Only four spaces remain in the cemetery, said High Springs City Clerk Jenny Parham. Currently there are 17 empty plots, but 13 are already reserved. During the Thursday, Feb. 23, commission meeting, the commission decided to look into expanding the cemetery by 300 to 350 spaces.

Prior to committing to the project, Vice Mayor Bob Barnas said it would be a good idea to review the survey prepared by Stacy Hall of George F. Young, Inc., which would show the layout of the property. The survey would include the location of trees, current plots and usable land for future spaces. The expansion of the cemetery will cost $6,000, if the city decides to move forward.

Commissioner Linda Gestrin said she would like to discuss the expansion in a workshop.

University of Florida engineering students have offered to conduct a no charge ground penetrating radar survey to show the subsurface makeup. If rocks are present, the city will be unable to use the land for future burial plots.

With more than 130 horses on 265 acres in Alachua, the Retirement Home for Horses at Mill Creek Farm shells out some $800 on hay per week.

ALACHUA – When US Army Sgt. First Class Possum retired, he faced an uncertain future.

During his 14 years serving, he performed at parades, rodeos, cultural and community events for the Fort Carson Mounted Color Guard in Colorado. But despite his hard work and dedication, the United States Army doesn’t provide much of a retirement plan to aging horses.

Lucky for him and his fellow Color Guard, Master Sgt. Houdini, a space was available for both of them at the Retirement Home for Horses at Mill Creek Farm - a place where neglected, abused or overworked horses can retire in peace, roaming over 265 acres of green pastures.

The two arrived at Mill Creek Farm with certificates of appreciation signed by the Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama, thanking them both for their service. Houdini has since passed away, but Possum still calls the farm his home.

He can thank Peter and Mary Gregory, who spent $1.5 million from the sale of their hotel to open the retirement home. Most horses that retire from police departments end up being auctioned and eventually slaughtered, Peter said.

Today, Mill Creek Farm, which is located at 20307 NW CR 235A, Alachua, survives because of private donations from people who support the cause.  On March 24, the farm will hold its only fundraiser, the Fourth Annual Spring Sale. In yard-sale fashion, the farm sets out 25 tables laden with donated goods, such as jewelry, cookware, tools, pet items and much more.

Mill Creek Farm is currently accepting items from the community until March 19. After that, volunteer Georgia Crosby will work to categorize, price and pack away the items until the day of the sale.

“It’s for the horses,” Crosby said. “That’s why I do it.”

Annually, it takes approximately $2,200 to care for a horse at the farm, and Mill Creek has 131 horses. Crosby hopes to raise $5,000 this year at the spring sale. Last year, they had an estimated 400 visitors and raised $3,500.

For those interested in donating to the spring sale, the farm is unable to accept items such as clothing, bed linens, computers, printers, exercise equipment and large furniture. Cash donations are always welcome, and each donation is tax deductible.

According to the website, donations are down, but the price of hay is up due to the drought. Peter said approximately $800 a week is spent on hay.

To keep the farm running year round, Peter estimated that it costs $250,000. However, the Gregorys no longer have to spend their own money to keep the place in business. They donated the land to the Retirement Farm for Horses, Inc., which places a conservation easement on the land and ensures that it will always be a place for horses to retire. Retirement Farm for Horses, Inc. is a non-profit that promises the horses who find their way to Mill Creek that they will never be ridden or worked again.

In a golf cart piled high with his dogs, the other four-legged residents at Mill Creek, Peter drives around the farm doling out carrots to the horses. He knows each horse by name, easily recalling the sad story that brought them to Mill Creek. The farm is home to previous show horses, circus horses and horses that were used in scientific experiments – all pushed beyond what they could handle.

When the horses do pass away, they are buried in the “Field of Dreams,” and a tree is planted in their honor.

“I would rather do something like this in my old age than sit at home, waiting to die,” Peter said.

According to the Mill Creek website, the farm is open to guests every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The price of admission is two carrots. After all, the retirees love them.

At a public hearing held Feb. 21, city officials Adam Boukari and Diane Morgan presented details about the fields that will be constructed on the 105 acres purchased as part of the city’s Project Legacy agreement with Alachua County.

Morgan, the city’s grant specialist, said the grant is administered through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Land and Water Conservation Fund. If approved for $200,000 in grant funding, the city would provide matching funds of $200,000.

City commissioners gave final approval for the city to submit the grant application at the Feb. 27 commission meeting. Morgan will submit the document to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection by March 8.

Currently, the City of Alachua lacks adequate space for all area teams to practice effectively. Boukari said he has seen football teams meeting on the basketball courts because the football fields were being used.

“This project will provide needed capacity for local residents and local programs while ensuring there are available venues for attracting sports tourism,” Boukari said.

When the three new fields are constructed, the additional areas will create spaces for rugby, soccer, football and lacrosse teams to practice. The finished project will use about 20 acres of the 105 acres, said Boukari.

Labeled Project Legacy, the land to expand the Hal Brady Recreation facility was purchased in December 2011 after Alachua County agreed to provide $500,000 from Alachua County Tourist Development Council funds toward the purchase. The agreement requires that construction is completed by 2015.  The total cost to purchase the land was approximately $1.2 million. In addition to the money provided by Alachua County, the purchase was possible because of private donations and $500,000 from the county’s Wild Spaces, Public Places fund.

With the acquisition of the 105 acres the recreation facility was increased by five times its original size.

The fields will be designed for multi-purpose use, allowing for the property to be used for events other than sports, such as band performances and cheerleading shows. The city’s popular Fourth of July Celebration will not be affected by the future construction.

“I feel that citizen input should be only for items not on the agenda,” Davis wrote in his email to Langman.  “We have tried to allow input during the agenda items, but it has turned into a time to bash all decisions made by the commission, and city manager,” he said.

Davis added that allowing public input has lengthened meetings and, “…is certainly not fostering civility nor open discussion.”

The mayor seems to admit that many of the comments come from people who disagree with actions of the commission, writing, “I have found much of the input to be a time to vent the obvious contempt for the present commission and city manager.”

Davis goes on to take aim at media coverage of meetings.  “The unnecessarily negative blogs by people that put their spin on it has raised the question of responsible journalism in my mind.”

But Davis doesn’t stop with public comments and media coverage.  In the email, he stated his intentions of putting an end to people filming the meetings.

“I will request that all private filming during commission meetings be prohibited,” he wrote, suggesting that he obtained legal opinions confirming that such a ban could be implemented.  He said his reason for seeking the filming prohibition was his concern that the filming was disrupting the meeting and causing conversation in the audience.

He wrote that the filming is “Being used to further a political agenda that is not compatible with the will of the commission.”  Davis added, “Much of the information being put out as fact is in reality fiction.”

In an email response to Davis, City Manager Langman stated that it is the opinion of the Florida Attorney General that the City cannot ban “videoing or recording” of the meetings.

She also addressed Davis’ suggestion that citizen comments only be permitted on items not on the agenda.  Langman wrote, “This is something that was addressed during a meeting and there was a consensus to allow public comment after each agenda item both new and old business.”

Langman said eliminating public comments is a matter that should be discussed and decided by a majority of the commission before it is changed again.  As a means of addressing some of Davis’ concerns, Langman recommended that he remind speakers to stay on topic when addressing the commission.

When contacted by Alachua County Today for further clarification about why he wanted public input eliminated and filming banned, Davis said he had no comment.