Government

Historic City News has learned that mayors from across Lake County want Governor DeSantis to prevent the statue of a Confederate general that has represented Florida in the nation’s capital for nearly a century from being displayed in their county.

Although the St Augustine City Commission has yet to approve a plan to conclude all future city meetings at a time certain, limiting the time presently used for public comment and discussion by members, at the meeting on July 8, several time-consuming items were tabled until its next meeting which is August 12.

During their July 8th meeting, St Augustine City Commissioners seated the final two remaining members to a seven-member blue-ribbon committee; impaneled to make recommendations about the future of short-term rentals in a congested and controversial market.

Historic City News was informed that earlier this morning, 89-year-old Ross Perot, the colorful Texas billionaire businessman who ran for president as a third-party candidate in 1992 and 1996, died at his home in Dallas.

Perot, who had been battling leukemia, was surrounded by family members when he died; according to a statement published this morning.

On Friday, Historic City News local reporters were informed by activist and government watchdog Rosetta V. Bailey, that the time has come for the City of St Augustine Beach to follow the lead of the Town of Hastings and dissolve.

As if the St Johns County Sheriff hadn’t learned his lesson about the wisdom of issuing a “report card” to elected county commissioners, based on whether they agree or disagree with his version of what’s best for county residents, the resistance group Indivisible St Johns, has followed in his steps, issuing their own “report card” ranking of our Florida Legislators for the 2019 session.

On July 1, 2019 the City of St Augustine Beach held a Commission Meeting, discussing and presenting issues like the resident/ property owner survey results, Ordinances concerning environmental protection, paid parking, live streaming of meetings, the 2020 US Census, and a special budget meeting.

When Development Director Katie Bohnett reached out to Historic City News yesterday to officially announce the retirement plans of Barbara Petersen, president of the Florida First Amendment Foundation, our editor, Michael Gold, said that his own retirement, planned for next year, helped him deal with the clear sense of loss of one of our best soldiers on the front line of protecting the public’s right to oversee its government and hold it accountable to the electorate.