florida that will be responsive to the state’s needs for professionals in historic preservation, archaeology, cultural resource management, cultural tourism, and museum administration and will help meet needs of St. Augustine and the state through educational internships and practicum.”

Then, on May 29, 2007, Proctor sent Mayor Boles a letter enclosing a copy of HB 851 and a copy of the bill analysis.

On the same day, Mayor Boles sent a letter to Governor Charlie Crist inviting him to come to St. Augustine to sign the legislation. “The signing would be in the Governor’s Office in Government House, one of the historic properties and would emphasize the state’s commitment to historic preservation and the sharing of the story of Florida’s and the nation’s Spanish heritage,” Boles said in his letter.

Three years later, City officials, led by Mayor Boles began their opposition to the UF plan.

April 2010 St. Augustine City Commission said it wants the Legislature to sunset the 2007 law giving management of 34 state-owned properties in the city to the University of Florida.

“UF’s got to bow out,” Boles was quoted in one local news article at that time. Boles called the University “the monkey wrench in that plan.” Boles, realizing that is was too late to stop the decision, was quoted saying “It’s no longer our Spanish Quarter.”

Boles appears to have exacted his revenge against the University of Florida by deciding the merit of the proposals between the University and the Cultural Council.

Boles assessed the University of Florida as having earned merely 37% of the evaluation criteria; including knowledge and understanding of local and regional cultural tourism and cultural industries, marketing expertise and experience, proposed organizational structure, financial stability, project approach and quality of submittal.

Boles rating is significantly lower, by almost half, of the other rater’s average score.

By contrast, he values the Cultural Council as earning 81% of a perfect score.