Persistent demands from activist Ed Slavin produced perhaps more than city officials originally planned on accountability for the collapse and ultimate demolition of the 200 year old Fornells House at 62-A Spanish Street September 25.
Slavin's demands for city paperwork began September 28. He received an accounting from Planning and Building Director David Birchim the following day. That accounting is here.
Now he turned to Assistant City Manager Tim Burchfield and City Attorney Isabelle Lopez for "62 Spanish Street staff chronologies and investigative interviews, notes, emails, etc."
Burchfield replied, "I have just begun interviewing employees this morning and I do not presently have a 'file'. When I finish my interviews and have a 'file' I will give you what I have."
Slavin, "Please send now. Thank you."
Burchfield, "I am still finalizing my review and as advised by the City Attorney my records are not subject to public records at this time."
Slavin, "Please cite authority. I disagree. Thank you"
Lopez, "Shevin v. Byron, 379 So. 2d 633 (Fla. 1980) and Justice Coalition v. The First DCA JNC, 823 So. 2d 185 (Fla. 1st DCA 2002)"
Slavin, "Inapposite. Tim is not a consultant. This is not a judicial nominating commission."
He then cited the Government-in-the-Sunshine Manual: "All such materials, regardless of whether they are in final form, are open for public inspection unless the Legislature has exempted them from disclosure. ... There is no "unfinished business" exception to the public inspection and copying requirements of Ch. 119, F.S.
"If the purpose of a document prepared in connection with the official business of a public agency is to perpetuate, communicate, or formalize knowledge, then it is a public record regardless of whether it is in final form or the ultimate product of an agency."
The city's procedural review of the building collapse was released October 3. Find it here.
Slavin has now asked that the city's report be sent to OSHA, FBI, U.S. Attorney and Florida authorities.
Contractor/Businessman Weeks - currently chairman of St. Augustine's Historical Architectural Review Board and its Parking and Traffic Committee, and also the city's ambassador (sic) to Spain - lives in St. Augustine Beach.
History's Highlight
200 years of the Fornells House
336 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
From drbronsontours.com
From the July 1963 issue of the St. Augustine Historical Society's Newsletter, El Escribano:
This property was purchased by the St. Augustine Historical Society in 1952 when the house was in danger of demolition. Inspection indicated it to be a fine example of design and construction used in Saint Augustine in the early 1800's.
Fornell House Prior to 1800 this area was part of the Dragoon Barracks land and was used as a kitchen garden for the Spanish troops. The lot extended to Cordova Street, and contained a grove of 196 orange trees.
It is a two story coquina block structure with a hip roof, almost square in design, a typical home of an ordinary family at the beginning of the 19th century.
On January 9, 1800, Pedro Fornells, a native of Ciudadela in the Island of Menorca, petitioned the Spanish Crown for a grant of the lot which was part of the kitchen garden of the Dragoon Barracks.
Sometime after this grant was confirmed, Fornells built a house on this site. Fornells died unexpectedly on August 1, 1807, without having made a will. However an inventory of his properties was made, and the house on Spanish Street appears and is described.
On February 4, 1820, Fornells' widow, Mariana Tudorina, made a will in which the following statement describing the house appears:
I declare as my present estate one house of masonry with its corresponding lot and trees, which is the house where I now live, located on the Calle de los Quarteles de Dragones (Dragon Barracks 55-Street, now known as Spanish Street) bounded on the South with said barracks, on the .north with the cross street which leads to the Marina (Hypolita Street), on the East with the said Street of the Barracks and on the West with the street that leads to the Cienaga (now Cordova Street).
Said house built by my deceased last husband Fornells, but at the time of his death said house was not of enough value to reintegrate my dowry, and pay the debts that he had contracted, and in the many years since his death I have increased its value with my industry and with the orange grove that is cultivated.
Fornells' wife died on August 3, 1820. She left her estate to her four children to be divided in equal shares. (Over time the title passed to nine owners). The St. Augustine Historical Society purchased it in 1952.
During 30 years of ownership by Mr. Burton Masters, this was the only place in town where one could buy real Minorcan food. Affectionately known as "Uncle Bertie," Mr. Masters was skilled in the fine art of preparing such delicacies as Shrimp Pilau, Gopher Stew and Clam Chowder. The business that he bought for $150 sold many years later for several thousand dollars.
In 1952, when the St. Augustine Historical Society purchased the property, the old coquina house was in danger of demolition. Inspection indicated it to be a fine example of design and construction used in St. Augustine in the early 1800's, althou [sic] additions made by recent owners had destroyed to a great extent the beauty and integrity of the old house.
2 comments:
Kudos to you Ed. I have often said I wish the city had a hundred of you.
As to the history cited, it might interest readers to know the earlier history of the plot of land that the Fornell House was located on. In 1493 it was owned by Pay Dough to Menendez to Havealay who won the plot of land in a card game with the Chief of the Tall Tomato tribe who was the recognized owner at the time. Pay Dough to Menendez to Havealay had considered setting up his brothels and drinking establishments there but the card game with the Chief had been very contentious (there was talk of cheating) and also the Chief owned a Tall Tomato Wine bar diagonally across the street (where our present day Scarlett Ohara's is now located). Given the friction Pay Dough chose instead to set up his businesses on Havealay Street which is now, through the machinations of past city officials, presently called Aviles Street. You can read about it here;
http://fountainofbaloney.com/index.html
Bertie Masters was the only restaurateur in St. Augustine that served blacks. Sadly they weren't allowed to eat in the dining room, but the food was the same in quality, quantity, and value.
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