Federal 450th meeting to be discussed

Cathy DuPont notified Historic City News that representatives of the Department of Interior will conduct a meeting with city staff and others next week to discuss arrangements for the first meeting of the federal St. Augustine 450th Commemoration Commission.

Two or more members of the St. Augustine City Commission may be in attendance when the meeting convenes on Wednesday, May 18th at 2:30 p.m. in the Virginia Room of the Ringhaver Center at Flagler College located at 30 Sevilla Street.

Speaking at this week’s city commission meeting, former Department of Interior staffer and city commissioner Bill Leary stressed the importance that the “first meeting” of the federal commission to go off without a hitch — the date for that meeting has yet to be established. According to Leary, this meeting will set the tone for future meetings.

The federal commission is focused solely on the commemoration of the city’s founding; 450 years ago in 1565. First America Foundation has been contracted by the City of St. Augustine to coordinate four heritage events; including the 1812 Spanish Constitution, the 1513 landing of Ponce de Leon, the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and the 1565 founding of St. Augustine by Pedro Menendez.

Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News staff photographer