[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6506754,"mediaKeyId","5554352-9c02463fb992bde037f2ad18ba13daad","parentId",5554352,"title","Clay County adds 16 historic cemeteries to state file; board agrees direction on county historic signage","audioSeconds",586,"startMs",2358000,"endMs",2944000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5554352-9c02463fb992bde037f2ad18ba13daad&start=2358&end=2944","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5554352-9c02463fb992bde037f2ad18ba13daad/thumbnail_2358000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6506754/Clay-County/Florida/Clay-County-adds-16-historic-cemeteries-to-state-file-board-agrees-direction-on-county-historic-signage","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6506754-442353bcac72c44bbe717c65c9a9d522/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223826&Signature=h3fjsY0uTwaoQtsXgBkbo0Uc6vPu2KFX~h-a4gkduzKkY62dVTOjXm6o8FTq5J4KAHRoZp~fKgSkT3FwhgkYv~cqsYX~EzXozzxcPqEsYZParlZDEIK2EHpBP0kd1NXL6b5E3KYlDE7jugqy1pEYnWuRN77o6qY-W~AjhJ3681ibipTiaIw~CyXaoxvSmMQGC98ouj8IkKpMcqrYL-TdegfeDhgQ0PWBoAmCnXLuekyOv8jLRK53~F0zNWudWXRqsyTL4d7G1sf8YvGJFoWwQVtWLL3jC770xJpselzVTh9ZI3mHNzC~Dm8rbYUFQ8qH15E0WXAl3MKgmysXMfDc2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Clay County","date","2025-08-07T00:00:00Z","article","Clay County staff reported expanding the county’s inventory of historic burial sites and the Historic Preservation Board discussed a new county historic signage program and prototype designs.

Cemetery program coordinator Cathy told the board that “in the last few months, we've added 16 historic cemeteries to the Florida state master file,” and described recent fieldwork across the county, including Evergreen Cemetery in Belmore (access granted by a landowner) and Keystone Cemetery, where the site crosses county lines and required separate submissions for the Clay County portion and Bradford County portion.

Cathy said volunteers found some burial grounds difficult to access or document and asked the public to notify the county of suspected burial sites. She described an effort to reconcile death-certificate references to small burial localities (for example, records noting burials at Lino or West Descoigne) with extant cemetery records and named Mount Olive and Abilene Baptist Church Cemetery in Melrose as sites under review or already listed.

On signage, staff presented four mock-ups (A–D) for a 3x4-foot county historic sign. The board favored a composite option combining the top design elements of A with side and bottom borders similar to D to yield larger readable type while retaining period-appropriate aesthetics. The board asked staff to prepare a finished mock-up and a cost estimate for county-manager and communications review.

Board members discussed process questions: whether county signs should use a modified state application or a distinct county application; whether applicants or the county would pay for fabrication; and whether county filings should collect state-level research materials so a county sign could later be upgraded to a state marker without redoing research. Staff suggested the county application should request state-level documentation where available so the county and future reviewers would not need to repeat research.

Members agreed county markers will have a higher threshold for state-level material if applicants request the state designation, and they asked staff to draft a county application for review at the next meeting. Staff noted that state markers are costlier and may be subject to budget constraints; the board discussed options for applicant donations and county funding.

Finally, staff reported difficulty locating some historic features (for example, Fort No. 11) because of private property and local administrative changes at partner organizations; board members said staff will continue outreach and archival research to finalize site locations and histories.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Clay County - Historic Preservation Board Aug 07, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","County staff reported adding 16 historic cemeteries to Florida’s master site file, described field challenges and identified specific cemeteries; the board also reviewed proposed county historic sign designs and discussed establishing an application process and funding approach for county markers and signs.","taxTitle","Clay County, Florida","taxId",12757,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6506759,"Middleburg Museum and Civic Center marker moves forward as researchers seek WPA documentation",401,895000,1296000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5554352-9c02463fb992bde037f2ad18ba13daad&start=895&end=1296","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5554352-9c02463fb992bde037f2ad18ba13daad/thumbnail_895000.jpg","/articles/6506759/Clay-County/Florida/Middleburg-Museum-and-Civic-Center-marker-moves-forward-as-researchers-seek-WPA-documentation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6506759-664a33bef9c6649ab061375f1455ac56/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223826&Signature=SuPR9-Fv2wlXC~V7iADmhDJrt28qWg4FoLju0Fk-JxRippp5zTsu5fc8G23GdC6zuptVEtnSTs-dsSgpgRpLAFMRtUvq-VxmrmYpbXcIfHR0jeyku1q0s12Ysj9l13oGnIUxoNkbIfhmtgi2timkynQ0pPeEePkWsg~yi2NkFTNvAVTD63Z3Ib98N-hvBIcgZRDFHh1BaPcSh~WABrTMddaWuBDi5CgbpVZx1c0wQP-e11qN24Kz5LWUOfhIyIb95VXnz5I72YDGQiZOGK2p2hVFXNaNNWVpX0rZ26RUtX5hmkbXbAEExqE8mMeC1iGEDwMN7m-glzN~WTjA02k6Yw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Middleburg Museum leaders told the Clay County Historic Preservation Board they have revised a marker application so one marker would commemorate both the Middleburg Museum and the adjoining civic association building.

Ruth Payne, president of the Middleburg Museum, said the original application submitted in October 2023 described only the museum but the applicants later determined the museum and the civic association could be combined on a single marker. “I presented the application and sent it to miss Carson, that was in October 2023,” Payne said, adding the group has updated the application to reflect combined purposes.

Jerry, a county staff member working with applicants, said the office likely has enough information to modify the original submission: “I think by now, we have enough information, but, of course, it involves consolidating information about the 2 different ones into 1 marker.”

Museum volunteers and staff reported new documentary leads tying the buildings to Works Progress Administration work in the 1930s. Payne said she located contemporary newspaper articles listing a Middleburg community center among WPA projects and that at least one article names a completion date in 1937; other sources, including a later local column, indicate 1938. The board discussed those discrepancies and agreed to avoid asserting a single firm completion year on the marker text until staff can confirm records.

Payne asked staff for help locating deeds: county staff confirmed a 1963 deed recorded by a widow of a former landowner appears in archives and that staff will examine it to reconcile questions about land conveyance and construction phases.

Board members also urged applicants to prepare marker text and supporting documentation in the application packet. Staff said they will produce an aerial map with a proposed sign location and provide GPS coordinates to ensure the marker sits outside public-right-of-way.

Separately, board members were told the State Review Board has rescheduled the Brannonfield outlying field marker review to a future date (staff later said it is set for Monday the 18th from 2 to 4 p.m.), and the board discussed Fort No. 11, where locating precise fort remains has been hindered by private property and limited archaeological access.

The board requested staff follow up on deed images, newspaper documentation and the state review schedule so applicants can finalize marker language for the county application and potential future state submission.","Middleburg Museum representatives and board staff said they have combined applications for a marker that would recognize both the museum and the adjacent civic center; researchers identified newspaper accounts and deeds that may link the buildings to WPA projects, but exact construction dates remain unclear.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6506764,"Clay County Historic Preservation Board elects officers, reviews Florida Sunshine Law",684,152000,836000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5554352-9c02463fb992bde037f2ad18ba13daad&start=152&end=836","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5554352-9c02463fb992bde037f2ad18ba13daad/thumbnail_152000.jpg","/articles/6506764/Clay-County/Florida/Clay-County-Historic-Preservation-Board-elects-officers-reviews-Florida-Sunshine-Law","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6506764-f1ca67446084a83d63f213739c096879/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223826&Signature=VDZoOsTAR6s4spO7VMzn3aGTXqPQkV6~4f0OuVnBKueTtC4iPZpZmQ1S47a1CW2evhXQUcEStgVVKnjOxIgFASpLZ7QtxuiVR0kGVRMIMyKfu3FWpY1BOAwxU2nMHkRfiISjdWR7J8YrpD8i4bG6cdIwj5yQ0FJhEEWI8dhC6xVDNCIGQV5WLkfoICvFadcIz0jnzUqZjnCQZRPRRAcsEVRbo57TzSQGA48JrbsaAU~zNVIHE5iJUKNaI9fZ~teYaxqacCzl0G5t2U41asmrxukj-ntIUybOFNwjrFcyY6nYt81kE7wVFKqY5ACifXOSYAO1EokGGuWaKnOMwZdQdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Clay County Historic Preservation Board approved two sets of minutes, elected officers for the 2025–26 year and received an annual review of Florida’s Sunshine Law during its meeting.

Board members voted to approve minutes from May 1 and June 5, then elected Billy Gould as chair and Sean Atwell as vice chair after the board’s nominating committee presented those nominations. The board’s chair called for the motions and the votes were carried by voice vote.

The meeting’s Sunshine Law review was presented by Beth, who told the board the law “comes under Florida statute 286.011.” She summarized core requirements: “All meetings of public boards or committees must be made open to the public … minutes of the meetings must be taken and made available to the public,” and warned that the law applies to formal meetings, workshops, subcommittees and many informal gatherings if members discuss committee business outside a public meeting.

Beth told members that written or electronic communications among members that concern board business — including emails, social networking and text communications — can constitute a meeting under the statute. She added that “Any member of a board or committee who knowingly violates the Sunshine Law is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree and could be subject to both criminal and civil penalties.”

During questions, board members asked about whether pairs of members working on cemetery research could meet outside the public meeting. Beth said she would consult the county attorney and added that a subcommittee may be established if two members are conducting joint work that will later come before the board; such subcommittee meetings must be noticed and open to the public.

The board completed the agenda’s procedural items and then moved on to marker and program updates.","The Clay County Historic Preservation Board approved minutes, voted to install Billy Gould as chair and Sean Atwell as vice chair, and received an annual Sunshine Law briefing outlining restrictions on member communications and penalties for violations.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Clay County adds 16 historic cemeteries to state file; board agrees direction on county historic signage

Middleburg Museum and Civic Center marker moves forward as researchers seek WPA documentation

Clay County Historic Preservation Board elects officers, reviews Florida Sunshine Law