June 20 2018
Garbage Man Day
Give a wave of thanks this week to
the city’s solid waste collectors and
their waste/yard debris/recycling trucks
– all in one units that are the height of
recycling.
Those trucks are scrubbed after each
use to be ready for the next chore.
Global Garbage Man Day was
established in 2013 by John D.
Arwood, CEO of Arwood Waste in
Jacksonville, to celebrate “just about
anyone who does the dirty jobs that we
would rather not do ourselves.”
For the story of Global Garbage Man
Day and history of refuse disposal
dating back to 3000 BC, click here.
History’s highlight
The Battle of Bloody Marsh
The Battle of Bloody Mose in 1740, reenacted last weekend at Fort Mose, was followed by a second
British attempt to capture St. Augustine in early 1742, thwarted by the guns of Fort Matanzas south of the
presidio. Spanish forces retaliated, resulting in the Battle of Bloody Marsh July 7, 1742.
An account drawn from Our Georgia History
The story of the Battle of Bloody Marsh is the story of two forts, Fort St Simon and Fort Frederica, which
lay about 7 miles apart on St. Simon Island. Between the two a "military road" ran, a path one wagon wide,
along which the army and nearby settlers in Frederica could receive supplies from Ft. St. Simon.
Manuel de Montiano, governor of La Florida (Spanish Florida) rode the tide
into St. Simon on July 5, sailing under the firing guns at Fort St. Simon,
bypassing the fort and landing more than 50 ships near higher ground
(Gascoigne Bluff). Oglethorpe withdrew from the fort before the Spanish could
mount an attack.
With some 3,000 troops of his estimated force of 4,500, Montiano took the
fort the following day and began to scout the island on foot for Oglethorpe and
his men. They quickly found the military road between Fort St. Simon and Fort
Frederica, but dismissed it as a farmer's path.
The Spanish began searching the leeward side of the island, completely
ignorant of the existence of Frederica. After realizing their mistake, Montiano
ordered more than 100 men to scout the road, looking for evidence of English
forces or Frederica.
Oglethorpe had chosen Frederica because of its location - it was surrounded
by marsh, and there were only two ways to attack by land, through the dense
forest to the north of Frederica or along the military road to the south of Frederica.
Sticking to a defense planned 8 years earlier, Oglethorpe stationed a small group of Highlanders, Rangers and
marines under the command of Noble Jones to defend the road. Jones caught the Spanish skirmishers at the head
of the formation by surprise.
Jones ordered his men to fall back as he rode off to find Oglethorpe. When notified of the engagement,
Oglethorpe, according to legend, jumped on the first available horse and rode off down the road to St. Simons. At
Gully Hole Creek, Oglethorpe halted the orderly retreat of Jones' combined force and led them in an attack
against the advancing Spanish, routing de Montiano's men in a furious battle.
Knowing the Spanish would continue the attack, Oglethorpe followed the retreating enemy to an open area in a
marsh. Placing his men carefully around the open field as the Spanish regrouped, Oglethorpe left to rally more
support. A much larger Spanish force appeared and engaged Oglethorpe's men.
The colonists tore into the superior Spanish force, forcing them into a haphazard retreat. This was the battle of
Bloody Marsh.
Image: 1742 Georgia battle sites, Wikipedia.org
Commission - Seat 4
John Valdes, a
contractor specializing
in historic properties
and veteran of 22 years
serving on city boards,
ran unsuccessfully
against Neville in
2014. Valdes says he'll
focus on commission stability to tackle issues like mobility,
sea-level rise and the pressures of population and tourism
growth.
Jill Pacetti http://jillpacetti.com/ - A heritage native,
Pacetti’s campaign theme is, “Our History, Our Future,”
citing “unscrupulous builders in St Augustine who are not
afraid to demolish our past — for future profit,” and
suggesting “mobility fees on new construction, for the
increased load on our streets.”
Wade Ross, a moderator of the St. Augustine Vagrant
Watch Group Facebook page, says, “It is my goal to have a
crime-free and clean city so that everyone can enjoy it.”
Commission - Seat 5
Nancy Sikes-Kline –
Commissioner Sikes-Kline has
served as the city’s representative
on the NE Florida Transportation
Planning Organization, has
monitored state legislative actions
and was instrumental in creating the
Adelaide Sanchez Award for
Historic Preservation and Education.
Christopher Ellis - A contracted security guard at the
Florida National Guard, says core issues such as flooding
haven’t been dealt with. “The bumpy roads, the potholes, the
flooding, the vagrancy,” Ellis says.
City elections draw 8 candidates
With qualifying ending at noon Friday, June 22, there are challengers for each of St. Augustine’s
three City Commission seats, and two of them will go through a primary August 28.
At this time only incumbent three-term Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline moves on to the
November General Election without a primary battle. She’s challenged by political newcomer Chris
Ellis.
Incumbent two-term Mayor Nancy Shaver will face two challengers and Seat 4, being vacated by
Todd Neville, has three candidates, all in the primary.
The candidates
Mayor
Nancy Shaver https://www.facebook.com/MayorNancyShaver/ - Mayor
Shaver, with a campaign theme “Trustworthy. Tested.” says, “Ensuring a
livable City is our everyday challenge. Together we’ve made real progress, but
there’s always more to do. You can trust me to listen to you and work hard to
preserve and protect the City we love.
Jackie Rock https://www.facebook.com/Rock4MayorStAug/ - An Anastasia
Mosquito Control District board member, Rock says, “My priority as Mayor
would be to turn the City’s focus inward and start rebuilding our dreadful
infrastructure and struggling communities.”
Bill McClure http://www.billmcclure.com/ - A former county commissioner, McClure was defeated in a 2016 bid
for Congress against Rep. John Rutherford. McClure says, “Looking at traffic, flooding, and the effects of growth, I
would ask city residents one question: are you better off than you were four years ago?”
New building permit
process can reduce
City Hall waiting time
Monday, July 2, the Building Division of the Planning and
Building Department will begin two new procedures for
processing building permits.
To reduce applicant time at City Hall the division will no
longer issue over-the-counter permits but will accept non-
plan review permits at buildingpermits@citystaug.com.
Permit applications in person will be accepted but not
immediately processed. For most permits not requiring a
plan review, the processing time will be less than two days.
Read the complete new procedure here.
Browsing list for city's mobility projects
Traffic congestion is sure to be a hot button issue in this year’s city
elections – as it has been probably back to the city’s Gilded Age.
Doubting there’s a magic bullet – or candidate – out there, city
officials are attacking what’s currently called mobility on a variety of
initiatives with online links to keep residents – and motorists – up to
date.
You can browse them all at Mobility or selectively through public
parking, residential parking, neighborhood projects, park and ride
programs, speed management, the city's upcoming bike share program,
traffic calming, and information on current and future projects.
Or email Mobility@CityStAug.com.
