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Future Monuments Will Require City OK

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By RAY REYES, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 19, 2007

PLANT CITY - If the East Hillsborough Historical Society decides to allow a companion piece to the Confederate Cow Cavalry memorial, it must seek city permission.

Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution Dec. 10 that requires the historical society to seek their approval at least 90 days in advance before it allows any more permanent monuments on the grounds of the 1914 Plant City High School Community Center.

The historical society takes care of the building at 605 N. Collins St. and has its archives there.

Commissioners have said the historical society should have asked for permission for the Cow Calvary memorial because the city owns the building.

The bronze memorial depicts a rifle-toting man in front of a horse and cattle and was unveiled during the society's Pioneer Heritage Day on Nov. 17. The Cow Cavalry protected cattle from Union soldiers and helped supply Confederate troops with beef.

The memorial was paid for by the Plant City chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

City commissioner Mary Yvette Thomas Mathis objected to the memorial and told commissioners during a meeting Nov. 13 that "this is a Confederate solider we're putting on city property."

Shelby Bender, president of the historical society, said she was surprised the resolution was on the agenda Dec. 10.

"I didn't know it was back on the agenda," Bender said. "I did not think it was coming back."

At a meeting Nov. 26, commissioners tabled the resolution and agreed to not take action on it until Dec. 10, when the language and definitions of the resolutions were further refined.

One major modification was added to the revised resolution, which defined the word "permanent" as "any monument or display which shall remain on the property for more than 90 days." The resolution doesn't apply to displays inside the building.

The city and the society are discussing ownership of the building, and Bender said she was under the impression the resolution had been removed from the agenda because the parties were at the negotiating table.

Bender said the resolution's approval will have no effect on the society's business. She added the society is focused on gaining ownership of the historical site, pending its review of the finances needed to maintain the picturesque, red brick building.

If the society decides that the financial burden is too much, the city could lease the building to the nonprofit, City Manager David Sollenberger wrote in a report to commissioners.

No formal lease agreement has existed between the city and the society for 30 years. The city entered a verbal agreement with the society June 27, 1977, that authorized the nonprofit to restore and manage the building, according to a city staff report.

Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 865-4433 or rreyes@tampatrib.com.

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