Gainesville City Commission votes to explore options on reverting Lynch Park to donor’s heirs and hire homeless people as downtown Ambassadors

BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – During Commission Comment at their March 21 Regular Meeting, the Gainesville City Commission voted to explore options on reverting Lynch Park to the donor’s heirs and hire homeless people as downtown Ambassadors.
After Mayor Harvey Ward moved Commission Comment to almost the top of the afternoon agenda and the Commission voted to move forward with putting a referendum on the November ballot to eliminate the GRU Authority and return control of GRU to the Commission, Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut brought up two issues during Commission Comment that weren’t on the agenda.
Lynch Park
Chestnut began, “My first item… relates to Lynch Park, and it’s my understanding that when Mary Lynch and her family gave the land to the City for the exclusive use as a park, Lynch Park, to honor her relatives with the condition that should the land be used for any other purpose, the deed would revert to her heirs and assigns and the City would lose the park permanently. Now, when this was first established, we had limited parks downtown; now we have Depot Park, we’ve got Tumblin’ Creek, and I would like to make a motion that the City return Lynch Park to those who gifted it.” There was no second to the motion.
Commissioner Bryan Eastman said he favored asking staff to “figure out potentially the best way forward with all of this, but I think, broadly, what you’re asking is that it would make sense for us to look at uses for that park… potentially being used for redevelopment, right? And I’m not sure if this is the route, if there’s not unintended consequences for this, if this is the fastest way to move forward with that process.”
Chestnut said Commissioners have received letters “since December from family members who are concerned about the use of the park, and I would rather see it revert back to the family than for us to hold it when we actually really don’t need the park space downtown at this point.”
Commissioner Ed Book said he wouldn’t be prepared to make a decision on that without more information, but he would be interested in hearing about the advantages and disadvantages of her proposal. Chestnut responded, “I think all of that could be achieved with the referral to the attorney.”
Chestnut made a new motion to direct the City Attorney to return to the Commission with alternatives or options on returning Lynch Park to those who gifted it. Eastman seconded the motion.
Ward said, “It is a complex process, but it’s an interesting idea that we’d like to get the legal specifics on how it might work, as well as talking to the folks who live near it and how it might best work for the community.”
City Attorney Daniel Nee said his understanding of the motion was that “if there is the will of the Commission to relinquish this property as a park, [you’re asking] which steps we should take. The concern I’m having is that if there was just a sudden decision to stop using it as a park, it would revert automatically to the individuals in the reverter. I’m not sure if we know where the heirs to these people are; we would all of a sudden have a former park that still looks like a park without the ability to necessarily regulate it like a park. But we can certainly come back with an orderly plan to… have a transition back to the donor’s heirs.”
Book said, “We’re having to kind of act on our feet this afternoon quite a bit with these motions. That causes me concern because giving away or providing back park space, some of our most valuable space in the center core of the city,… concerns me quite a bit.”
Eastman said he was also uncomfortable with voting for something that was brought up for the first time on the dais, “even if it sounds like a good idea… because I like to review all my backup, know what I’m voting on.” He said, however, that he was “happy to have more information come forward.”
Book said, “I won’t beat a dead horse; I’ll just say that this is actually telling us to come back with the ways that we can do it, and I’m not prepared to say we want to do it.”
The motion passed 3-2, with Book and Commissioner Casey Willits in dissent and Commissioners Desmon Duncan-Walker and Reina Saco absent.
Ambassadors’ Program
Chestnut then said that she was “trying to be very prepared, working with the Clerk,” who projected a motion on the screen. Chesnut said, “We’ve worked on these motions prior to the meeting… This one is on the Ambassadors’ Program you’ve heard the [City] Manager talk about for downtown, to address the homeless and unhoused. And so this would direct staff to return with a proposal for an Ambassadors’ Program to provide a portion of the jobs as Ambassadors to unhoused or homeless neighbors.”
City Manager Cynthia Curry said, “We have been working on this, actually, for a couple of months. I’ve been sharing it as I’ve been meeting with all the Commissioners… We’re ready, actually, to move forward because we think the situation downtown is at a point that we have to do something now.” She said homeless people would not be 100% of the ambassadors, “but definitely giving them an opportunity amongst the numbers of people that we would bring on board to do that work downtown.”
Chief Operating Officer Andrew Persons said the City is currently looking at a solicitation with a firm or firms “that do this type of specialized work in many cities across the United States… I think they do generally hire locally and train locally. And so we can make sure that when we meet with them, that they understand that that’s a priority for us.”
There was still no second to the motion. Curry interjected, “I’m simply saying that in order for us to move forward, knowing the downtown is important, there are issues there that we need to monitor more closely. We need legs on the ground to do that. I am suggesting that we move forward as quickly as we possibly can, allowing my staff to put this in place, understanding that we need to engage our houseless neighbors in the process of having the opportunity to be Ambassadors.”
Ward said, “So you’re saying this is your plan, anyway?” and Curry replied, “Yes, sir.” Eastman said, “Then I guess – second.”
Willits asked Nee whether it’s legal to reserve positions for “unhoused applicants,” and Nee said, “I don’t believe that the state of being housed or not is a protected characteristic… My suggestion would be… that there’d be a preference – for example, someone who is sensitive or empathetic to issues of being unhoused… The short answer is no, I don’t think that’s a protected characteristic.”
Curry pointed out that these individuals “will not be City employees… These would be employees of a third party.”
The motion passed unanimously, with Duncan-Walker and Saco absent.
Curry is beyond stupid. Who wants dirty unkempt stinking bums with addictions and mental problems as “Ambassadors” of the city?
You have to admit, they are an accurate representation of our city government.
Not only that you know the city’s going to want to pay the Ambassadors a living wage so you’ll have homeless people downtown stumbling around making $54,000 to $64,000 a year being paid with our tax dollars.
Only the dirty, unkempt, stinky bums with mental issues masquerading as leaders in the community.
While everyone is rightfully up in arms about this ridiculous stunt – which is strictly a stunt and nothing of substance – the county is readying a codes amendment to allow cell towers on the side of buildings. Let’s not get too distracted with proposed nonsense…agendas are still being pushed behind the main headlines
https://alachuachronicle.com/proposed-amendments-to-the-alachua-county-personal-wireless-services-facilities-code/
sorry, but that’s 1 thing I don’t have much problem with.
That’s probably because you think they’re harmless, which they aren’t. No body should be subjected to having a cell site beamed at their head from a neighboring building. We currently have cell tower laws/codes for a reason..
The Chestnut Redirection
They do have a very effective countycity backdoor
a “backdoor” is what it is.
Simple Jack and Backdoor doin biznus
That is exactly what Gainesville needs. It would expose the absurdity of the elected imbeciles charades in stunning fashion.
What’s an ambassadors job description? What is the benefit to the taxpayers to have these?
It’s complete nonsense and they very well know that. It’s only to distract everyone from this:
https://alachuachronicle.com/proposed-amendments-to-the-alachua-county-personal-wireless-services-facilities-code/
The scheme goes like this:
– Cynthia Curry gets the city to give the park back to the heirs
– The heirs sell the land to the city
– Cynthia gets a cut of the sale, say 10%
– The City uses the land to build the Cynthia Curry Center for Prevention of Gun Violence or something equally inane
The Center is staffed with Cynthia’s relatives
I read this differently. I think it’s simply they know it’s a dump that’s not fixable and is mostly used for the homeless only so it takes some potential liabilities off the tax roles. Pure guess on my part though. The only reason I gleaned from the comments is that the city has other parks now so it’s not needed?
Bright side of things, when one of the new employees attacks a resident, the victim will be owning part of the city.
A real part, not the GRU part.
Or the donor’s family members have realized that they can score some serious coin by selling the land to a developer. And they convinced Curry to make the motion in return for a percentage of the serious coin.
I figure that since St. Francis House is supposed to be relocating, the heirs realize that the park’s land might be worth something now and they can sell it to a downtown developer (with Curry getting, of course, a percentage of the sale).
🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈
Hiring Homeless as downtown ambassadors? Sounds like the commissioner are eating to much of Biden’s ice cream. Good grief.
I thought at first I was reading the script for the next South Park but no, seems to be a legit funding line theyre looking to create going forward.
Sorry for the snark but, my word, saying your broke so the county foots the bill on funding grace shortfall and then an initiative like this? Third party employees she says. What’s the company name? Is this yet another NGO running this, or is the company sub-contractors to the city and this will be a line item in their invoice? No questions or pushback, just another “motion passed unanimously”.
Please someone educate me more on this, I have to be missing something and i dont want to be cynical. 😔
If the property reverts to the heirs the city could put the new homeless camp there that the new state law requires.
So they want to give away a real estate asset and pay the homeless thru a cutout firm?
Chestnut look like Simple Jack
💯 OMG! 😂😂😂 — if you don’t get the reference you must search ‘simple jack picture’.
I think the most fun would be to hire the “unhoused” as downtown parking valets.
I’m still wondering why Poe and Ward haven’t offered them jobs to sit for their kids.
They may finally be on to Something legitimate. Hire the Homeless to replace this Feckless, Idiot Commission . Then sentence the existing Commission to hard labor. What a clueless bunch of embarrassing losers the whole State is laughing at and quite frankly bewildered at their ignorance.
I have worked for federal, state and local governments.
The idea of paying homeless people to be an ambassador to your city is among the most unsound ideas I have ever heard.
And you can bet I have heard some big ones.
Fix the roads! Honestly, stick to the basics Gainesville.
You have caviar dreams on a bread and water budget.
Ambassadors that can now fix our roads?
Wow. They just keep coming up with more reasons for residents to avoid going near downtown…
When are City residents going to vote for some adult commissioners?
Why does the City of Gainesville need 7 commissioners anyway?
The County gets by with 5.
Getting rid of 2 of those bloated salaries is a nice budget cut that could easily be made and no one would even notice…
They love creating “programs” and more gumment jobs. And they love getting land donated to gumment after regulations and taxes make it impossible to develop or live on. Then… they realize later it was tooooo much 👹🤡💩🍦🍦🍦D
Anyone know where the NEW St. Francis House will be at? It had better NOT be walking distance to a convenience store or gas station. Or it’ll just be a repeat magnet center for *loitering* addicts and convicts. (I know they’re not admitted inside except for soup).
The new shipping container homes will be down the street from the kangaroo at the corner iirc
And the addiction campus M-eridian, don’t forget. 🤪
The City Commission has a new plan to deal with their ever growing problem of homeless people camping out (with or without tents) in front of businesses and other properties in their so-called VIBRANT downtown.
They plan to hire some of the homeless people and make them Ambassadors. I wonder how much money this will cost taxpayers.
MEANWHILE, the city’s Grace Marketplace homeless center continues to be a MAGNET for homeless people to keep coming to our community from ALL over the state and country to receive FREE taxpayer funded services.
Their so-called “low-barrier” homeless model basically means not having any residency requirements and not having to undergo a police clearance for outstanding warrants for violent crime to receive FREE taxpayer funded services.
TC is on target. Residency requirements and background checks should have been in pace from the start— 2015
Lynch Park makes sense with it’s unintended usage over the last 20 years as a derelict hang out “Ambassadors” none, though the idea on it’s face is so ridiculous as to suggest there must be a big part of it unexplained.
We need to purge the downtown of all the undesirables who don’t belong there, especially now that the St. Francis House will be gone from the area. Setting up a shelter right in the middle of downtown is clearly not the answer.
Have you seen the tent shanty-town on SE 4th Place, Jazzman, like something out of a ghetto in Haiti? I suggest you leave your ivory tower and go for a drive.
I don’t live in an ivory tower anymore than you live in a cave, though would appropriate for you.
I am in complete agreement on the goal of not letting people live on the streets or in parks. Unlike many here I understand that our governments must provide alternatives or they can’t enforce that, and that will cost money.
Say what? “..I understand that our governments must provide alternatives or they can’t enforce that,..” MUST?? Our governments must do nothing of the sort. Our governments absolutely are NOT required to provide housing for homeless people. Period. Full stop. Our government should use our taxes to provide clean, unbroken, roads and policing. Nothing more.
Yes they do if they want to move them off the sidealk and out of the parks. Courts have rulled that and DeSantis new law says the same thing.
Look it up
Might be some potential grant monies involved.
Ambassadors? Seriously? What is wrong with these people? The reason that the homeless are homeless is the same reason that they would not be a ‘good fit’ in a public relations position. I am stunned by the Commission’s stupidity.
Actually in a “Wokesville” way it’s a pretty good fit. How much better can the idiots at the helm be represented ? The only other option would be Poland China Hogs.
There is absolutely no reason to insult the Poland China hogs like that. Maybe closer to Pot Bellies but even that’s an insult to the pigs 😉
How bout another ‘brilliant’ idea for the commission to consider?
Since parking can be an issue downtown why not hire the homeless for valet parking? They could sell tickets for the ensuing demolition derby sure to follow.
Is there any doubt as to who the third party will be? Hint: De…..
“Now we have Depot Park, we’ve got Tumblin’ Creek, and I would like to make a motion that the City return Lynch Park to those who gifted it.”
Either those “who gifted it” is financially in cahoots with Chestnut or she is suffering from a case of slippage, in which the brain falls down to the butt.
How stupid can you be?! The city is neck high in debt, going so far as to turn free parking spaces in paid ones, and she wants to give away a prime piece of real estate worth millions.
Stupid is as stupid does.
Call in the FDLE. Audit everyone on City Staff and Commission. This stinks .
The city cannot develop it. If it’s not going to be a park, only the heirs can do that.
the commisin’s must be on some good stuff
Third party – DeCarmine/Grace Marketplace
“Eastman said he was also uncomfortable with voting for something that was brought up for the first time on the dais, “even if it sounds like a good idea… because I like to review all my backup, know what I’m voting on.” He said, however, that he was “happy to have more information come forward.””
Run this by me again!
Eastman is “uncomfortable” voting for something being heard on the dais for the first time but, has no problem actually making the motion to run head-long into a maneuver that may bring the full weight and wrath of the legislature down on the city, along with a potentially costly court fight, to try and reverse an action they (ccom) don’t like even though they brought it on themselves?
I failed to specify I was referring to his actions regarding the GRU Authority referendum along with Lynch Park.
Democrats ruin EVERYTHING they touch.
I know, maybe Apple will build a store there. They can help charge Obama phones with curbside USB ports.
Why hasn’t there been any story on any media about Duncan-Walker’s absences?
I think she has another job. Poe is to blame for changing the meeting times so that it would be a conflict for her. That was after Johnson resigned and Poe figured out that Duncan-Walker and Chestnut weren’t going to play along with an obviously insane person stopping the meeting every five minutes, taking them into the back, and telling them what to do.
This is unreal! What are these so-called government officials drinking? Homeless Ambassadors? Is this a thing, when you are in a government position you act like a lunatic, come up with stupidity and hope everyone will go along with? I’ve seen happening somewhere…hmmm…oh yeah, there’s one in the White House also!
Trump’s been gone for more than 3 years so rest easy, and so has the disaster he left – look at the GDP, employment, stock market, manufacturing, oil exports, declining inflation (the US is outperforming most developed nations with this work wide, Covid caused problem), crime (all stats declining nationally), and the economic forecast (a recession or depression were predicted by all economists after Covid and now one will bet on that).
Another blathering Bloody Mary breakfast today? GDP includes government expenditures like the hundreds of billions sent to Ukraine and spent on illegals. You should stick to pouring concrete or whatever you know. Also, the stock market is down after accounting for inflation. How are your insurance rates?
Read it an weep:
https://www.gurufocus.com/economic_indicators/5860/inflation-adjusted-sp-500-index-price
Federal Net Outlays as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (FYONGDA188S)
2023: 22.42382
2022: 24.36775
2021: 28.91605
2020: 30.73505
2019: 20.66294
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FYONGDA188S
Look at the graph. It’s been down for the last couple of years, since January of 2022, until the last few months, when all the polls have Trump back in the White House next year.
The market is reacting to the lowering of rates and the fact that the feds and all reputable prognosticators, after a recession was the orthodox prediction, after strong growth in the economy, said no recession. No one is stupid enough to bet their wallet on a Trump victory now, so put down the Kool Aid. The economy under Trump, pumped up with the deficit hot check tax cut, was mediocre with similar GDPs growth to Obama’s economy in his last 4.
rather be drinking the kool-aid as opposed to the flavor aid you seem to be drinking. 😉
Trump left no “disaster.” The disaster was caused by the Wuhan-Chicom-Fauci pre-programmed event. Biden and his masters-of-destruction have been the cause of everything that’s gone downhill since 2020, including the safety of nursing students who want to go out for a jog.
Of all the silliness in this article, I could not help but to notice Chief operating officer? What’s the title going to be next month? Goh with all this foolishness, Curry!
I’ll admit, when I first saw this article title I had to look at the date, convinced this must be an April Fools. Just when you think the CC/CoG couldn’t top themselves with ridiculous, they manage to do so.
I’m a long time resident of Gainesville and I wanted to say that I seen on you tube somewhere that Donald Trump has proposed an idea to criminalize the homeless population across the US and provide “internment camps” to move them into. Just for that idea alone,
I’d vote for Donald Trump.
MAGA!!!
Presumably these “Ambassador” jobs will require a properly posted job description before hiring. The mind runs wild at the thought of how they will post the minimal requirements in terms of the amount of Blow or Fuf or Trank per day that Hes Royal Highness the Ambassador from Gainesville must consume to properly represent Downtown Gainesville to the World At Large.
Hang on. A commissioner, out of the blue, asks the Commission to vote to return a park, inside the city limits, to the heirs to do with as they please? Why do I get the feeling that the heirs will then sell this land to a developer? And how many shell corporations will be established to hide the ‘loan’ to that commissioner?
Also, the idea of homeless people being ambassadors is exactly why the Commission should stick to fixing roads and providing law enforcement. That’s it. No decrees to foreign countries asking to stop wars. No money funnels like Reichert House. None of it. Just do your darn jobs.
This city commission and their predecessors selected a series of city managers with questionable histories whose failures in previous positions were evident. We are the just the latest victims.
So what motion passed regarding Lynch Park? There were two motions, correct? I guess if Cynthia Chestnut wishes it, her wishes will come true.