Library Board - Regular Meeting

All right. Call to order. Roll call. Call to order at 05:36.

Present.

Here. Here. All

right, moving on to approval of minutes from the April 16 meeting.

I make a motion that we approve the minutes from 04/16/2025.

I'll second.

Roll call or vote, sorry. In favor? Aye.

Aye.

Opposed? Perfect. All right. So old business. I don't have anything. Just like Tiffany pointed out, and I know this is coming up in just a moment, but we did get a third applicant. Yes. So that's new business though, but I know we had talked about it a little bit over the last week. Anybody else have anything old business wise we

need to chat about? Are these old businesses would be new, right?

Those will be Yeah. We chatted about them a little bit at the last one, but we only had one, right? And it had happened like that day, so we wanted more time. Technically no old business, so we can move to new. Alright, so new business. We have the three applicants. Lisa Snyder is here, you said.

Right? And

then Teresa Huberner. And then okay. I see the whole Schneider now. Sorry. And then Crystal Weibert. Is that you? No. Just read like, I already read through the two. The new one is the new one. Just chat them for a minute? Okay. Okay.

Can I address What's that?

Can any of them address the meeting if they have something to say?

It's under public comment, but wouldn't it technically be we can invite her. Okay. Whoops. Fine. Lisa, did you want to speak at all?

Leslie Snyder. I've been

in Edgewater to be nine years in July. My husband's a disabled veteran, and we're very active in the Patriot Guard Riders. We do a lot of veteran events, the nineeleven memorial service, race across America. The Memorial Day, we brought the Vietnam wall that the PGR owns and the Global War on Terrorism here. And we do a lot of fundraising, visit vets.

We fed the homeless. I was a military wife, Navy wife. My husband and I were foster parents, over 100 foster children, when he was in Virginia. My son is adopted. As a matter of fact, I just got a photo from my godson, who my friends adopted, who's six weeks younger than their son, who has been in the Army since 2012 and doing phenomenal.

I'm a nana. I am taking child yoga instructor program, prenatal yoga instructor plan. I was a yoga I'm licensed for restorative and yin yoga and waiting on my license for my regular yoga. I was a Boy Scout commissioner, medical commissioner. I did a lot of the rescues, deep hole, having to set up the incoming flight line and everything.

Very active in the community. I go to the Y. Work on swimming, teaching swimming. I'm not there, but my husband and I do. And just love Edgewater, especially since Michigan's hotter than we are now.

As you mentioned, the race across America, he basically replaced me. Who? Your husband. Oh, yeah. Yeah, remember him? He's

Oh, yeah. He's over there at the hospital.

But, no, he he replaced me.

You're looking really good since you left. And they're now? Not like you were you know, I'd have to do CPR

on you. Well, had me

in the

ground if I was still doing it. Replaced a refund.

That's true. You you look twenty to thirty years younger. Seriously, he does. He was like the first time I met him, I'm like, oh, not good signs for an old ICU nurse.

But I know all the veterans activities, I see you both there most of the time. It's

Yeah, we still do the funerals down

I have not made up my mind on this yet.

Don't want him. Doesn't have the personality I do and the activity level I do. He's become you before.

Well, just a couple of things that I knew about I'd want to bring up. But

I just like working with the public, the youth, especially the elderly, disabled, because I will admit, I am disabled. I have uncontrolled rheumatoid arthritis. I have the unseen disease. It's caused three strokes, three heart attacks, my bones to die. Four weeks ago, a secapult episode where Gary was now I have to have another loop recorder, but did it stop me?

No. I'm tired of people telling me I'm not sick. Go down to Merritt Island and climbed up a cliff to get a better picture because I'm photographer part time too, because life isn't boring enough to get a better picture of a manatee, and the ground went out. And I fell 14 feet, landed face down on an oyster bed with a gator right there, climbed out. Mayo can't fix me, but I like not being fixed.

You got to either you love me or you hate me. I have always had a hard time lying. And I think I have a lot to bring to the city, which I already have. Ask any questions you want.

I remember your husband was a grand market probably two years ago.

Yes, he was. How nice that nobody let me ride in the

truck or you last year. But that's all right. I don't send any

inquiries across America. It's okay.

I got it this year, so don't.

I know you did. Did you offer me? No. You have all that candy in there.

It was like four buckets of candy.

That's all right. One would have been fine for me.

And we didn't have anything left.

And I wasn't there. But everybody enjoyed it.

Personally, you for your service and everything.

And thank you. You're welcome.

And if things don't go your way tonight, that doesn't stop you from doing it again.

No. Oh, no. A matter of fact, I'm bringing the wall back, whether sometime soon. No, I'm still going to be who I am. Even though I'm disabled and had all this stuff wrong with me, I'm still an active duty license.

My mind still thinks clearly. Just don't ask me to rush right now because I'll get to it when I can. Nobody will let me work, so I work with my dogs, which I have two service dogs. Savannah, my puppy, had to put her training off when Gary went through the chemo for the two stage three cancers. But we've resumed that.

I

thank you all for what you do as well.

I have a question just in general. Is Crystal here too? No. Okay. And this would just be a question in general. I know we have three applicants, we had talked at the last meeting about almost like subcommittees that we wouldn't all be able to with history stuff and stuff like that. Would you consider being part of that if you were not voted on the board? Sure. Okay. I'm not saying one way or

You have to have the doors open for ideas. You know, we need to get more family. I will tell you, and you should remember, Glenn, when we brought the walls here at how many young family members brought their little children to see the walls and explain why those walls were so important. What my addition, bring to the walls, are people forget the military animals that gave their lives for us.

Those walls were great because I saw a lot of people go up there and recognize names.

Yes. And some people, because they never knew what happened, they never come home. Or they couldn't find their loved one's name, which was a good thing. Because one, they either died off the field in the hospital or here stateside, or they're still living. So that's always a good thing, too. But those walls are hard. The Vietnam Wall is more special to me. I don't know why. Uncles, I had some over there, but it's just so many of them, the way they were treated when they came home. I mean, we tried to do everything now to make up for it, but don't.

Just be nice. How hard is that to everybody? And, oh, and I was an RN firefighter too, just so you know. I've done a little of this, a little of that. I can change my own oil, but I'm not going to.

My hands don't worky worky that well. I'm sorry. My humor's off,

but I know what you mean to that.

My thumb's not working very well.

They rethink my surgery. And look, failed because the RA killed off the first three bones, did three major surgeries in one, and it failed. And now she says she's got to fuse it. Whatever. It will help me swim better.

Okay. So did you guys get a chance to look over Crystal's? And I don't know. Teresa asked if Oh,

you sit down. Oh, you

so much.

Teresa asked if I could speak on her behalf. And I said, I honestly don't know. I have the text from her. She was afraid to email you because she was on her way here, and then she got a call that her bartender called out for the event that so she's like, I have to go. Yeah.

So she was hopeful that by her not being here, it doesn't hurt her chances. She mentioned some of the stuff that's already in her application, but she's been very active in PTA at both Edgewater Public and now New Smyrna Middle. She's working on trying to get a group of parents together for PTA at New Smyrna High, because there isn't one. She has been a mentor at elementary and middle school. She is a huge volunteer with the Edgewater Animal Shelter.

She is a restaurant manager slash bartender, and so she has lots of time during the day for stuff. And as long as she doesn't notice, she's able to be present for things. She's very active in putting together events and stuff. We have a local teacher whose husband was just diagnosed with leukemia, so she's spear headed a fundraiser for that and for the bingo event that they're doing tonight. It's like a community event, just trying to get more people together.

Basically, she's full of ideas and would love a platform to get them started and help. I know she wanted to start something with a bike club with bike trails, where once a month, twice a month, something, they would have people who have training on fixing bikes and stuff like coming out. And people could bring their bikes if they're broke or need a tire change, that kind of stuff. And she already did that last week at the bike and bar. Arranged because they were the halfway point where she works.

So she arranged and had people there that replaced tires, fixed change, that kind of stuff. And people were super thankful because they were like, we don't ever get our bike except for this event. And so it just got her thinking about how many times she's been on the bike trail and somebody's bike was broken or somebody took it out because they'd never used it and something small happened and just how it'd be nice to like, almost like a bike rodeo type of thing.

I think, if you don't mind, interject a little bit. Looking at the applications, breaking it down by just date of submission. Teresa submitted in April 2024. And I know from before that, when we had all of our seats filled, that she was a part of the Edgewater Ambassador Club that I had started to try and

She also resigned last week from planning and zoning To be

able to

to be able to be considered, because you couldn't be part of a board and considered for a new one.

Yeah. So for me and I don't know if you're going to do you talk about Crystal's? Crystal's was I mean, so she was submitted just a couple days ago. Yesterday.

No. I do.

I would say, I know Crystal.

I think

she's great. She's done a lot of fundraising. She does a lot with the animal shelter as well, but I do know she just submitted her application yesterday. Yeah. So I don't know that she was made aware to come and speak for herself, or if she would have been able to make the time available with short notice. She had just heard about the position yesterday, but I can say also, we have three great applicants. We have

Yeah, this is a nice issue to have.

Three problem, yeah.

And that's why I asked what I asked about. Would they consider helping helping in other ways?

Well, I think I know who this is, but she she's running Albertos now.

Yes. Yeah.

From from Terry.

Yeah.

Terry Strykhauser told it to her.

Yes.

Yeah.

Well, no. She's not the owner.

Oh, she's not the

owner?

She's She's the manager

of Alberto's in Edgewater. So it's

Okay, well I think I met two of the girls at one of our functions that we had, EdgeFest or something. Okay.

So this is a question I kind of had for Andrea, and I don't know if we've figured out exactly, but I don't know if our board can get any bigger. I mean, do we have enough seats up here to it might be easier if we can bring on more people, especially to have a quorum when other people can't come. Don't know if has this to

be five, or can

be six? It could be something that we could ask city council if we're allowed to expand. So it might not happen at this meeting, but it could happen at the next. And I don't see anyone saying no when it's more people that want to be involved. It's just volunteer basis, you know.

And like I said, with the quorum, it's been difficult in the past when we have to have three, and something comes up, life happens.

And I have a question to backpack on you and a comment. So the question would be, would we be able to recommend somebody today and then also the request to add another person to the bylaws? And then we would vote on that person next time?

A motion.

Okay.

And with Theresa vacating, there's a vacancy

And so you just that was my next comment that I was going to make because there's that vacancy. And Crystal also put planning and zoning. So So maybe she would be somebody that would be considered by them.

Obviously Ryan would be part of that. Right. And there would be consideration with other candidates potentially applying for that vacancy as well.

Okay.

I'd like to make a

motion for Teresa Heavener Heavener based on her trying to be a part of it for over a year now, and it just not being open.

And she's volunteered and attended so many I of our events, would second that, but I would also would it be a separate motion Okay, to so we'll do that one and then second motion? Okay. So I second. Can we vote all in favor of Teresa?

Aye. Aye.

At this time, I would say aye.

Okay. And then nay. Okay. So then can I make a motion? Have to ask for ask someone to make a motion?

So I make a motion to add a six yeah, I make a motion to set a potential request to the city council for a sixth party on the board, and then pending application after that.

I second the motion.

All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Could we say a minimum of five, maximum of six? I like that.

I like five to seven.

Yeah, I like it for multiple reasons. I love the idea that we have a mixture of younger people with, know, school age children, and then no offense, but older people with grandchildren and such. I know that Obviously,

want an odd number. They're picking on me.

And an odd number is always nice for voting. Correct. And then I know we've had multiple issues with quorums in the past.

Because

we have to have three for a quorum. So I think that would help with that as well. But the language wouldn't need to say any of that. It would need to say Yeah, I would say still leave that at three.

Yeah, I think that's a minimum.

And then we would say like a minimum of five members, maximum of seven.

There's a couple of boards that have more than five already, and I think their quorum is still at three. I

think we may have amended the bylaws previously because we didn't have anybody who wanted to be on the board. Does that sound familiar? The

fact that you're having the opposite issue is a good problem.

I love that, yeah. That's great.

Was the bylaws when we did in person and virtual, was that it? Okay. So then if we are doing that, can we also nominate another person? Or do we have to wait until the

approval. Okay.

Wonderful.

When that's presented to counsel, can it be presented as we have so many applicants that we A potential for next Yeah, that have potential to make an impact.

So technically, is a possibility for one or two of the members that have applied, but still even with

the vacancy, There's a potential for everyone to find a place potentially. Right. Considering application that may be pending for the expansion of the board.

Well, our meetings have been the limits sometimes.

Yes, I think it's good.

With only three showing up, and it'd be nice to have

And we've had to cancel because we didn't have it. Our

cities are growing, our parks, our community, our events. So why should the board grow?

I love it.

There's a lot going on in a lot of these parks. Do

we want to move on to Beautification Award?

Are you pointing at me?

No, actually, it's Tiffany. They're the same ones that we had last week or last meeting. We were hoping to get more. I'll be honest, I was hoping to nominate some, and I just life instead. I apologize. But these were beautiful, and we all agreed they were deserving. Then did anybody have anybody they wanted to

I haven't been dogging this fight, but I used to live on Victory. And it's like the 1300 block. There's a home there. I can't remember.

Is it a brand new one?

No, it's an older home. If you're coming from 12th, you'd make a left on the Victory. It's three or four houses on the right. Don't know if they've ever gone beautification, but you'd have to go buy this house. My

best friend lives on the 1300 Block, so I'm like

It's on the right hand It's not hers. The money they spend on their landscape and the amount of time I'd imagine is it looks like a house out of like the flying. Are you sure it's

not the brand new one?

It doesn't look new. It's been there what would you consider that? Like two years? No, it's older than that.

Okay.

Can we

I don't know if we have

Look at that for next time? Because I don't want to hold off anymore.

Well, yeah. So I mean, we have to have a form submitted. We have to have the information. Then I think we also have to inform But the

it's one that I'm happy to

go I just seen it the other day, I was like, man,

this We is the need to keep some of these forms in your glove box.

Yeah.

Because I know you're always all around the city.

We are always.

So I had not told Jim, who was the person that I nominated, that I nominated him. And Andrea called, and then I saw him, like I was driving by and I saw him, and he was like, oh my god. And now he's like doing his neighbor's landscaping.

We just took a tree

over a shed over the

Yes. When I drive by every time, I'm just like, it's over. And I even come

and go,

look how pretty this house is. She goes, it looks so

good. So excited.

A lot of times, recognizing an individual gets them involved. Yeah.

Well, the fact that he wasn't wanting to be recognized wasn't actively going and you guys And did the fact that he provides kind of a spot for the kids for the Yeah. Bus is kind of

I know.

Well, in all the categories, I believe that we should be able to, as a board member, you know, apply for somebody else if we see something that's spectacular. We've done it, of course, with

the Yeah. And if we don't know the people, can we still nominate them and you reach out? Yes. Okay. Beautiful. I think I knew that. I just wanted to double check.

Yeah.

So do we need to vote or can we just individually or can they be together? Does somebody want to make a motion for 2,945 umbrella for our resident unification?

Sure, I'll make a motion.

Second. All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Well, that was easy. So what meeting?

Yeah, when does that happen?

We only have to find a time where

everybody can

go. Okay.

Think this is great, because I know last year too, on the second one, that Frosty King was one of our contenders, So I'm really glad that this got revived back into this. Yes.

Well, it wasn't done the first time, I think.

Right, we were so close. Was like that day, was a grand opening or something. Yeah.

And then the other one was gorgeous too, though. Frosty King was.

Yeah, good. That's great.

Okay, so then, would anybody like to make a motion for Frosty King for business?

Sure, I can make a motion for Frosty King to get the Beautification Award.

I'll second. All in favor? Aye. All opposed? And you'll let us know what council meeting? Would it be a council meeting, or would we go to their house?

We go to their house. That's what I thought. Yeah, then we do the award, and we do a photo, and then it goes in the newsletter.

Okay.

It's summer, so I'm open way more during the summer.

Maybe you guys can suggest some

dates that you

think might be workable under night.

Do we already have the signs ready? Could it be done sooner rather than later?

We have to collect one of them that's still on-site at TerrAscape

last time.

They didn't want to give it up.

I don't blame them.

They were stoked. I warned them that it was coming. I said,

but not yet. You don't have

to give it up yet. Is there something we can make for when we take it that's just something simple, like a plaque or a framed certificate that says beautification award winner.

Oh, that they

can keep? Yeah, that they can keep for when we swipe I the

love that.

Do we need to make

a motion? Yeah, that way they don't have to fight for our signs back. They can have something for

Okay, yeah. I

think it would be cool for both, but I definitely think it would be cool for our businesses.

Because they can frame it and hang it. So we want to schedule one of them or both

of I'd be happy to do both of them in one day. Do we know if Jim is retired and home regularly? Yeah. Is he Okay.

He is.

He's retired. Okay. So we could go

know you guys are working too.

We're good. I'm flexible. Because you're real estate. Yeah. And I'm working this summer, but I'm super flexible as

well. He's my neighbor, so I'm right there.

Do we want to do as early as next week?

I'm game. I'm open as long

as it's before Thursday. I leave town on Thursday.

Thursday?

I have Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, completely open before Thursday.

So Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday?

You said Monday's out?

No, I was joking.

So Tuesday I know I just said I'm open. Tuesday's the one day I can't during the day, but I could

Okay. So I'm open Monday. What about Monday?

Monday would be awesome.

Monday is good. The seventh?

July 7? What time? Well, do we want to go to Harry first, and then we can go to Frosty King in case somebody like me wants ice cream?

I'm just saying.

Sure. It sounds

great. It'll trip.

So what time? What

time does Frosty open? I think it's eleven, isn't it?

Was partially kidding, but they're probably going be there early. If they open at eleven, they'd probably get there at least by 10:30.

So why don't we try and do gym at ten and then Frosty King at 10:30?

Works for

me. We're about to

do the same thing.

My other question is

July 7 is the present.

We can all just be watching for an email just in case they're out of town for the holiday weekend, maybe. They should be here, but just in case it is a holiday weekend. It does say twelve to nine.

So you Okay. So are we gonna

do maybe eleven at the first one?

Oh, okay. 11:30? 11:30. 11:30 at the

first one. So 11:30 at Perry, and then we'll go from there to frost taking.

So we're back on the seventh? Yep. And then Eleven and 11:30.

Well, we'll do 11:30 for the first one because the second one doesn't open till twelve. Okay. Tentatively.

11:30 and twelve. Yeah.

It surprises me. I know.

Presently. I like that.

Oh, yeah. It hours may differ.

Thirteen oh three.

That's what I was referring to.

Thirteen oh three?

Thirteen oh three, Victor, yeah.

I'll go look. It's

it's not far from that one. It did show that new one, so it's not far.

So it

would be almost could be It'd be

close to the beginning. So it's probably on the other side of

the It's just right on if you make that left from 12th, it's

Is it the first or the second house? 3rd. So is it right by the woods? You don't know. I'm sorry. I'm trying to like picture it. It's fine.

Yes. Yes.

Okay.

The lot to the right of

it. Okay.

We don't need to bring anything with us that day, right? No. Okay. Should we wear name tags if we have them? Okay. So then we can move on to public comments.

We spoke about it a while back regarding local history and finding somebody. And we had kind of in a whole discussed it. Shannon has been at our office. And has had a large part in it as well.

Will you spell your last name?

I will. It's like rolling. I say it rolling. But it only has one L.

R

o l I n g. And I do say Shannon, but phonetically it would be Shanann.

So it's A N N?

So I literally have

to spell both of them all the time.

Yeah. But

I just go by Shannon. It's easier. It's easier. And I'm twenty five point four Lime Tree. I've watched the videos.

You only have three minutes. You've watched the videos.

Okay. So I am, as Jason had mentioned, I am a genealogist and a historian. And I have been working in the Park and Rec department, scanning and creating digital images of the artifacts that you have in the museum. So for instance, if it's a book, something that's very fragile, I may be taking a photograph of it because I wouldn't want to damage the integrity of the document itself. But if it is something I can put on a flatbed scanner or get a good solid image from it, I will do that.

This is probably the worst environment for these type of documents. Documents, photographs, you've got humidity. We've got pests. We've got the temperature fluctuations. And of course, we get those big storms with all the water that come every once in a while.

Those are all risks, right? And some of the things that I have seen with your current artifacts show that we are already some deterioration in those items. So I'm here tonight to let you know what I've been doing, what I'm going to be doing, and then I also have kind of three unique opportunities that I want you to consider. So the first thing I want to let you know, as I mentioned, I've been capturing these images postcards, photos, documents, maps, all kinds of things, about 2,300 images. And those are being created alongside a catalog. So at the end of the day, the museum is going to have a complete list of here's everything we have and the corresponding image with it. Sorry, this is just

there. We go.

I'm

bobbing and weaving over here.

So I think that's important, right, just from an archival standpoint. You take that, you put that away, and you don't ever have to worry about those things. Those images are never going to get worse once they've been captured digitally. If you keep them in a good secure place, you're not going to see the deterioration like you would 40 year old slides that are still left right in the rotating projector wheels. So those items, they've been taken out.

They've been scanned. They've been put back. They're being cat and I'm going to continue to do that. But what I've noticed, not just the deterioration that I'm concerned about, but I really feel like we do some materials that are all edge water. Right? They're Hawks Park, and they are absolutely Edgewater. But I've run across a fair amount. They're New Smyrna. They're probably Oak Hill. Maybe a little Port Orange, right?

We've got a little variety in there. And the biggest thing overall that I think that we need to do is to get the catalog and get the digital images, but really work together not just for Edgewater but for Southeast Volusia. I'm looking at this much bigger. I'm coming in here absolutely tonight to tell you, I am here to help you, right? I want to continue to volunteer to get the digital images and make sure that what you have is safe, right?

That it's been saved for future generations. But I also, in working with I'm not going to have you come up, but you guys may have remembered Joanne Sykes. Yes. Huge name for us. This is Sue, and Sue was Joanne's daughter. And Sue and I have partnered up over the last few months as well as one of my very first I do have a genealogy business on the side. I call it Family History Nut. And my very first client was the granddaughter of Doctor. Forrester. And he's the doctor who replaced Doctor.

Hawks here at Hawks Park. And what I learned over those months were, there's not a lot out there. You've got to dig really, really hard. So what I have for you tonight, there is just a two page document. This is just an exhibit.

I wanted you to leave here with a basic understanding of what the physical resources are, where you could walk in and physically touch or look at a museum item in Volusia County. I've also got some West Volusia on the back, if you want to get really crazy, if you guys like this electronically. Andrea has it, and I'm sure she could share it so you could look at the hyperlinks. I'm providing you a bunch with Facebook, a lot of different sometimes public, sometimes very official. But the opportunities I have for you I mentioned I had three, right?

Save. The first one I want to talk to you about is when we think about physical, historical resources, I want to point out to you, under New Smyrna, on page one, under New Smyrna, there is a bullet. Southeast Historical Society Say that again. Southeast Volusia Historical Society. It's called the Sheldon Library.

Sue and I actually both had the opportunity to go. You have to make an appointment, but we both were able to go up and meet with Greg, who's the curator of the New Smyrna Museum, which is 1st Floor. Their museum is on the 1st Floor. The 2nd Floor is the Sheldon Library, the Southeast Volusia Historical Society. And that area, that library has an assigned librarian and her job is to ensure that the historical documents of Southeast Volusia are archived and put in the correct archival products so that we don't have future damage.

Regardless of what you decide on this kind of option, we're still going to catalog and digitalize everything. That's still happening in Edgewater. But you do have the opportunity, Greg wanted to make sure that everybody on the board was aware, he could definitely come to a meeting in October if you'd want more information about the Sheldon Library, or you can make an appointment to go down and see it. But because they do use all the correct museum archival products and processes, I would highly encourage you guys, once we finish this cataloging product, to send it where it's going to be taken care of. It does need to be safe.

It would be my recommendation to you. I did not know if the board and Greg, being a new curator in the museum, wasn't sure if everyone on the board knew that this was an option.

I did not. I had no idea.

It's amazing.

I think it's a great idea because even in talking, I had no idea that we had so much history. I actually tracked down Joanne Sykes' book years ago, and unfortunately it was after she had passed, because I was wanting more information on the history of our city. And really, was so little out there, but also knowing that what we did have was in the little building up there, and no knew about it, I think it would be great for it to be displayed for public access. So I think it'd be good. Also, part of what I wanted to do with this meeting is ask if there's a way to collect more. Would there be a way to get citizens together and say, maybe if you had a part of history, can we come in and join?

That's actually number three. Haley, we're there, though. Are.

Love it. Think it's so Because

I was really inspired by Sue's mom's work. Joanne, it was really inspirational. I didn't know her. I wish I would have had that opportunity. But I literally spent months going to all those places on this appendix, guys, going, does anybody know where Joanne's books are? Where her boxes are? Because everybody said, go find her boxes. Boxes. We found them, didn't we? We found her boxes. We're going through them. So we actually do have more. The previous librarian did not feel that the historical information her mother had gathered was safe, so she took it home with her.

That's what

I said at the last meeting. I said check with the library and who was there before. So I don't know you well, but your mother was one of the most amazing humans that I had the pleasure of being raised around. My mom is Susan Wadsworth. She's still here with us.

Well, she still is. And so, I mean, I literally don't remember my childhood without Joanne doing my birthday parties and her puppets, and I still remember Gertrude. So I'm glad you guys felt like, because I asked my mom after the last meeting, who was the librarian that used to hold? Yep. And so that was one of the

things I

was going do.

We have been kind of the three of us, Doctor. Forrester's granddaughter and Sue and I have been meeting kind of just

My mom's in there.

We've been having just little small meetings to kind of like, okay. And that was the last meeting we had. I said, Sue, you call anybody who is your mom's friend. And we found him. So she gave me the first box yesterday, and I'm digitizing that at home.

And I would love to give you my mom's number because she was the city clerk for thirty something years before she retired, and my dad was also in the city for a gazillion years.

I want to widen the

They left in Edgewater. They're retired. My dad does stuff all the time, but my mom needs a hobby. Good. My daughter started driving, so she doesn't get to chauffeur around anymore. She would probably not love that I'm volunteering her, but I would because I love this community because it's rich history. Elementary school, I got with Joanne and interviewed her, and I did a video with her of the history of Edgewater. And it's much in my blood. I've been here my entire life.

We got all of the slides converted.

Okay. I was going say, my mom I messaged her. My mom has we have a gazillion pictures. Of

I'm going to tell you the biggest challenge that I am finding so far, and with Joanne's stuff, I'm probably closer to 3,500 images, honestly, is that there's been a lot of photocopying of pictures. So I may have 15 copies and I need to figure out Right? One I want to And it kind of leads me to the second thing.

Thank you.

So I've talked about saving. So you have this option, right? Once we go through, we've got our catalog. We know what you have. We could look at sending some things to the Sheldon Library to really like, I found original photos, guys. They should not be where I found them. Right? So, please, please consider consider that. That. Sharing.

This is huge. Greg made me aware of the University of Central Florida has a program called Riches. And if you look on page two, the very, very bottom of of that, University of Central Florida has received funding to provide digitalization and cataloging of museum articles for all cities in Florida. New Smyrna is doing it. All of their documents are going to be put on Riches so that you could go to that repository, search Edgewater, search New Smyrna, and those kids can get the pictures.

They don't have to go to the museum. They don't have to go to the Sheldon Library. It's available through UCF. No cost. We send the materials to them. And again, I wouldn't do it until after they were cataloged. And they digitalize them and send them back. Huge. Permanent And it's at the state level. This is huge. Again, Greg could come in and talk more about it if you need more information.

I do have a question about Sheldon Library, though. I'm just curious. Is there any value or thought I know we don't currently have the support to have our own museum. But something that is this something we should worry that we're donating it to another city or somebody else's possession?

I would be. We have

a Well, know we do. I'm just saying, is this something because we're obviously sending the stuff there for better care or better exposure.

Would it

be on loan or would they be is that kind of what you're asking? Would it be on loan to them? Or would they loan it?

Well, it would become Southeast Volusia Historical Society. It would not belong to the New Smyrna Museum, which is a distinct difference, right? 1st Floor versus 2nd Floor, right? But they would become property of the Historical Society, and they get cataloged on their side as well, too. So, for example, Healy, what they would do for us, though, is let's say the museum wants to change it up and next July we're going to do an exhibit on oranges and orange groves and Roanoke, right?

We could put a lot of things in there. We can go to the Sheldon Library and pull out to put into our museum. So it takes our museum, and instead of it being like this, we could pull Orange Grove exhibits out of the Sheldon Library that were New Smyrna Museum exhibits.

So it's reciprocal.

Right? It actually kind of gets us to what you were saying earlier, like how do we get it so we can get more, right? And the only way is if we have, which is really number three, you guys, we really need some representation, right? I can go in there. I can see I'm Shannon from Edgewater. Greg's like, whatever, right? Really am prepared to fully step up, volunteer. I would love to be an official volunteer for the museum.

Well, and that's kind of what we talked about at the last meeting. People Set you talked about. I'm the people. No, you guys aren't. But it would be great because it is your life's work. It's what you love. It's Oh, your It's infectious. I lose sleep over the stuff upstairs. Yeah.

I think it's

great to have fun with

this too, because I'm going to say, I know Ruth had some flooding, and I'm like, what a blessing to have this stuff, and we do have that here. So to get any of the artifacts now before anything else,

I'm like,

it's so great that we have it now. And

it can go like And you can never get it back. You can never get it back. So again, I wanted you to know that I'm here. I'm available if you guys really are looking. I would be looking to kind of be able to represent as a volunteer, be able to have those conversations with Greg at the Sheldon Library. If we want to do an exhibit on oranges, I can help coordinate whole things that we need.

That's what I

was just

about to ask. Yeah. So would we need to create a subcommittee of sorts for that, Andrea?

Okay. Okay. I

still don't think many people know about it. Even though we talk about it regularly and like

I don't know if you guys noticed, but I did put it on here under physical. If you search for Edgewater Museum, the only place you can find reference is inside the PDF of the resident's guide. It does not come up in a search. So my recommendation under number three was I would like to model after what Oak Hill is doing. They have got very small hours. Like, you could simply say the museum's open. Has a volunteer available on Thursday afternoons from two to four It's within your regular park and rec business office hours, so we're not adding anything. But maybe it needs to have a fishbowl.

And I was going to say, could it even be something that we open and advertise if some of us were to volunteer like when we do events like at the Y or at Hogs Park?

Audra's done that recently with the light up the night. This is a

lot for her by herself,

I believe.

Well, she sets up the I mean, she spends a massive amount of time setting up the village inside there, which brings exposure. A lot of the people like this year, when we had the event there at Hawk, they walked in and 90% of them, even Glenn was there, they said, we didn't know this was here. So having that exposure and tying it to it, I would suggest if you find some interesting well, everything is interesting,

but interesting things that would

be topics, We have a new PIO officer, and we have the capability of maybe advertising that, did you know, on our Facebook or on our newsletters that would draw attention attention to the site of the museum.

Right. But if I pull them in, I want to make sure what I've got there

for them It is

would be

kind of cool

to have this list projected to families that are out for the summer, maybe a stay at home mom, some things that they could do that necessarily don't cost a fortune and be exposed to local history in our community, in our county, local. I

even think of our elementary, middle, and high schools, especially when they talk about local government and stuff like that.

We have internally this city. We go and read books with the kids at school, particularly Inner River and Central Republic. It'd be kind of cool to maybe have you participate in that and share local history. Yeah. Especially in the school, especially when we're doing

That's a good point. That was one of the things that your mom did do for younger kids. So the

Yeah, slides elementary.

The slides that we're talking about, you maybe remember them, but she would go in and do the slide and do the presentation for all the kids and have the coloring book. And we just have enough negative, right? And I really think there are so many good things and so many rich, amazing stories that happened here. One of the other resources that hasn't been tapped into is Beverly Palmer over at Edgewater Union Church. I met with her and she could be the city historian. She knows everything. She gives guided tours, the church, because it's the oldest church. We've got to get her in, right? We need to pull from some of these people or your mom, She's got stories. I want to hear them.

She's real old. Right? I want hear them

all, though.

I want to call call I

know way over She three

usually does, but she went

to go see a movie.

I said, since you haven't answered any of my texts, you're now officially part of your group.

You've voluntold.

You're welcome. Been voluntold. She's still hasn't answered. This is going be great.

I have question. Do we have in the city somebody that like, we have a grant writer in the city.

We do have a grant writer.

Do we have a grant writer that would possibly look for funding for us to further dig for this?

We could bring that in front of counsel and ask for direction. Mean, I don't know. We can ask Joe. We can ask get direction for it. Don't have the ability to direct her to that, but we can ask for that.

Would that help? Is there anything that like

I'm just looking for your permission to help you.

What I'm looking for.

Help me help you.

I guess more or less direction. I mean, there any particular direction that you're suggesting?

Right. So is there like, I'm sure there's funding that goes into this, right? Like to have to It's work just with time.

One

It is an immense amount of time. It really is, honestly. And the biggest thing, it would be number D on my list under number three, Hayley, would be sorry.

No, it's okay. Are you good?

Did that help?

Yep, very

much. Right? The Facebook group. Right?

This is

how you pull people together. This is how you make contact. So the wording that I have suggested there, it says Edgewater Museum, parentheses, that's the exact same language that Oak Hill is using.

So

I just thought it worked for them. We could keep it simple. I like when naming conventions are similar.

I was in there about last month. And I think I talked to Greg, I'm not sure, about the idea of scanning the stuff going through it and scanning it. And he said that they were going through something and he was very busy with the all he took my name and number and I haven't heard anything from him. So I'm just wondering if that

what you're

trying to do restructuring or whatever is over with now.

He was more than accommodating when I met with him on the eighteenth, but it did take two weeks for me to get an appointment with him. He was in the middle of grant writing.

That was a walk in.

Oh, you have to be appointment only. The time For Greg. He spent,

he was pretty helpful.

Oh, my gosh. I enjoyed my time with him immensely. I really felt like this is somebody that we could partner with. And Sue, we kind of divvied up assignments. Sue, you met with Tanya. You're down in Oak Hill, right? And she also we felt like she was going to be a good

I'm like Mrs. Hawkes, Esther Hawkes. I have read her book. Of course, I've actually copied, scanned it, copied it, printed it out, and binded it. So I have a copy of it. Also, the first, State of Florida Almanac was, Doctor. Milton Hawkes. He did the first

in there.

But one thing I have found between letters and publications, even in Esther Hawk's book and, of course, materials at Milton Hawk's conflicts. So we have to be careful about what information we're getting. If it conflicts, we need to try and find a third source or somebody that would know. One of the biggest conflicts I found is, of course, Esterhawks, started that Memorial Day, walk or parade into the Black Cemetery, which used to be a horse stadium or a Stable. And it supposedly was the first Memorial Day.

That's where it started in United States.

Wouldn't that

be But of course true. You have historians that will contradict that because they wanna have coming out of their area, it was their idea or somebody from Washington DC, which I doubt any good ideas back then was coming out of Washington DC. But,

the thing is is, I'd like to

we just have to be careful about the information.

Yeah. We

do. Because some of those old publications just

Oh, I'm finding it's not even the publications, though. It's some of the photos. Right? It's funny. We think about the future. And you've heard people say, oh, we going to be able to tell if photos are real or not with AI? I don't know. Some of these I've seen in some of the books I'm questioning. Because they've been photocopied so many times and maybe they get glued on something. But were they a photocopy? Or is that you know what I mean? Tracking down the real owner.

And also, do have information that people contradict is Freeman bill. Port Orange being Freeman bill before it was Port Orange. Freemanville that Milton Hawks basically started, and that's when he brought in freed slaves from, to and that's where he had his mill for was in Port Orange.

The sugar mill.

And some people disagree with that information, but there's still a historical sign in Port Orange that talks about Freemanville.

You know what? I'm glad you brought that up, Glenn, because that was another example. We had a lady from Salt Lake City who's called the office recently. I hope you don't mind. She wants a historical marker right by the cemetery to note that that's where Hawke is buried.

Yes. That would be nice.

It would be wonderful. Hand that off and let me take it and run with it. It's just something that it's extra right, on your plate. I can run with that, right? Those are things you can hand off.

Yes, direction.

Is that like a motion to enact the plaquing of historical landmarks? We would

make a motion to recommend to city council to place a historical marker there.

Okay. Specifically, not opening up for future others? Yes.

For specific sites, right?

Because the grave itself is not really marked.

We already can do it in the bylaws, but we have to make a motion for it to go to city council. Yeah. And then to kind of say yes or no.

But that's something I could help you investigate if you guys feel the need to have help in that area.

I mean, don't want to speak for everyone, but I have a feeling that we want you to do all the things that you want to do.

I love to help you make that motion.

I'm a little obsessed, actually.

I'm just waiting for the part where it costs us money. No. Know.

I was like,

oh my I have a company that does it. And I want to be clear about that, right?

No, no, I get it. But by all means, we are very appreciative of the

I'm not going this is not something I'm going charge you for.

No. But if it becomes a cost inclusive, that's why I was like, grants. Let know.

It could be. I mean, if we got to something but right now, I'm just really worried about your artifacts. I want to do what's best for them. And I don't want anybody to leave here like, Oh my gosh, they're in danger. They're okay. Anything could happen anytime, anywhere. I'm not saying like preservation. It's better if we do something. And I think Greg at New Smyrna Museum has done us a solid by presenting two free options for us to accomplish pretty big stuff.

Now Greg was able to bring in different people, historians from out of the area that had relatives

that

were here like a father or grandfather or something like that that had made presentations at the museum. I attended one. It was at like seven in the evening. And went over a lot of the history for Edgewater, in particular, the section between Riverside and Ridgewood. And it was very enlightening.

I think that his comment to me, Glenn, was, well, you know this was all New Smyrna at one point. We were all one colony. And so from a historian's point of view, he gets it. We've got to get over it and work together because we are only going to be stronger if we're all united. And these are some awesome options, I think.

Well, mentioned conflicting stories. I think the fact that the collaboration may help with It some of those conflicting may put more information together and having all those pieces maybe fit, it may undo some of that, confliction. Yes. My thing

is the whole overall purpose is to educate the public on our history and what happened before they were here. It's like and I love history, primarily local histories. I mean, I know a lot about Daytona when I lived up there and Milton Hawk's connection to Matthias Day, who founded Daytona. And there's like you said, there's back then, it was just one big community. It was.

Was all one big community, So from a historical perspective, I think it only makes sense that we view it that way.

So the Southeast Volusia idea is the right way

do it? I think so.

But we'll still end up having to cross over Southeast to get some information that happened when they, of course, in the, well, back then it was the 1860s is when, a lot of this

When Hawks came in. After the Civil War. So

the things you need from us for you to keep doing what you're doing and

I guess you just need to call me a volunteer, I'm not sure. I've just been popping in occasionally,

unofficially. So do we need

to do anything formally with the council or just let us know what you need from us? Right. So somebody needs to make a motion for that, correct? Does anybody want to make a motion for the signage or plaque for Doctor. John Milton Hawkes?

Basically exploring how to do that, and then we can decide whether the cost and everything would

Explore it? You want a motion just to explore it?

Well, I'll make a motion.

I don't think we need to I think we just request it, and they do that.

Yeah. Yeah, I would think

some

of

the funding comes out of the state. Well, we also

I'll make a motion to add a sign to the cemetery.

I'll second. We need to be more specific or is that okay?

Okay.

All in favor? Aye. Aye.

Thank you guys so much for your support.

So then the other thing to me would be, I know the other thing that she had mentioned was the three d about liking to formally start a Facebook group for the Edgewater Museum. Is that something that has to be done by the city since it's technically the edge? Would that be something you need to create, but she could be like a Yeah. Who is our PIO?

It's Sarah Sarah Geiger. Maybe we can get clarification, possibly, or even direction from the council maybe to explore, I mean, because that would be using the city's insignia. I know there was an issue recently where

Well, my wondering is if she would be able to create the post and send them to someone who would then post them. So like she's still doing a That's historical what

suggested with like to bring attention to the museum was if she was to derive something that would

Like did you know? And it's like a cool historical fact. Like learn more about this

and more. She puts it on

our platform and it ultimately benefits the city and is that kind of what you were

Well, and you may want to honestly just look at the Oak Hill one. Just go to Facebook and look at the Oak Hill one. The way the Oak Hill one is, it's like the museum has its own standalone Facebook page. Then Who's the moderator? Under Tanya, who is the Patricia? Volunteer

Patricia? Yeah. Okay. I know Tanya.

Yeah. So they've got two or three people that are admins on the Facebook site. I'd be looking to

But it's not an official site.

It is not a city

site. And

actually, when you go to the city site, Oak Hill used to be tied the historical society was tied to the city. And now they've disbanded. They don't even have a board for the historical society. So the museum kind of sits one:

standalone. So it's a little bit different because it's Could it be something like Friends of the Edgewater Museum and Hearst will be able to run it?

Do see how excited you are?

I just know like

we need clarification. Who

would we get clarification?

I mean, I've heard the library. Based off of recommendations from here. So I don't think that I've I didn't run anything through anybody.

I just would never This is

was going say.

You The Edgewater ambassador is a glitch that I started

our signature trademark or anything like that.

Don't see why. Unless you like, if you did use it in something, would

be like, if you did, like, the

history of the city logos, you would just put, like, property of city of Edgewater, here's the logos over time.

Yeah, there's no

There's no copyright.

Yeah, no copyright.

Or there's there's just sharing.

It's public. Because it's public information. Anybody could Google it.

I used friends of an organization before for a nonprofit. And the nonprofit reason we did that is because the nonprofit, all funds that were donated had to go through National Headquarters. So we did a friend's in fact, got a new corporation. We did friends of the organization and basically all the donations within there. National couldn't touch.

They stayed local. Yes, exactly. So, we actually had buildings, taken from the area to be used by National. What they did is they sold the property and used the money. So we decided that we're not going to do that. We can keep it completely separate. And the friends, when you say that, I was like, oh, bringing back memories.

I like that.

Well, this platform may derive more information. You may have somebody that has something to contribute that you may not know or have.

I know. That's what I'm afraid, right? I think I'm missing people that I don't know, right? But by creating a group like that that we can then share and promote within the Facebook world, we're going to find those people that have the stories.

Can only imagine in Oak Hill, there's a lot of families. I bet there's a lot of families out there that have different stories of they remember. I've heard them. It's interesting because you've got different sides of things. And they all mend together, different way. And it's funny because you get the full picture of something.

I got lots of information. I had Goodrich's on a Saturday morning going down there and having breakfast and different things. Unfortunately, I was an employee down there, I was visiting a lot of different people in the area. And the amount of information you get from these

people Baldwin.

Mean, you got a colonel that I arrested down there one day, a retired colonel. And I arrested him for DUI on a lawnmower.

You see it all down there.

Fun fact.

He tried to run away.

I do not even challenge that story.

I don't either. I would say this.

Going down US 1 with a six pack of berry,

you know what mean? I would have said 12, but six is okay.

The other thing is too is like, is it possible to have, with the Facebook, the friends of, you would be willing to set something up to where if you had somebody to take over after your twenty years down

the road,

just so that it's able to be conveyed forward?

Thank you. That is absolutely what needs to happen, right? Because when we definitely have a hole that was left with Joanne. And I don't want to leave you guys in that same position in the future.

It's think why important It's part the always encourage there to be more than one moderator or more than one administrator on the page.

I spoke of it earlier in the meeting. He handed the torch over to the Steiders when he passed from

Right. And I kept my hands off of it when I handed it over. In other words, I didn't show up for the ceremony because I didn't want to make any comment that would influence. He was doing an outstanding job. So, let him do his job.

But at the same time, you are there for resources. Obviously,

He you're a wealth of could call me and ask me, how did we do this in the past, whatever, but it's but it was his game. He just he made the decisions and everything's been working good since then.

Monthly.

Think it comes in our utility bill.

It weekly or monthly?

Weekly. I

think I get it in the utility bill.

Now there's something else too. That's the quarterly.

But we get an email every week.

It's a monthly newsletter.

That's what I'd like, right, to have some type of historical did you know that's tied to whatever your monthly event is.