The Village of South Jacksonville Board of Trustees heard a presentation on the future of the former State Hospital grounds Thursday night.
The Moving Jacksonville Forward Citizens’ Committee presented during the Village Board’s committee of the whole meeting on Thursday. Co-Chair Rob Thomas spoke on the purpose of Moving Jacksonville Forward is and how their work could help the Village.
The group was asked to attend the meeting after Village President Dick Samples and Trustee Paula Belobrajdic-Stewart each attended a previous meeting of the committee.
Thomas said following the meeting, he was happy the Board of Trustees was so receptive to what he and fellow Co-Chair Ben Cox had to say. “We talked about what the committee is trying to do for the JDC grounds and how it would help and benefit South Jacksonville. They were very responsive and they want a few ideas from us on what we think, and then we will come back to their next meeting and all share ideas.”
Although the former Jacksonville Developmental Center grounds sit completely inside the City of Jacksonville, the southernmost boundary runs up to a portion of South Jacksonville that is almost entirely a residential area.
Stewart said following the meeting on April 24th at the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Office, that she would be suggesting the Village draw up a resolution in support of the committee.
Village President Dick Samples said after the committee of the whole, that he feels the completely ad-hoc citizen’s committee is on the right track in how they are working through ideas for what life would be like during and after remediation of the grounds.
“I think it is a group of people that is on the right track and really trying very hard to make the presentation to make this go, to make it work. I think it’s a difficult, almost impossible that it will happen. But I hope it is not. I hope it does go through, I really do.”
The committee was invited to speak at Thursday’s meeting, and will hold its next meeting in the same meeting room in Village Hall next week.
The Moving Jacksonville Forward Citizens’ Committee was created in an effort to help continue pushing state lawmakers to see that the former State Hospital grounds are remediated and develop suggestions as to how the grounds can be best redeveloped.
Moving Jacksonville Forward will next meet on Thursday, May 22nd at 6:00 pm in the South Jacksonville Village Hall on Dewey Drive.