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Board reviews Ma Jackson marker proposal and forms nominating subcommittee under county code
Summary
Board staff briefed members that county code requires a nominating committee by April; members volunteered for a committee and asked staff to schedule meetings. The board also discussed a proposed Florida state marker honoring Ma Jackson and asked for the final text and documentation to include her reported role in civil rights activity.
At the Clay County Historical Preservation Board meeting, staff told members that county code requires a nominating committee to propose a slate of officers by May and that nominations from the floor follow in June. "By code, the code calls for a nominating committee to be formed no later than April meeting and shall propose a slate no later than the May meeting," staff member Beth said, adding that the clerk of court now handles minutes and the secretary position is no longer needed.
Board members debated whether to nominate from the floor or form a subcommittee. Several members volunteered to serve on a nominating committee; staff agreed to coordinate schedules and set a subcommittee meeting. The board emphasized that members on the subcommittee should not be nominees and discussed logistics for contacting potential candidates.
A separate item involved a proposal from the Florida Women's Historical Marker Initiative to place a state marker honoring Ma Jackson in Clay County. A researcher, identified by the meeting as Merl Shama, provided the proposal text and the board discussed site options; the fire station at the original school site was suggested as a possible county location. Members urged that the final marker text should reflect Ma Jackson's documented role during civil rights demonstrations in St. Augustine, including reported assistance to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and that the marker authors consult family members; Beth said she had provided the son's contact information to the researchers.
Board members noted the unusual circumstance of a living individual being the subject of a state marker and that state review processes typically govern text approval. The board will not directly fund the marker; meeting discussion indicated private fundraising is expected to cover roughly $3,000 in production costs. The board asked staff to request the final marker text for review and to ensure researchers have consulted family sources.
Why it matters: Formation of a nominating committee affects board governance and the process for selecting officers for the coming year. The Ma Jackson marker could shape county historical interpretation if the board and researchers ensure the text accurately reflects local historical records and family perspectives.
Next steps: staff to schedule the nominating subcommittee meeting and request the final marker text from the Florida Women's Historical Marker Initiative for review and comment.
Sources and attribution: Meeting remarks by staff member Beth, volunteers on the nominating subcommittee and researcher Merl Shama recorded in the meeting transcript (see provenance).
