Aviles Constitution Monument gift: By the numbers

Historic City News received a report from Mark Litzinger, Comptroller for the City of St Augustine, from which we compiled a breakdown of the cost associated with next month’s cultural exchange gift to the City of Aviles, Spain.

At the request of City Manager, John Regan, Litzinger has provided administrative support to former Commissioner Donald Crichlow, to accomplish the exchange — a handmade scale replica of Menendez’ ship, San Pelayo, five-years in the making from Aviles to the City of St Augustine, and a replica of the City’s Spanish Constitutional Monument from St Augustine to the City of Aviles.

The first part of the exchange was completed yesterday with the unveiling of the replica of San Pelayo at the St Augustine Visitor Convention Bureau.

After discussing and planning the matter with representatives of Aviles, Litzinger said it was determined that the “most efficient and cost effective manner” to complete this project would be to finalize a set of plans in St Augustine, bid the project through the City of Aviles’s procurement process, and construct the replica on-site, using a local contractor.

The preliminary estimate submitted to the City from Aviles, based on Commissioner Crichlow’s initial construction design and drawings, was $46,000. There were approximately $7,000 in additional expenses related to the project.  The total cost budgeted is $53,000.

At the November 10, 2014, Commission Meeting, the project and its funding was presented to the Commission and unanimously passed.

Funding for the $53,000 is as follows:

$15,000 private sponsorship that was secured in 2011
$9,000 franchise fees
$4,000 withdrawal of reserves
$25,000 private donations

The breakdown of sponsors is as follows:

2012 Legal conference donation 15,000
Historical Tours of America 1,000
Flagler College 5,000
Harbor Community Bank 1,000
Joseph Boles, Jr. 1,000
St Augustine Lighthouse Museum 1,000
University of Florida 5,000
White Lion (Mark Alexander) 1,000
Thompson Baker Agency (Greg Baker) 1,000
Donald Crichlow 1,000
David B Corneal 7,500
Bryant Miller Olive, PA 1,500
St Augustine Sister Cities Association 2,500
Errol Jones 1,000
Roxanne Horvath 1,000
Leanna Freeman 1,000

The $7,500 donation from David B Corneal, the name you know from his purchase, redesign and lot relocation of the city-owned M&M Market building in Lincolnville, as well as his recent efforts to convert the Dow Museum of Homes into a collection of luxury hotel rentals, including a controversial demolition permit “on hold” while the commission decides its fate, is earmarked to cover Crichlow and Weaver’s travel to Spain.