SHCC designates centennial committee, earmarks $50K for signature event

In the wake of repeated calls for the City of Safety Harbor to host a signature event to mark its centennial in 2017, the City Commission on Monday designated five local nonprofits to lead a special committee and earmarked $50,000 for the festivities.

The five commissioners decided representatives of Paint Your Heart Out, the Safety Harbor Historical Society, the Mattie Williams Neighborhood Family Center, the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club of Safety Harbor should lead the committee.

According to the terms of the arrangement, the centennial committee will host town hall meetings in the near future in order to gain public input about the event, which is tentatively scheduled for the fall, before reporting back to the commission for final approval.

“We have a host of events recognizing the centennial this year, but the question was how to distinguish between the Third Fridays and reenactments and make it more unique,” Mayor Andy Steingold told Safety Harbor Connect after the meeting.

“So now, we could be funding multiple events or one big event. I don’t think it’s a bad idea.”

Over the last several months, several suggestions have been floated as to what kind of event should be used to mark the centennial, as well as when and where it should be held; concerts and historical reenactments, during a Third Friday and at the Waterfront Park have all been mentioned.

During Monday’s discussion on the agenda item, the mayor admitted his idea of wrap the event into an extended, centennial themed Third Friday is not an option.

“The biggest comment I’ve seen is people don’t want to have it simultaneous with Third Friday,” Steingold said. “They want it separate and apart from Third Friday.”

Although there were differing schools of thought about the particulars of the celebration, there was one common theme: gaining public input was a top priority.

“You want to be inclusive, so how do you get everybody who wants to be involved? You have to open it up,” Commissioner Cliff Merz said.

“You pick a few people to lead the charge, you have open meetings, and then you say you have to come back here at such and such a date and this is how much you can spend,” Commissioner Janet Hooper added.

At the request of Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Susan Petersen, the commission agreed the committee could decide how to split up the $50,000 allocation, which will be taken from general fund reserves.

The commission’s decision was praised by one local businesswoman and historian who has been calling for a committee to coordinate the city’s centennial activities for more than a year.

“I am thrilled the Commission has responded and allocated funds for our Centennial,” Caryl Dennis, a.k.a Virginia Tucker, said via email.

“Now we need to get all interested parties in the same room as soon as possible and figure out how best to spend it to get the word out about our rich history and all Safety Harbor has to offer.”

Stay with Safety Harbor Connect for further coverage of the city’s centennial, including updates on the date and time for the first town hall meeting.

Related content:

• City, community collaborate on centennial celebrations
• Where are all the Safety Harbor centennial events?
• Commission selects Centennial logo(s)