By LEGION TAYLOR
Reporter

St. Marks City Commissioners received updates on issues presented at previous meetings, such as the purchasing of the old refinery site.


Two more parties have expressed interest in purchasing the land that used to be the Seminole Refinery, after negotiations regarding its sale were opened with a party that Mayor Steve Remke disclosed was CDS Manufacturing. The team negotiating the purchase, which is made up of Mayor Remke, City Attorney Bill Garner, and City Manager Zoe Mansfield, sought guidance from the city commissioners about how to proceed. The commissioners, with the exception of John Gunter, wanted to continue negotiations with CDS before negotiating with the other parties, and no action was taken as the negotiation team was already doing that.
In other matters:

  • Shadrach Hines with Waterfronts Florida reported on the success of the recent Chili Cook-off, as well as developing plans for the 4th of July Celebration. Sponsorship forms will be made available soon for the 4th of July, to raise money for the planned fireworks display.
  • City Attorney Garner conducted the second reading of an ordinance that deals with unity of title agreements between properties when a main residence is on one parcel and an accessory structure such as a pole barn is desired on a separate but adjacent parcel. The city commission unanimously approved the ordinance.
  • Brian Miller attended the meeting to ask the city commission if the no wake zone that starts by Riverside Café could be extended, so that the wake of passing boaters wouldn’t disturb his dock or his boat. The city commissioners informed him that wake zones fall under county jurisdiction, not city, but that Mayor Remke would write a letter to the county government to explain things, which should help when Miller goes to ask them to change it.
  • Joe Crousore, one of the volunteers who manage the boat ramp facilities in exchange for being allowed to keep his camper nearby, was sent a letter to vacate within 30 days, due to his supposed poor performance at maintaining the bathroom facilities. Crousore feels that he isn’t performing poorly. Members of the audience and Commissioner Paul Sheddan spoke out in favor of Crousore, but Sheddan failed to get a second on his motion to cancel the vacate letter, so the motion failed to pass.