Last week, Assistant County Administrator Jerry Cameron recommended to St Johns County commissioners a $24.5 million contract for the purchase and installation of the much-ballyhooed 800 MHz radio system that was approved by the Board at their December 6 meeting.

Rabbi Merrill Shapiro of First Congregation Sons of Israel in St Augustine told Historic City News that he is not happy with Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s announced rewrite of proposed Amendment 7 — scheduled for the November ballot.

Tourist Development Council Executive Director Glenn Hastings requested County Commissioners to transfer $589,850 from Reserves on Tuesday to various line items within the Arts-Culture-Heritage category to support the contractual obligations of the St Johns Cultural Council under a recently revised $2,162,004 budget for fiscal 2012.

Mayor Joseph L. Boles, Jr., told city commissioners last week that Castillo de San Marcos Administrative Officer Lindsey Phillips will serve, until at least September 2012, in the position of interim director of the federal St. Augustine 450th Commemoration Commission.

Historic City News reporters attended a debut this morning of two new fire trucks — welcomed additions to the arsenal of firefighting equipment employed by the City of St Augustine.

St Johns County Tax Collector, Dennis W. Hollingsworth CFC, announced to Historic City News the holiday schedule for his offices in St Augustine, Julington Creek, Ponte Vedra Beach and Dupont Center.

Asking only for reimbursement of necessary expenses, Saltwater Property Group broker Irene Arriola will enter into an exclusive listing agreement with the City of St Augustine to find a buyer for the 102 Bridge Street market that was purchased by the City in November 2010.