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Hernando County OKs FAMU stewardship for Chinsengate Hill, keeps public‑access and preservation protections
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners voted Jan. 28 to begin negotiating a lease with Florida A&M University (FAMU) for stewardship of the Chinsengate (Manor House) property under a no‑cost proposal while placing the Historic Hernando Preservation Society’s RFP award on stay. The board required contract language to protect public access, archaeology and ongoing partnership with the Tampa Bay History Center.
Hernando County commissioners voted unanimously Jan. 28 to authorize staff to negotiate a contract with Florida A&M University (FAMU) to manage the Chinsengate Manor House property under a no‑cost stewardship proposal, while placing the county’s prior RFP award to the Historic Hernando Preservation Society on hold.
The vote followed competing presentations from FAMU and Historic Hernando and more than an hour of public comment from volunteers, archaeology partners and the Tampa Bay History Center. In a concession hammered out during mediation, commissioners added explicit requirements in the motion for FAMU to coordinate with the Tampa Bay History Center and Historic Hernando, to preserve scheduled public access, and to meet clear performance reporting standards.
"Our focus is community involvement and outreach," said Dean Dale Wesson of FAMU’s College of Agriculture and…
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