Hernando County OKs FAMU stewardship for Chinsengate Hill, keeps public‑access and preservation protections

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 Food Sciences, describing FAMU’s plan as a no‑rent management arrangement in which the university would assume ordinary operating costs — utilities, insurance, maintenance — and subsidize operations using land‑grant funds, research revenue and solar farm income. Wesson said FAMU would provide quarterly reports to the county and preserve public access while expanding STEM, extension and community programming.

Historic Hernando president Amber Lammer said her organization had prepared a 52‑page RFP response emphasizing long‑term preservation, grant writing, volunteer support and year‑round public access, and several speakers urged that volunteers and the history center remain central to day‑to‑day education and tours. Gary Ellis, director of Gulf Archaeological Research Institute, urged protections for the site’s archaeological deposits and recommended continued field‑school work and museum curation support.

Commissioner Hawkins, who moved the amended approval, said the board needed the university’s financial capacity to stabilize the site while preserving public access: "We have to be mindful of our fiduciary responsibility and the site's preservation. This amended agreement requires collaboration so the site remains open and professionally stewarded." The motion required FAMU to negotiate contract language that explicitly secures public access, historic‑preservation standards, periodic reporting and joint programming with local preservation partners.

The board also approved a separate procedural stay on the Historic Hernando Preservation Society’s RFP award so the nonprofit remains an option should negotiations with FAMU fail. Chair noted county oversight would remain in place: the county holds the lease with the state and the contract would be a county sublease that can be terminated if performance conditions are not met.

What happens next: staff will begin negotiations with FAMU and return a draft lease for board review that includes the protections added at the meeting. Commissioners and speakers repeatedly asked that any contract include detailed, enforceable language protecting public access to the manor house, continuing archaeology work and guaranteeing the Tampa Bay History Center’s role in manor‑house programming.

Key quote "We want the whole property open for the public," said Amber Lammer. "We want to be successful stewards — and we want binding language in any contract to ensure that."

Ending The board approved the motion and the stay on the competing RFP 5‑0. Staff will report back with a draft lease that incorporates the public‑access, preservation and reporting requirements the board directed.